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Global businesses are failing to adequately address issues including climate change and child labour in their supply chains, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
The EIU study, No more excuses: responsible supply chains in a globalised world, sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank, found that only 22% of companies are addressing child labour, 23% climate change and 28% gender inequality.
Despite this, four in five of the 800 executives surveyed said they believe their companies have a responsible supply chain. Almost all respondents said their companies’ standards were compliant with or more stringent than government (94%) or industry regulator (97%) requirements.
In terms of what companies are addressing in their supply chains, the study found the focus is on areas that are easier to quantify in the short-term, such as health and safety (60%) and waste reduction and recycling (50%). “There is a huge distance from the ideal situation in which 100% of firms would ensure strong standards in their supply chains,” the report said.
The study also found that 30% of firms have decreased their focus on supply chain responsibility over the past five years, although it has moved up the agenda in China and the US.
Firms are unwilling to collaborate to address supply chain responsibility issues, according to the study. Just over a quarter (27%) were willing to cooperate with non-competitor firms and only 23% said they would collaborate with their competitors.
As reported in Supply Management recently, sustainability issues are encouraging some businesses to collaborate with their rivals. Martin Chilcott, CEO of 2degrees, told SM: “Meeting the challenges of a rapidly changing climate, switching to a circular economy and adopting new technologies and practices to make the most of our finite natural resources…create massive risk to business and markets.
“They affect supply chains above all and because these are often challenges that are common across whole industries and regions, the only way they can be addressed is through greater collaboration.”
In a video recorded by EIU to accompany the report, Richard M Locke, provost and professor of political science and international and public affairs at Brown University said: “The major obstacle for industries and businesses to raise standards in global supply chains is a collective action problem. Good companies want to enforce these actions, but if in doing so they raise their costs, while others don’t…. it may be a race to the bottom.”
Gerard Manley, managing director and CEO for cocoa at agri-business Olam International, said businesses needed to collaborate to increase supply chain responsibility. “You have to live your values,” he added. “If you don’t as a leader, how can you expect anyone to follow you?”


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Barely 24 hours after purchasing GhostBird software, a developer of photo-editing apps for iOS devices, .Yahoo Inc. acquired a free conference-call app .
Rondee, the six-year-old startup was acquired under undisclosed terms.
Over the past few months Yahoo has been on a shopping spree and has acquired startups from diverse markets. The most notable acquisition was Tumblr purchased for $1.1 billion.
Other startups to join the Yahoo team include Astrid – a task-management app maker, Summly – a news-condenser app maker, Stamped – a mobile-review app maker, OnTheAir -which specializes in broadcasting video chats or interviews to online audiences, Snip.it – which is a kind of clipping service for the web, Propeld – a location-based apps maker, Jybe – a social recommendation site, Loki Studios – a mobile gaming start-up and PlayerScale – a gaming infrastructure company.
It’s not clear what Yahoo intends to do with Rondee, but the startup will join Yahoo’s Small Business Team, a part of Yahoo that helps SMBs with marketing, web-hosting and e-commerce.
Rondee is winding down the service on July 12 and the company has arranged for accounts to work on an alternative service called Instant Conference.
After June 30th, the company’s website now reads, users will no longer be allowed to access their data or create new conference calls.
The acquisitions extend Yahoo’s recent buying spree under chief executive Marissa Mayer, who is trying to reinvigorate the ailing brand and boost its international appeal.
We believe that these acquisitions are a part of its strategy to boost its offerings in mobile devices, video, and personalized digital content.

domain: news


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This is the second article in a series on the impact of temperature on electric vehicles. Given the delivery waiting time for electric vehicles, you may be expecting to receive your EV in summer or next winter. This series has been developed to help you understand the implications of temperature.
A team of researchers, led by Professor Jeff Dahn at Dalhousie University, have developed and demonstrated batteries that can last four million miles (almost six million km).
The many new and innovative applications of hydrogen as fuel show great promise for a greener future.
Professor Stefano Passerini is the Director of the Helmholtz Institute Ulm. In this Battery Chat, he talks to Parri Adeli regarding their work on high-voltage LNMO cathodes and electrolyte additives, among other topics.
As electric vehicles (EVs) trend from being niche to mass scale and the lines between EVs and their combustion engine (ICE) counterparts get blurred in terms of usability, consumers, automakers, governments and fire departments continue to have some apprehensions.
Dr. Ilias Belharouak is the head of electrification and energy storage at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In this Battery Chat, he talks to Parri Adeli about the various energy storage topics his group are investigating including a new class of cathodes that they developed recently and its scale-up path.
Professor Jeff Dahn, at the Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada explains how single crystal technology is proving to be a promising solution to the challenge of overcoming range anxiety which is high on the agenda of electric vehicle manufacturers and battery developers.
Dr. Feng Lin is an assistant professor in the chemistry department of Virginia Tech. In this Battery Chat, he talks to Parri Adeli about his scientific journey and his research into cathodes and catalysts.
Prof. Arumugam Manthiram, a renowned professor at the University of Texas at Austin, has contributed substantially to the field of energy storage with his research having great impact on the scientific community. In this chat, Prof. Manthiram shares his research path briefly, his perspective on current research performed on high-nickel cathodes, and a glimpse of his future research directions.
The present-day principal driver in the Li-ion industry is the large batteries required for electric vehicles. Due to the size of these batteries and the relative growth of electric vehicles it is predicted that the total Li-ion energy capacity will exceed one tera watt-hour by 2030. This anticipation for a dramatically rapidly expanding industry has stakeholders all along the value chain very motivated to be ready.
The last three months have been unprecedented. But amidst the chaos and despite the drop in global GDP, there has still been a considerable amount of activity in the electric vehicle (EV) and battery world.
The electric vehicle market is expected to be by far the largest and most dominant market for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. Despite the strong desire to increase EV sales by all involved in the value chain, proliferation has been curbed due to the high cost to the consumer and the perceived disadvantages of owning an EV. Range anxiety, a lack of charging stations and fire safety worries, are among the top concerns.


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DJ Toddy B performs at the historic Auditorium Shores for the launch of Saudade. A new media brand focused on creating captivating moments, tinted in nostalgia.
Online PR News – 11-March-2021 – Austin, Texas – DJ Toddy B performs at the historic Auditorium Shores for the launch of Saudade. Saudade is new media brand focused on creating captivating moments, tinted in nostalgia.
We all remember those epic nights out with friends before the pandemic seeing our favorite artist perform live at a festival or concert. Saudade was created out of a longing for experiencing those impactful moments, virtually, together. Saudade in Portuguese culture is defined means a feeling of longing, melancholy, desire, and nostalgia.
By tapping into stellar location settings, talented artists, and the latest tech in video / livestreams, Saudade sets itself apart by curating impactful moments you will remember and want to relive over and over again. Revolved around this concept are also introspective and personal interviews with the artists, podcasts with relevant topics related to the music, and eventually limited ticketed events. This release is just the beginning of what Saudade has planned for the future with a set from Porky with Desert Hearts being released in April and BIG plans for a secret location and artist being released in May.
Watch the first video release from Saudade by visiting their Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-DeO4-ekLQ and follow their journey at instagram.com/saudade.tv


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The European Union’s data protection tzar has committed to staying on the job for until October 2014 ending uncertainty after no suitable replacement could be found.
Google, through its plan to link Gmail addresses to its Google+ social network, is violating a privacy agreement the company made with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, a long-time critic of the company's privacy practices said in a complaint to the...
An international think tank launched at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday with the goal of influencing the future governance of the Internet.
Twelve U.S. companies, including Internet service provider Level 3 Communications and BitTorrent, the company behind the popular peer-to-peer file-sharing protocol, have agreed to settle U.S. Federal Trade Commission charges that they falsely claimed...
The way to get Google to comply with data privacy laws is to hit the company where it hurts: its bank balance, the European Union's Justice Commissioner said Monday.
A six-month deadline extension could be enough to keep Germany's electronics payment system running, new German Central Bank figures on SEPA payment adoption showed Monday.
Like a nearby cellphone user with an annoying way of saying, "Helllloooo!" recently confirmed FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has already hit a nerve.
Apple will pay at least US$32.5 million to customers in a settlement over a U.S. Federal Trade Commission complaint that the company allowed children to run up huge in-app purchases on the company's devices.
Google has lodged an appeal against the €150,000 (US$205,000) fine imposed by the French privacy watchdog, a company spokesman said Tuesday.
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judges have said the creation of a privacy advocate in the secret court could be counterproductive and hamper its work.
A U.S. appeals court has struck down the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality rules.
European Internet users could risk being charged extra money for accessing online services like Facebook, Wikipedia, YouTube, Skype and Whatsapp if a European draft regulation on net neutrality isn't amended before March, European civil rights groups...
The former Director General of the World Trade Organization is to head up a new group looking at the future use of TV broadcast spectrum across the European Union.
Many electronic payments will fail in Europe next month, unless the deadline for switching to the new SEPA payment system is extended, the European Commission warned Thursday.
Keeping the Internet open is a high priority for the FCC -- so high that the agency will closely monitor the sponsored content program that AT&T announced this week for its mobile data network.
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
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Miami Daily Business Review, March 27, 2013
The Deal: Lubkin put together the $4.8 million acquisition of a 69,022-square-foot shopping center in Casselberry, about 10 miles from downtown Orlando.
The buyer was 2013 Casselberry Plaza LP, affiliated with GBR Properties Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The seller was Casselberry V LLLP, affiliated with Global Fund Investments with offices in Sunrise.
The deal closed March 19.
Details: Casselberry Plaza, a Class B type of asset, wasn’t on the market when Lubkin learned about the investment opportunity at a networking event sponsored by the International Council of Shopping Centers in November.
Lubkin ran into a Global Fund executive who asked him if he would be interested in buying a cash-flowing retail center in Casselberry.
“My response was, ‘Where is Casselberry?’ I never heard of it before,” he said.
Soon after that meeting, he drove to the property, liked it and began looking for a general partner to create a joint venture.
For the last few years, Lubkin had followed GBR’s acquisitions in South Florida and hoped they could one day do business together. He reached out to GBR president Ben Latham. They joined forces, with Lubkin becoming the minority partner.
The retail center sits on 7.5 acres and was 86 percent occupied at the time of closing.
On the day of closing, the new owner signed a 4,000-square-foot lease thanks to Global Fund, which helped secure the tenant.
The property is anchored by Sam’s Club, which owns its own site and was not part of the transaction. Tenants in the center include Habitat for Humanity, Sally Beauty and Carter Shoe Repair.
Lubkin said the joint venture, which paid cash for the property, may pull some money out of it.
“We are super well capitalized, but we are planning on putting some debt on the property,” he said. Lubkin said his partner has access to financing that “is so insanely inexpensive that is unbelievable.”
Lubkin said Global Fund sold the property because it didn’t fit its portfolio of Publix-anchored retail centers. He said Global Fund acquired the property at a bargain price at the height of the recession and wanted to reap the benefits of buying at the right time, he said.
“Everything has a cycle to it,” Lubkin said. “They made their money. They could have refinanced it and held on to it and have it cash flow forever but they didn’t.”
Background: Lubkin is president and chief executive officer of Miami-based Ibis Development Group.


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E! and Lionsgate are joining forces to bring a special behind-the-scenes program placing a spotlight on today’s hottest supermodels. According to a recent press release from The Lippin Group, nine models will give viewers a glimpse into their glamorous world starting September 4th.
“‘Model Squad’ follows Daniela Braga, Olivia Culpo, Hannah Ferguson, Ping Hue, Nadine Leopold, Caroline Lowe, Ashley Moore, Shanina Shaik and Devon Windsor as they prepare for the fall fashion season. The ‘work hard, play hard’ fleet of strong, independent and successful models will juggle relationships, friendships and hardships while navigating the cut-throat world of high fashion,” the release stated.
Click Here to read more of the official press release.
*A Special Thanks to The Lippin Group for the info. *


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The mobile gaming market is in rapid fast progress and getting bigger every year, and that’s brilliant if you are already in the gaming business. According to reports, the global gaming market worth in 2020 was more than $200 billion. What’s more interesting is that more than $160 billion were from mobile games. That’s really huge!
The mobile gaming industry is booming and it’s no wonder why many entrepreneurs are planning on embracing the gaming ecosystem. Considering the fierce competition you need to design a stunning game app for iOS and Android if you want to be successful in this market. So, how to design a successful mobile game app?
Let’s dive in.
read more the details :- https://artoonsolutions.com/designing-and-developing-successful-mobile-game-app/


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By Alexandra Steblinina. CIT Group Inc.'s 30 percent stake in Dell Financial Services would be bought by Dell Inc. for 306 million dollars.
Currently, Dell owns 70 percent of DFS, which provides financing services such as loans, leases and revolving credit for consumers, small business and commercial customers, the AP reports.
Dell Inc, an American technology-company based in Round Rock, Texas, develops, manufactures, sells and supports personal computers, servers, data-storage devices, network-switches, personal digital assistants (PDAs), software, televisions, computer peripherals and other technology-related products.
As of 2006, Dell employed more than 78,700 people worldwide.
Formerly holding a substantial lead in sales of PCs and of servers, the company recently slipped behind Hewlett-Packard (HP) in these markets.
In 2006, Fortune magazine ranked Dell as the 25th-largest company in the Fortune 500 list, 8th on its annual Top 20 list of the most-admired companies in the United States.
In 2007 Dell ranked 34th and 8th respectively on the equivalent lists for the year. A 2006 publication identified Dell as one of 38 high-performance companies in the S&P 500 which had consistently out-performed the market over the previous 15 years.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, as well as the military of the two countries, will never let a military confrontation spark, but...
An attack is under way against the truth-seeking social media practising data democracy. What is unacceptable is that the liars accuse the truthseekers of lying
On April 20, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed that Russia could supply air defense systems to Syria


text: After weeks and weeks of voting and fan participation, it came down to two flavors for the title of Cellucor’s tentatively titled mystery flavor C4 Extreme. The two finalists were flyin’ hawaiian and twisted hurricane, a one on one battle that saw flyin’ hawaiian come out on top. There is no word on when the winning title will officially take over mystery flavor. But to add to the news it turns out Cellucor followers have more than a new name coming their way. As the makers of the people’s protein have confirmed an 11th flavor for their award winning pre-workout. Joining the brand’s already long list of options is a taste as unique as the exclusive mojito and strawberry margarita, with sweet tea. There is no exact date for when the latest C4 flavor will arrive, however it is due to hit GNC first then presumably other stockists soon after.


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Credit Suisse has been fined almost £6 million for failing to assess the risk a complex financial product posed to its customers.
Credit Suisse UK customers were exposed to an “unacceptable risk” of being sold a structured capital at risk product, or Scarp, that was unsuitable for them, the Financial Services Authority said. The fine was reduced by 30 per cent as Credit Suisse UK agreed to an early stage settlement.
Scarps are complex financial products that provide income to customers, but also expose them to the risk that they lose all or part of their initial capital.
Between January 2007 and December 2009 Credit Suisse UK customers invested more than £1 billion in Scarps. During that period there were “a number of serious failings…


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This is Scientific American's 60-Second Tech. I'm Larry Greenemeier. Got a minute?
Chatter about the Internet of Things is filling the air at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
And the long-sought holy grail of ubiquitous voice recognition really will eventually happen.
Soon people will, as a matter of course, communicate with their cars, homes, appliances and gadgets by speaking instead of typing.
And Facebook has seen or maybe heard the writing on the wall.
So the social media giant bought an 18-month-old start-up company called Wit.ai.
Wit developed a plug-in code that lets software developers easily build speech-recognition into their products.
Of course apps already exist that let you post to your Facebook feed without having to take your eyes off the road or sidewalk.
But on the horizon are voice commands to search your Facebook feed or even voice recognition to log on to your account.
Wit says its software will remain open source.
But for Facebook to have the company in house gives it access to the tools needed to keep up with tech powerhouses such as Apple and Google, which have been offering voice recognition for years.
Wit might also be part of Facebook's virtual reality strategy, which got a big boost last year when the company bought Oculus Rift.
After all, how many of us are expert enough typists to hit the right keys with a visor covering our eyes?
Thanks for the minute, for Scientific American's 60-Second Tech. I'm Larry Greenemeier.


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In the United States, and around the world, there is a high-profile and growing movement to ban or heavily tax single-use plastic bags.
Currently, there are over 350 cities, counties, and states that have banned or taxed single-use plastic bags.
The Problem With Plastic
While scientists are still studying single-use plastic bags, estimates say that it can take them anywhere from 10 to 1,000 years to decompose depending on what environmental conditions the bag is disposed of in (Slate). Regardless of where science lands on decomposition times, the long-term, negative environmental impact of plastic bags is very real.
Inevitably, these plastic bags eventually make their way to landfills and into our oceans, adding to the 8 million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean every year (Forbes). This impacts ecosystems at every level.
Reusable Totes Are Part Of The Solution
Currently, only Hawaii and California have statewide plastic bag bans. Several other cities have either mandatory recycling programs or taxes on plastic bag use. In March 2019, New York State announced that it will impose a statewide ban on most types of single-use plastic bags from retail sales beginning in March 2020.
As more and more locations adopt plastic bans, demand for reusable totes will undoubtedly increase. PCNA has one of the most extensive tote collections in the industry. From budget-friendly grocery totes to heavy-duty cotton boat totes, we have every size, material and price point covered.
Shop Now: Reusable Totes
For more information, reach out to Ditto today at 878-999-2824 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 video, 3D facial recognition feature leaked
Xfinity Mobile is now available across Comcast's entire nationwide retail network
Sprint starts taking in orders for Essential PH-1
Coolpad Cool M7 Launched With Excellent Features: All Details
Dark Arisen hits PS4 and Xbox One in October — Dragon's Dogma
11 August 2017, 10:06 | Patty Hardy
BANDAI NAMCODark Souls is getting a card game
Capcom has confirmed an October release date for Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen, the latest in what is starting to feel like the company's production line of re-releases. Since its original release in 2012, Dragon's Dogma has sold 3.2 million copies worldwide. The games have been "updated for current generation consoles with improved high resolution visuals", as you can see in the trailer above. The game will be available both digitally and physically, which should please both sides of the aisle.
An expanded and enhanced version of the original game, Dark Arisen includes a new zone to explore, all previously released DLC and patches, a very welcome fast travel system, new armor, weapons and quest.
We'll give this one a shout out, however, as Dragon's Dogma was one of the better games to go nearly completely unnoticed during the previous console cycle.
Spain could top Greece in migrant sea arrivals: IOM
The Guardia Civil did not provide any more details about the number of migrants on board, or whether they had since been located. The closure of migrant camps in Morocco and Algeria is thought to be responsible for the "migrants" flooding into Spain.
North Korea Threatens Guam: Facts About the US Territory
Tensions have risen dramatically in the Korean Peninsula after North Korea tested intercontinental ballistic missile last month. However, there has been no indication that any attack on the Pacific island by North Korea is imminent.
This will be a great opportunity for people to check the game out who might have missed it originally, as it's definitely a solid experience.
As we patiently wait for this imminent release-it's just two months away!-enjoy this fresh new trailer, specifically made from the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of the game.
HBO Hackers Leak 'Game of Thrones' Script, Executive Emails
On top of this, the hackers are now demanding a ransom from HBO , threatening to release additional data they allegedly obtained. To stop the leaks, the purported hackers demanded "our six-month salary in bitcoin", which they implied is at least $6m (€5.1m).
Science Says: Trump Team Garbles Climate Science
A year ago also witnessed new records for the greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane. The so-far unreleased 545-page Climate Science Special Report has been approved by the National Academy of Sciences.
Active weather returns for the end of the week
Wednesday's forecast calls for scattered rain and thunderstorms with temperatures peaking in the upper 70s. Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 p.m.
Toby Keith pays tribute to Glen Campbell during concert
Campbell , who died Tuesday at 81, of Alzheimer's Disease , was a Beach Boy and toured with The Champs, who had the hit "Tequila". Campbell , who was married four times and had eight children, had well-publicised struggles with drinking and drugs.
Rubio defends Trump's promise of 'fire and fury'
"They will be met with the fire and fury like the world has never seen". "As a citizen, former U.S. Senator, and twelve-year member of the Armed Services Committee, I urge you to act [at] once".


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TEHRAN – The value of trade between Iran and the members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) exceeded $3.626 billion in the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21 – November 21), to register 73 percent growth compared to the previous year’s same period, the spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran customs administration (IRICA) announced.Ruhollah Latifi put the weight of Iran-EAEU trade at over 8.566 million tons, showing 42 percent growth year on year.
According to the official, Iran exported 1.839 million tons of products worth $763.639 million to the EAEU members in the period under review, with 18 percent rise in value, and no change in weight.
Iran’s imports from the block exceeded 6.726 million tons worth $2.862 billion in the mentioned period, to register a 98 percent rise in value, and a 66 percent growth in weight, compared to the same period in the previous year, the IRICA spokesman added.
Iran and Eurasian Economic Union reached a free trade agreement in October 2018 based on which about 862 commodity items were subjected to preferential tariffs.
The interim agreement enabling the formation of a free trade area between Iran and the EAEU was signed on May 17, 2018, and officially came into force on October 27, 2019.
Iran is a very important market in the region and the development of ties with this country is of high significance for the EAEU members (Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan).
The free trade agreement between Iran and this union has laid the ground for the expansion of trade ties between the two sides.
The agreement with the bloc has increased Iran’s exports to the EAEU member states significantly, which is a turning point for the Islamic Republic’s plans for boosting non-oil exports during the U.S. sanctions.
Original News : https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/468372/Trade-between-Iran-EAEU-rises-73-in-8-months-yr-yr


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Bobby Christian saw heads nodding up and down as he described to a roomful of entrepreneurs an opportunity for collaboration with his sizable Fairfax-based company, 3PillarGlobal
— so he called them out.
"I see your head bobbing like a bobble head. If we need to talk, let us know," said Christian, 3Pillar's chief growth officer, pointing to someone in the crowd of entrepreneurs who thought he could create the product Christian was seeking.
It's just what organizers of this first-of-its-kind matchmaker event hoped to see.
Turning the typical business pitch on its head, SwitchPitch
brought nearly a dozen media, advertising, tech and educational companies onto the stage to pitch their needs to the 250 startup-minded individuals in attendance.
Dusty, under-construction floors at the new 1776
center — which launched a few weeks ago to connect startups to opportunities and each other — provided an ideal backdrop to the cerebral networking event.
D.C. and business leaders seemed to agree that SwitchPitch was just what the local market needed. Mayor Vincent Gray, just back from the South By Southwest Interactiv
e conference in Austin, Tex., opened up the event harping again on his vision for the District to grow as a hub for technology and new business.
"We are hell-bent on being able to create new opportunities in the city," he said. "We'll never be completely untethered from the federal government… But we should be able to create an economy that will have us less dependent on the federal government."
With about 1,100 new people moving into the District each month, Gray wants to foster the creation of 100,000 new jobs in the next four years — some 20,000 of them in the technology sector.
And perhaps the biggest business celebrity at the event, AOL co-founder and start-up investor Steve Case (who had some competition when John Sculley, former Apple Computer and PepsiCo CEO, showed up) gave his hearty approval to the idea of D.C. becoming a start-up hub. Case said the District is uniquely positioned to lead a new wave of innovation, particularly in the healthcare and education sectors that "are ripe for interruption."
"I think there will be a striking shift over the next 25 years, and that D.C. is the place to be, not just for start-up hubs, but for the revolution that is going to happen to these industries," Case said during a question-and-answer session with Michael Goldstein, founder of start-up accelerator Exhilarator
(formerly Endeavor DC) that helped organize the event.
If it's any indicator of success, the last few pitches were presented over the din of conversation from an adjacent room, as those who already had pitched their needs fielded responses from attendees interested in meeting them.


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Robin Whincup, founder of Galaxy America, sits atop a partially assembled mechanical buffalo that the Port Charlotte company built. Courtesy photo / Galaxy America
Published: Monday, October 14, 2013 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, October 12, 2013 at 4:54 p.m.
PORT CHARLOTTE – There are jobs and there are businesses, and then there’s what Robin and Mike Whincup do for a living.
The father-and-son team owns and runs Galaxy America, which manufactures and sells mechanical bull rides and inflatable, multi-player games that cost from $8,000 to $20,000.
To date, the company has sold about 5,000 worldwide to festivals, boardwalks, traveling fairs, small theme parks, party supply rental companies and other businesses.
And more sales are in the offing, if the Whincups’ track record of innovation holds.
The family got into the business in 1985, when Robin Whincup, then a carpet installer in England, got into the amusements trade by buying a “bounce house” and renting it out for children’s parties.
Eventually, he invested in a new gizmo featured in the popular “Urban Cowboy” movie that starred John Travolta.
The mechanical bull simulates a rodeo-style bucking bovine that tries to throw its rider. It turned out to be a profitable investment. Mechanical bull riding became a nationwide craze.
But for all the success, the elder Whincup thought the concept needed refinement.
That’s because the old fashioned mechanical bulls were heavy — so much so that they required six people and about two hours to install and break down.
So Whincup set out to “re-invent” the mechanical bull to make it lighter, easier to assemble and safer.
Today, Whincup’s bulls can be installed by just a pair of workers, and in a fraction of the time — 20 minutes.
His re-invented bull involves securing a fiberglass body covered with an artificial hide atop a steel spin motor. A soft foam head with a polyurethane “skin” is then attached. Unlike conventional mechanical bulls, the machine resembles the beast.
Whincup also designed his mechanical bull, which sells for about $16,000, so that it could be converted into mechanical rides with dozens of other custom-made themes.
With a different fiberglass figure placed on top, the ride can become a mechanical shark, dog, jack o’ lantern, buffalo — whatever.
The rocking contraption is centered on an inflated vinyl platform, so riders are not injured if they fall.
The re-invention nearly a quarter-century ago led Whincup to open a factory in Harrogate, England.
As his invention became more popular, Galaxy provided Whincup with an opportunity to stop laying carpet and devote himself full time to his business. In time, that led to an even bigger change.
Made in America
With the U.S. as his biggest market, Whincup decided to open a factory in America.
“I found that Americans wanted to buy stuff in their own country with their own dollars,” Whincup said.
When he looked for a location, he gravitated toward the Sarasota area — a place where his family had vacationed and enjoyed themselves.
“I just wanted to live in the sunshine,” the elder Whincup said.
In 2008, he found a facility to rent in Port Charlotte that met his needs. He began small, with a single employee.
That didn’t last long, though.
“We grew very quickly,” Whincup said. “The business just exploded.”
In the past five years, annual company revenues have grown from $600,000 to $3 million.
These days, with eight employees in England, Whincup’s Port Charlotte enterprise is now the larger of the two factories.
Galaxy America employs 16 and expects to expand. Whincup predicts that, by 2016, he will need 30 on staff.
Displaying his wares at trade shows is the key to his success, Whincup said. Photographs alone do not sell a Galaxy product.
“People have to see it, touch it,” he said.
The mechanical bulls, the company’s most popular product, are bought by bars and restaurants as well as party-supply stores.
Businesses that charge customers about $250 to $350 to rent the machines can earn their money back within months, Mike Whincup said.
A mechanical bull on the boardwalk in Myrtle Beach is reportedly earning its owner about $113,000 a year, the younger Whincup said.
What also differentiates Galaxy’s machines is the ability to customize them to fit almost any specialty. Instead of a bull, a Mexican restaurant wanted a donkey. A tequila company uses a wedge of lime ride to promote its products. Various brands of beverages want customers to ride their drink containers, and a shoe store wanted, of course, a shoe.
When it promoted itself at a Texas event, British broadcaster BBC America decided that, instead of a mechanical bull, its Galaxy-designed ride would be a mechanical British bulldog.
More ideas, more fun
To keep Galaxy thriving, the Whincups are constantly innovating.
Their inventory includes a surfing simulation machine on an inflated “wave.”
The company also offers several inflatable games with moving parts for multiple players.
For example, the four players in “Log Slammer” pretend an upriver mill exploded and they are floating on tree stumps. They have to jump or duck to avoid a swinging log or out-of-control saw blade while also staying clear of the jaws of two imaginary alligators.
The inflatable games sell for $13,000 to $20,000.
The company’s next inflatable game line will be a 100-foot obstacle course, complete with movable parts that will keep players dodging, climbing and jumping to beat each other to the finish line.
Several of the games can be attached to each other to make the course even longer.
Dan Maitland, who has produced a television episode about Galaxy for a Dallas-based digital media company, learned about Galaxy through an international association that represents amusement parks.
“Some of the things they are creating are very unique and cutting edge,” Maitland said of Galaxy.
Now Galaxy also is working on interactive animated videos that will take players to a whole new level. Several people sit in a mock vehicle in front of “a green screen” and a video camera. A director tells them how to react to animation they cannot see as their vehicle sways and turns. The finished video shows the riders and the animated scene behind them.
On one such ride, children join Santa on his sleigh as it takes off from the North Pole, shoots past the moon and descends upon a Dickensian-style city, where the riders toss out wrapped gifts to imagined people below.
In yet another game, perhaps loosely based on the movie “Toy Story,” passengers in a toy car find themselves being pursued by other toys in a child’s room.
Riders atop a sea turtle go on an underwater adventure, dodging creatures of the deep as they search for pirates’ lost treasure.
The Whincups think shopping malls are likely venues for the animated ride booths. Customers will buy DVDs or e-mailed digital copies of their two-minute adventures for a price that has yet to be finalized.
For the Whincups, not knowing what they may still add to their expanding inventory of amusements is all in a day’s work — and they are definitely enjoying the ride.
“It’s a fun business,” Mike Whincup said.


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|Lê Đình Quảng, deputy head of Laws and Policy Department under Vietnam General Confederation of Labour. — Photo vov.vn
Lê Đình Quảng, deputy head of the Laws and Policy Department under Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, speaks to Voice of Vietnam newspaper about labour market development in 2023.
How do you feel about the working atmosphere of labourers after the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday?
I could feel the responsibility and excitement of employees. There are many factors contributing to this positive vibe. One of those is the attention and encouragement of employers, trade unions, and the whole political system for employees in recent times, especially during the Lunar New Year. This is a catalyst to help employees be aware of their responsibilities and feel attached to businesses.
When returning, labourers work with a high sense of responsibility, devoting themselves to the sustainable development of their businesses. I think this is a new spirit of this year.
I remember that in previous years, about 80 per cent of labourers returned to work after the holiday, but this year, especially in Bình Dương or Hà Nội, it could be seen that the percentage of workers returning was high. The working spirit from the first days after Tết could be felt more obviously than in the same period of previous years.
Do you think this positive vibe is thanks to social welfare regimes that businesses offer to employees such as increasing wages, organising shuttles to send workers back home before Tết and take them back to rental houses after Tết?
I think this is the catalyst to help employees have a serious and responsible working attitude, and stay attached to businesses.
A lot of businesses faced difficulties before Tết. There was also a lot of unemployment. Businesses had to cut jobs during the pandemic and economic recession. Employers, trade unions and socio-political organisations have cared for employees when businesses faced difficulties.
According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, a shortage of workers is not forecast for the beginning of this year. But a shortage of jobs is predicted in the first and second quarters, especially in the textile, footwear or wood processing industries and mainly concentrated in the southern region. How important is the role of units connecting labour supply and demand?
Recently, businesses in textile, garment, leather, footwear and wood processing in key southern regions have had to narrow production and cut down on labourers due to the influence of COVID-19, impacts of the war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as strategic competition between major countries and economic recession.
According to the data we collected, nearly 54,000 workers lost their jobs. However, statistics of all 63 provinces and cities still showed a demand among businesses to recruit total 400,000 workers by the end of 2022.
In general, businesses are in great demand for labour and this is just a short-term issue. This requires the role of the units connecting labour supply and demand.
We must promote labour supply and demand connecting activities, hold consultation sessions and introduce jobs to employees. This is a very important solution to ensure a harmonious, stable and progressive labour market.
The labour market is forecast to face more challenges. What is your personal opinion on this?
In 2023, it is forecast that our labour market will continue being greatly affected by global and domestic challenges. Meanwhile, our labour market has not really developed sustainably in the face of internal and external fluctuations.
We will face difficulties in ensuring the balance of the labour market. I think the job shortage, especially the short-term shortage in the first phase, will still happen. Job shortages in key industrial parks and export processing zones, especially in textile, leather and footwear, wood processing and electronics enterprises may continue because we have not been able to balance supply – demand.
The second challenge is about the quality of our human resources. At present, the labour demand of businesses is high but not all labourers meet the requirements.
Last but not least, we might face a challenge of maintaining employment stability. Many workers are switching or leaving jobs.
What solutions are needed to develop the labour market stably and harmoniously in 2023?
To solve those inadequacies, we must have a number of solutions.
First, we must continue to improve the legal framework, mechanisms and policies related to the labour market, to ensure that the labour market operates safely, stably, synchronously and effectively.
I think the most fundamental solution is to stabilise the macro-economy, control inflation, boost production and business, create jobs, and ensure income and stable lives for workers.
We must develop human resources, especially high-quality human resources to meet the requirements in the current development context.
We must perfect the labour administration system towards modernisation and transparency, serving as a basis for the effective implementation of policies on employment and social security.
It is necessary to promote labour supply and demand connecting activities, job counselling and introduction, to connect the domestic and foreign labour markets in the context of extensive integration.
Finally, I think we must also pay great attention to the prevention of disputes arising at work including labour strike. — VNS


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Carlos Tavares, the new boss of PSA Peugeot Citroën, outlined his turnaround plan for the French carmaker. It includes cutting the number of models the company produces from 45 to 26. Peugeot has lost more than €7 billion ($9.7 billion) since 2012 and has overhauled its ownership structure, selling stakes worth 14% each to the French government and Dongfeng, a Chinese carmaker. However, investors were not impressed with the eight-year timeline for the latest restructuring plan; Peugeot’s share price fell by 7%. See article
The recent broad sell-off in technology stocks showed no sign of deterring companies from making acquisitions. Zebra, a company used by Amazon to help control its inventory flow, bought a unit of Motorola Solutions that specialises in high-tech logistics in a deal valued at $3.5 billion. And Twitter bought Gnip, a leading provider of social data. See article
Wi-Fi in the sky
Meanwhile, Google agreed to buy Titan Aerospace, a startup in New Mexico that makes solar-powered drones. Like Facebook, which snapped up a British dronemaker earlier this year and was itself considering a swoop for Titan, Google is hoping to use drones and other airborne technology to bring internet connections to remote parts of the planet.
Carl Icahn, an activist investor who made headlines last year with an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to stop Dell’s buy-out, dropped his campaign to get eBay to spin off PayPal. Mr Icahn’s effort had been hostile at times, with personal criticism of eBay’s chief executive, John Donahoe. But the two sides reached a friendly settlement in the end.
America’s big banks began posting their earnings for the first quarter, starting with JPMorgan Chase. It did less well than expected, reporting a net profit of $5.3 billion, its worst start to a year by that measure since 2010, as trading revenues fell sharply.
TIAA-CREF, a financial-services company that specialises in pension plans for academics and the non-profit sector, agreed to buy Nuveen Investments for almost $6.3 billion. The new company will have around $800 billion in assets under management, propelling it into the top ranks of American money managers.
Official figures showed that China’s economy is growing at its slowest pace for almost two years. GDP rose by 7.4% in the first quarter compared with the same period last year (or by 1.4% compared with the last three months of 2013). The government’s target is for GDP to increase by 7.5% this year, which some economists think it will struggle to achieve.
The World Trade Organisation slightly raised its forecast for growth in the exports of goods to 4.7% for this year and 5.3% for next (5.3% has been the average growth rate in trade over the past 20 years). It said it was encouraged by the signs of recovery in America and Europe.
Britain’s unemployment rate fell to 6.9%. Last August, when the Bank of England issued its first forward guidance, unemployment stood at 7.7%. The central bank’s best estimate then was that it wouldn’t drop below 7% until 2016, at which point the bank would consider increasing interest rates. It has since revised its guidance, which is now based on a wider range of indicators.
The spending habit returns
Retail sales in America grew by 1.1% in March compared with February, the fastest pace in 18 months, albeit from a low base in February as severe winter weather chilled Americans’ desire to spend. Car sales drove the increase in March, rising by 3.1% in the month.
Glencore Xstrata confirmed that it was selling its Las Bambas copper mine in Peru to a Chinese consortium, though the price, $5.9 billion, was at the high end of expectations. Last year China’s antitrust regulator instructed Glencore to sell the mine as a condition for approving its merger with Xstrata.
A city court in Brussels ordered unlicensed taxi-drivers to stop picking up passengers through the popular Uber app, which has been developed by a startup in San Francisco and backed by Google. The case was supported by city officials, but the decision was criticised by a European Union commissioner for “protecting a taxi cartel”. Uber has come up against a number of regulatory roadblocks in various cities.
Affordable housing (at last)
A firm in China claimed to have built the world’s first house made from 3D-printed materials. The structural components of ten 200-square-metre houses were printed in a Shanghai district for around $4,800 each in less than a day from recycled building materials. Some wonder if this could one day alleviate the housing crisis of sky-high prices and overcrowded properties that besets many cities around the world, such as London.
This article appeared in the The world this week section of the print edition under the headline "Business this week"


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The five pizza-crust frontiers we have yet to cross
The world has had a few days to digest the news that Pizza Hut has managed to smuggle a hot dog in its pizza crust for a new menu item available in the United Kingdom. Here’s The Guardian’s delightful take on the pizza-strosity:
I soon neared the end of my slice and its bedoughed, pink-brown phallus. I took a tentative bite. It was a hot dog sausage. It was rubbery and processed and salty and smoky. How, in its own filthy way, could it be anything other than delicious?
Indeed. Since Pizza Hut has clearly defined the future of pizza, Fat City has decided to offer five more pizza-crust frontiers that we should strive to cross in the coming years.


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Market Research Report
Worldwide Smart Speaker Market Shares, 2019: Amazon and Google Maintain Lead; Alibaba and Baidu Gain Momentum
|Published by||IDC||Product code||631792|
|Published||Content info||13 Pages
Delivery time: 1-2 business days
|Worldwide Smart Speaker Market Shares, 2019: Amazon and Google Maintain Lead; Alibaba and Baidu Gain Momentum|
|Published: April 15, 2020||Content info: 13 Pages||
This IDC study discusses the worldwide smart speaker market shares for 2019."With rapidly rising consumer awareness coupled with the introduction of a multitude of new speakers and services, 2019 saw the worldwide smart speaker market grow by almost 50% year over year," says Adam Wright, senior research analyst for IDC's Smart Home research program. "Some big players like Amazon and Baidu are driving volumes via heavily discounted prices, and others like Google are finding success in growing their base via strategic bundling and partnerships. As we look ahead, smart speakers will continue to cement their place as the cornerstone of the smart home by dramatically enhancing the accessibility and use of smart home devices while becoming a central platform through which consumers access their digital content and services."


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Sweden is sick and tired of the country’s emergency rooms being frequented by people who have been injured while using their sex toys. That is why the Swedish government now wants to tighten safety standards for sex toys.
The reason for the legislative project is a study published by Swedish researchers published in July on accidents with stuck sex toys. The study is titled »Retained sex toys: an increasing and possibly preventable medical condition« and it shows that the number of Swedes who go to the emergency room with sex toys stuck in their rectum has risen sharply in recent years. A single hospital in Stockholm reported 73 cases over a period of seven years.
The study prompted the Swedish Consumer Protection Agency (SIS) to intervene. The agency suggests developing safety standards for the sextoy industry together with manufacturers and consumer groups.
SIS staff member Anna Sjörgen said: »Sextoys are used all over the world, and as far as I know there are no studies on which injury is the most common related to sextoy use. Since these products are used everywhere, it is important that the standard now being developed is applied globally.«
According to the study, the biggest problems appear to be with the use of dildos and anal plugs. 40 percent of reported cases are related to these two product groups. Men are the most frequently injured when playing with sex toys, the average age is 41, while an age range between 15 and 92 was registered in total.
The authors of the study point out that there is presumably a high number of unreported cases, since it is usually embarrassing for those affected to see a doctor. As a simple proposal for a solution, the researchers suggested that the products should be provided with safety threads as standard equipment. Many of the cases could be solved in this way and could render medical consultation superfluous.
The SIS proposals will be sent to the International Organization for Standardization in order to implement the standards worldwide. According to Sjörgen, there are currently no internationally applicable standards for these product groups neither in Sweden nor internationally. All manufacturers still apply their own safety standards, which leads to immense chaos.
»While it may work in many cases, guidelines in the form of standards can make a significant contribution to improving the quality of products in general, especially with regard to safety requirements, consumer education and risk assessments.« Sjörgen is convinced that this could drastically reduce the number of injuries.
She is aware that the introduction of safety standards cannot completely prevent accidents involving sex toys. This is the case not in the least because people not only insert sex toys intended for this purpose into their body orifices, but also completely unsuitable objects such as screwdrivers, bottle necks and lighters, but a reduction can definitely be achieved.


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Thimister-Clermont, 26 August 2015. – ArmaFORM® PET structural foam cores 100% made of post-consumer PET convince the Chinese Composite Industry
Armacell has been awarded the Ringier Technology Innovation Award for its highly sustainable ArmaFORM® PET GR product group.
Scientists from the global R&D team have invested several years in the development of a technology that enables the production of structural PET foam boards with consistent, reliable qualities 100% made from post-consumer PET materials, called ArmaFORM® PET GR.
In addition to its sustainable raw material base, ArmaFORM® PET GR is manufactured according to an energy and resource-optimized production process: 100% re-use of material loss and no use of ozone-depleting HFH or CFC blowing agents. Furthermore the product is fully recyclable at its end of life. Compared with common core materials currently available on the composite market, like PVC, SAN or PUR for example, ArmaFORM® PET GR is a highly environmentally friendly product: cross-linked PVC foam releases 2 times the CO2 emission but stays non-recyclable, whilst ArmaFORM® PET GR still serves the next generation after proper recycling. The difference is even bigger compared to PUR foams, the foaming process causes 2.6 times more CO2 emission than ArmaFORM® PET GR for the same amount of material (source: Armacell LCA report, data from 2015).
Ringier Technology Innovation Awards for industrial manufacturing are given by Ringier Trade Media and, according to the awards organizer, are recognized as the most influential industrial awards in China. Inaugurated in 2006, the purpose these awards is to encourage, acknowledge and reward those companies who have introduced and developed a new idea, a new production method, a new product or a new technology for promoting production efficiency, cost effectiveness, user convenience, which could result in energy saving and more responsible clean manufacturing in the composite materials industry.
“Those nominated must be relevant to China, be at the forefront of the international plastics industry, and have helped take China's plastics industry to new levels” explains the organizer.
Following a strict selection process from the independent panel of judges comprising industry associations and research institutes, 23 products from 20 companies participated in the final competition across 6 categories: Material, Processing, Techniques, Equipment, Software/Testing and Application. In the category ‘Materials’, Armacell was awarded for its environmentally friendly and unique structural foam core, ArmaFORM® PET GR.
“We are proud to that ArmaFORM® PET GR has been acknowledged by the Chinese composite industry”, says Henri Chapelle, Head of Global Sales & Marketing. “PET foam core 100% made of recycled PET is innovative and unique. You cannot find it elsewhere in the world. To put it differently, we are making a high-tech product from post-consumer PET that would otherwise pollute the environment”, he adds.


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How Michaels plans to get craftier to lift its business now that it’s privately owned again
When Ashley Buchanan first visited some Michaels stores after the retailer’s board approached him about the top job nearly two years ago, he was not impressed. Too many items were out of stock, there were slow moving lines at checkout in the understaffed stores, pricing was confusing, and the stores themselves were hardly palaces of wonder for its arts and crafts clientele, he thought. Things online were not stellar, either.
“I thought it was a rehearsal for the end of the world,” jokes Buchanan, who took the reins of Michaels in early 2020, after 13 years at Walmart, including most recently, chief merchant and operations chief of the mass discounter’s U.S. e-commerce business. “Customers kept telling me ‘I love this place,'” he tells Fortune. “But they were also saying Michaels made it really hard to love it.”
Making Michaels easier to love among its loyal shoppers became a simpler task in March when Michaels agreed to be bought by private equity firm Apollo Global Management in a $5 billion deal, meaning Buchanan could move faster than investors typically allow publicly listed companies to.
To be sure, Michaels was hardly a disaster of a retailer. But it was clearly underachieving. The go-private deal came even as Michaels stock had quadrupled in the year before, helped by homebound Americans turning in greater numbers to arts and crafts and doing things with their hands to pass the time.
That helped Michaels score its best growth in years and strengthened its leading position in a $45 billion industry. Yet, the Apollo executive in charge of its retail investments, Andrew Jhawar, said in a statement in March that the firm sees “significant opportunity to enhance the Michaels brand.”
Indeed in 2020, Michael brought in $5.3 billion in annual sales, up 4% over the previous year. But that’s on par with arch-rival Hobby Lobby and roughly were Michaels net sales were in 2016, illustrating the work needed to finally shake years of stagnation, work better done far from the klieg lights of Wall Street.
“It would have been harder to invest the capital at the store base that we needed to invest again, to refresh the store base, as a public company,” Buchanan says. And now Buchanan can proceed as quickly as he wants to and plans, among others thing, to remodel all 1,250 or so Michaels stores in the next couple of years.
The Apollo deal took Michaels private again seven years after it returned the stock markets. Michaels had been taken private in 2006, and its owners made big strides in improving profitability but without modernizing Michaels stores or e-commerce—problems that persist.
“Michaels has an element of laziness in its stores,” says Neil Saunders, a managing director with GlobalData, pointing to how dated many stores look and how slow Michaels has been to refresh its assortment. And Buchanan, 47, is now implementing his plan to re-energize them.
Becoming a specialty retailer again
Much like the COVID-19 lockdowns were a boon for home improvement, outdoor sports, and baking, arts and crafts thrived as Americans gravitated toward new pastimes, preferably those that involved working with their hands to get a break from all that screen time. Michaels financial results kept improving throughout 2020, and comparable sales rose 12.9% in the fourth quarter.
So the pandemic has offered Michaels the chance at reinvention that a retailer its size rarely gets—an opportunity to stand for something other than old, tired cluttered stores, and discounting and the same-old same-old merchandise. “We had been revamping the entire company, and COVID accelerated that,” the CEO says.
That has meant attacking Michaels’ chronic problems with out-of-stocks that needlessly sap sales; a more concerted effort to cut its bloated assortment by ditching tired brands or products not selling well and speeding up the velocity of new products. Michaels has already cut about 10% of items. That has included a good chunk of Michaels’ home décor—a category Buchanan feels can be a distraction given the overlap with Hobby Lobby, which does a bigger home furnishings business—to better dominate its bread-and-butter categories: arts and crafts supplies. (Home décor and seasonal items generate 22% of Michaels’ net sales. Hobby Lobby is privately held and does not release financial results.)
GlobalData’s Saunders says this will go a long way in addressing the clutter problem at many Michaels stores.
Buchanan, whose children are big glitter aficionados, says that product illustrates perfectly Michaels merchandise problems. The retailer had been selling the same variety of glitter for years without ever changing it up. “We had 13 versions of the same blue. But we did not have like, you know, rainbow; it’s like just simple stuff like that,” he says.
And that wasn’t the only problem Michaels is still working on. Years of coupons and discounts at Michaels have led to a cheapening of the brand and confusion among shoppers on what value items have.
Like many retailers, Michaels is trying to wean shoppers off of what Buchanan calls “a dog’s breakfast” of coupons offering discounts of 60%, and claims some success on that front, saying that 20% off coupons are more the norm now.
Michaels got some help earlier this year on this front when arch-rival Hobby Lobby, which is almost identical to Michaels in revenue, did away with its signature 40% off a single full-price item.
If there’s an area that lends itself to so-called “experiential retail”—industry jargon for features that can make a store fun to visit—it’s arts and crafts. And yet for years, to Buchanan’s chagrin, many Michaels stores have seemed more like warehouses than places of discovery. But the COVID lockdowns have helped with that. Michaels held many Zoom events, such as arts and crafts lessons, a trend that is translating to more in-store events now that pandemic restrictions are easing.
One of Buchanan’s predecessors famously shocked Wall Street when he said a few years ago on an quarterly conference call that Michaels was insulated from Amazon’s pressure since people like to come in and touch arts and crafts. “He was wrong,” Buchanan says. Now it’s clear that it is all the more essential to create some kind of community between artists—or as Michaels calls them, “makers”—given that so many Michaels customers are selling on Etsy now, and selling a lot.
To that end, Michaels in August recently launched a “pro” site for the more serious arts-and-crafters that has instantly generated 10% of its online sales. Michaels is also planning a marketplace to create a one-stop shop for its makers.
Buchanan sees a clear path for Michaels to run away with the arts-and-crafts prize, seeing an e-commerce advantage over Hobby Lobby and limited threat from the likes of Target and Buchanan’s alma mater Walmart, which offer a limited though attractive selection. (He is undoubtedly well aware though that mass retailer Walmart just announced a line of crafts with Todd Oldham.)
And so better e-commerce (a new site is being launched next year), more attractive stores with dynamic refreshing of merchandise, and using its stores and web site to make Michaels central to all the arts-and-crafts aficionados out there, are the basics that guide his strategy.
“We’re providing customers with something that’s a little more tangible than just deep discounts,” says Buchanan. “I mean, we are not a mass retailer of arts and crafts.”
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by Narimene Chaib
Yeezy x Gap – Everything You Need to Know About The Unexpected Collab
After dropping a new Yeezy collection in March, Mr. West is shaking up the fashion industry once again with an unexpected yet promising collaboration with the emblematic navy label GAP.
With COVID-19 in the works, this year was definitely not one of the most productive for the fashion world. But for fashion and music mogul Kanye West, it was quite a different story.
Despite this year’s luxury retail downfall and the toll it’s taking on major brands, the partnership with the billionaire rapper is expected to rescue the emblematic blue logo retailer Gap, as the company lost nearly $1 billion during the COVID-19 pandemic. West signed a deal to team up with the American brand for a 10-year partnership as announced on June 26.
West is usually known for his atypical collaborations, and has always been vocal about his vision to make high fashion accessible to the masses. He was even criticized for the idea, being told that the business model isn’t profitable. But this latest collab proves the naysayers wrong. As a teenager, West used to work at a Chicago Gap store, solidifying his nostalgic connection to the famous retailer. In 2015, he told Style.com that he wanted to be the Steve Jobs of Gap, and five years later, he made the move.
As the press release stated, “under Mr. West’s creative direction, plans to create “modern, elevated basics for men, women and kids at accessible price points.” Mr. West’s “design vision” will extend to how the line will be showcased in Gap’s stores and online.” Thus, Kanye West upgrading Gap is a collaboration we certainly won’t miss.
The clothing line, entitled Yeezy Gap, will be introduced in stores and online in the first half of 2021.


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Norwegian oil, shipping and seafood magnate Kjell Inge Rokke launched another fisheries group onto the Oslo Stock Exchange Monday.
Krill harvesting and processing group Aker Biomarine, owned by Norwegian magnate Kjell Inge Rokke, began trading on the Oslo Stock Exchange's Merkur Market, a follow up to a NOK 2.15 billion (€196 million/$225 million) share issue aimed at fueling the company's ambitions to grow in both the consumer and animal feed markets.
"We have reached necessary scale to start to be profitable as a company," Johansen said. "It's the right time to go to the market and release all the value of the company that's there."
Listing is not new for Aker Biomarine. The company first went public on the Oslo Stock Exchange in 2007, in a blockbuster IPO that attracted a range of eager investors, including John Fredriksen, Mowi's largest shareholder and one of Norway's wealthiest individuals.
Though Aker's investors understood that the group would need time before turning a profit, losses piled up over the years, and several major investors stepped out.


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Since a vehicle owner can get scrap value of about 3%, the incremental incentive from the policy appears minimal
The vehicle scrapping policy, proposed in Parliament last week, is unlikely to make people junk their old vehicles for new ones in a big way, owing to insufficient incentives offered by the government for replacement, a report said on Monday.
Under the proposed policy, a scrapped vehicle will be offered a monetary value close to 4-6 per cent of the showroom value. There could even be up to 5 per cent discount on the purchase of a new vehicle if a scrap certificate is produced.
In addition, it also offers a 25 per cent discount in road tax and proposes to de-register vehicles that fail fitness tests or are unable to renew registrations after 15-20 years of use.
“While the scrapping policy has the right intent, we believe the incentives are insufficient to trigger much replacement,” financial services firm Jefferies said in its report on Monday.
It said a vehicle owner can usually get scrap value of about 2-3 per cent of vehicle price in the market and hence the incremental incentive from the policy appears minimal.
“We also believe the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are unlikely to offer additional discounts at a time when demand is already recovering and companies are facing severe margin pressure due to elevated commodity prices,” it added.
The policy proposes to deregister Commercial Vehicles (CVs) after 15 years and private vehicles after 20 years of use if these fail the fitness test or are unable to renew registration certificates.
As a disincentive measure, the policy suggests an increase in fees for fitness certificates for CVs and re-registration for private vehicles after 15 years of use.
Mandatory fitness testing for heavy CVs is expected to start from April 2023 and for other categories from June 2024.
The draft notifications are expected in the next few weeks and will be in the public domain for stakeholder feedback for 30 days, according to the report.
As per the government, around 1.7 million medium and heavy commercial vehicles and around 5.1 million light motor vehicles are older than 15 and 20 years, respectively.
“This appears significant versus our 2021-22 new vehicle sales estimate of 259 thousand units for M&HCVs and 3.3mn units for PVs,” the report stated.
However, the firm believes a large proportion of these older than 15-20 year vehicles are not in active on-road use and the owners would not have the financial capacity to replace these new vehicles for mid-single-digit incentives.


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Following a drop in stock prices, Nintendo's president reveals the company may announce more games for the Nintendo Switch's 2018 lineup.
Nintendo and Disney will launch the upcoming game show Nintendo Switch Family Showdown, to be broadcast on Disney's cable TV network.
Exclusive: The studio boss at porting developer Panic Button thinks Bethesda Softworks will start releasing all its games on the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo's E3 2018 Direct presentation ends with a bang, revealing that Metroid villain Ripley will be joining the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster.
Another leak adds to the long list of evidence that confirms we'll be seeing the extremely popular Fortnite heading to the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo announces their complete E3 2018 schedule, and it features more than just the Nintendo Direct on Tuesday. Find out what they're doing.
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Here's everything gamers need to know about Super Smash Bros for Nintendo Switch, including its release date, trailer, news, and rumors.
Sega announces that some of its classing gaming titles are coming to the Nintendo Switch in Japan through the console's online store.
GameStop's CEO drops the news that Nintendo's Switch console still has some unannounced games coming this year, with some big names among them.
Head of Xbox Phil Spencer says he's open to allowing fan-favorite character Banjo join the new Super Smash Bros. game for the Nintendo Switch.
Rumor has it a brand new Super Smash Bros. fighting video game is being developed for the Nintendo Switch, and may arrive in 2018.


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By Evan Wood
People on both sides of the marijuana legalization debate have strong feelings about Proposition 19, the California ballot initiative that promises to regulate, control and tax cannabis. But science and empirical research have been given short shrift in the discussion. That’s unfortunate, because the U.S. government has actually funded excellent research on the subject, and it suggests that several widely held assumptions about cannabis legalization actually may be inaccurate. When the total body of knowledge is considered, it’s hard to conclude that we should stick with the current system.
One important question is whether laws criminalizing marijuana have effectively reduced supply and use. It would appear from available data that they have not. Despite billions spent on anti-cannabis law enforcement and a 30% increase in the number of arrests in California since 2005, marijuana remains the most frequently used illegal drug. Nationally, an estimated $10 billion is spent each year enforcing marijuana laws, yet an ongoing study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse has concluded that over the last 30 years, the drug has remained “almost universally available to American 12th-graders,” with 80% to 90% saying the drug is “very easy” or “fairly easy” to obtain.
On the health side of the equation, scientific consensus is that while cannabis may pose some health risks, they are less serious than those posed by alcohol and tobacco. The approach taken to regulating these other harmful substances, however, hasn’t been to criminalize them but to regulate their distribution, to impose taxes on their purchase and to educate the public about their risks. These measures have been shown to be effective, as in the case of cigarette consumption, which has dropped dramatically.
On the other hand, cannabis prohibition has not achieved its stated objectives. As detailed in a report published last week by my organization, the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy, research funded by the U.S. government clearly demonstrates that even as federal funding for anti-drug efforts has increased by more than an inflation-adjusted 600% over the last several decades, marijuana’s potency has increased by 145% since 1990, and its price has declined 58%.
In this context, supporting Proposition 19 seems like a reasonable position, and recent polls have suggested that almost half of decided voters support the ballot initiative. However, there has emerged a strong assumption in the debate that, though legalization will save police time and raise tax revenue, this will come at the cost of increasing rates of cannabis use.
This notion is based on a widely cited Rand Corp. report, which used a theoretical model to conclude that rates of cannabis use will increase if cannabis is legalized. Though the authors of this report cautioned readers that there were “many limitations to our estimate’s precision and completeness” and that “uncertainties are so large that altering just a few key assumptions or parameter values can dramatically change the results,” few seem to have read past the headline that legalization is likely to increase cannabis use.
This may be the case, but it’s not a certainty. In the Netherlands, where marijuana has been sold in licensed “coffee shops” since the 1970s, about 20% of the adult population has used the drug at some time in their lives. In the United States, where it is largely illegal, 42% of the adult population has used marijuana.
Neither Rand’s theoretical model nor other commentaries have considered the potential benefits of the broad range of regulatory tools that could be utilized if the marijuana market were legal. The state could then license vendors, impose purchasing and sales restrictions and require warning labels. Although these methods have been scientifically proven effective in reducing tobacco and alcohol use internationally, it is noteworthy that successful government lobbying by the tobacco and alcohol industries has slowly eroded many of these regulatory mechanisms in the United States.
A bill has been introduced in the California Legislature to create a uniform statewide regulatory system under the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control if Proposition 19 passes. Such a system would allow, finally, for an evidence-based discussion of how to optimize cannabis regulatory regimes so that the benefits of regulation (including such things as tax revenue and reduced drug market violence) can be maximized while rates of cannabis use and related harms can be minimized.
Up to now, the fact that cannabis is illegal has meant that the unregulated market has been largely controlled by organized-crime groups, and the trade has sparked considerable violence, both in the United States and in Mexico. Given the widespread availability and use of cannabis despite aggressive criminal justice measures, there is no doubt that a saner system can be created if marijuana is strictly regulated rather than left in the hands of organized crime.
Evan Wood, a physician and professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia, is the founder of the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy.
Copyright © 2010, Los Angeles Times


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Johnson & Johnson and three major U.S. drug distributors agreed to pay nearly $590 million to Native American tribes heavily affected by the opioid crisis to resolve litigation against the companies.
Under the settlement, Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay $150 million to tribes over two years. Distributors AmerisourceBergen Corp., McKesson Corp. and Cardinal Health Inc. will pay more than $439.9 million over seven years. It is separate from a previous $75 million settlement reached between the distributors and the Cherokee Nation.
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A division bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh also issued notice to Amazon on Future Group's appeal challenging the single judge's March 18 judgment on the deal by which all the objections raised by them were rejected.
Shares of Future Group closed with gains of up to nearly 10 per cent on Monday after the Delhi High Court stayed a single judge’s order restraining Future Retail Ltd (FRL) from going ahead with its Rs 24,713 crore deal with Reliance Retail to sell its business, which was objected by US-based e-commerce giant Amazon.
A division bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh also issued notice to Amazon on Future Group’s appeal challenging the single judge’s March 18 judgment on the deal by which all the objections raised by them were rejected.
On BSE, FRL shares jumped by 6.27 per cent to Rs 59.35 and Future Enterprises rose 9.92 per cent to Rs 9.53.
Also, Future Market Networks Ltd increased 4.98 per cent to Rs 15.8, while Future Lifestyle Fashions Ltd was up 6.86 per cent to Rs 69.3.
Future Consumer Ltd shares surged 9.97 per cent to Rs 7.06 apiece. Besides, Future Supply Chain Solutions Ltd rose 4.45 per cent to Rs 83.35. we hereby stay the order of the single judge dated March 18, 2021 till the next date of hearing, the bench said and listed the matter for further hearing on April 30.
The court also stayed the single judge order asking for attachment of assets of Future Group’s Kishore Biyani and others and directing them to appear in the court on April 28.
The single judge’s order had come on Amazon’s plea seeking direction to order enforcement of the award by Singapore’s Emergency Arbitrator’s on October 25, 2020, restraining Future Retail from going ahead with its Rs 24,713 crore deal with Reliance Retail.


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The latest round of men's fashion weeks kicked off June 3 in New York, showcasing Spring/Summer 2020 ready-to-wear collections.
Although eyes will first and foremost be on this new seasonal menswear offering, the models responsible for showing it off will also be in the spotlight as they walk the runways of New York, London, Florence, Milan and Paris during the month of June.
Here are three models set to cause a stir on the runways this fashion month. – AFP Relaxnews
Japanese model Kohei Takabatake will no doubt be one of the most ubiquitous faces on the menswear runways this June, with a veritable fashion marathon in store. But that shouldn't prove too daunting for the young male model, who already notched up the most runway walks in the business in 2018. According to the specialist website, models.com, he walked in over 80 shows, including two opening appearances and no less than six closing walks! Kohei notably graced the runway for Balmain, Dior, Fendi, Paul Smith, Louis Vuitton and Versace.
Model Callum Stoddart also stood out in 2018, scoring the second highest number of runway appearances between January and December that year. The British model turned heads in no fewer than 59 shows, including Boss, Dior, Raf Simons, Sacai, Tommy Hilfiger, Etro and Valentino. He also closed the Qasimi show for the Spring/Summer 2019 season. Callum Stoddart is likely to be one of the unmissable faces on the runways of New York, London, Florence, Milan and Paris this season.
Proving particularly in demand for some of the biggest fashion houses' advertising campaigns, Cameron Dallas hasn't been seen that much on the runway in recent seasons. Still, the American model and video maker always proves a hit when he graces the runway. With almost 41 million social media followers – including over 21 million on Instagram alone – Dallas is not only a veritable runway star but also one of the world's most popular models. He could well put in a runway appearance for one of his favourite fashion houses, Dolce & Gabbana.
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Household fittings and fixtures suppler
The sale comes following GWA’s strategic review, which had identified its Dux and Brivis businesses as non-core operations.
GWA said on Wednesday the $46 million price tag was “in line the book value of Dux Hot Water".
Sale processes for GWA’s Brivis Heating and Cooling business and its Weatherill Park vitreous china plant in Sydney are “well advanced".
In October the company announced up to 164 job cuts and the closure of its Norwood plastics plant in Adelaide and of the Weatherill Park site.
Total annual cost savings from the overhaul are expected to be about $4 million.
The Dux sale is expected to complete in December.
GWA confirmed it may use cash from the deal to pay shareholders a special dividend or other capital returns.
“As previously advised, the board will look to return the excess funds received from sale proceeds to shareholders," the company said.
GWA shares rose 3.7 per cent to $2.80 at 11:45 AEDT on Wednesday.
The Australian Financial Review


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Only a quarter of British consumers trust the Government to guard after their personal details securely.
As more details emerge of the loss of personal records held by HM Revenue and Customs, a survey, carried out on behalf of CA, has revealed that just 25 percent of the population believe that the authorities have a grip on the issue.
The good news for the government is that this is slightly up from last year, the bad news is that the survey was carried out well before the latest data loss.
Online retail organisations fare even worse: just 19 percent of consumers trust them to hold data safely, while ISPs are trusted least of all, with only eight percent of us thinking that they can be trusted to hold informations securely.
Most people thought that banks could be trusted to hold information securely – although in total just 60 percent of the population thought that banks could be trusted. More worryingly, a year ago, 70 percent of us trusted the bank, so trust is in decline.
More than two-thirds of British consumers generally think that all organisations should be more careful with personal data.
Simon Perry, vice president, Security Strategy at CA, commented: “This survey clearly shows that online Identity Theft remains a major concern for UK consumers. This is not surprising considering that more than 170,000 cases of Identity Theft have been reported in the past 18 months.
Consumers still need to be convinced that rigorous steps are being taken to ensure their data is protected and that security is at the top of the agenda. The onus is clearly on organisations offering online services to improve the way they manage their customers’ personal details or risk damage to their reputation and loss of business.
He added that breach notificiation laws needed to be amended. “In the USA, consumers are notified as soon as there has been a data breach relating to their personal details. This places an additional mandated obligation for organisations to not only do everything in their power to minimise online fraud, but also demonstrate transparency in their execution of their efforts. This requirement currently doesn’t exist in the UK.”
The survey, carried out by YouGov, asked 2,000 consumers their attitude to. The results indicated that the UK population is much more aware of the their vulnerability to identity fraud. And after today’s events, they’re even more aware.


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Only a few weeks ahead of the launch of its first all-electric vehicle, Jaguar is testing the I-Pace in “the extremes of terrain and temperature” and released some of the results this week.
The British automaker brought I-Pace prototypes to the Jaguar Land Rover cold weather test facility in Arjeplog, Sweden, in order to test the vehicle at temperatures as low as -40°F.
The main piece of information that they released is that the vehicle is capable of a DC fast charge “from zero to 80 percent in approximately 45 minutes with a 100kW” despite sub-zero temperatures.
Ian Hoban, Jaguar Vehicle Line Director, commented:
“Not only will the I-PACE charge quickly enough for our customers to carry out their everyday lives, it will offer powerful and precise performance in a variety of conditions and climactic extremes. Allied with the versatile credentials of our celebrated PACE family, this will be an electric performance SUV like no other,”
Furthermore, the company confirmed that I-Pace owners will be able to use battery preconditioning in cold weather through their mobile app.
They wrote in a press release today:
“While plugged into power, customers will be able to prepare the car’s battery and cabin temperature ahead of a journey without tapping into the battery’s range. Pre-conditioning the car ensures maximum range, performance and comfort whether temperatures are freezing cold or extremely hot. Setting up preferred charging times and pre-conditioning schedules can be done from either the on-board Jaguar InControl® system2, or the Jaguar InControl® Remote™ smartphone app.”
Tesla released a similar feature for all its vehicles via software update just a few weeks ago.
As part of a series of videos, Jaguar brings potential customers to witness parts of the I-Pace test program.
Last month, they invited a woman from California on a 200-mile test drive along the coast.
Now they invited Tony Westerlund, a potential customer from Sweden who had some questions on living with I-PACE in Arctic conditions:
Jaguar also confirmed this week that the I-PACE will be revealed in a live global broadcast on March 1, 2018 at 1:00PM ET/19:00 CET and will go on to make its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show on March 6, 2018.
Jaguar has been weird about the way they are talking about the I-Pace’s fast-charging capacity.
They don’t want to talk about the vehicle’s actual charge rate limit and instead, they talk about how fast it can charge “using a 100 kW charger.”
100 kW is not bad, but many have been expecting something capable of more in order to compete with Tesla and take advantage of the new 150+ kW fast-charging stations currently being deployed.
It’s likely going to be something that will be clarified at the launch in March.
The production car itself is expected to be similar to the prototypes seen before, but we will be looking for updated specs and pricing, which so far looks like it will be close to ~$76,000, according to early reservation holders.
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Smokefree Sefton are officially launching their FREE stop smoking service, supporting residents to give up the habit and lead a healthier lifestyle!
Smokefree Sefton is a service by Solutions4Health offering tailor made programmes and support that works!
The service offers support in a range of settings, including community venues, pharmacies, supermarket and even a mobile clinic which is located a various venues across the town where you can drop in and see one of their approachable and trained advisors. The service also offers motivational texts and phone support to keep you motivated between appointments.
Smokefree Sefton will holding two events to celebrate the launch of their service, which will coincide with Stoptober, the 28 day challenge! The launch events will take place on Chapel Street, Southport on the 27th September and at Bootle Strand, Stanley Road, Bootle on the 30th September. Both events will take place 11am-3pm and stop smoking advisors will be on hand to offer advice and free CO monitoring from the mobile clinic.
For more information on the Smokefree Sefton launches or to sign up, call 0300 100 1000 or text QUIT to 66777. Visit www.smokefreesefton.co.uk for more information.


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1 Where permitted by law. Check your local store's hours. All stores in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine will open at midnight on Black Friday, Nov. 29. Puerto Rico stores will open at 12:01 a.m. on Black Friday, Nov. 29. OfficeMax Business Solution Centers will open at 5 a.m. on Black Friday, Nov. 29.2 2012 consumer spending survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics for the National Retail Federation.
Most OfficeMax Stores To Open 8 P.m. Thanksgiving Day
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The first rule about the fight club is that we don’t talk about the fight club.
Maybe the “Worst in Show” awards from the Consumer Electronics Show must have such a rule. The Worst in Show awards are based on consumer reviews and privacy watchdogs and can do great damage to the reputation of big companies that unfortunately receive these awards.
The group consisting of technology repair tool seller iFixit and digital rights advocate Electronic Frontier Foundation among others released the “worst” list with CES on Thursday. This list highlights the tech that according to this group created the largest privacy and safety concerns.
“From easily hackable lawn mowers to $300 earbuds that will fail in two years, these are products that jeopardize our safety, encourage wasteful overconsumption, and normalize privacy violations,” Gay Gordon-Byrne, the executive director of Repair.org, said in the announcement video.
Unfortunately for BMW, it is deemed the biggest loser in the Worst list by getting not one but two entries in the list, the only company to do so.
“We have seen an increasing number of horrific stories where people, generally women, who are trying to escape abusive domestic situations end up having their cars serve as tracking and abuse vectors,” Cindy Cohn, executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation said.
Additionally, BMW also got an award for its augmented reality glasses. Cory Doctorow of the EFF said it would be a “recipe for distracted driving”.
As expected, BMW group defended its products via an email to the Associated Press. “BMW and Amazon share a strong commitment to maintaining customers’ trust and protecting their privacy, including giving them control over their data,” spokesperson Jay Hanson wrote in the email. He also added that minimizing driver distraction was a key ideal for their company.
One of the worst awards given to BMW was involved with their partnership with Amazon’s voice assistance Alexa. Amazon says an Alexa “car expert” will be able to provide “quick instructions and answers about vehicle functions in a much more human, conversation-like manner, and even act on your behalf.”
Having Alexa turn on the car and the heater seems convenient but what if it was voiced by a violent partner or ex. This puts, women mostly, in a position of loss in terms of abusive relationships and trying to escape them. The spokesperson for the Worst Award show stated that, “Alexa and BMW — and frankly all of the car companies who are racing to turn our cars into tracking devices — need to ensure that victims can turn this off.”
Other such contributors in the Worst Awards were the Gernam audio-electronics maker Senheiser which showcased its fourth generation of the Momentum True Wireless ear headphones. Btu the iFixit CEO stated that the $300 earbuds are a “betrayal of the brand” owing to their easy disposability with three separate batteries that will likely fail in a few years.


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Target gets cheers and jeers for gender-neutral signage
Target is removing gender labels from signs in some of its kids departments following complaints from some customers about signage in stores that designated certain toys for girls.
The impetus for change appears to have begun when a Target customer in Green, Ohio complained about aisle signs for "Building Sets" and "Girls Building Sets." The customer, Abi Bechtel, took a photo of the sign and sent out a tweet: "Don’t do this, @Target."
"It stood out to me as a good example of the way our culture tends to view boys and men as the default, normal option and girls and women as the specialized exception," Ms. Bechtel told CNN in June. "I hope that Target and other retailers will pay attention to this conversation and consider removing gender from the way they market their toys."
On Target’s "A Bullseye View" site, the retailer said gender designations make sense in some departments such as clothing while others such as toys, home and entertainment do not. The chain is currently in the process of removing signs for boys and girls bedding in its home departments and replacing them with kids. It also plans to stop using color references such as pink, blue, yellow and black on the back walls of shelves in toy aisles, as well.
Response to Target’s decision was greeted with both cheers and jeers from its customers on social media. Those who support the decision tend to think the gender labels are outdated while those against see Target making the change simply as cave to the politically correct police.
- What’s in Store: Moving Away from Gender-based Signs – A Bullseye View
- Target to move away from gender-based signs – CNN
- What’s wrong with this Target sign? – CNN
- Blurred Lines: How Retail is Becoming Less Gendered, and Why You Should Care – NPD Group
Do you agree or disagree with Target’s decision to remove gender designations from store signs in departments such as toys and home? Would the chain have been smarter to make the changes it intends without announcing plans to do so or do you favor transparency in this case?