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Crashed cars deemed too damaged or beyond economical repair by insurers are being given a clean slate and sold to unsuspecting motorists on the second-hand market, a shocking new investigation has revealed.
Auto Express found 10 vehicles that had previously suffered substantial damage – enough to be written off by insurers in the past – being advertised for sale almost a year later with a clean bill of health.
The motoring magazine carried out vehicle history checks on each of the 10 cars only to find that the reports came back with no record of them being written off.
Auto Express carried out vehicle history checks on all the cars it knew had previously been recorded as Cat S write offs. Every check came back giving the vehicles a clean bill of health
Auto Express said it found 10 cars for sale on the used market that had been declared as Cat S that came up with no history check warnings about previously being written off.
It identified these vehicles by their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plates.
Vehicle write-offs explained
Category A, or ‘Scrap’ cars, remain the most badly damaged vehicles. They can’t be repaired or even broken for spares.
Category B, or ‘Break’ cars, are again very badly damaged and beyond repair, but they can be ‘broken’ into parts for salvage and recycling.
Category S, or ‘Structural’ cars have incurred damage to the basic structure that gives a car its strength. These ‘S’ cars can be fixed and re-sold, but you should ensure that the work has been checked by a qualified mechanic.
Category N, or ‘Non-structural’ cars, are equivalent to current Cat D cars. Their damage isn’t to the core structure, but there might still be some safety-related parts in areas like suspension or steering that will need to be replaced.
The motoring magazine said some of the cars had history check alerts for outstanding finance and dodgy mileage, but not one was listed as having previously been written-off in the past.
This has potentially lethal and financially damaging ramifications for unsuspecting used car buyers.
That’s because consumers are advised to have an independent mechanical inspection on any car listed as a Cat S write off, purely as a safety measure.
Without any declaration that a car has a hidden background of crash damage, motorists are unlikely to have an inspection carried out.
Buyers who find out at a later date that their car has previous been written off will also see the value of their vehicle plummet.
And because it’s an offence to knowingly sell a written-off car without declaring this information, it begs the question if the market is being policed at all.
HPI consumer director Fernando Garcia told Auto Express that it ‘constantly monitors the quality of the data it generates and receives’ and added: ‘If the consumer conducts an HPI Check and it did not show the Vehicle Condition Alert Register information, they would be covered by our guarantee if they adhere to our terms and conditions.’
An Experian spokesperson told Auto Express that none of the vehicles checked using its service were recorded as a total loss and as a result did not show as being written off.
When the DVLA was also contacted by the car magazine, it said: ‘Insurance companies are required to notify DVLA of all accident-damaged vehicles.’


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AVAX rallied to gain more than 25% within 24 hours in a recent rally.
The rally is tied to the recent Avalanche partnership with Amazon AWS.
Even though the market may be in a recession, Avalanche [AVAX] has seized every opportunity to forge important partnerships. With its most recent alliance, Avalanche is empowering itself to provide institutional services, which could mark the beginning of the next phase of blockchain adoption.
Read Avalanches [AVAX] Price Forecast 2023-24
Avalanche works with Amazon AWS
On January 11, Avalanche and Amazon Web Services announced their partnership, which would advance the widespread use of blockchain technology in businesses and government agencies.
It is official! @Amazon #Choose Avalanche to bring scalable blockchain solutions to businesses and governments 🔺#AWS fully supports Avalanche’s infrastructure and dApp ecosystem, including one-click node deployment, and provides the best tooling for these high-compliance use cases. pic.twitter.com/syInSrU9XD
— Avalanche 🔺 (@avalancheavax) January 11, 2023
To facilitate collaboration, AWS offers one-click code deployment through the AWS marketplace. Use cases that require compliance with FedRAMP standards can be run on AWS GovCloud by running Avalanche node operators.
In addition, Ava Labs will offer “Subnet Deployment” as a service in the AWS Marketplace. This means that any company or organization can hire Ava Labs to create a unique AWS subnet.
AVAX Rises in a Daily Time Frame, But…
AVAX reacted positively to the AWS alliance, as evidenced by the asset’s daily timeframe chart. By the close of trading on January 11, AVAX was up more than 24% in value. The asset was trading at about $15 at the time of writing, despite losing about 3%. The price before the nearly 25% increase was about $12.
The latest price moves successfully overcame the resistance level created by the short moving average (yellow line). However, given where AVAX is located, a price drop is likely.
AVAX had entered the overbought zone, as shown by the line of the Relative Strength Index (RSI). The conclusion is that a price correction is approaching, which is likely to follow given the current position of the RSI.
Is your wallet green? Check out the AVAX Profit Calculator
Dev activity is witnessing an upward trend
The development activity indicator also showed an upward trend. According to the measure of dev activity, network developer activities have scaled up. The dev activity chart at the time of writing indicated that it had risen to around 15.79.
This post Avalanche [AVAX] gains 25% per day, thanks to the Amazon AWS
was published first on https://ambcrypto.com/avalanche-avax-gains-25-in-a-day-thanks-to-the-amazon-aws/

domain: news


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Five years on, has Christopher Nolan’s disappointing Batman threequel improved with age?
We got our first proper look at FOX’s upcoming Gotham this week thanks to the show’s first trailer, and it features a young Selina Kyle. We’ve decided to look back at all past on-screen Catwomen, and discuss which are better!
Warner Home Entertainment will release The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray on Tuesday, September 24, but one of the special bonus features has already made its way online – Christian Bale’s audition in the Val Kilmer Batman suit opposite Man of Steel’s Amy Adams!
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has official announced that “The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector’s Edition” will be available on Blu-ray on September 24.
Have we seen the last of Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman? Not if it was up to The Dark Knight Rises star.
The Dark Knight Rises (From the box to my TV screen_


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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Easton Sports, has announced a voluntary recall on about 6,400 bikes with EA30 stems.Via Bicycle Retailer and Industry News
The bicycle stem can crack and cause the rider to lose control, posing a risk of serious injury if the rider falls. The company received a report of a stem breaking, causing a minor injury to the rider.
This recall involves all Raleigh 2007, XXIX 700c MTN, RX1.0, Diamondback 2007, Mission, and Sortie bicycles with EA30 stems. The EA30 stems are black with white-and-gray graphics and feature a four-bolt stem face cap."EA30" is printed on the stem. EA30 stems sold as aftermarket items are included in this recall.
They were sold at independent bicycle dealers nationwide from August 2007 through August 2009 for between $500 and $1,200. Aftermarket stems were sold from August 2007 through September 2009 for about $30. The stems were manufactured in China.
Consumers should immediately stop riding the bicycles and contact any authorized Easton Sports for a free replacement stem.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Easton Stem Recall
In case you have one of these:
Posted at 4:13 PM


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On July 12, 2014, the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) released an updated version of its Android mobile app for secure communication.
GIMF released the first version of the app in September 2013.
The newer version, explains GIMF, “enables the encryption of files directly from the mobile Android [device].”
Following is the brief English-language announcement from GIMF regarding the update:
“…With the increased spread and circulation of smartphones worldwide, especially phones running the Android operating system, users in the Arab and Muslim countries have become very reliant on them in their daily life.”
To request a full copy of this MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor report, send us an email with the report title, number, and date in the subject line, and include your name, title, organization, and official contact info in the body of the email.


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Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Sean Dilweg will hold a hearing Sept. 14 on the use of consumer credit information in personal lines insurance policies.
The public hearing with invited testimony will take place beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Room 412 East.
“The formal hearing to examine this issue was requested by legislators,” said Dilweg. “It is my hope that the hearing will result in a comprehensive and well balanced discussion on the issues surrounding the use of consumer credit history.”
Responding to a request from Senator Lena Taylor and Representatives David Cullen and Terese Berceau, the Commissioner has invited consumers, insurers, insurance agents and credit reporting agencies to testify on consumer credit information and the current practices.
Commissioner Dilweg will assess the information that is presented at the hearing to determine if further regulatory guidance from OCI is needed to enhance consumer protection in Wisconsin.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Insurance
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Travel techies take road to riches
Bosses at one of Britain’s fastest-growing companies, JacTravel, could be in line for a £100m windfall after receiving takeover interest.
Jac, a travel technology company backed by buyout firm Vitruvian, has hired investment bank Evercore to handle takeover approaches after spurning several offers in recent months, sources said.
Jac specialises in search and booking technology for hotels, and handles more than 2.5m customers a year. It reported underlying earnings of £19.8m last year on turnover of £246m, and is estimated to be worth more than £200m. It was ranked No 119 in last month’s Sunday Times International Track 200, a list of the fastest-growing international firms.
Vitruvian, a European investment firm that also owns part of airline ticket search engine Skyscanner, bought a 55% stake


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The COVID-19 pandemic has not only deemed marijuana an essential product in many states but also has made the idea of home delivery an important one.
Oklahoma’s Governor however doesn’t seem to think so. The state’s Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed a bill that would have allowed home delivery and pre-roll production and sales.
Many marijuana enthusiasts had been hopeful as the Republican-controlled Legislature passed the bill by a wide margin.
In Oklahoma, only licensed caregivers are able to deliver to patients and the vetoed legislation would have allowed dispensaries to deliver within a 10-mile radius of their location.
For patients who live farther away, a dispensary in the same county would have been authorized to make deliveries to those individuals.


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Sustana’s Emily Olson and TriplePundit talk about how to meet eco-conscious consumer demands through sustainable supply chain partnerships
Sustana’s Emily Olson and TriplePundit talk about how to meet eco-conscious consumer demands through sustainable supply chain partnerships.
Today waste paper can be recycled into products that are almost identical in color and quality to their virgin counterparts. This gives brands the opportunity to stake out a position ahead of the pack and show consumers that they are taking action to lessen their impact on the environment.
Sustana’s Director and Sustainability Ambassador Emily Olson recently spoke with TriplePundit about the ever-growing consumer preference for environmentally friendly products and how brands can meet consumer demands with the right partner – especially in the food and beverage sector.
Emily shared how in the previously challenging area of direct-contact food and beverage packaging, innovative products such as Sustana Fiber’s EnviroLife® allow brands to maximize sustainability goals with packaging that is comprised entirely of 100% post-consumer fiber – and is FDA compliant. An increasing number of new products are even entering the market, offering consumers a chance to make different – more sustainable – choices than they had five years ago. Ultimately, eco-conscious consumer demands have become critical drivers in both public policy and private-sector activity.
Read the full article here.


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Service Bioscoop Hollywoud is first cinema fully equipped with RealD Ultimate Screens
RealD announced that Service Bioscoop Hollywoud in Almkerk, Netherlands, has installed the RealD Ultimate Screen™ in all four of their cinema auditoriums, an industry first.
The RealD Ultimate Screen is 85% more light-efficient than a standard silver screen and engineered so there is a consistent surface texture.
“RealD is thrilled to partner with Service Bioscoop Hollywoud to bring their customers a high-quality visual experience with the RealD Ultimate Screen,” said Roger Harris, managing director of RealD Europe. “Increased light levels across the whole screen will create an optimum screen experience for every customer.”
Laban Duijnhouwer, CEO of Service Bioscoop Hollywoud, commented, "We continue to be proud of our successful partnership with RealD, focusing on the highest quality of visual experience for our customers.” Duijnhouwer went on to praise the Ultimate Screen’s “contrast, brightness and uniformity of projection.”


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Facebook will use artificial intelligence to show you photos you're not tagged in.
Latest from Jake Smith
A virtual reality launch years in the making, with plenty of anticipation. But how long will it take to be a hit?
The world's most popular drone maker has a new plan that will allow you to protect your drone annually or bi-annually.
Apple's artificial intelligence march continues with another acquisition, as it looks to take on Facebook, Google, and Amazon.
Oculus gets social thanks to its parent-company Facebook.
Looking to take on bots from Facebook and others, Microsoft has rolled out the bots feature within Skype to all the popular computing platforms.
The FAA wants to reduce drone accidents by implementing new regulation.
As Microsoft looks to bolster scheduling in Office 365, another artificial intelligence startup is snapped up.
Self-driving cars have experienced accidents before, but none had been caused by Google.
Yahoo wants to make family coordination a breeze with its new Captain text messaging bot.


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Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) has crossed Rs 1,000 crore in deposits from over a 57 million savings account holders.
With more people embracing digital banking during Covid-19 pandemic, the company has been witnessing an accelerated rise in deposits, the company said in a statement.
PPBL has also confirmed that its customers can now receive the benefits of over 400 government subsidies directly into their PPBL Savings Account. The bank has now implemented the option to avail benefits of Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT), which is a scheme by Government of India to transfer the subsidies of various social welfare schemes like LPG gas subsidy, MNREGA payments, Old Age Pension, Scholarships directly into the beneficiary’s bank account.
With over 57 million digital debit cards, the bank now has a debit cardholder in every district of India.


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'Pokemon Go' Release Date, News & Update: Title to Be Released This Month; US Beta Testing Begins
In a previous report, it was pointed out that "Pokémon Go" beta testing has already begun in Australia and New Zealand. Now, the testing has reached US too. According to Niantic Lab's blog together with Pokémon Company, they are inviting players in the US to beta test the game.
The company aims to gather feedback from the players through beta testing to tackle any potential bugs before the game title hits the market. This will help Niantic and Pokémon Company to improve the quality of gameplay. Recent reports noted that beta testing in US is already underway, but its progress is still unknown.
Meanwhile, as "Pokémon Sun" and "Pokémon Moon" has already been confirmed to arrive this year, Pokémon Company is yet to announce the official release date for "Pokémon Go." However, the speculation has it that the game might arrive sooner than anticipated.
According to reports, "Pokémon Go" is expected to release this year, most likely in the second quarter. Since we have already arrived in the last month of this quarter, is it possible that the game may be released sometime this month?
Niantic CEO, John Hanke, revealed the game details at SXSW for the first time to eager fans. Within a matter of days from the event, Niantic also unveiled the first screenshot of the anticipated title. This might indicate that the game is likely to come out soon. As the fans hope for it too, it is important to note that no official date has been released by Pokémon Company or Niantic Labs.


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Demand for automation and robots is surging in multiple industries, including automotive, writes the CEO of Thomas.com.
Displaying 1-10 of 12 results for
Supply chains are creating cybersecurity risks for companies, according to a security services firm report.
Robotics have come a long way since the first industrial robot was installed at General Motors. Denise Ebenhoech, Regional Head of Advanced Robotics Applications at KUKA Robotics, sits down with Chris Mahar, Associate Editor, to discuss recent developments within mobile robots. From cleans rooms to job shops to moving entire airplane assemblies, autonomous mobile robots are helping manufacturers succeed in today’s advanced manufacturing landscape.
Listen to this Smart Manufacturing magazine article: Pandemic makes case for more automation, robotics. Outbreak poised to prompt changes in the way manufacturers use automation.
Take a break from the virtual and go live at the 32nd edition of BI-MU. Over 550 companies have confirmed their presence at this Italian trade show for machine tools, robotics and automation in Milan, Italy.
Fastems Group will host an online Open House & Conference entitled "Productivity Beyond Machine Tending" on November 4, 2020, starting at 11:00 EST. The virtual event will showcase the latest developments in automation and surrounding technologies to all metalworking manufacturers.
Florida's advanced manufacturing industries are diverse and include sectors producing intermediate and finished products ranging from plastics and micro-electronics to tortillas and motor vehicles.
CEO Jason Walker and part of his team at Waypoint Robotics had just returned from the Modex 2020 show in Atlanta when the governor of his company’s home state imposed a stay-at-home order because of COVID-19.
Betting that the worst of the pandemic will be over and travel restrictions lifted, the 2021 edition the machine tool exhibition is putting out the welcome mat to the world.
An Eaton executive describes the automotive supplier's plans to utilize Industry 4.0.


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Stop me if you’ve heard this one before
Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima is at it again. In a recent interview with IGN he confirmed what many of us had already suspected he’d be saying. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will be the final game in the “Metal Gear Saga.”
“I always say ‘this will be my last Metal Gear,'” Kojima said in his interview with IGN, “but the games in the series that I’ve personally designed and produced — Metal Gear on MSX, MG2, MGS1, 2, 3, 4, Peace Walker, and now MGSV — are what constitute a single ‘Metal Gear Saga.’ With MGSV, I’m finally closing the loop on that saga.”
This is far from the first time Kojima has insisted the series had run its course. However, he always seems to come back to his pioneering stealth franchise eventually.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will be releasing on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Xbox One, Playstation 4, and PC on September 1, 2015. Do you believe this will be the final chapter in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, or is Kojima up to his usual tricks? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.


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By Christine Idzelis and William Watts
Major U.S. stock benchmarks closed lower Tuesday as enthusiasm centered on a strong round of earnings from major retailers, including Dow components Home Depot Inc. and Walmart Inc., appeared to wane amid inflation concerns.
How are stock benchmarks performing?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average /zigman2/quotes/210598065/realtime DJIA +0.95% fell by 267.13 points, or 0.8%, to close at 34,060.66
The S&P 500 /zigman2/quotes/210599714/realtime SPX +0.58% ended with a loss of 35.46 points, or 0.9%, at 4,127.83.
The Nasdaq Composite /zigman2/quotes/210598365/realtime COMP +0.69% slipped 75.41 points, or 0.6%, to finish at 13,303.64
On Monday, stocks saw modest losses, with the Dow declining 54.34 points, or 0.2%, to end at 34,327.79, while the S&P 500 fell 0.3% and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.4%.
What’s driving that market?
Stocks fell Tuesday with equity-market investors caught in a tug of war, as upbeat corporate results and expectations for a booming economic expansion in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic competed with worries about lofty valuations and signs of accelerating inflationary pressures.
Sixty-nine percent of investors expect “above-trend” growth and inflation, a record percentage, according to this month’s fund manager survey by Bank of America Corp. The survey found the top tail risk is inflation, followed by a “taper tantrum,” the bank said Tuesday. Just 9% cited COVID-19 as the biggest tail risk.
Halo Investing, a financial technology platform for protective investing, has seen an increase in activity as a result of inflation concerns, according to its co-founder and president, Jason Barsema. Financial advisers still want exposure to technology stocks, but they’re seeking protection against the first 30% decline for companies such as Apple Inc. /zigman2/quotes/202934861/composite AAPL -0.22% and Tesla Inc. /zigman2/quotes/203558040/composite TSLA +3.54% , he told MarketWatch in a phone interview Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Home Depot /zigman2/quotes/208081807/composite HD +0.05% results provided an early boost to the mood on Wall Street after the home-improvement retailer reported fiscal first-quarter profit and sales that were well above expectations, citing “unprecedented demand” for home projects. Other heavyweight retailers, including Walmart Inc. /zigman2/quotes/207374728/composite WMT +0.70% and Macy’s Inc. /zigman2/quotes/201854387/composite M +3.57% also delivered strong results Tuesday morning.
But a round of weaker-than-expected housing data undercut the positive tone.
The Census Bureau said U.S. home builders started construction on homes at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.57 million in April, representing a 9.5% decrease from the previous month’s lowered figure. The pace of permitting for new housing units increased again in April. Permitting for new homes occurred at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.76 million, up 0.3% from March and 61% from a year ago.
Strong earnings from retailers were a reminder to investors that the consumer is “roaring back” as pandemic worries fade, Craig Fehr, investment strategist at Edward Jones, told MarketWatch. But the housing data, which was likely hampered by rising prices for lumber and other factors, served as a reminder that “inflation is still the predominant risk to this positive economic story.”
Retailers are bringing up the rear of what’s been a strong earnings season. But equity markets have seen choppy price action since the middle of last month, and investors should probably prepare for further volatility and consolidation, Fehr said.
“After the first year of this recovery where stocks were up sharply and rather consistently, seeing the market tread a bit of water is not a bad thing,” he said, as it gives the market “an opportunity to rein in valuations a little bit.”


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In a move that promises to transform Australia’s caravan and camping sector, Discovery Parks has acquired the Top Parks brand, creating Australia’s largest network of parks.
Under an innovative licensing model, Top Parks member parks will remain independently owned but will form part of the growing Discovery Parks network.
The combined group creates a network of more than 220 parks and a loyalty base of over 140,000 camping enthusiasts, making it the single largest group of caravan, holiday and resort parks in the country.
“It’s the logical next step for Discovery,” said CEO Grant Wilckens.
“Our customers travel all over Australia and we want to offer them great places to stay and loyalty rewards, even where we don’t own our own parks.”
Top Parks chairman Richard Emerson said the agreement would position Top Parks members for strong future growth, with clear synergies between the groups around culture and customer experience.
“It will create a leading market industry member group that can deliver great benefits both to the park owners and our customers,” Mr Emerson said.
Under the agreement, both the Discovery Parks and Top Parks brands will be retained, allowing for differentiation between the company owned and licensed parks.
“We’re committed to discovering what matters to our customers and providing it — in the holiday and travel-for-work markets,” Mr Wilckens said.
Mr Wilckens said the deal will provide licensed parks with access to Discovery Parks’ greater purchasing power as Australia’s largest park owner-operator, as well as its digital marketing expertise.
Top Parks and Discovery Parks members will have access to a new customer rewards program, G’Day Rewards, which is being launched today at the Adelaide Caravan and Camping Show —part of a suite of customer-orientated systems and technology.


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Google has released a new version of the Gmail web interface that is rolling out to Champlain College users. The new version offers some additional ways to organize your email and take quick action on messages. Here’s a link to an article with more information about the new version: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/7677724?hl=en
If you really aren’t ready for the transition, you can switch back to the “Classic” mode, though only temporarily. On October 16, 2018, the Classic version will be discontinued and all Gmail users will be required to use the new interface.
To revert to Classic Mode:
- On your computer, go to Gmail.
- In the top right, click Settings Go back to classic Champlain College Mail.
- To switch back to the new version, click Settings Try the new Champlain College Mail.


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CFLs may now cost only Rs 10-15
The government is working on a proposal that will provide consumers the energy saving CFL bulbs at the cost of a common incandescent bulb — Rs 10-15. It is working to ensure that the distribution of the subsidised CFL bulbs begins in right earnest across the country in the next six months, though some cities may see the introduction of these cheap CFLs even sooner.
The government estimates that once the replacement is complete, it could save the consumers energy cost of 10,000 MW annually and at the same time reduce the country’s carbon footprint. Taking advantage of the clean development mechanism under the international climate change treaty, the government will be able to offset the cost of the CFL bulbs to the manufacturers or the distributors by availing carbon credits. Carbon credits allow developing countries to take energy saving action, with the developed countries bearing the costs of such action.
The proposal received the green light from the Prime Minister at the climate change council meeting on Friday.
Under the plan, the CFL producers will tie-up with power distributors across the country to distribute the bulbs at Rs 10-15 to each domestic consumer on the grid. The bulbs will be quality certified to work for 10,000 hours with a guarantee from the distributor to replace the bulb in case of early failure. The bulb will be bought back at Rs 2 upon fusing and sent to mercury recovery facilities that will be set up by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency will accredit experts to monitor the usage of power through each power distributor’s domain. High-end meters will be put up in a few houses which will remotely send signals recording the power consumed by using a CFL instead of a common bulb. On this basis, the Bureau will be able to calculate the amount of carbon credits the CFL manufacturer and distributor will be able to claim. These credits can then be sold in carbon markets to recover the additional costs and profit.
The director-general of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ajay Mathur, told TOI, “Each year, the manufacturer or distributor will be able to recover Rs 20-25 on each bulb and therefore recover complete retail cost in three years time.”
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Inside the Colt factory – Jan Gwinnell uses a tiny hammer to engrave an intricate design onto the cylinder of a Colt revolver in the custom design shop at Colt Manufacturing Company's headquarters in West Hartford, Connecticut.
Inside the Colt factory – Sergio Pereira adds a completed Colt rifle to a rack of newly assembled guns.
Inside the Colt factory – Al Cromwell of East Hampton, a Colt firearms assembler, works on the Colt .45 ACP model 1918, a civilian model. For the first time in several decades, a military-spec Colt .45 pistol will be sold to the U.S. military as the sidearm for a select group of U.S. Marines.
Inside the Colt factory – A custom Colt .45 single action, built to commemorate the company's 175th anniversary in 2012, has one-of-a-kind hand tooling and a scrimshaw handle depicting Samuel Colt.
Inside the Colt factory – Melvin Speight uses a camera scope to run down a barrel to check the rifling inside. Speight has been with Colt for several years.
Inside the Colt factory – Completed civilian Colt .45 model 11s await packaging and shipping.


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Continued studies show that the cannabis compound is able to counter schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental-psychotic disorder that drastically alters the perception of reality and thought. Therefore, it is common
- 11:55 pmThese cannabis stocks are seeing massive revenue growth
- 11:54 pmAkerna is stepping out of the cannabis industry, sells assets
- 11:53 pmCannabis enthusiasts have a chance to hang out with Seth Rogen
- 11:52 pmThere are more reasons than ever to consider marijuana for improved health
- 11:51 pmNew trial underway to determine benefits of cannabis for spinal cord injuries
Researchers at the University of Auckland positively pinpoint the benefits of CBD in treating several health issues Cannabis continues to be the center of attention around the world, and a
There is new evidence to support marijuana’s place in treating, not causing, mental illness For hundred years, marijuana opponents have argued that consumption led to mental health issues, including schizophrenia.


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Western Digital has led a $33m series E funding round in flash vendor Tegile Systems. The latest cash injection takes the company's total investment to date to $178m in just seven years of existence. ...
Start-up which takes 'device personality' approach to IoT security looking to expand reach
Vishal Sikka resigns from Indian outsourcing giant following increased criticism from the firm's founder
Chinese tech giant claims industry-leading profitability in its PC business, so why have the firm's profits gone into the red?
Channel must adapt sales model to better pitch to non-IT departments


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Texas Announces Plans to Build Nation's Largest Esports Stadium
The city of Arlington, Texas has embraced esports, and in real Texas fashion, has bigger plans than anywhere else in the nation. The Esports Stadium Arlington will be the most massive esports arena in the United States with 100,000 square-feet of space dedicated to gaming.
The stadium will be located in Arlington's Entertainment District in what is now the Arlington Convention Center. The city partnered with Esports Ventures for the epic remodeling job at an estimated cost of $10 million. Early plans for the venue include space for up to 3,000 spectators.
Ron Price, CEO of the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau, emphasized the new stadium's ability to attract tourism to Arlington. Price promised the stadium would be the “most unique and technologically advanced” location of its kind in the country.
In addition to hosting the largest esports tournaments in the US, Price says the stadium will be used for gaming conventions and industry meetings. It will also offer training areas for teams, retail and social spaces, a VIP lounge, and a professional-level broadcasting studio. The city plans to recover their investment in part by selling naming rights to the stadium.
Arlington hired NGAGE Esports, a national esports marketing agency, to manage the stadium. NGAGE manages the social media, design, asset building and brand partnerships of several global-level esports brands. They produce live streams and events for OpTic Gaming and the Houston Outlaws.
Though the city is not yet known as a home for major esports organizations, it boasts an active gaming community at the University of Texas at Arlington.


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- Few Southeast students face suspension, expulsion for sexual assaults, campus paper finds (4/25/17)5
- Pilot House goes smoke-free (4/23/17)10
- Woman battered after smashing boyfriend's meth pipe against wall, police say (4/25/17)1
- Event includes the first public tour of 200-year-old Elmwood Manor (4/23/17)3
- BBB warns Jackson man's online business might not be legit (4/24/17)
- Cape councilman Bob Fox to run for mayor (4/21/17)5
- Cape couple turns their home into cozy, comfortable music venue (4/24/17)
- Perryville family organizing bone-marrow drive Friday for ailing 6-year-old boy (4/26/17)
- Without city record, Marie Street residents on hook for thousands in sewer repairs (4/19/17)7
- Sikeston man charged in shooting death of Cape man (4/23/17)
Motorola introduces nine new mobile phones, hopes to spark turnaround
The Illinois-based company said the new phones would sell at "an affordable price point."
LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. -- Motorola Inc., badly in need of hit products to spark a turnaround, announced nine new handsets Thursday that the cell-phone manufacturer said will be available this quarter.
Among them is a luxury version of the Razr2, the latest successor to its once top-selling line. The Razr2 V8 is being touted as a potential holiday gift with gold-plated accents, snakeskin texture, ultra-slim design and storage of up to 1,000 songs, among other features. It costs $250 to $300.
The company said four of the seven new W-series phones -- the W160, W180, W213 and W377 -- feature FM radio, which requires headphones. Six of the handsets contain Motorola's proprietary CrystalTalk technology, which automatically adjusts audio for clear calls in noisy environments.
"These devices are designed for consumers who are purchasing their first mobile phone, for those who simply want to talk and message on an easy-to-use phone, or for those who are looking to upgrade a basic phone," said Stu Reed, president of Motorola Mobile Devices.
The Schaumburg, Ill.-based company said the new phones would sell at "an affordable price point."
It also introduced the Moto U9, a lightweight phone and music player with clamshell design and stereo Bluetooth wireless technology, a two-megapixel camera with 8x zoom and multiple messaging capabilities. The phone is pegged for introduction in Asia, Latin America and Europe, but not in the United States.
Motorola executives told analysts last month that a series of innovative new cell phones would help break the company out of a slump that has coincided with a sales decline for the once-iconic Razr.
Shares in the company rose 19 cents to $18.89 in Thursday trading, still down 8 percent for the year.


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Oakland, California, once the termination site of America’s Transcontinental Railroad, is hoping to “blaze” historic trails again with curated tours of the city and its elevated cannabis experiences. Its newly launched “Oakland Cannabis Trail” travel package was specifically designed to tap into the rapidly growing market for cannabis-related tourism.
A 2020 travel study by MMGY Travel Intelligence unveiled the rise of a new kind of pioneer – the cannabis traveller. The study found that 18% of all adult Americans traveling within the United States cited sampling local herb as a motivation for hitting the road.
“With cannabis being deemed essential and product sales significantly increasing the past two plus years across multiple destinations, the cannabis travel audience has likely grown exponentially,” said Brian Applegarth, the Chief Strategy Officer of Cultivar Brands, a cannabis industry marketing agency. The company supported Oakland in the development and launch of the tourism program.
Invited to indulge
The Oakland Cannabis Trail takes tourists on an immersive trip to cannabis retailers and cannabis-centric experiences in the city’s diverse neighborhoods. Organized Visit Oakland, its packages for cannabis travelers don’t shy away from the California’s legal recreational use of herb. Some of the tourism non-profit’s other excursions shuttle travelers to Oakland’s lush cannabis growing fields on 420-friendly buses, and invite them indulge in their cannabis purchases along the way.
The Oakland Cannabis Trail package melds art exhibits, sensory experiences and dining with trips to eight of the city’s cannabis shops: Blunts + Moore Dispensary, Cookies Oakland, ECO Cannabis, High Times Cannabis Market, Ivy Hill Cannabis, Root’d in the 510, NUG Oakland and Harborside’s storied East Oakland cannabis store.Advertisement
Harborside is one of the nation’s oldest and largest cannabis retailers, and it played an instrumental role in making cannabis safe and accessible to Californians. The very first legal sale of recreational cannabis in the U.S. took place at Harborside’s Oakland store in 2016.
Still widening horizons
The citizens of Oakland played a prominent role in the legalization movement. The city continues to be at the forefront of progress with a compelling cannabis retail scene and, now, innovative cannabis tourism. Visit Oakland and Cultivar see the packages as a solution to providing cannabis travelers with a safe, curated cannabis experience while on the road. Rooted in culturally significant history and powered by decades of steadfast activism, Oakland wants the world to know its pioneering spirit is still alive and well — and its cannabis scene blazing new trails.
Cannaconvo with Peter Su of Green Check Verified
Cannabis Last Week with Jon Purow interviews Peter Su of Green Check Verified. Peter Su is a Senior Vice President with Green Check Verified, the top cannabis banking compliance software/consultancy in the space. A 20+ year veteran of the banking industry, Peter serves on the Banking & Financial Services committee of the National Cannabis Industry Association. He chairs the Banking and Financial Services Committee for the NYCCIA & HVCIA. He is an official member of the Rolling Stone Cannabis Culture Council. And, he is on the board of the Asian Cannabis Roundtable, serving as treasurer.


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Automotive manufacturer Volkswagen Group has selected Cree as the exclusive provider of silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors for its Future Automotive Supply Tracks (FAST) program. Founded in 2015, FAST aims to optimize the collaboration between Volkswagen and its suppliers.
According to Cree, the use of SiC semiconductors makes EVs more efficient, allowing for reduced costs, quicker charging times, and longer driving range.
“Cree’s technology is at the heart of the dramatic change underway in EVs, and we are committed to supporting the automotive industry as it transitions to more efficient, higher performing silicon carbide-based solutions,” said Cree CEO Gregg Lowe.
“Our FAST partners are our strategic partners, each of them outstanding in their respective field. We want to shape the automotive future together,” said Volkswagen’s Michael Baecker.


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T-Mobile has confirmed to PC Retail that it is set to add two new laptop SKUs to its range at the end of this month.
The operator currently offers the Asus Eee PC 904HD – whose existence was revealed exclusive by PC Retail back in July. The two new SKUs will be available for £30 and £35 a month when bundled with mobile broadband.
The new SKUs have not yet been revealed. PC Retail was awaiting for confirmation from T-Mobile about details on the models.


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Volkswagen AG is once again making it to the headlines, however, this time it’s not because of its emissions-cheating scandal, but an attempt to scramble out from its own shadow of fraud. The world’s largest automaker has been indicating its shift to electric cars and plans to spend over USD 23 billion in producing electric vehicles by 2030. In addition, resembling the move made by Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen also plans to have a zero-emission version of each of its existing 300 models.
VW is the latest automaker to jump on the EV bandwagon and its effort to recover from its own toxic vapors for cheating are likely to be the most ambitious one witnessed in the automotive industry. Apparently, the scandal had set off a backlash that led the consumers to turn away from the technology amid the concerns over pollution and driving bans. Such circumstances further prompted the company to push itself into electric car market.
As a part of this move, VW plans to offer 80 new electric vehicles across all its sub-brands and groups by 2025, which include Bugatti, Bentley, Audi, and the VW brand itself.
Prior to the scandal, sources revealed that the German auto giant was rather uncertain about launching electric cars because of its high cost and limited range. Diesel was a much convenient choice for the company as it emits about a fifth proportion of carbon dioxide than gasoline engines. However, VW needed to surge up its slumping sales of diesel models and has thus accelerated its electric-vehicle plans.
Meanwhile, the move from VW, Mercedes, BMW and other carmakers come as a part of numerous countries announcing their initiatives to phase-out diesel and petrol cars, as a part of the effort to reduce carbon emission and pollution. Following the lead of UK and France, China became the latest country to publicize its plans to ban fossil-fuel powered vehicles. This move by China, the world’s largest auto market, is certain to fast-track the global shift to electrified vehicles.
Underscoring the enormity of the seismic shift taking place in the automotive industry, VW is also set to challenge pioneer Tesla in creating mass market for electric vehicles. Tesla has already started its mass production of lithium-ion battery cell at its own gigafactory, which aims for annual production capacity of 35 gigawatts-hours. Considering its vastly increased fleet of electric cars, VW states that it will need the capacity equivalent of at least four gigafactories for battery cells by 2025. The carmaker has already committed USD 23 billion and is further likely to invest USD 55 billion toward purchasing batteries to power the electric vehicles.
Ojaswita Kutepatil develops content for Market Size Forecasters. A mechanical engineer by qualification, worked as a BDE and Technical Engineer before switching her profession to content writing. As an Associate Content writer, where she pens down write-ups pertaining to the market research industry...


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The Roscommon/ Galway TD said that Brexit is one of the biggest challenges that we have ever faced as a State, and reinterated that there is much evidence that a hard Brexit could potentially have disastrous implications for Ireland.
“The UK is traditionally our largest trading partner and our countries trade approximately €1.2 billion in goods and services on a weekly basis,” he said.
He said that whilst all countries stand to be affected by Brexit, Ireland will be affected more than any other EU member State.
“Brexit poses major risks to farmers, exporters and agri-food jobs as 37% of all Irish food exports are exported to the UK with half of our beef exports and one quarter of our dairy exports going to the UK.
“With almost 80% of its employment outside Dublin, the sector supports 270,000 jobs in rural communities and this is particularly true in the Roscommon/Galway area,” added Deputy Murphy.


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ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --- In a speech earlier this week, Wal-Mart Chief Executive Officer Lee Scott revealed the company was in the initial stages of offering pharmacy benefit manager services. In response Bruce Roberts, RPh, executive vice president and CEO of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) issued the following statement:
"The PBM industry badly needs to be reformed. The current PBM business model is one that lacks transparency and has come under fire in multiple legal proceedings such as when Medco Health Solutions agreed to pay the U.S. Government $155 million in December 2006 for alleged illegal behavior involving false claims and kickbacks. That is why NCPA has been at the forefront of pushing legislative solutions at the federal and state level to empower community pharmacies with the type of business negotiations rights that would shield patients from many of the unscrupulous PBM practices.
"Wal-Mart, a true corporate behemoth and the nation's third largest pharmacy retailer, has decided to become players in the PBM industry. They will have a dramatic affect on whether positive or negative changes occur. For example, PBMs are notorious for pushing patients to use the mail order pharmacies they actually own, which is a conflict of interest that is not to the patient's benefit. Another example of questionable PBM activities is the undue influence pharmaceutical manufacturers have in getting specific, often more expensive drugs utilized even when they are not part of the prescription plan formulary. This happens because of rebates the PBMs receive when these switches are successful. The list of dubious behavior by PBMs is extensive, but the common theme seems to be a relentless quest for profits regardless of what's in the best interest of patients.
"Wal-Mart has the opportunity to provide a positive influence on the PBM marketplace. Its pockets are deep and its sheer size causes industries to take notice. It can use its market influence to re-shape the PBM industry to one that is transparent and truly seeks solutions that will benefit the patient. We have seen such examples with other PBMs such as Community CCRx, which uses a pharmacy driven model to benefit the patient, pharmacy, and plan. Wal-Mart would do well to emulate such a plan.
"Wal-Mart's track record in healthcare is not strong. Employees have questioned the healthcare benefits it provides. It has commoditized prescription medications by selling prescription medications below its cost. It has engaged in predatory pricing that has hurt small business healthcare providers. In the best interests of the consumer, NCPA challenges Wal-Mart to use their entry into the PBM marketplace to establish standards that provide transparency, exercise fiduciary responsibility on behalf of payers, and work with pharmacy to optimize the health benefits medications provide. We will be watching with great interest to see the course Wal-Mart chooses to take."
The National Community Pharmacists Association, founded in 1898, represents the nation's community pharmacists, including the owners of more than 23,000 pharmacies. The nation's independent pharmacies, independent pharmacy franchises, and independent chains dispense nearly half of the nation's retail prescription medicines. To learn more go to http://www.ncpanet.org.
|SOURCE National Community Pharmacists Association|
Copyright©2008 PR Newswire.
All rights reserved


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Do hair weaves and lace front wigs that were made in China contain the novel coronavirus? No, that is not likely: There is very little chance that the coronavirus could be spread from contact with these surfaces, and there are no known cases of this actually happening.
It may be time to show us what your scalp and edges really look like, ladies! Word on the street is that hair weave and lace fronts manufactured in China may contain the coronavirus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Chinese authorities identified the new coronavirus, which has resulted in thousands of confirmed cases in China, including cases outside Wuhan City.
Users on social media only saw this:
The post is misleading because there are no known cases of coronavirus spreading from products or mailers originating from China. We have debunked similar claims before, including concerns that bubble wrap might expose people to the coronavirus. According to The Denver Post, it is unlikely that a virus could survive more than a few hours on some of these surfaces. As we mentioned before, disinfectant wipes can decontaminate those surfaces within a minute.
The Post quoted Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the Center for Disease Control's Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, who said:
In general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures.
The newspaper added:
Even in the worse case scenario -- say, a sneezing person packaged your $700 used Apple iPhone 11, bought on Amazon and shipped to your home by air via United Parcel Service or FedEx -- isn't dangerous.
Articles such as this one serve only to upset the public and cause unnecessary panic. There is no known reason to be concerned about the spread of coronavirus after coming into contact with items shipped from China.


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The travel industry must stop selling cruise as a “commodity”, and instead emphasise the enriching experiences it offers, Ace Columbus Day heard.
Fraser Ellacott, who joined Thomson Cruises as managing director 18 months ago after spending 20 years in aviation, said that while flights have become more of a commodity, cruises should avoid being seen as such.
“One thing we are not is a commodity,” said Ellacott. “I think we are possibly guilty of selling it as a commodity and that’s so wrong.”
He called on the industry to highlight the value of cruises and to convey the message that cruise is an enriching, fulfilling experience.
Before joining the cruise industry, Ellacott admitted he had thought of cruise as “only for newly-weds or nearly deads”, but said he had “fundamentally changed” his opinion over the last 18 months.
But although he praised the industry for its efforts in changing the dated perceptions of cruise, he said that the image is still there.
Ellacott also talked about safety standards on cruises.
“I was very impressed with how safety-conscious the cruise industry is,” he said. “Aviation is the most regulated business in the world, and has the strictest safety standards.”
“Cruise does as well,” Ellacott continued, but added that the industry still has lessons to learn from the Costa Concordia tragedy.
Customers are changing, the Thomson Cruises managing director then told the audience, and with the fastest-growing demographic on social networking being older people, or ‘silver surfers’, the travel industry must change with them.
“60s are the new 50s, 50s are the new 40s,” said Ellacott. “It’s not the same traditional cruise.”
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Posted by Mark J. Miller on February 15, 2013 12:56 PM
Coca-Cola has spent plenty of bucks on making iconic ads in the past, but its latest 60-second spot is coming from a low-priced source—a fan of the brand—while the company just revealed a trio of new cans designed by global creative director Marc Jacobs. The details on the latest moves in the cola wars:Continue reading...
Posted by Sheila Shayon on November 27, 2012 03:48 PM
The powerhouse Coca-Cola brand will be feted at France's prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2013.
The multinational beverage giant will be recognized with Creative Marketer of the Year Award, formally known as the Advertiser of the Year Award, for innovative marketing across multiple platforms and creativity in brand communications. That the award is no longer called "advertiser" but "creative marketer" tells how far the the industry has come in almost 60 years of Cannes Lions awards — as has Coca-Cola.
“Creativity has been and always will be at the heart of our brands. It fuels our business — with consumers, customers, fans, agencies and partners all over the world,” said Joe Tripodi, EVP and Chief Marketing & Commercial Officer, Coca-Cola.
Coca-Cola won its first Cannes Lion award in 1967, and has since garnered more than 100 Lions including a Design Grand Prix in 2008 for the US entry "Coca-Cola Identity" and most recently, the 2012 Outdoor Grand Prix win for China for its Coke Hands outdoor activation (above) by Ogilvy Shanghai.Continue reading...
Posted by Mark J. Miller on July 3, 2012 10:01 AM
At the start of the year, the folks at Nike and a few of its star athletes it supports made a very big deal about the new FuelBand, a digital wristband that keeps track of every piece of data you could possibly imagine while you’re working out. Since then, Nike has added the ability to “keep track of the sights they've visited while out for a jog or a bike ride and share said moments / achievements with their mates,” according to Engadget.com.
FuelBand also is getting some love for its latest campaign, while landing Nike and W+K a Grand Prix at the recent Cannes Lions ad festival for its digital efforts to launch and make FuelBand a must-have item.
Now collectors and fans will be falling over themselves to get their hands on the latest iteration of FuelBand — the limited-edition Ice Fuelband model, shown at top, which Serena Williams debuted at Wimbledon and launches July 27th in London (just in time for Olympics fever), San Francisco and New York at select retail locations, and on Aug. 12th at nikestore.com — marking the first new colorway since the original FuelBand debuted in January.Continue reading...
Posted by Shirley Brady on July 2, 2012 10:13 PM
Two months after pulling its paid ads from Facebook, General Motors is "in talks" to return to the site as a paid advertiser in return for access to "better data," according to the Wall Street Journal (which broke the original story of the pull-out on May 15th). GM CEO Dan Akerson and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg have spoken about the issues — GM's desire for better measurement and analytics to gauge the effectiveness of any paid Facebook advertising — that led to the falling out, WSJ reports.
GM's chief marketing officer Joel Ewanick and Facebook's global ad sales head Carolyn Everson reportedly met for the first time at the recent Cannes advertising festival to discuss what would bring the automaker back to the table, the Journal heard from a source. At that meeting, "Everson said Facebook is willing to provide GM with better data on how their ads can turn into dollars, as it has agreed to do with other advertisers, this person said. Facebook won't provide any special treatment for GM, however."
Whether or not GM can take credit for getting Facebook to improve its metrics and reporting (or receives any "special treatment," cheaper ad rates or additional data), it's certainly good news for other marketers feeling a similar need for more granular data in the never-ending quest to "prove" the ROI of paid Facebook advertising.Continue reading...
social media watch
Posted by Sheila Shayon on June 25, 2012 10:09 AM
Facebook is starting to migrate its "sponsored stories" (user-generated ads) onto other websites, starting with that of social game behemoth Zynga, in order to expand its marketing reach. And in another telling move, the social media giant is backing away from its philanthropic Credits program — launched with high hopes in 2009 as the virtual currency for the social network.
They're the latest steps by a social giant struggling to shore up its revenue model. The site's new partnership with Unilever on Waterworks, a cause marketing app that lets users donate online credits while revealing key ad targeting data, signals how Facebook is evolving its commerce platform in order to boost F-commerce opportunities.Continue reading...
Posted by Sheila Shayon on June 22, 2012 02:02 PM
Motown icon Smokey Robinson, social media savvy celeb activist? That's right, the iconic crooner known for hits such as I Heard it Through the Grapevine this week launched Smoke Alarm, described as a “a social media-based emergency broadcast system for causes.”
Robinson is asking people to “Donate your social media feeds and help sound the alarm when projects need attention.” In partnership with ad agency Crispin Porter & Bogusky and David Clark, the idea is to create "Cause Swarm" as people contribute to specific causes activated by hitting "send" on a "Smoke Alarm" from his Robinson’s already active Twitter account, @Smokey_Robinson.
"I want to promote the basic idea that all people should have equal access to simple things like food, water and medicine. My inspiration comes from icons of equality I have known over the years, like Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Robinson. "In this digital age, we have the tools to level the playing field for those in need, so I'm calling on my friends and fans to lend their voices to mine, so we can collectively make a difference."Continue reading...
social media watch
Posted by Dale Buss on June 22, 2012 01:07 PM
As Facebook stock continues to live below initial expectations after the company's IPO, investors and marketers keep parsing the zeitgeist for signs of whether Facebook is gaining momentum — or losing it — in one important area that will determine the shares' future value and the ultimate fate of the company: paid advertising.
Three more big-time marketers have weighed in on that topic: Ford and Coca-Cola indicated this week that they intend to expand their use of the social network in advertising, while a Dannon USA executive told brandchannel that the yogurt giant isn't persuaded that Facebook advertising is a great idea.
Coca-Cola CMO Joe Tripodi commented at the Cannes Lions ad conference this week that Facebook ads probably drive its beverage sales. "If we can get 40-million-plus fans, or even some subset of them, talking positively about the things we're doing, ultimately that's a good thing for us," he said, according to The Wall Street Journal.Continue reading...
Posted by Shirley Brady on June 21, 2012 08:51 AM
McDonald's UK will introduce Mad Men-inspired uniforms at London 2012 Olympics venue.
Kia Soul scores in J.D. Power auto quality study while Lexus repeats as #1 overall and Ford and Chrysler slip in key automotive rankings.
Starbucks to open first tea-only store under Tazo brand.
Facebook Credits system is being phased out for new payment platform, while IPO attracts Capitol Hill inquiry, "like" button migrates to third-party mobile apps, and unique visitors drop.
Apple fined in Australia for misleading iPad advertising.
BlackBerry-maker RIM downsizes workforce.
Cabot to buy Norit for $1.1 billion.
Cannes Lions announces winners for creative effectiveness, media, mobile and outdoor.Continue reading...


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Summary: Within the next five years, face-to-face communication may be the customer service exception, not the rule.
A total of 1,700 CEOs from across the globe were asked to describe how they currently engage with customers and then detail how they see their companies engaging customers in the next three to five years.
Right now, the face-to-face sales force rules by a healthy margin.
Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh believes hard in the value of community. That might sound a little... nambypamby. Except that it really isn't. Consider the evidence: Hsieh engineered Zappos to be synonymous with excellent customer service, en... Read Post
Pixels are the new decibels — that’s what Soujanya Bhumkar, the CEO and co-founder of US-based photo service Cooliris, is touting as the next wave of change in communication. “We believe that... Keep reading ? Read Post


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Zentric Purchases Two 800 kW Solar Farms
As profits continue to remain elusive amongst solar manufacturers, project sales seem to be on the rise as battery technology innovator Zentric (ZNTR :OTCBB) stated today they are purchasing Innovative Solar I, LLC and Innovative Solar II, LLC for an undisclosed amount. Each plant is expected to produce 800 kilowatts (kW) of power.
Located in the Ashville, North Carolina area, Innovative Solar I, LLC and Innovative Solar II, LLC will each be located on 5 acres of leased land. Zentric estimates each solar plant will cost approximately $4 million to build.
For Innovative Solar Systems, the seller of the projects, the sale appears to be a slam dunk for their solar energy investment business. Aside from gaining approvals for the project, it appears they have done very little else to move the project forward.
According to their blog, Innovative Solar Systems has received proposals for solar panels but have not chosen a vendor. And it also appears they have not signed a power purchase agreement for the power to be generated.
While relatively new to the solar industry, Zentric is quickly making a name for itself. Last month they announced they were working with solar project developer Matinee Energy on a 20 megawatt plant to be built in Benson, Arizona. Instead of choosing local favorite First Solar (FSLR :NASDAQ) to supply the modules, Zentric instead chose a “top 100 solar manufacturer in China”.


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Launching tomorrow in 408 stores, the eight-week Co-op Well Dig aims to sell enough Ellon-brewed Brewgooder lager to fund clean water access for two communities in Malawi.
If successful, the Matipa and Waluma villages will receive borehole installations providing consistent, clean water to more than 1,000 villagers.
Brewgooder founder Alan Mahon said: “This campaign is the first of its kind in retail and we’re massively excited to partner with Co-op on it.
“As businesses, we both share the same values and desire to empower people by what we do. But now we’re putting the power in the hands of Co-op shoppers to directly transform the lives of 1,000 people through the power of beer, and I can’t wait to see the results.”
Joseph Walker, Co-op beer buyer, said: “Co-op is committed to alleviating water poverty and we’re proud to be partnering with Brewgooder on this latest campaign, which will transform the lives of so many people.”


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Will Donald Trump’s trade war with China see an end to Dropshipping and Amazon? In this post, we dig deep on what this war means for you as an online seller.
Watch the video below:
No, the headline isn’t clickbait: This trade war is real.
And while we hardly ever talk politics, we sure do care about our followers and how external factors can impact us as online sellers.
That’s why today’s post is going to be a little different. We’re going to unravel the trade war between the United States and China and explain how it will affect you as an online seller.
(And promise to make this political post feel as unpolitical as possible)
NOTE: This blog is politically neutral. We will not talk about any political opinions on it.
Let’s get started by looking at what a trade war is and how the United States and China got locked into one.
What is a trade war?
a trade war is when Country A increases the tariffs (import taxes on products imported from country B), to discourage people from importing them in the first place.
In retaliation, Country B then increases their tariffs (import taxes on products that they buy from Country A). This back-and-forth retaliation is what we call a trade war.
And this is exactly what has been happening between China and the USA. On June 15th, Donald Trump declared in a short statement that the United States would impose a HUGE 25% tariff on $50 billion dollars’ worth of Chinese imported goods in response to unfair trading practices.
A lot of online sellers were quite scared at that announcement because a 25% tariff would be more than enough to kill the profit margins for many, many sellers – and thus potentially kill a lot of businesses.
In addition, Trump also announced on that if China responded with their own tariffs…
That the USA would impose 10% tariffs on an ADDITIONAL $200 billion dollars’ worth of Chinese imported goods.
China responded. Pretty much immediately. And they ended up imposing their own similar tariffs on USA imported goods. And thus, China and the USA are now locked in an economic battle.
Chances are, most subscribers to Wholesale Ted either own or are starting online businesses and stores like Dropshipping store and Amazon FBA businesses that rely on importing goods from China.
So, of course the question is this: what does this trade war mean for YOU, as an online seller?
Why are China’s products so cheap?
It’s nothing new that China’s products are dirt cheap.
The real question is: How?
Usually, the typical response would be the stereotypical “China uses cheap slave labour” to manufacturer their goods.
While it is true some factories still run under poor conditions, in general, China has MASSIVELY improved. When most people think of China they think about the exploitative, hellish conditions of the Chinese factories in the 90s.
Take the Pearl River Delta region of China. It has a lot of factories that produce toys. They even produce toys for some of the biggest brands in the world, including Disney.
Back in the 90s and early 2000s, every year more than 40,000 workers from these toy factories would break or even LOSE fingers on the production line – and really, nobody really cared.
But since 2008, things have been drastically changing, with the introduction of enormous, sweeping labours reforms to protect the rights of the workers.
As a result, the cost of labour in China has gone up a LOT – yet it’s usually still WAY cheaper for online sellers like dropshippers and Amazon private labellers to source products from China, even with the shipping costs.
So, if it’s not because of slave-like child labour … what is it?
The Belt Road Initiative
This is China’s ongoing development strategy to create roads, train tracks and shipping ports to connect it to Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
The Silk Road Economic Belt is a series of 6 land corridors that will contain roads and train tracks to connect China to a slew of countries, all the way over to the UK.
And that’s not all – they also have the Maritime Silk Road that they are building. This is a series of shipping ports that will connect the South China Sea all the way to Africa. China officially announced this development strategy in 2013.
But the reality is that they’ve actually been investing MASSIVELY in this trade network and infrastructure since the 1980s. In the 90s and the 2000s, China invest 9% of its GDP into infrastructure. Whereas most Western countries invest just 2-4%.
How they did it though, is quite controversial to some.
What China did, was offer large loans with relatively few barriers to countries that would normally be considered too risky to loan money to – like Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is a risky country to loan money to, because it’s corruption level and political instability is so high. So, if you loan money to them, you’re probably not going to get it back.
But China doesn’t mind this – in fact they welcome it. Because what it lets them do is use that debt to further their Belt Road Initiative.
As a result of not being able to pay the debt they had wracked up to China – which was over $8 billion dollars – the Sri Lanka government made a deal with China. They would give them a 70% stake and a 99-year lease of their shipping port, Hambantota, which had been built of course with money that they had initially borrowed from China.
Some people view this as a win-win. Sri Lanka gets a new port. And China kind of gets a new port too. Some people view this quite differently and have nicknamed it the China Debt trap.
But no matter how you feel about this plan, it undeniably has MASSIVELY impacted China’s position when it comes to manufacturing and trade.
And, even though the USA isn’t connected to this economic silk road, this massive infrastructure network dramatically lowers the cost of producing goods in general. Which is why we all import from China.
If China’s HUGE trade network sounds INCREDIBLY intimidating – as in, so intimidating, that the idea of competing against this sounds SO INSANE – you would be RIGHT.
And the United States government would AGREE with you. And this is why most online sellers don’t actually need to worry about this Trade War.
Let me explain.
China is the empire of common goods. You go to a mall. You go to a K-Mart. You go to Walmart. You go to Target. What do you see? Chinese goods – Chinese goods EVERYWHERE.
In fact, if you look at the top products that the USA imported from China, you’ll quickly see that yes: the top categories include common, everyday goods that average people buy, like electronics and clothing.
And of course, it’s these types of items – kitchenware, clothing, little electronics, that most online sellers, like dropshippers and Amazon FBA sellers, focus on.
Well, know what? Donald Trump has NO INTENTION to compete with China over these. He does not want American factories to manufacturing their own avocado slices.
What he, and the American government are interested in doing, is competing with China when it comes to HIGH-TECH GOODS.
You see: China may have built a Common Goods Empire. You go to a mall and it’s a struggle to find anything that doesn’t come from them.
But in high-tech fields like robotics, aerospace, automobiles, and especially pharmaceutical products? They are currently dominated by other countries, including the United States.
But China has announced that they want to change that with their 2025 Plan – which outlines their strategy for moving in and taking a slice of these industries for themselves.
And THIS is what the United States is warring with China over. THIS is what Donald Trump’s tariffs are all about. NOT the types of items that most small online sellers import and sell.
Remember when I mentioned how the USA has imposed 25% tariffs on billions of dollars of Chinese imported goods?
The products that DID get slapped with the tariff, aren’t even close to what online sellers sell. The majority of these products are either raw materials, or industrial goods that are used in those high-tech industries.
These types of items that most people are importing and selling in Amazon FBA warehouses? These are not on the list at all.
The same goes for Aliexpress items. Donald Trump could care less that you’re importing and selling a self-stir mug from China.
And besides, to be even eligible for import packages to be eligible for tariffs, their value needs to exceed $800.
So as most dropshippers are importing packages that are worth less than $50 – there is really no concern for dropshippers at all.
But what about those $200 billion dollars worth of goods that Trump threatened to target in retaliation as well? Will we have impacted by that?
The answer is it is extremely unlikely that you would be. Again, the vast, vast majority of products on this list are either related to high-tech fields, raw materials or food – and food is another controversial area for the USA and China when it comes to trade.
There were a few common good items on the list that may impact some sellers – but, as expected, the vast vast majority were not targeted.
This blog post wasn’t to caress your shoulders and whisper, “look – most of the items we sell aren’t on this tariff list. Don’t worry about it!”
No – what we really wanted to do, was help explain the situation, so that in the future, if things escalate between the USA and China, you will KNOW and UNDERSTAND that you don’t need to be afraid.
To conclude, it’s not common goods like this that are being targeted. Donald Trump doesn’t want America to make these themselves: and is more than happy for you to keep importing them.
Before you click off, I’d like to offer you something.
Six steps to building a six-figure Dropship store:
In it, I’ve included:
- How just one “winning item” can earn $10k/month. Yep. A lot of people don’t realize this… but most stores make the majority of their money from just a handful of items!
- The right way to choose AliExpress suppliers. Picking the right AliExpress dropshipper is crucial to drastically reduce things like refunds. Learn how to pick the right suppliers.
- Why long shipping times DON’T matter. A lot of people are scared to start Dropshipping because of “long” shipping times. You’ll learn why this doesn’t matter inside.
- Why their stores take 2 hours a day to manage. You’ll learn how they utilize apps like Oberlin to make their stores semi-automated… making managing orders super simple!


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Today singer Adam Levine joined the embarrassingly long list of Samsung spokespeople who just can't stop using their beloved iPhones. The revelation is particularly remarkable in Levine's case, as just last week he was quoted in a presser for Samsung's Milk Music service that he'd be participating in "a ceremonial iPhone burning" after the event.
Ever wanted to know just how far technology has jumped ahead in the last 22 years? According to Bret Swanson at Tech Policy Daily (via Cult of Mac), you can get the best idea simply by considering what it would have cost to build the current iPhone back then. According to his estimates, it would have cost Apple more than $3 million to build an equally capable machine in 1991, and that's on the cheap side.
It's not entirely clear what they're teaching people over in North Korea, but it certainly isn't innovation. ComputerWorld managed to get a hold of screenshots of the third version of the secretive communist country's homemade Linux-based operating system, and almost any Mac|Life reader should be able to spot some key resemblances right off the bat. Indeed, it looks like nothing so much as Mac OS X.
Jimmy Fallon's MacBook has become a constant feature of his desk since he started hosting "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," but that caused a brief awkward moment last night when he was speaking with Microsoft founder Bill Gates. Gates was actually on the show to talk about his foundation's success in fighting polio, but the trouble began when the talk inevitably shifted to technology.
It's a slow news day for Apple folks, but that doesn't mean there's not some noteworthy stuff lurking out there in the data streams. For one, Cult of Mac reports (via Business Insider) that you if you ask Siri what the fox says, she'll give you a number of responses from the insanely popular viral video made by Norwegian comedy group Ylvis.
Yesterday I wrote about how Apple puts comparatively little cash into its advertising budget, and last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, five-year-old Arden Hayes showed us why word-of-mouth works just as well for the folks in Cupertino. During his interview, Hayes utterly devastated Sony's attempt at product placement when he expressed preference for Apple's iPad.
Bad news, America: If you stood in line for hours to get an iPhone in the hope of it making you look cool in the eyes of others, you might as well skip the iPhone 5 line and go straight for an Android device -- or at least that’s the gospel according to HTC America president Martin Fichter, anyway.
Who needs newspapers when comics are all over the internet? Nowadays, you can find an awesome web comic faster than you can say "Peanuts." The only problem (and it's not much of a problem) is there are really just so many of them. So for the sake of reading web comics at work (and to celebrate Comic-Con this week) we're taking a look at our all-time favorite web comics our little Macs can muster. Don't see your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
Apple is used to having its successful products copied into Chinese knock-offs, but now they’ve gone one step too far -- actually duplicating an entire Apple retail store, right down to the signage and familiar shirts worn by the employees, despite the company’s own effort to launch much cooler stores there.


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Gary Wilson Correspondent
A new front-page title of the New York Times read, “To Evade Sting of US Sanctions Nations Ponder Digital Currency.” (January 4, 2018) The dishonesty in this news starts with the clearly submissive word “US sanctions.”
The import is that enforcing US sanctions is a moral pierce opposite brute states. In reality, sanctions are an instrument of mercantile warfare, used like a besiege or encircle with the aim of constrained a obey to Wall Street and US transnational corporate powers.
The list of countries confronting US sanctions now includes Cuba, Venezuela, People’s Korea, Iran, Zimbabwe, Syria, Russia, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Sanctions are imperialist mercantile warfare, directed at the drop of a race through damage and even starvation. But if that mercantile crusade fails, it is customarily followed by troops warfare.
A heartless example of this was what happened to Iraq in the 1990s, when US sanctions led directly to the deaths of 576 000 Iraqi children (New York Times, Dec 1, 1995), followed by a US troops blitzkrieg in 2003 that broken much of the country. The Times news says zero about these sanctions or their mortal toll. It instead worries about the probability that nations might hedge the imperialist sanctions through the use of digital crypto-currency.
The news speculates that blockchain, the record bottom for cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, can be used for business sell that by-pass sanctions. Blockchain has been used for bitcoin conjecture or shopping drugs (Silk Road), gambling (MegaDice), taxation semblance (Tumbling) and several scams (Mt. Gox, ICOs, Ransomware).
As that list shows, businesses can use cryptocurrencies to lift out tip sell that are dark from the supervision as well as from the big executive banks. Their successes uncover that it is probable to control business while escaped US sanctions. While this control would be secret, it would not be bootleg because sanctions are fight — and countries confronting sanctions have the right underneath general law to urge themselves from mercantile warfare.
Blockchain sell use a peer-to-peer network with no executive management to determine the exchanges. Transactions are sealed with a digital pivotal and accessible in a open bill that is stored opposite many computers at the same turn — the computers are the peers — instead of on one executive computer.
This setup, by enabling cryptographic corroboration of the blocks of the transactions, ensures that the story of the transaction can’t be altered. The hilt of a cryptocurrency is identified only by a digital key. There is no temperament record of the holder, which means that no liberation is probable should a pivotal be mislaid or stolen. Theft of keys has been a poignant problem.
On Nov 25, Fortune repository reported that 2.56 million bitcoins — then value $20 billion — had been mislaid or stolen. Cryptocurrencies using blockchains have generated some unrestrained among those who want a universe over the control of the corner capitalists and Wall Street bankers. Even the vernacular used — cryptocurrency — implies that it is something not theme to a executive authority. But is that even probable but a insubordinate mangle from the entrepreneur jail that controls the economy?
Is cryptocurrency even a currency?
Under capitalism, banking or money, primarily took the form of a earthy commodity, like bullion or silver, because trade needs a commodity with a value that could be easily determined.
The value of bullion is the volume of socially required work time to furnish it — mining, smelting, etc. Karl Marx showed that bullion and china are conventionally used as income because they consolidate a vast volume of work in a small, durable form that is convenient.
Printed income has almost no work value, so it is infrequently called fiat currency. That is, the bank that released the note has betrothed that it can be exchanged for any commodity with a value that is combined by the same volume of work time.
Money serves 3 functions underneath capitalism: First, income has to be supposed by both the customer and the seller. Second, income has to be used to review the costs of prolongation and exchange, which means that it can’t openly fluctuate.
Third, income is a store of value, so fortitude is essential. History offers many examples of currencies being transposed when trust in fortitude was mislaid because of hyperinflation or acrobatics deflation.
Crypto-currencies accommodate zero of these criteria. They are not and can't be zodiacally supposed and are not stable. They really aren’t banking at all. The vernacular used to report cryptocurrencies and bitcoin — “wallets” and “mining” as if for bullion — obscures what they are. Such vernacular is meant to give cryptocurrencies enchanting powers.
Cryptocurrencies are indeed a digital chronicle of supposed collectibles, like singular stamps or original paintings. No volume of tellurian work can reconstruct a singular stamp or original Van Gogh painting. Copies can be made, but distinct the original, they have comparatively little sell value.
As a rule, collectibles are never used as currency, though there is zero to forestall people who possess them from swapping them for profitable line or money. While cryptocurrencies are not money, Wall Street is not ignoring the blockchain record underlying cryptocurrencies. Indeed, like every other innovation, Wall Street wants to move blockchains underneath the control.
Under the title “Blockchain Gets a Wall Street Win,” Bloomberg News reported on Nov 20: “The awaiting of blockchain record remaking financial services just changed a step closer to existence after banks including Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase Co. finished a successful six-month exam in the $2,8 trillion equity swaps market.”
Blockchains capacitate the banks to have a globally available, verifiable and untamperable source of data. Indeed, much of blockchain growth is now centred on Wall Street. The banks design to use blockchain record to save costs and control Internet transactions. — Workers World.


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Federal regulators the week of Aug. 14 clamped down on bank-issued gift cards, forcing the banks to much more prominently disclose expiration dates and any inactivity fees. Industry observers expect federal authorities to soon extend such rules to retailer-issued gift cards.
“The gift card market is growing rapidly, and the terms and conditions of various cards can vary widely,” said Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan. “Its very important that national banks engaged in this business adopt robust disclosure policies so that consumers understand what they are getting when they buy or receive a gift card.”
The government guidance said makers of bank gift cards “must put the expiration date on the front of the card, disclose the amount of any monthly maintenance or inactivity fees, and provide a phone number or Web address.”
Issuers of the cards must also take steps to make sure that the users of those cards know that information, because the purchasers of the cards are often not the ultimate users.
“Issuers should not advertise a gift card as having no expiration date if monthly service or maintenance fees, dormancy fees or similar charges can consume the card balance,” a government statement said. “Similarly, if fees may consume the card balance before the stated expiration date, disclosures related to that expiration date should explain that possibility. Issuers should also avoid describing gift cards as if they are gift certificates or other payment instruments more familiar to consumers.”
The issue is less that consumers are being misled and more that retailers are trying to navigate a series of complicated state and federal tax rules for handling such payment forms.
“Merchants apply expiration dates and inactivity fees to gift cards as a direct result of state escheatment laws, which require gift card issuers to return the unused portion of a gift card to the state as tax after a certain period of time,” said Bruce Cundiff, a senior analyst for Javelin Strategy & Research, in Pleasanton, Calif., and a former Jupiter Research analyst. “If merchants (and banks, for that matter) were able to recognize gift card revenue at the time of the sale, rather than at the time of redemption, there would be little motivation to apply expiration dates or inactivity fees. The government, for its part, sees a lucrative source of revenue and wants to protect it. Its rather hypocritical to position the action taken as helping consumers.”
These rules could actually help retailers, however, as few retailers want to make a lot of money from keeping unspent gift card dollars. For one thing, the tax and related business issues make the money less profitable. But the much greater concern is that a gift cards objective is to encourage more consumer spending and merchant loyalty. A card that dies with cash on it represents dollars not spent and upsell opportunities lost (in which a consumer uses a $25 gift card to pay for part of a $50 product) and likely yields a very unhappy customer.
With many retailers today—such as Subway—merging gift cards with CRM and loyalty cards, the incentives to very fully disclose gift card limits become extreme. Lets say a consumer has a $25 gift card and uses $23 of it, leaving a $2 credit. The consumer might be inclined to toss it in a drawer and forget about it. The merchant could e-mail that consumer and say, “We notice that you have $2 left on your gift card. If you come in and use it in the next two weeks, well quintuple that owed amount.” For a nominal $10 cost, the retailer will likely bring the customer back in and boost loyalty.
Of the new rules, “This is sort of a shot across the bow” of retailers that issue gift cards, Cundiff said, adding that the Federal Trade Commission might get involved in issuing rules for merchant gift cards as well. “Its a nightmare for merchants to handle” the tax tracking across many states and federal agencies, he said.
Another analyst, Paula Rosenblum of the Retail Systems Alert Group, said an important issue is consumer perception. “It is certainly better to inform customers up front about charges, fees and expiration dates than to surprise them after the fact,” Rosenblum said. “It would be a shame if consumers jaundiced view of rebate programs got extended to gift cards as well. Gift cards have been so well received it would be a pity if sleight of hand created ill will.”
Retail Center Editor Evan Schuman can be reached at [email protected]


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Sweatshops are a hidden reality in an increasingly globalized world. It's difficult to know under what conditions your shirt was made, especially when it comes from halfway around the world. Of course, it's important to point out that while many sweatshops are neither owned nor operated by the big companies, it shouldn't excuse them from turning a blind eye to labour or human rights violations or acting accordingly. As clients of such factories, these companies (and we consumers) have the greater power ultimately to pressure for safer and fairer working conditions: by putting your money where your mouth is. To help you make a more informed and ethical choice for a more equitable planet, here are seven fashion brands suspected of using sweatshops and unethical labor practices that need to work harder to clean up their act.
Based in Sweden, this international clothing giant employs 68,000 people globally in 1,400 stores spread over 29 countries. The year 2010 has been less than flattering for H&M;: First, its New York City megastore was exposed for cutting up unsold merchandise -- like warm coats -- and dumping them in unmarked bags -- all in the middle of a frigid winter. Then the German edition of the Financial Times revealed that H&M; was committing organic cotton fraud. Finally, in early March, The Independent reported a Bangladeshi sweatshop factory supplying H&M; caught fire, killing 21 workers who had been working late into the night to meet a quota. The fire exits had been blocked and the fire extinguishing equipment non-functioning.
2. Abercrombie & Fitch
With preppy, casual clothing targeted mainly at teens and young adults, this American fashion retailer has made headlines in recent years with its discriminatory hiring procedures, reports CBS News, its culturally-insensitive and controversial t-shirts accused of being sexist -- in addition to its less-than-humane labour practices.According to CBC News and Behind The Label, in 2002 Abercrombie & Fitch was one company that settled a class-action lawsuit which alleged that companies like Target, Gap, J.C. Penney and Abercrombie & Fitch had benefited from sweatshop labour in the U.S. territory of Saipan, an island located in the Pacific which sets its own immigration laws.
Migrant workers were apparently misled to come to the U.S. territory with false promises of finding a good job on American soil, only to be forced to repay recruitment fees of up to $7,000 by sewing clothes 12 hours per day, seven days a week. Workers were also made to sign contracts that prohibited them from asking for a raise, participating in religious or political activity, having a baby, or getting married -- an ironic far cry from A&F;'s signature party slogans emblazoned on their clothing.
A decade later, the water is still murky: In 2009 Abercrombie & Fitch earned a place on International Labor Rights Forum's Sweatshop Hall of Shame as well as Corporate Responsibility's list of zero-transparency corporations.
3.The Gap (Old Navy & Banana Republic)
With scores of stores worldwide, U.S.-based chain The Gap is a retailing heavyweight, with profits totaling $15.9 billion in 2007. In the same year, The Telegraph details how a raid on a New Delhi factory found children as young as eight sewing clothes destined for Gap stores.
As mentioned above, in 2000, a Senate subcommittee hearing revealed that the Gap was contracting work out to Chinese and Korean-owned factories on the U.S. territory of Saipan. This loophole allowed the Gap to cut labour costs drastically while still producing clothes that are technically "Made in USA." The factories employed mainly young Chinese women to work in poor conditions and forced pregnant workers to get abortions in order for them to keep working, reports ABC News.


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Until recently most of the efforts on the part of telecoms operators and their partners in Africa have been focused on building and improving networks, first to deliver services to the growing customer base, and then to enable them to access new services including internet access.
Now that most of the population is connected and that submarine cables and new satellites are improving international connectivity and capacity, operators can turn their focus to how to best serve their customers and increase their revenues. Innovation in value-added services services is key to improve customer choice (and spending) and to differentiate from competitors. Until now, mobile money has been the great African-pioneered service, with sucessful offers such as Safaricom and Vodacom's M-Pesa, Zain's Zap and Orange Money. These are perfect for the African market, in that the offers are easy to use, fulfill a need that is specific to low-income segments, and improve customer loyalty.
But what is next? For the more advanced markets or segments, operators can look at mobile content or social networking, but they face the issue of sharing the customer's loyalty (and spending) with third parties. Targeting a different category of subscribers, telcos can look at services for specific sectors such as education, health or corporate verticals such as the oil and gas industry; the continent's major operators are busy targeting the potentially lucrative enterprise market by developing specific divisions such as MTN Business or Orange Business Services. But what about the 'ordinary' consumers, the generally low-income users who cannot spend much on new services? Operators need to be innovative in order to deliver attractive services that fit their lifestyles, while keeping their costs low to achieve reasonable margins. Airtel Africa, with its experience from India, may bring interesting ideas to the African markets, but its model may not be straightforward to transpose.
All those topics will form a recurrent theme in Com World Series events this year, with sessions covering VAS in all conferences, a special keynote on 'Serving the Customers' at AfricaCom as well as a co-located event on Entreprise ICT, and a new event dedicated to Value-Added Services in Africa to be held in Johannesburg in July.


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European champions Liverpool have won a legal battle over a multi-million-pound sponsorship deal with kit suppliers New Balance, paving the way to sign a deal with a new supplier.
Liverpool were taken to court by New Balance after it was alleged that the Premier League club was looking to switch to a new deal with rivals Nike once their existing contract, reported to be worth £40m (€46.3m) per year, ended in May 2020.
Boston-based New Balance have been Liverpool's official kit supplier since the 2015/16 campaign and believed they should have been allowed to match Nike's offer.
However, the club successfully argued that New Balance could not match Nike's offer with respect to marketing and distribution, with the judge ruling New Balance's offer "less favourable to Liverpool" compared to Nike's offer.
"Liverpool FC is pleased with the judge's decision to rule in favour of the club following the legal dispute with our current kit supplier, New Balance," a club spokesman told Reuters.
"We will continue with New Balance for the current season, in combination with preparing next season's Liverpool kits with our new supplier."
New Balance said they were "disappointed" with the outcome, believing they were able to match the competing offer.
"We're disappointed that we're not able to continue our successful sponsorship of the Liverpool Football Club," a New Balance spokeswoman told Reuters via email.
"We believe strongly that we matched the competing offer and would have delivered many more years of record-breaking kit sales. We're looking forward to seeing Liverpool continue to win this season wearing their New Balance kit."