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Some manufacturers and experts on in Lagos have decried the trend of labelling Nigerian goods as made-in-Asia or made-in-China...
11 Jun 2015
The year 2013 for most brands, especially the ones coping with saturated markets in developed countries, will be a decisive one. Incorporating Africa into their corporate brand strategy, if they haven't done so, will be the better part of valour, so to speak.
Obaika Consulting Team 31 Jan 2013
No, the concepts of "tribalism", "gamification" and "engagement" aren't a promo for the latest computer game, but are in fact the trends that will characterise the way companies and consumers interact in 2013. The branding industry is constantly developing and. while the following trends are evolutions rather than dynamic, short-term changes, we believe there are 10 areas that will define the brandscape over the next year.
HKLM Exco Team 31 Jan 2013
Young South Africa is savvier than ever before. If you are looking for a smart and discerning prosumer, this group of kids, teens and young adults will give you more kicks than you've ever bargained for. They know just what they are looking for from any brand, and this makes them that much more satisfying to please. Here are a few trends to look out for in 2013.
HDI Youth Marketeers Team 31 Jan 2013
As 2013 commences, afro-pessimism seems to cede to afro-optimism. There is a global consensus: Africa is poised for a great future. What will be the impact of Africa's growth on our industry? What will be the major trends of the year? In the business world, predicting the future is a crucial exercise.
Nandkishor Buty 30 Jan 2013
There are several key trends that will present themselves in 2013. From m-payments to HIV/AIDS prevention, emerging markets are leading the way when it comes to innovative uses of mobile technology. Marketers, too, are seeing their roles and responsibilities expand.
Dr KF Lai 25 Jan 2013
LONDON, UK / JOHANNESBURG, SA: Turbulent times were predicted on the back end of 2012. The ANC Mangaung conference precipitated very little stormy seas other than an anti-climactic conclusion. The Mayan apocalypse materialised into nothing but an ordinary day. In fact with so many forecasts for change and a chasm of chaos, one may tend to be a bit sceptical with further predictions of change.
*David Mattin and Saint-Francis Tohlang 8 Jan 2013
NEW YORK, US: Global online consumer confidence fell for the seventh consecutive quarter as confidence in 31 of 56 global markets measured declined, according to from Nielsen, a leading global provider of insights and analytics into what consumers watch and buy.
9 Nov 2011
LONDON, UK: Africa has become the second most connected region in the world in terms of mobile subscription count, up from fourth place at the end of 2010, according to new research by Informa Telecoms & Media, and the number of mobile subscriptions in Africa is expected to reach one billion in 2016.
4 Nov 2011
Bizcommunity.com has now expanded its operations into 16 new sectors and will soon venture into another 17, providing a whole new range of target audiences for advertisers. The most critical aspect of this is the quality of content and this is a formal invitation to you to become a recognised contributor on Bizcommunity.
Bizcommunity.com 3 Oct 2011
Bizcommunity.com - South Africa's largest online B2B publisher - is set to grow even more with the introduction of 16 new content channels, with weekly newsletters, as from last week Tuesday, 20 September 2011.
Bizcommunity.com 20 Sep 2011


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The US dollar was still mostly weaker against its peers and hawkish remarks from Fed officials weren’t enough to spur gains. Reports such as initial jobless claims and Philly Fed index were also better than expected but forex traders still seem to be factoring in the implications of the July FOMC meeting minutes on rate hike odds. There are no reports due from the US economy today.
The euro was able to take advantage of dollar weakness and recover against the commodity currencies. Final CPI readings were in line with expectations while the ECB meeting minutes were not as dovish as many expected. There are no reports due from the euro zone today.
The pound was able to enjoy another leg higher when the UK retail sales report beat expectations. Analysts were only expecting to see a 0.1% uptick but the report printed a 1.4% jump, suggesting that consumer spending didn’t take such a huge hit after the EU referendum. UK public sector net borrowing data is due today.
The franc continued to advance to the dollar and the European currencies even though there were no major reports out of the Swiss economy yesterday. There are still no reports due today so market sentiment could be the main price driver.
The yen held on to its recent gains as risk-taking appeared to fade in recent sessions. Japan’s trade balance also beat expectations with a 0.32T JPY surplus versus the projected 0.14T JPY figure. For today, the all industries activity index is due.
Commodity Currencies (AUD, NZD, CAD)
Comdolls were mostly weaker for the day even though Australia printed an upbeat jobs report. The economy added 26.2K jobs in July, higher than the projected 10.2K reading, while the June reading enjoyed an upgrade from 7.9K to 10.8K. Canada’s CPI and retail sales figures are lined up for today.

domain: news


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Tech consultant giving Wawarsing free tourism app
TOWN OF WAWARSING -- A controversial mobile phone application and an app website will launch regardless of how the Wawarsing town board feels about it, said the app developer on Thursday night.
The app was developed by an Ellenville company called Taleks Infosystems which is owned by town's IT information technology consultant Eric Aleksandryants.
Aleksandryants said he created the app to fuel tourism in the region and hopes to take his prototype to other towns to see if they want to lease it.
Smart phone users will be able to download the Wawarsing app for free and they will be guided to participating businesses which will charged fees to advertise on the app.
Aleksandryants originally offered to lease both his app and the website to the town for $12,000 a year, but he recently took the offer off the table and refused to sign a contract with the town, after he found his app embroiled in politics.
Instead, he plans to give the town the app website for free and launch the app on his own in the weeks to come.
Nevertheless, town officials put the app deal on their agenda for Thursday's town board meeting. They decided to take no action on the issue and some members of the town board seemed to want to continue discussions about it.
"It's a good idea, but if we do it, let's make sure to sure it right," said town councilman Michael Durso.
A lease agreement would have given the town some control over what goes into the app and its website, but Aleksandryants insists that he's taking it private.
"They still do not understand it," said Aleksandryants, who attended the gathering because his job includes making video recordings of meetings for the town.
Heiko Giesberg who recently opened the New Paltz Brewing Company in town said he's interested.
"I'd like to see how it's going to help my business, but I've limited dollars for advertising right now," said Giesberg.
As for Wawarsing Supervisor Leonard Distel, he thinks the app is a good idea.
"It's all about getting more people to visit Wawarsing and it's (the app) going to happen anyway," said Distel.


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Celebrations are in order for Burberry's Christopher Bailey as he's enrolled into the fashion Hall of Fame...
Christopher Bailey celebrated another fashion triumph last night as he was awarded the Hall of Fame accolade at the annual WGSN Global Fashion Awards.
It’s been an incredible year for Burberry’s main man, as he recently announced his new chief executive officer role at the British brand, replacing Angela Ahrendts following her exciting move to Apple.
Continuing on in his current role as chief creative officer at Burberry simultaneously, Christopher has certainly earned the prestigious title in the last 12 months alone. Previous winners have included photographer Rankin and Biba founder Barbara Hulanicki.
The Yorkshire-born designer attended the Victoria and Albert Museum event alongside Amber Le Bon, Emilia Fox and host Cat Deeley at the glamorous bash.
The Hall of Fame honour is the ceremony’s top award, given to an individual who has “furthered the interests of the industry, broken new ground and inspired the world”, read a WGSN statement this morning.
Erdem, Acne, Oliver Spencer and Nicholas Kirkwood were among the other designers to win big, while Topshop also scooped the gong for Best Multi-Channel Retailer at the respected industry awards.
Christopher is currently enjoying his twelfth year at the helm of Burberry, having joined way back in 2001.
Big congratulations to Christopher and the whole team at Burberry!
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Taylor Swift reveals when she actually started dating Travis Kelce - and why she's refusing to hide their relationship
She's opening up about it *all*
By Jadie Troy-Pryde
Forget the South of France in summer, winter’s the time to go
By Penny Goldstone
The biggest dating trends for 2024 might just get you back on the apps
Feeling jaded by modern dating? Take a look at this
By Lauren Hughes


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Retailers know shopping is cyclical; that it’s seasonal. The holiday season comes around like clockwork—but it’s rarely predictable and strategizing for it never truly ends. Planning meetings for the holidays start in January and brands work year-round preparing stores and store managers alike for the Olympics of shopping: The Holidays. They pour time and money into campaign strategies, data gathering, and studying habits that emerge from the preceding seasonal roll outs in order to identify and anticipate holiday trends.
Back to school, back to the drawing board
Back-to-school shopping is the pre-season to Holiday shopping, and retailers would be remiss if they didn’t take note of trends that emerge from it. Compared to holiday shopping, the spend expectations are humble—but not to go unnoticed. Retail Dive touched on this—explaining that the retail industry’s annual rite of passage (Back-to-School) is shaping up to be a jackpot for merchants. They revealed parents are expected to shell out an average $1,642 on student expenses this year, up 33% from 2015’s average of $1,239. This bump in spend is due largely to the surge in education technology. But the changes impacting the 2016 back-to-school shopping season resound far beyond how much money parents are spending and what they’re spending it on.
In short, this year’s back-to-school shopping peeled back some unexpected findings—ones that will help positively position retailers for the impending holiday season.
- Moms once held all the purchasing power—but now dads and kids have a say where the money goes. Purchasing habits are becoming a family affair.
- Discount stores are losing their luster. The culprit? The internet.
- Shoppers are flexing their controlling muscles. They’re patient and proactive; being more savvy with their dollars, spread over a longer period of shopping time. Last-minute shoppers are now the minority.
From first day to first snow
This back-to-school data should serve retailers as the catalyst for championing the cash cow sales days happenings this upcoming holiday season. And, as any good data scientist would tell you, retailers should aim to drive actionable change from the learnings. That said, here are 4 ways retailers can set themselves up for success for the 2016 Holiday season:
- Connect the dots between online and in-store. It may seem like a no-brainer, but in our Store Manager Survey performed earlier this year, we found only 45% of Store Managers believe their company’s in-store experience is consistent with the online experience.
- Make it your pleasure. Despite the proof that quick and agile problem-solving are keys to brand success, only 65% of Store Manager feel equipped to make decisions quickly. Ready your teams with the resources that will train them to deliver top-notch service to shoppers. An age-old concept, maybe, but real humans solving real problems will yield real customer loyalty.
- Feel the need for speed. Gone are the days of waiting 10 days for an ordered item. As we learned from the Walmart-Jet.com acquisition, the most forward-thinking brands are incorporating more instant gratification into their shipping and payment strategies. Think: mobile, mobile, mobile.
- Humanize yourselves. REI made a big statement last year by closing all physical stores on Black Friday – and the public loved it. Consider a social strategy that encourages the spirit of the holidays; make it less about the sale and develop campaigns that show your goodness, kindness, and creativity.
So, retailers, take courage. While change may be the only constant in this industry, there are some predictables.
In our recent Store Manager survey, we found despite store managers being on the front lines in retail they often feel disconnected from corporate and find it difficult to execute strategies like the ones listed above. Interested in what tools and support Store Managers need to be successful in their jobs? Download our Store Manager Survey report now.


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Like any new technology, the cosmetic laser is in a state of rapid development.
Scientific advances allow faster and less invasive procedures and new regulations control who can and cannot operate equipment but, arguably most significant from a business perspective, experience has led to a savvier buying public than in the early days.
“Back then, I was new to all this,” says Vickie Hemphill of Serenity Skin & Laser, in reference to taking the plunge into the cosmetic industry and buying her first laser. “I put my house up for that machine. That machine cost more than my house did. I was a single mom raising two kids and it was a leap of faith for me,” says Hemphill.
With 20 years of experience as a licensed nurse already under her belt, Hemphill saw lasers as an opportunity to learn something new. “I was working in a doctor’s office after a series of hospital centers,” says Hemphill, “He was interested in lasers and asked me to get trained, I said ’sure.’” That was 15 years ago, and a lot has changed since then.
More options and less anesthesia
Fotona has been manufacturing lasers since 1964 — only four years after the technology itself was invented. One of their most recent cosmetic offerings is a system called SP Dynamis; a highly versatile dual wavelength laser that can be used for a variety of aesthetic procedures.
According to Keith Bateman, Fotona’s executive vice president, multiple applications, ease of use, reliability, and improved throughput combined with less invasive treatments, are all benefits typically associated with the latest and greatest in cosmetic lasers. Bateman says these improvements are exemplified in two new procedures performed with the SP Dynamis: NightLase and SmoothLase.
NightLase is a treatment to reduce snoring that requires no anesthesia. “Historically, you would perform uvulopalatoplasty, which is a serious surgical procedure requiring tissue removal,” says Bateman. Performing NightLase with the SP Dynamis treats the soft palate with no pain and no post-operative medication.
“SmoothLase is similar,” says Bateman, “You inter-orally treat wrinkles from inside the mouth without any anesthesia at all and no downtime for the patient.” In the past, Bateman says, these types of wrinkle reductions were achieved with skin resurfacing, where tissue is ablated and recovery time can be significant.
“The industry is growing most rapidly in Western countries,” says Bateman, “but there are also rapidly growing markets in China, Brazil, and several other countries.” His company sells cosmetic lasers in 60 countries worldwide. Abroad, vaginal tightening procedures are booming, he says, including two not marketed in the U.S., IncontiLase and IntimaLase, which are also performed with the SP Dynamis.
Diverse buyer options
As treatments evolve, so have the platforms from which buyers can negotiate purchases. Since 2008, MedResults Network has taken the benefits of a traditional GPO, (lower costs for products and services) and brought them to the end users. Jamie Parrott, president of the company, explains how it works.
“Our business model is to negotiate with major aesthetic vendors for rebates and discounts for our members,” says Parrott. Currently, the MedResults Network contains 2100 members and works with 45 vendors, but if things continue in the direction they’re heading, that 45 may start to go down.
“Everyone is consolidating,” says Parrott, who mentions big aesthetic companies like Allergen, Merz Aesthetics, and Galderma, “These big players are trying to be a onestop shop for the aesthetic provider.” Much like other facets of the health care industry, cosmetic companies are going through a defragmenting process through mergers and acquisitions. Parrott says in the last few years, Valeant Pharmaceuticals has acquired Solta, Medicis, and Obagi.
While there may be fewer brands in the industry, there has been an increase in thirdparty options. When Hemphill was looking for her first laser, the third-party market was a relatively uncharted frontier where brokers selling lasers often had less-than-glowing reputations. Better business practices have improved that market segment. Meanwhile, manufacturers like Alma and Syneron, are marketing their own certified pre-owned devices.
Pre-owned reputation gets a facelift
A doctor will find that “a five- or ten-year-old laser that’s been maintained in good working condition and still meets manufacture specs will give the same clinical results as the newest ones off the production line,” says Tony Kokjohn, president of The Laser Agent Inc. “Does it do it as fast or painlessly? Maybe not. But it’s the same effectiveness.”
In terms of what brings clients to the treatment facility, Kokjohn says it’s essentially the same procedures it’s always been; hair removal, ILP, and vascular treatment. Skin tightening, cellulite treatment, and tattoo removal are less frequently sought out. The necessary tools for those popular services are readily available on the used market and, from an end user perspective, Kokjohn believes the benefits of newer lasers don’t always fit the price tag.
Hemphill’s first laser came from the manufacturer, but that experience did not impress her. “I once paid $13,000 to have my machine repaired and in three months, I called the service guy again, who I had known for years, and he informed me it would be an additional $5,000 for that repair,” says Hemphill, “And $2,400 just to have them walk in the door on top of that.”
That experience ultimately pushed her over the edge and into third-party servicing. “They told me over the phone, without even knowing me, to push a button on the side of the machine. They said it sometimes gets stuck. And sure enough, the monitor came up and it’s worked fine ever since,” says Hemphill, who now deals exclusively with third-party dealers.
But things are not that cut and dry.
“It’s difficult to buy a laser — and do it where it doesn’t impact your company badly,” says Chris Cella, CEO of Sentient Medical Technologies, the third-party vendor and servicer Hemphill switched to.
Cella says the historically dubious practices of laser brokers have enabled manufacturers to cultivate fear of pre-owned lasers in the market by suggesting they won’t work. According to Cella, bad third-party sellers may not keep the machines up to specifications and may not even know how to properly install them.
In a sense, those kinds of horror stories have benefited companies like The Laser Agent and Sentient Medical Technologies, which aim to distinguish themselves as trend-setters in accountability. They offer personalized services and consultations to physicians and med spa owners looking to capitalize on the drastic price benefits of shopping used. In terms of demand, Cella says it has never been higher.
“I will steer buyers in the direction of device models and manufacturers that are easier to get third-party service and support on and don’t have proprietary consumables, such as single-use tips,” says The Laser Agent’s Kokjohn. He says servicing a laser through a third-party typically becomes easier once the system is five or
so years old.
“The hardest thing to do is try to re-sell a very late model system that has consumables,” says Kokjohn, “Something that’s a year old, has proprietary consumables, and the customer paid a ton of money for.”
Cella says it is not unheard of for doctors to order consumables in bulk online and then sell them through a website. “You can get them, but the way you’re getting them isn’t something that’s scalable,” says Cella, who contrasts this practice with a more transparent transaction like going to the auto shop for a replacement car part.
Servicing from the manufacturer
On behalf of Fotona, Bateman says, “When a used Fotona laser is sold independently, if the buyer wants a service agreement on that laser, we will first need to check it out. If anything needs fixing, we will fix it and charge for it, but our rates for that are virtually the same as if they were just another of our customers.”
Bateman says Fotona does not charge recertification fees for transferring ownership of a laser. “If a customer called and we sold them a laser four years ago and they hadn’t had it on a service contract, they could still register for one. We would charge them for checking out the machine to verify it was in good condition, and we would do the same with someone who bought one of our lasers used.”
The cost of that inspection, according to Bateman, would likely be in the ballpark of a few thousand dollars, but not tens of thousands. “It could be very expensive if there were serious problems with the laser. You don’t know if it was in a flood or mishandled, you don’t know if a critical component was broken, you just don’t know until you check it out.”
Although he recommends servicing a laser annually, Bateman adds, “We have customers that do not get their lasers serviced for several years and they still function great.”
State by state regulations
The shift towards legislation requiring physicians to operate cosmetic lasers has increased in recent years. For Sentient Medical Technologies, roughly 80 percent of the current customer base is physicians. “Certain types of physicians get involved because they aren’t making enough money in their occupation,” says Cella, who cites an OB/ GYN getting involved in laser hair removal as a typical example.
Those physicians would ask themselves the same business questions as anyone else entering the business, according to Cella; is there a demand and a demographic in the marketplace? Where is my competition? What is my overhead? What can I charge? Who do I market to? Who do I consult? How do I focus on a return in investment?
“In New York it’s wide open,” says Kokjohn. Meaning there are a lot of medical spas, and lots of aestheticians that do cosmetic laser procedures outside of a doctor’s office and without doctor supervision. “Across the river in New Jersey however,” says Kokjohn, “You have one of the most tightly regulated states for cosmetic procedures.” A result of which, he says, is higher costs to the patient.
“In my opinion, it’s not about the degree of the person doing the treatment,” says Kokjohn. “It’s about the clinical training on that particular device.” He is not opposed to legislation requiring training, but he does think basing a laser practitioner’s qualifications on their degree is missing the mark.
He says there are many nurses and aestheticians who are excellent treatment providers and arguably better than doctors. “They take more time with the patient, they’re better clinically, they’re into it more and it isn’t just a sideline like it is for some doctors,” said Kokjohn.
“Why is a pathologist better at laser hair removal than, say, an electrologist with good clinical training on the device they’re using?” asks Kokjohn.
From the manufacturer’s perspective, Fotona’s Bateman has not felt any impact on his business from this kind of legislation. His opinion on stricter regulations hinges on what procedures are being done, as well as the entities implementing and enforcing those regulations.
Hemphill’s practice, Serenity Skin & Laser, is located in Georgia where you don’t need to be a doctor, but she thinks there are advantages to being associated with one. “I’ve been very fortunate to have doctors behind me all the way through this,” she says.
Her practice has three offices and seven different doctors who rotate through them. It’s a small operation that works within the Falany & Hulse Women’s Center. Although none of the doctors actually use the lasers, Hemphill believes their presence — tending to patients and providing medical expertise — gives the business a more credible feel for people looking for service.
In Georgia, nurses have to renew their laser license every two years at the cost of $200. “In all honesty,” says Hemphill, “a lot of it has to do with money.” She jokes that although it may help prevent people from performing laser treatments at the local gas station, the costs associated with license renewal may not be justifiable.
A smoother future
As time goes on, Cella thinks it’s inevitable that a more fluid relationship will develop between the manufacturers and the third-party providers, but at present there are not enough advantages for both parties to actively work together. “I’ve had conversations with some CEOs where we attempted to talk about distribution and sales, but nothing has come through,” says Cella.
As mergers and acquisitions continue to reshape the manufacturing landscape, Parrott, with MedResults Network, believes new benefits will appear for patients. “Loyalty programs will decrease pricing for patients,” she says. ”They will get the treatments they need for less in the future, and products and services will become more accessible to them.”
“In the old days when people had CO2 laser facial resurfacing done, they had three or four weeks where they had to hide because they looked like they’d been in the blast furnace,” says Bateman, “With today’s advanced technology and clinical protocols you can do similar treatments and people often don’t even know that you had it done. I believe it’s just going to continue in that trend of less invasive procedures and shorter recuperation times.”
Hemphill says the trend towards physician involvement is not going away any time soon and anyone looking to get into the industry now should make sure they’re affiliated, regardless of local legislation.
At the end of the day, the cosmetic laser industry, so often focused on making people look younger, is itself showing signs of aging — but gracefully. Most industry observers see that as very good for better outcomes and better ethical practices. And that is good for patients, practitioner and business.
to check out the DOTmed Virtual Trade Show for lasers.
DOTmed Registered Cosmetic Lasers Companies
Names in boldface are Premium Listings.
Christopher Ostler, Wholesale Aesthetics, LLC
Thomas Merolla, Eastern Surgical Company
Jay Jordan, State of the Art Medical
Brian Baumgardner, BMX Medical, Inc
Alison Fortin, Global Inventory Management
Eric Graham, Sentient Medical Technologies
Lee Atkins, Advanced Medical Inc
Navneet Kumar, Emerging India Healthcare


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It’s looking like being a full house again for this Thursday’s store sale at WVLX in Mortlake. According to recent bookings, cattle numbers are expected to be around the 3000 mark, making it another bumper sale.
The store sale will start at 10am on Thursday 12 April and all members of the community are invited to come and see WVLX in action. And don’t forget to stop by the on-site cafe, run by local restaurant Olivine, for a coffee, lunch and a delicious treat.
Anyone with enquiries can contact WVLX manager, Tim Nowell on 0428 591 614.


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Dubai Duty Free prepares to kick off DDF Irish Derby Festival
The 15th Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival will take place this weekend at The Curragh Racecourse in Co. Kildare, Ireland, with the feature race running on Saturday, June 25. The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby will see some of Europe’s top trainers, jockeys and horses compete on the famous Curagh track.
This year’s sporting event will welcome the return of a full capacity crowd and mark the first time Dubai Duty Free will host guests in its new Curragh grandstand. A premier race on the global calendar, with prize money of €1 million, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby is Ireland’s richest race.
“This year marks our 15th as title sponsor of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, although we have been working with the Curragh Racecourse, supporting them and sponsoring other races for 21 years now. We are glad to be back here in-person once more with a full capacity crowd.
“Despite the challenges over the past couple of years, Dubai Duty Free has continued to operate its retail business at Dubai International Airport and has recently re-opened a retail operation in Al Maktoum International. Passengers are travelling again, people are shopping, and we expect our sales this year to reach US$1.4 billion, which is 43% over last year.
“Over the term of our sponsorship, we have worked closely with The Curragh team and endeavored to grow this event into a festival with activities taking place both on and off the track. An example of this is the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Golf Classic, which will take place at The K Club on Thursday, June 23. We are also sponsoring the Ladies Fashion element of race day with a great prize of a trip to Dubai,” says Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman & CEO, Dubai Duty Free.
The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival has significantly grown since the airport retailer took on the role of title sponsor in 2008. Central to the festival, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby has become a recognized event. It is expected that Ireland’s flagship race will be viewed across the globe, with viewers tuning in from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, South Africa, USA, all over Europe, Mongolia and of course UAE, the home of Dubai Duty Free. The company is also sponsoring five other races on Derby Day.
Dubai Duty Free is also involved in several other high-profile international sporting events such as The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Colm notes that sports sponsorship has always been an integral part of the company’s marketing strategy in order to reach a global audience via media exposure.


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Swiss negotiators say they have had “constructive” talks with the European Union over protective steel tariffs that Brussels has imposed in the midst of a trade row with the United States.This content was published on September 18, 2018 - 12:47
- 日本語 スイス、EUの鉄鋼輸入関税に抗議
The EU slapped import duties on steel shipments in July after the US had applied a similar tariff on steel and aluminum imports. Steel imports from Switzerland are also potentially affected by the 25% tariff placed on shipments that exceed a certain quota.
Switzerland has protested that the move violates the 1972 free trade agreement it has with the EU. It raised these concerns during an extraordinary meeting of the FTA joint committee in Brussels on Tuesday.
“Switzerland is demanding that the EU Commission either exempt Switzerland from the protective measures or implement them without restricting bilateral trade,” Switzerland stated. “Both sides confirmed that the protective measures should have as little impact as possible on trade flows between Switzerland and the EU.”
While no concrete decisions appear to have taken, both sides will meet again during a regular meeting of the joint committee scheduled for November 13.
Some 98% of Swiss steel imports come from the EU and 95% of Swiss steel exports go in the opposite direction.
“The EU protective measures therefore make EU market access for Swiss steel companies considerably more difficult,” read the Swiss statement. “Swiss suppliers are worried that they will be forced out of the European domestic market if the quotas are exhausted.”
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Avast: The security company Avast announced this Wednesday (22) a new visual identity for the brand, in addition to a campaign focused on digital freedom.
Therefore, the company now adopts as its motto “Making the digital world a more private, free and safe place for everyone, around the world”, which means, in practice, “shaping the digital landscape to be a fairer place , free and equitable for all” from the promotion of digital rights and privacy.
It is worth remembering that, the previous month, the company was acquired by the Norton digital security laboratory for US$ 8 billion.
The main new feature of the new phase is Avast One, a protection service that combines antivirus technology with firewall, software update and VPN — with a free version called Avast One Essential.
Avast One is available today (22) in the US, Canada, UK and Australia, arriving “soon” in other markets.
The Avast Foundation guaranteed participation in a program that addresses issues of digital freedom and supports vulnerable people. Finally, the company also guarantees support in the formulation of security and privacy technology policies.


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BMW Super Bowl pick for selling EVs: Arnold Schwarzenegger plus Salma Hayek
The BMW commercial for its new BMW iX EV features the former California governor and Salma Hayek.
If electric vehicle commercials were 1980s action films, Arnold Schwarzenegger would be, well, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The former governor/Terminator will be at it again this weekend, plugging BMW's new plug-in, the iX SUV, during the Super Bowl. In the 60-second spot, Schwarzenegger plays a grumpy Zeus (“the God of Lightning”), wiling away retirement in Palm Springs, occasionally charging the neighbors' golf carts and hedge trimmers. Hera, played by Salma Hayek, surprises him with the BMW and — spoiler alert — his mood improves.
“I always said ‘We have to create a movement,'” Schwarzenegger told Bloomberg Green. “So I would push alternative fuel vehicles from here to eternity.”
Electric vehicles are swiftly moving beyond early adopters to the mass market. As carmakers pour resources into battery-powered machines, auto marketing teams are hustling to shake the stigma of electric vehicles being earnest, often wimpy vehicles. Enter Schwarzenegger.
“Somebody put that name out there and everybody was like, ‘Yeah, let's stop the discussion right here,'” BMW North America Chief Executive Officer Sebastian Mackensen said.
Schwarzenegger has taken a winding road to his status as EV pitchman. Thirty years ago, he was pushing for the introduction of gas-guzzling civilian Hummers. He started building his reputation as an eco-warrior in the California statehouse where he signed a law to cap emissions on utilities and factories. He also was an early champion for making the Los Angeles Auto Show a showcase for alternative technology. In 2019, the actor played a smarmy car dealer in a series of videos for Veloz, a nonprofit consortium of companies and agencies trying to accelerate EV adoption.
BMW Chief Marketing Officer Jens Thiemer has known Schwarzenegger for a few years and the two have talked about the company's pipeline of electric products. “That kind of authentic involvement played a role,” Thiemer explained, “though I also say he's the perfect Zeus.”
The actor, however, has not been overly impressed with electric offerings. Rather than tool around in a Tesla or Nissan Leaf, he had bigger, brawnier vehicles converted: one of his Hummers ran hydrogen, another burned biodiesel and his Mercedes G-Class SUV was converted to battery power.
“In the last 20 years … an electric car (from) any car company, those cars always looked somewhat stupid,” he explained.
Recently, Schwarzenegger has been driving a Karma. However, he's here for the iX and the parade of similarly swollen electric SUVs and trucks that will hit the market this year. “Now, my friends in the gym … these hardcore bodybuilders, they're finally getting it,” Schwarzenegger explained. “No one can say anymore, ‘This electric stuff, I'm not into that.'”
Hayek said she was drawn to the project for two main reasons: her father and sons are into football and her daughter is active on climate issues. “She's kind of hardcore,” Hayek said.
To be sure, the iX will have plenty of competition. The number of electric vehicles in the U.S. alone will double to about 60 this year. The debuts include GMC's Hummer. Sunday's game will be a major scrum for attention.
“This is the biggest thing I ever worked on,” said Rich Silverstein, a founding partner at Goodby Silverstein & Partners who has helped craft about 10 Super Bowl commercials over the years. “You have the biggest stage and you want to show off your best product.”
Kia also is using the game to tout its EV6 sedan, the first of 11 electric vehicles it plans to produce by 2026. Hyundai, its corporate sibling, won't have an ad in the Super Bowl this year, but the Korean brand used the NFL playoffs to tout the Ioniq 5, its latest EV, with a 60-second spot. In the commercial, Jason Bateman that also aims to convince viewers that EVs have evolved beyond puny, poky and dull.
“We didn't want to be left out,” says Angela Zepeda, chief marketing officer for Hyundai Motor America. “The brief we gave the agency was to stand out during the time of the Super Bowl without actually being in the Super Bowl.”
By abstaining, Hyundai had money left over for spots during NBA and college basketball games, as well as other primetime programming, over the spring and summer.
Schwarzenegger no doubt wasn't cheap for BMW. But he said he wouldn't have taken the job if the commercial touted a gas-powered car: “I don't need the money.”


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BioWare is reinventing save games for the Xbox One and PS4
Now that the Xbox One and PS4 are on store shelves, the development team at BioWare have a serious problem to solve for the upcoming release of Dragon Age: Inquisition. Instead of rigging up a complicated syncing solution, BioWare decided to launch a simple tool called the Dragon Age Keep to solve the problem of save importing.
PS4 and Xbox One: Just how strict is the DRM?
Both the PS4 and Xbox One were announced to huge fanfare, but it wasn't polygons or frame rates that attracted the most attention. Instead, DRM has been the biggest point of contention leading up to the launch of the next generation. Microsoft came out strongly in favor of an all-digital future, but ended up being sent home with its tail between its legs. Now, we're in something of a holding pattern, and that likely isn't going to change any time soon.
The inescapable '80s: 8-bit, SimCity, and Wing Commander all make a comeback
The cyclical nature of culture means that the stuff in our past just keeps coming back to haunt/amuse/entertain us. It was quite clear that the innovation industries aren't immune to this, as we saw the return of SimCity, Wing Commander, and homebrew computing.


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How has the country changed recently? Difficult question. Latvia has become global. Today, the impact of globalization is perceived more and more positively. Many Latvians work abroad or have relatives in other countries. But at the same time, we are seeing an increase in tensions as the value of local and national brands and products grows, and the incoming labor force from Ukraine affects local earnings. Authenticity and national pride were especially significant during the pandemic. Closed borders have increased domestic tourism, opening up various local brands for domestic consumption.
Today, the topic of ecology is more important than ever. Today we see increased attention to the ongoing climate change. A growing number of people agree that climate change poses a long-term risk to humanity.
The trend towards health awareness has increased. Health is increasingly important to consumers and influences their food choices. These trends have an impact on the lifestyle of modern Latvian...
Ievads Seniori ir svarīga sabiedrības daļa. Seniori kā sociāli aktīva, spējīga sevi uzturēt un veselīga vecākā paaudze ir resurss, kurš ir nozīmīgs ģimenēm, dažādām kopienām


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Entries in 'green man gaming' (41)
PC gaming may be the forgotten sector of the modern PC market, but it’s also the most financially important.
UK retail specialist Green Man Gaming will deliver 'The PC keynote you never get to see at E3' at this month's Games Retail 2020.
Every retailer needs a unique selling point, and Green Man Gaming has one in PlayFire.
Online games retailer Green Man Gaming has backed this year's MCV Awards.
Digital games retailer Green Man Gaming says it could begin publishing games later this year.
GAME and Green Man Gaming are joining Amazon in a bid to make Black Friday a UK event.
A new promotion from Green Man Gaming entitled Indie Love is promising to give 100 per cent of its proceeds to the game’s creators.
Games retailer Green Man Gaming has been named on the government’s Future Fifty list.
Online retailer Green Man Gaming is giving away a free game to everyone who votes in the Golden Joystick Awards.
Independent retailer Green Man Gaming has been named as headline sponsor at this year’s Golden Joystick Awards.
Green Man Gaming has announced an ambitious trade-in partnership with parcel service CollectPlus.
Green Man Gaming has resolved a number of issues with its websites, following the results of MCV’s Digital Mystery Shopper Survey.
A six-day digital PC game sale has this afternoon begun at online retailer Green Man Gaming.
Gamers can now trade-in physical Xbox and PlayStation games at online retailer Green Man Gaming.
UK digital retailer Green Man Gaming is expanding its operations in a bid to crack America.
Think Steam is the be all and end all of download games? Think again.


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Yesterday saw Amazon’s cloud computing service suffer serious disruptions. This has led many people to jump up and use the outage as a confirmation to not use cloud computing. Such a view, in my opinion is not well founded or well-informed. Why do I think this? Let me try to explain.
Many high-profile services over the last few years have experienced outages such as:
The difference between these outages and the Amazon outage is that Amazon affects so many Web sites – not just one. High profile sites such as FourSquare, Reddit, Zynga, and many others were not available as a result. It is this that has provided the cloud computing skeptics with fuel for their argument. To counter this we need to consider the alternative. Would the disruption these companies suffered yesterday have been less over time if they had decided to build their own server farms or used a managed hosting company? Probably not. In fact many of the companies built on Amazon Cloud Computing may not have even existed because startup costs and speed to market would have been prohibitive without the Amazon pay per use scalability.
So, whilst the outage is highly undesirable, it is not unique to Amazon and it must be balanced against other infrastructure alternatives. What has been excellent is the way Amazon has kept their customers updated as to what the problem is and their progress in fixing it. Whilst customers will not be happy, at least knowing what Amazon is doing gives them some idea on the scale of the problem. Also, they have some of the best engineers in the world working to fix the problems.
In summary, Amazon is not alone in suffering cloud computing outages. Google with Google Apps(TM) and Google App Engine(TM) have had problems, Microsoft with Azure has too. Amazon is such big news because it is so big and hosts so many high-profile Web sites. The outage has highlighted that by adopting cloud computing, an organisation has to build a strategy that considers cloud unavailability and disaster recovery. But this is no different to any traditional computing strategy, just with cloud computing much of the technology is located in the cloud. Learning Tree’s Cloud Computing course discusses how such a strategy can be defined for organisations of all sizes. Often during the course we take an attendees organisation as a case study and highlight the risks and how they can be minimised or eliminated. If you want to find out more about cloud computing, beyond the marketing hype and often biased view of marketing materials, the course will provide you with a vendor neutral view of the technology and its application to your business.


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It’s deja vu. Jim Chanos just used the V-word. CNBC reported this morning that the famed short-seller, who was early in spotting problems at energy disaster Enron, says Tesla Motors TSLA 0.92% reminds him a lot of certain troubled drug company: Valeant Pharmaceuticals VRX 1.13% . Tesla, Chanos noted, has seen eight executives leave the […]Read more "Here’s the Thing About Tesla That Most Reminds Jim Chanos of Valeant"
Summary Yet another story broke yesterday of an executive leaving Tesla to go to Facebook. This caps off a year where nearly 10 major executives have left Tesla. In a previous article we speculated that something could be fishy. Today we ask again, “Why do executives keep leaving Tesla?”. There is a reason that Jim […]Read more "Tesla: Executive Exodus Red Flags"
The nation’s top auto safety regulator said on Wednesday that it had begun an investigation of a second crash involving a Tesla Motors car equipped with Autopilot technology, a system designed to let vehicles drive themselves for brief periods. In the nonfatal crash, a Tesla sport utility vehicle rolled over last Friday on the Pennsylvania Turnpike […]Read more "U.S. Safety Agency Investigates Another Tesla Crash Involving Autopilot"
Joshua Brown fatally crashed into a tractor trailer turning in front of his Tesla Model S on autopilot almost exactly two months ago, but we only found out about it on Thursday evening. That’s when Tesla first told the public about the crash, nearly two months after they sold $2 billion in stock. What’s surprising, […]Read more "Tesla Did Not Disclose Autopilot Death Before $2 Billion Stock Sale"
Last week, news broke of the first fatal car crash involving a Tesla running in autopilot mode. But while the world only just learned about the accident, which killed a 40-year-old man in Florida, the accident itself occurred in May — a potentially material piece of information, first noted by Fortune’s Carol Loomis, that Tesla […]Read more "Elon Musk’s Goes Defensive on Twitter"


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Truth About Online Savings
Holiday shoppers turning to the internet for ease and savings may want to turn to FOX Consumer Reporter Steve Noviello first!
This morning, he discussed how everyone can make sure they are getting the very best price online — including one little known fact that saved hundreds in just one transaction.
One of the websites he mentioned helps clean out your browser. You can find more information about that at
- Woman killed in wreck on southbound Business 85 in High Point
- Mom bites off dog's ear to save 2-year-old daughter during attack
- Baby born Tuesday is largest hospital has seen in over a decade
- Woman admits to stealing toy from child's grave, explains why she did it
- Tenn. girl wakes up for school, finds parents dead inside home


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Cartersville, Georgia – US Senator Jon Ossoff will create an additional 160 manufacturing jobs in northwest Georgia after passing his Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act.
Following its historic investment in January, Qcells today announced an additional $147 million investment through its solar supplier Hanwha Advanced Materials Georgia (HAGA) to expand solar manufacturing operations in Bartow County and create an additional 160 jobs.
The announcement follows Qcells’ historic $2.5 billion investment in Georgia in January this year to create 2,500 new jobs, which Qcells said was made possible by Senator Ossoff’s Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act .
“My law on solar production continues to create jobs, investments and prosperity for Georgians. I am grateful to all who have made this possible – a continuation of the largest investment in clean energy production in American history.” said Senator Ossoff.
The new facility, which will be the company’s third in the state, will be the only manufacturing facility in America producing Solar EVA, a unique material required for solar panels – part of Qcells’ vision of being America’s first complete solar supply chain to create , anchored in Georgia.
“The products we manufacture are an important part of the clean energy supply chain and we are excited to serve that need.” said Inhwan Kim, CEO of Hanwha Advanced Materials. “Building our cutting-edge, advanced materials in Georgia will not only create new careers in solar, but also help bring more affordable, reliable, clean energy to customers across the country.”
“Qcells is doubling down on building a full domestic solar supply chain and this latest investment is critical to achieving that.” said Justin Lee, CEO of Qcells. “By working with Hanwha Advanced Materials, our customers can soon be assured that the solar energy they buy from us was made right here in America.”
Last summer, Senator Ossoff and Qcells broke ground on the company’s first solar manufacturing expansion in Georgia. The $171 million manufacturing facility created 470 high-paying jobs for the Dalton community.
Senator Ossoff’s Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act was enacted last summer as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. His solar law aims to boost domestic solar production to create American jobs, increase energy independence and reduce US dependence on China.


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By selling top-notch flower, Jushi reveals just how much money it will make from its newest dispensary…
Chief Commercial Director of Jushi Holdings Inc. (OTC: JUSHF), Trent Woloveck, knows 98% of people who walk into his dispensary will buy a product.
But he also knows the key to running a successful business that will make shareholders a lot of money is getting those customers to come back.
Especially in a mature buyer’s market like California, where cannabis is embedded in the culture and well-educated consumers have countless options for buying cannabis – both legal and illegal.
That’s why Trent and his team visit hundreds of cultivation sites to make sure Jushi is carrying the kind of high-quality flower that will not only meet customers’ expectations but surpass them.
That hard work is making its newest retail store in Santa Barbara a go-to location throughout the 3,000-square-mile radius of Santa Barbara county and beyond.
You got a look inside Trent’s Beyond / Hello dispensary yesterday. And today, you’ll get an even deeper sense of Jushi’s profit potential as Trent walks you through how much money this newest Beyond / Hello dispensary is going to add to the bottom line:
While Jushi’s profit potential is through the roof, you could have another 14 moneymakers generating big returns for you right now.
Each of these stocks was hand-picked to help you maximize the life-changing wealth opportunities cannabis presents.
Don Yocham, CFA
Executive Director, National Institute for Cannabis Investors
4 responses to ““You Have to Carry Top-Notch Flower””
November 12 2020


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Awign, the Bengaluru-based startup that offers ‘Work Fulfillment’ platform to fulfill on-field enterprise functions through gig workforce has raised $4 Mn in a Series A funding round led by Work10M, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Eagle10, and existing investors, Unitus Ventures.
Founded in 2016 by IIT Alumni Annanya Sarthak, Gurpreet Singh and Praveen Sah, Awign has customers across FMCG, CPG, Retail, BFSI, Telecom, Ecommerce and Mobility sectors. Its clients include names like Oyo, Amazon, Uber, Barista, Raymond and Accenture, among others.
Awign through its tech platform takes up on-the-ground work from businesses and get it fulfilled through gig workforce. Its on-field services include Audit, Diligence and New Business Development. Reportedly, about half a million gig workers across India are associated with the startup. The platform allows them to get relevant tasks, get trained while they make money, and improve their skills.
Gurpreet Singh, Co-founder, Awign, said, “ Our strong technology-enabled platform with a unique offering of delivering ‘work’ and not ‘workforce’ has helped us build expertise and win the favour of marquee customers across FMCG, CPG, Retail, BFSI, Telecom, Ecommerce and Mobility sectors.”
As Awign looks to grow 10 times within the next financial year, and make some strategic acquisitions, it will use the latest amount of funding to strengthen its workforce-facing app and enterprise-facing platform, while also developing robust sales and marketing channels.
Employers have complained about the workforce not being job ready and the workforce has struggled to find opportunities to learn on the job. As the gap between the demand and supply in terms of quality of jobs and skills remains, platforms like Awign are much needed. Further, the gig economy is India is on the rise. A 2019 report by NobleHouse found that 73 percent of its respondents wanted to opt for freelance work over a conventional full-time job.
Shelly Singh, Founding Partner at Work10m said, “Gig economy is how the workforce will be shaped in times to come and will create disproportionate opportunities for enterprises.”
Hence, given the expected growth of gig economy, platforms like Awign who are focused on building innovative solutions to address this space are indeed required. However, as this soon seems to become a good market opportunity, more players might emerge in the space and enhance the current scale of competition. At present, there are a few others who offer similar services as Awign, like Glints and Noblehouse.


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- 4 May 2022
- Transport / Logistics Services
First quarter revenue at Deutsche Post DHL grew by 19.8% to €22.6bn, though profit growth wasn’t as stellar – growing from €1.9bn in Q1, 2021 to €2.2bn this year.
DHL’s global business to business (B2B) verticals led the dramatic growth in income. Global Forwarding, Freight and Supply Chain did well, as did Express. Global Forwarding, Freight saw earnings almost triple, thanks to the ongoing spike in demand for ocean and air freight.
After the boom times of the pandemic, domestic and international B2C parcels normalised at the start of the year as pandemic restrictions saw shopping habits change. These led to earnings drop below the record peaks of the pandemic.
“The first quarter saw the expected normalisation in e-commerce. However, we were able to overcompensate that development with strong results in our global logistics activities. Once again, our portfolio – balanced by region and sector – proved to be a strong and resilient foundation for our success. Overall, we had a good start into the year and further increased our earnings”, said Frank Appel, CEO of Deutsche Post DHL Group. With regard to the consequences of the war in Ukraine, Frank Appel added: “Following the outbreak of war, global trade has so far proven resilient, yet we are closely monitoring the increasing challenges to global economic development.”


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Gurgaon-based Expedient Healthcare Marketing Pvt Ltd, the company behind Healthians.com, an online marketplace for preventive health check-ups, has raised an undisclosed amount in seed funding from a healthcare-focused startup accelerator, a top executive of the company told Techcircle.in.
"We can neither disclose the name of the investor nor the deal size. That said, the funds will be used to partner with various firms for marketing and introduce new services like video conferencing with doctors, in addition to expanding our operations to new geographies," said Shruti Gupta, associate director of Healthians.
The company was founded by Deepak Sahani in April this year. In addition to aggregating services from diagnostic centres, comparing prices and providing discounts on them, Healthians also provides recommendation on preventive check-ups based on age, gender, risk areas and symptoms.
Currently, the startup has partnered with around 300 hospitals, including Vedanta, SRL and Apollo, besides 70 diagnostic centres across 22 cities. The firm claims that around 200 users use its services every day, with each user spending around Rs 1,500. The firm charges 5-25 per cent commission on each transaction.
Healthians.com mainly competes with HDFC PE-backed Mediangels.com, which is also in advanced talks to raise funding. The firm is a second-opinion site and an e-hospital that negates the need to visit a doctor unless a physical intervention (surgery) is needed. Mediangels.com claims it has partnered with over 21,000 diagnostic centres across India.
(Edited by Joby Puthuparampil Johnson)


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American Business Council of Pakistan Elects President for 2011
The American Business Council of Pakistan (ABC) is pleased to announce that following its Executive Committee Elections, Mr. Humayun Bashir, Country General Manager, IBM, was unanimously elected President ABC and Mr. Saad Amanullah Khan, Chief Executive Officer, Gillette Pakistan Ltd., was unanimously elected Vice President for 2011.
The members of the ABC Executive Committee 2011 are Mr. Tauqir Ahmed, Chief Executive, DuPont Pakistan Operations (Pvt.) Ltd.; Mr. Tasleemuddin Ahmed Batlay, Director, Colgate-Palmolive (Pakistan) Ltd.; Mr. Shabeeh Ikram, General Manager, Johnson & Johnson Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd.; Mr. Antoine Joignant, Area Manager Pakistan and General Manager Sheraton Karachi Hotel, Starwood Hotels and Resorts; Mr. Akram Wali Mohammad, Chief Executive, Gerry’s International (Pvt.) Ltd.; Ms. Zehra Naqvi, Chief Executive, ACE Insurance Ltd.; Mr. Faisal Sabzwari, Country Manager, Procter & Gamble Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd.; Mr. Rizwan Shafi, EVP, Crescent Bahuman Ltd.
The members of the Executive Committee comprise of some of the most prominent business executives, managing amongst them the most prestigious businesses, in Pakistan. The ABC warmly welcomes its new office bearers to their positions and looks forward to another successful year, where it remains committed to upholding its mission - ‘’ To Protect and promote the interests of US Investors in Pakistan; To encourage and stimulate new investments; To introduce and inculcate best practices; To strive to establish a level playing field in the country in order to promote the development of commerce between the USA and Pakistan ‘’
The American Business Council of Pakistan (ABC) is a Chamber of Commerce & Industry of American businesses in Pakistan affiliated with the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry, (FPCCI) and is a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (USCC), Washington D.C., and Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce (APCAC). ABC also has a close working relationship with the U.S.-Pakistan Business Council, Washington which is a component of the USCC.
The American Chamber of Commerce in Okinawa (ACCO) is a non-profit organization made up of over 100 members from the American and Okinawan business community. Although many Americans began their businesses here in l945, it wasn’t until 1953 that ACCO was founded, and a charter granted by the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America.


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Archive for Technology
ICANN has been running a series of auctions over the course of the last year for a new series of custom domain names. Amazon has been battling it out against rival publishing and self-publishing companies in an effort to attain the lucrative .book TLD. Amazon has just won the auction despite a filing by the Association of American Publishers in 2013 that opposed its bid, and described the possible control of the .book TLD by the retailer, or by any private company, to be counter to the public interest.
Reportedly Amazon won the domain with a closing bid of $10 million dollars and was competing against Google and Bowker in the late stages. There is no knowledge currently if Amazon gave an incentive to these two companies to dropout or if they did it willingly.
It will be interesting to see what Amazon intends on doing with the .book domain name, if they intend on providing vanity URL’s for authors who self-publish under the KDP program.
When young artists and small business owners are just starting out they tend to sell their content on platforms with the largest audience. Amazon Marketplace, Alibaba, eBay, and ETSY are all the most notable examples of being able to reach a huge audience and generate revenue without the need to setup a dedicated website and maintain strong social media. The downfall of these sites is that you may be known in a small niche segment online, but are completely unknown in your own backyard.
I see small business owners and young entrepreneurs feel lost and deflated because they never get to meet their customers face to face and seldom do you ever see jubilation or a simple smile. Normally a customer dispute and angry emails are the everyday norm and it’s rare that someone actually sends you a thank you email. I think in order to broaden your base and have a sense of real world accomplishment you have to get out there and develop a local presence.
The one big concern about selling local is getting a distribution deal through an existing store and requires a lot of wheeling and dealing. If you live in a small town, your prospects might be bleak, which is why they turned online in the first place.
A number of artists and authors end up going on tours to conventions or trade shows to get their name out there. I know a number of self-published authors that religiously visit the Romance Writers of America show and sell their books directly. The one big problem is people really don’t carry a lot of cash around on them and instead rely on their credit and debit cards. I hear lots of authors complaining that the process of selling directly to readers is too hard.
This problem has been remedied by mobile credit card readers such as Square that can not only process payments directly on your tablet or smartphone directly with customers, but can also be used online in conjunction with your Shopify account to take orders.
I really recommend if you’re a young writer or artist trying to make a name for yourself, don’t rely entirely on the online world. You need to meet your target base directly and cultivate relationships and get that sense of satisfaction that someone is legitimately excited about what you got.
The Amazon Fire TV up until now has been a US exclusive and now the streaming television and app box has just hit the UK. Customers will be able to order it online or found on the shelves of Tesco, Dixons and Argos.
Fire TV is a streaming multimedia box that allows users to watch television and movies from the Amazon Instant Video service. It also has a number of apps users can install, such as Curzon Home Cinema, Netflix, YouTube, Demand 5, BBC iPlayer, BBC News and Sport, Sky News, and Spotify.
Unlike Apple TV, the Fire TV has a huge library of games that have been optimized for large screen televisions. You will likely want to invest in the official Game Controller, priced at £34.99.
I actually like the overall design and UI of Fire TV, it gives you a ton of value if you live in the US or UK. It features a quad-core processor and pumping out 1080p HD video with Dolby Digital Plus surround sound. Gaming, listening to music or watching a movie is a solid experience.
Harry Potter fans should be enamored with the fact that the upcoming spinoff film “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is going to be the first film in a new trilogy, with more potential films on the way.
The movies will be directed by veteran filmmaker David Yates, who directed The Order Of The Phoenix, The Half-Blood Prince and the concluding chapters, Deathly Hallows Part One and Part Two.
The “Fantastic Beasts” movies are based on an original story by author J.K. Rowling and was originally released in 2001. The book contains the history of Magizoology and describes 75 magical species found around the world. Newt Scamander, says that he collected most of the information found in the book through observations made over years of travel and across five continents. He notes that the first edition was commissioned in 1918 by Mr Augustus Worme of Obscurus Books. However, it was not published until 1927. It is now in its 52nd edition. First year Hogwarts students are all provided a copy of the book.
If more films are to be made in this universe, it will be totally dependent on JK, who continues to exercise total creative control over the franchise. Release dates are slated for 2016, 2018, 2020 and perhaps beyond.
If you are a regular reader of tech blogs on the internet, you might have a passing knowledge of Apple product leaks. Whenever new phones or tablets are in production, regular leaks occur on internal components, screens or batteries. Apple is getting fed up with their suppliers providing leaks and has now implemented a policy of fining them, close to $50 million dollars each.
The fine may not affect companies like Samsung, but could be the kiss of death for smaller ones, that only make a component or two. GT Advanced Technologies, is the first company to feel the pain. They have just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after deciding to close and sell-off its loss-making sapphire facilitates.
The problem with Apple fining suppliers for announcing they either have contracts with them or leaking component information is that these companies need the press. Apple is not their only contract, but the brand carries a lot of weight in the industry. GT was betting that news of Apple doing business with them, would attract other headset companies. This backfired and GT shares actually decreased.
Apple is well known in the tech world for a process of controlled leaks. They throw bones to journalists they like, and grant them exclusive interviews or scoops. Suppliers who leak out everything like the logic boar or RAM are circumventing the status quo and the new policy is to hurt their wallets.
The gaming market is set to become a predominately online based pastimes in the years to come, a recent study. Research has found that consumers are moving away from the more traditional PC based games, in favour of an online alternative and the figure is set to rise by a high one-digit percentage in the years leading up to 2017.
With social media platforms becoming increasingly popular, the amount of users partaking in social gaming has also risen. Users are able to play against their friends or family via the social network with the ability to “share” the result, leading to this becoming a more attractive approach to gaming. The developments in smartphone technology has also led to a hike in the figured for games played online and on social spaces.
According to a recent survey, the introduction on online gaming has given a dramatic boost to the number of web gamers, with over 40% of internet users partaking. The results have proven how fast growing the industry is, spanning across a range of various platforms and devices. Gambling games have proved to be particularly popular on social, which have drawn 11,240,000 gamers every day.
On the European market, Germany leads the way in terms of mobile gaming users, with gamers generating an astounding $3.7 billion dollars, with a year year-on-year growth amounting to 5%. China are dominating the Asian industry, with several hundreds of million people who play both mobile and online games, but also South Korea have been engrossed with a messaging app that has recently been transformed into a gaming platform, proving to be one of the most popular of its kind amongst gamers. Mobile gaming is currently the largest revenue consuming segment in the U.S. online gaming market and is set to continue growing in popularity in the next few years.
In terms of the gender divide, men tend to make up the majority of online gaming users, however gaming companies are intending to attract more women players by adding more female characters into their games. Marvel Comics, for example, have made changes to their Thor character and will now be a depicted as a female. By attracting new consumers such as more female gamers, the online gaming market will grow even further. Women tend to be more prone to social gaming so by appealing to them, the audience for online gaming will expand and grow.
Head of Consumer PR at Ladbrokes Casino David Williams discusses that;
“The rate at which social gaming is growing is undoubtedly one of the most exciting developments on our landscape. Being in the right place at the right time to influence consumer behavior and offer discerning customers precisely what they want – and more – will be key to leveraging the cash benefits of social gaming for big firms.”
Online gaming is a great environment for the gambling industry as it provides consumers with the ability to play in a social, fun way and has become a multi-billion dollar business. With women becoming more interested in the trend, social platforms such as Facebook have attracted many social gamblers who try their luck in popular casino-based games.
The future of the gambling business looks to have its eyes set towards online games and internet users. With mobile technology constantly expanding and growing, it is no surprise that the gaming industry will grow alongside it. New markets and targets are emerging with women becoming more intrigued by the industry which sets the gambling gaming industry to have a bright future.
Over the course of 2014, Amazon has been relentless in the number of new hardware offerings they have released to the public. They have a new television box, smartphone, Amazon Dash, and 8 new e-readers and tablets. According to a new report, this is just the beginning, as Amazon is hiring more hardware engineers and intends on entering the connected home segment and a new smartwatch.
Amazons research and product development occur at the Silicon Valley based Lab126. They currently have 3,000 full-time employees and is looking to expand to at least 3,757 full-time staff at the office by 2019. Amazon will invest $55 million in Lab126’s operations in Sunnyvale and Cupertino, the agreement posted on the California governor’s website shows.
According to Reuters, Amazon is testing a simple wi-fi device that could be placed in the kitchen or a closet, allowing customers to order products like detergent by pressing a button. Lab126 is also interested in wearable devices, but we will have to adopt a wait and see approach, as some prototypes never hit the market.
The connected home segment is starting to catch on like wildfire. In January, Google bought Nest Labs, a smart thermostat maker for $3.2 billion. In June, Apple announced plans for HomeKit, its own framework for connecting household gadgets. It is currently unknown what Amazons plans are, but we can see an inkling of whats to come with Dash, which allows you to scan bar codes and UPC labels and automatically order them online.
AT&T will be offering customers one free year of Amazon Prime with the purchase of their new internet program. The new offer also comes with a subscription to HBO and AT&T’s version of basic cable for a one-year intro rate of $39 per month. This arrangement makes sense for Amazon as it tries to build a viable streaming video competitor to Netflix, pushing both new content and a huge archive of old HBO shows, which its rival doesn’t have.
Amazon has been offering 3G versions of their e-readers since 2007, with the advent of the first Kindle. The internet access is provided by AT&T, and allows customers to purchase books in hundreds of different countries with no extra fees. The new Fire Phone, which came out a few months ago is an AT&T exclusive, with no options to save money and bundle it on another carrier.
Here is how the new internet package by AT&T works. In order to get the $39-per-month rate, you’ll need to sign on for an entire year of service. There is a $49 activation fee and a $99 installation fee, in addition to renting the digital box for $9.99 a month. If you decide to leave before those twelve months are up, and you’ll have to pay a hefty $180 termination fee.
If you decide to take the plunge and indulge in television over the internet you will get a one year subscription to Amazon Prime. This not only includes their much hyped video service, but also free two day shipping, a free eBook every month and access to Amazon Prime Music.
Amazon.com today announced Amazon Local Register, a secure card reader and mobile app that provides local businesses with the tools they need to quickly and easily accept credit and debit cards from a smartphone or tablet and keep track of their growing business. Amazon Local Register customers will have access to the Amazon.com award-winning, fully dedicated customer support team, as well as in-app tracking tools. Customers who sign up for Amazon Local Register before October 31 will also receive a low promotional rate of 1.75 percent per card swipe on all major credit and debit cards until January 1, 2016. Additional details are available at localregister.amazon.com.
“From clothing stores to contractors, food trucks to accountants, businesses and organizations using Amazon Local Register will enjoy industry-leading low rates, trusted and secure payment processing, and access to award-winning customer support,” said Matt Swann, Vice President of Amazon Local Commerce. “We understand that every penny and every minute counts, so we want to make accepting payments so easy and inexpensive that it no longer gets in the way of a business owner doing what they love – serving their customers and growing their business.”
Customers can get started with Amazon Local Register in three simple steps: create an account on localregister.amazon.com, purchase a $10 card reader, and download the free mobile app from Amazon Appstore, Apple App Store or Google Play. Starting today, the card reader is available with Free Two-Day Shipping on Amazon.com. Beginning August 19, customers can also purchase a card reader at Staples retail locations nationwide. The Amazon Local Register card reader and free mobile app are compatible with a variety of smartphones and tablets, including Apple devices running iOS7, Kindle Fire tablets, select Android smartphones, and coming soon to the new Fire phone. Each customer’s first $10 in transaction fees will be credited back to the customer’s account once Amazon Local Register is in use – allowing customers to fully recoup the cost of the card reader. Money from transactions can be deposited directly into a bank account within one business day, or spent on Amazon.com within minutes – see the website for more details. Amazon Local Register also provides:
Exceptional value: Amazon Local Register accepts all major credit and debit cards for a low, flat rate with no hidden fees. Plus, there are no long-term contracts. Customers who register before October 31 will receive a low promotional rate of 1.75 percent per card swipe until January 1, 2016. Customers who sign up after this promotional period will pay a flat rate of 2.5 percent on all swiped transactions.
Amazon customer support: Access the award-winning, fully dedicated customer support team, available by phone and email. Plus, Kindle Fire HDX owners can take advantage of the Mayday button to connect to an Amazon tech advisor 24 hours a day, 365 days per year – for free.
Secure and stabilized card reader: A stabilized card reader limits swivel, making it easier to swipe once and go. Plus, each transaction is backed by the same services that securely power Amazon.com purchases.
Business tracking tools: In-app reporting enables a business to quickly check bottom line performance, sales trends, peak sales times and more. All reporting is easily accessible from a smartphone or tablet and is password-protected.
Compatible accessories: Shop for compatible accessories including cash drawers, receipt printers, smartphone cases and stands. Find everything needed to build a point-of-sale system including massive selection, available at the best price, all on Amazon.com.
Early users of Amazon Local Register share their experiences:
“Amazon Local Register has simplified, organized and improved efficiency for my business. The feature I am most impressed with is the outstanding customer support I receive any time I have a question or for whatever help I need. The reports are easy to understand and help me figure out how my business is performing.” Erin H, hair & makeup artist
“I’m always looking for ways to reduce my business expenses. Amazon Local Register’s low price means that I can invest more in my business, while still ensuring that I’m accepting customer payments safely and securely.” – Kevin L, gallery and event venue owner
“My customers used to always ask if they could pay with a credit card and I always said no, as it always seemed too complicated to set up. It was easy to get started with Amazon Local Register, and taking payments is a breeze. My customers are VERY happy and prefer to pay with their card. Another benefit is that I don’t have to deal with going to the bank to deposit cash and checks.” Jannine H, massage therapist
Amazon has officially unveiled Prime Music, which is exclusively available to members who pay the annual $99 Prime subscription fee. The service is competing against a number of established players in the market, such as Spotify and Beats Music.
Prime Music has a catalog of over one million tracks, contributed from Warner Music Group and Sony Music – as well as from large independent labels.The largest label in the world, Universal has not contributed any material.
Amazon has their work cut out for them competing against Spotify, Deezer and soon to be acquired by Apple, Beats Audio. These two companies have over 20 million tracks, and have highly developed curated playlists.
With millions of music tracks to choose from, it can get overwhelming when you try and discover new music. Amazon Prime Music is launching with hundreds of “Prime Playlists” created by Amazon’s editorial team, grouped by genre (Pop, Alternative & Indie Rock) as well as context (Happy & Upbeat, Party Time & Entertaining, Work, Study & Reading and more) Most of the playlists have older tracks on them and new ones will take six months from their release to become available on the new Amazon service.
Amazon Prime Music will be available to listen offline and doesn’t need an internet connection once the content is downloaded. You will also be able to scintillate your ears on any of the Kindle Fire tablets, and iOS. I was told an Android app is incomming, but is not available yet.
Todd Humphrey the EVP of Business Development at Kobo Books has left the company. He worked for Kobo from 2010 to 2014, where was responsible for all worldwide business development activities for Kobo, including OEM’s, retailer’s and wireless providers.
Todd has joined former Kobo CEO Michael Serbinis in a new stealth startup called The Everlong Project. Not much is known about the company, but they seem to be involved in wearable technology in the health sector. On the companies official blog page they do illuminate a bit on what they are doing with the statement “IOT is going to revolutionize how we manage our health, but the real trick is not in all of the various data-emitting, wearable devices. As someone who once saw 100′s of eReaders at CES (what we affectionately called the eReader ghetto) and then saw that turn to dozens, then 3-4 and eventually…you know the drill. It’s not about the hardware, ultimately. It’s not even in the data. The data on its own will be almost useless. It’s in the services that use that data, and engage consumers, and keep them coming back. If there are any people out there who actually, regularly, use their FitBit dashboard, and find it indispensable….please let me know…”
Former CEO Michael Serbinis confirmed that Todd is actually the Co-Founder of the Everlong project by stating “Todd has joined as co-founder at the Everlong Project where we plan on building another great company. As we are just rounding out Month 2, doubling our space, growing the team, and working toward launch – it’s great timing.”
We should be hearing more about the Everlong project when they formally announce their first product in early 2015.
Borders Bookstores were the first national chain that went bankrupt due to the rock bottom prices that Amazon provided. Whether customers bought eBooks or physical books bookstore chains felt like they were basically a showroom showroom. Customers would often say “I can get this exact same book for 40% off and you guys only sell it for 30 percent off.” In order to combat the showroom mentality EX-Border employees have formed a new company called PriceLocal.
Local companies can now opt into the PriceLocal program to match prices found on Amazon. Users install a browser based extension and can browse Amazon deals the way they have always have. If they find something they like, they can access a drop down menu listing local companies that sell the same product. With a simple button click the companies are notified via email or text message. That’s when the owner chooses one of the four options of matching, denying the match, substituting for a similar product or ordering the product.
Former Borders attorney Matt Chosid is based near the former corporate headquarters in Ann Arbor Michigan. Twelve local companies have signed on to PriceLocal in a pilot test. A number of clothing, shoes, jewelry, pet supplies, homewares, hardware, sporting goods, and electronics and appliance stores have opted in.
One of the benefits of PriceLocal is the ability to have the product in your hand that very day. This saves on having to wait on something being delivered and have immediate gratification. “People are already doing their research online, and we could basically turn the idea of showrooming on its head where people do their browsing and research online and instead of researching in the store and buying online, they could research online and buy in local stores.”
There is a stigma in American culture where you can’t bargain for items at your local Best Buy or Macy’s. This gives Amazon an advantage where users can use a bar scanning app to find the best online deal. PriceLocal puts the power back into the hands of local businesses to be able to match specific prices for customers using this service. Giving the odd big deal really isn’t that bad for an indie business, certainly a better bet than giving lots of deals via Groupon.
The Blackberry Playbook and Blackberry 10 smartphones all have the Android Runtime built into the OS that gives developers an easy avenue to port their apps over for inclusion into Blackberry World. The most recent 10.2 update for all current generation phones can now load in APK files directly, which simplifies the entire process. Today, Blackberry has confirmed the Android runtime will soon be updated to Jellybean 4.3, which will allow more apps to be able to run effectively.
The new Blackberry SDK is out today for developers to incorporate it into their apps. The runtime has been upgraded from Jelly Bean 4.2.2 and with it users can log in to Android apps that require authentication right from the BB10 accounts settings page. Users can also manage which apps have access to which accounts. The SDK also has support for NFC and Bluetooth LE.
To get started, developers will have to grab the BlackBerry 10.3 Beta SDK OS for BlackBerry 10 devices. The company’s Android Tooling page has updated command-line tools and plugins for Android Studio or Eclipse to develop Android apps for BB 10.
All Blackberry phones should receive the 10.3 update in the coming months. The big rumor from CES 2014 was that Blackberry was creating a dedicated Android section in Blackberry World, to have control over app distribution. Right now the vast majority of phone users are using alternative markets such as Amazon or Good e-Reader.


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The WSJ says that the savings rate grew and consumption was flat in April. Consumers are also more optimistic about the state of the economy, the paper said.
The slowly improving job market, which added 290,000 positions to payrolls last month, helped boost personal income 0.4% in April from the prior month. Income also grew 0.4% in March, while the saving rate rose to 3.6% in April from 3.1% in March.
The Fed is keeping interest rates at near zero, which is keeping prices flat and allowing consumers to save more, the article says.


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IND Vs SA | 3rd Test Oct 19, 2019
SA 9/2 (5.0)
BER Vs SIN | Match 12 Oct 20, 2019
SIN 152/5 (19.3)
Latest News on Foreign Investment
Showing of 0 - 10 from 63 results
Foreign Investment - Total results - 63
Sep 24, 2019
Corporate tax cut a bold measure, move makes India attractive destination for foreign investment: RBI governor Shaktikanta DasIn the biggest reduction in 28 years, the government on Friday cut corporate tax rate by almost 10 percentage points as it looked to pull the economy out of a six-year low growth.
Sep 15, 2019
Subramanian Swamy says only people with solid grounding in macroeconomics can revive economySubramanian Swamy has come out with a book in which he takes a critical look at various aspects of the Indian economy, both past and present
Apr 02, 2019
Investors convinced of 'certainty of investment returns' in real estate as positive policies result in transparencies: ExpertsOver 80 percent of the real estate industry has consolidated, shaken by the positive but disruptive policies such as RERA and GST, according to Goel.
Mar 15, 2019
China agrees to foreign investment law, pledges cooperation with US, European firmsUnder the bill, foreign investors will enjoy the same privileges as Chinese companies in most sectors.
Mar 07, 2019
Walmart disappointed with changes in FDI policy for e-commerce; says has made 'adjustments' and moving forwardIndia represents a great opportunity for the retailing major, Walmart Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Brett Biggs said.
Mar 05, 2019
China cuts down official GDP growth target to 6-6.5% amid economic slowdown, trade war with USIn order to rejig its economy, China is all set to pass a new foreign investment law in a hurry, providing an equal footing to investors abroad with that of local business with legal safeguards
Feb 04, 2019
Amazon sees long-term prospects in India, says evaluating changes in FDI rules to avoid 'unintended consequences'Both Amazon and Flipkart had extensively lobbied (directly as well as through associations and trade bodies) with government officials seeking an extension in deadline after the proposed changes were announced in December.
Jan 17, 2019
E-commerce curbs could hit online sales by $46 billion by 2022, says PwC draft analysisE-commerce firms in India will from 1 February not be able to sell products via companies in which they have an equity interest or push sellers to sell exclusively on their platforms.
Sep 08, 2018
SEBI initiates public consultation on FPI norms as panel suggests major changes, more time for complianceThe panel headed by an ex-RBI deputy governor suggested several changes to FPI norms on the basis of inputs from the Finance Ministry and industry representatives.
Sep 04, 2018
Indian companies' foreign investment declines 36% to $1.39 bn in July, shows RBI dataOf the $1.39 billion invested in July this year, $608.52 million was the equity capital, $406.74 million was through loan and $371.86 million came in the form of issuance of guarantees.


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State officials are warning drivers about possible skimmers at gas stations this holiday weekend.
The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is offering tips for drivers who are planning to travel this holiday weekend.
Every Independence Day, Kristi Palacios hits the road with her family.
"We always go to Disney every Fourth of July," said Palacios.
She's never been a victim of fraud, but she knows the risks she takes every time she uses her card at the pump.
"My dad has actually taught me to kind of try and see if the little card thing if it like jiggles a little bit," said Palacios.
The Department wants drivers like Palacios to be alert, but even more than that be proactive. Use cash instead of plastic.
"I never have cash on me," added Palacios.
That's the case for many nowadays, the convenience of a swipe leaves no need for the green. The Department says there is a way to use your card and still have more protection.
"I just take the extra mile of just going inside and having the face to face with the person that’s taking money off my card," said Sophonie Levy.
Other options are:
-Use a credit card instead of a debit card. They have better fraud protection
-If you must use a debit card, run it as credit
-Use pumps closest to the store
-Monitor your bank accounts regularly
In a span of a little more than a year, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says more than 250 skimmers were removed in Florida with an average of 1,000 dollars stolen from each victim.
On October 1, a new law will require gas stations to add a security seal over the area of the pump where these skimmers are being installed. It will also make the crime a second degree felony, increasing the maximum prison sentence from 5 years to 15.


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Stemilt Growers' Roger Pepperl Urges Retailers to Start Pushing WA Cherries
WENATCHEE, WA - In the words of the Jonas Brothers, “This is an S.O.S.!” Were Kevin, Joe, and Nick to have joined me on a recent call with Stemilt Growers’ Roger Pepperl, I’m sure they would have altered their pop-anthem to instead belt out, “This is a cherry S.O.S.!” because the Washington cherry season is officially underway and retailers shouldn’t just get in on the action, but be the action!
“I recommend retailers get their promotions, ads, deals, and shelf-space started right away in order to prepare for the Fourth of July festivities,” Roger emphasized. “We started picking a little bit of fruit this past weekend, starting with the Chelan variety, and now, on June 13, we’re officially ramping up. We have yellow cherries, including early Rainiers and early Robins, as well as Skylar Raes all starting, so retailers should get them on promotion and get the SKUs out there.”
Stemilt Growers has also begun harvesting its organic varieties, which Roger explained is a growing category that consumers are clamoring for. If retailers don’t tap into this category, they’ll surely miss out on a few key rings at the register. Roger noted that retailers can sell the organic varieties for a dollar more a pound than the conventional varieties—let’s get that bread, retailers!
More importantly, not only is the season officially in effect, but the fruit coming out of it is already in the tippest-toppest shape.
“Although we had early spring rains in Washington, it’s been dry here for three weeks, with warm conditions causing cherries to come out early. So, pack outs, color, and quality are all going to be high,” Roger continued. “Basically, because of the fantastic weather, we’re going to have great color, not a lot of splits, and green stems. And, volume at this point is not going to be an issue; we will have plenty of volume for all of our conventional and organic varieties—that’s going to get sucked up really quickly, so now is the time to get in on this.”
All Stemilt Growers’ varieties are available in clamshells, pouch bags, and top seal packaging, which touts a clean, slick look that’s resealable. Arrangement sizes currently range from 11.5 to 9.5, but Roger revealed that as we get closer to the 4th of July, there will be more 9.5 arrangements, meaning more high-quality cherries.
You heard the man; stock up on Stemilt Growers’ Washington cherries before it’s too late! This is one season you’re not going to want to miss out on.
For more crop updates like this, AndNowUKnow will continue to bring you the latest.


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CONSTRUCTION FINISHED: OSV SOUTH CONTINUES TO TAKE SHAPE
With overall remodeling completed, set up of new machinery and hiring continue for Outside Van’s new van production facility, Outside Van South. Announced earlier this year, Outside Van renovated a new 130,000-square-foot building on the border of Portland and Gresham, OR, that will exclusively produce their latest product offerings: models Approach and Syncline. In addition, these Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans will be available for financing at nationwide RV dealerships.
Continuing their commitment to excellence, industry-leading manufacturing equipment and top-of-the-line materials have been sourced and arrive daily at the new location. In addition, Monica Tomchick, Human Resource, and Payroll Specialist, is actively recruiting local talent into the fold. Tomchick shares, “This is an exciting time for all of us currently with Outside Van and those yet to join our team. We have many great opportunities to fill, primarily on-the-floor production roles, including electrical technicians and cabinet manufacturing to welders and CNC operators.” Outside Van looks to initially hire 30 new staff members exclusively for their South facility.
More details about their flagship models have been shared. Tim Wimmer, Engineering Director, discussed which chassis size to build first. “We knew we were giving ourselves a challenge when deciding to create two distinct models, each on a different chassis size. Sure, we could recycle design elements between a 144 and 170, but that wouldn’t be true to our style. Each model, Approach and Syncline, has unique features and is built with different customers in mind.” With seating and sleeping for four, Approach will be an excellent choice for families and those with lots of gear to haul. Wimmer adds, “The most common chassis size we build on is a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 170. We wanted to get the most approachable van out to our community first. As production of our first 144, Syncline, ramps up, we’ve already learned a lot which will make for smoother sailing with this build.” The official release of Syncline is hinted at in Quarter 4 of 2023.
Approach, a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 170, is set to debut at the upcoming 65th Annual Spring RV Show held at the Portland Expo Center starting on March 9th. This van will be featured in their partner RV dealer’s booth, Johnson RV. Tour the van in-person while at the show and browse open careers on the Outside Van website.
Stay updated at Outside Van by following their website and social media channels.


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The latest version of the Rekom Night Index, the bellwether report for the late-night leisure industry, showed 77.3% of Brits had cut back on nights out.
It also revealed lower consumer confidence levels for the late-night sector. Total night out spend has also increased by 2% to £74.91 (October 2022: £73.36).
Students, and those aged 18 to 24, have adopted a more budget conscious mindset when it comes to social habits. Over the past three months, Rekom has seen a 38.6% hike in students saying they have a fixed budget for going on a late night out which they don’t exceed.
When asked in what ways socialising budgets are being cut, the most popular response among all respondents was to pre-drink at home more (35.1%).
This was followed by cutting down on spending in advance of a night out (32%), which has increased by 6% since last the survey in October 2022, proving the effect the cost-of-living crisis is having across all elements of the high street across both the day and night-time economies.
For Rekom UK chairman Peter Marks, it was completely natural and expected consumers were changing their spending habits due to the cost-of-living crisis.
He said: “Inflationary pressures are currently impacting every sector, so these survey results come as no surprise. However, it’s also worth noting that no matter what the economic outlook is, people will always prioritise good value and will make changes in their everyday lives to accommodate that.
“The hospitality and late-night leisure industry should remember that a good night out is just as relevant as it always has been, and if you can consistently provide a value offer, a good atmosphere, and quality experience, businesses will remain resilient.”
This sits in line with the most recent CGA Business Leaders survey which revealed hospitality leader confidence has risen notably since October, with almost half optimistic about their own business over the next 12 months. The survey’s overall outlook reflected a positive picture for 2023 industry leaders.
With pricing now a top concern when deciding where to go on a night out, the Rekom Night Index has also revealed changes in consumers’ going out patterns, which could indicate a long-term behavioural shift.
Long nights ahead
Nights out are getting longer, with the average night lasting for four hours 51 minutes, having risen from four hours 35 minutes in October 2022, and four hours 17 minutes in March 2022.
According to the research, Saturday is the most popular day of the week to go out, with 66.8% of respondents going out on this day, followed by Friday (64.2%) and Thursday (17.9%). For students, Friday is the most popular day of the week to go out with 70.6% choosing this option.
Marks continued: “While the cost-of-living crisis has meant that people are going out less, on the up side, we’re seeing that when people are out, they are out for longer, indicating that they want that ‘big night out’ experience."
He believed it was also interesting students were migrating to the behaviour of the overall market as they were increasingly likely to choose weekends for their nights out. However, he added, Rekom would suggest if students were prioritising pricing when deciding where to go out, it was worth considering the cheaper mid-week nights on offer.
Nevertheless, these behavioural differences proved businesses needed to be adaptable and responsive to changing market condition, for Marks.