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Toledo native finds success at New York distilleryWritten by Stefanie Neuman | | email@example.com
By Dave Kubacki, Toledo Free Press Staff Writer
In 2006, Toledo native Tim Welly graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University after studying economics and management. Roughly seven years later, Welly spends his day creating spirits, not analyzing numbers or staring at a computer screen.
What began as a passion became a career at Hillrock Estates Distillery in New York’s Hudson Valley. Welly is now head of operations and a distiller at Hillrock Estates. The new distillery is garnering rave reviews from experts including Whisky Advocate and Wine Enthusiast magazines.
Welly’s interests in wine and spirits blossomed in Toledo while working at La Scola Italian Grill and Monnettes Market. He moved to New York in early 2007 and capitalized on available opportunities at Millbrook Winery. After establishing himself at Millbrook, he served as a tour guide and intern, overseeing the “crush” and the production with the winemaker. After about a year and a half, Welly moved to Colorado and worked with a French and German wine distributor before deciding to return to Millbrook Winery as cellar master and assistant winemaker. Welly said it was about this time when he decided to undertake some formal training.
“I began taking classes in New York City at the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, which gave me an objective and systematic approach to tasting wine and spirits,” Welly said. “I took the intermediate classes and then got an advanced certificate and spirits certificate. I am now in the diploma program which is kind of like a master’s in booze.”
After two years as cellar master at Millbrook, Welly was in the process of helping open Number 9, a restaurant in Millerton, N.Y., when he met Jeff Baker. Baker was an executive managing director/partner of a New York City real estate investment-banking firm. With Baker, Welly found a colleague with a background in business and a passion for spirits. Welly said Baker invited him to Hillrock Estates to see its proposed operation. He was surprised when his visit was more like an interview.
“He had me stop by the distillery and it turned out to be more of a roundtable discussion,” Welly said. “There were about seven people at the table including Baker, [Baker’s] wife and Dave Pickerell (former master distiller at Maker’s Mark) and they started firing questions at me. I was kind of blown away. I thought I was just coming over to see what they were doing. When Baker approached me a couple of weeks later and offered me a position at Hillrock, I was shocked.”
Though he had put in nearly two and a half years at Millbrook Winery and had begun to fully understand the winemaking process, Welly decided to accept Baker’s offer to join the Hillrock Estate family. From there, Welly began to learn the distilling craft from Pickerell, who is one of the nation’s most renowned distillers.
“I began training with Pickerell at George Washington’s distillery in Mount Vernon,” Welly said. “It is a historically rebuilt distillery that sits in the same foundation as it did before. We wore traditional garb, did everything by bucket and open flames, making rye whiskey and apple brandy.”
After returning to Hillrock Estates, Welly oversaw the distillery installation and began doing research and learning the mash production, with a focus on site-specific whiskey. Welly said this was a novel idea that Baker believed would separate them from other distillers in the country.
“The site-specific concept revolves around the idea of where things grow, how things grow and when they grow, has a lot to do with the flavors that are extracted,” Welly said. “For instance, you can’t call something Champagne unless it comes from the Champagne region. Baker felt the same principles could be applied to the spirits world and no other distillery in the United States was going for that market.”
Hillrock Estates is one of the only distilleries operating on a “field-to-glass” model, meaning everything that goes into their spirits is produced internally. For example, workers harvest all the grains right off the fields surrounding the distillery. Another personal touch Hillrock Estates has added is the historic method of floor malting. While most distilleries utilize a pneumatic malting device, Hillrock Estates uses a method dating back to Egyptian times, according to Welly.
“We physically malt our own grain on the floor, which is the way they do it in Scotland,” Welly said. “There is a room where we steep grain for three days and lay it on the floor. By floor malting, it gives our whiskey a unique characteristic. There is a human element associated with it, unlike pneumatic malting.”
Hillrock Estates’ first and only product currently on the market is its Solera-Aged Bourbon Whiskey. Welly said the solera-aged process is unique to Hillrock Estates. The process involves creating a stacked pyramid of barrels where a small portion of whiskey is removed periodically and new whiskey is added. No barrel is ever fully emptied and age and complexity gradually increase over time. Welly said this process adds very unique characteristics to their bourbon.
“This process allows for a blending of younger and older whiskeys and a cascading of inventories that creates a much more complex product over time,” Welly said. “We draw out of a 100-barrel solera and then finish it in sherry barrels from Spain. Our age statement is actually the term solera because there is such a blending of so many different ages.”
The distillery sold out of its first 2,000 bottles very quickly and is already onto its third barrel. Welly said there are a lot of reasons for the distillery’s success.
“We are the only distillery growing and producing everything for production,” Welly said. “We are one of the only distilleries that are floor malting. We are also the only malt house that has been built since pre-Prohibition.”
Hillrock Estates will expand its offerings this coming year with a rye whiskey and a single malt whiskey. The distiller’s solera-aged bourbon will continue to be offered, mostly found in the northeastern United States and through online retailers.


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Following Google and Samsung, Sony has launched its Android 14 update for Xperia smartphones, starting with the Xperia 1 V.
As announced on Sony’s press center, Android 14 is now on its way to select Xperia smartphones. Specifically, the update is now available for the Xperia 1 V which is Sony’s current Android flagship. Sony’s announcement of the update primarily focuses on the fact that Android 14 brings a couple of new camera features to the 1 V following their debut on Xperia 5 V.
With Xperia 1 V’s Android 14 software update, exciting features from Xperia 5 V will come to Xperia 1 V as well. Following the successful inclusion with Xperia 5 V, improved Bokeh mode will be available for Xperia 1 V, together with the recently released update bringing Video Creator, we are delivering even more creative functionality to our existing customers; actual software release timing depends on region and market approval.
Beyond that, a support page further details new features including custom lockscreen shortcuts (which appears to support up to four shortcuts), updates to “Game enhancer, Photo Pro, Video Pro, and External monitor apps,” and also highlights updated features such as Nearby Share on Windows and improvements to Find My Device.
On Twitter/X, Mishaal Rahman highlights a few details shared by a user on Telegram who saw the update arrive as a 1.3GB OTA with the October 2023 security patch. It’s also noted that Android 14’s customizable lockscreen clocks from Pixel phones are replaced by Sony’s own, as those clock designs are only available to Pixel devices.
More on Android 14:
- Samsung has updated these devices to Android 14
- Android 14’s November security patch is rolling out
- Weather with alarm forecast comes to Google Clock on Pixel 8, Android 14 QPR1
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
The post Sony releases its Android 14 update starting on Xperia 1 V first appeared on 9to5google.com

domain: news


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MasterCard Inc. fell the most in almost 2½ years after reporting profit that missed analysts' estimates as rebates to card issuers fueled a jump in expenses.
MasterCard, the second-largest U.S. payments network, slid 5.2 percent to $75.64 at 10:49 a.m. in New York after tumbling as much as 10 percent, the biggest intraday decline since August 2011. Operating expenses, excluding a one-time charge tied to litigation, rose 11 percent to $1.1 billion from a year earlier, the Purchase, New York-based company said today in a statement.
Rebates were "even higher than expected," Jason Kupferberg, an analyst at Jefferies Group LLC, said in a note to clients. "We view the pullback as an especially good buying opportunity."
Chief Executive Officer Ajay Banga, 54, is upgrading technology as MasterCard competes with larger rival Visa Inc. for deals with card-issuing banks. The expense increase "was primarily driven by higher investments in people and marketing to support strategic initiatives," according to the statement.
Fourth-quarter net income rose 3 percent to $623 million, or 52 cents a share, from $605 million, or 49 cents, adjusted for a stock split, a year earlier, MasterCard said. Profit excluding one-time items was 57 cents a share, missing the 60- cent average estimate of 29 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.
Visa declined 1.6 percent to $217.43. The Foster City, Calif.-based firm said yesterday that quarterly profit rose 8.8 percent to $1.4 billion.
MasterCard signed more deals with card issuers in the quarter than anticipated and expects to return to normal levels this year, Chief Financial Officer Martina Hund-Mejean said on a conference call.
Net revenue rose 12 percent to $2.1 billion as cross-border volume, a measure of spending by consumers traveling abroad, advanced 18 percent, the company said. Hund-Mejean said 2014 net revenue will be on the lower end of the company's three-year forecast of 11 percent to 14 percent.
MasterCard and Visa last month won approval for a $5.7 billion settlement that ended years of litigation with merchants over allegations that credit-card swipe fees are improperly fixed. The settlement, once worth as much as $7.25 billion, was valued at about $5.7 billion as of August after about 8,000 merchants dropped out of the damages portion.
Discover Financial Services reported Jan. 23 that fourth- quarter net income rose 12 percent to $602 million as credit- card spending and loan demand rose. American Express Co., the biggest credit-card issuer by purchases, said Jan. 17 fourth-quarter profit doubled on higher consumer spending.
- Bloomberg News


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Last week, South African retail and wholesale group Massmart announced that it had reached an in-principle agreement with American retail giant Walmart to acquire all the remaining ordinary shares in Massmart.
In May 2011, Walmart acquired a 51% stake in the publicly-listed Massmart for $2.5 billion.
Amazon, on the other hand, is continuing to ramp up its preparation for the launch of its South Africa marketplace which is expected to launch by February 2023. The company is currently hiring for over 300 positions for the marketplace including software development, customer service as well as business and merchant development talent.
When Massmart announced the acquisition by Walmart, it explicitly stated it is expecting that the acquisition will bring benefits especially to its e-commerce unit.
Massmart announced its intentions to enter the e-commerce industry in 2021 and has since struck several key milestones including the acquisition of online fast-moving consumer goods retailer OneCart and increasing its ownership stake in last-mile delivery partner Wumdrop to 100%.
Those milestones, according to Massmart’s latest financial results, seem to have paid dividends. The retail group reported a 50% year-on-year jump in e-commerce sales for the 26 weeks ended June 26, 2022, with orders increasing by 109% and gross merchandise value (GMV) by 108%.
Amazon’s current presence in the country is impressive despite not having a dedicated marketplace. According to the web traffic analytics website SimilarWeb, Amazon is currently the third most visited online marketplace in South Africa after Takealot.com (owned by Naspers) and Makro (owned by Walmart-owned Massmart).
The commencement of operations in Amazon’s South Africa marketplace early next year is likely to ramp up the e-commerce giant’s popularity in the country, making for a very interesting three-horse race between Takealot, Makro and Amazon itself.
A different battleground in South Africa
South Africa will not be the first place outside the US that Amazon and Walmart have taken their long-standing battle. In June 2013, Amazon’s India marketplace went live, with the then Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos stating that the e-commerce giant would spend $2 billion to grow its marketplace in the country.
In June 2016, Bezos announced that Amazon would commit an additional $3 billion to the Indian market, taking the total investment to $5 billion.
Walmart entered India in May 2018 with the $16 billion acquisition of a 77% stake in Flipkart, the country’s then biggest online retailer. Flipkart is now the second biggest online retailer after,you guessed it,Amazon.
Despite mammoth investments in the country and India’s more than 150 million buyers strong online retail market, both companies’ India bets have not had the smoothest of sailings as a result of growing competition and regulatory pressures, among other reasons.
Despite being much smaller than India’s, South Africa’s online retail market growth prospects are mouth-watering which might explain Amazon and Walmart’s interest and capital investment in the country.
Statistics from FNB Merchant Services show that total online sales in the country increased by 55% and 42% in 2020 and 2021 respectively.
“South Africa’s e-commerce market will reach more than R400 billion by 2025 on the back of more than 1 billion transactions per annum,” claims FNB Merchant Services CEO Thokozani Dlamini.
According to data from Statista, revenue in the country’s e-commerce market, which is projected to reach almost US$9 billion in 2022, is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2022-2025) of 17.81%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$13.83 billion by 2025, with user penetration expected to hit 53.1%.
When giants fights, it’s the customers who benefit
The looming e-commerce battle between Amazon and Walmart in South Africa is slated to be intense considering the size of the market, its growth prospects and the amount of capital muscle the platforms’ owners are willing to invest into the platforms. This battle will be further exarcerbated by the presence of current online retail market leader Takealot.
The intense competition is likely to benefit customers the most as the e-commerce platforms will be looking to attract customers through better customer service, pricing, products and other means.
What Amazon and Walmart can expect in South Africa, apart from the competition from local incumbent platforms, is intense regulation of their operations to ensure the preservation of competition in the country’s online retail market.
Already, South Africa’s Competition Commission released a report in July accusing online platforms including Takealot, Google Search, Apple App Store and UberEats of using their market position to partake in anti-competitive practices.
The competition regulator made recommendations which would reduce instances of these practices, a sign to Amazon and Walmart about the kind of conservative regulatory environment the country offers.


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A new kind of animal is setting up shop in the Philadelphia Zoo: craft beer. A new beer garden called The Watering Hole is now open at the attraction’s southern tip, and Downingtown’s Victory Brewing Co. is its proud sponsor.
“As Philadelphia gave rise to our brewery’s amazing success in craft beer, we remain committed to our community and paying homage to our roots,” Victory Founder and Brewmaster Bill Covaleski said in a report for The Full Pint. “The Watering Hole will serve as a vivid example of the universal attraction of craft beer. I can’t think of a more fun environment for folks to enjoy a refreshing brew.”
The umbrella-dotted oasis surrounded by lavish landscaping and terra-cotta mosaics is included in zoo admission and open Friday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Featured pours include Victory’s Summer Love Ale and Headwaters Ale on tap, as well as other brands of beer and wine.


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Amazon and Yelp Want a Piece of Online Ordering — Here’s Why There’s Still Hope for Startups
A wave of consolidation in the food ordering industry, headlined by Yelp’s acquisition of Eat24 last week, has reignited a 15 year-old race to capture a $70 billion online food ordering industry. But as market leaders go public and other firms barrel in on the industry, is there still room for younger companies to grow?
Matt Howard, chief executive at EatStreet, one of the largest remaining independent ordering firms, thinks so. We caught up with Howard recently to talk about whether the recent spurt of acquisitions marks the end of an era or the beginning of a new one — and what it all means for the remaining startups in the food ordering industry.
Do you think the handful of recent acquisitions signals the beginning or end of a wave of consolidation in food ordering?
In the last few weeks a bunch has happened. I don’t think that’s actually going to slow down. With Yelp getting into the space, Amazon committed to start online ordering, and GrubHub putting up some amazing numbers, I wouldn’t be surprised if you start seeing others like Google, Facebook or Groupon start entering the space, as well.
Additionally, international companies such as Delivery Hero and Just Eat are going to look at the U.S. market and I would assume figure out a strategy to target the market, as well. I don’t think it’s going to slow down, I think it’s just the beginning.
Leadership at GrubHub pitches food ordering as a winner-take-all market. Why are they wrong?
For GrubHub, being the first mover can be beneficial. But at the same time there are going to be multiple players in industry. I think there’s going to be at least three, just because it’s $70 billion a year — and that’s just delivery and takeout. I think there’s a lot of opportunity. The industry is so massive there’s plenty of room for players like us to get in the market.
Yelp recently entered the food market. Who will process more orders in five years: Grubhub or Yelp? Why?
They each offer something that’s very valuable to the public, and Yelp, with the Eat24 acquisition, will now be pretty powerful in certain markets. There might be one that wins over the other with just simply number of orders, but I think both are going to be very successful. There’s a potential for both to create a very big market and have a presence in that.
The nice thing about Yelp, I would say, is it has the advantage because it’s not just food ordering. With its new partnership program you can make reservations at restaurants and others where you can book your hair appointment and more. There’s an advantage to Yelp simply because they are doing more. But I wouldn’t be surprised if GrubHub eventually goes down that road as well.
GrubHub made a move into the delivery market, acquiring two local delivery companies. Given your experience, do you see the ordering and delivery components as something that should be owned by the same company?
I think it is pretty risky what GrubHub just did. It’s a very different business. These are very different businesses (ordering and delivery). The margins are different, the infrastructures are different, the restaurants you work with are different. We’ll see if it’s the right call; it’s definitely a risky one.
There are other ways to build that infrastructure. You can facilitate delivery by partnering with delivery services and using infrastructures that are already out there. It will be interesting in the next few years to see if companies like Uber and Lyft and Sidecar start making that available. Sidecar already announced a partnership with Eat24 delivering food for them a day before they got acquired. That’s kind of interesting because you don’t have the risk of bringing it in-house, but you can still have the delivery infrastructure.
Talk a bit about the value of scale between different local markets in the food ordering industry. How can a smaller player beat a GrubHub in secondary markets?
EatStreet focuses on secondary markets across the country and the younger demographic within those markets — college students, young professionals, where we can create a really solid business. GrubHub isn’t in those markets yet; they are focused on New York, Chicago, Los Angeles — which they should be because there’s a lot of opportunity there. Even GrubHub admits in some of their bigger markets, where they have higher penetration rates, they are still at around 10 percent in some of their larger cities. They still have a long way to go.
We’ve seen a lot of investment in international ordering firms. How important is international to your strategy?
It’s definitely important in the next few years. I don’t think it’s important in 2015. With the market in the U.S. being at $70 billion a year and growing every single year, there’s a lot to work to do here. GrubHub only owns between 1 and 3 percent, people report. There is a lot of work to do in the U.S. market where we can create a really big scalable business in U.S. before we have to look elsewhere. It’s the five-year plan for us, it’s not the one-year plan.
What other issues are you seeing on the horizon?
We’ve seen others try to enter the market and have had trouble. This industry is not the easiest industry. We’ve learned a lot in the last five years of how you get through this market and using the knowledge we have to get through some of the bumps. There are companies interested in the space, but at the same time we’ve seen companies like LivingSocial try it — they tried it a few years ago and cut it from their strategy. It will be interesting to see now that Yelp made their move, do they really know what they are getting themselves into buying Eat24?
Liz Taurasi is a contributor at Street Fight. This interview has been edited and condensed.


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The Ardenner is a triple-track cargo snowmobile, produced by Austrian company Mattro, that is completely electric. The prototype is being presented at the Interalpin trade show in Innsbruck, Austraia.
Developed by a team of young engineers to showcase the possibilities of electric power, the Ardenner's all-electric drive allows for each of its three tracks to be controlled independently without any loss in efficiency, as there's no gear box or transmission setup that will soak up precious engine power. The use of rotational speed-based steering allows for intelligent changes in speed in a controlled and optimized manner.
This vehicle looks like it's sure to be a superior alternative to current snow-bound cargo vehicle, and will be appreciated by ranchers, farmers and land owners who have to navigate terrain in challenging weather conditions.


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- July 6, 2017
ST. PETERSBURG — Interactive multichannel retailer HSN Inc. has promoted Bill Brand to president of HSN, effective immediately. Brand will retain his role as chief marketing officer of HSNi and will continue to report directly to HSNi's CEO Mindy Grossman.
He will assume responsibility for merchandising, programming, planning and HSN2 in addition to his current responsibilities.
Brand joined HSN in 2006 as senior vice president of programming. He has since taken on marketing and new business development responsibilities followed by TV operations, creative and digital. In 2013, Brand was promoted to chief marketing and business development officer of HSNi.
Prior to joining HSN, for more than 10 years Brand held senior executive positions in programming with Lifetime and VH1. He spent the first decade of his career in news management at regional television stations nationwide.
“Eight years ago, Bill was the first person I hired to join the HSN team and has been one of my key partners in transforming HSN into the full network of experiences that it is today,” Grossman says in a press release.
Brand is credited with HSN's entertainment integration strategy, which led to several partnerships with among others Univision, AOL, Disney and Toyota.


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Windows Phone 8.1 Update Errors for HTC 8X and HTC 8S Fixed; Low Storage Still Persists
By Ryan Inoyori | August 11, 2014 9:32 AM EST
Windows Phone 8.1 Update Halt
"There are a small set of devices for which we aren't offering the latest build of the Developer Preview program due to an identified problem that requires mobile operator or OEM driver updates," posted at the FAQ in Microsoft's official Web site.
Moreover, Microsoft confirms that the drivers required for Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview program will be offered when the official update for the device is available.
Microsoft Windows Phone Chief Joe Belfiore confirmed the issue at Twitter about the error 8018830f and it is affecting a small percentage of HTC users worldwide. His team is currently working to resolve the problem. However, there are two more issues he also confirmed regarding the Windows Phone 8.1 update.
Updating Issues on Windows Phone 8.1
There are three issues known about updating to Windows Phone 8.1 and have been attributed to compatible smartphones:
1. Error 8018830f: Microsoft Windows Phone Chief Joe Belfiore confirmed at Twitter that this error was a "packaging problem" with the update and the fix is already out. Users are encouraged to try again and it should work now.
2. Error 80188306: Another error reported at Microsoft which renders some users unable to open the update after installation. A moderator replied to the issue and suggests Soft Reset action on the device, using a different Wi-Fi connection for faster Internet speed and by downloading certain apps such as Storage Cleaner or Shrink Storage to increase storage space on the device. As a final resort, users should contact the network carrier to reinstall packages which might have been corrupted.
3. Low Storage Issue: Windows Phone Chief Joe Belfiore also confirmed this problem on the Windows Phone 8.1 and according to his tweet, retrying won't work and may be related to low system storage. The software development team is currently working to fix this issue.
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India and the US could tweak the framework for an important annual dialogue to include defence as a key area of focus, along with strategic affairs and trade, sources told FE.
India and the US could tweak the framework for an important annual dialogue to include defence as a key area of focus, along with strategic affairs and trade, sources told FE. Any such change to the template of the India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue means the defence ministry could also participate in the talks, apart from the ministries of external affairs and commerce and industry, said the sources. The move seems to be in sync with the spirit of a joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in the US in June, pitching for “prosperity through partnership” with greater co-operation in defence and counter-terrorism. It comes at a time when Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a stand-off at Dokalam, with Beijing maintaining a belligerent tone. Even the US is reportedly growing disenchanted with China’s perceived failure to contain ally North Korea. Just days ahead of Modi’s visit in June, the US government had authorised the sale of a naval variant of the Predator drones to India worth over $2 billion. Even Tata Advanced Systems signed an MoU with Lockheed Martin in June to make F-16s in India, although no time-frame is offered.
TPF meeting likely in October or December
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Both the countries could hold the annual trade policy forum (TPF) meeting in either October or December, said one of the sources. The meeting between commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman and US trade representative Robert Lighthizer is expected to focus on four key areas: services, investments, agriculture and intellectual property rights (IPRs).
During the meeting, India is expected to ask the US to hold negotiations for a totalisation agreement to exempt its industry, especially IT, from mandatory payments for social security of their Indian employees in the US. The IT companies are paying around $1 billion a year to comply with social security norms for their Indian employees in the US, despite the fact that they don’t live there long enough to be eligible for such benefits. The tightening of visa permits for foreign skilled workers by the US could also be raised by the Indian side.
India and the US are learnt to be working on a set of “deliverables” — including greater market access and smoother trade in agriculture — that can be implemented without much hassles. Last month, at a meeting of senior Indian and American officials here, the US side, led by deputy assistant US trade representative for South and Central Asia Tanya Menchi, sought the removal of a cap on the prices of high-end stents that India has imposed to offer relief to cardiac patients.
The US is particularly interested in India removing price cap on bioresorbable stents. Apart from the fact that India is a large market for stent makers, including the US companies, the country also imports medical instruments, including stents, worth around $1.4 billion a year from the US. As for the agriculture sector, while India is seeking market access for grapes and favourable procedures for supplies of mango and pomegranate, the US side wants relaxed procedures for exporting alfalfa (used widely as animal feed) and cherry to India.
India has asked the US to recognise the oversight of commodities by its National Plant Protection Organisation in irradiation process for exports of mangoes and pomegranates, instead of stationing American inspectors here for this purpose, raising the costs of Indian suppliers. The US has asked India to recognise their approach in case of alfalfa, giving assurance that the products to be supplied to India will be free of pests. The Indo-US trade has inched up in recent years. India exported goods worth $42.33 billion to the US in the last fiscal, up 5% from the previous year. The country’s merchandise imports from the US stood at $22.34 billion in FY17, up 2.6% from FY16.


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HONG KONG (Reuters) – GOME (0493.HK) said on Wednesday that it plans to issue 2.05 billion yuan ($300.3 million) in convertible bonds, with the proceeds to be used for the redemption and repurchase of convertible bonds and general corporate purposes.
The Chinese electronics retail chain operator said the 3 percent bonds due 2014, with an option to issue an additional 340 million yuan in bonds, were convertible into 955.92 million shares, or 5.97 percent of its enlarged share capital, at HK$2.838 each, a 29 percent premium over the latest closing price.
Its shares were down 2.3 percent at HK$1.94 in early trade.
JPMorgan (JPM.N) is the bookrunner for the offering.
In June, U.S. private equity firm Bain Capital agreed to invest up to $418 million in the company. The deal came after shares of the company sank and were suspended for seven months following reports that GOME’s ex-chairman and founder, Huang Guangyu, was being investigated for alleged financial irregularities. For statement please click here (US$1=HK$7.75=6.826 yuan) (Reporting by Donny Kwok and Michael Flaherty; Editing by Chris Lewi)


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Pamela Anderson stripes down for Peta in a new campaign inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.
Pamela Anderson stripes down for a new PeTA campaign inspired by the famous shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Photographed by famous photographer and artist David LaChapelle, Pamela Anderson raises awareness to the issue that Meat and Diary farms drain half the country's water.
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PeTA says that the solution is not just shorter showers, it is also means to save water in animal agriculture. PeTA pushes for a Vegan life-style to reduce the meat consumption and therefore production.
“Rivers are siphoned off, not just for the animals but also for crops like alfalfa grown to feed animals on factory farms,” says Pam, a PETA honorary director and longtime vegan. “Producing 1 pound of beef uses as much water as about six months’ worth of showers.”
PeTA calculates that it takes 1,846 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef. This is the equivalent of 46 10-minute showers.
Water requirements for other meats according to PeTA:
Chicken: 1 pound requires 518 gallons of water, or 13 showers
Lamb: 1 pound requires 1,248 gallons of water, or 31 showers
Pork: 1 pound requires 718 gallons of water, or 18 showers
More information about this new PeTA campaign and how to pledge to go vegan on the PeTA site.
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The campaign is very timely as California suffers a serious and long lasting draught that has triggered the California government to issue water consumption measures. As of May 5, the California State Water Resources Control Board adopted an emergency regulation requiring an immediate 25 percent reduction in overall potable urban water use statewide in accordance with Gov. Jerry Brown’s April 1 Executive Order.


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How will you weather the next economic downturn?
— 12 C-Suite executives shared their view
Although an economic recession and hotel industry downturn are far from certain, economic indicators, investor and corporate sentiment, as well as the recent operating performance of hotels in various sectors, point to an impending slowdown.
The current cycle, according to data intelligence firm STR, has continued virtually unabated since March 2010 with year-on-year RevPAR increases occurring in 112 of these 115 months. However, September 2019 was the second month this year when RevPAR results turned negative in the US, as increased supply outpaced demand. Similarly, PWC reports deceleration in the USA, with, for example, Q3 RevPAR growth at less 1%, the lowest figure since the industry began to recover from the 2008 economic crisis.
Some investment analysts suggest that hotel companies may not be adequately prepared for the eventual downturn. Investors and the hotel owners who increasingly rely on firms to operate their hotels may be right to be concerned about what such companies learned from the banking crisis of 2008.
The question, therefore, is how have the strategies of hotel companies changed or evolved over the past decade to help firms survive or even prosper during the next downcycle that may soon be upon us?
Chief Executive Officer at NH Hotel Group
Although the macroeconomic climate and stability have contributed to shape a favourable environment for tourism companies in the past decade, at NH Hotel Group we have taken exponential advantage of these conditions to safeguard our future in a more competitive and complex context.
Since we embarked on the transformation of our Company, we have reoriented our strategy, getting rid of everything that was weighing us down and maximizing everything that could add value and set us apart from the other players. Having already made sizeable investments in prior years, segmented the brands, fully repositioned our key hotels and upgraded the equipment in all our rooms, the Company's positioning is currently oriented towards a more asset-light structure. We have undertaken a variabilization of our cost structure, not only in terms of new hotel flexible lease agreements but also in terms of our operating expenses, such as maintenance and administration, among other back office support functions. We have exited hotels that did not fit our brand and portfolio standards, and from 2013 to 2019 we have more than doubled our EBITDA albeit having a similar number rooms due to the higher quality of our assets, better customer experience and a more profitable business. Also and once the transformation of our business concluded, the company has focused for the past two years on reducing the financial leverage, which is now at a very low level.
The successful performance of NH Hotel Group is in fact the reason for the international interest that we have received, an interest that materialised last year with the acquisition of 94.1% of the Company by Minor International. I believe that being part of a more global and international group allows us to be in a better position to face new challenges ahead and potential changes in the cycle.


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While the country continues to prepare, and practice, social distancing and self-quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, companies are looking for workers to help restock empty shelves and deliver orders to home-bound customers.
Amazon made headlines this week when the company announced it is looking to hire 100,000 workers for warehouse and delivery positions.
>> Coronavirus: Amazon hiring 100,000 workers as online orders surge
But Amazon is not the only company looking for workers.
Reuters reported that grocery store companies like Albertsons, Kroger and Raley’s are looking for employees to fill online orders, and are appealing to those workers in the travel, restaurant and entertainment industries who are currently out of a job because of the coronavirus.
MarketWatch reported other companies are hiring cleaners to scrub and sanitize businesses.
Walmart is looking to add to its delivery drivers, The Indy Star reported. To look to see if you are a match, click here for the current openings. You can also see the other jobs currently available at Walmart and its other businesses by clicking here.
>> Coronavirus: Animal shelters could use foster homes for pets during pandemic social distancing
Meijer is looking for seasonal workers, The Indy Star reported. Click here to see what is available.
Since people are ordering in instead of eating out, some Pizza Huts may be looking for employees, The Indy Star reported. Click here to see the latest openings.
>> Coronavirus: Can the government make you stay home if you are sick?
Safeway, which is part of the Albertson’s family, is looking for workers, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
H-E-B is looking to fill both part-time and full-time positions in warehouses and stores, Forbes reported. Click here to see the available positions.
>> Coronavirus: What is self-quarantine, social distancing? Should you be doing that?
Target, according to KTVT, has 9,000 job openings across the country. To apply, click here.
Dominos pizza is looking to hire more full-time and part-time workers as more people are ordering in. Click here to apply.
Dollar General is looking to add 50,000 temporary employees by the end of April, Market Watch reported. Click here to apply.
Instacart is adding 300,000 shoppers, considered independent contractors, CNN reported. The hirings are in direct response to the demands the coronavirus has had on the online shopping service and will happen over the next three months.


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Vivendi agrees sale in Hungary
VIVENDI UNIVERSAL, the struggling French media group, yesterday agreed to sell its Hungarian telecoms business to a venture capital consortium for just under €400 million (£256 million) as part of a disposal drive aimed at reducing the company’s debt pile.
Under the terms of the deal, American International Group and GMT Communications Partners will acquire Vivendi Telecom Hungary for €85 million in cash, and will also assume €315 million of VTH’s debt.
VTH operates about 12 per cent of Hungary’s fixed-line market and provides voice, data and internet services to business and retail customers.
Hendrik Cornelis, executive director of CIBC World Markets, which advised the consortium on the deal, said that the two venture capital firms were also considering acquiring PanTel, a rival to VTH.


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Apr 04 , 2018
China has hit back at the US with tariffs amounting to $50 billion.
Apr 03 , 2018
China has imposed $3 billion worth of tariffs on the US.
Jul 03 , 2017
Chinese President Xi has told Trump that bilateral ties have been hit by "negative factors" in a call during the two discussed Sino-US relations, the upcoming G-20 meeting and North Korea.


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Samsung came second in the 2016 patent race with 5518 patents earned throughout the course of last year, according to a study conducted by IFI CLAIMS, a New Haven, Connecticut-based provider of patent databases. The South Korean tech giant positioned itself between IBM and Canon who secured 8088 and 3665 patents in 2016, respectively. Qualcomm and Google complete the top five with 2897 and 2835 earned patents in the last 12 month.
The rest of the list released by IFI CLAIMS includes Intel, LG Electronics, Microsoft, TSMC, and Sony, all of whom were granted between 2181 and 2784 patents in 2016. Samsung’s prominent position in the last year’s patent race is reflective of the company’s diversified business portfolio and varied R&D operations ranging from smartphones and tablets to semiconductors, TVs, and other types of consumer electronics. Granted patents aside, the Seoul-based tech giant continued submitting requests for patenting new technologies over the course of 2016. Among other things, the company filed for patents describing inventions like a smart lens, a touchless fingerprint scanner, and a flexible AMOLED display. A similar argument can be made for Google who kept diversifying its R&D operations and finished the 2016 patent race at fifth place for the second consecutive year.
IFI CLAIMS’ numbers are based on an analysis of data released by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) over the course of the last 12 months. As such, this study isn’t completely reflective of the global patent race, but it’s still a rather reliable indicator, seeing how the USPTO is the second busiest office of its kind in the world, right after the Chinese State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO). The most improved innovator in comparison to 2015 was Nokia, as the Finnish tech company received 74% more patents last year than the year before. Other big gainers in this segment include Huawei and Amazon, who recorded a growth in earned patents of 50% and 46%, respectively. Mike Baycroft, the Chief Executive Officer at IFI CLAIMS, said that current trends suggest Asian giants like South Korea, China, and Taiwan will dominate the US patent industry in about five to ten years unless American tech companies considerably up their game during the same period.


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Beijing, Dec 29–China is enlarging the scope of investment by foreigners with a revised catalog of industries in which such investment is encouraged, a fresh sign of opening-up and high-quality development resolve.
The National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce on Monday released a revised 2020 catalog of industries in which foreign investment is encouraged.
The new edition, set to be effective on Jan 27, has added 127 items from last year’s version for a total of 1,235 items both for nationwide implementation as well as a secondary catalog applicable specifically to central and western regions.
The latest edition also favors foreign investment in advanced manufacturing to enhance resilience in industrial and supply chains and in modern services to boost quality in the sector, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Monday.
According to the NDRC, newly added and revised listings of industries also include 5G, blockchain, maintenance of high-end equipment, online education and online health services.
In Shanghai, the city with the highest number of multinational corporations’ regional headquarters on the Chinese mainland, local authorities pledged on the same day to open up a host of financial services and service trade areas as the city seeks higher-quality development.
The city’s foreign investment this year is expected to exceed $20 billion, a historical high, according to local authorities.
Shanghai will embrace international agreements like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, said Hua Yuan, director of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce. It also is eyeing benchmark initiatives like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership for more advanced opening-up, Hua said.


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MEDELLIN, Colombia – Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Tuesday that his government has 66 billion pesos (about $21.8 million) available to loan to the fashion sector via the state-run Banco de Comercio Exterior (Bancoldex).
“Just this year, Bandoldex has disbursed 34 billion pesos to the sector, which is included in the more than 900 million pesos disbursed since 2010 to 59,300 firms,” Santos said at the opening of the 28th edition of the Colombiamoda fashion fair and multi-show event.
The president said that forecasts are that the sector will request an additional 66 billion pesos in the second quarter, a quantity that he said is available.
Santos also said that the Inexmoda export and fashion institute has been an “unconditional ally” that has “helped build a country in peace and with progress.”
“Twenty-eight years ago I decided to launch the Colombiamoda event – known earlier as Colombiatex – to show the market what Colombia was capable of doing. That effort has turned out great,” he emphasized.
Regarding this year’s fair, he said that there will be an exhibition and a French fashion show coinciding with the Year of Colombia-France.
He also emphasized that the fair will gather “hundreds of companies that are transforming lives, creating jobs, and thousands of buyers who are invigorating the industry via their businesses.”
Colombiamoda, which includes 66 fashion shows and 620 exhibiting brands, will run until July 27.
An estimated 13,600 buyers from 56 countries are expected to do some $350 million in business at the fair.


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Cautious optimism best sums up the mood of the Australian trade show sector as organizers hold firm, consolidate and value-add to their offerings in the face of the global economic crisis and the weak Australian dollar, which reached a five-year low in early October.Some analysts have predicted that Australia will be facing a “shallow” recession in the first quarter of 2009, despite the best efforts of the Reserve Bank of Australia, which has cut rates by 200 basis points in the past three months, and a 10.4 billion Australian dollar, or $6.63 billion, economic stimulus package announced last month by the new Labour government.The latter may help boost consumer confidence in the short term, however the prognosis for the Australian dollar is poor. Having already declined 31 percent against the U.S. dollar since it reached a 25-year high of 98.49 cents on July 16, some have predicted the currency could fall to a record low of 40 cents in 2009.“We’re all working through the dollar issue at the moment” said Omer Soker, exhibition director of Reed Gift Fairs. Up to 25 percent of the attendance of the shows is comprised of fashion, jewelryand accessories retailers.Added Soker, “I think companies who are importing, who have not hedged, are going to have some issues. Companies that have hedged currencies will be firm. I think we could be looking at a bit of shake-up next year really, depending what happens at Christmas. Two thousand and nine is going to be a year of strength and consolidation.”Reed has two Gift Fairs scheduled for the first half of 2009: The Melbourne Gift Trade Fair will take place from Jan. 31 to Feb. 3 at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre at Southbank, with anticipated size and attendance equitable to the February 2008 show — approximately 65,000 square feet and 8,257 visitors.The Sydney Gift Trade Fair will run Feb. 21 to 25 over 170,000 square feet of the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour. Reed had been planning to expand the February 2009 event with a spin-off showcase called Designer, housing 50 to 60 high-end exhibitors at Australian Technology Park near Darling Harbour, however, the company recently announced that it has postponed the expansion until 2010.Australian Exhibitions and Conferences said that it is “holding firm,” with exhibitors committing to booking space for the company’s four fashion shows that are due to take place in the first half of 2009.The organizer was surprised to learn that, although less business was written on-site at the most recent Melbourne edition of Fashion Exposed, Australia’s biggest apparel trade show, more business was in fact written afterwards. According to an independent audit by Micromex Research, attendance was up by 12 percent on visits and 16 percent on visitors compared with September 2007, with visitors expecting to place orders averaging 11,578 Australian dollars, or $7,380, after the fair — compared with 8,386 Australian dollars, or $5,343, in September 2007. The Australian Shoe Fair will run from Feb. 13 to 15 at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. Some 2,600 visitors are expected, which represents no change from February 2007, but the projected size and exhibitor numbers are slightly down compared with last year’s 54,000 square feet and 140 exhibitors.From March 8 to 10, the same venue will showcase AEC’s Spring-Summer 2009-2010 edition of Fashion Exposed. Around 550 exhibitors are expected to occupy approximately 242,000 square feet of space, both slight increases over last year. Included within Fashion Exposed are two spin-off minishows: the high-end designer showcase Preview (70 to 80 exhibitors, including men’s wear for the first time) and The Leather Bags & Accessories Fair (200 exhibitors). In addition, the successful Streetlab streetwear section will expand to cover approximately 10,800 square feet. “We’re being fairly conservative, but we haven’t seen a significant downturn in bookings, we seem to be on track, meeting our targets,” said Marie Kinsella, managing director AEC, which stages 11 shows across a number of industry sectors. “I’ve been through a number of downturns before in the exhibition industry and traditionally, fairs and exhibitions fare quite well, because suppliers are looking to get that immediate impact of orders or income into their business and they can see that trade fairs provide a positive opportunity to have an injection of income. That was the case certainly during the early 1990s.” While the low dollar might be bad news for importers, it’s very good news for exporters, and the organizer of Australia’s best-known fashion trade event believes the currency situation should work not only in Rosemount Australian Fashion Week’s favor, but also that of the company’s brand new Australian Swim Fashion Week showcase, which will run Feb. 25 to 28 at the Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove on Queensland’s Gold Coast. Having previously come under fire for a lack of established brands on its 2007 runways, RAFW returned in 2008 with a packed event that some buyers called the “best ever.” The event was buoyed by an upbeat mood, a busier-than-usual schedule and the return of several leading local brands, which had skipped the Australian runway for as many as five years while they concentrated their marketing efforts offshore, including Sass & Bide, Easton Pearson, Michelle Jank and Akira Isogawa. The next edition of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week will run from April 27 to May 1 at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal.
Exclusive: @dsquared2 signs fragrance licensing agreement with Euroitalia, with the first effort of the new partnership being unveiled in September. The brand will launch two scents – one for men and one for women – in Italy. Read our interview with designer Dean and Dan Caten on WWD.com. #wwdbeauty #wwdnews (📷: @zefashioninsider)
@louisvuitton has officially renewed Nicolas Ghesquière’s contract as artistic director of women's collections. "I am very pleased to open the next chapter of the story I started with Louis Vuitton almost 5 years ago," said Ghesquière, who first signed on to design the French luxury brand's women's line in 2013. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews #wwdfashion (📷: @giovanni_giannoni_photo)
“I learned then and there that I had to figure out a way in life to maintain and preserve my sense of pride when I felt good about what I did or what I represented or created,” said @saintrecords on how being bullied for wearing capri pants inspired her to be the artist she is today. Knowles was at the 70th Parsons Benefit last night where she outbid the room for a Dapper Dan customized @gucci experience. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)
“There’s this amazing braintrust of people who know the whole universe so well. So we talked to them and they gave us more input,” said actor Alden Ehrenreich on playing the young Han Solo in “Solo: A Star Wars Story.” The cast was at NYC’s SVA Theatre last night for an advanced screening of the film, which hits theaters this week. #wwdeye #starwars #hansolo (📷: @aurorarosedecrosta)
@asaprocky spent nearly two hours in a Plexiglas box Sunday night at @sothebys putting himself through a series of “tests” to demonstrate the process of completing his new album called “Testing.” Get all the details and see all the pictures on WWD.com. #wwdeye
“I’ve struggled my whole life to find a bathing suit that fits me that doesn’t look like a maternity bra. I’m proud of the line because it’s an accurate representation of me rather than me putting on someone else’s clothes,” says @atlantabean of her swimwear collaboration with @piaarrobio, LPA X ATL. The two decided on a swimwear collab and increased the industry standard size for the pieces. Read more about the line — and our interview with de Cadenet Taylor and Arrobio — on WWD.com #wwdfashion
Exclusive: Cate Blanchett has been named the first global beauty ambassador for @armanibeauty. Blanchett has been the face of the brand’s Sì fragrance franchise since 2013, and is now representing all of the label’s beauty categories including makeup and skin care. #wwdbeauty (📷: @zefashioninsider)


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I waited with hundreds of people for a chance to pick up a bottle Stranahan’s Snowflake, a one-of-a-kind whiskey released just once a year.
A recent report found a correlation between marijuana legalization and a decline in beer sales. But the truth is a lot more complicated.
Denver voters passed Proposition 300, and the use weed in restaurants and bars is now legalized—but there’s still a catch before you light up a joint at your table.
When Abdullah Saeed visited Colorado for Bong Appetit he was treated to a four-course weed feast courtesy of Jessica Catalano the brains behind the Ganja Kitchen Revolution. Here is the highlight.
Beer and bikes, welcome to New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Due to a recent surge of children accidentally consuming marijuana edibles and winding up in the hospital, Colorado State Representative Dan Pabon wants to do away with weed-infused gummies.
When Nick Nunns and Zach Coleman aren’t playing and listening to metal, they’re hard at work making beer at their Denver brewery.
Abdullah Saeed travels to Denver to meet Wanda James and Scott Durrah, the first African-American dispensary owners in Colorado and the manufacturers of Simply Pure cannabis-infused products.
If I knew how much work it would be to open up a brewery in Mexico, and how the tax system works against craft brewers, I probably would have never done it at all.
A pizza place in Denver called Kaos is now offering free pizza for an entire year to anyone who can help police find the thief who recently burglarized the business.
That’s right, the shadowy specter has an unwavering hunger for the precious snacks and ‘Cowboy Bebop’ episodes of unsuspecting Coloradans.
If you’re in Denver and happen to help someone across the street or wait for the light rather than jaywalking, you might find a Segway cop handing you a pizza gift card.
“Kittens and babies are not as powerful as mutilation and contamination.” Yep, that’s the takeaway from a new study that says we should all be slimming down by looking at horrible things.
A Wisconsin-based gay baker has made a strongly worded video expressing his belief that same-sex couples who demand that bakeries make cakes for them are “Nazis.”
The brains behind Colorado’s marijuana legalization campaign are now pursuing a ballot measure in Denve called “The Limited Social Marijuana Consumption Initiative.” Translation: “Let’s allow people to get high and socialize in restaurants and bars, just like they do with booze.”
As the world’s millions of marijuana enthusiasts make their preparations for the annual high holiday of April 20th (a.k.a. 4/20), let us pause for just a moment to go over a few ground rules when it comes to eating ganja.
MycoTechnology, a small startup based in Denver, Colorado, has discovered a way to use its proprietary “mushroom technology” to strip a wheat kernel of enough of its gluten to warrant an FDA-approved label.
We spoke to Mark Phillips, the inventor of Palcohol, about the process of inventing his product, his background in wine tasting, and the real reason why liquor companies are worried about his invention.
Colorado lawmakers voted yesterday that by January 2016, edibles must have some kind of visual designation that they’re going to get you baked out of your skull.
A haunted cave, mariachi bands, and cliff divers are just the beginning when it comes to the weird attractions of Denver’s—and maybe the world’s—craziest restaurant: Casa Bonita.
I’m a cliff-diving performer at Denver’s indescribably crazy restaurant Casa Bonita. This is what my daily grind is like at one of the strangest service jobs out there.
Inmates in southeastern Colorado’s vast prison complex are working a variety of surprising agricultural jobs, milking goats and cows, planting and harvesting vegetables, farming and filleting fish, and harvesting honey.
In the latest episode of Al-Kee-Hol called Getting to Know Golden, presented by Coors Banquet, chef and host Lee Tiernan heads to Golden, Colorado to explore the Coors Banquet Brewery. Between crash-landing a paraglider and ripping down mountains on a dirt bike, Lee tours the brewery and gets a lesson in beer science from the best in the business.
If we’re really going to regulate marijuana like alcohol, what better way to forever conjoin the two on equal legal footing than by hoisting a few well-crafted, high-end cannabis cocktails? I spoke to a few respectable mixologists to provide you with the perfect herbal libation.


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Nokia is reportedly getting ready to release its first Android smartphone. The low-cost device is expected to be unveiled at the Mobile World Conference in two weeks.
There have been alleged screen shots of the device, nicknamed Normandy, circulating around the Web for several weeks. The Wall Street Journal, citing "people familiar with the matter," reported Monday that the device will be launched at the big mobile trade show in Barcelona.
Nokia's previous lineup of Symbian-based phones used to be popular in such developing markets as India, a country where Android is now the mobile platform for more than 90 percent of phones shipped.
The Low-End Problem
Three years ago, Nokia accepted an offer of hundreds of millions of dollars from Microsoft in marketing and development aid and adopted the Windows Phone platform for its devices. But Windows Phone is still struggling to get past single digits in global market share.
The platform does not run well on lower-end phones, which means that, without Android or Nokia's nascent Asha platform for low-end devices, the Finnish company has no real way of competing against inexpensive phones in what used to be its key countries.
But another way to look at a line of low-cost Nokia Android phones is that it solves Microsoft's problem of dealing with low-cost devices for third-world countries and potentially elsewhere -- even if it risks making a competing mobile platform stronger. Some Android phones are selling for under $50 in those countries.
Like Kindle Fire
If Nokia does release an Android phone, the expectation is that it will feature services from Nokia, and eventually from Microsoft once the merger is closed, but not from Google. This has led some Nokia-watchers to compare a Nokia Android-based phone to Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet, with both offering forked versions of the Android platform and non-Google services.
According to the Journal, Nokia's services on the Normandy phone will include its Here mapping service, Mix Radio and a Nokia app store with Nokia-appropriate Android apps. Similarly, Kindle offers many Android apps that have been customized a bit or not at all for the Kindle interface, and it is expected that a Nokia Android phone would be able to offer a similar roster of somewhat tweaked Android apps.
The Journal said the Normandy phone would not be able to access the Google Play app marketplace, and expectations are that Microsoft's Bing search engine and Outlook.com e-mail would serve for those functions -- either at launch or eventually.
There is also the possibility that, because the Android platform can be modified by the manufacturer, Nokia and Microsoft will find a way to integrate these low-end Android-with-non-Google-services phones with the Windows Phones lineup more directly than simply sharing some services, such as related interfaces or sales offers to trade in a low-end Nokia Android phone for a higher-end Windows Phone.


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Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
ATLANTA (AP) - Coca-Cola is shuffling its executive ranks and organizational structure at its North America business, which has struggled with a decline in soda sales.
The world's biggest beverage maker said Thursday that Steve Cahillane, president of Coca-Cola Americas, has left the company to pursue other opportunities.
Coca-Cola Co. also noted that, beginning Jan. 1, it will split its North America business into two operating units, among other planned structural changes.
It named Global Chief Customer Officer J.A.M. "Sandy" Douglas to be group president of one unit, Coca-Cola North America.
The second unit, Coca-Cola Refreshments, will be headed by Bottling Investments Group executive Paul Mulligan.
The maker of Sprite, Powerade and Vitaminwater has seen global sales volume grow in emerging markets, but Americans continue to cut back on soda.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Grace period ends for Qld fuel price reporting laws
April 12, 2019
last year, the Queensland Government commenced a two-year trial of new laws
that require all fuel retailers to report fuel prices every time fuel prices
are changed. The new laws, which came into effect on 3 December 2019, were
developed following eight months of government consultation with industry
stakeholders (including ACAPMA) in terms of both the scheme design and initial
laws require that fuel retailers report changes in fuel prices within 30
minutes of making a change to the price of any fuel product on the pump. Notification of price changes can be made via a commercial
arrangement with a third-party fuel reporter (e.g. Informed Sources) or lodged
directly via the website (see www.fuelpricesqld.com.au)
The reported data is then made available to fuel
price app developers and publishers who, in turn, make
this data available to motorists via their existing consumer facing platforms
(i.e. websites and mobile phone apps).
The Queensland Government has advised that more than 1400 service station sites are reporting data as at 12 April 2019, which represents 95% compliance by Queensland fuel retailers.
“The high rate of compliance by fuel retailers to date is a credit
to both the co-operative approach advanced by the Queensland Government to
encourage compliance and the positive efforts of the vast majority of fuel
retailers to ensure their business is compliant with the new laws”, said ACAPMA
CEO Mark McKenzie
“With the three-month grace period ending on Monday 15 April 2019,
those retailers who have not yet complied risk being fined for non-compliance
and should therefore address this issue urgently”, Mark added.
Fuel retailers not currently reporting their fuel prices should visit www.fuelpricesqld.com.au to confirm their business and site details. The website includes an easy to follow help menu that provides step-by-step guidance on how to register your business for price reporting and commence price reporting which basically comprises the four steps highlighted in the diagram below.
To support compliance with the scheme, the Queensland Government
has also put in place an innovative data matching and monitoring system to
check compliance and ensure fuel retailers are reporting correct prices.
“While no business likes regulation, it is fair to say that the
Queensland Government has adopted a fair and reasonable approach to the
introduction of fuel price reporting – an approach that has resulted in a high
level of compliance with a minimum of fuss and no financial penalties to this
point”, said Mark.
“Any Queensland fuel retailer failing to satisfy this requirement
from Monday 15 April 2019, however, risks financial penalty”, concluded Mark


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Costco, REI, Microsoft among 10 companies pioneering the How2Recycle label, explaining how to recycle materials
Another label is coming to popcorn, yogurt and other products, but instead of adding to the visual noise caused by some confusing labels, this one is designed to give plain and simple recycling information....
All single-use plastic straws will be removed from UK and Ireland stores by October as part of flatpack giant's push to eliminate single-use plastics across its operations by 2020
Policy Exchange report argues a unified carbon tax in the UK with revenues paid as a dividend to taxpayers could cut emissions and tackle carbon leakage
DB Cargo UK, the UK's largest freight provider, now sources 100 per cent green power for all its rail sites and offices under new deal with SSE
Leaders put climate at centre of relationship, push for agreement on the Paris deal rulebook and reject Trump's efforts to undermine global cooperation


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Costa Coffee has announced it will become the first ever coffee chain in the UK to commit to recycling the same volume of cups it puts onto the market in a bid to tackle the challenge of coffee cup recycling … Continue reading →
The post Costa Coffee Commits To Recycling Half A Billion Cups A Year appeared first on CIWM Journal Online.
Coffee giants, such as Costa and Starbuck, along with organisations from across the paper cup supply chain, have signed an agreement with the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE UK) to accelerate UK recycling of PE lined paper … Continue reading →
Major Coffee chain, Costa Coffee, has announced it will install dedicated cup recycling bins in over 2,000 stores. It says this could cut waste by 30m cups a year. The rollout will see Costa collect and recycle disposable coffee cups … Continue reading →
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An anti-capitalist protest has taken place in the metaverse. Demonstrators gathered in droves outside Samsung’s virtual store to protest against the grip of big corporations on decentralized digital worlds.
A first manifestation has just taken place in the metaverse. The demonstrators gathered in front of Samsung’s virtual store into Decentraland’s blockchain-based digital universe. The event was organized by Superflus, a non-profit organization, in order to highlight contemporary and committed art.
For memory, Samsung opened its virtual store in early January 2022 based on the architecture of its physical store located in New York. Within this digital space, accessible with a virtual reality headset, the South Korean giant presented its latest high-end phones, the Galaxy S22.
The first anti-capitalist demonstration in the metaverse
The avatars of all the protesters wore the non-fungible token (NFT) of a t-shirt featuring a signed work of art Babi Badalov. This artist from Azerbaijan is also characterized by his activism. He seeks to fight and denounce the “consumerism and capitalism”, explains a press release from Superflus. On the t-shirts, one could read in particular MoneyFestationthe name of Badalov’s action and work.
The demonstrators were also equipped with signs with the text “I Have A Scream”, in reference to Martin Luther King’s “I have A Dream”. With this wild demonstration, the mobilized Internet users wanted to point the finger the emerging hold of big business capitalists on the metaverse. The movement regrets that a decentralized universe like Decentraland falls into the hands of companies like Samsung.
According to Superflus, the metaverse must be “ideally free and separated from the oppressive structures of our own daily lives” avoid the established pattern in the real world. “This protest aims to criticize the use of a decentralized metaverse by corporate actors who colonize this space”tackles the organization.
Indeed, Samsung is not the only firm to launch into the metaverse. Recently, men’s magazine Playboy revealed plans to open an erotic mansion in the metaverse. At the same time, the fast-food giant McDonald’s aims to inaugurate virtual restaurants that will make it possible to place orders or buy NFTs.


text: By Jason Moore THE Balearic government has said that it will work long and hard to protect the islands' limited industrial base. The once thriving shoe industry, (which is the key player in local industry) has lost hundreds of jobs over recent years because of cheap imports from the Far East. What I want to know is how the local government intends to safeguard jobs when it is almost impossible to compete against Far East labour costs. Just recently a delegation from China visited the island's few remaining shoe factories and a Balearic delegation has been in China trying to drum-up business. But it appears to be a losing battle. Chinese workers earn a week what their European counterparts earn an hour and you don't have to be Sir Alan Sugar to realise why so many companies are closing down their factories in Europe and heading east. It would be a great shame if the local shoe industry contracted even further, not just because of the jobs which may be lost, but because it is vital to the local economy. I think the only way that the industry can survive in its present shape is to find new markets and try and combat cheap prices with quality products. It is obviously going to be difficult but local shoe firms are not alone, the same story is happening right across Europe at the moment.


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After an initial slowdown, as the effect of demonetisation lingered into the fiscal year and then due to hiccups related to goods & services tax, sales growth started accelerating in the second half
Ashni Biyani says correction of the Home & Personal Care (HPC) portfolio with operating leverages kicking in, would lead to Future Consumer’s gross margin profile improving year on year
This is the second consecutive year of decline and the worst performance of the beer industry since at least two decades, said companies involved in making the beverage
The user base for digital transactions in India is currently close to 90 million, but could triple to 300 million by 2020 as new users from rural and semi-urban areas enter the market
In the two-wheeler segment, with motorcycle sales showing strong traction, SIAM expects production to touch 23 million and sales to cross 20 million for the first time this fiscal year.
Paytm founder Sharma, 39, is the youngest Indian billionaire, while 92-year-old Samprada Singh, chairman emeritus of Alkem Laboratories, is the oldest, according to Forbes.
To build on the momentum from 2017, when its India sales rose 16% to 15,330 units, Mercedes-Benz will be launching 10 products this year
Perfetti, Mondelez, Nestle lose ground after hiking prices
The report forecasts that given the current growth trajectory, the sector is expected to cross Rs 2 trillion by 2020 at a CAGR of 11.6%
On February 28, that Rs 12,000-crore digital wallets industry got stranded unable to meet a Reserve Bank of India deadline for collecting information on all customers
In conversation with Manasi Narasimhan who recently joined Mastercard as vice president, marketing and communications to discuss how she will drive Mastercard’s growth in South Asia
S Subramaniam, CFO, Titan, says GST and the move towards a formalised economy is going to help companies like theirs
India is the sixth-largest market for the maker of Coke and Sprite aerated drinks and Minute Maid juices.
More than 70% of the restaurant owners in the two cities believed GST is a positive decision for the industry, while 68% businesses felt it will ease compliance
Digital advertising is likely to grow the fastest at 25%
India has huge opportunities in FMCG growth because except for three categories which is toilet soap, detergents and matchsticks, no packaged branded product is fully penetrated
The industry executives cited said consumer demand picked up in the third quarter of the fiscal year, although that was also because of a lower base due to a demonetisation induced dip
From the newsroom of The Economic Times
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From BE's News Desk ›
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- Swiggy's latest ad campaign celebrates two of India’s biggest passions- cricket and food
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- Marketing in the grip of a 'desi movement'
- Makers of Medimix target a turnover of Rs. 300 crore for the coming fiscal year
- Watch: Bisleri's Fonzo promises to be 'Mmmazedaar and Aahsome' in its new ad campaign
- Marico makes a strategic investment in Revolutionary Fitness


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Unstoppable Domains and The Sandbox Collaborate to Introduce Enhanced Metaverse Experience
The digital world is evolving at an unprecedented pace, with the metaverse becoming the new frontier for innovation and user engagement. In a significant development, Unstoppable Domains, a leading blockchain domain name provider, has joined forces with The Sandbox, a virtual world where players can build, own, and monetize their gaming experiences. This collaboration aims to enhance the metaverse experience, offering users more control and opportunities in the digital realm.
Understanding Unstoppable Domains and The Sandbox
Before delving into the details of this collaboration, it’s essential to understand the entities involved.
- Unstoppable Domains: A San Francisco-based company, Unstoppable Domains provides blockchain domain names that enable users to simplify crypto payments, build censorship-resistant websites, and gain more control over their digital identity.
- The Sandbox: A decentralized gaming platform, The Sandbox allows users to create, share, and monetize their gaming experiences using the platform’s native utility token, SAND.
The Collaboration: A New Era in the Metaverse
The collaboration between Unstoppable Domains and The Sandbox is set to revolutionize the metaverse experience. By integrating blockchain domain names into the gaming platform, users can now enjoy a more seamless and personalized experience.
Personalized Gaming Experience
With this collaboration, users can link their blockchain domain names to their Sandbox accounts. This allows them to have a unique identity in the metaverse, enhancing their gaming experience. For instance, a user can now own a piece of virtual land in The Sandbox metaverse under their blockchain domain name.
Enhanced Ownership and Control
Blockchain domain names are stored on the blockchain, giving users full control and ownership of their digital assets. This means that no third party can manipulate or take away these assets. In the context of The Sandbox, this translates to users having absolute ownership of their creations, virtual land, and gaming experiences.
The integration of Unstoppable Domains into The Sandbox also opens up new avenues for monetization. Users can sell or lease their virtual land, trade items, and even charge admission to their games or experiences. This creates a whole new economy within the metaverse, where users can earn real-world value from their digital assets.
Implications for the Future of the Metaverse
The collaboration between Unstoppable Domains and The Sandbox is a significant step towards a more user-centric metaverse. It not only enhances the gaming experience but also empowers users by giving them more control and ownership of their digital assets.
- Increased Adoption: By simplifying the user experience and offering monetization opportunities, this collaboration could drive more users towards the metaverse, leading to increased adoption.
- Decentralization: The integration of blockchain domain names into The Sandbox platform further decentralizes the metaverse, reducing reliance on centralized authorities and giving more power to the users.
- Future Collaborations: This partnership sets a precedent for future collaborations between blockchain companies and virtual platforms, paving the way for more integrated and enhanced metaverse experiences.
The collaboration between Unstoppable Domains and The Sandbox marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the metaverse. By integrating blockchain domain names into the gaming platform, users can enjoy a more personalized, controlled, and potentially profitable metaverse experience. This partnership not only enhances the current state of the metaverse but also sets the stage for future innovations and collaborations in this exciting digital frontier.


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DETROIT – General Motors Co on Friday asked a U.S. appeals court to permit it to continue pursuing its civil racketeering suit against rival Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV rejecting a lower court judges belittling of the grievance.
WHY GM ACCUSED RIVAL FIAT CHRYSLER OF BRIBING UNION OFFICIALS IN MAJOR NEW LAWSUIT
The car manufacturers filing with the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals comes less than a week after U.S. District Court Judge Paul Borman called GMs fit versus Fiat Chrysler a “wild-goose chase and resources” at a time when both car manufacturers ought to be concentrated on surviving the coronavirus pandemic.
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Borman ordered GM Chief Executive Mary Barra and Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley to satisfy by July 1 to negotiate a resolution.
GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY
General Motors CEO Mary Barra has been purchased to fulfill with Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley by July 1.
EX-GM BOARD MEMBER, UAW VICE PRESIDENT PLEADS GUILTY IN KICKBACK SCHEME: REPORT.
FCA had no immediate talk about the filing on Friday.
In its movement, GM asked the appeals court to toss out Bormans order and reassign the case to a different district court judge. It called Bormans order “unmatched” and “a profound abuse” of judicial power.
GM took legal action against Fiat Chrysler in 2015, implicating the Italian-American businesss executives of bribing United Auto Workers union officials to secure labor contracts that put GM at a downside. Fiat Chrysler is under examination by the U.S. Justice Department as part of a wide-ranging probe of UAW corruption.
GMs allegations came as Fiat Chrysler and French car manufacturer Peugeot SA were in the early phases of getting ready for a merger. Fiat Chrysler has stated the suit was targeted at interrupting that offer. GM has said the fit has nothing to do with the merger.
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In a declaration, GM rejected Bormans characterization of the suit as a “diversion” and safeguarded its decision to push the case.
” We submitted a lawsuit against FCA for the exact same reason the U.S. Department of Justice continues to investigate the company: previous FCA executives confessed they conspired to utilize kickbacks to acquire labor advantages, concessions and advantages. Based on the direct harm to GM these actions triggered, we think FCA should be held liable.”.
CLICK ON THIS LINK TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS.


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By Anna Willard
BRUSSELS, Sept 2 (Reuters) – European finance ministers pledged on Wednesday to clamp down on banker bonuses, raising the prospect of spreading such payouts over years or demanding back money if business turns sour.
Financial Regulatory Forum
SINGAPORE, July 21 (Reuters) – Asia-Pacific nations agreed on Tuesday to shun protectionist measures after some criticised the United States and other developed world “buy local” campaigns at a meeting pushing forward momentum towards a global trade pact. (more…)


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It’s hard to gauge how this holiday season is going to go in terms of the economy. On the one hand, the season is being pushed earlier than ever with some stores being open on Thanksgiving Day. Consumer website founder Julia Scott puts it this way. “People aren’t waiting for their Thanksgiving turkey to be digested to start shopping this year.” At least that’s the hope of retailers.
Whether that will be borne out appears to be iffy at best. According to the store traffic measuring firm ShopperTrak, retail sales in November and December could well be their weakest since 2009. It’s projecting that sales for this major two-month window will be no better than 2.4 percent over last year. In 2012, sales were up 3 percent and in 2010 and 2011 they were higher by 4 percent.
Meanwhile, a new Gallup poll says most consumers don’t plan to spend any more than they did last year on the holidays. And 26 percent of respondents say they plan to spend less.
That consumers are skittish does not surprise Scott. She acknowledges that the post-recession recovery hasn’t been all that anyone would have hoped for. Economic hardship remains a reality for many individuals who have been forced to take on unwanted and burdensome credit card debt just to survive. And that has led many to seek the benefits of debt relief through bankruptcy or other means, as might be appropriate.
Wisdom dictates that those faced with such issues would do well to consult an attorney to learn all their options for obtaining protection from legal action from creditors.
Source: FoxBusiness.com, “Americans Plan to Trim the Tree and their Holiday Budgets this Year,” Kate Rogers, Nov. 15, 2013


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PBDE flame retardant exposures is a huge problem among pregnant women in California.
Ami Zota and colleagues note that the flame retardant chemicals, known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), have been widely used in furniture foam, plastics, carpets, consumer electronics, wire insulation, and other products since the 1970s. Although California banned manufacture and import of certain PBDEs in 2004, human exposure continues from old products, house dust, food, and other sources. Studies suggest that PBDE exposure during pregnancy may disrupt thyroid function, with adverse effects on normal development of the fetus's brain that persist throughout life, and also have adverse effects on the mother.
In their study of 25 second-trimester pregnant women in California, the researchers found the highest-ever levels of certain PBDEs among pregnant women worldwide. The high exposure most likely was the unintended consequence of California's furniture flammability standards, which manufacturers have met since 1975 by adding PBDE's to foam in upholstered furniture, Zota and colleagues said. While preliminary, the study also found a link between PBDE levels and levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, a substance produced in the brain, that helps regulate activity of the thyroid gland.


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There’s a new trend lately in commercial real estate. Not only is Big Tech driving the stock market these days — it’s become a pivotal force in the commercial real estate market.
Although many non-tech firms have been struggling with the economic effects of the pandemic, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc., and Microsoft Corp. have been buying and leasing a significant amount of office space in cities throughout the country.
The Big Five Expand their Footprints in Major Cities
In the past, companies chose locations based on access to materials. Today, tech firms are selecting cities like New York, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington D.C., and Austin to call their home bases, making location decisions strategically based on having access to talent pools of young people who seek the professional and social opportunities offered by a big city.
Since January of 2020, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook have expanded by 1.6 million square feet in New York City alone, apart from the 1.7 million square feet Google recently added. The companies currently have over 22,000 employees in the city, with thousands added to the workforce this year. The recent acquisitions allow these companies room to hire an additional 15,000 employees.
According to CoStar Group, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Alphabet Inc., and Microsoft currently take up 589 million square feet of commercial real estate nationwide — the equivalent of all the office space in New York City combined.
Despite Pandemic, Office Space is Not Obsolete
Although these Big Tech firms are the same companies that are offering remote work options during the pandemic, the significant investment in office space is indicative that they plan on bringing their workforces back on site.
Employees of some of these firms may also have financial incentives to get back into the office rather than continue telecommuting. For example, Facebook announced that it would begin adjusting salaries in the new year for employees who continue to work from home offices in areas where the cost of living is cheaper.
Despite the working-from-home trend spurred by the pandemic, office space in a thriving city will continue to be a crucial incentive for many employees. Since tech-based companies often implement a younger workforce who seek to develop their social and professional networks, on-site offices, co-working space, and amenities may be essential.
Big Tech Plans to Increase Presence in Boston
Before the COVID-19 outbreak, Boston was named the fifth largest market for office leasing in the tech sector, nationwide — and the pandemic hasn’t stopped Big Tech from making plans to procure additional space.
While Facebook currently leases 130,000 feet of office space in Cambridge’s Kendall Square, the tech giant said it has plans to expand in the Greater Boston area, despite the pandemic-related remote work policy in place.
Similarly, Google made plans last year to expand its Kendall Square presence, taking up 362,000 square feet of space in a 15-year lease in a new office tower construction expected to be completed in 2022.
Amazon has also announced expansion in Boston. The e-commerce company plans to convert a Dorchester-South Boston warehouse into a last-mile delivery hub, adding 96,000 square feet to its ever-increasing footprint in the metro area. In July, Amazon opened an 800,000 square foot delivery station in Revere.
Continental Law Group represents landlords, tenants, commercial stakeholders, developers, asset managers, buyers, and sellers for a variety of commercial real estate matters throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire. CLG has offices located in Boston, Salem, MA, and Portsmouth, NH. Call (617) 616-8210 to learn more about CLG’s commercial real estate practice and other legal services.


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Mercedes Benz India has sent out emails to media asking them to block May 15 for the "launch of one of the most exciting products from the Mercedes-Benz stable."
We don't need any brain racking for this one, as we know the pending launch from Mercedes India is the M-Class SUV shown at the Auto Expo in Delhi during January. Mercedes may keep the SLS AMG convertible for another day as the M-Class is in a more important segment.
Expected at launch is the ML350 CDI (3-liter V6 diesel engine producing near about 230hp/540Nm) with a 7-speed transmission. Mercedes will sell imported M-Classes as the production lines at Chakan are yet to be ready for rolling out locally made cars. Assembly of the new M-Class will begin later this year in India.


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We are happy to officially announce that Palisades Skateboards is rolling out a new Artist Series line with Drew Brophy!
Available in retail stores this month, there are five killer designs to choose from.
When we first started this venture with Palisades, National Sales Manager Kurt Hurley came to our office with some serious eye-candy: samples of their Rick Rietveld artist series longboards, and we were blown away! The boards were beautiful. Their printing capabilities were impressive. The colors, the quality, everything was just top notch.
And Drew wanted to be a part of (more…)


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Much the same could be said of the Mercedes-Benz urban mobility subsidiary known as Smart. The company has spent almost 10 years in the American market now, building and attempting to sell an unerringly similar recipe of small, uncomfortable, homely, cheap, uninspired, inefficient, overpriced, subpar, fun-colored, rear-engine city vehicles - and has not gained an iota of traction. With all of the power and glory of the three-pointed star behind it, the brand last year ranked in the bottom three of total sales, just above Alfa Romeo, which had no cars to sell, and Bentley, which prides itself on selling as few cars as possible. Sales for 2016 were down 17 percent. They're down nearly 20 percent more from there thus far in 2017. Alfa Romeo has sold more cars.
Yet, instead of giving up and going away, the brand has decided to stick around for a few more rounds. One would think that this might demonstrate a willingness to learn from its big mistakes, which include making cars that are worse than anything in or around the their price or size segment – including a lot of great cars like the Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta. And Smart's big move — an announcement that, starting in 2018, it will sell only pure electric vehicles in the States — indicates some sense of prescience and topicality.
The EV market is maturing and growing, moving out from early adopters to fast followers and perhaps even beginning to trickle down into the mainstream, so the time seems ripe to jump on the bandwagon. And Mercedes is investing heavily in electric power, planning to develop a full range of vehicles under its EQ sub-brand, so Smart can clearly capitalize on some of that knowhow.
Unfortunately, after having spent an afternoon in Switzerland test driving the first of these vehicles to be released in America, the 2017 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive Cabrio, we can attest to the fact that the brand has not learned anything, but simply converted their previous losing formula to run on electricity.
Which is to say that brand is still making terrible cars that are worse than just about anything in or around their price and size segment, including a lot of great cars like the Volkswagen e-Golf, Fiat 500e, and Nissan Leaf. Saying that a vehicle is worse than a Nissan Leaf is really saying something.
The main problem with the Smart is that it is, on nearly every level, less than meets the eye, which is difficult for a car that is only 9 feet long. The body is covered in cheap injection-molded panels that look like they fell off the swim toys in a rehabilitative physical therapy pool. This theme carries over to the inside - inasmuch as there is an inside, which there really isn't, just two barstools set up inside a tragic universe of mismatched petrochemical schmutz. The dashboard is covered in a mesh fabric made from discarded black nylon socks. The speedometer is made from the top half of a Fisher Price construction helmet.
The infotainment interface is neither informative nor entertaining, and appears to consist of a thin film of Saran Wrap surrounding infuriating incompetence. Go ahead, ask it how to get out of Geneva. It will send you in an endless loop up and down one corner of the lake, zoom out infinitely to show you your position in approximate relation to Mars, and then fritz out uncontrollably until you finally relent and open Google Maps on your phone.
Did we mention that the car is slower, less spacious, and more expensive than any of its competitors? 60 mph arrives in nearly 12 seconds. It has only two seats, and less cargo room than a Speedo worn by Kevin James. We only drove the $28,000 convertible, but there's a $24,000 coupe as well. It can travel only 70 miles on a charge.
With its battery pack down low and its motor over the rear wheels, the Fortwo seems far more stable than the rollerskating waiter is actually is. It does have one advantage, if you don't count the ability to elicit sympathy from other drivers: It has an extremely tight turning radius.
This is practical, not only because the navigation system forks up so frequently that you will constantly find yourself pulling U-turns (we made five in an hour), but because if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of entering a Smart dealership, you can use this capacity to turn around immediately. You've got nothing to prove by taking it on the chin endlessly from a Fortwo ED. Don't be a Wepner: Tap out and nurse your wounds in, well, anything else.


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Redeem those Gift Certificates!
- February 7, 2020 at 8:51 AM
- by Jennifer Pauly
In November and December of 2019, the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce with the assistance of KeyBank, gave out over $1500 in complimentary gift certificates! This is essentially FREE money to spend at our member businesses!
We gave gift certificates away for Small Business Day and also when $50 or $100 increments were purchased. The extra certificates have an expiration date of March 2020, so get out and SPEND those gift certificates!