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Zoom is soon to make closed captioning available to all users. It’s really good news for people with a hearing impairment, sufferers of Zoom fatigue, eyestrain, and those enduring the astronomical levels of attention needed to hear every single word in a three-hour-long video meeting.
The video conferencing app is looking to enable access to all users by the fall of 2021, which should soothe long-standing complaints that the captioning feature should already be widely available and not just for paid accounts.
With the likes of Microsoft Teams taking aim at Zoom with nifty features like its history navigation tool, Zoom has realized it's high time to open these features up to the wider public, especially considering the current homeworking climate we find ourselves in. And about time, too.
- Millions of UK iPhone and Samsung phone owners could get share of £480m payout
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- Amazon Music FINALLY arrives on Google TV and Android TV
Before news of the announcement, Zoom’s AI-powered caption feature had been paywalled at a cost of $150/£159/AU$190 per year for a single license. For many users, that's an expensive price to pay to get what could be deemed as an essential tool.
The company has clearly taken note. Zoom will increase its free members' levels of usability in the interim by granting captioning requests to those who most require it. Zoom's statement lets users manually submit a request through a Google Form attachment, which is included with the platform’s announcement.
Users who suffer hearing impairment and, indeed, anyone who requires closed captions can request access to Live Transcription before the wider roll out to all users later on this year. This will bridge the gap for many people who daily depend on captioning where it had otherwise been glaringly absent, compelling many users to seek third-party transcription tools.
Remote working, of course, has increased our reliance on video conferencing platforms with many rivals’ video chat features steadily maturing over the course of the pandemic. For instance, Google Meet already has automatic closed captions, whereas meeting hosts on Zoom must manually add captions to the call, or use an external plug-in.
Despite several staggered updates, including optimized running of the Zoom application on M1-powered devices like Apple's M1 MacBooks, including the MacBook Pro 13-inch M1 and Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020), Zoom has been noticeably slower than competitors on the innovation side of things.
And with recent news of WhatsApp offering desktop video calling to select beta users, it has further ramped up the pressure on Zoom, as veterans of the tech arena look to chip into its userbase. This has probably factored into the company's decision to open up paid features up to its free users.
Seeing how prevalent Zoom has become in this pandemic-drenched era, it's a surprise this transcription feature wasn't made freely available from the offset. Nevertheless, it's a helpful enhancement for the majority of video callers who daily rely on Zoom to work, keep in touch with family, and conduct their day-to-day business.
Source: The Verge


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Masks to be part of therapeutic clothing line, fashion accessory'
Updated: Mar 10, 2021
Chennai, April 24 2020 - With the coronavirus set to be around for some more time, masks could become part of the wellness range of products, as well as a fashion accessory, said entrepreneurs and a brand consultant. In the hosiery town of Tiruppur several textile units have started making masks to cater to the increasing current demand as well as looking at the future export potential for global brands. "I see it become a part of lifestyle," Uma Prajapati, 50, an entrepreneur-cum-social activist, who built garment company Upasana Design Studio in Auroville in Tamil Nadu told IANS. Upasana has launched reusable healing masks made of organic cotton fabric as a part of its Therapeutic Clothing line. Prajapati said Upasana has launched neem infused masks and silver grid masks. "Neem is well known for its detoxifying, anti-allergenic and calming properties. While neem's natural dye gives the mask's organic hand-woven cotton its characteristic yellow colour, it also carries this amazing plant's ayurvedic properties right into the mask's fabric," Prajapati said. She said since ancient times, silver has been used as an anti-pathogenic, cleansing and energising agent. According to her, the mask made with a special textile woven with a grid of silver thread creates an energetic protection field around the wearer's head. Through its air-ionizing action, the grid also reinforces the immune system by eliminating the positive charge of harmful free radicals in the air we breathe. On the other hand Ami Sata, Founder, Amouve Bedding Private Ltd, looks at the masks made of organic cotton fabric becoming a fashion accessory. Amouve Bedding is into organic bath towels and bedding products (pillow covers, bed sheets and others) and has donated through city based Agni Foundation 3,000 three layered face masks made of organic cotton. "We have the fabric and there was demand for masks and we made the masks. The good thing about these masks is that unlike any non-woven or poly ones, they're free of any toxins and safe to breathe in. They are reusable," Sata said. The company has also provided care packages to several daily wage workers who are struggling during the lockdown period. Sata said the demand for masks will be there even after the lockdown is lifted and when people start going to office and other places, masks can be a fashion accessory. Sata said in the coming days malls may not attract footfalls as before and online sales will increase. According to her, the company will soon launch lower priced products under a sub-brand - Fu Casa- and also get into baby bedding products. Concurring with the view that masks would become a fashion accessory brand expert Harish Bijoor told IANS: "In the beginning the demand for masks will be by force/compulsion. Going forward while the focus on protection will continue to be there, masks will turn fashionable." He said it will be the trend globally. "Many textile units in Tiruppur have started making masks targeting different segments in the domestic market. They are also looking at export markets," Bijoor said Tiruppur is a major export hub for hosiery products.

domain: news


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The Milan-based luxury communications firm has expanded its global presence, opening new outposts in London in the UK and Los Angeles in the US alongside its New York and Milan offices.
The new outposts are intended to strengthen the agency’s global connections to better serve the needs of clients in the post-pandemic era, founder Silvia Negri Firman told BoF.
After cutting her teeth at companies like Karla Otto, Giorgio Armarni and Calvin Klein, Negri Firman launched her namesake communications firm in 2008, expanding into the US market four years later. Unlike traditional fashion agencies, Negri Firman’s client roster extended far beyond the luxury industry, working with famous names like conservationist and primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall and the Dalai Lama.
”I wanted to find a different way to work. PR and communication had become very political, mostly based on investments and budget … a bit of a kill[er] for creativity,” Negri Firman said. “We saw space on the market for a new, different type of international agency: independent and with a soul.”
In 2020 Negri Firman bolstered the suite of digital services the agency could offer to clients by merging with web marketing and digital services agency WSM, led by Leonardo Guagenti, who remains CEO of the company.
The firm has made a number of new hires to lead the new satellite offices: former Gap public relations vice president Tracy Le Marquand has taken up the role of managing director of the Los Angeles office; while Catherine Bowman, formerly of Net-a-Porter and ModusBPCM, and Cloudia Charalambos, who also worked at Gap and BPCM, are working together as co-managing directors in London.
They join Chris Constable, who was named as New York managing director in September, and Ottavio Gallone, who heads up the Milan office.
The Shifting Power Dynamics in Fashion PR
As mid-sized and large-scale communications firms build out their operations, boutique agencies are placing value on quality over quantity.


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Scottish Daily Mail
Taskforce set to tackle rise in pet thefts
A TASKFORCE has been set up by the Government to put a stop to ‘cynical and nasty’ pet theft.
Soaring demand for pets over lockdown is said to have led to a surge in criminals stealing dogs.
The taskforce will look into what contributes to the increase in thefts and recommend solutions to the problem. It will consist of officials from the Department for Environment, Home Office, Ministry of Justice and police, and will seek input from animal welfare groups.
Last year an estimated 2,438 dogs were reported as stolen in the UK, according to research by Direct Line Pet Insurance.
The maximum sentence for theft of a pet is seven years.
Boris Johnson has said those who are ‘cynical and nasty enough to steal a dog’ in gangs are likely to be involved with other crimes.
The taskforce will publish its recommendations in autumn.


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Brooklyn Brewery to launch distribution in California this month
It might have taken more than three decades, but Brooklyn Brewery is, at long last, making its California debut.
The brewing paragon, known for its influence in the early days of craft beer, is preparing to begin by offering several of its core beers, including the Brooklyn Lager, as well as special seasonals and limited styles out west beginning January 21.
"Finally, we'll come to California, which obviously is the epicenter of the craft beer revolution," Brooklyn Brewery founder Steve Hindy told SFGATE. It was a long time coming, but Hindy said there's a good reason it took so long to plan a California distribution. Brooklyn Brewery had been wrapped up in growth in international demand for over a decade and as a result, they weren't ready to also tackle an expansion in distribution to meet the demand of such a populous state.
"The decision to come here really had more to do with, 'Are we ready to take on this monster state?'" he said. "It's more than twice as big as New York and in terms of beer it's even bigger than that. We just wanted to be sure we were ready to make enough beer so we don't disappoint anyone by running out. It's the cardinal sin for any brewery."
Coming to California, he said, was something "we wanted to do right." And in 2017, a strategy emerged in the form of a three-way partnership, with San Leandro's 21st Amendment and Fort Collins, Colo.'s Funkwerks. As part of the deal, Brooklyn Brewery would purchase minority equity stakes in both other companies, and set up a sales and distribution network benefiting all parties.
"Each of us brings something different to the table," Dave Wilson, president of 21st Amendment said at the time. "From the diverse beers we produce to our unique perspectives, origins and brand personalities, we're thrilled to band together with Brooklyn and Funkwerks and bring great beer to more craft drinkers across the US."
The larger sales force enables Brooklyn Brewery to have sales representatives stationed throughout California to sell and monitor their beers in bars and stores.
"We believe people build brands, particularly craft brands," Hindy said. "You need people hand selling it and telling the story of your company and your beer."
The introduction of the classic Brooklyn Lager in California comes at a time when both lagers and sessionable beers seem to be enjoying a boon in popularity. But to Hindy, Brooklyn Brewery's competitive edge comes as a result of the difference in their portfolio — some IPAs, but also a strong lager and an easy-drinking sour — from other larger craft brewers in the market.
Hindy and longtime Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver will, as it happens, be in the Bay Area to celebrate the launch of their beer in the area — right in time for San Francisco Beer Week in early February. You can check Brooklyn Brewery's beer finder to see what's near you.
"We look forward to being part of that," Hindy adds. "Garrett and I will do some events ... it's just a great coincidence that that's on the calendar."


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Editor’s Note: Patrice Tanaka is presenting a special “Expert Express: Quick Learning” session at the PRSA 2014 International Conference on Sunday, Oct. 12, from 5:35–5:55 p.m. The following is a guest post previewing her session.*
It is often said that there are only a finite number of basic plots in all of literature – whether it’s three, seven, 20 or 36 – and that any story is just a variation of one of these plots. The same might be true of PR strategies for creating awareness of brands and issues.


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The Government of Japan is set to include the central bank digital currency (CBDC) in its official economic plan. The Bank of Japan (BOJ) has announced earlier that it will begin testing the digital yen to determine its viability from a technical point of view. Reuters reported today that the bank said it had set up a new team, to take a closer look at the central bank digital currencies
As well as this announcement of a new team, it was also stated that this team will be in charge of joint research into digital currency. It will be done along with other large banks including the Bank of England and the European Central Bank.
The review of the CBDC will be included in the Honebuto Economic and Fiscal Revitalization Plan. In particular, the Honebuto Plan is the foundation of the economic and fiscal policy of the Asian countries. The earlier report points out that Japan will consider a digital yen while coordinating with other nations
Japan’s central bank digital currency
The Japanese government stepped up its CBDC efforts immediately after China started testing its digital yuan. Last July, the Japanese central bank maintained that it had no plans to issue a CBDC. However, things seem to have turned quickly. The Bank of Japan, although it maintains that it does not have immediate plans to issue them.
The Bank of Japan has been researching digital currencies for a while now. Notably, the central bank has recently embarked on the offline use of the digital yen as it seeks to satisfy the two key features of digital currencies: resilience and universal access. According to a research paper shared by the BoJ, Japan faces unique challenges such as earthquakes and blackouts that require offline use of the CBDC.
Moreover, only 20% of the country’s total payments are digital, as most people prefer fiat payments. Although Japan is a technologically advanced nation, the country’s use of smartphones stands at only 65 percent. In conclusion, all of these factors point to the need for the digital currency of Japan’s central bank to be used offline.


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WASHINGTON-- Apple Inc.’s battle against government antitrust enforcers ended in defeat Monday when the Supreme Court declined to consider an appeal of a lower-court ruling that found it liable for conspiring to raise prices of e-books.
The Justice Department and about 30 states sued Apple AAPL, -2.60% in 2012, alleging it orchestrated a conspiracy among five of the top six U.S. publishers to fix e-book prices when it launched the iPad in 2010.
A New York federal trial judge in 2013 found Apple liable for price fixing, saying the company played a central role in a conspiracy among the five publishers to raise e-book prices. The Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York agreed last year in a 2-1 ruling.
Get the top tech stories of the day delivered to your inbox. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Tech Daily newsletter. Sign up here.


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The latest and greatest China Disneyland will open in Shanghai in late 2015, the company said Thursday during an unveiling of what the resort complex will look like when completed.
The Shanghai Disney Resort will comprise Shanghai Disneyland, two hotels, a 46,000-square-meter retail, dining and entertainment venue, recreational facilities, a lake and associated parking and transport hubs. It will be Disney's first China mainland resort, after recording profits for the first time of $14.1 million last year at the Hong Kong Disneyland.
When Shanghai Disneyland is complete, Cinderella's castle will be the largest, and tallest, Disney castle in the world.
"We are excited to see the resort development move into an intensive phase of construction," Mike Crawford, Shanghai Disney Resort's general manager, was quoted saying in the Shanghai Daily on Friday. "We look forward to providing more updates in the future, as we reach key milestones."
Shanghai Disneyland sits on nearly 1,000 acres, making it three times bigger than the Hong Kong Disney. The resort is reportedly budgeted at a cost of 24.5 billion yuan ($3.7 billion) for the theme park and an additional 4.5 billion yuan ($700 million) to build the hotels and restaurant venues. Disney (DIS) will own 43% of the property and the remaining 57% is owned by the state-controlled Shanghai Shendi Group. The resort was approved by the Chinese government on Nov. 4, 2009.
Shanghai Disneyland will look a lot like any other Disney resort, complete with numerous themed lands based on Disney characters. Cinderella's castle is interactive and is called the Enchanted Storybook Castle.


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According Fut coins to Brandwatch Buy Fifa 15 coins FIFA Soccer 13 was mentioned every 1.3 abnormal on Twitter, YouTube and added amusing media platforms in the three canicule afterwards the audience launched.
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Reported leaks of Halo 4 will not affect the barrage of the bold and is alone par for the advance for a top contour release, 343 Industries has said.
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Walgreens has given Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood something it's long needed — a decent drug store.
Actually, the store of the future Walgreens unveiled last month at 2817 N. Clark, at the corner of Clark and Broadway in Lakeview, is much more than decent — it's pretty darn great.
The store was carved out of a huge footprint that previously housed a Borders book superstore and an adjacent community bank. The resulting Walgreens is spacious and hugely inviting — with soaring ceilings, recessed overhead lighting and wide aisles.
It's also a vast improvement over the drug stores Chicago shoppers were forced to deal with for decades. Those stores were cramped environments with merchandise unappealingly displayed on shelves and migraine-inducing fluorescent lighting overhead casting an ugly glow.
This new Walgreens is laid out over two large floors connected by two escalators. A greeter — dressed in a blue blazer — stands at the store entrance to welcome guests and watch over the nearby check-out counters. Such greeters may be nothing new in other types of retail stores. But in a drug store in Chicago? Never.
Because of bold new in-store signage, Walgreens shoppers can more easily find what was impossible to locate before without great effort. And should lines of more than a handful of people converge at the check-out counter, that greeter/concierge can summon more staff with the click of a small handheld device. No more blaring over the intercom.
Other thoughtful touches manifest themselves at every turn.
During one of my visits in recent days, the greeter quickly came over and directed me to the photo desk where there was no wait. And when customers do check out, they're likely to be comforted with some version of "stay well" from one of the staff.
Can this type of attention to the customer experience really last at Walgreens? Let's hope so, because it is truly refreshing to discover, especially in a drugstore.
My biggest interest in— and initial skepticism about — the Walgreens store of the future was its large prepared foods take-out department, which was nonexistent in the chain's old stores.
Any skepticism I may have had, however, has been put to rest after sampling several of the products in recent days. While the sandwiches may not be top-of-the-line gourmet style, they taste fine, and at under $5, they are priced reasonably. A creme caramel in a glass container priced at $2.99 also had a nice texture and pleasing flavor.
But it's the sushi on offer at this Walgreens of the future that really made me a convert.
Made by staff on the premises and presented in attractive translucent blue containers, the sushi is appealing both to the eye and to the palette. And fresh. Quite competitive with anything I've tasted at Whole Foods. And a fresh-baked chocolate croissant I bought at Walgreens matched more expensive ones I've sampled at Starbucks.
If there is a weak link in the new Walgreens concept, it may be the packaged goods grocery store items — crackers and breads and such stuff. With a Walmart neighborhood grocery directly next door to this new Walgreens, it's going to be tough for this new store to compete on price or variety when it comes to grocery items.
Still, Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) is really taking drugstore shopping to a whole new level in Lakeview. And if it lasts, that will be a good thing.


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News By Tag
News By Location
Orlando Plumber Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Launches YouTube Channel To Broaden Reach
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is looking to help Central Floridians save money on any plumbing job they may have. The new launch of their new YouTube channel is placing them on a more accessible platform to be more connected to customers than ever.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is specialized in all types of plumbing jobs ranging from drain cleaning, sewer cleaning, pump installation, and even re-piping an entire house. Since owner Bill Heichel knows how important and severe a minor leak in a house can become, so Benjamin Franklin Plumbing operates on a 24/7 schedule with an emergency line that can be contacted at any given time.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing also knows how imperative it is for an Orlando plumbing contractor to use the latest and most up to date technology when working on houses in the Central Florida area. As the industry leading Orlando Plumbers (https://www.youtube.com/
“We have all the latest plumbing technology and keep up to date with the latest plumbing techniques. Our company focuses on customer satisfaction and giving the best plumbing service available. Our plumbers are highly trained to tackle any plumbing job in the Orlando area,” Company owner Bill Heichel said.
Currently, if a prospective customer is to call now, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is offering $76 off of any drain cleaning and $25 off of any service call as a testament to their continued pursuit for customer satisfaction. As already stated, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing can to contacted at any given time at 407-712-2202 or 877-689-9660 for any emergencies. Their website, http://www.benfranklinplumbingfl.com/


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It’s been a rough couple years for a lot of industries, fashion not excluded. But, we’d been lulled by the recent lack of magazine folds and design house departures…until news of Betsey Johnson filing for bankruptcy hit the internet a few days ago.
No 30-something year old design house has brought us more fun, funky, or candidly kooky fashions than Betsey Johnson. Unfortunately, the brand’s file for bankruptcy protection—which basically buys a debtor time from possible foreclosures, lawsuits, and the like so they can reorganize their finances—will likely result in about 350 employee dismissals; and possibly most, if not all, the brand’s stores will be closed!
Fret not though fashionistas. On the plus side, the Betsey Johnson e-commerce store, owned by Steve Madden Ltd, will not be affected; the designer still plans to show at Fashion Week this September; lower-priced Betsey Johnson products will still be available in stores like Macy’s; the designer will still do a reality show with her daughter Lulu; and you can look forward to snagging some major Betsey buys from their store-closing sales.
In honor of Ms. Johnson’s departure from high-end design, here are some of her craziest, kookiest moments from over the years.


text: Small businesses are struggling with debt during the pandemic. Across Europe, businesses are facing insolvency due to declines in revenue and delayed payment. One UK report argues a fifth of SMEs in the UK will collapse due to a lack of cash because of Covid-19. Separate research by the Federation of Small Business says 50,000 businesses a year go under because of delayed payments. Sidetrade, a B2B Artificial Intelligence platform, is publishing a first-of-its-kind unpaid invoice tracker highlighting just badly how businesses are suffering due to late payment. The weekly tracker is based on statistical analysis of 26 million invoices, representing €54bn of B2B transactions. The UK Government’s Cabinet Office has written to public sector bodies recently, telling them to pay their suppliers despite the Coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.


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The new 1Gb DDR3 DRAM delivers a maximum speed of 2133Mbps (megabit per second) and operates at a wide range of voltage. The mass production of 1Gb DDR3 DRAM using Hynix' 40nm process technology is slated to begin in the third quarter of 2009, the company said.
Hynix' overall productivity of 40nm 1Gb DDR3 DRAM has increased by more than 50% over its existing 50nm process technology, according to the company. By applying technology of 'three-dimensional transistor' architecture, the product minimizes leakage current and further reduces overall power consumption.
Hynix 40nm 1Gb DDR3 enter mass production in Q3 2009
Posted on Tuesday, Feb 10 2009 @ 00:05 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck


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Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, the Minister of State at the Presidency, has said it is the policy of government to expand the cultivation of rice and help reduce the importation of the commodity.
He said government deems the expansion rice of production as key to the economic growth of the country.
Speaking at the Ghana-Vietnam business forum in Accra, Mr Ankrah said government was also targeting value added investments in the rice industry to boost the economy.
The forum was held as part of a trade and investment visit by a Vietnamese delegation to explore opportunities in rice farming, processing, storage, marketing and distribution.
The trip is being organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with the Ghana-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Mrs Phan Thi Dieu Ha, leader of the delegation, said Ghana is known as an important rice market in the sub region.
She said bilateral trade between the countries were constantly increasing in recent years adding that Vietnamese customs records shows that in 2015 with a total turnover of $378.3 million was made.
She said it is necessary to strengthen the Vietnam-Ghana trade relations in all sectors of the economy.
“However, there are some disadvantages in trade between the two countries including the distance from each other and the method of trade,” she said.
Mr Dao Manh Duc, Head of Trade Office of Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Nigeria, said the visit is to help improve the balance of trade between the two countries.
He said the rice investment and trade programmes would enhance the education on the latest trends in rice production, both in terms of practice and technology.
Mr Michael Nti-Addo, the Vice President, Ghana-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce, said on average, Ghana imports about 400, 000 metric tons of rice yearly and this equivalent to 300 million dollars.
He said government policy is to increase local production of rice and reduce importation so as to improve our balance of trade.
Mr Nti-Addo said the Ghana-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce would continue to work as the referee for businesses that would want to come together to move the rice trade and investment forward and create more jobs.
Vietnam is the number one exporter of rice in the world.
|Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.|


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Among all the beer and car commercials, it looks like we'll be seeing PLENTY of Hollywood during this upcoming Super Bowl!
It's being reported that at least six studio flicks have bought ad space, which if you don't recall, starts at $4 million for just 30 seconds! So craaaay! We wonder how long the ads will be!
If you're wondering which movies we're hearing will be appearing (that totally rhymes, LOLz!), the list so far is:


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Europe’s plastics recyclers are under financial pressure, and some are closing plants. Industry experts cite a surge in cheap virgin plastic being imported into the region and a lack of regulation requiring the use of recycled material.
A global excess of ethylene supplies and of other raw materials for plastics has lowered the cost of virgin plastic, making it cheaper than recycled plastic in Europe. “The recycling market will be unprotected for a while as it comes under pressure from the cheaper virgin prices,” says Husam Taha, principal analyst for plastics sustainability at Wood Mackenzie.
Global ethylene production capacity is about 225 million metric tons (t) per year, while demand is closer to 180 million t, according to data compiled by S&P Global. Spot prices for virgin high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a widely recycled plastic used in products such as shopping bags and food packaging, have dropped from above $1,500 per metric ton in 2021 to less than $1,000 today, according to S&P.
Imports of cheap recycled plastic into Europe are exacerbating the issue, Ton Emans, president of the industry group Plastics Recyclers Europe, says in a press release.
Prices for virgin plastics could stay low for some time to come, according to analysts at ChemOrbis. “China and USA are planning big new plants for polyethylene, for example, in the next 3–4 years,” says Ezio Filippi, chief representative for ChemOrbis in Italy. “The effect on prices, with demand still being subdued globally, is obvious.” Unless new regulations are introduced to enforce the use of recycled plastics, cheaper virgin polymers will continue to displace them, Filippi says.
Any shift in EU regulation will likely be too late for Umincorp, which operates a plastics recycling plant in Amsterdam. The company is close to bankruptcy and has been appointed a financial administrator by a Dutch court. Umincorp uses a magnetic separation technology developed by the Delft University of Technology that can recover 90% of HDPE, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from plastic waste.
In another case, the waste processing firm Veolia shut its PET recycling plant in Rostock, Germany, at the end of 2023. Veolia blames the shutdown on a lack of willingness by customers in the food and beverage industry to support recycled PET. The plant had been using the UnPET process, codeveloped by Coca-Cola, to recycle about 36,000 t per year of used PET.
While Europe’s recycled plastics market is no doubt struggling, analysts say the plant closures could also be the result of consolidation as the sector matures. “Although some closures will occur, looking at the other side of the coin shows investments still pouring into the market with new projects going on line regularly,” Wood Mackenzie’s Taha says.


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It's been an action-packed six weeks, brimming with concerts, fireworks, shows and plenty of discounts, thanks to the 26th annual Dubai Shopping Festival.
This year also welcomed the addition of new features, such as drone shows taking place at La Mer, Al Seef and The Beach.
Even as the shopping extravaganza comes to a close this weekend, Dubai customers can expect it to end with much fanfare.
From Thursday to Saturday, there will be a DSF final sale taking place in retail outlets citywide, with discounts of up to 90 per cent being offered across hundreds of brands.
The mega sale promises savings of 25 to 90 per cent on everything from fashion to homeware, children’s toys to technology, and more.
For the occasion, 300 brands will be cutting prices on a range of items in about 1,000 stores across malls and shopping centres across Dubai.
Some of the participating brands include Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Balmain, Banana Republic, Carolina Herrera, Chanel, Diesel, Ermenegildo Zegna, Hollister Co, Home Box, Interiors, Kenzo, La Senza, Reebok, River Island, Scotch & Soda, Wrangler and The Face Shop.
It's also the last chance to check out pop-ups such as The Dubai Mall's Shoetopia, where shoppers can browse through exclusive footwear designs and customisations by local and international artists.
For more details on the final sale, click here.


text: Minnesota boaters have one more item on their to-do list as they prepare to head to the lakes and rivers. A new state law requires all watercraft to have a sticker listing the rules for preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species. They’re now available at all Department of Motor Vehicle offices and DNR regional offices. Sporting goods stores have reportedly been having trouble getting them, however. The stickers are required on all watercraft – including boats, canoes, kayaks, paddleboats and personal watercraft. New legislation also allows officers to conduct roadside inspections of watercraft for invasive species. State officials say that anglers are expected to know the rules, and officers are more likely to issue tickets rather than warnings this summer.


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Why HCL-IBM deal is failing to excite investors3 min read . Updated: 07 Dec 2018, 02:02 PM IST
Apart from the software assets, the HCL-IBM deal brings with it 5,000 clients, which HCL Technologies believes will enhance existing business
Mumbai: Investors in the Shiv Nadar-controlled fourth-largest Indian IT services provider, HCL Technologies Ltd, were not enthused with its Friday announcement that HCL Tech will buy select IBM software products for $1.8 billion. HCL Tech shares fell as much as 7.60%, on a day the BSE IT Index traded lower and Sensex was higher.
The HCL-IBM deal, which accounts for nearly 22% of HCL Tech’s annualized revenue, is expected to close by mid-2019, subject to completion of applicable regulatory reviews. It is also the largest acquisition by any Indian IT services provider till date. Tech Mahindra Ltd acquired Satyam Computer Services for $1.23 billion in March 2012 while HCL Technologies bought the Axon Group for $731 million (Infosys was in the race but had made a lower bid at $678 million).
Both companies appear to have struck this deal in a bid to focus on their core strategies. On its part, HCL wants to sharpen its focus on its “products and platforms" business, which accounted for $250 million of its revenue in the September quarter, in a bid to grow its intellectual property (IP) business.
On the other hand, the deal follows International Business Machines Corp.’s (IBM’s) attempt to make a dent in the open source hybrid cloud market. It was only a couple of months back that the Big Blue agreed to buy open source cloud services provider Red Hat Inc. for $33 billion.
ALSO READ | Why does Big Blue really want a Red Hat?
HCL and IBM have an ongoing intellectual property (IP) partnership for five of the products in the deal announced on Friday. The software cumulatively represent a total addressable market of more than $50 billion.
According to HCL Technologies CEO C. Vijayakumar, HCL is acquiring these products that are in “large growing market areas like security, marketing and commerce, which are strategic segments for HCL... In addition, we see tremendous potential for creating compelling ‘as-a-service’ offerings by combining these products with our Mode-1 and Mode-2 services".
HCL’s so-called Mode 1 refers to its application, development and maintenance (ADM) and infrastructure services. Mode 2 refers to its growth businesses that are oriented towards digital technology, such as mobility, Internet of Things (IoT), automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
DRYiCE, for instance, is a division of HCL Technologies that is focused on building AI-powered “products and platforms" for the digital world. HCL Tech’s Mode 3 refers to the “products and platforms" business, which has more IP-based solutions that provide higher margins, are better for business and provide longer-term engagements.
However, HCL Tech’s decision to acquire software from IBM as part of its attempt to be IP-driven and drive growth on back of it may be “good in theory, and the bold move is a step in the right direction, but the ground reality is that these products come with a ton of baggage that can potentially throw a spanner in the works", according to Sanchit Vir Gogia, chief analyst, founder and CEO of Greyhound Research, a market research and analysis firm.
Gogia argues that most of the products in the HCL-IBM deal have been sold “as part of a large Strategic Outsourcing or a Managed Services deal and not as independent products". This implies that so far these products “have been sold on back of the solid relationship with IBM, existing services contracts and most importantly, the ability to covert CAPEX (capital expenditure) to OPEX (operating expenditure) thanks to IBM’s financing arm".
“When sold independently, HCL Technologies will need to add ammunition in terms of integrations with other key third-party providers, soft licensing measures, the ability for these products to work across multiple cloud providers and most of all, the arms and legs to allow for easy deployment and ongoing management," says Gogia. He believes “HCL Tech can turn the deal in its favour if it offers concrete guidance on its commitment to code and R&D overall".
HCL Technologies, on its part, believes that the addition of a customer base of about 5,000 clients to its existing repertoire will help it make the deal enhance its existing business. The company is also expecting that the deal will add $650 million annually to its existing business ($625 million in the first year of completion).
Mint’s Ravindra Sonavane contributed to this story.


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Starbucks recalls 230K French presses after multiple reports of injuriesPosted: Updated:
Starbucks is recalling more than 230,000 Bodum 8-cup French presses due to a laceration hazard.
The coffee press' plunger knob can break and expose the metal rod, which has led to people getting cut.
Starbucks has received eight reports of the plunger’s knob breaking, resulting in lacerations or puncture injuries.
The press was sold in stores nationwide and online from Nov. 2016 to Jan. 2019 for around $20.
Consumers should stop using the coffee presses and contact Starbucks for instructions on how to return the coffee press to receive a full refund.
For more information, click here.
- Funerals will be held at the end of the week for two men who were killed in a high-speed crash in Toms River.
- America's largest milk producer Dean Foods, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is filing for bankruptcy.
- Manalapan Mayor Susan Cohen asked state leaders to close down the privately owned, and state-licensed Manalapan Manor, citing several of its residents have died in recent years from a variety of causes.
- New Jersey lawmakers have advanced proposals banning flavored electronic cigarettes as well as menthol-flavored traditional cigarettes.
- New Jersey wildlife officials say drivers should be very cautious of deer while driving because the animal’s mating season has begun.New Jersey wildlife officials say drivers should be very cautious of deer while driving because the animal’s mating season has begun.
New Jersey SlideshowsGalleriesMore>>
- The tree will be decked out in more than 50,000 multicolored lights and crowned with its iconic star.
- Shoppers can start their holiday shopping on Black Friday at these retailers.Shoppers can start their holiday shopping on Black Friday at these retailers.
- If you are looking to start your holiday shopping before the turkey is out of the oven, here are stores that will be opened for Thanksgiving.
- Styx at NYCB at WestburyStyx at NYCB at Westbury
- Stars hit the red carpet for the world premiere of "Frozen 2" at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.Stars hit the red carpet for the world premiere of "Frozen 2" at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.


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From A to Z, via P
Did you know? The arrow in the Amazon logo is going from A to Z because the intention of Jeff Bezos’ company is to sell everything from A to Z. This time, Amazon is attacking the letter P. P as in Pharmacy. This is not exactly a surprise as Amazon acquired the Boston-based start-up PillPack in June 2018 for $753 million . P as in PillPack. Walmart and Novartis were also interested in the company that was already outshining traditional well-established actors such as CVS or Wallgreens.
PillPack is meaningfully improving its customers’ lives, and we want to help them continue making it easy for people to save time, simplify their lives, and feel healthier.Jeff Wilke, Amazon CEO Worldwide Consumer, June 28, 2018
A customer-centric approach of innovation
The service is not only proposing delivery of pills at your door. It is also proposing to pack them by day and time, making the traditional pill dispensers useless. It is true that this is a customer-centric innovation. Automatic refills and 24/7 customer support are other examples of services that Pillpack is proposing to “save time, simplify their lives, and feel healthier” as mentioned in the acquisition press release.
To support its ambition, PillPack has developed a costly back-end software system called PharmacyOS to automate the process of prescription renewals, billing insurance, getting authorizations from providers, and sending out notifications. At any moment, PillPack could consider selling its software to traditional pharmacies, creating a new source of revenue.
New business opportunities
Meanwhile, the average PillPack user in 2018 was worth $5,000 in revenue, which must be compared to the average Amazon Prime member spends around $1,400 per year in 2020. With this acquisition, Amazon has also bought from PillPack pharmacy licenses in 45 US states. It makes the service available in all states except Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Minnesota. In the US, the prescription drug market is representing $500 billion per year. And it is quite straightforward to understand how PillPack can benefit from Amazon’s expertise in logistics and from its Prime offer. Amazon is also probably considering cross-selling opportunities for all other types of goods that Amazon is selling but to the older 50s and 60s typical PillPack user.
But what is new from 2018, when Amazon acquired Pillpack? Amazon recently announced that they are now selling drugs using their amazon.com flagship web site and delivering them within 2 days for no extra fee for Prime users . I am curious to know if this announcement has been accelerated by the pandemic situation, which is certainly an opportune moment to launch an online pharmacy business.
In some cases, Amazon customers will benefit from discounts, up to 80% on generics and up to 40% on brand-name drugs (the savings benefit is administered by Inside Rx, a subsidiary of Evernorth). This might allow them to buy drugs at a better price than if they use their own health insurance. Still, according to the Financial Times, Amazon may suffer – at least at the beginning – from more expensive prices as they are working with only one Pharmacy Benefits Managers (PBMs), Express Scripts. In the US, the BPMs are the middlemen that dictate how drugs are priced . Personally, I trust Jeff Bezos’ company to come up with competitive prices in a timely manner.
What about the usage of health data?
What is worrying me more is the usage of the health data that Amazon will accumulate over time . This ethical topic will certainly reinforce the monitoring of some governmental authorities against the tech giant. If Amazon restricts itself to use health data on its pharmacy business, this would then impact the cross-selling of other goods of the Amazon Bazar.
 Amazon to Acquire PillPack, Press Release, Business Wire, June 28, 2018
 Amazon starts selling prescription drugs, with two-day delivery for Prime members, reCode Vox, Nov 17, 2020
 Amazon’s drugs unlikely to prove fatal to pharmacies, say experts, Financial Times, November 22, 2020
 Amazon Pharmacy is going to be the first big test of public trust in Prime and will expose the company to more scrutiny, Business Insider, November 22, 2020
 Introducing Amazon Pharmacy: Prescription Medications Delivered, Amazon Press Release, Business Wire, November 17, 2020
Screenshot from Serge Baccou’s computer loading pharmacy.amazon.com


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Xerox said it will raise prices on selected high-speed printing systems products in the United States, according to Reuters. Selected 50-page-per-minute and faster printers will cost commercial customers three percent to seven percent more as of January 1. The products include the 4050, 4850, 4090, 4890, 4135, and 9700 product families, Xerox said. Sales prices on selected software solutions will increase by 5 percent.


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Apple has dropped Siri’s cautionary Beta tag on its website ahead of iOS 7’s launch.
Two years since it was first launched, Apple’s own personal assistant has finally graduated from Beta in time for the launch of iOS 7, marking a major upgrade in Siri’s capabilities and voices.
Siri’s new voices have been mentioned a few times now in Apple’s keynote presentations at WWDC and it’s recent special event, but the improvements to Siri stretch beyond audible upgrades.
As well as being able to control more system settings, such as toggling Wi-Fi connectivity and adjusting brightness levels, we found Siri to be noticeably snappier during our testing of the iOS 7 beta.
Whether Siri will be opened up even further via a third-party developer API remains to be seen. For now, though, Apple’s willingness to drop its Beta label is a sign of confidence in Siri’s new features.


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Los Angeles port officials see progress in reducing their bottleneck of cargo ships. Sail north to Oakland, though, and the line is even longer and there’s talk of the congestion lasting through the summer.
As of Friday, 25 container carriers were waiting to enter the Port of Oakland at anchor in San Francisco Bay and in a holding area offshore, up from 21 at the beginning of the week and little changed from a month earlier, a spokesman said. Outside the adjacent ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the queue was 21 ships long, also about the same as in mid-March.
When the L.A.-Long Beach backlog peaked at around 40 ships in early February, some of them sought quicker options along the West Coast. France’s CMA CGM SA, the world’s third-biggest container line, made Oakland its first stop on a service from China. The ports of Seattle and Tacoma beckoned ships to visit their available berths.
Two months later, dozens still arrive each week from Asia only to find American ports have few ways to relieve the pressure.
To read the full article by Bloomberg, please click here.


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One of the biggest hurdles to the introduction of electric motorcycles and scooters is the high initial cost. So the UK government is considering offering a subsidy on the price of electric two-wheelers.
The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) has allocated about $14 million to the program which will extend to 2020.
Riders will get a maximum subsidy of£1,500 (A$2800) per vehicle, reducing purchase price by up to an estimated 20 percent. They will also escape the Congestion Charge and Work Place Parking Levy.
There is no such plan in place in Australia for any electric or hybrid vehicles.
UK Motorcycle Industry Association CEO Steve Kenward says the subsidy recognises the part motorcycles and scooters can play in a low carbon future.
“The subsidy will encourage more people to opt for electric motorcycles and scooters, which will help solve the UK’s appalling congestion problem.
“Economically, it will provide a much-needed boost to this sector of the automotive industry.
“We hope this will result in increased investment in UK research and development for electric-powered two-wheel vehicles.
“We also hope it will give manufacturers who already have electric models for sale in mainland Europe the confidence to launch in the UK.”
While there are only a few small electric bikes offered in Australia, there are or soon will be electric motorcycles and scooters available from major manufacturers such as BMW, Yamaha, Harley-Davidson and Victory.
A government subsidy like the UK plan, may encourage these companies to launch these products here.


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Bethesda announced today that its long-awaited PC RPG, Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, has reached the end of its developmental cycle. Gamers who have been champing at the bit since the game was first announced in 2000 will be happy to hear that the title will be available across North America in the first week of May.
"We know the gaming community has been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Morrowind for a long time," said the game's producer, Todd Howard. "We were able to remain true to our goal of providing the deepest, most cutting edge RPG you can buy. We're sure everyone will enjoy the game as much as we enjoyed creating it."
"As has already been mentioned by numerous gaming publications, Morrowind will change the way we view role-playing games forever," said Vlatko Andonov, president of Bethesda. "We couldn't be prouder of the development team for what they've accomplished, for taking on a challenge like Morrowind and implementing it so skillfully."
Development on the Xbox version of the game has not yet wrapped up, though further details for its release will be available shortly. Interested parties can check out our earlier interview with Todd Howard.


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ARLINGTON, Va. – A heartbroken Virginia couple hopes to prevent more tragedies related to a Fisher-Price sleeper chair.
Keenan and Evan Overton's 5-month-old son, Ezra, died in December 2017 while in the Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play.
The American Academy of Pediatrics called for its immediate recall less than a week after the consumer product safety commission asked customers to stop using it if their children are able to roll over.
"Fisher-Price and Mattel, their parent company, we're in negotiations to, I guess just discuss kind of what we expect from us talking out and speaking out about the dangers of this chair. But really, our main thing is to inform other people so that it won't happen to somebody else," said Evan Overton.
The AAP said the death warning did not go far enough to protect infants for the future.


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Last year at IBC2019, we enabled a live immersive 360-degree video stream featuring two professional ESL teams going head-to-head in the popular game ‘Counter-Strike Global Offensive.’ The feed was then made available via the IBC show app, providing fans with a unique viewpoint and perspective on the game.
We delivered this demonstration because we recognize eSports’ enormous market potential. Video and sports entertainment are now starting to merge. The financial values support this view; a report from ResearchandMarkets.com anticipates the global eSports market will reach $2.4 billion by 2024. eSports competitions are attracting record-breaking audiences year-on-year, with eye-watering prize funds to match. Just this month, Guild Esports IPO, backed by none other than David Beckham (5% ownership), has been listed on the London Stock Exchange for the first time, valued at just over £40 million. Back in 2018, Michael Jordan, the NBA All-Star, led a $26 million round of funding for the eSports ownership group aXiomatic.
Unlike traditional sports, eSports built its presence in streaming, reflecting the demographic of its audience’s viewing tendencies. It is an OTT-first platform, which is why the likes of Twitch are thriving. For the consumer, these platforms provide fantastic free streaming services, offering endless amounts of engaging content. It’s a prime opportunity for advertisers to reach young, predominantly male (81.5%), millennial, and Gen-Z markets, with the opportunity to sell directly to active gaming communities by leveraging the platform’s data-driven, analytical insights. Even luxury brands are starting to recognize the commercial value; last December, Louis Vuitton built an entire collection around its partnership with League of Legends – selling out within an hour.
The virtual and physical worlds converge!
The crossover effect manifested itself during the lockdown period, where we began to see several eSports events that mimicked real sporting events. When the Premier League paused in April, real Premier League soccer players took part and competed remotely on behalf of their clubs in the ePremier League Invitational FIFA 20 tournament. Broadcasters such as Sky Sports broadcast the tournament live – again helping to attract millennial audiences, notorious for regularly shifting their viewing habits – and maintaining the Premier League brand’s prominence. Doing so was pertinent in a period when competing VOD services were seeing a significant uplift globally.
Another prominent example was NASCAR; back in March, the first eNSACAR race became the most-watched eSports event in history, with 903,000 viewers. In the future, brands such as NASCAR could look to promote its TV app, provide access to an array of games and additional features – designed to bring the NASCAR experience to life in a virtual world. There are opportunities for the music industry too. In April this year, the American rapper Travis Scott delivered an in-game concert performance during a Fortnite game. This resulted in over 12.3 million concurrent players participating live during the joint event.
Delivering a higher level of interactivity and personalization to today’s audiences will, for me, be the way to bring eSports even further into the mainstream, creating exciting crossovers between real and virtual events. By raising eSports’ profile to the casual viewer, traditional broadcasters can gain access to a passionate and broader community of gamers and the chance to build long-term loyalty to their brand. If nothing else, eSports offers an opportunity to experiment with new content on their live channels and provides a real differentiator against the VOD giants such as Netflix and Amazon.
Overcoming the challenges of scalability and latency in eSports
Of course, audiences will only pay for an eSports service if there is a quality user experience to match the on-screen drama. The first challenge revolves around scalability – a massive spike in demand during one particular game – such as the Travis Scott example above – could cause a total outage. eSports is now a highly popular global sport, which means streaming infrastructure must be robust enough to deal with this level of interest at a moment’s notice.
Then there is the issue of latency, which has the potential to ruin any form of gaming experience. For the player, a slow connection could put a competitor several steps behind their opponent. Simultaneously, for the online fan, a friend or fellow gamer spoiling a move or announcing results several seconds ahead of their video stream creates potential frustration. These issues extend to trading and betting; any additional delay will dramatically impact the prices, odds, and legitimacy. And of course, with the growth in remote production and decentralized workflows, the latency question can affect anything from camera control, video and audio mixing, and returning video and audio to a live venue. Ensuring reliable, low latency offerings will be fundamental to the success and future growth of eSports events.
How can MediaKind help?
Since March, MediaKind has been heavily involved in helping our customers and partners implement remote workflows and launch new offerings. Remote production could soon become a significant table stake in eSports tournaments. We believe the distribution of eSports coverage plays into the hands of traditional broadcasters. As eSports increasingly look to create virtual studios, traditional broadcasters will have the necessary tools to help deliver this at scale. By leveraging the availability and reliability of IP connectivity at eSports venues, broadcasters can save on sizeable physical infrastructure costs, while also reducing the cost and environmental impact of transporting people and equipment.
This period has also seen a rapid migration towards IP environments in general, ensuring faster content delivery, with more portability, flexibility, and greater cost-efficiency. To learn how MediaKind’s Contribution and Distribution solutions support low-latency point-to-point live contribution links via satellite or IP networks, and distributes this live content – click here.
We must view all future encoding as part of a flexible, end-to-end delivery chain. As eSports professionalizes, vendors such as MediaKind can enable sports leagues, federations, and service providers to make significant improvements in processes. By owning the entire encoder processing implementation, there is an opportunity to seamlessly upgrade and integrate more efficient encoding engines without impacting workflows. Through solutions such as Aquila Streaming, we can provide a broadcast-like experience with end-to-end low-latency and innovative TCO optimization that minimizes bandwidth and storage costs.
Gamification is emerging!
The new era of empty arenas has shown no hindrance to the enduring popularity of eSports where incredible, unique, immersive experiences are being created, and further transforming how we watch them. We are now seeing the process of gamification – the transition from watching to playing eSports – happening everywhere. Take this example from HADO in the video below – an augmented reality, high tempo and reimagined version of dodgeball!
We can also see this trend in the way advertisers are showcasing eSports. Last month, Nike launched an advert in China with the gaming legend UZI, to create the fictional ‘CAMP NEXT LEVEL’ – an intense training facility designed to help strengthen gamers’ bodies and minds. Again, this is indicative of the professionalism and training eSports players now undertake.
We are also seeing early movements towards this in traditional sports. The official tracking provider for the NBA and MLS in the US, and the Premier League in England, Second Spectrum, is especially interesting. Its services enable fans to make camera and audio choices, leverage analytics to have key personal insights around the action on the pitch (e.g., the probability of a player scoring from a particular position), and access to other personalized, interactive augmented content.
The continued rise and rise (and rise) of eSports
Through eSports, we are slowly making the transition to an exciting virtual world. In the future, every set of eyes could lay claim to a virtual camera view – as opposed to a physical camera view – with the opportunity to blend in commentary or replays on-demand. Video game engines are now powerful enough to generate any player’s perspective, from any angle, anywhere in the game. We could see different teams competing against one another – such as footage from a gamer’s screen – or even 360-degree, virtual reality rendered footage from inside the game itself.
Increasingly, I think traditional sports will replicate many elements from eSports, particularly in the way that its blending interactivity and virtual effects into the viewing experience. Soon, eSports will be regarded as just another sport rather than a unique entity in itself – completing its evolution from niche to mainstream content.


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Free Flights If Your Candidate Loses! No JokeBy
Mitt Romney didn’t just enjoy a rebound in Gallup, Pew, and PPP polls following the first debate—he also got a six-percentage-point bounce in the “7-Election.” Haven’t heard of it? You haven’t been to your local 7-Eleven’s coffee bar lately. The convenience store chain is counting votes this year with coffee cups. Buy a red one and the cashier chalks you up as a vote for Romney; blue, President Obama.
Much like the Oscars, or the Super Bowl, presidential elections offer companies an opportunity to roll out a catchy marketing campaign and build brand awareness. 7-Eleven’s been running its 7-Election—“Every Cup Counts” is one of the tag lines—since 2000, and after three elections now prides itself on accurately predicting the winner every time. “We’re scarily close to the polls,” says Laura Gordon, vice president of brand innovation.
This year the chain is building on past campaigns by dispatching the “Mobile Oval,” a bus with a replica of the Oval Office that’s roving the country so passersby can snap photos and share them via social media. Gordon sees the campaign as a key way to connect with a younger demographic, as voters come of age. “For people who just want to have a little bit of fun with the whole election because they’re tired of the seriousness, that Mobile Oval is going to play a big role,” she adds. The chain estimates it’ll sell 6 million cups overall. (It sells 1 million coffee cups a day.)
Given the brouhaha over Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy’s opposition to same-sex marriage earlier this year, you might think companies would pause before wading into the political fray. Marty St. George, senior vice president of marketing and commercial strategy at JetBlue, says he was skeptical when the airline first considered running an election-related promotion: “I think elections are 10 times riskier than other events, because there are so many emotions around them.”
But then the company’s ad agency came up with “Election Protection”: free round-trip tickets to leave the country for 1,006 people whose candidate loses (that’s 2,012 flight legs). St. George says he liked the “element of fun” and the fact that the campaign ties directly into an old saying (“If my guy loses, I’m leaving the country”): “It’s not like we had to create some contrived connection. It’s right in the wheelhouse of what JetBlue does every day.”
The airline is collecting votes via Facebook, though you don’t have to “like” JetBlue to enter. After Election Day, the airline will choose the winners through a standard sweepstakes. St. George says it’s a low-cost way to target new customers. Last year, he says, a “Carmageddon” campaign in California—which offered flights for less than $4 between Burbank and Long Beach on a day when the 405 freeway was closed—cost the airline only about $10,000, yet he estimates it generated $9 million to $12 million worth of media attention.
This is the first time JetBlue is giving away so many free tickets, and the offer’s proving enticing. St. George says that voters from all 50 states entered the sweepstakes on Oct. 3, the day the campaign was announced, even though JetBlue doesn’t fly from all of the states. St. George says tens of thousands of people have voted so far, and he expects the final tally to be “well into the six figures.”
So far, Romney supporters want to escape to the Bahamas if he doesn’t win; Obama fans are lining up for Costa Rica. It’s the president who’s ahead in both JetBlue’s survey and 7-Eleven’s—though, as in the real polls, the results are changing every day.


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Careem Forays Into Food Deliveryby Forbes Middle East Forbes Middle East - Business News
Ride-hailing app Careem will now start testing food delivery services in the U.A.E. after the acquisition of online restaurant reserving and food delivery platform RoundMenu for an undisclosed amount. Recommended Features
- food delivery
- Uber EATS
Review on Careem Forays Into Food DeliveryThe investment signifies Careems ambitions to diversify within a competitive market. The startup, which is Ubers rival in the region, has so far picked up Saudi Arabia-based food delivery service Enwani and Moroccos taxi-booking service Taxi. Recently it launched Box, a delivery service that allows users to have items such as keys and documents delivered at a certain location. The service is similar to what companies such as Fetchr and Aramex offer.
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Nordstrom Inc. buried a hatchet last week by announcing it will issue Visa cards.
For more than a decade, Nordstrom had been one of the retailing industry's harshest critics of bank credit cards. Although there was never any love lost between the merchants and bankers who compete for consumer credit, Nordstrom was especially militant. Its objections to Visa's pricing escalated into a lawsuit 10 years ago.
Changes in Visa policies led Nordstrom to withdraw that suit, and the trendy Seattle-based retailer has since been accepting MasterCard and Visa cards without incident. But the legal battle left an aftertaste - perhaps as strong among other merchandisers as within Nordstrom itself.
Retailers may still harbor suspicions about bankers, who have been tough - in some merchants' eyes, unfair - competitors for the credit card dollar.
But the bitter Nordstrom chapter, at least, is over. The company plans to begin issuing Visa cards next spring. Both Nordstrom and Visa are declaring an era of good feeling.
More Competitive Pricing
"Times have changed," said John Walgamott, president of Nordstrom National Credit Bank in Englewood, Colo., which will issue the cards. "They [Visa] have got a good franchise, and pricing is much more competitive" than it was when Nordstrom sued to protest Visa's one-price policy for both credit and debit transactions.
Retailers argued then that the fee banks charged to process a credit card payment should be greater than that to process a debit item. The latter worked like a check, which costs nothing to clear.
None of Their Business
Visa, which at the time did not require that debit cards look different from credit cards, said a store had no business knowing whether a transaction was one or the other. It was a private matter of customer choice.
"There was a time when one pricing scheme fit all," said H. Robert Heller, president of Visa U.S.A. "As we have become more sophisticated, with the ability to differentiate between types of cards and transactions from a product and technical. standpoint, we have developed a broad pricing matrix that does justice to the differences among merchants.
"This makes big retail stores happier," Mr. Heller said. "We are pricing to the market."
Such an approach would certainly appeal to a store like Nordstrom, renowned for its single-minded commitment to customer satisfaction.
But Mr. Heller suggests there is much more to this development than just one merchant's decision to issue a bank card. Years of fence-mending by bankers and their card associations -- both Visa and MasterCard International -- seem to be paying off. Virtually all major department and specialty stores accept the bank cards, often alongside the proprietary store cards that once had the business to themselves.
There are strong indications that Sears, Roebuck and Co., the last great holdout, is getting ready to accept MasterCard and Visa in addition to its own card and Discover, which it invented.
Talk of More Deals
Sources within MasterCard and Visa hint that more Nordstrom-like card-issuing or co-branding deals are on the horizon.
"We expect quite a few retailers to look at this option," said Mr. Heller. "They will certainly ask if it is better to [issue through] an existing institution or on a stand-alone basis."
Nordstrom is doing the latter, using the facilities of the bank it formed in 1991 for the in-house credit card of its 72 stores in I states. They had total sales in 1992 of $3.4 billion.
Annual credit volume is running at about $1.6 billion, and the bank's assets range between $600 million and $700 million, Mr. Walgamott said in an interview.
Very Different Programs
With 24% of receivables turning over each month, the characteristics of a store credit program like Nordstrom's are very different from a bank card business with sizable and stable outstanding balances, Mr. Walgamott pointed out.
Bankers' and retailers' differing outlooks on the credit business were at the root of their historical enmity. Perhaps they are finding common ground.
"Customer buying trends indicate that bank card usage is increasing," Mr. Walgamott said. "They also tell us that our customers would prefer, if given more options, to use a Nordstrom credit card.
"Once Nordstrom issues its own Visa card, we will be able to satisfy both of those specific customer needs."
Visa was the chosen brand because it is "a good franchise, well thought out, well planned," the executive said.
More than Just Cards
Mr. Walgamott said MasterCard was "not far behind."
"As I learned in the lawsuit," he added, "Visa and MasterCard are not just card products. They are payment systems, and they will dominate."
Nordstrom figured out a way not just to be resigned to the necessary evil" of accepting outsiders' cards, but to become an active player in the bank card game, on its own terms.
The company has not set its pricing, which presumably would be calculated to win some balances away from bank's. "All the decisions will be financial," Mr. Walgamott said. "We hope to be profitable and create additional volume."
Pricing Still an Issue
Other retailers will not necessarily follow Nordstrom's lead, nor share in the interindustry good feelings.
The question of accepting bank cards "is largely behind us," said Ralph Spurgin, credit division president of the Limited Inc. "But pricing is still very much an issue." He called debit card pricing "unfair and wrong" and said that "with the ongoing debate about interchange rates, pricing will never be a dead, issue."
"We have no plan to issue a Visa or MasterCard," said Mr. Spurgin, whose company opened a credit card bank in 1989.


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Beauty might only be skin deep, but body image as a cancer sufferer is at the heart of feeling better.
So says Donna Falconer, who today kicks off the first of her Look Good, Feel Better workshops for 2005.
While Ms Falconer has been giving skin, hair and make-up tips to female cancer sufferers in Dubbo for seven years, she hopes to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the program nationally by extending them to men.
“In the next couple of weeks I plan to start training the existing girls to run the men’s workshops,” she said.
While the emphasis of the two-hour session is on grooming – skincare, cosmetics and hair – Ms Falconer says the benefits are more far-reaching.
“The women are very apprehensive when they first arrive but by the end of the day they’re always happy and laughing,” she said.
“I think one of the greatest benefits is them being able to meet other women, to know they’re not the only person going through it.”
The course has grown since it began in 1998, she says, with six classes a year now instead of four.
“I think there’s a real need for it,” Ms Falconer said.
“You get goose-bumps at the end of the day at some of the hard luck stories you hear.
“But to be able to make women feel better about their bodies and
attractive again, at a time of often very low self-esteem, is wonderful.
“I think one of the best things for them is feeling that they are being given some control back.”
The course also covers how to tackle hair loss and its effects on appearance, creative things to do with hats, turbans, wigs and scarves and how to cope with changes in skin texture and appearance.
The women – all of whom must be currently undergoing radiation or chemotherapy – are taught by
professionals in the cosmetics and hairdressing industry and are shown “hands-on” skills to take home.
They also receive a pack of cosmetics valued at about $300.
The best reward, though, is “being able to feel like a woman again,” Ms Falconer says.
This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on 苏州美睫培训.


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Another Tk 7,000cr for large industries, services sector
The central bank yesterday expanded the size of the stimulus package for large industries and services sector firms to make the low-cost funds available for the factories located in the economic zones.
The volume of the package was enhanced by Tk 7,000 crore to Tk 40,000 crore as part of the central bank's effort to facilitate both local and foreign industries in the industrial zones, according to a central bank notice.
Only the units of industrial and service sector firms will get the extended portion of the package.
The units that are operating under the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority, the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority and the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority will be eligible for the funds to revive their businesses.
There are three types of units -- A, B and C -- in the economic zones.
Firms with 100 per cent foreign ownership are considered as Type-A companies. Joint venture companies with foreign and Bangladeshi ownerships are treated as Type-B and those with 100 per cent Bangladeshi ownerships are Type-C.
The central bank initially allowed Type-C companies to borrow from the stimulus fund and gradually extended the facility to the factories belonging to the two other categories.
The type-C companies availed financial support from the package as they were included in the package initially, said Abu Farah Md Naser, an executive director of the central bank.
The companies under the type-A and type-B categories have not been able to secure funds as the package has almost been depleted after meeting the demand of local firms, he said.
As much as 86 per cent of Tk 33,000 crore has already been disbursed from the package to accelerate the ongoing economic revival, Naser said.
The foreign industrial units, like the local ones, have also been hit hard by the financial meltdown and they are unable to avail funds from their home countries, he said.
The entire globe is now in dire straits due to the coronavirus pandemic and a second wave of the deadly flu has already hit North America and Europe and many other parts of the world.
If the financial support is not extended to the foreign firms, their businesses will face a severe crisis and many of them will be forced to close their units. This will put an adverse impact on the economy in the long run.
The latest initiative taken by the central bank will help the country brighten its image internationally, Naser said.
The central bank asked banks to submit their loan disbursement plans under the stimulus package by November 5.
"The extension of the package will help the economy to a large extent," said Emranul Huq, managing director of Dhaka Bank.
The central bank introduced a Tk 30,000 crore stimulus package on April 12, allowing banks to receive an interest rate subsidy of 4.5 per cent on disbursed loans, which the end-users will get at 9 per cent.
The package was later expanded to Tk 33,000 crore so that export-oriented industries could pay wages and salaries to their workers.


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Car dealers can offer rebates, knock interest rates down to nothing, inflate balloons and bring in clowns for the kids.
They’ll never come up with a promotion like the one Chud Wendle hatched sometime around V-J Day.
The Spokane car dealer had just received his first new 1945 Mercury and announced a drawing to pick the person who would drive it home.
People went crazy. More than 4,500 put their names in a box, and Spokane Mayor Otto Dirkes drew one as a crowd watched breathlessly. To the disappointment of many, the winner was a Rhode Island man passing through town.
The most stunning part of the promotion was that Wendle wasn’t giving the car away. He wasn’t even cutting a deal. The hopeful entrants were competing for the chance to pay full price.
“I’d say a prayer every minute hoping that the guy who won would have a trade-in,” said Wendle. If not, the showroom would be bare.
The end of the war that changed the world gave birth to a consumerism that transformed the nation. It ended a decade and a half of sacrifice that was forced first by the economy, then by the Axis.
It sparked a culture that treats shopping as a pastime, not a necessity. It created a generation that takes vacations to the Mall of America and reads catalogs as if they were best-sellers.
The desire to spend had been building since 1929, when the Great Depression began. There was plenty to buy, but most families couldn’t find money for food, let alone luxuries like cars and books. Merchants did more dusting than selling.
Then came Pearl Harbor, and Americans went to work in factories that made weapons, uniforms and K rations.
They had money, but it did them no good since most everything went to the troops. A wad of bills couldn’t buy a new car, a decent set of tires or a gallon of gas if it wasn’t your day to go to the pumps.
At Huppins clothing store in Spokane, clerks filled shelves with luggage and trunks because it made the place look well-stocked even when when it wasn’t.
Then the war ended and for the first time in 16 years, supply and demand began to merge. Americans had saved a quarter of their income during the war - far more than the 10 percent that is typical during peacetime. Companies scrambled to convert factories to products that would tempt that money away.
Car manufacturers, which had churned out tanks, guns and planes, went back to making cars. New Yorkbased Grumman Corp. started making aluminum canoes when it lost its government contract to make Wildcat and Hellcat fighter planes.
“Americans went on a spending spree. … The sacrifice was over,” said LeRoy Ashby, who teaches contemporary American history at Washington State University.
The Spokane Daily Chronicle reported in 1946 that local stores had made at least one-third more money than the previous year. By 1951, Spokane firms had seen their sales swell threefold since the war ended.
Americans wanted - and felt they deserved - luxuries.
Cosmetics sales more than doubled between 1937 and 1947, then nearly doubled again by 1954, according to U.S. Department of Commerce figures. Sales of buttons, the foundation of the clothing industry, also boomed.
Refrigerator sales went through the roof, along with the market for frozen foods. Sales of ice cream alone increased fivefold between 1937 and 1954.
All those refrigerators meant bad business for ice companies, which saw sales slump from $264 million in 1947 to $133 million seven years later.
War innovations created new demands and new products at home.
Huppins sold footlockers to veterans who had used them in barracks and wanted them for college dorms.
Ray Kroc introduced his first McDonald’s franchise in Des Plaines, Ill., in 1955, the same year Swanson sold the first frozen TV dinner.
Acceptance of those dinners, some sociologists say, came because of packaged meals and fast food on battleships and in foxholes.
“Several years of living off C rations gave them a penchant for eating on the run,” said Ashby.
If you were a kid in Spokane, your greatest hope was that your parents might stop at Acme Electric, RATELS or Electro-Mart and bring home a Philco or Hoffman Easy-Vision television set.
Television was in its infancy at war’s end. By 1954, Americans were spending $2 billion a year snapping up 7 million sets.
Spokane got its first station, KHQ, in 1952. Viewers watched test patterns from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., when the screen went black for an hour. At 7, it was “Time for Beany,” which lasted 15 minutes. There were two more programs, “Hollywood Screen Test” and “Robert Montgomery Presents,” before the broadcast day ended at 9 p.m.
“All the kids used to come over after school … and everyone would stand around and watch the test pattern. How in the world did they do that?” said Jim Hanley, whose late father, Arch Hanley, owned Acme Electric.
Like today’s computer buffs, there appeared to be no limit to what some people would pay for the latest technology.
In 1955, when Boeing advertised in Spokane for mechanics who could start at $1.35 an hour, Acme sold its first RCA color television for $1,100 - just $400 less than an economical car like the Nash Metropolitan.
“That set took an average of three hours on delivery to set up,” said Hanley. “And you never moved it. If you did, you had to call a serviceman to adjust it. It had a zillion knobs.”
As quickly as Americans were moving televisions into their living rooms, they were parking new cars in their driveways.
Car makers produced only 785,000 civilian cars in 1945. It was not nearly enough to meet the demand - especially since Congress had allocated $1.5 billion to build interstate highways.
“The price of cars went up so fast, people would buy a car at any price and then go out and sell it and make money,” said David Bunting, an Eastern Washington University economics professor. “They were actually bribing dealers to move their names (up) the waiting lists.”
Wendle opened his dealership in 1943, but didn’t have new cars to sell.
“I had a ‘41 Ford and my partner had a ‘41 Chevrolet,” Wendle said. “We put them on the showroom floor, and got people right in.”
New cars remained scarce for a year or two after the war, so dealers made most of their money selling used cars. A customer with a trade-in was greeted warmly at any lot; otherwise, his name was placed on a waiting list.
By 1950, automakers were cranking out 8 million cars and trucks a year. Business remained good for dealers, but the boon was over.
“It (selling) just got harder and harder,” Wendle said.
The postwar era was a heady time for entrepreneurs, the most successful of whom have become familiar names.
Estee Lauder started her cosmetics company in 1946.
Conrad Hilton was the world’s premier hotel owner by 1955, the same year Walt Disney opened his California theme park.
RCA chairman David Sarnoff had predicted big things for television in the early 1920s. He saw his predictions come to fruition in the 1950s, and oversaw development of the first color TV.
Typical of regional success stories was the former Army Air Corps navigator who gambled that customers’ desire for variety was stronger than their loyalty to individual brands. Les Schwab stocked tires from several manufacturers - a new concept at the time.
“I had never fixed a flat tire in my life,” said Schwab, who now has 261 stores in the Northwest and Northern California.
The good life didn’t reach every corner of America. Life remained tough in the inner cities and the backwoods.
If you were black or a woman with a factory job, there was a good chance you lost it - or were demoted - when the GIs returned.
“The ‘Leave It to Beaver’ family is sort of a myth,” said EWU’s Bunting. “It looks like it represents society, but it doesn’t. It’s a creation of television.”
Still, there were plenty of Ward Cleavers who came home from the war anxious to start a family and better their lives. The GI Bill gave them the chance to attend college and own homes with plumbing and electricity - goals only the wealthiest Americans had achieved before.
As the spending spree continued, the accumulated savings couldn’t keep up. No matter; banks and stores taught soldiers who had charged into Europe and Asia how to charge at home.
Flatbush National Bank in Brooklyn, N.Y., introduced its “Charge It” plan in 1946, issuing script customers could use to make purchases in select stores. By the early 1950s, consumers were carrying Diners Club and American Express cards.
“GIs came back, often married, then went to school and lived very austere lives,” said Eugene Fram of the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, N.Y. “Once they graduated, jobs were plentiful. They started to buy on credit. They felt very secure in the future.”
How long did the good times last? That depends on your outlook.
Maybe it ended in 1950, when North Korea invaded the south and weary Americans went back to war.
Maybe it ended in the 1960s, when yet another war tore apart the nation and a new generation questioned their parents’ values.
Maybe it ended in the 1970s, with the oil crisis and the realization that industrial productivity was tough on the earth.
Maybe it ended in the 1980s, when it took two incomes for most families to buy the minivans, VCRs and splitlevels they wanted.
Or, maybe it hasn’t ended.
EDK, a newsletter that tracks female consumers, says 31 percent of American women fit its definition of a “shopaholic.” More than a third of Consumer Reports readers say shopping is their hobby.
“America, by most standards, is the richest nation on earth,” noted Bunting.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo


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You may think that social marketing is all about platforms and tools and photos and likes — and networks. But according to the chairman of the world’s largest networking company, John Chambers of Cisco Systems, “social marketing” is about customer experience; about having a business culture that has a core-level emphasis on providing the best customer experience possible. And what is the key to such a culture? It must start and the top with the owner or CEO.
Last week, I had the opportunity to hear Cisco Chairman and former CEO John Chambers speak to 700 social marketers attending the Sprinklr Summit. The audience was filled with men and women who run the social marketing efforts at many of the nation’s best-known and successful brands. However, after hearing Chambers, there was a lot of hallway chatter among the all-star marketers about how far their companies need to go to truly embrace a culture that can transform their relationships with customers.
According to Chambers, the companies that thrive in this new order will be those that don’t see technology as mere tools for gaining likes or generating leads. The companies that thrive will be those with a top-down belief that their companies’ entire reason for being is to ensure customers have an unmatchable good customer experience with their company.
Chambers stressed that small businesses are so close to their customers that providing the best experience to customers should come naturally. And if you look out over the next couple of decades, “small businesses are going to be the primary creators of net new jobs,” Chambers said. The small businesses who grow will be those that embrace the belief that nothing about their business is more important than them providing their customers with an unmatched experience, he said.
Chambers said social marketing and customer care should not be thought of as separate functions. They are the same thing and are at the core of the company’s culture. The technology that enables social media is in its infancy; often frustrating and disconnected. But with the right type of business leadership that is dedicated to providing an unmatched customer experience, you can change your company’s culture today, he said.
And what is the “return on investment” for fully focusing your company on building longterm, deep relationships with customers? According to Chambers, a 5 percent rate of customer retention will translate into 75 percent increase in profitability.
Another metric to consider, said Chambers, is that 80 percent of your future income will be generated by 20 percent of your current customers.
Rex Hammock is the founder of SmallBusiness.com
A version of this article appeared on Idea Blog.
Photos: istock, SmallBusiness.com


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Brandweek will feature live discussions with marketing pros at ULTA Beauty, Converse, UPS and more. Meet us in Miami Sept. 11–14 to boost your business and elevate your brand.
As part of the CMO Reboot Playbook: Authentically Connecting with Consumers and Community, My/Mochi Managing Director and CMO Russell Barnett shares how the ice cream brand pivoted its biggest celebration into an engaging digital campaign during the pandemic that generated social buzz and billions of earned media impressions.
Check out more plays from top CMOs and brand leaders here.
National Ice Cream Day is My/Mochi’s “Super Bowl.” It’s the time of year when we create a massive celebration around all things mochi ice cream on the sweetest day of the year! Given the pandemic was well underway by the summer of 2020, our challenge was to pivot in such a way that our celebration–traditionally one executed live with in-person touchpoints–was even more impactful in a virtual world.


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Samsung Electronics said its revenue rose 24 percent to 76.6 trillion won and net profit grew 64 percent to 10.8 trillion won.
Samsung said MX and Networks businesses posted KRW 28.95 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 2.66 trillion in operating profit for the fourth quarter.
Samsung said the Networks Business improved from the prior quarter as revenue grew for both domestic and global businesses. Samsung’s Networks Business aims to win new opportunities from European and other global customers.
Samsung will actively explore new business opportunities overseas including Europe, while also responding to its 5G networks expansion in South Korea. At the same time, the company will further improve its in-house 5G chip and solidify foundations for growth.
Samsung said it aims to win a bigger share of the smartphone market this year with more 5G-capable models, Reuters news report said.
Samsung posted a 53 percent rise in fourth-quarter operating profit to 13.9 trillion won ($11.6 billion). Profits at its chip business, its largest division, more than doubled from the same quarter a year ago to 8.84 trillion won.
The world’s largest memory chip and smartphone maker forecast a recovery in tech device demand. Samsung reported its best fourth-quarter profit in four years, although it cautioned about ongoing challenges from supply chain issues and COVID-19.
5G smartphones are set to account for more than half of all smartphone sales in the market in 2022, Kim Sung-koo, Vice President of mobile business, told an investor briefing.
“Our strategy in the mass tier is to actively capture demand from people seeking to replace their phones with 5G models,” Kim said.
Samsung has around 20 percent of the smartphone market, and competes against low-cost Chinese smartphone rivals like Xiaomi, OPPO and Vivo.
The South Korean tech giant was upbeat on the possibility of a turnaround in the price of DRAM chips, widely used in data centres and tech devices.
“We expect strong fundamental demand centering around servers, and solid mobile demand from expansion of 5G models,” said Han Jin-man, Executive VP of memory chip business.
“Some organizations have forecast DRAM prices could reverse in the first half,” he added, although he noted that supply issues, raw material costs and geopolitical risks remain unknown variables.
The price of DRAM chips dipped 9.5 percent in the fourth quarter from the previous quarter, TrendForce data showed, and analysts expect a further drop in the current quarter. Views are mixed on when they will rebound.
For non-memory chips, Samsung said supply was expected to remain tight due to increased take-up of 5G-capable devices, demand for high performance computing, increased outsourcing from chip design and manufacturing firms, and continued inventory demand.
The company spent 90 percent of its 2021 annual capital expenditure of 48.2 trillion won ($40.1 billion) in the chip business, but declined to give guidance for 2022.
Samsung said it will unveil its latest flagship smartphone model on Feb. 9, which analysts expect to lift mobile shipments.


text: Celebrity news News & Gossip Celeb mums do National TV Awards in style Holly Willoughby, Michelle Heaton and other glamorous celeb parents hit the red carpet 1 of Ad break Michelle HeatonMichelle Heaton looks stunning at the National TV Awards, keeping her Twitter followers entertained throughout the evening - joking daughter Faith was making it hard for her to get ready as she kept chewing on all of her make-up brushes. You still look fab, Michelle! Holly WilloughbyMum-of-two Holly Willoughby looked simply chic in a figure hugging floor length black gown, joking with viewers that her hair is naturally blonde after a shot of her at 18 years of age said otherwise. Holly and Phillip Schofield took to the stage to collect a the Daytime TV award for This Morning, in which a clip of the pair shows Holly telling Phillip off for scaring her on set: "You can't do that to a woman who has had two kids - I nearly wet myself," she joked. ITV, who recently changed their logo, have also treated Holly to a new mug - ah, the high life, eh? Fearne CottonPregnant Fearne Cotton had to give the NTA a miss tweeting, "I'm not at the NTAs tonight as I'm too large to fit into a gown and would need the loo many times throughout" adding a good luck to Celebrity Juice pal Leigh Frances. Instead of showing off a new gown, Fearne treated Twitter fans to a sneak peek at the new designs she's working on for her fashion range. Cherry HealeyWe bumped into Cherry Healey at the Toy Fair who told us she's often finding bits of food on her clothes throughout the day, courtesy of daughter Coco. But Cherry looks all glamour in a lovely black dress and red lips at the NTAs - yummy mummy for sure. Continue slideshow > Jenni FalconerMum-of-one Jenni Falconer grabbed a quick snap with award winning Phillip Schofield and his Dancing On Ice co-presenter Christine Bleakley. It looks like Phillip was in the giving spirit, tweeting the picture saying he'd got a boat for his girls to the 02 arena. Jen, who keeps fit running with her daughter Ella in a pram and dog Alfie in tow, looks every inch the telly superstar. By Emma Daly Comments Latest on MadeForMums Britax issues voluntary recall on Dualfix car seats Stacey Solomon embraces her ‘normal’ mumtum in holiday bikini snap Mum's stark warning as her toddler gets burnt by hot tea in a cafe Which pregnant celebs are due in 2018?