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Almost 30 percent of the 668 business executives in the Americas, Asia Pacific (ASPAC), Europe, including Romania, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) said China and the US show the most promise for disruptive breakthroughs with global impacts, while 13 percent cited India. Interestingly, only 39 percent of US respondents selected the US as most promising, while 71 percent in China selected China.
“Innovation is the focus of the technology sector today and speed is the attribute which needs to define it. Without innovation you are left behind and without speed you are surpassed by the challengers of the technology market“ said Aurelia Costache, Management Consulting Partner at KPMG in Romania. “This is proven by China’s anticipated parity with the US tech sector and China’s projected rapid rise to prominence as a technology leader in the near future.”
Asked what technology will have a major impact by 2015, 30 percent of the survey respondents globally said Cloud Software as a Service (SaaS) will enable the next indispensable consumer technology. With regard to driving business transformation, 22 percent said Cloud Infrastructure as a Service, followed closely by SaaS, will have the greatest impact. In the US, SaaS was the top selection in consumer and enterprise technologies.
“The technology leaders included in our survey believe that the Cloud represents a technology tidal shift. They are placing a huge bet on Cloud, as it has multiple capabilities and benefits for its providers and users such as revenue generation, cost reduction, operational efficiency, mobile and social applications enablement” said Aurelia Costache. ”This is the case also in Romania, where cloud service providers are starting to better define their value proposition and attract both business and consumer clients.”
Mobile technologies also are seen as a significant beneficiary of Cloud, as almost 30 percent of global respondents expect that the next tech breakthrough in four years resulting in the greatest business transformation will come from smartphones, tablets and other mobile technologies.
Potential challenge to Silicon Valley’s position as tech innovation center
Forty-four percent of global respondents said it was likely that what many consider the technology innovation center of the world would shift from Silicon Valley to another country in the next four years, while 23 percent of those surveyed said it is unlikely and 34 percent were undecided. Not surprisingly, only 28 percent of the US respondents think the shift is likely, while more than half in ASPAC, and more than 40 percent in EMEA see the move as likely. Of those globally who believe the center will shift, most (44 percent) said it would move to China.
Apple viewed as top innovator
In considering innovation drivers, visionaries and leaders, more business executives globally identified Apple, now led by Tim Cook, and former CEO Steve Jobs as tops in these three areas. As the top company driving disruptive innovation, Apple was followed by Google and Microsoft, according to the survey. Respondents also viewed Jobs as the top global innovation visionary, followed by Bill Gates. In China specifically, executives said Gates was the top visionary and Jack Ma the innovation leader. In India, Infosys was identified as the innovation leader, and in Israel, it was IBM.
At the same time, about one-third globally pointed to Google, Facebook and Amazon as emerging leaders in mobile commerce.
Innovation development, challenges, barriers
The survey uncovered differences in who or what function is responsible for driving innovation in companies. About three in 10 globally said the CEO has the responsibility to drive innovation in their company, while 20 percent, including half the respondents in China, said it was the Chief Innovation Officer.
“The Chief Innovation Officer position isn’t so spread out in European organizations. However, its existence in more than half of the Chinese organizations included in the survey shows the importance given to innovation in a country which strives for development and is in pole position for taking the lead in technology innovation” said Aurelia Costache. “Romanian companies should follow China or US’s example and embrace the innovation strategy to maintain their competiveness and present a viable alternative to local resources looking for relocation.”
Fifteen percent each cited the Chief Information Officer and research and development. Some 38 percent said that innovation is most often spotted and nurtured in the R&D department, followed by IT and strategic planning, while the majority of those surveyed use revenue growth as the metric to measure innovation value.
Asked whether their education system serves as an incubator for innovator thinkers, slightly more than half believed this was true. In China, close to 75 percent thought this was true, while in the US, less than half thought so.
With regard to adopting future technologies, cost/pricing models was pointed to by survey respondents as the top challenge to adopting the next indispensable consumer technologies, while security/privacy governance is the number one challenge to adopting future business transforming technologies and also is the top barrier to commercializing disruptive innovation.
“Security/privacy governance has always been a challenge for the adoption of new technologies in the business sector. However, one should not wait until a technology reaches its full maturity before adopting it.” said Aurelia Costache. “At KPMG, we think that organizations should look to maintain their competitive edge by the balancing the adoption of new technology with appropriate privacy and information security frameworks to satisfy both customers and regulators.”
About the KPMG 2012 Global Technology Innovation Survey
In the March - May 2012 survey of 668 business executives globally whose organizations were focused on the technology space, thirty-four percent of the respondents were in the Americas, 42 percent in Asia Pacific, and 23 percent in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. With regard to countries, 25 percent were from the United States, 14 percent from China and 9 percent from Israel.
This survey is the first project of the KPMG Technology Innovation Center, a global network created to identify and evaluate the impact of future disruptive technologies that may result in business transformation for the Technology industry. Launched, June 27, the Center will connect leading global technology thinkers including entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 executives, and venture capitalists. The KPMG Technology Innovation Center will be headquartered in Santa Clara (Silicon Valley), California, USA, and will have physical hubs in other cities including Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; and Bangalore, India. The global network includes China, Israel, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Russia, Canada, the U.K. and other countries. For more information visit: www.kpmg.com/techinnovation


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The big Xbox showcase will feature a new game from DrinkBox, the developer of games like Guacamelee and Severed. As stated by the studio itself, the game will not be a continuation of previous releases, so something new awaits us. Recall that the last game from the Canadian company was released back in 2016. In addition, the developers of the indie game Thomas Was Alone, as well as the American studio Devolver and many others will tell about the new products.
In total, the presentation will bring together studios from all over the world, which will present more than 100 exclusive new products for the Xbox platform. In addition to new games, updates to already released releases will also be presented, including, for example, a trailer for the continuation of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. More than 20 trailers are waiting for us in total. In addition, during the presentation, new games will be announced, which will appear in the game gallery of the console from Microsoft.
The presentation will take place on March 26 and will be streamed on Twitch.

domain: news


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The ACCC has released a preliminary report of its Digital Platforms Inquiry - an investigation on "the impact of online search engines, social media and digital content aggregators (digital platforms) on competition in the media and advertising services markets". It's a really broad range of issues (there's stuff in here about media bias, data privacy, advertising market power & more), but the report comes to a few conclusions anyways, like potential laws to make it obvious what data a user is handing over to an advertiser, making the default for data collection "no", a mandatory option to delete all the data a company owns on you and making web browsers offer a choice of search engines instead of implementing a default. The full report will be out mid-2019, but the ACCC has already launched multiple investigations into Facebook & Google's activities.
Meng Wanzhou, the Huawei CFO and daughter of Huawei's founder arrested by Canadian authorities on behalf of the USA, is currently trying to get bail on "U.S. accusations that she misled multinational banks about Huawei's control of a company operating in Iran. This deception put the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions and incurring severe penalties". The Chinese government is obviously not happy and told the Canadian ambassador that "there would be severe consequences if it did not immediately release Meng". Meanwhile, Japan joined Australia, NZ and the USA in blocking government use of Huawei (and ZTE) gear and the EU is considering similar action. If you're wondering why everyone's hating on Huawei lately, The Guardian has a good story explaining their circumstantial dodgyness.
Queensland's state government has started up a new business called FibreCo that's gonna wholesale out around 6000km of optical fibre cable that it owns across the state. It's not designed for end users to hook up their homes or offices to, but for ISPs to purchase large chunks from so there's a second option besides Telstra as outside the metro cities Telstra is the only, expensive option. The state government reckons it'll be popular with WISPs that'll service remote/regional communities that are stuck with NBN's shitty satellite or congested fixed wireless.
The latest Australian 5G spectrum auction has concluded and ACMA's announced who got what. Telstra got the biggest haul, spending $386m to buy 147 chunks of the 3.6GHz band. Vodafone and TPG's "Mobile JV" not far behind with $263m and 131 lots. Optus got 47 chunks for $185m and Dense Air Australia (a mob doing small cell/dense/indoor coverage operations) paid $18.5m for 29 lots. Interesting that Optus didn't purchase any 3.6GHz spectrum in the capital cities. Maybe they don't plan to use that high frequency stuff in the cities as it won't be any good indoors? Either way, this spectrum can be used in March 2020, but 5G networks will go live in existing spectrum sooner than that.
Once again, there's a few small bits of news worth mentioning, but don't deserve an entire paragraph all to themselves:
50 years ago today, Douglas Engelbart gave the "mother of all demos" at a San Francisco computer conference. It was the first time someone showed off a bunch of tech we all take for granted in 2018. Doug showed the audience the concepts of video conferencing, a modern desktop-style user interface, word processing, hypertext, the mouse, collaborative editing and more. Doug also came up with the idea for an "oN-Line System", a prototype-ish version of ARPANet, which itself is a predecessor to the internet we love and hate today. It's amazing that what this dude came up with an showed the world 50 years ago is now common and taken for granted.
Three Sydney councils have hooked up with JetCharge to install half a dozen kerb-side EV charging stations. Waverley, Woollahra and Randwick councils will get 22kWh AC chargers and will mark the parking spots out as EV only spots. The parking spots won't be free and will have the same parking restrictions as ICE cars. It's a small step and the 22kWh chargers aren't exactly speedy compared to the 50kWh CCS/CHAdeMO units gaining popularity (i.e: a LEAF or Ioniq will only suck in ~6.6kWh from them, only the Zoe and Teslas will make use of the full 22kWh), but they're affordable and better than nothing.
That's it, see ya tomorrow!


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SEOUL/PALO ALTO, U.S. -- While General Motors seeks South Korean assistance to prop up its cash-strapped local unit, Seoul insists on seeing a viable restructuring plan first, deepening a standoff that reflects the U.S. automaker's changing global strategy.
The South Korean government intends to audit GM Korea to gain a firmer grasp of the company's finances, and GM is prepared to cooperate, the automaker's Executive Vice President Barry Engle said Thursday after meeting with senior finance and commerce officials. Engle likely used the talks to make a direct appeal for government aid in restructuring the unit.
GM Korea said Feb. 12 that it would close a plant in Gunsan at the end of May and let 2,000 workers go, with the unit's chief calling the move a "necessary but difficult first step" in broader restructuring plans. Revenue has stagnated since peaking at 18.37 trillion won ($17 billion at current rates) in 2013. The unit's production volume fell 10% on the year to around 520,000 vehicles in 2017. Though full earnings for last year have yet to be announced, they apparently mark a fourth consecutive net loss.
South Korea hopes to stave off even deeper cuts. The automaker's plans apparently include scaling back a factory on the outskirts of Seoul capable of turning out 440,000 vehicles yearly, as well as eliminating several thousand of GM Korea's roughly 16,000 engineers and administrative workers through voluntary early retirement.
Engle told South Korean lawmakers Tuesday that GM would make no additional investments in the struggling unit without strong confidence in the results. It remains unclear exactly what the automaker seeks in terms of aid, but demands are thought to include having South Korean state-backed institutions to chip in through a debt-for-equity swap involving a roughly $2.7 billion in loans from GM headquarters.
GM likely wants preferential tax treatment as well, and may look for state-backed financial institutions to put up some of the money for investment.
But Seoul is leery of committing cash for a turnaround that may not pan out. The automaker first must provide a concrete plan to bring GM Korea into the black, said Ko Hyoung-kwon, first vice minister of strategy and finance, who met with Engle on Thursday.
The public, and particularly the labor unions that provide critical support for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, has urged the government to play hardball with the company. Many in the media blame GM Korea's losses partly on the roughly 5% interest rate the parent charges on loans to its troubled unit, turning opinion firmly against the automaker.
GM wants the government to respond by the end of February, a source familiar with the matter said, as the automaker aims to firm up global production plans in March. GM is dangling annual production of 500,000 vehicles and the rollout of two new models in return for Seoul's support.
Yet propping up the South Korean unit, formed in 2002 with GM's acquisition of the bankrupt Daewoo Motors, hardly fits with the automaker's broader strategy. The U.S. automaker has firmly stuck with the strategy of concentrating resources in fields offering high returns at low risk since CEO Mary Barra took charge in 2014. This led the company to sell German automaker Opel and end vehicle sales in India last year, two decisions that made GM Korea less strategically valuable as a base for exports to Europe and emerging markets.
GM instead built up its presence in major markets such as China and the U.S. while increasing involvement in Brazil, where the automaker sees strong growth prospects. The company also is devoting more resources to exploring technologies such as automated driving, in which it plans to invest roughly $1 billion this year, and to developing and selling membership-based services.
The automaker debuted a premium subscription service last year that lets users rent luxury Cadillacs, swapping models as they please. GM also intends to launch a ride-hailing service using autonomous vehicles when the technology is ready.


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The new SSD "represents a bold step in the shift to notebooks with significantly improved performance and larger storage capacities," the company said in a statement.
Samsung described the new SSD, 2.5 inches long and 9.5 millimeters thick, as the world's smallest of its kind. It can read up to 200 megabytes of data per second and write at a sequential write speed of 160MBps. For comparison, WD?s 300 GB Velociraptor 3.5" hard drive, which is considered the fastest traditional hard drive on the market today, achieves data read and write rates of just over 100 MB/s.
The multi-level cell (MLC)-based solid state drive (SSD) uses a SATA II interface. It boasts reliability equal to that of SLC SSDs, with a mean time between failures (MTBF) of one million hours, while costing considerably less. Power consumption is also very low at 0.9W in active mode. In addition, the drive offers a data encryption process that prevents data stored on the SSD from being accessed in an unauthorized manner, even after the SSD is removed from the PC.
It said, citing market research agency iSuppli, that 35 percent of notebook computers would use the SSD by 2012. Samsung has not provided pricing details. Currently available 256GB 2.5" SSDs cost more than $6,500, while WD?s Velociraptor hard drive sells for $300.
In related news, Samsung also said it developed a radio frequency chip, dubbed the "Mobile TV System-on-Chip" that single-handedly supports mobile television frequency standards in multiple regions, including South Korea, Japan, France and Germany.
The chip is even capable of relaying seamless mobile broadcasting in bullet trains travelling at 280 kilometers per hour, the company said, with production scheduled to begin in the third quarter.


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The Chinese automaker Geely Automobile Holdings, which owns the Swedish Volvo Cars, said it expects its net profit to grow by more than 50% year-on-year in the first half of 2018. The expected growth in profits is mainly due to an increase in sales revenue. Sales of the company's cars for the period from January to June increased by 44% compared to the first half of 2017 and amounted to 766 thousand 630 cars. Following the results of 2018, Geely expects that the number of cars sold will exceed the target level of 1 million 580 thousand cars. In 2017, Geely sales increased 63% to 1 million 247 thousand 116 cars.
HSBC aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in thirty years29.09.2020
Toyota says its annual global sales could reach $5.5 Million in five years16.09.2020
Zara's Inditex regains profit after three months due to the coronavirus outbreak11.09.2020
Initial unemployment claims seen higher than forecasts


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While many consumers of Marijuana Business Daily survey reported a 2015 industry average of 36 percent of women holding positions of power in cannabis-related companies. Two years later in 2017, it has dropped to nearly 27 percent.prepare to light up during Friday's "4/20" holiday, the percentage of executives who are women in the fast-growing industry is decreasing. The
Two women are working to reverse that trend, saying in an interview on CBSN's "Red & Blue" that they aim for the multibillion-dollar cannabis industry to be the first industry led by women. They said women are behind some of the "innovative ways" used to market cannabis.
As the cannabis industry takes off to new heights, Gia Morón, vice president of Women Grow, told CBSN's Elaine Quiijano that so many women "are already working hard to make a difference in this space and not actually repeat patterns that we've seen in other industries."
"You're seeing seasoned professionals entering, so all the years of experience ... they're bringing that in and applying it," Morón said. "That's why I do believe that women are helping to shape this industry."
Mary Pryor, co-creator of Cannaclsuive that focuses on opportunities for women of color in the cannabis industry, agreed: "Although this is a majority white male industry, the women are really the ones creating innovative ways to market and discuss and find ways to share more about the product of cannabis more so than people really recognize."
She said this is a "real deal" industry.
"Being someone that comes out of [the tech industry], I can definitely say from an early startup ... we're leading a higher trend," Pryor added. "And that's not necessarily something really being talked about often -- thewithin that -- and then within cannabis the reason why it's so important to have cannabis be a big focus with that is because you do not want that to shape out as to what tech became and then you're still fighting for certain equalities for women to be able to do what they want to do."
She said that the cannabis industry is early enough that "there's so many dynamic women that are making their stand" that they are setting examples and that they are at the table.
Morón pointed out that many women who are launching business are linked to medicinal marijuana because they are finding the benefits of using it for loved ones.
"Women are natural caregivers and nurturers ... so what you're finding out about the medicinal standpoint is that there is a lot of women leading in that space because they are at home caring for their loved ones and uncovering the benefits of it and taking that education and sharing it with the masses," Morón said.
Morón said she hopes to see more women -- especially minorities -- in the cannabis industry as legal marijuana sales are expected to top $20 billion by 2021.
"I don't see a limit," Morón said. "The limitations are in the licenses that are given per state for women and women of color. I think we can do anything in this space."
In the interview, Pryor also touched upon how marijuana users are severely stigmatized.
"The term marijuana just didn't come up out of nowhere ... it was actually used to criminalize the plant in the '30s and '20s as a way to try to stigmatize it ... it was a propaganda play ... it was something that was deemed as evil and made people act a certain way, which is absolutely ridiculous," Pryor said.
She said marijuana stereotypes exist for those who are cannabis users such as "stoner culture" which she says is something that's not real and tries to put people in buckets. "Any bucket that's made to put this plant feel and see like it's something that makes you lazy, not working ... that's not the experiences that I've had with people that use the plant."
To watch more of the interview with Mary Pryor and Gia Morón, click on the video player above. CBSN's "Red & Blue" with Elaine Quijano streams Monday through Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.
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Meghan Trainor Releases ’Make You Dance’ From Her Upcoming Deluxe Album
Written by on July 14, 2020
Meghan Trainor will release a deluxe version of her third album Treat Myself, on July 17. According to the official press release, Treat Myself Deluxe will feature “three brand new songs and unreleased alternate recordings of two fan favorites.”
In addition, Trainor dropped one of the “brand new songs” on the the album, titled “Make You Dance.” You can listen to the new track at the link: here.
Via www.justjaredjr.comMeghan recently revealed a few hours before that she will be releasing a deluxe version of her…07/10/2020 1:24 AM
Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com


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For nigh on three decades, picturesque Victoria, BC, and its neighbors in the Capital Regional District have been dumping their raw sewage into two deep outfalls in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, 20 miles from this state’s shores. And for most of that time various aggrieved parties have blustered and pled to make the Victoria CRD upgrade to current treatment standards. But the provincial and federal governments and green groups—even Washington legislators who once threatened a tourism boycott—have all failed to move the Victorians. Year after year the CRD has demurred, deferred, studied further, and looked toward finding more “appropriate” (and less expensive) sewage solutions.
Now one more contender has stepped up to try to force the CRD to clean up. In February, the Vancouver-based Sierra Legal Defence Fund (no relation to the former Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund) and the United Fishermen union “laid charges” against the CRD. (In Canada, private parties can file criminal cases). The Sierra group charges that the CRD has exceeded its discharge limits by up to 50 percent and also violated its discharge permit (which is predicated on a gradual move to sewage treatment) by not reserving land for treatment facilities.
CRD officials reply that conventional secondary treatment, the current standard, costs too much and requires a lot of land that just isn’t available around Victoria, where nobody wants the plant as a neighbor. And, claims CRD chief engineer Mike Williams, new technologies might cost a sixth as much and “remove sewage solids better than primary treatment.” But what about the secondary standard? Not necessary, nothing proven, the Victorians still argue. They insist that the Strait’s fast currents flush the stuff out harmlessly. The Sierra Legal eagles wave data showing that the usual crabs, mollusks, and echinoderms have been greatly reduced or wiped out around the CRD’s Macaulay Point outfall, while a type of sewage-loving worm has grown rampantly. Yes, concedes Williams, but, “Is [the whole project] good or bad in balance? Compared to the alienation of land, how do you determine least harmful effect?”
If you feel caught in a time warp, you may be: King County’s Metro officials argued likewise against upgrading from primary to secondary treatment in the ’70s and early ’80s. But overdue as a legal resolution might seem in Victoria, it may not come soon: the greens, the CRD and its supporters, and other officials are scrambling over who will try the case. “We have the right of private prosecution,” says Sierra Fund biologist John Werring, but he fears the BC attorney general will assume the case and go easy on the official polluters. Williams says the case “won’t affect our current plans. We’ll go ahead with sites and technologies as planned.”
It’s in the water
One more reason to worry about what gets dumped at what were supposed to be safe depths (as off Victoria): Research reported in the June issue of Scientific American found that poliovirus and other pathogens from human feces can survive in seas as deep as 3,300 feet—and perhaps rise back up with oceanic upwelling. Such an upwelling may have caused a 1992 cholera epidemic in Bangladesh. Gut bacteria survived in sludge for 30 months after being dumped 170 miles off New York City. And such impacts may increase as global warming changes upwelling. “We’re just beginning to look at how climate change can affect ocean circulation and bring these bugs back to haunt us,” Harvard’s Paul Epstein told Scientific American.
Made in the shade
Yes, it’s good that Starbucks will finally offer a shade-grown coffee, thus proving that despite its global reach, it is not the McDonald’s of coffee (McD’s doesn’t sell free-range McNuggets). But the gesture comes with a double shot of irony. Coffee marketers and conservationists now look to Starbucks as a bellwether of the move to shade growing (which spares the tropical forests, with their migratory songbirds and other residents, that agri-industrial “sun” growing destroys). On Monday, NPR’s Morning Edition gushed over the “new kind of coffee” Starbucks has discovered. Soon enough, the world will think Starbucks invented this most traditional of coffee-growing formats—just as it did espresso, right?
Truth is, Starbucks is a conspicuous latecomer to the clean-coffee bandwagon, jumping on only after years of prodding by activists and share-holders (Q&D, 5/29/96). By contrast, the Puget Consumers Coop dedicated all its bins to organically grown coffees three and a half years ago; it now offers over 20 organic blends from six roasters. Many of these are also billed as shade grown and bird friendly; shade and organic tend to overlap, since it’s high-yield, capital-intensive “sun” growing that demands heavy fertilizing and pesticides.
Are PCC’s customers paying the price of virtue? Hardly; nearly all its organics, including decafs, cost $7.99 to $9.99 a pound. Starbucks’ sole shade grade, from Chiapas, will cost $12.95—less than some of its select noncertified coffees, but enough to reinforce the notion that cleanly grown necessarily means expensive, as do high prices in supermarkets’ organic ghettos.
Nevertheless, as Starbucks officials tell it, their slow progress and high price simply reflect conscientiousness. Environmental affairs director Sue Mecklenburg says it took this long (and a partnership with the DC-based Conservation International) to find a verified, reliable source of shade-grown coffee of suitable quality. “Probably half the coffee we buy on the open market is shade,” says Mecklenburg. “[But] there’s no certification for shade—the term comes in lots of varieties.” And the higher price reflects not just that shading but Starbucks’ zeal for quality. “Starbucks always pays a premium” to get the best beans and treat growers fairly, says spokesperson Helen Chung. Competitors struggling in Starbucks’ shadow grumble that it always extracts higher profits, but I won’t step into the eternal “How good is Starbucks?” debate. Let’s just say shady coffee’s always tasted good to me.


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Satanta Residents Arrested In Wal-Mart Thefts
KSCB News - July 26, 2012 8:40 am
Two Satanta residents were arrested Tuesday afternoon on felony theft allegations following a series of incidents at Walmart, 3101 E. Kansas Ave.
Justin Galbraith, 25, was arrested at 2:05 p.m. on allegations of two counts of felony theft and one count of felony theft by deception. Maggie Fairchild, 20, was arrested at 2:36 p.m. on allegations of two counts of felony theft and one misdemeanor count of theft.
According to Garden City police, between Sunday and Tuesday Galbraith and Fairchild entered Walmart on several occasions and allegedly stole miscellaneous merchandise totaling about $1,500. Police allege they removed theft detection devices and left the store without paying for items that included groceries, home care items, and DVDs.
Fairchild and Galbraith were both arrested at the Law Enforcement Center and remain in custody at the Finney County Jail on a $10,000 and $8,000 bond, respectively


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Nike (NKE) is stepping up its game to meet the needs of people with disabilities. The swoosh brand is expanding and improving its easy-entry footwear system called FlyEase.
One of FlyEase’s main goals, according to Nike, is to create more hands-free solutions, so the shoes are easier to take off and put on. Some of the features include straps that can be adjusted with one hand, drop-down heels, laceless closing, and the ability to modify the shape of the shoe for different foot shapes and sizes.
Nike has expanded the FlyEase lineup of shoes to more than 10 models. The 6 most recent are: the Air Jordan 1 FlyEase ($140); Air Zoom UNVRS FlyEase ($160); Women’s Air Zoom Pegasus 36 FlyEase ($120); Men’s Air Zoom Pegasus 36 FlyEase ($120); LeBron Soldier 13 FlyEase – Big Kids ($110); and LeBron Soldier 13 FlyEase (adult) ($140).
The Air Zoom UNVRS FlyEase was inspired by Olympic gold medalist, forward for the Washington Mystics and 2015 WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne and her sister Lizzie, who has cerebral palsy. The side strap on the shoe features the message, “If you have a body, You are an athlete.”
“FlyEase takes inspiration and insights from athletes of all abilities to drive innovation for all and helps eliminate barriers to play. We’re excited to make an impact with solutions where everyone can benefit,” said Sandra Carreon-John, senior director at Nike.
Adaptive clothing, or clothing that is designed to meet the needs of people with health conditions and limitations, is a segment of the fashion industry that has largely been ignored by major brands. But according to Coresight Research, the adaptive fashion market is expected to climb to $349.9 billion by 2023. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1 in 4 U.S. adults — or 61 million Americans — has a physical or cognitive disability that impacts major life activities.
Reggie Wade is a writer for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter at @ReggieWade.


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Lamborghini’s official non-fungible tokens (NFTs) will be auctioned off on the new Elysium Bridge platform on September 25.
Tonino and Ferruccio Jr, the proprietors and heirs of the Ferruccio Lamborghini Museum, have announced the launch of the first NFTs dedicated to the history of Lamborghini, which will only offer the rarest artefacts from their private collection.
The NFTs for sale on Elysium Bridge are priceless masterpieces conserved at the Ferruccio Lamborghini Museum, providing this event the only opportunity to purchase these one-of-a-kind artefacts.
Until today, these valuable treasures from the Lamborghini brand’s history have never made it to the NFT realm, where the blockchain would immortalise these items.
That is precisely the concept that has motivated the founders of Elysium Bridge’s vision from the start: to make precious works live forever in the digital world.
The September 25 auction of these NFTs dedicated to Lamborghini “will be a true journey of discovery of the unique pieces present at the auction, in which historical backgrounds and details never made public and until now known only by the Lamborghini Family itself,” explained the platform’s founders Enrico Branchetti and Patrick Jusic.
Six internationally known artists, including Emanuele Dascanio and Giovanni Motta, have designed these NFTs, with more names to be released soon.
You may view a trailer introducing the event and register for the Waitlist, which is the only option to participate in the auction, on the platform’s website.


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Fox Threatens FanDuel Advertising Blackout As Flutter Battle Continues
Tensions between Fox Entertainment and FanDuel parent company Flutter Entertainment continue to escalate, as the two find themselves locked in a dispute over a share purchase agreement.
As Fox now lawyers up, the two sides prepare to settle the dispute in court.
The timing of this conflict is also intriguing, with Flutter exploring the option of a FanDuel IPO. Given the recent success seen by publicly-traded gaming companies, a FanDuel market debut would likely be popular amongst those investing in sports betting stocks. FanDuel currently outpaces its competition in terms of market share in the United States, and while DraftKings (DKNG) dominates the financial headlines, FanDuel’s earnings reports are also stronger.
However, the pending legal battle will certainly disrupt any Wall Street debut, and Fox’s Rupert Murdoch is threatening to put an advertising blackout in place should Flutter dig themselves in any further.
We could be witnessing Fox’s attempt to stiff-arm Flutter into submission by derailing their stock market debut ambitions, while also limiting the brands advertising capabilities across one of North America’s most powerful sporting networks.
Irregardless, Flutter remains adamant that the two sides had agreed to a purchase based on the 2021 market value, further expressing that the brand would vigorously defend itself in the battle.
Flutter Entertainment had expanded their holdings in the US sports betting brand to a 95% stake last December when they purchased 37.2% stake from Fastball for $4.18 billion. The deal saw Flutter enlist financial help from Fox, and in exchange, Fox would be given the chance to purchase 18.6% of FanDuel in July of this year.
As Fox now prepares to opt into the purchase agreement, but they are moving ahead with the understanding that the stake would be sold at the same valuation the company saw when Flutter took over the shares in December.
Here lies the problem…
Flutter acknowledges their requirement to sell the stake, should Fox opt in, but feel that the 18.6% stake would be valued at the brand’s current valuation as oppsed to the one it saw in December.
Again, this could all be for show, with Fox looking to force Flutter’s hand by threatening to delay the IPO and potentially damage trust between investors and the brand.


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Music blockchain company Viberate signed a partnership agreement with sprituality exchanger Changelly.
In partnership with VIB tokens should appear on the platform Changelly that should provide them with access to a mass market.
$VIB has just been listed on Changelly! This is now the easiest way to invest in this token and support live music industry @Viberate_com https://t.co/uqM3OuNlvY— Changelly.com (@Changelly_team) February 16, 2018
Viberate seeks to change the current situation in the music industry. The ICO project has collected more than $ 10 million and ended in literally 5 minutes.
Changelly is a platform where you can exchange multiple cryptocurrencies. The platform is international, and is available in almost all countries. The platform works in 2015 and has more than 1.5 million users, the total platform is about 60,000 bitcoins a month.
Unlike a number of major cryptocurrency exchanges, Changelly still allows you to buy cryptocurrency using Visa or Mastercards. CEO Changelly , Konstantin Gladys commented on this partnership:
We are pleased that crypto-currencies are increasingly integrated with music. Changelly will provide access tokens to buy for thousands of their customers, which they can use to interact with the platform Viberate. Thanks to our embedded widget, any person can easily invest in this investment project.
The widget will be placed on Viberate.io, but it will also be integrated into the service itself that will allow users to quickly and easily get tokens to buy while browsing the profiles of hundreds of thousands of musicians.
Co-founder Viberate, Vasja Weber also very pleased with this partnership:
After our successful ICO I spent hours explaining how to purchase our token friends and family, who only recently heard about bitcoin and have no idea what a token is. To start our cooperation with Changelly they had to open an account on a major exchange to wait for confirmation to get Fiat, wait for when it will be credited, buy bitcoin, send it to the exchange, where Lisitsa our token, and only after that they finally got a token VIB. Now they need to register the Ethereum wallet that takes a few seconds, and then purchase tokens to buy using a credit card. It’s easier than buying a plane ticket.
Tokens VIB is also available on many of the world’s major exchanges, including Binance, Bittrex, HitBTC and OKEx.


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On the heels of strong U.S. ticket sales for its first leg of tour dates, an additional 65 cities and 100 performances have been announced for Peppa Pig’s first-ever U.S. theatrical tour, Peppa Pig’s Big Splash. Peppa Pig, star of Entertainment One’s (eOne) top-rated TV series, and her all-new live stage show will visit more than 90 cities starting this November.
The latest Monopoly board, Monopoly Here & Now: U.S. Edition, available from Hasbro, features 22 real-life cities including Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York City as property spaces. Earlier this year, Hasbro teamed with BuzzFeed for Monopoly’s 80th anniversary, inviting fans to vote for their favorite U.S. cities, which the new board reflects.
Jakks Pacific Inc. reported results for the company’s first quarter ended March 31. Net sales increased 38 percent to $114.2 million, compared to $82.5 million reported in the comparable period last year. The reported net loss for the first quarter was $7.6 million, or $0.40 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $16.3 million, or $0.74 per diluted share, in the comparable period last year.
Toys “R” Us’ recent campaign to benefit Special Olympics, hosted at its stores across the U.S. and online at toysrus.com, raised more than $2 million. Throughout the duration of the eight-week awareness and fundraising program, Toys “R” Us customers pledged their support to help children with intellectual and developmental disabilities learn how to hit balls, run bases, take jump shots, and other sports moments.
The Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) is launching an online fundraising auction to benefit TIF programs and grants, which help children in need around the world.
TIF partnered with global charity auction site, Charitybuzz, to host the auction—which includes a visit to the set of Sesame Street in New York, tickets to Nickelodeon’s 2015 Kids’ Choice Awards in Los Angeles, and private meetings with top toy executives.
Bids may be placed through September 30 at charitybuzz.com/tif.
Hasbro Inc. and 3DPlusMe are introducing Super Awesome Me, a personalized 3-D printing experience that allows kids (and those who are kids at heart) to become Captain America or Iron Man. The initiative provides fans with a customized, 12-inch action figure through an in-store experience. In conjunction with Disney Consumer Products’ Marvel Super Hero September celebration, the Super Awesome Me experience will launch at ten Wal-Mart and two Sam’s Club locations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston between September 19 and 28.
Fans visit an in-store scanning station, where a 3-D face scanner captures their likeness to create a 3-D model. Each Super Awesome Me figure, recommended for fans ages 4 years and up, features a traditional articulated plastic action figure body and full-color 3-D printed head. Figures are available for pick-up at Wal-Mart locations or shipped to Sam’s Club customers in four weeks.
More information on the Super Awesome Me experience, as well as a full list of participating Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club locations, is available at superawesomeme.com.
This past Friday, Peaceable Kingdom donated 6,000 scratch and sniff sticker packs to the Toy Industry Foundation‘s Play Your Part event, put on in partnership with CASA for Children. The event took place in Los Angeles, where 6,000 children waiting to be placed in permanent homes received care packages with toys, as well as notes of encouragement.
The Play Your Part event uses donations from throughout the toy industry to create the care packages. Peaceable Kingdom donated two scratch & sniff sticker styles: Peanut Butter and Chocolate.
Got plans this weekend? This past April 1, it appeared that toddlers had taken over Boon’s social media pages, and while that turned out to be an April Fool’s joke, many of the random photos posted by Boon are part of a larger social media game. Indeed, photos found at Boon’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest pages contain “clues” about specialty retailers in the Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles areas.
Details on how to decipher these clues have been posted in videos on Boon’s blog. Through Sunday, any fans in those cities who figure out the clues—and subsequently check-in at the specialty retailer in their city on Foursquare—will receive a discount code for 20 percent off Boon products.


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from the don't-sit-so-close dept.
Hugh Pickens writes "Fox News reports that Nintendo has posted a cautionary note on its Japanese website that 'vision of children under the age of six has been said [to be in the] developmental stage,' adding that 3D content 'delivers 3D images with different left and right images, [which] has a potential impact on the growth of children's eyes.' The notice went to say that Nintendo recommends that all viewers take regular breaks while watching 3D video or playing stereoscopic 3D games (google translation). Dr. Michael Ehrenhaus, an ophthalmologist with New York Cornea Consultants, thinks Nintendo and Sony may be getting ahead of themselves with these disclaimers. 'It's hard to say that it'll ruin development,' says Ehrenhaus."
The most difficult thing in the world is to know how to do a thing and to
watch someone else doing it wrong, without commenting.
-- T.H. White


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Top Call Center Outsourcing Trends to Expect in 2018
Call center outsourcing industry’s expansion is driven by innovation and global competition. In the last few years, the industry has witnessed a 4.4% growth with revenues crossing $140 billion.
However, 2017 augured poorly for call center outsourcing industry that was met by concerns like scarcity of skilled resources, political holdups and heightened trade protectionism. Even though this has been the trend in the last few months, the industry is showing promising trends with regards to market growth and abridged policies.
At the same time, technological innovation such as process automation, cloud computing etc. have encouraged businesses to show an upward progression.
For the call center outsourcing companies to profit from trade in current times, they are expected to integrate new technologies to overcome obstacles, improve products and services, fill the skill gap, while controlling the operational costs. What else can you expect from this vibrant industry in the very near future? Here is a detailed overview-
Trend 1: Increased Transparency in Policies, Pricing and Contracts
When large MNCs dominated the call center outsourcing sector, it was challenging to get information about contracts and policies. Most employees on either side on client side and supplier side were ill-informed about the inside workings. However, with the introduction of startups, the call center industry has no choice but to be open about its pricing, policies and contracts.
Since the outsourcing environment is extremely competitive, the vendors have to tweak their policies from time to time to avoid losing business with dependable clients. Transparency is also crucial to develop better partnerships between suppliers and clients which is crucial for innovation and expansion.
With evolving business environment and government involvement, there has been an increased demand for clarity in the business processes and policies for the outsourcing industry.
Trend 2: Geopolitics will Impact the Industry & Investments
With the change in government in many countries, many companies waited in anticipation for the policies change brought on by new administration that will impact the business. Industry experts were skeptical of call center outsourcing industry’s fate after President Trump’s call for “Buy American, Hire American.”
However, despite Trump’s “America First” stance and new policy claims, call center outsourcing industry is expected to grow unfettered.
Trend 3: Continued Growth in Top Call Center Outsourcing Destinations
Established inbound and outbound call center outsourcing destinations such as India, the Philippines and Malaysia will continue to rule the roost and witness incremental growth in 2018.
With an addition of nearly 130,000 new jobs and a staggering growth rate of 7-8% for export revenues by 2018, India is all set to be the hub of digital adoption that will in all probability help increase the sub-sectors in the outsourcing industry.
Malaysia’s outsourcing market is projected to grow at a monstrous rate of 7.9% and reach 1.4 billion by 2021.
As per experts, call center outsourcing services will be the primary source of revenue for the country in the next few years. The outsourcing industry is of this vibrant country is expected to perform better than the other two heavyweights and reach a growth rate of 9% per annum over the next five years.
Trend 4: New Outsourcing Destinations to Emerge in 2018
New emerging markets are all set to give tough competition to established call center outsourcing destination in the very near future.
Here are a few countries that will lead this change:
Thanks to the growth of internet usage in the region which has seen a jump of about 1644.3% over the last 15 years, Mexico has uncovered a huge talent pool for outsourcing and has grown to become the 8th most desirable outsourcing location in the world.
Some of the major reasons for its growth include:
- Political and economic stability
- Proximity to Silicon Valley
- Huge pool of talent
Bulgaria is presently the 12th most desirable outsourcing location in the world. Some of the reasons for this include:
- Large pool of talent with deep technical expertise
- Ability of the workforce to speak all major European languages
- Lowest salary amongst EU nations (235.62 Euros per month)
Romania the currently the 13th most desirable outsourcing location in the world and is also the fastest growing economy in the EU with a projected growth rate of 5.7%. As a result, many outsourcing companies including some of the leading outbound and inbound call center service providers have their sights on this country for their future expansion.
Romania’s growth as a top outsourcing nation is owed to:
- second lowest salary in EU (approximately 321.17 Euros per month)
- 54% of graduates have a background in science and technology
- Fastest internet connection amongst the European Union
Trend 5: Resources Should Multitask to Overcome the Shortage of Skilled Staff
Call center outsourcing industry has come a long way in the last 10 years. Large multinational giants are currently financing innovative technologies in the countries of their suppliers, like India and Philippines, to make up for skilled workforce shortage which has plagued these contractors for sometime. India is already struggling with lack of expert workforce that can provide high-end service requirements of reputed international clients.
Due to increased completion, the call centers had to replace their proficient staff with cost-lowering alternatives, such as artificial intelligence and automation. The growing threat of losing low skilled jobs to machines, the governments and businesses are forced to retrain their employees and impart them more skills. Call center outsourcing industry will have to invest heavily in training and development of their existing employees to inhibit loss of jobs due to automation.
Trend 6: Startups Hiring Offshore Support Providers
More and more startups are coming up these days and face intense performance anxiety. They are under a lot of pressure to show results with limited resources and very less time. With fewer budget to hire local resources, they often look towards outsourcing options to get low-cost support from offshore call centers to undertake tedious jobs like providing support, generating leads, etc. As a result, offshore call centers and startups have become dependent on each other, a trend which will be more apparent in 2018.
By the looks of it, call center outsourcing industry is geared for positive growth in 2018. The industry’s growth will be fueled by new entrants and continued pressure on businesses to keep operational costs down.
Industry experts also see automation as one of the biggest threat to the tedious jobs in call centers. Many companies are planning to invest as much as 43% in robotics in the next two years.
At the same time, governments of call center outsourcing supplier nations will focus on educating their workforce to meet the growing demand. To meet the industry requirements, call center staff will have to expand their skills.
Startups are also going to play an instrumental role in call center outsourcing sector this year. The industry will benefit from transparency in their policies and is expected to reach $262 billion by 2020.


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Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest carmaker has announced to unveil 17 models at the 2020 Auto Expo. The company will unveil the Jimny SUV, Swift Hybrid, new Vitara Brezza petrol, Ignis facelift and the all-new Futuro-e Coupe SUV concept at the biennial event. The Maruti Suzuki Futuro-e concept will preview the design language for the brand’s upcoming mid-sized SUV in India.
We reported earlier that Maruti Suzuki is readying an all-new mid-sized SUV, which will take on the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and the Nissan Kicks. The new SUV is expected to be based on the modified version of the C-Platform, which currently underpins the global Suzuki Vitara and the Vitara Brezza compact SUV. The company could also opt for the new lightweight HEARTECT platform, which underpins a wide range of Maruti products in India.
Few media reports also suggest that Maruti Suzuki could utilise Toyota Raize platform to develop a new mid-sized SUV, which will also be sold under Toyota nameplate. Going by the teaser images, it is visible that the SUV gets slopping roofline, squared pronounced wheel arches, and the raked black glass to offer coupe-like profile. The SUV gets C-shaped tail-lamps with daytime running lights, and wrap-around LED tail-lights, and thin ORVMs with integrated blinkers. Also See – Maruti Futuro-E Coupe SUV rendered based on teaser.
The production version of the Maruti Futuro-e concept based SUV is expected to be launched in 2021. The mid-sized SUV is expected to be powered by a BSVI compliant 1.5-litre K15B petrol engine with mild-hybrid system. There could be a diesel engine option as well.


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Registration open for the world’s first International Carbon Handprint Award until August 5, 2022. Please read instructions how to apply below.
Europe’s largest climate business network the Climate Leadership Coalition (CLC) and Vancouver Economic Commission launched the world’s first International Carbon Handprint Award at the GLOBE Forum in Vancouver on March 31, 2022. The competition is for any company or organization that manufactures a product or sells a service that helps its customers reduce their environmental footprint. Any company in the world is eligible to apply.
The carbon handprint refers to the positive climate impact that using a product or service has compared to other products or services in the same category. The calculation gives the size of the carbon handprint caused by the company’s product or service: the bigger the handprint the better. The Climate Leadership Coalition’s members, VTT Technical Research Center of Finland and Lappeenranta University of Technology of Finland, have created the new environmental carbon handprint method and guidelines for calculating the climate impacts of a product or service.
Climate Leadership Coalition launched the Carbon Handprint Award in Finland on Zero Emissions Day in 2021. However, these product-solutions can be globally significant, so the need for international recognition has become clear. With the International Carbon Handprint Award, the solutions that have a major positive climate impact and help economies reduce the emissions or increase the carbon sinks significantly, are highlighted.
The award will be handed out in two categories: The Most Climate-positive Carbon Handprint Product and The High Potential Carbon Handprint Innovation. The criteria for the award-winning solutions and the application form for the competition can be found on the International Carbon Handprint Award website.
The deadline for registration is August 19, 2022. The jury representing a wide range of business sectors will select the winners. Jury will deliberate in June and notify winners by August 22. The winners will be announced during Zero Emissions Day on September 21, 2022.
“By now there are lots of actions to reduce the carbon footprint of businesses, cities and other organisations and organisations that have been able to reduce their footprint significantly, are positioned high in international rankings. However, typically the carbon footprint reduction happens by acquiring a new product or service that enables it, but the developers of these new solutions are not appreciated sufficiently. With the carbon handprint concept and the award, we want highlight the importance of new climate friendly products and services and share the benefits of them globally”, says Tuuli Kaskinen, CEO, Climate Leadership Coalition.
“Companies in Vancouver really care about the impact that they are making. In fact, in a 2018 survey of 500 businesses in Vancouver, over 29 percent said they offer a product or service that helps restore or preserve the environment. This new carbon handprint methodology allows companies to quantify the positive environmental impact their products are making for their customers.”, says Bryan Buggey, Director, Vancouver Economic Commission.
Vancouver Economic Commission serves one of the world’s fastest-growing, low-carbon economies. Climate Leadership Coalition is the largest climate business network in Europe developing business-driven solutions to address climate change.
More information: Tuuli Kaskinen, CEO, Climate Leadership Coalition, email@example.com, +358 50 5149752, Bryan Buggey, Director, Vancouver Economic Commission firstname.lastname@example.org and Senni Raunio, Specialist, Project Development, Climate Leadership Coalition, email@example.com, +358 50 3512390.


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In earth-shatteringly surprising news (ahem), Sierra has revealed that the eagerly awaited hack 'n' slash RPG "Diablo II" by Blizzard has broken all previous records by shifting a staggering one million copies worldwide in its first two weeks of release, including 350,000 just here in Europe! The game looks like being one of the biggest hits of the year on the PC, and there is even a Macintosh version due for release in August. For the full story, read the press release from Sierra.
The remastered collection is out next week on PS5, and later this year on PC.
"We'll have more to share on this as we get closer to Season 2."
But no cross-generation play "at launch".
You may also enjoy...
"This means that the two largest anti-cheat services are now easily supported on Steam Deck."
But lacks frills for the top-end PC user
Thinking outside of the box.
Buy things with globes on them
And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store!


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The people of Scotland have gathered together to help one another once again amid the cost of living crisis. Recently, a free coat exchange was reintroduced at The Clydeside Collective at St Enoch and has seen tremendous success with people pitching in and donating their coats. And from November 1, the Scottish store owned by Sara Thomson has introduced a free Christmas tree and festive food exchange so people can still enjoy the spirit of Christmas.
So people don’t have to sacrifice their Christmas in order to be able to exist this year, The Clydeside Collective is urging people to search their homes for any unwanted Christmas trees and decorations that may be languishing in cupboards and attics. Moreover, any non-perishable store cupboard essentials and festive treats are also being accepted. So, if you find something that is not useful to you anymore, bring it over to the shop and they will take care of the rest.
All items will be available for anyone to collect at all three stores at St Enoch Centre, Ocean Terminal and Fort Kinnaird completely free of charge, no questions asked. Basically, whoever would like to decorate their home for Christmas but can’t afford it this year, they are welcome just to go and take whatever they need. This will come as great news for families with children, making Christmas magical and sparking much-needed joy.
The Clydeside Collective founder, Sara Thomson, explains why she is keen to build on the momentum of the winter coat exchange and go even further to help those who are struggling:
“For many people, 2022 has been a real financial struggle and buying a Christmas tree and festive food will prove to be too much of a stretch this year. These things aren’t ‘essentials’, and it’s highly likely that for them, Christmas will be yet another casualty of the cost of living crisis. But I believe everyone deserves a nice Christmas and what better way to spread festive cheer than by donating to others and lifting their spirits when they need it most.”
What is more, the coat exchange provides a way to promote sustainability and to avoid good quality Christmas decorations to end up thrown away. So, while tackling the cost of living crisis with the free Christmas tree exchange, The Clydeside Collective will also manage to simultaneously aid the climate crisis. Every little counts and we should all chip in to help wherever we can. It’s marvellous to see the people of Glasgow care!
Where can I find The Clydeside Collective?
The Clydeside Collective at St Enoch Centre
Opening hours: 10am – 5pm, seven days a week


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Consumers' Spending, Incomes Rise in April
WASHINGTON – Consumers were choosy shoppers in April: they spent on services but cut back on cars and other big-ticket items. Incomes also rose.
The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that consumer spending rose by 0.4 percent in April, following a 0.2 percent increase the month before. April's rise marked the biggest increase since January.
Consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of all economic activity and has been a main pillar propping up the country's fragile economy.
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has said one of the biggest factors determining whether or not the country skirts a recession is how well consumers hold up during the economic slowdown, which has gripped the nation since the second half of last year.
Americans' incomes, which include wages, interest and government benefits, nudged up 0.3 percent in April, down from a 0.5 percent rise in March. The increase in April income was the smallest since November.
The spending and income figures aren't adjusted for inflation and were in line with many analysts' expectations.
In an effort to ward off a recession, the Federal Reserve has slashed interest rates five times this year, lowering borrowing costs for millions of consumers and businesses to its lowest point in seven years.
The economy grew at an annual rate of just 1.3 percent in the first quarter, a big downward revision from the previous estimate of a 2 percent growth rate. The biggest factors weighing down growth: a steep drop in business investment and a huge reduction in business inventories, both of which reflect flagging demand.
Tuesday's report also showed that consumers' spending on nondurable goods, such as food and clothes, rose by 0.7 percent in April, compared with a 0.3 percent drop in March.
Spending on services rose by 0.5 percent in April, down from a 0.7 percent gain the month before. The services category includes such things as gas and electric utilities, doctors visits, bus and train fares and rent for housing.
But spending on durables — costly manufactured goods expected to last at least three years, such as cars and washing machines — fell by 0.6 percent in April, on top of a 0.7 percent decline in March. None of those spending figures are adjusted for inflation.
When adjusted for inflation, spending on durable goods fell by 0.4 percent, spending on nondurables rose 0.3 percent and spending on services edged up 0.2 percent in April, suggesting that higher prices account for a large chunk of the rise spending.
With spending outpacing income growth, the personal savings rate — savings as a percentage of after-tax income — dipped to a negative 0.7 percent in April, compared with a negative 0.6 percent in March.
The savings rate doesn't provide a complete picture of household finances because it doesn't capture gains realized from such things as higher real estate values or from financial investments, economists say.
Rising layoffs, eroding consumer confidence and higher energy prices all are factors making consumers more cautious in their spending, economists say.
The nation's unemployment rate jumped to 4.5 percent in April, a 0.2 percentage point increase from March, and businesses slashed payrolls by the largest amount since the country was last in a recession a decade ago.
Many economists expect that when the government releases the employment report for May on Friday it will show that the jobless rate edged up to 4.6 percent.
Economists are concerned that if the employment picture worsens, consumers might sharply cut spending and tip the economy into a recession. But many continue to believe that the Fed's aggressive interest rate cuts and tax relief from Congress will permit the economy to skirt a recession this year.


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Apple has reclaimed its title because the world’s most valuable publicly-traded company – a place it first held in 2018 earlier than being changed by Microsoft. Buoyed by robust earnings within the final quarter, the iPhone maker’s market-cap on Friday surpassed that of Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil big from Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Aramco was valued $1.76 trillion on the finish of Friday’s buying and selling session. It had remained the world’s most useful publicly-traded firm following its market debut final 12 months.
Apple becomes the world’s largest most valuable publicly-traded company
The huge rally in Apple’s inventory on Friday resulted within the firm’s largest single-day acquire since March 13. It added $172 billion to the corporate’s market-cap, taking the general valuation above that of the Saudi petroleum big. Whereas the corporate hit rock-bottom in March due to the pandemic, it has since largely recovered from its troubles. Boosted by rising gross sales and better margins on newer merchandise, the corporate’s shares are up 44% in 2020.
In an analysis word on Friday, Morgan Stanley analysts credited development in Apple’s ecosystem for the corporate’s elevated profitability. “Regardless of COVID-19 headwinds, Apple grew income in each section and geography, beating consensus income by 14% as ecosystem engagement rises”, they stated.
Apple’s development over the past quarter got here at a time when most shopper electronics corporations are nonetheless struggling to recuperate from the results of COVID-19. Apple, itself, has confronted critical issues just lately, having to shut down its shop’s worldwide. Not solely did it shut down shops due to the pandemic, however within the US, it additionally needed to shut a lot of its shops due to the persevering with Black Lives Matter protests.
- Google introducing Trust Tokens to take down cookies on the web
- Microsoft can acquire Tiktok US Operations, said in Advanced Talks
Amazon, Fb, and Google all introduced earnings yesterday as nicely, and for essentially the most half, they’d fairly good quarters. Amazon doubled its revenue — throughout a pandemic. Fb noticed a day by day person enhance of 12 per cent 12 months over 12 months to 1.79 billion. And mixed, the 4 corporations netted $28.6 billion in earnings. As my colleague Liz Lopatto put it, through the pandemic, the tech corporations are raking it in.


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When they write the history of the greatest Silicon Valley entrepreneur that never was, they should remember to mention his pedometer.
If anything symbolizes the efforts of Craig Newmark, founder and keeper of Craigslist (http://www.craigslist.org/), a Web site used each month by millions of people to exchange goods, services and points of view, it is the gadget that measures how many steps he takes each day. It was given to Newmark by his nutritionist.
"She says I'm not walking enough," Newmark said.
No wonder. He does not get out much. It has been four years since Newmark, 51, took a day off from sitting at his computer admonishing spammers, scammers, ne'er-do-wells, meanies and others who would demean or pollute the community that bears his name.
It is a tribute to the success of his efforts that the auction giant eBay bought a 25 percent stake in Craigslist for an undisclosed sum last month. On its face, the purchase poses a challenge for Newmark, a man committed to a goal most entrepreneurs would revile: He has steadfastly avoided maximizing his commercial success.
That is not to say Craigslist has been a financial disaster. Far from it.
Jim Buckmaster, the chief executive of Craigslist and Newmark's right-and left-hand man, said the company's revenues approach $10 million a year, although he declined to offer more specific numbers. And the partnership with eBay, a very profitable Internet company, raises the question of whether the site's grass-roots values are at risk. Could Newmark be on the road to taking his list to the bank?
Newmark said the reverse was true. He said he hoped to make his online community more accessible by using expertise from eBay to cope with increasingly sophisticated attacks from spammers and hackers.
For its part, eBay said it would like to own a piece of Craigslist as a way of learning more about the site's efficient, albeit free, classified advertising system. A spokesman for eBay, Hani Durzy, said the company might ultimately pursue a classified advertising effort, basing it in part on what it learns from Craigslist.
The foremost lesson would be about community and how to sustain one online. Craigslist started in 1995 as an e-mail newsletter that Newmark sent to friends informing them of San Francisco cultural events.
As interest grew, the newsletter became an online flea and job market and an essential community bulletin board.
As investor-backed Internet companies began to surge in the late 1990s, Craigslist remained the tortoise. When the dot-coms fizzled, Craigslist was celebrated as an anti-dot-com, achieving – despite its lack of business plans, profit projections and tchotchkes with logos – the kind of mass acceptance that high-tech investors clawed for.
When the bubble burst, Craigslist was left standing – a low-maintenance community site used by, among many others, former dot-com workers looking for jobs.
That is particularly the case among those in their 20s and 30s, who came of age with Craigslist and seem to make it as central to their lives as yoga, bottled mineral water and instant messaging.
Network of sites
Operated from a rented apartment in the Sunset District of San Francisco, Craigslist has grown into a network of dozens of community-based sites. The sites look essentially the same but their substance is particular to the cities or regions where their participants live.
In all, 57 cities, including San Diego, have Craigslist sites in the United States, as well as three cities in Britain and three in Canada. Together, the sites attracted more than 5 million different visitors in July, who logged more than a billion page views.
Craigslist accepts no banner advertising. It incorporates no pop-up advertisements, requires no visitor registration and charges no fees, except to employers posting job offers. But people involved in several proposed deals said it could be worth $100 million if Newmark decided to sell to the highest bidder.
Newmark said that eBay had agreed to stay out of management decisions and would not try to influence him to make a greater profit.
"They've offered to help deal with some abuse situations – like offshore scammers," he said. He said his overriding goal would remain the same. "I just want to provide the same kind of customer service that I'd appreciate in other companies."
It is a situation with which eBay seems entirely comfortable.
"Craigslist will continue to be run by the people who run it," Durzy of eBay said.
But eBay's interest does turn a spotlight on Newmark, a New Jersey native who describes himself as a hyper-shy nerd. He is the man behind the curtain at a Web site that has outlived and outperformed hundreds of boom-time dot-coms, regardless of how well financed they were.
Paying to post
Craigslist does not charge for most postings and transactions on the site. It does charge $75 for employers to post job listings on the San Francisco/Bay Area site, and it charges $25 for employers to post listings in New York and Los Angeles.
Revenues of $10 million might seem to make Craigslist highly lucrative, given that the whole enterprise is operated by a paid staff of 14.
Newmark does not discuss his compensation. He owns his house in San Francisco. He drives a Toyota gas/electric hybrid. His tastes seem modest – not that he has much time to spend money.
He said he had a single unmet need.
"I want a permanent parking spot," he said. In San Francisco, this is an extreme wish, on the order of asking for a cure for the common cold. "I'm sort of joking when I say it," he added. "But it's true."
Howard Rheingold, an author on issues of technology and society, said one key to the success of Craigslist was Newmark's fastidious personal commitment to keeping scammers off the site.
In June, in tribute to Newmark's dedication and the site's success, the city of San Francisco announced it was creating a Craigslist Day, on Oct. 10. Will Newmark take the day off to celebrate?
"What does 'day off' mean?" he said. "Seriously, I've forgotten how to do that."


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Of the many proposals the Obama Administration has put forward for redoing financial regulation, the simplest and most straightforward has got to be the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA). Maybe that explains why it's also the most controversial.
Banks hate the idea of a CFPA and reportedly plan to spend millions of dollars on TV ads and other efforts to thwart it. Members of Congress are griping about the way it steps on the toes of existing agencies they like. And those on the political right have taken to characterizing the CFPA as a classic case of Democratic regulatory overstretch.
My own opinion, after several days spent perusing the legislation there's a 152-page Administration draft and a 229-page bill introduced in the House by Financial Services Committee chairman Barney Frank is that the logic behind it is quite compelling. That doesn't mean it will actually work as advertised, especially after Congress is through with it. But it's an idea that deserves a chance.
The main thrust of the legislation is to take the consumer-protection responsibilities (and consumer-protection regulators) now housed at the Federal Reserve and other banking agencies and give them their own new home. In trying to balance the joint responsibilities of protecting consumers and keeping banks safe and sound (that is, profitable), bank regulators have in the past decade failed at both. So the idea is that if we create an agency with consumer in the name and a clearer focus, we'll have a better shot at protecting consumers from dangerous, deceptively packaged financial products and keeping banks from lending themselves into oblivion.
This line of reasoning is most closely identified with Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard law professor and the current chairwoman of the congressionally appointed committee overseeing the Treasury's bailout efforts. In a 2007 article in the journal Democracy, Warren argued for what she called a Financial Product Safety Commission. But the idea isn't exclusive to her. Canada, which did not suffer the subprime woes of its southern neighbor, created a consumer financial agency in 2001. Australia and the Netherlands have taken the more ambitious step of consolidating all consumer and market oversight under one financial regulator while leaving soundness to another. Last year when he was still Treasury Secretary, Hank Paulson endorsed this approach in his blueprint for regulatory reform.
The most reasonable objection the banks have to the CFPA is that its reach is too limited, hence subjecting banks to burdens other financial firms won't bear. Products regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission would be exempt from CFPA oversight, as would most insurance companies, which are regulated by the states. And while the CFPA would have authority over anyone extending credit to consumers, the first line of regulation for nonbanks such as mortgage brokers and check-cashing firms would remain the states. American Bankers Association chief executive Edward Yingling argues that because of this, the playing field would still be tilted in favor of the nonbanks, and he may be right. But it would at least be more level than it is now.
Once the TV ads start running, the debate will probably center not on level playing fields but on whether consumers need protection at all. "The proposed CFPA appears to be premised on the idea that Washington is better at making financial decisions for all Americans than leaving that choice up to individual Americans," said Spencer Bachus, the ranking Republican on the House Financial Services Committee whose top five 2008 campaign donors were UBS, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
It's an odd statement, given that all consumer financial regulation is based on the premise that individuals need help from government in dealing with banks and other lenders. From the 1930s through the '60s, banks were straitjacketed by D.C.-dictated interest-rate and lending rules meant to keep them and their customers out of trouble. Decades of haphazard and at times heedless deregulation followed, with eventually disastrous results. The CFPA legislation envisions a partial return of the straitjacket. Among its other tasks, the new agency would devise plain-vanilla products that lenders must offer customers but those customers could still opt for complexity. Most of us need protection, the new reasoning goes. But not quite all.


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Published - September 15, 2022 @ 2:52 PM (EET)
On Wednesday, Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) released strict new rules for US dealers to sell its electric vehicles, including requiring fixed prices and upfront investment in chargers as the automaker attempts to cut overhead costs and boost profits.
The Dearborn Michigan company is giving its nearly 3,000 car dealers the option to become "EV-certified" with investments of $500,000 or $1.2 million, including installing new infrastructure for charging EVs at dealerships.
As part of the new retailing strategy, dealers who opt into selling EVs will need to abide by certain standards, and also restricts some dealers from carrying vehicle inventory on the ground and mandate non-negotiable pricing on Ford's website.
After briefing dealers about the plans, CEO Jim Farley told reporters,
"We're betting on the dealers. We're not going to go direct. But we need to specialize."
To continue narrowing the gap between rival Tesla, dealers will have until the end of October to make a decision and until the end of the year to make the investments.
Farley is investing $50 billion to build 2 million EVs annually by 2026, with Ford's current lineup of all-electric vehicles, including the Ford F-150 Lightning pickup truck, Mustang Mach-E crossover, and e-Transit van.
Introducing these EV-specific selling programs reflect how manufacturers more broadly are trying to compete with Tesla's direct-to-consumer model.
"Changes in the market have compelled Ford and our dealers to revisit how customers shop, buy and own, and how they will do this going forward." - Ford CEO, Jim Farley
In addition, Farley has been particularly outspoken over the need to modernize the auto retailing model, warning dealers that the standards to which customers will hold them could be "brutal."
Still, the CEO has, in meetings with dealers and conferences, emphasized that dealers are an essential part of the company's network.
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NEWS RELEASE · 28th January 2013
Info and Privacy Commissioner
From the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia
B.C. Information and Privacy Commissioner Elizabeth Denham made the following statement in celebration of Data Privacy Day:
"Held on January 28 each year, Data Privacy Day is part of a global effort to raise awareness about the importance of valuing and protecting personal information, and to highlight the impact technology is having on individual privacy.
"In Canada, this year's theme is 'Take control of your information, don't let it come back to haunt you' - a theme that reflects our collective responsibility to understand how changes in technology affect our privacy rights.
"There is no question that technology has revolutionized how we share and exchange data - between people, between citizens and government, or as part of a business transaction. The volume of data created by or about us is now measured in zettabytes, and will only continue to grow.
"While governments, public bodies and private businesses have important legal and ethical responsibilities to protect personal information, citizens are not just passive providers of data. They have the power to make informed, privacy-positive choices about who they give their personal information to and why.
"On Data Privacy Day, I encourage British Columbians to take practical steps to protect their privacy:
* Be your own privacy officer - ask questions about how companies and public bodies use and disclose your personal information.
* Make yourself aware of the privacy controls available on your online accounts and mobile applications.
* Secure your tablet or mobile device with a hard-to-guess password, and avoid using these devices for storing sensitive personal information - they are prone to loss or theft.
* Think before you click - because the Internet never forgets.
* Protect your identity - don't post or email personal details such as your social insurance number, phone number, home address or birth date.
"In recent weeks, we have seen a number of high-profile privacy breaches affecting hundreds of thousands of British Columbians. The loss of sensitive personal data could expose individuals to significant harms such as identity theft and bank fraud. We must never lose sight of the human impact of such events.
"Today I encourage all British Columbians to take an active role in protecting privacy. Resolve to pay greater attention to the amount of personal information you provide, disclose, share and post. Protect your personal information. Value it."


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Faced with lower consumer footprint in stores despite a big growth in sales at the factory gate, the jewellery trade believes it needs to directly engage users. “Sales from the factory gate have peaked in recent months. But actual sales from stores are yet to gain momentum,” said Mehul Choksi, managing director of Gitanjali Gems, one of largest jewellery manufacturers and retailers in the country.
Jewellery sales from factories have jumped 15-20 per cent since February. But retail sales to consumers have been almost stagnant so far this season. The Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) under the Union ministry of commerce is organising an India Gems & Jewellery Fair (IGJF) from the coming Friday to Monday, at Pragati Maidan, Delhi, hoping to also attract customers for the coming wedding season. This season constitutes around 25 per cent of annual jewellery sales in India. Around 85 leading jewellers across the country would take part.
“GJEPC has initiated various business-to-business trade fairs and received phenomenal response for each of these. IGJF will be GJEPC’s premier endeavour to organise an event directly targeting consumers. We have participants from all parts of the country. Our main aim is to engage the consumers directly and allow them to view the extensive range of jewellery from across the country, while providing the gem and jewellery industry the needed impetus, as they continue to face challenges, with the increasing prices of precious metals,” said Vipul Shah, chairman, GJEPC.
The exhibition will showcase a variety of styles and trends and will include exclusive designer or couture jewellery, high-end jewellery, bridal wear and a mix of traditional, vintage, contemporary and classic styles. “We hope to introduce the Indian consumer to the wide gamut of jewellery crafts and extensive design and manufacturing capabilities that the industry has to offer,” said Rita Menon, chairman, India Trade Promotion Organisation.
Source: Bullion Bulletin


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The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) is in talks with American electric car titan and tech company Tesla for a potential joint-venture on battery technology.
The Manila Bulletin reported the news last week, in an interview with Meralco Senior Vice President Alfredo S. Panlilio. “It’s a potential business partnership on small storage, that’s what we’re pushing hard now,” Panlilio said. With Tesla making great strides in its battery market share lately, Meralco is looking at a brighter future if the prospective deal pushes through.
“We just had teleconference last week, we just agreed that they come over and have a visit,” he stressed. Tesla’s executives are expected to visit either this September or within the next quarter. For now, the business discussion is aimed at an exchange of ideas on battery technologies that both parties can commit to for local use. A more concrete business plan will surface depending on the collaboration.
Panlilio also stressed on the eventuality of electric vehicles in the Philippines, one of the major considerations in undertaking the monumental joint-venture. “We just have to be ahead of adoption, for example, if EV rollout finally comes on mass scale, Meralco should be ready – even with the charging stations. We’ve been espousing about it for two years already, but it depends on the government also on what are the policies for EVs and how can you massively have more e-jeepneys. There are still a lot of things that must be done,” Panlilio added.
The Senior VP noted that there are still a lot of governmental hurdles – policies and regulations – to be overcome before a more solid business model can be drafted for the Philippine locale. With the rise in alternative power usage for both commercial and consumer markets, Meralco hopes that the government will quickly act on legislation to assist the development and roll-out of these new technologies.
Source: Manila Bulletin


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The Apple TV set-top box is pushing forward in its efforts in the market, having announced the new inclusion of several apps ‘directly’ on their connected TV product.
Such apps cover a range of genres, with news, sport and entertainment on the agenda for on-demand viewing. More specifically, the big-name services (in region-specific launches) being featured are UK channel Sky News, WatchESPN, and HBO GO, as well as Crunchyroll and Qello, each offering their own spate of content in app form for easier consumer access than options previously available.
Apple TV is considered a platform of potential for the smart TV industry, and one which serves as an ongoing indicator of how the company could fare if they launched a fully-fledged smart TV effort into living rooms. Currently, through its iTunes service, an indication of potential television demand is proven by over 800,000 TV episodes and 350,000 movies purchased daily from a selection of 230,000 and 60,000, respectively.
Apple senior vice-president Eddy Cue said of his company’s latest deals: “HBO GO and WatchESPN are some of the most-popular iOS apps and are sure to be huge hits on Apple TV. We continue to offer Apple TV users great new programming options, combined with access to all of the incredible content they can purchase from the iTunes Store.”
HBO’s involvement will see the popular subscriber-exclusive GO app enable on-demand access to episodes of all HBO programming (including original shows, movies, documentaries, and specials. WatchESPN, meanwhile, will serve Apple TV users (who are ESPN subscribers) with a ‘one-stop video destination for sports fans’, covering live access of their main channels and services (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, and ESPN Buzzer Beater/Goal Line), as well as website-based content from ESPN.com.
Crunchyroll, considered as one of ‘the leading global video services’ in the market of ‘Japanese anime and Asian media’, are to allow global subscribers on Apple TV HD content just an hour after originally airing in Japan, while on-demand concert streaming platform Qello will offer documentaries and concert footage in both ad-supported and subscription formats.
Meanwhile, Sky News will expand their reach beyond the UK & Ireland by offering free live 24/7 news feed on their app to users in the USA as well as their home market, complete with an on-demand news reader function, as head of Sky News John Ryley summarised: “Sky News is always interested in embracing technology that lets us reach our viewers wherever they want to watch our award-winning coverage. I’m thrilled that our world-class journalism is now being showcased to millions of Apple TV customers internationally.”
Requiring an update to Apple TV v5.3., the new services will hope to grow along with the set-top box, but in this industry is merely promoting new content even a guarantee of that?


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A fintech is leveraging the technology of Dianrong to give professional investors in Asia access to U.S. online marketplace loans.
Maggie Ng, ex-Citi MD, is launching a business, FinEX Asia, to connect U.S. online lending marketplaces to Asian investors.
Shanghai-based QStrategy has just launched a robo platform investing in global equity quant portfolios, via foreign brokers.
Fund managers will struggle as distribution in China swings from banks to internet companies.
Tianhong and China Merchants Bank show the power of digital technology and distribution beyond best-performing products.
Marvelstone's Joe Seunghyun Cho and his partners intend to use a retail asset-management license to begin building a pan-Asia digital bank.
Dave asks Jame whether Yunfeng Financial Group's new app for selling actively managed mutual funds is a distribution game-changer.
Yunfeng Financial Group has launched an app featuring hundreds of actively managed mutual funds.
Acorns in Australia, a micro-investment app provider, can challenge banks thanks to an incredibly low cost of customer acquisition.
For Credit Suisse, this gives its RMs the chance to advise rich clients on their total net worth, not just what they bank with C.S.


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By SeafoodSource staff
Published on Monday, April 28 2014
True World Group has announced the appointment of Robery Bleu as president and Lawrence Mulvey as director of business development.
Prior to joining True World, Bleu served as president of Shining Ocean for six years, and worked for the company for more than 21 years.
“Robert is a proven performer who has brought exceptional results during his tenure as president of Shining Ocean,” said Alex Choi, True World CEO. “As president of True World Group he will now bring his leadership and creativity to open new markets for the entire group and take us to the next level.”
Mulvey has 30 years of seafood industry experience, including more than a decade at Trans Ocean and a period of service at Tai Foong USA. He served as VP of business development at both companies.
“Larry has deep connections in the U.S. retail market and is very talented in data analysis and category management. He will be working on creating a united product offering from our different group companies to retailers and western foodservice. We are excited to have him on our team,” said Bleu.
Tracey Schwartz, current Shining VP, will succeed Bleu as president of Shining Ocean. She has served at the company for more than seven years.
“Tracey has played a key role in our last six years, where each year resulted in a new company record for sales. The organization is in capable hands going forward,” said Bleu.


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SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The monthly steel shipment data published by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) suggests notable surge during the month of April this year compared with the same month a year before. However, the shipments registered marginal decline over the prior month.
According to AISI data, the steel mills shipped 7.845 million net tons in April 2021. This is significantly higher by 39.5% from the shipments of 5.623 million net tons in the same month in 2020. The shipments during the month recorded marginal decline by 1.3% from the prior month. It must be noted that the shipments had totalled 7.950 million net tons in March this year.
The report provides month-on-month comparison of shipment volumes of various steel products. The shipments of hot rolled sheets slipped the most, falling by nearly 2% from the prior month. The shipments of hot dipped galvanized sheet recorded a surge by 11%, whereas those of cold rolled sheet witnessed 3% month-on-month surge.
The cumulative shipments by U.S. domestic steel mills totalled 29.951 million net tons during the initial four-month period of the year. This is up slightly by 0.7% when matched with the corresponding period a year before. The steel shipments by mills had totalled 29.733 million net tons during Jan-Apr ’20.
|Base Metals||VIEW ALL|
|Alumina 98.5% min||36440.76||1055.76|
|Aluminum Alloy A356||2.70723||0.23|
|Minor Metals||VIEW ALL|
|Ammonium heptamolybdate 54% min||2003270.66||0|
|Ammonium metavanadate 98% min||1768499.04||0|
|High Purity Metals||VIEW ALL|
|Aluminum ingot purity 9999900||41900.00||0|
|Aluminum oxide purity 9900000||12100.00||0|
|Rare Earth||VIEW ALL|
|Cerium carbonates TREO 45% min, CeO2 / REO 100%||131348.16||0|
|Cerium Metal 99% min||441999.68||0|


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Veganism has enjoyed a huge boom in recent years, spearheaded by popular UK-wide campaigns such as Veganuary.
And Bristol has been very much at the forefront of the plant-based charge, highlighted by the sheer number of vegan restaurants which have opened their doors here.
So you might think businesses would be careful not to rile the droves of people who opt to keep animal products out of their lives, but there are some which are clearly willing to take the risk.
The latest was The Royal Oak on Gloucester Road, which did so by displaying a board outside which reads ‘turning vegan would be a big missed steak’.
What was probably intended as a light-hearted joke seems to have backfired, as a picture of the board was shared in Facebook group "Bristol Vegans" and it hasn’t gone down well.
A litany of comments have been left underneath the picture with many people criticising the pub’s decision to display the sign.
Speaking to Bristol Live, 32-year-old vegan Richard Backwell said: “I think it was ill-judged and whoever wrote it probably did it as a joke but it has caused unintended offence to vegans.
“Not only that but it has probably offended vegetarians and people who choose to avoid meat for religious reasons too, and as a result it’s getting a lot of attention.
“It’s not the first time I've seen pubs and restaurants take this stance but it is becoming less common, and I think that’s because veganism has grown and there are more of us to defend such campaigns.
“I do however think some people have gone a bit far with their comments towards the pub. It was just a misjudged comment which they are now probably regretting.
"They have alienated the vegan community which could have an impact on business.”
The Royal Oak’s Facebook page has since received negative reviews from vegans, including one person who wrote “Not impressed with the anti vegan sign outside the Royal Oak! very distasteful,” and another who wrote “They don't seem to care much for animal welfare. Not that I don't have a good sense of humour but the vegan joke is one way to turn away a lot of customers.”
When contacted by Bristol Live on Wednesday afternoon, a member of staff at the pub said "nobody on the premises knows anything about the sign".
But the pub has been replying to the aforementioned disgruntled reviewers on its Facebook page, saying “The sign you refer to is ‘humour’, in no way is it an anti vegan comment” and “the play on words that was used tells nothing about what I think or do for animal welfare! We love the growing vegan movement. Spoiler- we will be using lettuce in a pun next week.”


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EVs are now mainstream vehicles, and the company is starting to see rising global demand and interest.
Car rental company Hertz is ordering 100,000 electric vehicles from Tesla, AP reports.
The company says it’s buying the Tesla Model 3 small cars by the end of 2022, and it also will set up its own electric vehicle charging network.
No price was given for the order, but it has to be worth around $4 billion because each Model 3 has a base price of around $40,000.
In an interview with The Associated Press, interim CEO Mark Fields wouldn’t say how much Hertz is spending but said it has the capital and a healthy balance sheet after emerging from bankruptcy protection in June.
He says Teslas are arriving at Hertz sites already and should be available for rental starting in November.
He wouldn’t say how much the company is spending on the deal or whether it got a bulk-buying discount from Tesla. But he said the Estero, Florida, company intends to lead as a mobility company with the largest electric vehicle rental fleet in North America.
Fields says EVs are now mainstream vehicles, and the company is starting to see rising global demand and interest.
© Copyright LaPresse


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“I’ve been reading Guitar World since I was 12,” Xavier explained. “I’ve always had issues lying around my house. It’s a well-printed magazine with vibrant colors and good-quality paper. I cut the pieces from 12 to 15 different issues, but I had to get multiple copies of certain issues to have enough pieces of colors I liked.”
This two-minute-long demo of Ibanez's Iron Label RGIR20E guitar was posted late last month by Ibanez UK. It features plenty of closeups shots of the guitar and its EMG pickup — which is always nice — and a lot more.
These videos are bonus content related to the January 2014 issue of Guitar World. For the full range of interviews, features, tabs and more, pick up the new issue on newsstands now, or in our online store.
Late last week, Sterling Ball of Music Man posted the following blurb on the Ernie Ball Music Man forum. In it, he unofficially introduces the Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty, which bears the signature of Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci.
PureSalem Guitars adopts an inspired approach and attitude while honoring the electric guitar’s glorious past. It‘s simplicity in design. It’s wood, wire, and strings. It’s rock and roll — and not rocket science.
It’s the year of the signature model at Reverend Guitars. Three new signature models will be debuted at the 2014 Winter NAMM Show: the Reverend Bob Balch Signature, the Reverend Meshell Ndegeocello Fellowship Signature Bass and the Reverend Pete Anderson PA-1 C.
PureSalem Guitars adopts an inspired approach and attitude while honoring the electric guitar’s glorious past. It‘s simplicity in design. It’s wood, wire and strings. It’s rock and roll — and not rocket science.
The ESP Custom Shop has posted a fascinating time-lapse video of a guitar — the "Ghost Soldier" — being built. In the clip, you'll see the start-to-finish creation of the guitar in the ESP Custom Shop in Tokyo, Japan.