text: Great for candies, tooBesides the UGA formulations, the growers hope to market theirchocolate to high-end chefs.”We’re also negotiating with one of the largest chocolateproducers in Europe,” Justicia said. “Chefs could use thechocolate for cooking, or small chocolate shops could use it forbaking or making high-quality chocolate candies.”Justicia said a rain forest educational package incorporating thechocolate is being developed with funds from a U.S. Fish andWildlife Service grant. The package will include lesson plans forelementary and middle school children. “The students will learn about the birds of the rain forest andtaste the chocolate,” Shewfelt said. “This would tie the birdsand the chocolate together.”The researchers are investigating developing a high-qualityorganic chocolate bar, too, that schools and other groups couldsell for fund-raising. Justicia hopes to see bird-friendlychocolate products on grocery shelves by 2007. Shade-grown chocolateNormally, cacao trees grow on large parcels of clear-cut land. Tohelp preserve the rain forest’s plant and animal life, somegrowers are planting them in the shade, leaving surrounding treesand plants. The grower co-op harvests their shade-grown cacaobeans by hand.”Shade-grown cacao trees share space with the trees of the forestand create a friendly habitat for migratory bird species like thesummer tanager,” she said. “But they also generates lower yieldsper acre than sun-grown cacao trees. Therefore, we must find waysto make the chocolate business worthwhile for farmers.”One way would be to market chocolate rather than beans, she said.But processing their own chocolate isn’t feasible. Instead, theresearchers and growers hope to develop a partnership with anexisting processor in Ecuador.To further market their chocolate, the growers plan to focus ontheir environmentally friendly growing practices and the highquality of their beans. Following advice from UGA researchers,the growers now sort their beans for quality, which increasesprofit.”We are calling the chocolate ‘bird-friendly organic’ andemphasizing that it’s a socially responsible product,” Justiciasaid. “This is extremely high-quality chocolate, as this regionis known for producing high-aroma chocolate. It’s the finestquality in the world.” Chocolate sauce and syrupShoppers will find bird-friendly organic chocolate in twoproducts: a chocolate dunking sauce and a chocolate syrup. Both were developed by UGA food science students using theEcuadorian growers’ beans. Professors Rob Shewfelt and Yao-WenHuang, food scientists with the UGA College of Agricultural andEnvironmental Sciences, led the new product development. “One of my former students, Joy Dubost, is now at Penn State, soshe connected us with Greg Ziegler, the chocolate expert there,”Shewfelt said. “We sent him the beans, and he processed them andsent us solidified chocolate liquor. It’s a very highly flavorfulchocolate that smells great and tastes really good.”Brooke Bradshaw, a UGA journalism student, volunteered to developa marketing plan as part of a course assignment. She came up withthe bird-friendly organic chocolate name and designed a logo for theproducts.”The growers are trying to develop products they can market withan organic label and sell upscale,” Shewfelt said. “This way theycan get more money for their crop.” By Sharon OmahenUniversity of GeorgiaWould you buy a particular chocolate brand if it helped save arain forest? Some struggling Ecuadorian cacao growers are bankingyou will.A team of University of Georgia researchers is helping a400-grower co-op in the Choco-Andean corridor of Ecuador findways to market their crop while saving the surrounding rainforest. The project began three years ago with funding from theWorld Bank in Ecuador.”The main goal of the project is to conserve the biodiversity ofthe area,” said Rebeca Justicia, a doctoral student working withUGA Institute of Ecology Professor Ron Carroll. “Our secondarygoal is enhancing the potential of existing crops.”An Ecuador native, Justicia said 700,000 acres of her country aredevoted to cacao plantations. About 5,000 of these acres arewithin the Choco-Andean Corridor.


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Top Five Biggest Things From Disney+ Day 2021
Two years ago, Disney threw its hat into the streaming ring with the launch of Disney+. Since then, the streaming service has come to dominate near the top of the food chain alongside rivals Netflix and HBO Max. Two years to the day of its release, Disney+ celebrated with Disney+ Day. By doing so, they revealed countless new projects and shows to come onto their service. And there was a lot to be had!
Welcome to The Game of Nerds, and here are some of the biggest reveals and programs that came out on Disney+ Day. However, first let’s talk about what wasn’t revealed.
Having watched social media all day, this was the one thing missing from Disney+ Day. Unfortunately, it’s also what many people wanted the most. Taking place ten years after Revenge of the Sith, Kenobi will see the return of not only Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, but Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader. With a behind-the-scenes look been released the day before, fans were hoping to see a trailer of some sort.
But we didn’t.
Continuing the trend of remaking their animated films, it would seem that Pinocchio is the next Disney movie to get the live-action treatment. In a post to social media, Disney revealed that they’re making a live-action version of one of Walt Disney’s first films. However, it is being directed by Robert Zemeckis, aka the guy who made Back to the Future, Roger Rabbit, A Christmas Carol, and The Polar Express. In addition, Tom Hanks will be a part of it, so it may have a chance.
Ever since Fox decided to bend the knee to the Mouse, Disney has wasted no time in using their numerous assets to their advantage. Chief among them is the long-running animated series, The Simpsons. With the arrival of Disney+ Day 2021, The Simpsons don’t hesitate to make this tongue-in-cheek short celebrating the streaming service. Featuring the cast of The Simpsons and characters from various Disney IPs, this short is a playful jab at the newfound unity between the two entertainment giants. In addition, I could totally see Homer and Goofy bonding over their low intelligence and issues with being dads.
Hocus Pocus 2
Hocus Pocus is another example of how a film doesn’t always need to win at the box office to be successful in the long run. Despite Disney losing money over it in theaters almost thirty years ago, annual airings of it during the Halloween season helped make it a cult classic among Millennials, prompting Disney to greenlight a sequel. Now, after years of being left in the dark, fans got what the news that they wanted to hear: Hocus Pocus 2 premieres Fall 2022 on Disney+. The power of fandom knows no limits.
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder
If you grew up watching Disney Channel in the early to mid 2000s, then you might have seen The Proud Family. Following the adventures of the titular family as they navigate the ups and downs of life, this show’s remained fairly popular amongst those who first watched. Thus, when Disney announced a revival of the series, fans were thrilled. Better still, Disney+ Day 2021 gave us our first look at the revival and a release date for Februrary 2022.
Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett
Even though he only had four lines in the original Star Wars films, Boba Fett became the franchise’s breakout character. More than forty years later, the original Mandalorian’s influence looms large in both Star Wars and pop culture. So much so that when The Mandalorian revealed the Galaxy’s best Bounty Hunter escaped the Sarlaac, the Internet went nuts. Therefore, with the release of The Book of Boba Fett in December 2021, it’s only fitting that we look back on the legacy of this iconic character.
This 21 minute documentary, released for Disney+ Day 2021, tells the story of Boba Fett. From his conception and first appearance in the infamous Star Wars holiday special, to the various actor’s who’ve played him, this special’s a must-watch for Boba Fett fans.
So Much Marvel
The back half of the Disney+ Day announcements was dedicated largely to Marvel. Given how November 12th also marks the day Stan Lee died, it seems fitting. Disney’s investing a lot of money into Marvel post-Endgame, and Disney+ seems to be how it’s going to drive the franchise going forward. Case in point, Disney’s social media revealed more than a dozen upcoming MCU projects in store for Disney+. Most notable, though, was a revival of the hit 90s cartoon, X-Men: The Animated Series. Dreams really do come true.

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Jack Nicas and Cade Metz for The New York Times:
Apple has hired Google’s chief of search and artificial intelligence, John Giannandrea, a major coup in its bid to catch up to the artificial intelligence technology of its rivals.
Apple said on Tuesday that Mr. Giannandrea will run Apple’s “machine learning and A.I. strategy,” and become one of 16 executives who report directly to Apple’s chief executive, Timothy D. Cook.
“Our technology must be infused with the values we all hold dear,” Mr. Cook said Tuesday morning in an email to staff members obtained by The New York Times. “John shares our commitment to privacy and our thoughtful approach as we make computers even smarter and more personal.”
Now this is a huge hire. Apple must have ponied up big time, but I’m sure a guy like Giannandrea wouldn’t jump ship only because of money. Apple must have let on just enough about what he’s going to be working on for it to be worth it.
The note about privacy is a stark difference between how Google and Apple handle user data. The perception of Apple as lacking in AI/ML is mostly attributed to their hard privacy stances, whereas Google is more cavalier with user data. It’s going to be a hard problem for Apple and Giannandrea to solve, but all good things come with time. Apple is essentially saying we can have exceptional AI/ML and keep our privacy. That’s exactly what we need.


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Willis Group Holdings has re-launched its consumer health and wellness portal 'Winning With Willis', designed to help companies lower healthcare costs by encouraging employees to lead healthier lifestyles.
According to Willis Group, the website was launched in October 2008 as a broker-branded consumer portal. The revamped site adds new features and content, including health and wellness information from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It offers interactive tools like body mass index (BMI) calculator and monthly health challenge, using which the people can improve their health and well being, and support behavior change.
In addition, a virtual health fair is available on the website for users to access additional health websites to continue their education in healthier lifestyles.
Michael Barton, chairman of Willis human capital practice, said: “The Willis Human Capital Practice is focused on helping companies engage employees and their family members in making better decisions about nutrition and exercise. By increasing personal commitment to health and well-being, we believe we can help solve one of the greatest problems of the century – healthcare demand.”


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PARIS — As if the world didn’t already know it, Bernard Arnault is all about luxury — and he’s sticking to it.
Speaking at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s annual general meeting here Thursday, the luxury titan said the group remains committed to its strategy to move upmarket.
“Affordable luxury — these are two words that don’t go together,” the LVMH chairman and chief executive officer said, pointing to the U.S., which is “rebounding on its old dynamics and has a lot of potential for the years to come,” as well as new emerging countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, as prime players.
He said the group was working on reeducating its artisans towards more upscale products and added: “Rather than opening new stores, we are concentrating on ameliorating and enlarging existing ones, such as our Louis Vuitton flagship on Avenue Montaigne due to re-open at the end of the year.”
An exception is Sephora, part of the group’s selective retailing division, which continues “to grow strongly in all regions.” The group told shareholders that 150 new Sephora doors were planned for 2014, surpassing 2,000 units worldwide, with Indonesia and Malaysia as new entries. Plans to expand Sephora online are also in the works.
LVMH’s strategy was cheered by the stock market, which sent the group’s shares up 3.22 percent Thursday to 140.85 euros, or $180.52 at current exchange, on the Paris Bourse. In contrast, shares of Kering, LVMH’s main competitor, were down 0.2 percent at 149.65 euros, or $191.80.
Arnault’s comments came a day after LVMH reported a 4 percent increase in total sales to 7.2 billion euros, or $9.9 billion, in the quarter ending March 31, carried mostly by its flagship Louis Vuitton, which helped the group’s fashion and leather goods division climb 11 percent to 2.6 billion euros, or $3.6 billion.
“All brands delivered a good performance with the exception of cognac,” enthused chief financial officer Jean-Jacques Guiony during a conference call with analysts on Thursday, discussing the group’s first quarter in more detail.
Dollar figures are converted from euros at average exchange rates for the periods to which they refer.
During a question-and-answer session, analysts peppered LVMH executives over the secret of Louis Vuitton’s success.
“In part it is due to the consumer tax increase in Japan as of April 1,” Guiony conceded, which sparked a shopping bonanza in the region, but the cfo noted that Japan’s 32 percent spike in growth in the first quarter referred to all of the group’s businesses and brands, not just Vuitton.
“Louis Vuitton had an excellent start to the year,” he said, pointing out the brand’s new artistic director, Nicolas Ghesquière, as well as the strong performance of a range of new looks from the monogram line, such as the Montaigne, the Métis and Pallas, as most-positive factors.
The quarter was further marked by the opening of a new Fendi flagship in Munich and a Céline boutique in London, with the group vowing to expand the latter’s retail network. “[It] is smaller than the brand would deserve,” said Guiony, noting that in addition to its handbag business, “ready-to-wear and shoes could be strong contributors in the future.
“Although ready-to-wear makes up only 15 to 30 percent of the total business, it’s very important in terms of image and as a generator of traffic,” he said.
Separately, newly consolidated Loro Piana, the cashmere specialist, which the group acquired last year, delivered a “remarkable performance.”
Selective retailing — which includes Sephora — edged up 5 percent to 2.2 billion euros, or $3 billion, buoyed by “the ongoing development of tourism in Asia,” said Guiony, most notably Macau and Hong Kong, which benefited DFS.
During the same period, the watches and jewelry division remained flat at 607 million euros, or $831.71 million, while perfumes and cosmetics were up 1 percent to 941 million euros, or $1.29 billion, supported by continued strong sales of Christian Dior’s iconic perfumes, most notably J’adore, as well as by the rollout of Guerlain’s skin-care range Abeille Royale in Asia.
Geographically speaking, the U.S. market grew 5 percent, while Asia was up 4 percent, negatively impacted by the wines and spirits business. The division overall declined 8 percent to 888 million euros, or $1.2 billion, due to the slow destocking of cognac by retailers in China, the company reported.
“Without it, we would have had a double-digit growth,” said Guiony, warning that although there would be “less destocking this year,” second-quarter results were still expected to come “under pressure.”
In contrast, wines and spirits experienced a strong acceleration in the U.S., where cognac sales grew 10 percent in value, mostly due to home consumption.
Europe remained largely flat, with 1 percent growth in the first quarter, but Guiony noted: “Being slightly positive in the current environment is not bad.”
Analysts meanwhile wondered whether Louis Vuitton would be able to keep up its “creative momentum.”
Vuitton is clearly the “key profit center in the group,” noted Citigroup’s Thomas Chauvet. “However, the product is overtly branded and the group would be vulnerable to changes in consumer taste in this area.”
He also pointed out that LVMH was highly dependent on sales to tourists, which makes the group “vulnerable to geopolitical developments.”
Guiony acknowledged that Russian tourists indeed travelled less in the first three months of the year, but the Chinese continued to travel. In general, he said, “global tourism trends should play in our favor.”
Helen Norris from Barclays observed that “Chinese spending [was] up double digits in Q1 globally after midsingle-digit growth in 2013 with the new monogram line proving successful.”
She told WWD she expected “a slowdown in Q2 as the surge in Japan reverses post the excise increase. However, the underlying improvement of 1.5 percentage points from the Chinese consumer is encouraging.”
Meanwhile, the Christian Dior group, parent of LVMH, also reported a strong first quarter ending March 31, carried by “exceptional growth of Christian Dior couture.”
The group said Thursday that sales jumped 5 percent at actual exchange rates to 7.6 billion euros, or $10.4 billion, compared to the year-ago period.
Christian Dior couture was up 13 percent to 357 million euros, or $489 million.
@chanel and @pharrell dropped what’s being dubbed as the world’s most exclusive sneakers yesterday. The Adidas Originals NMD Hu, which Williams designed in collaboration with Chanel and @adidasoriginals, has a waiting list of over 120K people who pre-registered online at chanelatcolette.fr –– and only 500 pairs are on sale. The singer predicted the resale value of the shoes could reach $40K. Read the full interview on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdfashion (📷: Dominique Maître)
@imanshumpert is diving deeper into his creative endeavors and relaunching his clothing line, Post 90s, and is helping to raise money for the hurricane victims in St. Maarten with a jersey he’s designed with his brother. The Cleveland Cavaliers player talked to WWD about kneeling during the national anthem, working with fashion brands and how he wants to be more than an @nba player. Read the interview on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: George Chinese)
Not only does #TheProfit return to CNBC tonight, but @marcuslemonis has launched @shopmarcus, a new shopping and lifestyle retail experience in Aspen and Chicago, with more locations to come. The retail stores offer in-store stylists and a variety of contemporary womenswear selections.
“It’s life, I’m going to face it,” @mingxi11 sighed. “I fell, but you know, I think the most important thing is that I get back up. I had the love, the help from my sister — the girl next to me Gizele [Oliveira] — she’s so nice. When I went backstage everybody was trying to comfort me like ‘Oh Ming, it’s OK.’ I’m really, really touched. I think it’s them who gave me the courage to go back on stage for the finale,” Xi told WWD of her fall at the @victoriassecret fashion show. (📷: David Fisher) #wwdfashion #vsfashionshow #victoriassecret
@louisvuitton tapped @therealpeterlindbergh for its latest city-centric photo book, which is part of a series called Fashion Eye. The primarily black and white book captures the spirit of Berlin in 57 images shot between 1989 and 2019. “Berlin is an inspiration for me, more than a city. I mean @millajovovich is simply Berlin!” said Lindbergh. #wwdfashion
“You know, I think audiences expect a certain performance so I have to deliver to them what they’re expecting to a certain degree. But I’m also a different actor and a different person, I have my own spin on the character,” says @noahegalvin of his takeover of the leading role in “Dear Evan Hansen” following the departure of @bensplatt, who originated the role. Read WWD’s interview with the 23-year-old actor on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
For pre-fall 2018, @etro created richly-colored wonderland, using tapestries, textiles and wallpapers from the Eastern world at large. The line featured floral and graphic prints and jacquard motifs, like this two-piece look featured here. #wwdfashion (📷: Giovanna Pavesi)
@kith is moving into children’s. The men’s and women’s streetwear brand has launched Kidset, a Kith kids line located in New York at 64 Bleecker Street. The line includes mini versions of staple Kith pieces like the Astor bomber jacket and the Kith box logo sweatshirts, along with a wall that can display up to 120 pairs of shoes from @adidas, @newbalance, @timberland and more. #wwdfashion
“I just wanted to create this fully rounded character, but I do think what excited me most was just the opportunity to give a group of people representation that I feel needs it. I like to do characters in projects that stand for something and Karolina definitely does, so that was really exciting to me,” @ginnygardner says of her new role in @hulu’s “The Runaways.” Gardner plays Karolina Dean, a queer superhero, which is a rarity for @marvel. Read more about Gardner’s character on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @dandoperalski)


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According to sources, Oppo is working on its first clamshell foldable phone to go head to head against Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip lineup. If leaked details are accurate, Samsung has a reason to worry.
Chat becomes Microsoft Teams Free with build 22631.2338 (KB5030305)
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Windows 11 build 23545 fixes a number of File Explorer bugs and more
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Galaxy z flip RSS
Samsung has begun bringing One UI 3.1.1 to its older Galaxy Z phones. The update brings lots of changes to make foldable form factor phones more usable. The new Galaxy Z devices ship with this update.
Samsung's next iteration of the Galaxy Z Fold will be priced from €1,899, according to a leak. Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event is due to take place on August 11 where the pricing will be confirmed.
Samsung has permanently reduced the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 5G to $1,200 from $1,450 -- a price cut of $250. This is the same price that Samsung is also asking for the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Samsung is reportedly planning to space out the Galaxy S21 and Z Flip2's launches to avoid impacting sales of the S21 series. It reportedly also has three new foldable devices planned for 2021.
Samsung has suspended the rollout of Android 11-based One UI 3 rollout to older flagships like the S10 series and its foldable offerings due to reports of increased battery drain and app crashes.
Samsung detailed its Galaxy Z Fold2 today, but it also quietly lowered the price of the Galaxy Z Flip, a flip phone-style foldable phone that was announced earlier this year in February.
If you are looking to upgrade your mobile phone, buy a pair of Galaxy Buds, a QLED TV or a tablet, Samsung has got you covered for the next two weeks with deals on just about everything.
Microsoft's upcoming dual-screened Android device, the Surface Duo, has stopped by Geekbench. It outperforms Samsung's Snapdragon 855-equipped Galaxy Z Flip and the first-gen Fold.
Samsung has announced the 5G variant of the Galaxy Z Flip. The device is similar to its 4G sibling but comes with a powerful Snapdragon 865+ chipset and 5G connectivity, but it's more expensive.
Samsun's upcoming 5G capable Galaxy Z Flip has been listed on the Chinese certification body, TENAA, running an overclocked Snapdragon 865. The rear cameras have also seen some changes.
Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 5G version has appeared on the database of Bluetooth SIG, indicating an imminent debut. The device is also expected to be available on major U.S. network carriers.
Samsung announced today that the YouTube app has received support for the Galaxy Z Flip's Flex mode, letting users watch videos on the upper half of the screen while doing other tasks on the bottom.
Samsung could launch the Galaxy Fold 2 with 256GB of base storage in a bid to keep its price lower than the original Fold. There will also be a 512GB variant of the device for sale.
Samsung has once again had to shut down its Gumi plant in South Korea due to an employee getting infected with the coronavirus. The plant produces flagship phones like the Galaxy S20 and Z Flip.
The initial batch of the Galaxy Z Flip has sold out in the United States, Korea, Russia, Singapore, & other markets. Samsung has reportedly ramped up the production of the device to meet the demand.
With this weekend's bumper list of deals, a few items like the Galaxy S20 series and the animatronic Baby Yoda became live for pre-order, and most other deals will stay live all weekend!
Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip made some waves by being the first foldable phone to use a glass cover for the foldable display. Now, Samsung announced it's mass-producing it to sell to other companies.
The iFixit team has posted their teardown of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. In the teardown, it found the hinge's "sweeper technology" nylon fibers to perform "hilariously poorly" in repelling dust.
Internal documents show that Samsung's latest foldable clamshell smartphone comes with a dedicated shock absorption layer underneath the 'Ultra Thin Glass (UTG)' to improve durability.
Microsoft's Your Phone app now lets Samsung Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Z Flip users copy and paste content between the phones and the PC. The feature must be enabled from the Your Phone app on the PC.
It turns out the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip's ultra thin glass could just be plastic and does not offer any kind of scratch-resistance. Samsung will be running a $119 screen replacement program for it.
O2 has announced that orders for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip can be placed. Monthly contracts can be customised based on length, data, and how much you want to pay for the phone upfront.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip pre-orders went live today in the United States and South Korea and it seems to be in high demand. In Korea, the Z Flip sold out in 30 minutes across certain stores.
Google intends to make the Galaxy Z Flip's Flex mode, which splits an app's UI across two 4-inch screens, available to other Android OEMs. Samsung worked with Google to develop this feature.
Samsung announced its latest foldable smartphone at Galaxy Unpacked today. The Galaxy Z Flip is more of a foldable flip phone than anything else, and it's actually a pretty cool device.
Samsung has announced its second foldable device, the Galaxy Z Flip at Unpacked 2020. It packs a 6.7-inch Infinity Flex Display and its the world's first phone to come with a foldable cover glass.
Samsung is set to announce the Galaxy S20, Galaxy Z Flip, and the Galaxy Buds+ at an Unpacked event on February 11. Here is how you can watch the Korean company announce the devices live.
Samsung is yet to announce the Galaxy Z Fold officially and yet it went ahead and ran a full-blown teaser ad for the device during the Academy Awards 2020. The ad showed the device from all angles.
Samsung announced its quarterly earnings today, posting KRW 59.88 trillion in revenue, a slight decline QoQ. The report also added that the firm aims to release more foldable phone designs in 2020.
Samsung's upcoming foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip, might employ small rubber bumpers on the bottom bezel to protect the display. These likely soften forces on the display when the device is shut.
One of the devices that Samsung is expected to unveil at Galaxy Unpacked next month is the Galaxy Z Flip, and the device has now been leaked with images, a full spec sheet, and more.
More details about the pricing and availability of Galaxy S20 series, Galaxy Z Flip, and the Galaxy Buds+ have leaked ahead of their official announcement at Samsung's Unpacked event next month.
Despite the Galaxy S20 featuring a 120Hz display, Samsung intends to set the refresh rate to 60Hz out of the box. Another leak points to the Galaxy S20 Ultra featuring a stainless steel chassis.
Samsung is working on integrating Google Duo with its Messages app allowing users to seamlessly start Duo video calls from within the app. It plans to use RCS for free data up to 5MB for such calls.
The Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung's second foldable device due to be announced alongside the Galaxy S20, will reportedly feature an ultra-thin glass with a protective plastic layer on top of the display.


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We're all guilty of a little social media stalking now and again. Or ... every day. Who's keeping track? Everyone secretly wants to know what their ex/arch nemesis is doing for the weekend via Snapchat or Instagram Stories.
I don't think curiosity killed the proverbial cat; it just ensured she was more informed about the mouse's activities. So, if you're a nosy individual like me, there's some good news because Instagram is now testing Location Stickers.
This means you can see what random people are up to and where they are. A user's specific location sticker will be tagged alongside a slew of other posters who have visited the same place. Users can then visit that business/company's Instagram page and watch a slideshow Story from strangers you've never met.
Instagram's previous Location pages showed transitory tagged posts but now it has a full-blown location story feature. Clearly, the company is utilizing its permanent content, which gives it a distinct advantage over Snapchat.
The closest Evan Spiegel's company have come to this is testing a Stories Search option, a real-time database which shows what's going on everywhere and anywhere. In doing so, Snapchat ensured that some user content is no longer limited to 24 hours, which I thought, was the entire point of the app.
Instagram's VP of Product Kevin Weil more or less confirmed that this new feature was being tested (and was heavily influenced by Spiegel's brainchild) this week:
If we're being honest with ourselves, this is the way the tech industry works and frankly, it's how all industries work. Good ideas start in one place, and they spread across the entire industry. Kudos to Snapchat for being the first to Stories, but it's a format and it's going to be adopted widely across a lot of different platforms.
... Adopted, and improved, as evidenced by Instagram's latest feature. Another innovation exhibited by the social network were hashtag stickers, which could potentially lead to Hashtag Stories?
Location Stories present a prime opportunity for user creativity and also generating revenue for Instagram via strategic ad placement and story curation. However, offensive content is going to pose a problem when you're exposed to strangers' posts.
This isn't good news for Snapchat, which is already floundering due to decreasing downloads, among other problems.
Coupled with the advent of AR selfies on Instagram, the Facebook-owned photo platform has basically duplicated all of Snapchat's best features. So, what's the point in Snapchat's continued existence when Instagram has all the goods and more? Only time will tell.
Keep Your Connection Secure Without a Monthly Bill. Get a lifetime subscription to VPN Unlimited for all your devices with a one-time purchase from the new Gadget Hacks Shop, and watch Hulu or Netflix without regional restrictions, increase security when browsing on public networks, and more.
Other worthwhile deals to check out:


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FuseChicken.com | $30: Accessory maker Fuse Chicken has created this unusual snake charmer of an iPhone stand that attaches Apple's smartphone (including the new 5S and 5C) to a sturdy, bendable USB
cable that can power up a phone when connected to a computer or hold it upright. The flexible cable, which was originally funded on Kickstarter, also includes a car kit.
nendo.jp/en | $79: Created by Japan's Nendo studio, the sleek headset, named after the French word for ballpoint pen, takes a different, more modern approach to the typical Bluetooth headset: It's slim,
lightweight and comfortable to wear. The Stylo is available in six colors and can be purchased online from a variety of e-tailers.
bunkr.me | free: The PowerPoint presentation just became a breeze to create using the Web-based Bunkr app, which easily integrates images, videos, articles, notes, quotes and website links through a collectible database that resembles Pinterest. Google Images and YouTube videos also can be searched via the app, and added to presentations, which can be exported to PDF or PPT.
Room77.com | free: For those looking for a deal on a hotel room, Room 77 takes some of the pain out of searching. Results are well priced for major properties, and similar rooms offered through rival sites are also featured, along with room details like square footage, bed type, proximity to the elevator and "Room View," showing what's outside using Google Earth.
Blackberry.com | price not yet announced: Maybe the fourth time's the charm for BlackBerry?
The company's revealed the BlackBerry Z30 smartphone, which boasts a five-inch screen (the company's largest), impressive speakers and battery life (25 hours of mixed use), with a faster processor powering an updated operating system.
The keyboard is now virtual, but with few smartphones on the market featuring a physical qwerty keyboard, buttons to press are less of a demand these days.
BlackBerry's Q10 failed to excite when it was released in April, seeing little to no demand. But the Z30, Blackberry's new flagship phone, is worth considering.
It's the fourth phone BlackBerry has launched this year, including the Z10, Q10 and the cheaper Q5, all powered by the new BlackBerry 10 operating system — and many consider the devices a last-ditch effort to save the company before splitting up its divisions, including its messenger service.
The new phone features an attractive design and powerful processor. But to succeed, it will need to steal some attention away from Apple's, Samsung's, HTC's and Nokia's new handsets, and unfortunately for BlackBerry, those companies have deeper pockets for marketing campaigns.
Customers in the U.S. will have to wait for the Z30, which is being rolled out in the U.K. and the Middle East before hitting more markets this fall. That assumes that BlackBerry stays in business; last week it announced it would lay off 40% of its workforce.


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April 11, 2012 | By Jim Ghiglieri
The financial industry has become its own worst enemy where fees – even nominal ones charged for exceptional products and services – are concerned.
October 13, 2011 | By Dan Kramer
Now is the perfect time to encourage members to use PIN transactions whenever possible.
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Business drivers on temporary job contracts or awaiting delivery of permanent cars are to get the chance to sample the new Toyota Avensis if their employers are clients of Inchcape Fleet Solutions. The contract-hire company took on 50 of the cars at the start of May for use on its “pre-contract” fleet.
Forty are 1.8 T2 petrol five-doors and the remainder 2.0 D-4D T2 Tourers. Portsmouth-based Inchcape Fleet Solutions has taken them on for 12 months in a deal funded by Toyota Financial Services.
“This is a brand new model launched into a very important sector of the company-car market,” says Andy Brown, Inchcape Fleet Solutions’ Operations Director. “We like to provide our drivers with the latest models if they need a car on a pre-contract basis.”
The vehicles are the first Toyotas on Inchcape’s 230-strong pre-contract fleet, although the marque is well-represented in its main fleet of around 40,000 vehicles. Pre-contract cars are leased out where there is a long lead-time on delivery of an ordered car – usually for a period of at least a month – or for between three and six months for those drivers on short-term job contracts.
“This gives the drivers a good opportunity to experience the benefits of the Avensis,” says Andy. “As the cars will be with us for a year, they should get good exposure among our corporate customer base.”
From September, Inchcape Fleet Solutions is set to run the back office of Toyota Financial Services’ own contract-hire service, “so this is all part of developing a strong partnership with Toyota,” says Andy Brown. And he paid tribute to Toyota Financial Services who have also funded the Avensis Pre-contract cars: “I find them very helpful – and they’re very knowledgeable people. We have a relationship that’s working exceptionally well.


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Amazon to Woot it Up
one item per day at discount
price, announced yesterday that
it had agreed to be acquired
The company, which will continue to operate from its headquarters
in Carollton, TX, follows previous acquisitions, including Audible.com and
Zappos, that Amazon has pretty much left to run on their own.
In his usual tongue-in-cheek style, CEO Matt Rutledge wrote to his employees, “We
plan to continue to run Woot the way we have always run Woot — with a wall
of ideas and a dartboard. From a practical point of view, it will be as if
we are simply adding one person to the organizational hierarchy, except that
one person will just happen to be a billion-dollar company that could buy and
sell each and every one of you like you were office furniture.”
In a similar vein, Mr. Rutledge added, “We
think now is the right time to join with Amazon because, quite simply, every
company that becomes a subsidiary gets two free downloads until the end of
July, and we very much need that new thing with Trent Reznor’s wife on
Woot is a combination online store and community site that
focuses on selling a single item a day at cheap prices. It originally started
out in 2004 as “an
employee-store slash market-testing type of place for an electronics distributor,” but
eventually became a viable retail business on its own. The company also operates
other sites, including kids.woot, shirt.woot, sellout.woot and wine.woot.
of the deal were not disclosed.
Discussion Questions: What do you think Amazon is looking to gain with
its purchase of Woot? Do you see aspects of the Woot model that you believe
would apply to other areas of Amazon’s business?
[Editor’s Note] In what is probably a happy coincidence, Woot is selling an Amazon Kindle with 6″ screen for $149 ($5 shipping) today. The same item on Amazon goes for $189 (free shipping).
- Amazon, Woot, and
You: But Mostly Woot – Woot
- Woot FAQ: a discussion of ill-advised efficiencies, failed idealism, and trampled
dreams. – Woot


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Italian rapper Fabio Rovazzi has been revealed as the actor behind the next Call of Duty Warzone operator, Morte.
Morte will be added to the free-to-play shooter on Tuesday, September 8 and is described as a former member of the Italian special forces who is portrayed in-game with “an Old-West inspired look that reflects his passion for Italian-Western movies.”
In a behind-the-scenes video published by Rovazzi on Monday, the rapper explains that his role in Warzone emerged after he met Infinity Ward’s Italian technical artist Bernardo Antoniazzi at a science fiction convention.
“Being a character in Call of Duty has always been a secret and impossible dream of mine,” Rovazzi said in a statement, “and there are no words to describe the excitement of the opportunity to give my voice and my appearance to an operator.
“I also love the character tribute to the Italian Western tradition. When I think that millions of players will be able to play with my character, I feel flattered and satisfied beyond imagination.”
Morte will be available to purchase via his own Store Bundle arriving tomorrow in the Modern Warfare and Warzone store.
A Call of Duty Warzone update released over the weekend has temporarily removed all vehicles from the game following the discovery of a game-breaking glitch.
Call of Duty Warzone Season 6 looks set to add a subway network to the Verdansk map.
Warzone Season 6 is due to start at the end of September, ahead of the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War in November.
Black Ops Cold War includes shared progression with Warzone, adding inventory items that can be used in both games. Plus, Warzone players will still have access to Modern Warfare content they earned previously, like Operators and weapon blueprints.
As previously reported by VGC, a Black Ops-themed Warzone map revamp is in the works.


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Deciding to invest in a new POS and platform is a big decision for any retailer. Whether you’re changing solutions or investing in a cloud-native POS system for the first time, we’ve put together the top questions you should be asking potential vendors.
Jens Levin, CEO and co-found of Sitoo, sat down with Rod Kilgour, CIO at Tiger of Sweden, to share their view on how to assemble the right pieces of the retail puzzle.
Improving in-store technology has fast become a top priority for the industry as retailers across the globe race to get ready for life in a post-pandemic world. This is why more retailers than ever are embracing mobile point of sale (mPOS) technology.
Unified commerce is one of the hottest retail topics on the planet right now and has quickly become a priority for global retailers after the pandemic forced a dramatic acceleration of digitalization within the industry.
Popular opinion would have you believe the events of 2020 have finally delivered the knockout blow to physical retail. The good news is nothing could be further from the truth.
2021 is here and - like every year - retailers around the world are striving to improve efficiency, increase productivity and reduce costs.
Could 2021 be the year of retail transformation? This was the question posed to a group of retail experts in a webinar roundtable discussion we held in partnership with Quinyx, Concrete, and RetailNext.
The holiday season is nearly upon us and, with the right tools and strategies in place, it’s a chance for retailers to end the rollercoaster year of 2020 on a high.
2020 has seen digital transformation in retail accelerate exponentially. Frankly, it’s been a long time coming.
In times of uncertainty, we tend to turn to the familiar. Influencers speak for consumers and, in turn, consumers turn to influencers for guidance, reassurance, help, inspiration, and everything in between.
Retailers around the globe are welcoming customers back as all stores are allowed to reopen after being shuttered for months.
It’s no secret shopping habits change all the time. Consumer behaviour evolves and adapts. New technology, new ways of shopping, and new wants and needs all combine to shape shopping habits.
CV-19 has presented a unique set of challenges to retailers across the world but, among the turmoil, there’s opportunity.
One of the biggest challenges facing retailers right now is the huge volume of stock, many of them have gathering dust in warehouses and back up their distribution supply chain.
The Renaissance was a fervent period of cultural, artistic, political and economic “rebirth” and inspired a new confidence in the possibilities of human thought and creations after a period of challenging times.
We’re in the midst of the biggest global peace-time crisis and every sector has been hit hard by the spread of Covid-19.
EuroShop is the Retail event of the year in Europe. This year, 2300 exhibitors from 57 nations came to the Messe in Düsseldorf. Did you miss out on EuroShop? No worries. We’ve got you covered with the top three takeaways.
Retailers no longer need to be convinced omnichannel is the path to increased profitability. Let’s face it, omnichannel in it’s different forms has been around for years. So why are countless retailers still getting it wrong?
In order to be successful - and deliver an exceptional customer experience - one of the most important aspects retailers have to get right is inventory management.
It's one of our favourite events and a highlight in the retail calendar - this year was no different as NRF 2020 showcased the brightest ideas on the planet that are helping to transform retail and meet the evolving needs of the consumer and how they shop.
As we step into 2020, retailers the world over face a unique set of challenges. But what do these challenges look like and how are they shaping the future of retail?


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A world-first auction will allow cryptocurrency enthusiasts to purchase a stunning beachside home in Australia with Bitcoin or Binance Token (BNB).
The property at 1 Beech Lane, Casuarina, New South Wales, will be up for grabs in what’s been billed as an “international live property auction using cryptocurrency” next month.
An advertisement on Australia’s main Real Estate website says “the world’s first live property auction using cryptocurrency (will be) streaming from onsite around the world.”
“(We will be) accepting Bitcoin & Binance Coin and utilising a borderless payment system.
“The future is here – this onsite auction will be conducted by James Pratt Auctions … Register Now!”
The advertisement has been shared widely, after a link was tweeted by Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) to his 296,000 followers.
— CZ Binance (@cz_binance) March 11, 2019
According to the advertisement, the unique-looking residence “sets new benchmarks in design excellence, innovative engineering and ultimate liveability.”
“Aptly titled ‘The Jetsons,’ this stunning beachfront residence draws inspiration from Googie Architecture, the exaggerated and once-futuristic style, where buildings are defined by geometric shapes and bold use of glass, concrete and steel,” the advertisement says.
Daly Kelly was selling his seaside apartment in Darwin for AU$600,000, or the equivalent in Bitcoin – approximately 127 BTC based on current prices.
“I’m mainly selling in Bitcoin because I think the price at the moment, in my view, is pretty low compared to what it could reach in the next five years,” he told Micky.
“I’m in for the long haul, I guess you’d say, I don’t ride the waves up and down of joy and heartache.”


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MILAN, Sept 29 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Tod’s (TOD.MI) founder Diego Della Valle is seeking to delist his bling shoemaker on the cheap. The Italian tycoon on Monday launched a takeover bid at 40 euros a share for the company he controls with a 65% stake. The bid, which offers a skimpy 20% premium and matches Tod’s 2000 listing price, looks a bit opportunistic. Economic uncertainties linked to the Ukrainian war had dragged the Italian high-end group’s shares down 35% this year before the offer came along.
Investor Tabor Asset Management believes that, taken separately, the Italian group’s brands warrant an offer of at least 76 euros a share. That’s probably ambitious. But the argument has merit. Assuming total revenue growth of 7% in 2023, pricey pumps maker Roger Vivier could be worth 1 billion euros at Prada’s 4 times sales multiple. And the Tod’s brand itself could be worth the same if valued on a par with Salvatore Ferragamo’s (SFER.MI) 1.9 times revenue multiple. Weaker players Fay and Hogan could jointly fetch some 500 million euros if valued at a cross between Ferragamo and H&M’s (HMb.ST) valuations. That would push the price tag to 60 euros a share, 50% above the current offer, Breakingviews calculations show. With so much hidden value to reap, Della Valle can probably afford to be a tad more generous. (By Lisa Jucca)
Follow @Breakingviews on Twitter
(The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are their own.)
Capital Calls - More concise insights on global finance:
Beijing’s property bandage fails to staunch blood read more
Singapore air cargo deal elevates its hub status read more
Apple tests idea of discretionary spending read more
Blackstone’s Schwarzman kickstarts UK asset grab read more
EasyJet gives carbon offset reform a handy shove read more
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Earlier today, Cook was asked for his thoughts about virtual reality storytelling in an interview with Good Morning America.
"There's virtual reality and then there's augmented reality," Cook replied. "Both of these are incredibly interesting, but my own view is that augmented reality is the larger of the two, probably by far. "[Augmented reality] gives us the capability for both of us to sit and be very present, talking to each other, but also have something visually for both of us to see."
This isn't the first time Cook has spoken about augmented reality and virtual reality, or AR and VR. In August, he revealed that Apple is doing a "lot of things" with augmented reality. This revelation came weeks after he confirmed the company was investing in the tech.
Cook wasn't completely dismissive of VR today, though. "Virtually reality closes and immerses the person into an experience that can be really cool but probably has a lower commercial interest," he said. "But there's some very cool areas for education and gaming that we have a lot of interest in."
Doubling down on AR
Cook has been on a bit of a AR-hint dropping tear this year, revealing on Apple's last earnings call the company is very much interested in the mixed-reality tech.
"We are high on AR for the long run," Cook said in July. "We think there's great things for customers and a great commercial opportunity. So we're investing."
Cook cited the massive success of Pokémon Go as "incredible," bringing the use of AR into the mainstream. The mobile game has exceeded more than half a billion downloads, and Apple gave its developer, Niantic, center stage during its iPhone 7 launch event to show off the game running on the Apple Watch. The mobile game will eventually come to Google's Android Wear smartwatch platform as well.
Apple reportedly put together a team of experts to work on its augmented and virtual reality initiatives, according to a Financial Times from the beginning of this year. This news broke after Apple confirmed is acquisition of Flyby Media, a startup that helped Google develop is Project Tango 3D-mapping technology.
Despite all the smoke, it's unclear what product Apple will actually create that will incorporate augmented reality. Will it make a headset, like the Microsoft Hololens? Or, perhaps Apple will create an AR experience that won't require a headset at all.
Many would argue Apple has been in a rut lately, only offering incremental updates to its products, like the iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2. With AR on the horizon, Apple may finally wow us again with "one more thing."
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Confectioners unveil calorie reduction pledge
Confectionery giants Mars Chocolate, Wrigley, Nestlé USA, Ferrero and Lindt have pledged to offer consumers more products in smaller packages with clear calorie labels.
By 2022, the companies, which also include Ghirardelli, Russell Stover and Ferrara Candy Company, say half of their individually wrapped products will be available in sizes that contain 200 calories or less per pack.
Currently more than 60% of the companies’ individually wrapped products contain less than 250 calories per pack. However, in the next few years, consumers will see more options in smaller sizes – and innovative new products. In addition, 90% of their best selling products will have calorie information printed on the front of the pack.
Progress of the commitment, which was announced at the Partnership for a Healthier America Building a Healthier Future Summit, will be monitored and reported by PHA in conjunction with policy research organisation called Hudson Institute.
“Chocolate and candy have always been a treat, and this is a big commitment by the participating companies to keep it that way,” says John Downs, president & CEO of the National Confectioners Association.
He adds, “Over the next five years, the participating chocolate and candy companies will help consumers better understand the unique role that confections can play in a happy, balanced lifestyle,” says Downs. “As we focus and leverage the companies’ expertise in marketing, innovation, and distribution, our goal is to reinforce for consumers that chocolate and candy are treats.”


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WASHINGTON — President Bush and Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong signed a bilateral free-trade agreement Tuesday, bringing to a close more than two years of negotiations that began in the Clinton administration, and setting the stage for a...
WASHINGTON — President Bush and Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong signed a bilateral free-trade agreement Tuesday, bringing to a close more than two years of negotiations that began in the Clinton administration, and setting the stage for a vote on Capitol Hill.
It is the first trade agreement signed by the Bush administration. Singapore now joins Canada, Mexico, Israel and Jordan as U.S. free-trade partners.
"The agreement that the Prime Minister and I signed today is the first of its kind between the United States and an Asian Pacific country," Bush said in a White House transcript of the ceremony, noting that the agreement will help Singapore — America’s 12th largest trading partner — as well as the U.S
Goh called the FTA ambitious and comprehensive.
"It removes barriers in the goods and services trade, and in investments," he said. "It breaks new ground in emerging areas like e-commerce and it also establishes high standards in intellectual property, transparency and customs."
After today’s signing, the president has 60 days to notify Congress of what federal legislation must be amended or enacted in order to implement the trade legislation. The President will then submit implementing legislation to both the House and Senate, which have a set time to vote on the bill.
Under the President’s trade promotion authority, Congress can only vote up or down on the trade deal and cannot make any changes to it. The trade agreement is expected to pass both the House and Senate without much opposition.
Industry groups voiced strong opposition, however, when the negotiations concluded. The bill contains a strict yarn-forward rule of origin, which requires apparel to be made of yarn and fabric sourced within the free-trade area.
To the surprise of some domestic industry groups, the pact also contains tariff preference level provisions, which will allow Singapore to use a certain amount of cotton and man-made fiber from any country in the world and still receive the trade breaks.
Under the terms of the TPL provision of the agreement, 25 million square meters equivalent of cotton and man-made fiber from any country can be used in apparel production in Singapore in the first year. However, the 25 million SME will be phased out in equal increments over eight years.In addition, duties on the 25 million SME will be phased out over five of the eight years so that in the first-year duties on apparel entering the U.S. made of third-country components will be reduced to 80 percent. By the fifth year, these goods will be able to enter the U.S. duty-free.
Meanwhile, duties on apparel that is made in Singapore with U.S. yarn and fabric will be dropped immediately. The same would hold true if Singapore made fabric and yarn, though the country does not have a well-developed textile industry.
"We are very disappointed in the rule of origin in the Singapore FTA," said Julia Hughes, vice president of international trade at the U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles & Apparel. "It is very restrictive and will limit the ability to attract new business to Singapore."
"We have always had free access to the Singapore market," said Charles Bremer, vice president of international trade at the American Textile Manufacturers Institute. "There is nothing in this agreement for the domestic textile industry."
Jock Nash, Washington trade counsel for Milliken & Co., said the TPLs were "not necessary or warranted."
"This is just a little island nation that is three times as big as Washington, D.C., so that is not a problem," Nash said. "But the agreement establishes an awful precedence for TPLs, although they do go away over time."
EXCLUSIVE: @tomford is opening its first-ever beauty store. The boutique, which opens November 20 in London’s Covent Gardens, was designed with the over-the-top glam Ford is known for. Read the full story on WWD.com, link in bio. #wwdbeauty #wwdnews (📷: Simon Wagner) #TomFordBeauty
New York-based DJ @harleyvnewton threw a party to celebrate the holiday collection of her dress and pajama line @hvn at the Ladurée Beverly Hills. It Girls @katebosworth, @rashidajones and more joined in on the fun, which included cocktails, croque monsieur sandwiches and a photo booth. #wwdfashion (📷: Owen Kolasinski/BFA.com)
For the holidays, @Burberry partnered with 20-year-old artist @blondeymccoy on a series of three outdoor murals in downtown Manhattan. The murals are McCoy’s interpretation of a Christmas eve party, the idea of charity and the spirit of family. His third mural, pictured here, is the most personal. The image depicts McCoy’s grandparents and father in London’s Trafalgar Square in the Seventies. “My work often features lots of sentimental objects.” #wwdeye
For spring 2018, designers applied bold colors and cartoonish motifs on everything from sneakers and belts to key chains. See all the top men’s accessories trends on WWD.com. #wwdtrends (📷: George Chinsee; Prop Styling by @rnasti; Market Editor: @luiscampuzano)
The @dior-sponsored @guggenheim international gala pre-party has a history of drawing cool-girl musical acts to serenade the crowd –– and last night was no exception. @haimtheband performed songs both new and old, and lured a star-studded audience with the likes of Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Mamoudou Athie and more. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)
In a partnership between the @metopera and the @englishnationalopera, “Marnie” was born. The opera, with costumes sponsored by @mrporterlive, is an adaptation of the 1961 thriller by Winston Graham. Arianne Phillips, who created the costumes, is no rookie: She’s styled Madonna for her tours and created costumes for a myriad of films in the past. Read WWD’s interview with Phillips, where she talks about her inspiration for the opera’s costumes on WWD.com #wwdfashion
@barneysnyc took a different approach to their holiday windows this year. Instead of Christmas decor, Barneys tapped @thehaasbrothers to tell a story of positivity, gratitude and inclusivity via heartwarming silliness and humor. “It’s about kids and it’s about coming together and being family and loving each other,” said Simon Haas. #wwdfashion (📷: @joshuascottphoto)
Beauty influencer @kandeejohnson makes her foray into hair care with a collaboration with @ogx_beauty — making it the first time that OGX has teamed up for a product creation. The collab includes shampoos and conditioners in three scents. At 39 and a mom, Johnson is a different profile than the emerging social media stars, but is considered one of the pioneers of the digital beauty influencer world. Read WWD’s interview with her on wwd.com, including the strangest beauty product she’s ever tried #wwdbeauty


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In Germany, price inflation at the manufacturer level has weakened for the fourth time in a row, albeit from a high level. According to preliminary figures, producer prices fell by 1.0 percent in January compared to December 2022, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden.
Year-on-year, producer prices rose by 17.8 percent compared to January 2022. In August and September, the prices manufacturers receive for their goods rose at a record rate of 45.8 percent each. Since then, inflation has been declining.
The statisticians qualified that the results with regard to the electricity and gas prices are provisional. The background is the price brake for electricity and gas that has been in force since January, which will only be implemented from March. The price indices could therefore initially only be calculated for the reporting months of January and February without taking into account the electricity and gas price brake. The results will be updated in March.
Energy and food significantly more expensive than a year ago
Energy prices are still the main driver of the movements. Year-on-year, they are still 32.9 percent higher, but they are down 5.0 percent from the previous month. Without energy, producer prices would have risen by 10.7 percent year-on-year and thus less than with energy. In addition to energy, food and various intermediate goods were significantly more expensive than a year ago.
Producer prices capture producer-level price pressure by reflecting producer selling prices. The development is also having an impact on consumer prices, on which the European Central Bank (ECB) bases its monetary policy. In view of the high inflation, the ECB has, after some hesitation, raised its key interest rate significantly. The central bank intends to stick to this course for the time being.


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The latest version of the World Payments Report has been released today, payment firms are being pushed rapidly into transformation, even as they handle larger transaction volumes, face increased competition... more
The post World Payments Report 2020: COVID-19 drives transformation appeared first on Payments Cards & Mobile.
Last year the European Central Bank said that it welcomed the European Payments Initiative (EPI), an initiative by some of Europe’s top banks to explore the development of a “rival... more
The post Europe is building EPI – an alternative to Visa and Mastercard – might it work? appeared first on Payments Cards & Mobile.
A new study has found that the value of transactions processed by smart checkout technologies, where the fixed checkout process is replaced by a frictionless model, will reach $387 billion... more
The post Smart checkout technologies to process $387 billion in transactions appeared first on Payments Cards & Mobile.
Today, we launch a major new study into the future of global retail and digital banking and the digital revolution. A Whole New World: Banking’s Digital Future states that by... more
Payvision, a global FinTech and omnichannel payments provider, announced today that it has appointed Andre Valkenburg as its new CEO. Andre brings more than 20 years of experience in the... more


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By Nick Caley, VP of UK and Ireland at ForgeRock, shares three steps regulators can take to keep the consumer experience at heart.
When searching for emblems of consumer-centric financial innovation, one need look no further than UK Open Banking. With a core aim of better serving customer interests when interacting with financial entities, many countries are watching for the UK to pave the way for Open Banking worldwide.
The Open Banking Implementation Entity , brought into being by the Competition and Markets Authority following its investigation into the UK retail banking sector, has accumulated an impressive 700 market participants and exists as a point of envy for other industries. Now though the OBIE is being phased out, and there is no certain future entity with which to replace it. The future of the regulatory regime underpinning UK Open Banking has become less clear.
The CMA notes: “Although the core elements of open banking are now in place… it is not inevitable that it will continue on the same trajectory”. The nature of the entity that follows OBIE matters to other industries and countries – as an exemplar – just as much as it matters for the UK financial services industry itself. There is a great onus on the CMA, the body overseeing the implementation of this new body, to set the space up for future success. Here I share three considerations which should help guide their thinking.
Regulators must grow with Open Banking
Regulatory oversight has played a key role in the development of Open Banking from the very beginning of its existence. Most importantly, the OBIE has ensured that the banks in the UK subject to the CMA Retail Banking Market Investigation Order , the so-called CMA9, have acted in accordance with the interests of Open Banking.
However, the last 18 months have seen profound change within the ecosystem, accelerated by the pandemic. Both the state of consumers’ finances and their spending behaviour have shifted. And, according to OBIE, Open Banking monthly active user numbers have doubled, presumably as people start paying closer attention to their finances. The demand for greater financial transparency and control has never been greater.
This stark rise in demand for Open Banking suggests the needs of the ecosystem could outgrow the original vision of the Order. This poses a potential problem, because regulatory oversight of the OBIE and CMA9 is tied to the monitoring and enforcement of the Order itself. The CMA must therefore ensure that the OBIE’s successor is not separated from their oversight, which is a real threat under UK Finance’s current transitional proposal. The CMA must remain involved to ensure the future entity moves with the same intent as the Order that kickstarted the ecosystem in the first place.
The future entity’s horizons must be wider than Open Banking
Looking more closely into this recent growth of Open Banking participants, a McKinsey report highlighted that one of the largest cohorts of new users is tech-savvy professionals. These consumers are unsurprisingly one of the loudest voices calling for greater financial control and transparency – and this demand does not stop at banking but applies to their entire financial landscape: mortgages, pensions, credit, and more. If consumer interest is truly at the centre of the movement, this wide-ranging application of ‘Open’ principles – in other words, Open Finance – should be the natural destination of the Open Banking journey.
There are many benefits of incorporating Open Finance into the future aims of the new implementation body. Firstly, it would protect and extend the UK’s leadership position in the space . Secondly, it would deliver tangible benefits for consumers. They would be able to engage more meaningfully with their personal financial landscape through a range of secure, trustworthy and user-friendly third parties. That can only be a good thing.
Regulators must listen to the concerns of stakeholders
One of the major centres of support for the expansion of Open Banking into the realm of Open Finance is the UK fintech sector. It’s another example of a space where Britain is leading globally – and the sector knows that that success has been built on providing innovative solutions for consumers and creating modern financial products fit for an increasingly digital-first landscape.
It’s no surprise then that fintech firms recently hit back at proposals for Open Finance to be located within a subordinate ‘Open Futures board’ of the future entity’s structure. UK Finance had proposed this set-up with the intention of avoiding a questionably defined ‘conflict of interest’, but fintech trade body Innovate Finance have called this proposal “too narrow”. They argue that Open Finance should exist as the “overarching aim” of the future entity.
If Open Finance is subordinated, its development out of Open Banking will inevitably be stunted. It will also prevent existing stakeholders, such as the fintech sector, from widening their lens to consider the benefit of consumer welfare more generally.
There’s no doubt that the move from the OBIE to whatever comes next will be a turning point for Open Banking – in the UK and by extension globally. But by being forward focused, ambitious and – so to speak – open, there is the potential to make it a positive move for consumers and industry alike.


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Toronto BBQ restaurant, Adamson BBQ grew to notoriety last fall when its owner, Adam Skelly, chose to defy lockdown orders and keep its Etobicoke location remain open when indoor and outdoor dining was banned. Now, it seems that karma has come back to bite the BBQ chain because a letter posted outside its Aurora outpost reads that the landlord has changed the locks as Skelly owes nearly 50K in unpaid rent.
The location is situated at 15195 Yonge Street near Wellington and it’s just under an hour outside Toronto. The notice was posted by a bailiff company on behalf of landlords Soscia Investments Inc. and it says that Skelly has five days to pay the overdue rent amounts or risk losing the goods and equipment on the premises.
A copy of the notice was posted on Google Reviews by an unsatisfied customer who also shared that while he’s a fan of the food served, he visited the location 3 times and each time the restaurant had run out of food and the fourth visit he found the notice posted to the door. Safe to say that Adamson BBQ has certainly seen better days.
There’s been no recourse on social media from Skelly or comments from Adamson BBQ which is a bit strange considering he’s been very vocal about the “injustice” he’s faced by being charged under the Lockdown Order. Currently, he’s working on appealing the court rejection of his case which argues that by imposing stringent lockdown measures, the government suspended constitutional rights of residents and businesses without basis.
Featured Image: @mayoriainlovatt


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Solectria Renewables, a U.S.-based PV inverter manufacturer, and Japan-based Yaskawa Electric Corp. have reached a definitive agreement whereby Yaskawa Electric will acquire Solectria Renewables through its U.S. subsidiary, Yaskawa America Inc. Under the deal, Solectria Renewables will continue to operate as a wholly owned subsidiary. Financial details were not disclosed.
Headquartered in Lawrence, Mass., Solectria Renewables makes PV inverters for residential, commercial and utility-scale power systems and employs over 170 people throughout the U.S. Meanwhile, Yaskawa Electric is a $3.6 billion global factory automation solutions company that has also established a position in the low-power PV inverter market in Japan.
The parties say the acquisition will benefit Yaskawa and Solectria customers alike. Yaskawa will bring scale, global sales and manufacturing facilities, as well as diversification, to Solectria. Likewise, Solectria will bring over 25 years of power electronics experience, 10 dedicated to the PV industry, and knowledge of medium- and high-voltage PV products to Yaskawa.
"While this is a significant step for Solectria, I am even more thrilled about what this means for our customers," says James Worden, CEO of Solectria Renewables." They will have the same management team and personal interaction they are accustomed to, with the advantage of a powerful diversified global partner. Our entire team should feel incredibly proud about we have built over the past 10 years, but the best is yet to come."


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What's going on?
Twitter, the social network of choice for popes and presidents, had its first-ever period of profitability last quarter, it said on Thursday. Impressed investors buying the stock initially pushed its value up over 20%, before it eventually settled up more than 12% on the day. (tweet this)
What does this mean?
After years of flagging growth, and a couple of flirtations with suitors that turned out to be damp squibs, 2017 was the beginning of a turnaround for Twitter, which helped the stock regain some composure. But investors really wanted to see increased revenue (i.e. advertising income) before getting too optimistic. On Thursday Twitter delivered, posting its first revenue growth in a year – and even a small profit. The credit, apparently, goes to an overhaul of its platform, including the introduction of a powerfully personalized news feed. That’s improved user engagement and, consequently, made Twitter more appealing to advertisers.
Why should I care?
For markets: Profitability may prove fleeting.
Twitter’s CEO cautioned that costs may rise in 2018, as the company invests in tackling the protean scourge of spam, fake accounts and abuse for which it has become notorious. But investors will likely put up with meager profits if Twitter can reinvigorate its user growth (which stalled this quarter) – and, importantly, further increase the engagement of its current users.
The bigger picture: The future will be live-streamed – and expensive.
The CEO pointed to new online video features and trials of “programmatic” (i.e. computer-personalized) advertising as helping Twitter achieve revenue growth of 2% versus the same period a year ago – although income was down by 8% in the US. Live-streaming of sports and news content is seen by many of the big online platforms as being key to attracting more advertising revenue (users interact more with video-based ads). But with broadcasting deals worth tens of millions of dollars, there’s a risk that Twitter may continue to find itself outbid by deep-pocketed rivals.


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Marijuana has only been legalized in some U.S. states. But the industry is growing like a profitable weed, with legal cannabis sales projected to reach over $11 billion by 2019. Could the Netherlands follow this lead and become the first E.U. country to legalize cannabis?
The North American Marijuana Index, a stock index that tracks the top performing cannabis stocks in the U.S. and Canada, increased 18% in January.
The New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program started 2018 on a high note, with the most enrolled patients it has ever had. As the month of January came to an end, the program had 47,840 registered patients, a nearly 50% increase from January 2017.
Oregon’s cannabis market has been scrutinized over the past year and with the recent release of a state cannabis audit, scrutiny of the state’s cannabis tracking and licensing systems has intensified.


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With Amazon making its acquisition of MGM official with an announcement earlier today, fans of the James Bond franchise wondered if future films would go straight to Amazon Prime Video. The producers of the films say going straight to streaming isn’t the plan for 007.
“We are committed to continuing to make James Bond films for the worldwide theatrical audience,” Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson said in a statement to Variety. No Time to Die is set to hit theaters on October 8. Broccoli and Wilson’s company Eon Productions co-owns rights to the Bond franchise, giving them rights to produce future projects.
While the film won’t skip the theatrical window altogether, there’s no word yet on what the time frame between the theatrical release and the streaming debut of No Time to Die will be.
Before the acquisition was officially announced, sources shared that Amazon’s acquisition of MGM would not affect the already scheduled theatrical releases for the rest of the year, with one source saying “it would only be positive, that deals won’t be disrupted” in an article from Deadline.


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Samsung acquires US medical imaging companyAgence France-Presse
SEOUL—South Korea’s Samsung Electronics said Tuesday it had bought US medical imaging firm NeuroLogica, as it seeks to explore new growth sources by expanding into the health sector.
Samsung did not disclose the value of the deal but said it had bought a full stake in the Massachusetts-based firm, which makes medical devices including CT scanners.
“Samsung plans to leverage its global brand awareness and world-leading technology in consumer electronics, IT and communications with NeuroLogica in order to expand medical imaging business,” the company said in a statement.
Samsung Electronics—the world’s top maker of smartphones, memory chips and flat-screen TVs—is the flagship unit of the Samsung group.
The group in 2010 vowed to spend $20 billion over the following 10 years on five “new growth” areas including light-emitting diode technology, medical devices, biotech drugs, electric-vehicle batteries and solar panels.
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COMMENTARY: Veggies, Muppets and the White House: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Published: November 1st, 2013
OKLAHOMA CITY – This week, from the White House came a press release:
First Lady Michelle Obama has joined Sesame Street characters, the Produce Marketing Association and the Partnership for a Healthier America in a two-year agreement to promote fresh fruit and vegetables to kids.
Sesame Street’s Big Bird, Elmo, Rosita and Abby Cadabby will appear – without licensing fees – in the aisles of America’s super-markets and health stores in support of good food and healthy habits.
Mrs. Obama declared: “Just imagine what will happen when we take our kids to the grocery store, and they see Elmo and Rosita and the other Sesame Street Muppets they love up and down the produce aisle.
“Imagine what it will be like to have our kids begging us to buy them fruits and vegetables instead of cookies, candy and chips. That’s what this new collaboration between Sesame Workshop and the Produce Marketing Association is all about – showing our kids that healthy food can be fun and that fruits and vegetables don’t just make us feel good, they taste good too.”
I should be comforted that the First Lady and the Muppets will lead us to nutritional promised land, and some of my best friends are Sesame Street characters, but oh my.
There was this tug of liberty-sensitive conscience, leading me to ask: Is this what my government should be doing?
I sent the news release to fellow center-right types, mostly but not exclusively journalists. As always, there was considerable diversity in the responses.
One fellow, an editor whose opinion I take seriously because I have to (just kidding, sort of) reflected, “I regard this as an appropriate use of White House power — to encourage kids to eat well without creating regulations that insist they do or face penalties? I’m all for it.”
One other pal – but only one other – agreed, “For a change they are doing something positive to improve people’s lives.”
I’ll admit: Veggies are wonderful. Fruits are great. Veggies and fruits are “the good” in this story.
My oldest grandson and I share a sincere love for brockley. Recently, at a local restaurant, a waiter asked the lad, who had ordered a burger, “What side do you want?” He named several unhealthy alternatives, including fries.
He replied, “Do you have brock-a-wee?”
Stunned, the waiter replied, “Brockley? That’s the other option, but I’ve never had a kid order it.”
My pride and joy answered, “I want brock-a-wee, pwease.”
So, yes, there is some merit in Mrs. Obama’s efforts.
However, in my circle of friends a more common opinion concerning the release was this:
No amount of marketing or “Street” cred will help kids like Brussels Sprouts (BS). If they choose BS once, because of Elmo’s influence, they will renounce BS forever after the first taste.
True, perhaps, but Brussels Sprouts are good for you.
Call unanticipated consequences – possible lifelong hatred of veggies for a generation of children — “the bad.”
Will such efforts really help kids learn to love fruit and veggies, or will they learn to hate and distrust Sesame Street?
(Maybe that’s ok, if you don’t like the idea of government-financed cartoon characters telling our kids what to do, or if you think vegetables are un-American.)
What if there is a follow-up White House release, in which the First Lady exclaims, “Just imagine what it will be like to have our kids begging us to buy them fruits and vegetables instead of cookies, candy and chips. Imagine what will happen when we take our kids to the grocery store, and they see Justin Bieber up and down the produce aisle.”
I’ll stop soon, but call that “the ugly.”
The serious point is government encroachment on parenting (and grand-parenting) – but let’s all promise to keep a sense of humor.
One colleague called my attention to a classic from The Onion, which compiles fake news stories. One was quite humorous but far too plausible, with a “straight” report describing the increasing trend toward “school-homing” – parents deciding to turn their children over to the government for rearing.
Then there was the actual news story about the U.S. Postal Service’s decision to destroy stamps supporting “Let’s Move!” – because some of the stamps showed kids engaged in sporting activities without wearing helmets, knee pads and other protective gear.
When the White House release said the idea behind Mrs. Obama’s “Let’s Move!” initiative was “making those healthy choices a little easier for busy parents and families to make,” I reacted poorly, thinking out loud: What business is it of yours?
Then, I calmed down and channeled my inner optimist. It took half a lifetime, but I learned to love spinach, collard greens and kale.
Eventually kids grow up, as one friend observed. They no longer think Sesame Street is cool, so they can decide these things for themselves.
Meanwhile, pass the brockley, please.
You may contact Pat email@example.com


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Paresh Patel's 'How to Prepare for the Post-Pandemic Customer' is a good summary of customer expectations around the transactional kiosk process moving forward, but it misses a key component that I've been hearing in talking with customers over the past several months. It is going to be critical that retailers accommodate the new 'touch-averse' customer segment that's now hyper-aware aware of the potential for pathogen transmission. COVID-19 may not be the prime candidate moving forward, but there have always been (and will continue to be) many viruses and bacteria that are transmitted through touch – and the pandemic brought hygiene and contact awareness back into sharp focus for everyone.
Offering a touchless option will be an important way to earn customer and visitor trust – it's an obvious and objective visual cue for businesses to say 'hey, we're concerned about your safety' that regular cleaning can't deliver. It's not obvious when something was last cleaned, or how well it was cleaned, so there's always a bit of an unknown as to how sterile a surface really is. A touchless interaction option is instantly verifiable and actionable; retailer hygiene practices are not.
I liken this to when grocers started putting out sanitizing wipes near the shopping carts (many moons pre-pandemic). Not everyone used them, but it made everyone feel better knowing they had the option to take hygiene into their own hands if they felt uncomfortable. Touchless digital interaction is the sanitizing wipe of the future, but without the waste or ongoing labor requirements.


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Lunchtime at Artisan Media Group is family style, says Victor Leon, VP of accounts and operations at the Miami-based full-service agency, which has expertise in social, digital, email and direct-response marketing. Its 18 employees order meals daily and the team eats around a big conference table. “That’s camaraderie,” Leon says.
The founders wanted to build a company that was different from other ad agencies, Leon says. To do that, the shop puts the focus of the company on its employees, who set the direction of the agency and its clients. “We’re making sure employees are the ones running the company,” Leon says. That's one of the reasons Artisan was chosen as first among companies with up to 200 employees in Ad Age Best Places to Work 2020.
Artisan, founded in 2006, started with a focus on marketing in the health care sector, but has since branched out to include sports, entertainment, consumer products, education and other fields.
Autumn Miller, an associate creative director, joined Artisan in the second half of last year. “When you’re coming into an agency and working with an existing client,” Miller says, “it’s kind of rare to have immediate trust and support.”
But that’s how Artisan made her feel working with one of its longtime clients.
“We’re not structured like a traditional agency,” Leon says. At Artisan, an account manager can come up with creative ideas, for instance, since no one is stuck in a single role.
Artisan—whose staff is nearly all Hispanic—works on social media marketing for Univision as well as with the Miami Super Bowl Host Committee for this year’s Big Game. Leon says one of the ways the shop tries to stand out is by enforcing strict work-life boundaries. “You can count on one hand the amount times anyone had to stay past 6:30 here,” Leon says.


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Following today's announcement of a 11% profit increase, British Gas is offering to answer customer questions in a Twitter Q&A:
Our Customer Service Director, Bert Pijls, is answering your questions until 2pm. Tweet using the #AskBG hashtag.
One Twitter user asked if today's profit announcement would mean a future price cut:
Rather than give a direct answer, Bert Pijls linked to a YouTube video:
More top news
Waitrose is to scrap a hot drink free-for-all which allowed loyalty card holders to enjoy free drinks in its cafes without buying anything.
A new wave of antisemitism in Belgium sits uncomfortably alongside the ceremonies to remember the liberation of Auschwitz 70 years ago.
Study finds chemicals in plastics, cosmetics, electrical appliances and industrial pollutants could be causing early menopause.


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Digiday Research: 88% of publishers say they will miss forecasts this year
In a new survey examining business confidence, Digiday Research found that 88% of publishing executives surveyed expect to miss their business goals this year due to the outbreak.
Ninety-five executive-level publishers were surveyed this week in a snap poll to understand the effects of the outbreak on their business. Of them, 85% said also that they expect to see a decline in ad revenue due to the pandemic.
That problem is an exceptionally difficult one. Coronavirus dominates news coverage, and with levels of worry skyrocketing, plus a lot more people working from home, means more people are consuming news. But publishers have found it difficult to monetize this coverage with advertising: Many big brands are staying away from spending adjacent to coronavirus coverage, and throwing associated keywords into their block lists.
About 79% of publishers surveyed said they also expect, unsurprisingly, to see a decline in event revenue due to the outbreak. Events have been a particularly important source of revenue for publishers across B-to-B and consumer media. With large gatherings effectively banned, this important source of revenue is essentially decimated.
Right now, only 38% of publishers say they expect to lay off staff due to the outbreak.
Vice Media Group brings back program for small, Black-owned businesses
VMG and the National Urban League are bringing back their program offering marketing and consulting services to Black-owned businesses -- to a smaller group.
Why businesses helping employees get abortions could face legal minefield
With Roe being tossed, employers will now want to revisit their policies on travel and reimbursement for abortions, family planning consultations and healthcare coverage, warn lawyers.
Bustle’s Charlotte Owen is on a mission to turn around Elite Daily
Bustle and Elite Daily's editor-in-chief talks about the unique interviewing approach she's teaching her teams and how they're approaching TikTok without competing for views.
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Bill Masterson, president, Publishers Clearing House Media A dominant factor guiding the industry has been that cookies and mobile app IDs are vanishing and will be replaced by some mixture of new and emergent identity solutions. As a result, the market is alive with new and exciting alternatives to replace the third-party browser cookie and […]
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Apple was on Tuesday facing a growing backlash over poor iPhone 4 reception after the technology group blocked links on its user-support pages to a negative review by an influential US consumer watchdog.
Consumer Reports, the non-profit magazine, on Monday published a review online that stated it had tested three iPhone 4s in controlled settings and found that touching the lower left corner “can significantly degrade” the signal, causing dropped calls.
Apple deleted references in several online discussions to the consumer group’s online posting, leading VentureBeat and investment blogs to pounce on what they described as censorship in the Apple-hosted forums.
Apple declined to comment on the forum issue; it has previously intervened to eliminate records of criticism on other topics.
The restrictions did not stop the debate – even on Apple’s pages. “If they don’t have a fix for this soon, I’m going to return mine” wrote one longtime Apple customer from Philadelphia.
Apple shares declined 3 per cent in midday trading to $250.
Most Wall Street analysts said they did not think the antenna issue would seriously hurt sales of the iPhone 4. “In our experience, concerns around product issues tend to be overblown,” Ben Reitzes, Barclays analyst, wrote to clients on Tuesday. “We do not believe these issues will materially impact Apple’s product momentum.”
Apple last month sold an industry record 1.7m units in the first three days of availability, topping even the most optimistic projections. It is expected to update that figure when it releases earnings results on July 20. Consumer Reports praised other features in the iPhone and actually ranked it higher than any other smartphone it tested recently.
Apple has maintained that all phones have some areas where contact will decrease connectivity and told buyers either to avoid holding the iPhone 4 in a way that covers the corner in question or to buy a $29 accessory – a bumper that wraps around the metal edge of the phone.
But Apple’s new design is the first of its kind. “The reality is that the antennas are now external, meaning there is no layer of insulation between a user and the antenna”, said Shaw Wu, Kaufman Bros analyst. He warned that increased focus on the issue “could create risk” to sales estimates.
Apple had earlier fanned the flames by denying there was any reception problem.
It originally said the real culprit was software that displayed a higher number of “bars” than appropriate, indicating greater signal strength than was warranted. Touching the left corner therefore showed a precipitous drop in connectivity instead of a minor pullback, Apple said, and it promised to fix the display issue with a software patch.
Consumer Reports faulted that explanation in its posting this week, saying that “Apple needs to come up with a permanent – and free – fix for the antenna problem before we can recommend the iPhone 4.”


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|(United States Of America)|
Gevo, the world's only commercial producer of bio-based isobutanol, announced that it has brought its second million liter fermenter and GIFT system online at its Luverne, Minn. facility.
"We have been successful in operating full-scale fermentations using our GIFT system – which separates the isobutanol from the fermentation broth – on a second million-liter fermenter and GIFT system," noted Patrick Gruber, Gevo's chief executive officer. "This serves to further validate our technology and plant know-how. We plan to bring the final fermenters and GIFT system online at Luverne later this year, testing run rates, then ramping up production and sales over the balance of 2013 and in 2014."
Gevo will sell the isobutanol it produces in the specialty chemicals and specialty oxygenated fuel blendstock markets, and use it as a building block to make jet fuel and chemical products, such as paraxylene, which is converted into PET and used in the production of bottles and fibers.
Dave Vander Griend, ICM's chief executive officer, said, "We're pleased to congratulate Gevo on their exciting announcement. Through our collaboration over the years, ICM has supported Gevo's efforts to become the global first commercial producer of renewable isobutanol. We were thrilled to test Gevo's GIFT technology at our pilot plant in St. Joseph, Mo., in addition to constructing new portions of their facility in Luverne. In doing this, it enabled us to implement a model of retrofitting existing assets and implementing new technology with broad market capabilities. Our combined efforts enabled us to support Gevo in bringing their first million-liter fermenter online, and then achieving the next critical step of bringing a second fermenter online, which we're celebrating today."
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- Remain unknown the place of modern carpet design


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Searchers using Lycos were determined to halt telemarketing calls, while those using Yahoo were looking for details on a new book release. The top search term was only one of the many differences found between The Lycos 50 for the week ending June 28, 2003 and the Yahoo Buzz Index for the week June 29, 2003.
The “Federal Do Not Call List” claimed the top spot on Lycos, while “Harry Potter” – #2 on Lycos – dominated the Yahoo list. The ever-popular “KaZaA” landed at #2 on the Yahoo Index and #4 on Lycos. The only other common denominator among the top ten spots of the two lists was “Britney Spears” – #7 on Lycos and #8 on Yahoo
According to Lycos, Donotcall.gov was twice as popular as Harry Potter, even though the service wasn’t introduced until Friday. For just those two days, Friday and Saturday, Donotcall.gov was a remarkable 15 times more popular than Harry Potter.
Measurements from Nielsen//NetRatings indicate that Donotcall.gov drew more than 3.4 million unique visitors at work on its launch date, and continued its strong performance during the weekend garnering 2.1 million and 2.9 million at home surfers on Saturday the 28th and Sunday the 29th, respectively.
“The one day growth in site traffic for Donotcall.gov was unprecedented,” said Patrick Thomas, senior Internet analyst at Nielsen//NetRatings. “The Internet makes this streamlined process a possibility, allowing the government to easily collect the information of those opting in, and relay that to telemarketing companies. This registry gives the power back to the consumer.”
Exclusively in the top ten of the Lycos 50 were the terms: “Clay Aiken” at #3; “Pamela Anderson” at #5; “Dragonball” at #6; “Las Vegas” at #8; “Atkins Diet” at #9; and “Brooke Burke” at #10.
The Yahoo Buzz Index claimed a few terms for its own too, most notably, music artists: “PlayStation2” #11; “Sean Paul” #14; “Bow Wow” #15; “Ashanti” #17; “KaZaA Lite” #18; and “R. Kelly” #20.
Some new arrivals to the Lycos list include: “Wimbledon,” “Titone-Sandler Wedding,” “NBA Draft,” “Demi Moore,” “air conditioners,” “fireworks,” and “Orange County Choppers.”
Check out how the search terms have changed over time:
Payment and Entertainment
War and Basketball
Touchdowns, Taxes, and Tragedy
Searches Mostly Entertainment-Related
Virus Becomes Most Popular
Debut of a Salesman
Dragonball Rolls Into First Place
World Cup Kicks Star Wars Out of Space
Video content is popular on social media and it is among the most effective formats for advertising. Time to go beyond Facebook ... read more
The technology industry is lagging behind many other sectors when it comes to the proportion of women taking up entry level positions. ... read more
Programmatic is taking over the digital advertising world, and at an even faster rate than expected, according to eMarketer, which raised its forecast for programmatic ad spending in the U.S. on the back of growth in mobile and video programmatic buys.
A new study underlines the massive influence that Amazon exerts over the ecommerce market, with the site being the first port of call ... read more


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DeWitt, NY -- Community Bank has notified between 400 and 500 customers that their debit cards may have been compromised.
"There was no breach at Community Bank," said Senior Vice President Harold "Hal" Wentworth. Instead, he said, VISA notified the bank this week that more than 400 customers had cards that may have been compromised or may be "at risk of being compromised."
The problem, he said, could be linked to a merchant they used. It was not the bank. "There has never been a breach at Community Bank," he said.
Wentworth said the bank frequently gets notices that a few customers have cards that may be in danger, but that for reasons he didn't know, the number ballooned into the hundreds this past week.
The customers were notified by phone, he said, and were getting new cards. All the affected customers are covered by VISA's "zero-liability" policy, he said.
Contact Charles McChesney at email@example.com.