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Coffee fixes and the ‘Barbenheimer’ craze shook up the economy even as splurging hit the skids in the September quarter.
Kiwibank’s electronic card spend rose just 1.2 per cent in late winter and early spring, down from 4 per cent in the April-June quarter.
But Kiwibank senior economist Mary Jo Vergara said overall spending was still well above pre-Covid levels.
That was partly due to low unemployment supporting household incomes and consumption.
The latest Kiwibank Household Spending Tracker found consumer prices were still rising at an uncomfortably fast pace.
Vergara said Kiwibank had more customers than before. That, combined with an increased preference for contactless payments, could explain the latest spending levels.
“In fact, Kiwis swiped, tapped or inserted their cards fewer times than last quarter,” she added.
And compared to a year earlier, the number of transactions grew by just 0.5 per cent.
“Kiwis are spending more on their cards, but getting less. It’s part of the cost of living crisis,” Vergara said.
“Household incomes are being squeezed by tight financial conditions. There’s little appetite to splurge.”
More detail on nationwide inflation is expected this week, with Stats NZ due to release the September food price index on Thursday.
Vergara said the retail sector was feeling gloomy, but new migrants could offer those businesses a lifeline.
Significant changes to the mortgage landscape were also likely to influence spending.
Most Kiwi mortgages had already rolled off the low rates of 2020/21.
But 30 per cent of mortgages nationwide “will soon jump aboard the high rates train”, Vergara said.
“Alongside still-high inflation and subdued consumer confidence, there’s plenty weighing on household consumption.”
All up, annual growth in Kiwibank card spending fell from 10 per cent to just 2.3 per cent in the September quarter.
Pools and pizza ovens now passe?
Card spending on home contents and furnishings had been mediocre lately.
Since September 2022, the average volume of spending in this arena has languished below pre-Covid levels.
“Clearly, the exorbitant demand for all things pools and pizza ovens in 2020 has fizzled,” Vergara said.
Meanwhile, the surge in domestic tourism might be done and dusted.
“The volume of spend on hotels and accommodation appears to be flattening. At the same time, the total dollars spent is steadily increasing.”
That clearly suggested a rise in prices for key tourist activities.
But there was some possible reason for optimism, Vergara added.
“While domestic tourism may be softening, the return of overseas visitors is boosting demand.”
Coffee fixes here to stay
Vergara said demand for “big-ticket retail” was waning, but relatively minor regular treats such as coffee or brunch were proving resilient.
The bank said demand for brunches and coffees was inelastic, or less price-sensitive than many other goods.
And the blockbuster player on the economic landscape was none other than Barbie.
“The intrigue of pink cowboy hats and wide-brim fedoras pulled people out of their pyjamas and back to the cinemas,” Vergara said.
“As Barbie and Oppenheimer battled it out for the box office crown, the volume of spend rose an atomic 57 per cent in the first week of the double-feature release.”
Despite some of the economic malaise, Vergara said summer could brighten up prospects.
“The upcoming festive season also typically sees a jump in spend, which should help turn frowns upside down.”


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Naspers-owned payment solutions provider PayU India has launched a multi-functional mobile app for merchants.
Merchants can use the app to monitor their business performance and request for payments, the company said in a statement.
The app also comes with PayU Assist for instant query resolution and support. Last month, it had rolled out a merchant service platform PayU Assist to offer automated customer service capabilities.
“With this app, our goal is to empower MSMEs with a mobile channel equipped with complete account access and business management capabilities. The app will also provide instant query resolution to offer a seamless merchant experience. It is an exciting time for us since the PayU app is one of the most innovative apps in this space. It strengthens our value proposition, giving us an edge above other industry players,” said Noopur Chaturvedi, country head for small and medium businesses, PayU.
PayU was also in talks to acquire online consumer lending platform PaySense, The Economic Times reported.

domain: news


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Chinese online gaming, advertising and commerce companies are increasingly attracted to India as the number of mobile Internet users in the country expands rapidly, a top executive said.
“There is a massive interest from Chinese firms. Most large Internet companies we met in China are interested in India,” said Rajan Anandan, managing director of Google India and chairman of industry lobby group Internet and Mobile Association of India.
Anandan recently led a delegation of 23 Indian Internet firms to China where executives met officials from Chinese e-commerce and Internet companies including Alibaba.com, travel portal ctrip.com, Google China, mobile browsing firm UCWeb and smartphone maker Xiaomi.
China’s online gaming company Changyou.com Ltd is expected to soon launch some of its products in India. The company started ChangYou.com India Pvt. Ltd in 2012 and launched its first Indian product mobogenie in mid-2013. Mobogenie offers an application that helps people manage their Android smartphones through personal computers.


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Blog: The Coca-Cola Co's downward trajectory
Andy Morton | 8 June 2016
In yet one more sign that The Coca-Cola Co is losing its lustre, the soft drinks maker has, for the first time, fallen out of the top ten of a 'world's biggest brands' ranking.
Coca-Cola ranked 13th in the latest BrandZ list, released yesterday, after being judged to have lost 4% of its brand value. Google, meanwhile, regained top spot from Apple in the annual list after increasing brand value by 32%.
Coca-Cola's fall follows a tough few years for the company. Sales in its core CSD category have fallen and the company has turned to juices and even dairy in a bid to boost the top line.
Yesterday there was more bad news for the soda channel when Keurig Green Mountain announced it was discontinuing its Keurig Kold home carbonation machine. Coca-Cola had been an early investor in the technology, which was released in the US only nine months ago.
With foresight like that, then, can we expect Coca-Cola to slide even further down the Brandz list next year?
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Philadelphia’s soda tax came into force on Sunday, and is reportedly causing a stir in the city's check-out aisles....
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Luxury car maker company Porsche India has launched the facelift version of 2023 Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe in India. The company claims that the car is capable of achieving 0 to 100 speed in just 6 seconds. The top speed of the car is 248 Kmph.
In the Indian market, it will compete with Range Rover Sport, Audi Q8 and Mercedes-Benz GLE. The company recently showcased the updated Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe at a private event in front of the Porsche dealership network.
Cosmetic changes have been made to the interior and exterior of both the 2023 Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe models. The facelifted Cayenne lineup also gets a new set of engine options.
The 2023 Cayenne is priced at Rs 1.36 crore (ex-showroom), which is Rs 10 lakh more expensive than the current model. At the same time, the price of Cayenne Coupe has been kept at Rs 1.42 crore (ex-showroom), which is Rs 7 lakh more than its current model.
However, only the base models of both will be available in India. The higher variant prices will be announced later. Deliveries of both the updated models are expected to begin soon.
The base variants of the 2023 Porsche Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe facelift have been given a more powerful engine than the current model. It gets a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-petrol engine, which generates 348 bhp power (13 bhp more than the current model) and 500Nm of peak torque (50Nm more than the current model). Talking about the transmission, the engine is tuned with an 8-speed automatic gearbox.
The company claims that with this engine, the Cayenne can accelerate from 0 to 100kmph in just 6 seconds and has a top speed of 248kmph. Whereas, the Cayenne Coupe is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100kmph in just 5.7 seconds. The higher variant of the car could be brought to India with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine, which generates 467bhp power and 600Nm peak torque.
The new editions of the Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe get newly designed matrix LED headlights, which look like the Porsche Taycan. To enhance the road presence of the car, a wide front grille has been given which is integrated into the front bumper with chrome slats.
Redesign connected 3D LED taillights have been given in the rear. Porsche badging is found in between. Its bigger spoiler, redesigned bonnet and new design alloy wheels with 20, 21 and 22-inch options enhance the overall look of the car.


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Will the choice of Mrs. Obamas gown "woo" her fashion critics with her choice of Jason Wus' gown for the inaugural gala?. Right now, the opinion is divided. Tim Gunn told CNN he had hoped to see something with more jewel tones.
Michelle Obama celebrated her husband Barack Obama's Inauguration in a cream colored, one shoulder fitted bodice Jason Wu gown.
Michelle Obama made a bold choice for the inauguration of her husband with a a pale gold dress and matching coat by Cuban-American designer Isabel Toledo that divided commentators.
But she turned up the glamour later in the day as she and her husband strutted their stuff at not one, but ten, inauguration balls.
Michelle Obama has long been a fan of designer Jason Wu, since she wore his #17 from his Spring 2009 collection for her interview with Barbara Walters.
The $3,510 raw silk dress with hand-embroidered rosettes is part of a line of elegant evening gowns and ladylike dresses selling in the $1,000 to $6,000 range. The dress features hand-embroidered florets with French knots that took 100 hours of labor in a New York studio. Wu told the Wall Street Journal's Heard on the Runway that Mrs. Obama paid for the dress. It bears noting that Wu's fashionable and feminine Spring 2009 line features more than a couple of ball gowns which could be perfect for an Inauguration gala but apparently Wu isn't focusing on that, telling the WSJ that it's "a long shot."
Jason continues to receive accolades including Fashion Group International's Rising Star Award for Women's Ready-to-Wear in January 2008 and in July 2008 he was named one of the finalists in the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Posted by VB at 7:11 PM


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MATTHEWS, N.C. — Harris Teeter has temporarily waived the fee for its personal shopping service.
First-time customers of Harris Teeter’s “Express Lane Online Shopping” will not have to pay the $4.95 service fee through today. The promotion kicked off Feb. 22.
“Give it a shot for free,” Harris Teeter states on its Facebook page.
Express Lane lets customers ord


text: In the past seven years, a lot has happened to the state of personal loans and debt in the United Kingdom. Whether for purchasing a house or credit lending, consumer lending patterns have changed year by year. Lending growth has changed drastically in the past decade. Check out this interactive infographic to see everything from how much mortgage debt all UK consumers racked up in 2005 to the average individual personal debt today. This infographic is brought to you by QuickQuid.


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LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) – Kentucky Kingdom is on the fast track to rebuilding ahead of the parks scheduled opening on May 24.
Some familiar sights remain at the park but changes are being made and more are coming. Three roller coasters are being added, one per year for the next three years.
One of those attractions is already gaining national attention. It's name, Lightning Run. Kentucky Kingdom Spokesperson John Mulcahy said, "Lightning Run is going to take you 100 feet straight up and then straight down at an 80 degree angle into a turn. It's a great coaster and we are very pleased to have it."
Kentucky Kingdom is really putting a lot of their focus on the water park – not only by doubling the size, but adding eight new water attractions, including a one of a kind slide.
"You stand--you are in a chamber and they press a button to give you a three second countdown and then you plunge. Floor drops out from under you and you just plunge into this slide configuration," said Mulcahy.
While the gates are still shut passes to get inside of Kentucky Kingdom are now on sale.
The 2014 Kentucky Kingdom season passes cost $59.95.
According to Kentucky Kingdom's website perks of being a season pass holder include free park admission, free rides in the park during the Kentucky State Fair, $1 32 ounce soft drinks and 20 percent off of park food and merchandise.
Mulcahy said, "We made a commitment that would be the most affordable park in the region."
We decided to compare season pass prices to theme parks close by. Kings Island, near Cincinnati, is offering season passes for $160. Season passes for Holiday World, in Santa Claus, Indiana are on sale for $129.
If you are interested in purchasing a pass, click here.


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Turkey becomes latest holiday hotspot to scrap all Covid travel rules for Brits
Turkey has scrapped all Covid travel rules in a much-needed holidays boost for Brits this summer.
The holiday hotspot joins an existing list of 30+ countries without Covid restrictions for visitors, including the likes of Cyprus, Croatia and Greece.
UK holidaymakers heading on Turkey holidays will no longer be required to show a negative Covid test or proof of vaccination if they’re planning to visit for tourism.
Meanwhile, local restrictions have also been lifted including face masks, which are no longer required either indoors or outdoors, provided there can be social distancing in place.
Sign up to the Mirror’s travel newsletter for more updates, news and deals.
The lifting of both the travel rules and local restrictions has already come into force, meaning you won’t need tests or proof of vaccine if you have a holiday booked, even before the peak summer season.
The Foreign Office has subsequently changed its travel advice for Turkey to reflect the changes, although it does note that “COVID-19 entry requirements may change at short notice, you should check the specifics with your airline before you travel”.
In more good news for Brits planning getaways, Turkey has been named as one of the best value destinations for UK holidaymakers this summer.
A comparison from the Post Office looked at the Sterling’s rise/fall against popular holiday hotspots, comparing May 2022 and May 2021.
According to the study, Brits changing £500 can expect to receive over 50 per cent more in Turkish lira – the equivalent of almost £167 extra – for their pounds.
It’s therefore no surprise that 88% of holidaymakers surveyed for the study felt Turkey offers good value.
In fact, earlier this year Marmaris was hailed as the best destination where Brits can get more bang for their buck, with prices down by 37% year-on-year.
The destination has already long been a firm favourite for family holidays thanks to its plethora of brilliant beaches, water parks and family-friendly resorts.
If you are planning a holiday abroad this summer, there are plenty of key checks to make before you book, from checking important dates in your passport to simple packing tips that could make life easier if you’re hit with long airport queues.
We’ve put together a guide on everything you need to check before a holiday to give you a helping hand.
Oh, and bargain hunters may also want to bookmark our top pick of holiday deals, which we regularly update with the latest sales and discount codes that we think you’ll love.
Travel rules can change quickly due to the nature of the pandemic. Always check the Foreign Office’s latest Turkey travel advice before booking a trip and travelling.
What’s been your favourite destination for a cheap and cheerful holiday? Let us know in the comments below.
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Shares of Ollie's Bargain Outlet (OLLI 0.21%) have taken a beating, dropping more than 15% after the company missed on its second-quarter earnings, which featured losses of 1.7% in comparable sales, 15.6% in earnings per share, and 10% in net income year over year.
Taking a step back from the recent quarter, let's see if Ollie's is a buy at this point and find out if the recent quarter results were a short-lived event or a harbinger of long-term problems -- potentially breaking the growth narrative.
A rocky quarter
Management stated that the latest quarter's weakness was due to a combination of factors, including cannibalization of Ollie's stores by its Toys R Us store conversions; a difficult year-ago comparison for same-store sales; and a higher number of recent store openings put a strain on the supply chain and inventory levels (Ollie opened 29 stores in the first half the year, more than double what it opened in the first half of 2018).
The fact that management is blaming new store openings for the weakened comp growth is concerning, as stores that have been open for one year wouldn't typically be seeing a peak in earnings within their first year of business. Ollie's also lowered full-year guidance for the year, as comps are projected to decrease between 0.5% and 1.5% against the original projection of growth between 1% and 2% -- pointing to even more weakness within comps throughout the remainder of the year.
In addition, the full-year guidance for net sales is between $1.42 billion and $1.43 billion, lowered from the original forecast between $1.44 billion and $1.45 billion.
As the new store openings put a strain on the supply chain, opening a new distribution center to get ahead of the growth will be key if new store openings continue at the current pace. A third distribution center is on the way, expected to be on line in 2020. This will enable efficient inventory control and logistics cost reductions in addition to a capacity increase to 500 stores -- leaving room for 168 new stores beyond the current 332 stores in operation.
Overall, Ollie's financials are improving. Cash on hand came in at $78.5 million for the second quarter, up $29.4 million year over year. This was driven by higher cash from operations. Ollie's retains a net sale increase of 15.33% year over year with a trailing-12-month gross profit margin of 39.6%. It opened 29 stores in the first half of 2019, more than double the number of stores opened in the first half of 2018.
Waiting for confirmation
Ollie's CEO, Mark Butler stated during the earnings call that "the strength of our new stores is, undoubtedly, the fuel for our growth." This is concerning as the growth needs to be led from a combination of factors, including increasing sales of existing locations in addition to new store sales. This may leave some investors wary, as a decline in store openings may signal a slowdown in company performance.
The case can be made that Ollie's is experiencing growing pains, as new store locations are opening rapidly and are apparently getting away from management's growth strategy. Taking the recent earnings report into account in addition to the revised forecasts, investors need to be cautiously optimistic going into the next earnings announcement as this quarter may be showing some growing pains. Keeping an eye on new store openings, same-store sales growth rates, and gross margins during the next few quarters will give investors a clearer view as to the effectiveness of the growth strategy and the sustainability of the business model.
Since this growth stock is priced for growth with a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 33, Ollie's expansion rates will be key going forward. After a share price fall of more than 15% from the recent earnings announcement, investors wanting to add Ollie's to their portfolios should sit on the sidelines until they know how the company did in the third quarter. At the very least, they should see that Ollie's is on a continued growth path and that the second quarter was a minor hiccup.


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Edelman has announced the global launch of Edelman Business Marketing, a specialized unit focused on driving reputation, business demand and revenue growth for B2B clients worldwide. This move establishes a new offering combining existing B2B practices in North America, EMEA, and APAC, building on the success and strong growth within the regions in recent years.
Edelman Business Marketing creates integrated marketing programs which earn the attention and trust of B2B buyers, inclusive of audience research, thought leadership strategy, content marketing, account-based marketing, demand generation and earned communications.
“Edelman Business Marketing is redefining how we drive value for our B2B clients’ businesses, from reaching high-value stakeholders to taking on some of the world’s most important issues,” said Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman. “Our global B2B offering has become a key component of Edelman’s strategy to provide integrated marketing solutions to clients worldwide.”
In EMEA, Edelman Business Marketing will be led by Andrew Mildren, who takes on the role of Managing Director. Andrew has led B2B in the UK over the last five years and will now support the growth and development of these capabilities across the region.
“In crowded, competitive markets, business brands need to work harder than ever to cut through,” said Andrew Mildren, Managing Director, Edelman Business Marketing EMEA. “Companies need to earn the right to busy business decision-maker's attention through creative storytelling and by building trust in the long-term. This global launch accelerates our ability to deliver fully integrated B2B programmes, which boost reputation and awareness right through to driving sales, demand and commercial growth.”
Globally, Edelman Business Marketing is led by Joe Kingsbury, Global Chair, who oversees a network of nearly 100 B2B specialists across the globe and David Whiting, Global Head of Operations, who drives client and sector growth, and operations.
The global launch of Edelman Business Marketing builds on years of strong regional business performance, innovative client work, and industry recognition within the B2B space, including ranking as the number one agency in the UK & Ireland in the B2B Marketing agency benchmarking study and the annual B2B Thought Leadership Impact Study in partnership with LinkedIn.


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Get an Ozzy-inspired tattoo to hear his new album early
An ink-redibly unique spin on the listening party format.
Image: Kevin Winter / Getty
Ozzy Osbourne is to host a worldwide tattoo event that celebrates the release of his first solo album in a decade, Ordinary Man.
The event, taking place on 20 February, will give attendees the chance to listen to the record a day in advance of its release while also getting some exclusive Ozzy-inspired designs tattooed.
Tattoo Parlours in more than fifty cities will be hosting the combo tattoo event/listening party. The event runs on a first-come, first-served basis, but you can RSVP to increase your chance of getting one of the exclusive designs. Be sure to note that prices and designs will vary from parlour to parlour, and RSVPing does not guarantee a place.
Fans attending the Feb 20 events to be held simultaneously at #tattoo shops in 50 cities around the world will have the opportunity to listen to ORDINARY MAN in advance of its release & select from a collection of exclusive OZZY-inspired tattoo designshttps://t.co/SBXOvY8Wu7 pic.twitter.com/FnXnj0Yyh7
— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) February 6, 2020
Ordinary Man’s production has been marred by a series of health scares for Ozzy, who last month revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. His recovery from a fall and from pneumonia led him to delay his 2020 tour. On a more positive note, however, he’s stated that the process of recording again has aided his attitude to recovery, saying: “I’ve missed music so badly. My fans are so loyal and so good. Up until making the album, I thought I was dying. But that got me off my arse.”
The tattoo event will precede a meet-and-greet and singing with Ozzy on 21 February, the album’s release date, in Los Angeles’ Amoeba Records. Fans will need to line up on Sunset Boulevard before the shop opens at 10:30 AM.
Find out more at tattoo.ozzy.com. For more music news, click here.
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CINNAMINSON — Police believe a fire in a Burlington County Walmart was deliberately set.
The fire began in the crafts products aisle in the Cinnaminson Walmart on Sunday.
Police told The Courier-Post of Cherry Hill the person who started the fire fled the store.
A customer started to extinguish the flames before firefighters arrived.
The store sustained minor smoke and water damage and was closed for several hours.


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Oct 17, 2012 By Sharmistha Mukherjee & Swaraj Baggonkar
Following suit, Hyundai and Tata Motors have announced deep price cuts on the Eon and new special edition variants of the Nano, respectively
Oct 15, 2012 By Sharmistha Mukherjee & Surajeet Das Gupta
The new model, to be launched tomorrow, comes at a time when the carmaker’s market share in the entry segment has been dropping
Oct 01, 2012 By Sharmistha Mukherjee
Sales in Europe took a hit after European governments discontinued their car scrappage schemes in 2009
Mar 26, 2012 By Press Trust of India
Maruti increases prices by from Rs 3,500 for 800 to 17,000 for SX4 models
Dec 17, 2011 By Ruman Devmane
We’re probably going to see a 50 per cent drop in “which car” questions after this article.
Mar 08, 2011 By Vaishali Dinakaran
The Alto does some soul searching
Sep 16, 2010 By Sharmistha Mukherjee / New Delhi
Clocks sales of over 20,000 units in the last 40 days!
Aug 07, 2010 By Rohin Nagrani
Maruti's Alto gets a makeover. We drive it.
Aug 04, 2010 By BSM Desk
Alto LXI at Rs 3.18 lakh; VXI at Rs 3.32 lakh ex-showroom, Mumbai
Jul 26, 2010 By Yogima Seth Sharma
Expects to sell an additional 7,500 units of the model per month
Jul 26, 2010 By BSM Desk
Everything you need to know about the new Alto K10


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Can Retailers Keep Growing?
The concept of the supermarket is only 80 years old but it is under incredible pressure from smaller formats and online shopping to change. Join news anchor Jodi Daley and PLMA president Brian Sharoff as they explore the factors driving the marketplace and what the supermarket of the future may look like. Click here for video.
Neil Stern, Senior Partner at McMillanDoolittle consulting firm, believes 2017 will be one of the most challenging years ever for retailers.
The New Breakfast for Champions
Breakfast of champions used to say it all. But now, a new generation has redefined what it means and everyone is hoping to catch up. Store brands are keeping up the pace, too, as retailers emphasize single-serve portions that meet consumers’ needs. Click here for video.


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TV giants 'to forge closer ties'
ITV GIANTS Carlton Communications and Granada are reportedly to forge closer ties in an attempt to cut costs and win more advertising. The pair, who have long been touted as possible merger partners, are planning to combine large parts of their operations.
Granada and Carlton operate most of the ITV network but are under pressure because of the advertising slowdown and increased competition.
Carlton chief executive Gerry Murphy said the pair would pool back-office operations and mount a joint effort to win new advertising contracts this autumn. Although the broadcasters cannot combine their sales forces, the move would see the creation of a 'virtual enterprise' in marketing, programme making and advertising promotion.
It is thought that Carlton and Granada will begin by making joint presentations to advertisers of next year's programme schedules. The tie-up could mean more effective pitches to advertisers such as Ford and Procter & Gamble involving schedulers as well as marketing staff.
'We are marketing together for the first time ever for 2003 and sales, commissioning, marketing and (programme) scheduling will be presented and pitched to advertisers together,' Murphy told the Financial Times.
Carlton currently has five regional franchises, including HTV and Central, while Granada's portfolio includes Meridian and Anglia. The pair failed to progress merger talks earlier this year amid concerns that a deal might be blocked on competition grounds.
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Golf influencer Paige Spiranac opened up about her body during a recent Q&A on her Instagram account earlier this week.
Spiranac was asked if she was “annoyed” by questions about whether her breasts were real. The golfer, who has nearly 4 million followers on Instagram, has repeatedly responded to social media trolls regarding what she wears or how she presents herself. This time, however, she opened up to her supporters.
“They’ve actually gotten a lot bigger and so I can see a lot of people being confused like when I first started this,” Spiranac said. “I’ve always had a chest, but not like this. And it’s because I gained weight and I talked about all these reasons.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
“But I can understand why people question that and are sometimes confused because it’s like one week they’re here and one week they’re there and like next year they’re here and it’s like What’s going on? I don’t.” I don’t know. I don’t know,” she continued.
“It’s just that the human body is a magical thing.”
In September, Spiranac responded to the constant criticism she receives regarding her clothing.
“I was a gymnast before I got into golf,” the former All-Mountain West Conference golfer told Sports Illustrated. “I was so comfortable wearing spandex, and very little, because that’s exactly what you wear when you’re wearing a leotard and you’re competing.
“When I got into golf, we were struggling a little bit financially and so I didn’t have the luxury of going out and buying a whole new golf-friendly wardrobe. And so, I wore what it was in my closet, which was practice clothes… That’s how I learned to play this game.”
BROOKS KOEPKA DOESN’T ‘CARE’ WHAT ‘COUNTRY CLUB’ PROS THINK OF LIV MOVE, SAYS NEW BOOK
Spiranac said she views golfers as athletes and wonders “why don’t we dress like athletes?”
She pointed out that Lucas Glover was sweating through his clothes at a PGA Tour event, explaining why golfers should be able to wear whatever they’re comfortable with. LIV golfers, for example, are allowed to wear shorts during their competitions.
“That was always my mindset when I got into golf, and it really offends people, which is shocking,” she said. “They’ll have very intense discussions about whether they should wear shorts or pants or a blade collar or a real collar and I’m out here in just a tank top or spandex and people are like ‘What are you do ?’ But I love this.
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“But we’re starting to see that change and fashion play an important role in the growth of the game, and it’s moving in the right direction.”


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BRUSSELS--European Union antitrust regulators are preparing to step up their investigations into Google Inc. on several fronts, including revisiting a proposed settlement over its search-engine practices that has met with unprecedented opposition.
The European Commission is likely to revise some terms of the proposed settlement announced in February, aimed at dealing with concerns that the company abuses its dominance of online searches in Europe, a person with knowledge of the situation said Tuesday.
A firm decision on whether to revise Google’s proposed commitments will be made in September, the person said.
The admission marks something of an about-face for EU competition chief Joaquín Almunia, who had previously insisted that the commitments agreed by Google
A final decision on the case may now be taken by Almunia’s successor after he leaves office in November, the person said.
The European Commission is also deepening a second line of investigation into Google’s business practices relating to its Android operating system for mobile phones. The Commission recently sent out fresh requests for information from handset makers and other interested parties on their dealings with Android, a year after sending out a first batch of questionnaires, the person said.
More must-reads from MarketWatch:


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When Samsung announced its Galaxy S4 earlier this year, it introduced a large number of features that not only helped expand what its users can do with the device through proprietary apps, but they also made some big changes to its camera software. One feature Samsung implemented into its camera software is the ability to take a photo using both the front-facing and rear-facing cameras on its Galaxy S4. We’re sure a number of iOS users are rather envious of this feature being available on the Galaxy S4, but a new iOS app gives you this exact feature, which will hopefully lead to be just a little less envious.
The application is called Frontback and, as the name would suggest, it allows you to take a photo using both the front- and rear-facing cameras at the same time, which they can proceed to combine both images into a single one. Once the image is created, users can proceed to tag their location and share their masterpiece on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Just remember you should create a somewhat interesting image using both the front- and rear-facing camera prior to sharing your creation with the world.
Frontback is currently available to download on your iOS device of choice. Best of all, the app is completely free to download, so get cracking on those dual-camera photos!


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Small Business News
News on Small Business continually updated from thousands of sources around the net.
3 hrs ago | Dallas Morning News
Dustin Gadberry of Gadberry Construction barely made it through the recession until linking up with the Dallas Small Business Development Center.
6 hrs ago | The Victoria Advocate
To make sure area businesses have the most relevant tax information, the University of Houston-Victoria Small Business Development Center has invited the Internal Revenue Service to a meeting Sept.
10 hrs ago | Connecticut Post
Despite the economy's recovery since the 2008 financial crisis, small businesses still have difficulty securing credit, according to a survey released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
13 hrs ago | PeoriaTimes-Observer
Owned by social media giant Facebook, Instagram is a photo and video sharing application that allows users to interact by liking and commenting on posts of people or businesses they are following.
17 hrs ago | Forbes.com
I am one of the world's leading experts on small business and entrepreneurship. I am the creator and award-winning host of the syndicated radio program, The Small Business Advocate Show, a syndicated columnist and author of Small Business Is Like a Bunch of Bananas and Three Minutes to Success .
21 hrs ago | Detroit Free Press
Rachel Leggs owns a vintage clothing store in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood. She worked in the auto industry until being laid off, and then decided to make a go at starting her own business, becoming part of a growing trend of female business owners in the city.
21 hrs ago | Examiner
FEDERAL Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson has commended two St Helens small business administrators, after the pair successfully applied for the Federal Small Business Advisory Services Program funding.
A giant Mother's Day card addressed to Wal-Mart rests near the Canon House Office Building on Capitol Hill April 26, 2005 in Washington, DC.
Technology is just part of life these days. People turn to social media outlets as a way to gather news.
While there are no guarantees any startup business will be successful, a good first step to determine if an idea makes sense before proceeding with an investment of time and resources is to do a venture feasibility study.
No punching a clock or being chained to a desk in a beige office all day long, and no one micromanaging or bellowing orders.
Most small-business owners are not excited about handling the financial recordkeeping for the business , which should come as no surprise.
RAWA is a full service property company, which I started with co-owner Jeremy Waters in 2007.
Management consulting is a rewarding field. The rewards are not immediately obvious to recipients until momentum is apparent.
Lending to small businesses by the banks using the Bank of England's credit-boosting scheme shrank again between April and June, figures showed today.
August 27, 2014 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today launched the East Harlem Small Business Emergency Loan Program to assist companies that were impacted by the explosion that disrupted the local community earlier this year.
Viral success is the dream of just about every small business these days. Whether the business model is a website where users can upload videos for free , or a special app that gives people the ability to share the cost of a rental car , the idea of overnight success is just plain intoxicating.
Updated: Sat Aug 30, 2014 07:00 pm
Copyright © 2014 Topix LLC


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August 23, 2016 (Irvington, NY): In recognition of PECO Pallet’s
ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability, the pallet pooling
company was named a Green 75 Supply Chain Partner by Inbound
Logistics magazine for the fifth year in a row. PECO is profiled in the
current “Green Logistics” issue as one of the top 75 companies in
supply chain sustainability.
PECO Pallet provides high-quality wood pallets and sustainable shipping solutions for grocery and consumer goods manufacturers throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. PECO’s sturdy block pallets are built from responsibly forested timber and are constantly reused, repaired, and recycled. Companies who utilize PECO’s pooled pallets can eliminate the waste, inefficiency, and safety problems associated with single-use or low-quality pallets. PECO’s true four-way block pallets can also be stacked and transported more efficiently than conventional notched stringer pallets, thus reducing fuel costs and emissions.
Adrian Potgieter, PECO Pallet’s Senior Vice President of Sales, said, “PECO Pallet is proud to be named to the G75 list again this year. More and more companies are learning about the ways block pallets provide both environmental and economic benefits throughout the supply chain. We’re proud to help customers achieve their sustainability goals while also enjoying improved efficiencies and long-term savings.
Inbound Logistics' G75 Green Supply Chain Partners highlights sustainability leaders in the logistics and transportation sector. The editors evaluate companies based on their measurable green results, sustainability innovation, continuous improvement, and industry recognition.
About PECO Pallet:
PECO Pallet is the North American leader in pallet rental services and provides millions of its red block pallets to major grocery and consumer goods manufacturers throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. PECO Pallet’s tremendous growth over the last decade reflects the company’s overall commitment to quality and service. Customers using PECO’s superior pallets experience less product damage, greater efficiency, improved safety, and significant cost savings. PECO is headquartered in Irvington, New York. For more information about PECO Pallet, visit pecopallet.com.


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World Sleep Day: 53% of Americans Use Their Smartphone to Shop in Bed
With mobile usage on the rise, 53% of Americans now admit to using their smartphone to shop while in bed. That’s according to our newest study, which surveyed over 1,000 US consumers, released to coincide with “World Sleep Day.”
While World Sleep Day is intended to celebrate sleep and call attention to important sleep issues and disorders, our survey has some interesting findings. While doctors recommend phones be kept out of the bedroom to help you resist the urge to check notifications or refresh your feeds and to keep the device’s light from disrupting your circadian rhythm, our survey reveals a good number of Americans don’t heed that advice.
In fact, our research found that 27% of Americans sleep with their mobile phones and that 18% have dreams about shopping — 4% have even dreamt about their mobile phones.
Meanwhile, the shift to remote work means that almost one in two (40%) Americans have been working from their beds during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mobile has made its way into more than just our beds — a fifth (43%) of Americans say they shop on their smartphones while eating, and 19% have shopped while talking to friends online. 1 in 4 Brits (27%) even admit to shopping in the bathroom.
Long considered the ‘on-the-go’ device, mobile is now the preferred way for consumers to interact with brands. After analyzing 20 billion web sessions in our latest 2021 Digital Experience Benchmark Report, Contentsquare found that mobile traffic grew by +16% in 2020 and that smartphones drive almost two-thirds (64%) of all web traffic today.
That means it’s time for digital brands to wake up and adopt a mobile-first mindset and integrate phone systems to their strategy, if they haven’t already.
“The key to maximizing your mobile strategy is to deliver a customer experience that matches your audience’s goals,” said Niki Hall, Contentsquare’s Chief Marketing Officer. “A consumer shopping in bed has a different mindset to someone browsing on a desktop, and these seemingly subtle differences can have a huge impact on how they convert. Retailers should anchor their data and personalization strategies to their customers’ objectives and expectations, and mobile today is at the heart of both.”
A consumer shopping in bed has a different mindset to someone browsing on a desktop, and these seemingly subtle differences can have a huge impact on how they convert.
Need something to get out of bed for? If you’re looking to measure customer intent and analyze user behavior in real-time, look no further than Contentsquare’s experience analytics platform. With powerful tools like customer journey mapping and zone-based heatmaps, Contentsquare gives you key insights into customer intent and on-page preferences, empowering you to make data-driven decisions about your CX and deliver an unforgettable digital experience.
Click here to learn more about how Contentsquare can help your business.


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The latest update in a string of stories about the iPhone 7 claims that the larger Plus variant will have 256GB storage. This is expected to be one of the major specifications which will set the iPhone 7 Plus apart from the smaller device. We believe Apple will launch both in fall 2016, though there are rumors to the contrary.
The iPhone 7 Plus is supposedly going to stick with a 5.5-inch display, while the smaller smartphone could hit the market with a 4.7-inch screen. Apart from having more in-built memory than the iPhone 7, the bigger model is also anticipated to arrive with a larger 3100mAh battery as opposed to a 2750mAh power house.
Mac Rumors thinks MyDrivers, the source of the news, may be wrong about the bigger battery ‘scoop’ since a previous leak stated that the smartphone would be between 6 to 6.5 millimeters thin. The iPhone 6 Plus is 7.1 millimeters thick in comparison. As for the story about 256GB ROM, it might turn out to be true after all.
Apple users have always complained about the lack of a microSD card and limited memory in the iPhone models. The cloud is not yet the impregnable storage facility consumers want it to be. Many would rather hoard their content locally and with good reason. How many iCloud hacking headlines have we read in 2015?
So it makes sense for Apple to launch the iPhone 7 Plus (as well as the smaller version?) in a 256GB option too. The company has never been keen on adding more RAM to their handsets just for the sake of having something to boast about in the specs sheet. iFixit revealed that the iPhone 6S has 2GB LPDDR4 RAM.
Android phones in the mid-range to high-end spectrum are being offered with 2GB to 4GB RAM meanwhile. Will Apple indeed introduce the iPhone 7 with 3GB RAM? We’ll have to wait to find out. In related news, the next generation iOS devices may be waterproof, free of antenna bands and have no headphone jack.


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VizExplorer Signs First African Gaming Operator
VizExplorer, a leading provider of operational intelligence solutions for the gaming industry, today announced that it has signed an agreement with Resort Co S.A.––its first customer in Africa. As part of the agreement, VizExplorer will install floorViz™, campaignViz™, hostVizOps™ and vizMosaic™ at Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, Morocco’s largest casino.
By intelligently integrating multiple data sources and overlaying sophisticated visualizations, VizExplorer will give Mazagan Casino executives an in-depth, real-time view into daily casino operations. The addition of floorViz™ gives the operator the power to implement smart, data-driven game change decisions to optimize its gaming floor revenues, while campaignViz™ enables marketing to design targeted, highly effective promotions aimed at the player segments most likely to respond. hostVizOps™ adds a layer of intelligence to player development, giving VIP hosts the information they need at their fingertips to respond promptly to player events as they occur.
“VizExplorer will help ensure that we remain the premier gaming destination in Morocco by providing a deep understanding of our guests and the tools to develop an effective casino marketing strategy. We look forward to working with the team to identify key areas of our operation that are ready for optimization using VizExplorer solutions,” said Robert Brassai, Casino Director, Mazagan Casino.
“We welcome Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort to the growing roster of international casinos we serve,” said Fivos Polymniou, VP of International Sales at VizExplorer. “We value our customers’ success, and we look forward to helping the Mazagan team get the most benefit from the VizExplorer solutions in the shortest time possible.”
Opened in 2009, the casino at Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort features a 33,000-square foot gaming floor, with nearly 500 slots and 60 table games. The decision to work with Mazagan Casino represents VizExplorer’s pragmatic approach to international markets––by which the company seeks to deliver scalable yet sophisticated solutions suited to the needs of operators in developing gaming markets. The agreement was handled by VizExplorer reseller Game Changing Technologies, a provider of licensing and consulting services to companies doing business in the casino industry.
VizExplorer will exhibit at G2E 2017, October 3-5 in Las Vegas, NV. Visit booth 3630 or request a product demo.
VizExplorer offers operational intelligence (OI) solutions to the gaming industry. The next generation in data-driven decision making, OI lets businesses analyze live, fast-changing data and take immediate action using a single toolset. VizExplorer’s applications and tools help enterprises address smart space and profit optimization, marketing campaign management, CRM and customer service, and service and dispatch management. VizExplorer is headquartered in San Diego, with offices in Las Vegas and Wellington, New Zealand. www.vizexplorer.com.
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Kalray Releases the Kalray Neural Network 3.0 (KaNN) to Accelerate Artificial Intelligence Application Development13.11.2018 18:26 | Pressemelding
Kalray (Euronext Growth Paris – ALKAL), a pioneer in processors for new intelligent systems, today announced the launch of the Kalray Neural Network 3.0 (KaNN), a platform for Artificial Intelligence application development. KaNN allows developers to seamlessly port their AI-based algorithms from well-known machine learning frameworks including Caffe®, Torch® and TensorFlow® onto Kalray’s Massively Parallel Processor Array (MPPA®) intelligent processor. Artificial Intelligence is at the heart of a growing number of applications such as autonomous vehicles, intelligent storage servers, data centers, robotics, drones, and more. Kalray’s manycore MPPA® intelligent processor has been architected from the ground up to meet the incredible performance requirements of such advanced applications. However, it is crucial to provide an easy way for AI developers to seamlessly support the AI networks they develop. “The Kalray MPPA® intelligent processor is capable of processing massive amounts of d
Sharjah International Book Fair 2018 Celebrates Reading and Culture with 2.23 Million Visitors13.11.2018 18:17 | Pressemelding
The world’s third largest celebration of the written word, the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), has put up yet another record performance in its 37th annual edition. Themed ‘A Tale of Letters’, the event was a dream come true occasion for book lovers, who had access to 20 million books, all under one roof. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181113006044/en/ Sharjah International Book Fair 2018 - Provided by Sharjah Book Authority (Photo: Business Wire) Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) in the emirate of Sharjah, cultural capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), SIBF 2018 witnessed a footfall of 2.23 million visitors in 11 days, including 230,000 school students who poured in from around the country. The Sharjah International Book Fair hosted 1,874 publishers from 77 countries who brought in 1.6 million titles, 80,000 of which were seen at the fair for the first time. It also offered its stage
Communications and Business Transformation Strategist Brian Ellner Joins BCW to Lead U.S. Corporate Practice13.11.2018 18:00 | Pressemelding
BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe), a leading global communications agency, announced today that Brian Ellner has joined as Executive Vice President, Global Corporate Solutions, responsible for leading and growing BCW’s U.S. Corporate Practice. Ellner takes on the role previously held by Aranthan “AJ” Jones II, who will now lead the firm’s Public Affairs and Crisis Practice in the U.S. “Corporations are navigating an increasingly complex world where their reputations are tied not only to their own performance but also to their behavior on topics like climate, gender pay equity, visa status, diversity and inclusion and the environment,” said Chris Foster, President, North America, BCW. “Brian has deep experience helping clients build and protect their reputations, manage business transformation and create authentic social purpose engagements. He is a seasoned strategic counselor and power player in the New York business world and will bring our clients and our business clear opportunities for gr
Alliance Ventures Invests in Enevate to Advance Li-ion Battery Technology for Electric Vehicles13.11.2018 16:00 | Pressemelding
Alliance Ventures, the strategic venture capital arm of Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, has announced today that it has invested in the latest round of funding in Enevate Corporation, an advanced lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery technology company based in Irvine, California. This marks the latest technology investment by Alliance Ventures, launched earlier this year to support start-ups, early-stage development, and entrepreneurs at the cutting edge of next-generation systems for the automotive industry. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181113005136/en/ Francois Dossa, Alliance Global Vice President, Ventures and Open Innovation, said: “We are pleased to participate in Enevate’s latest funding round. This strategic investment allows us to support the development of Enevate’s proprietary, cutting-edge electrode technology. Continued development in this critical field will help us accelerate the electrification of our ve
P&G Tackles Clean Water, Gender Equality and Plastic Waste in 2018 CSR Report13.11.2018 14:05 | Pressemelding
The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) extends its long history of doing good in the world by bringing the comforts of home to those impacted by disasters, continuing to spark conversations about diversity, inclusion and gender equality with its advertising and making meaningful impact on the environment with new 2030 goals including a vision to ensure that none of the Company’s packaging ends up in the world’s oceans. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181113005694/en/ P&G issued its 2018 Citizenship Report, which highlights the Company's progress in its Citizenship priority areas of Community Impact, Diversity & Inclusion, Gender Equality and Environmental Sustainability, all of which are based in a foundation of Ethics and Corporate Responsibility. (Graphic: Business Wire) Captured in the 2018 Citizenship Report released today, P&G highlights the recent activities that define the Company as a force for good an
ISACA Refreshes COBIT Framework to Address Latest Business Technology Trends and Standards13.11.2018 14:03 | Pressemelding
ISACA, the global association for information and technology (I&T) audit, risk, governance and security professionals, has released its first update to the COBIT framework in nearly seven years. The new version, COBIT® 2019, provides comprehensive and more practical guidance to help enterprises better govern and manage their information and technology. The COBIT framework is used by enterprises in all industries around the globe, and COBIT publications have been downloaded more than one million times. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181113005757/en/ ISACA introduced COBIT in 1996 to provide and organize a set of controls for IT. The new iteration of COBIT will come in four phases and will include focus areas reflecting trends and priorities in technology (e.g., DevOps, cybersecurity), updates aligned with the latest industry standards, and a design guide that provides flexibility and guidance to help organizat


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This week, FOX 13 car-guy Brian Champagne takes the Hyundai Genesis out for a spin and then takes a look at some of the cars on display at the SEMA Show, which includes some customized versions of cars like the Genesis and others.
Posted at 6:08 PM, Nov 09, 2014
and last updated 2014-11-09 20:08:05-05
Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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At a recent media communication meeting, a Huawei executive, Ding Yun, said that the company will showcase a plethora of products at the upcoming “2021 World Mobile Congress Shanghai”. One of the new products that the company will showcase is the Huawei 5G Super Blade Station. As of now, we do not have any information regarding what the Huawei 5G Super Blade Station will offer. However, we will have to wait a few days to find out.
The 2021 World Mobile Congress (MWC) will hold at Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) from February 23rd to 25th, 2021. This will be one of the largest technology meetings in recent times. MWC 2021 will host international participants and audiences through a combination of online platforms and offline events. Online participants will be able to participate in live meetings online and access partner meeting content.
The theme of the MWC series of activities in 2021 is harmony and symbiosis. The conference will show how the entire digital ecosystem continues to change our lives. In the keynote speeches and panel discussions, visionary industry leaders and experts will have a lively discussion, stimulate imagination, and jointly help global recovery.
Participants of the 2021 MWC Shanghai will be able to experience the latest technological breakthroughs including 5G, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, smart home, etc. The main exhibitors will include China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, China Xinke, Ericsson, New H3C, Huawei, Nokia Shanghai Bell, and ZTE. At the same time, Huawei Terminal, Nreal, Oppo, Qualcomm, Realme, and Vivo will showcase new equipment. We will also see a series of electronic consumer terminal equipment and services that support 5G.
Huawei registers two driving trademarks – MATEDRIVE & MATEAUTO
Recent reports show that Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. applied for the registration of MATEDRIVE & MATEAUTO trademarks on January 28. The registration shows that these are “scientific instruments and transportation tools”. In addition, parts of the registration description read “driving, transmission (or drive) device”. This means that these trademarks are related to cars. The application number is 53374978, and the current trademark status is pending registration.
Gizchina News of the week
Over the past two years, there have been several reports linking Huawei to car driving. On the 19th of last month, Huawei published a patent related to autonomous driving, which specifically relates to a method for reasoning on roads that can be driven;
In August last year, Huawei successfully held the Huawei Autonomous Driving Network Technology Summit in Suzhou and discussed the development prospects and standards of the autonomous driving network industry with professors from Fudan University, Zhejiang University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Northeastern University, and Soochow University. The discussion also covers the process of defining cutting-edge technologies. Furthermore, the company announced the establishment of a Huawei Digital Communication Autonomous Driving Network Joint Laboratory.
However, this is the first time that Huawei has links to driving trademark. We will wait and see whether this means that cars from the Chinese manufacturer are on the way.


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India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki has asked banks to take a case-by-case approach for dealers instead of tightening norms for all. This comes against the backdrop of multiple dealerships shutting shop due to liquidity crunch.
The Indian auto industry is going through one of its worst phases, with passenger vehicle sales falling the most in nearly two decades in the April-June quarter, underscoring the subdued consumer sentiment, a slowdown in economic activity, farm distress, and a liquidity squeeze.
“We had long discussions with our banks with regards to liquidity crunch for our dealer partners. It is true banks have become wary of lending to lenders due to slowdown, but what we have asked them is to not paint all dealers with a broad brush and instead take a case-by-case approach,” Shashank Srivastava, executive director, marketing & sales at Maruti, said. “Dealers with a good repayment history should continue to enjoy low-cost financing,” he added.
According to Srivastava, lenders had become worried as some dealers were not using the money provided to them for car financing. Maruti is working with banks to ensure there is adequate follow-up on the use of dealer finance. “We have told banks that as a company we can give you a better view of the asset. As soon as the car is sold to a customer, banks get the information about the sale,” said Srivastava.
Estimates by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) said that over 200 dealers have wound up operations and shut 300 outlets as their businesses had turned unviable. An estimated 3,000 people have lost their jobs. Maruti, however, has seen only seven dealers shutting shop.
“In light of slowdown, banks had become overcautious in lending to dealers. We asked the government to relax the terms and conditions,” Saharsh Damani, chief executive officer of FADA, a lobby group of dealers, had said. “For us, shutting shop has been for other reasons rather than liquidity crunch,” said Srivastava.
As part of the revised terms, State Bank of India (SBI) has decided to halt lending to dealers of Hyundai Motor India unless they provide a minimum of 25 per cent collateral. Dealers, who have already received loans from the bank, will also have to provide security between 25 per cent and 50 per cent of the loan amount.
But recently after a meeting of industry executives with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, SBI has decided to extend loan repayment time for stressed automobile dealers by 15-30 days amid slowing car sales.
“We are talking to banks to reduce the margin money for our dealers. Some banks have also agreed to taking lesser initial down payment from dealers after our discussions,” said Srivastava. Margin money is the initial down payment dealers have to make to banks whilst buying a car from manufacturers.
Due to slowdown in sales, dealers have been burdened with higher inventories. For this reason, Maruti is not pushing further stock to dealers despite the upcoming festive season.
“I think after a lot of effort we have been able to rationalise the inventory level for our dealers to 30-35 days, which is in line with the industry. We will wait for signs of uptick in demand before pushing any stock to our dealers,” Kenichi Ayukawa, managing director at Maruti, said.


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But with manufactures either shutting down or switching their product line to sanitisers and other medical equipment, we could soon see a global shortage of condoms. And already, the world’s biggest producer of rubbers has halted production amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Malaysian condom maker Karex BHd, who is responsible for one in five condoms around the world, has seen its three factories shut for the last days due to government-imposed lockdowns.
Speaking to Reuters, Chief Executive Miah Kiat thinks this could have huge ramifications when it comes to sex protection.
“We are going to see a global shortage of condoms everywhere, which is going to be scary,” he says.
“My concern is that for a lot of humanitarian programmes deep down in Africa, the shortage will not just be two weeks or a month. That shortage can run into months.”
The manufacturer is seeking an exemption from the Government with hopes to restart production under specific conditions.
“The good thing is that the demand for condoms is still very strong because like it or not, it’s still an essential to have,” he continues.
“Given that at this point in time people are probably not planning to have children. It’s not the time, with so much uncertainty.”
Other Asian countries that contribute to the supply of condoms are facing similar prospects. However, Reckitt Benckiser-owned Durex is still open for business.
“We have been made aware of media reports which reference a global shortage of condoms due to manufacturing stoppages in Malaysia,” says a spokesperson for the British brand.
“Durex would like to confirm that all of our operations are working as normal and we are not experiencing any supply shortages. For our consumers, many of whom will be unable to access shops, our Durex online stores remain open for business.”
And if you do find yourself short of a dommy, we advise against the pull-out method or taking your chances protectionless. Instead, work on your oral game – here are seven moves that will blow her mind.


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Editor’s note: Chris Brown is vice president of expert consulting at Confirmit.
Welcome to 2021, where the COVID-19 pandemic is still very much present across the globe and things look eerily similar to 2020. Even with vaccine distribution underway, it will take time to return to what might be termed “normal life.” Although this will certainly not have as strict guidelines as we’re following in present time, it will presumably look different than pre-COVID.
Despite widespread availability of vaccines, it will take a significant period of time for people – particularly the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions – to feel comfortable enough to go out and get back to their old routines. On one hand, many have gotten used to certain conveniences that the pandemic made more popular – things like grocery/prescription delivery, at-home workouts, DIY beauty services, etc. – but the longer this all continues, the more we expect to see an ever-increasing desire for “normal,” more traditional experiences similar to pre-COVID. Not just the obvious social experiences like travel, concerts and events, but even things as simple and normal as shopping and dining out. Although digital experiences can be great and have proven to be extremely beneficial, they lack the human touch to a large extent and just cannot be matched to an in-person experience.
But this desire to return to traditional experiences may be fickle and fleeting if brick-and-mortar environments aren’t prepared for the short-term influx in popularity. The pressure will be on to create experiences that will make people want to come back – in person – again and again. It has to offer more than an online experience, and strictly digital competitors may be stepping up their game and increasing convenience and service more than ever to keep its current customer base strong.
There are two caveats to mention during the shift to in-person ex...


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Capcom’s Resident Evil 7 is getting a Switch release in Japan later this week. It’s a weird thing, though; users will only have to install a 45MB game file, while gameplay will be streamed via the cloud.
If you’re going to make a finger-shaped souvenir for a horror video game, you’ve really got to sell the body part—a well-defined nail area, proper coloration and the like. The more you obscure a fake finger prop with unnecessary details, the more it looks like a horrifying dick.
While a lot of people are hyped about the upcoming HD remake of Resident Evil 2, many may have forgotten that another Resident Evil is getting a good old HD upgrade.
Resident Evil was released in 1996, and changed the gaming world. It also apparently taught a lot of people some interesting lessons.
It's less than a week until the release of Resident Evil 6 and fans are anxiously awaiting the latest chapter in the Resident Evil franchise.
Resident Evil 6 will be out in less than two months, and apparently, the developers at Capcom want to make sure you have all the information you need to jump right into the game short of actually handing out copies of the manual. This time, new information on in-game Skills and Skill Sets has been revealed. Let's have…
With the release of Resident Evil 6 only two months away, more and more information and footage is being released, I may not even need to play the game to find out all the "mysteries…" With the latest information of Ada Wong as one of the playable protagonists, the producers sat down for an interview in this week's …
In a recent interview with Weekly Famitsu, Resident Evil 6 executive producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi, director Eiichirou Sasaki, and producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi had quite a few interesting things to say about the upcoming title.
Japanese Resident Evil fans received a very posh box set for the PlayStation 3 earlier this month, stuffing 15 years' worth of zombie horror history—across five core Resident Evil games—in very slick packaging. See its horrors unboxed in the video above, for getting your hands on it might be a challenge.
In 1998, Stanford University's Henry Lowood began preserving video games and video game artifacts. Lowood, along with a four member committee, has announced a game canon, for the Library of Congress. Japan begs to differ.
Most of you are probably aware that, in Japan, the Resident Evil series is known as Biohazard. And if you're like me, most of you probably never stopped to wonder why.
It seems like everyone in the world is waiting for Resident Evil 5. Even your mum. Even the Pope. Even The Pope's mum.
In Japan, it's pretty common for video games to have pachinko machines. Heck! Movies, anime and manga character even get pachinko machines based on them. It's not just spinning metal balls! New pachinko machines even feature large LCD-type displays to keep players engaged. Pachinko maker Yamasa's Resident Evil machine…
Yes, it's another videogame franchise licensed out to adorn a pachislot machine. You've seen them before. Ridge Racer, Virtua Fighter, Fatal Fury, Beatmania, Devil May Cry...they're all the rage in Japan. This latest venture, however, might be the biggest of the lot. If only because it's Resident Evil, which gives…


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Smartphones have finally overtaken feature phones in global sales.
The cross-over point happened some time in the second quarter, thanks to healthy growth for smartphone sales across markets and particularly in the developing world. By the end of the quarter, according to new Gartner data, smartphones accounted for 52% of mobile phone sales.
(As recently as the same quarter a year prior, smartphones had made up only 37% of global handset sales.)
Meanwhile, feature phone sales are collapsing. Year-over-year they have dropped 21% from 265 million to just over 209 million.
Asia-Pacific led the charge in smartphone sales with year-over-year second quarter growth of 74.1%, according to Gartner. Since South Korea, Japan, and Singapore are already on their way toward smartphone market saturation, this rapid growth in smartphone sales is without a doubt being driven by smartphone adoption in high-growth emerging markets like India, Indonesia, and China.
There was also strong smartphone sales growth in Latin America and Eastern Europe, which grew 56% and 32% year-over-year, respectively.
Here's another look at the same data, showing the trajectory of feature phone sales against smartphone sales, and where the two ultimately crossed paths.


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South Africa’s Naspers will offload its 100% stake in Poland-based Allegro Group, which includes both Allegro.pl and Ceneo.pl, to funds advised by private equity firms Cinven, Permira and Mid Europa for $3.253 billion (R46 billion). By Staff Writer
The global internet and entertainment group said the decision to sell Allegro is consistent with its strategy to find and realise value for its shareholders.
Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Poznan, Allegro is the most popular online shopping destination in Poland with more than 20 million registered users.
Allegro provides an online marketplace for companies and private sellers to sell their products to consumers, resulting in total sales of more than 850 thousand items a day.
“Allegro is a business that we invested in during 2008, and since then we have built it into a respected and successful commerce brand in Poland. Its ability to grow while adapting to a changing market environment has ensured its success and it’s a business that continues to perform,” Bob van Dijk, CEO of Naspers said.
“We are extremely proud of Allegro’s team and success, and we are delighted that Cinven, Permira and Mid Europa will lead its next chapter. Our decision to sell Allegro is consistent with our strategy to find and realise value for our shareholders.”
Naspers companies connect people to each other and the wider world, help people improve their daily lives, and entertain audiences with the best of local and global content.
Every day, millions of people use the products and services of companies that Naspers has invested in, acquired or built, including Allegro, Avito, Brainly, Codecademy, eMAG, Flipkart, letgo, Media24, Movile, MultiChoice, OLX, PayU, ShowMax, SimilarWeb, Twiggle, and Udemy. Similarly, hundreds of millions of people have made the platforms of its associates Tencent and Mail.ru a part of their daily lives.


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Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. has announced Snapdragon® X35 5G Modem-RF System, the world’s first 5G NR-Light modem-RF system.
NR-Light, a new class of 5G, fills the gap in between high-speed mobile broadband devices and extremely low-bandwidth NB-IoT devices. NR-Light devices, powered by Snapdragon X35, can be smaller, more cost-efficient, and provide longer battery life than traditional mobile broadband devices.
With its optimized design and breakthrough performance, Snapdragon X35 offers a device platform that bridges the complexity and capability gap between the extremes in 5G today and addresses the need for mid-tier use cases. This lower cost option provides device makers with a long-term migration path to replace LTE CAT4+ devices, ultimately increasing 5G adoption and allowing for faster transition to a unified 5G network.
In addition to Snapdragon X35, Qualcomm Technologies also announced Snapdragon® X32 5G Modem-RF System, a modem-to-antenna solution built to lower complexity and fuel cost-efficient NR-Light devices.
“Snapdragon X35 brings together key 5G breakthroughs expected from the world’s leading wireless innovator,” said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager, cellular modems and infrastructure, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “The world’s first 5G NR-Light modem features a cost-effective, streamlined design with leading power efficiency, optimized thermal, and reduced footprint. Snapdragon X35 is poised to power the next wave of connected intelligent edge devices and empower a wide spectrum of uses. We look forward to working with industry leaders to unleash what’s possible with a unified 5G platform.”


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January 2018 marked a drastic change in cannabis culture as we know it, with cannabis becoming legally available to all adult residents of California, irrespective of medical need. But with the state still suffering the aftermath of the Napa fires — and its consequent multimillion-dollar destruction of cannabis crop, there’s potential for a top up from an unexpected place. Israel is often called Silicon Wadi, home to tech innovation in the middle east, but its current round of exports is focused on the green dollar. Well, it hopes to be, that is if the Israeli government will give approval for exports of cannabis sooner rather than later.
Mati Broudo, the founder of the Israeli hospitality group R2M and investor and co-owner of Better, a medical cannabis startup, is concerned about the government regulations and the impact they’ll have on this burgeoning market. “Everything is political in Israel,” he said. “It’s a young country and there’s a lot of energy, but you have [to get through the legal process].I invested because the market [has huge growth] and it’s expanding quickly.”
In February 2018 the Israeli marijuana industry took action by taking the Israeli government to quicken the export reforms. “If exports aren’t approved, cannabis producers in Israel won’t be able to sustain themselves economically because growing cannabis for only domestic production in Israel isn’t profitable,” Hagit Weinstock, a lawyer representing marijuana cultivators and investors told MJBiz Daily. “We want it approved by April.”
Here’s why this is such a big deal. In recent years Israel has rapidly become a major player in the medical cannabis space — a market expected to reach $33 billion by 2024. You can thank their government for the innovation in the ‘startup nation.’ In 2007 Israel became the first country to allow medical research and cannabis cultivation and in 2016 they announced a reform on medical grade marijuana — and formed a committee to regulate exports.
New regulation means that Israel doctors can both recommend and prescribe cannabis. Around 30,000 Israelis receive cannabis treatment. It’s such a popular field that Hadassah Academic College in Jerusalem has started running medical cannabis courses for students as well as medical cannabis entrepreneurship courses.
But the big money is in exports, as while the Israeli cannabis industry is valued at around $250 million, globally it’s estimated at over $31.4 billion.
Hence the legal drama over the bill to allow exports — if approved it could raise Israel cannabis revenue to an estimated $4 billion a year. And till that happens there might be a problem. To cope with this demand, Israel has built up a stockpile of the green gold, and that’s now around $300 million worth of stock with nowhere to go, according to the Jerusalem Post.
The boom in the green dollar is happening both at home and overseas. The number of applications for an Israeli cultivation license in December was 383, according to a report in Calcalist and the number of doctors recognized by the Ministry of Health to prescribe cannabis is growing every month.
“The market is all about exports, some suggest...it’s the third most profitable crop in the world, “ said Broudi. “I was convinced [of its health benefits] when I saw some data from the Technion concerning its efficacy.”
Today, commercial cannabis might grab the headlines, but the real excitement is in the medical community — both for its ability to help people and the market size. It’s illegal to import commercial cannabis into America, but if it’s FDA recognized as a medical drug (a number of Israeli companies hope to get FDA approval this year) it can be imported, as it would no longer be covered by a federal ban. When the Israeli export laws pass, pot growers can expect a big payout — but they might be losing money till then.
Yohai Golan Gild, founder, and CTO of medical-grade cannabis company Better, hopes that’s not the case. Golan moved to Israel from California due to its supportive cannabis research laws, and today Better has treated over 12,000 patients through various delivery forms: creams, vaporizers, tinctures, pills etc. The company has refined their strains to specifically target different health problems, including epilepsy, cancer, PTSD, Crohn’s disease and migraines.Golan Gild believes the Israeli mindset — that of innovation, ingenuity, and struggle — is ideal for coming up with new discoveries and innovation, a mentality he says is not the same in the states, even in Silicon Valley. The struggle, it seems, is what shapes entrepreneurs to succeed, and why Israel has a reputation as the ‘startup nation.’
“The development of medical cannabis [in Israel] is one of the most advanced in the world,” Professor Bertold Fridlender, president of Hadassah College told The Forward. According to some surveys, 27% of Israelis use cannabis, the highest number per population in the world. Over 150 research studies are being carried out right now, many of them in the clinical space. Many of these trials are being conducted by US companies on Israeli soil, as it’s a more accessible arena to study the drug.
For now, the focus is going to be on building out the current infrastructure and working on the clinical trial side.
A recent report published by the IVC Center found the majority of Israeli cannabis companies were early stage. Overall, they reported there was 68 high-tech, and 48 of those were focused in the life sciences — a large focus on aiding diseases treatment and creating medicine. In March 2018, an Israeli bill to decriminalize cannabis use in Israel was passed unanimously and
The future looks green.
To visit Tel Aviv from San Francisco, United provides daily non-stop flights. I stayed at The Hotel Carlton in Tel Aviv, around $300 a night, and the more budget conscious can try boutique hotel 130 Rock, for around $160 a night.


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For some time, even before the pandemic, Ken Sze of Tuna Bar in Old City had been trying to come up with a home sushi-making kit for customers.
“The design just wasn’t there,” he said the other day. “I wanted it to be perfect. Then the virus hit and my wife [Cortney] was like, ‘Hey. Don’t worry about the design. Make it easy.'"
Sze pulled the trigger, packaging sliced fish, rice, nori sheets, assorted sauces, wasabi, tempura flakes, ginger, a sushi mat, chopsticks, and gloves for sale ($60). Pickup will be 3:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 16 from the restaurant, 205 Race St. As for instruction: Sze will get on Instagram Live at 7 p.m. to demonstrate.


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China's Retail Sales Rise for First Time in 2020
China reported that retail sales rose for the first time this year in August, according to MarketsInsider.
Industrial production increased for the fifth straight month. This data shows that the second-largest economy is recovering from the pandemic. On Tuesday, China's National Bureau of Statistics reported total retail sales of consumer goods $495 billion in August, 0.5 percent higher compared to the same period last year, and 1.25 percent higher than the previous month.
The first eight months of 2020 saw retail sales down 8.6 percent. Marc Ostwald, chief economist at ADM Investor Service, said: "It remains the case that China's activity data are better than in other major economies, in part due to 'first in, first out', though the initial recovery momentum has also been palpably, though uneven."
"In the first eight months, the total value added of the industrial enterprises above the designated size went up by 0.4 percent year on year, shifting from negative to positive," the Bureau said.
China seems to be the first economy recovering from the pandemic, which makes sense since they were the first one to experience it.


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In this week's The Final Word column, Craig Alexander-Wilson, Fake Bake Beauty at Home’s Head of Strategic Development, shares his top tips for direct selling brands....
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Impact Publications : MiceBTN_60
MICEBTN - AUGUST 2015 • Page 13 DARWIN New conference delegate program for Darwin Previous Brolga prizewinner Sea Darwin praised for commissioning unique Bare Sand Island signage ALREADY renowned as a welcoming and friendly city for conference dele- gates, Darwin now has introduced the ‘Darwin Welcomes Delegates’ program, with a range of privileges and special offers available at a range of shops, res- taurants, hotels and tourist attractions. The program aims to showcase the city’s local businesses as knowledge- able and friendly hosts for visiting delegates and is a joint initiative of the Darwin Convention Centre, Northern Territory Convention Bureau and Tour- ism Top End. It is hoped the program will ce- ment Darwin’s reputation as the most hospitable destination in Australia for business events. Business events currently are esti- mated to be worth A$89 million to the Territory economy, with the Darwin Convention Centre alone hosting over 15,000 business visitors each year. “Many delegates have not previously been to Darwin, so as a host city, we must aim to ensure that these business visitors have an amazing and unique experience in our tropical city,” said Janet Hamilton, general manager of the Darwin Convention Centre. “The program focuses on making the delegates feel special and communicat- ing upcoming opportunities for industry to participate in.” said Trevor Cox, gen- eral manager of Tourism Top End. “The decals on show in shop win- THIS year’s Brolga Awards process is now under way, including a workshop for nominees. As the Northern Territory’s annual recognition of tourism sector excellence, the 2015 Brolgas will culminate in a November 21 ceremony. Meanwhile, an earlier win- ner has been praised by Adam Giles, the NT’s chief minister and tourism minister for using its A$2000 prize money from Qantas to set up interpretative signage on Bare Sand Island. Sea Darwin runs ‘turtle tracks tours’ on Bare Sand Island, one of the most sig- nificant nesting grounds for flatback turtles in Australia and located 90km by sea from Darwin in Bynoe Harbour. “Sea Darwin’s turtle tracks cruise showcases Bare Sand Island as a new destination and new experience for the One of the new interpretative signs, Bare Sand Island. dows and participating businesses help connect the delegate through a conference delegate privileges card, enabling special tours and retail prod- ucts, discounts and value add items to be redeemed,” commented Cox. The ‘Darwin Welcomes Delegates’ program is delivered through a mobile web site that makes searching and booking tourism, retail, arts and eating experiences across Darwin easy. “We are renowned for our Terri- tory hospitality and envious tropical lifestyle, and this program impacts on our service delivery and is a strong commitment to the business events sector,” Cox said. Top End, and these new signs will help tell the Territory’s story to visitors,” said Giles. Jim Smith, owner of Sea Darwin, said the company saw the signs as an impor- tant move in many ways. “For the first time on the NT coast, there will be signage that tells the story of our sea turtles, our war history and who the land belongs to.” Sea Darwin also offers popular cruis- es on Darwin Harbour. Cruise workshop for WA builds on Exchange success...


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Cyber security prospectors rush in to beat digital pirates
Stampedes of buyers hope to stay ahead of rivals in data protection race
David Williams, chairman of the Aim tiddler Shearwater that was Aurum Mining, firmly believes “there’s gold in them thar hills”. But he does not mean in the crags and crevices of Spain, where Aurum used to prospect for gold and tungsten. Nor even the hills of Dahlonega, Georgia, which Mark Twain’s catchphrase supposedly referred to in 1849.
Mr Williams thinks his next millions will be made in cyber security.
That is why two years ago Mr Williams — who made a name building up Breedon, the £1.4bn quarry business — began selling off the mining assets and reshaping lossmaking Aurum Mining into an acquisitive cyber security group.
He brought in a team of security specialists on the board and bought three companies involved in data protection, services and software. And last week the group, although still lossmaking, announced it had increased revenues from zero to £6m.
It is small beginnings but Mr Williams’ timing is good. The results came a day after Dixons Carphone revealed it had underestimated the hack reported in June. It now seems data from 10m customer records and nearly 6m credit card details were accessed last year — before the EU brought in its demanding new GDPR regime. It is possibly the biggest attack on a British company, surpassed only by the WannaCry strike on the NHS and the details of 26m patients. Dixons now talks of tripling its spending on cyber security. That is why Mr Williams can talk of gold in them thar hills.
Dixons is not alone. Many enterprises underestimate their vulnerability to digital piracy, says Mr Williams. Shearwater cites research suggesting that US businesses would lose up to $15bn if there was a three to six day cloud outage. Mr Williams’s plan is to buy and build a diversified empire of specialists needing Shearwater’s help to grow.
It is ambitious. Shearwater is capitalised at £50m and data protection companies, even the titches, do not come cheap.
However, earlier this year rival Sophos reckoned the global cyber security market was worth about $40bn-$50bn and growing at 6 per cent-plus a year.
GRC International, a new entrant to Aim aiming to be a one-stop shop for security and data compliance products and services, reckons the value of all cyber security hardware and software purchases could be $135bn by 2020.
Yet as GRC admits, defending businesses against the dark arts of ransomware, malware and piracy is an amorphous and fragmented market. The statistics are not entirely reliable. And as in the 1849 gold rush, crowds of prospectors hope to strike lucky. Stampedes of buyers are trying to stay one step ahead of the pirates and their rivals.
That adds to the uncertainties of panning through the proliferation of small ventures to find the ones with potential. In this market it is easy to overpay, over-egg the opportunities, raise investors’ expectations only to disappoint them later.
GRC is about Aim’s best performing float this year. The shares, listed at 70p, are now trading at 290p and the company is worth £168m.
But it is the exception. ECSC, which floated in 2016, said this year it was taking longer than predicted to clinch deals prompting a full scale management shake-up in April. The shares remain below their float price, as do those of Avast, the Czech group that joined the London stock market in May.
Last month, Sophos, which floated in 2015 at 250p a share, said billings in the first quarter had been lower than expected. Its shares had risen to above 600p but fell back to 482p. That is still more than 40 times expected earnings, but down on peak multiples of 50-plus.
NCC, which has been advising on defence against computer attacks for decades, is a textbook case of over expansion. The company hit the buffers last year having made a series of expensive acquisitions that it failed to integrate. The company took on too many staff, became complacent about customers and contracts, moved into swanky offices, bungled the paperwork and fell into the age-old accounting trap of booking revenues early. A new management team was brought in but the shares are still way below their pre-2017 highs of 312p.
Mr Williams may be right that there is gold in them thar hills of cyber security, but extracting it will not be any easier than digging for nuggets of the real yellow metal.


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Tag Archives: Houndify
SoundHound has given its Houndify voice AI platform a linguistic upgrade. Voice assistants built with Houndify can now speak 22..
SoundHound is augmenting its Houndify voice AI platform with more lifelike, distinct voices using digital voice interface creator ReadSpeaker’s text-to-speech..
Honda’s new voice assistant, built on prominent voice AI developer SoundHound’s Houndify platform drove onto the streets for the first..
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Voice AI developer SoundHound is adding more than half a million food and drink recipes to its Houndify voice platform...


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Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced the official launch of the Cannabis Business Office (CBO), which will manage multiple aspects of business owner support and social equity in the industry.
Governor Polis said in a statement on July 28 that the new office will help improve the state’s already thriving cannabis industry. “The Cannabis Business Office shows our administration’s focus on growing this thriving industry that supports jobs and our economy,” Governor Polis said. “Where the federal government has fallen behind, Colorado will lead. Colorado is, and always has been, the best place to live, work, grow and sell cannabis.” The CBO will lie under the umbrella of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and Trade.
The passing of Senate Bill 21-111 during the 2021 legislative session in March 2021 is what made the CBO a reality. The bill explains that although the state’s industry is a “$2 billion, $200 million dollar economic engine,” one that has created over 40,000 jobs, very few of cannabis business owners in the state have past cannabis convictions. “The state is at a critical juncture where it must act to ensure Colorado remains a leader in the marijuana industry and ensure equal opportunity for all Coloradans to participate in this market; and providing technical and financial support to eligible entrepreneurs and small businesses will help ensure their endeavors get off the ground and succeed, which will benefit the state economy,” the bill text reads.
“Therefore, it is beneficial to create a program in the office of economic development to address these concerns and achieve these benefits.” SB 21-111 explains that $4 million would be set aside to help the office operate, paid by the state’s marijuana tax cash fund to be placed in the marijuana entrepreneur fund.
Colorado’s Industry Will be More Equitable with SB 21-111
The CBO will offer loans and grants to those seeking to get into and/or continue to thrive in the industry. More importantly, it will help bolster support for those who have been disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs—specifically people of color who have cannabis-related convictions on their record that might prevent them from entering the industry. Technical assistance will also be offered to help business owners create a solid business plan and offer various consulting services.
The SB 21-111 states that a report must be submitted to the Governor between July 1, 2022 and July 1, 2023 with details about how the CBO spends its funds. For those interested in learning more, they can sign up for an email newsletter on the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade website.
According to most recent sales data on Colorado’s cannabis industry, the state has sold $962,071,139 between January and May of this year. In total cannabis sales since recreational cannabis launched in 2014, the state has collected $10,940,865,212. With these figures alone, there’s no doubt that Colorado is already a leader in the country’s cannabis industries.
A recent July report by the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice also found that cannabis-related arrests have decreased significantly, by 68 percent, between 2012 and 2019 (or from 13,225 to only 4,290). The lengthy report also delves into cannabis DUIs (which have increased over the years), updated percentages of adults who use cannabis and tax revenue. The author and tracker of this data, Jack Reed, is careful to explain the possibilities of inconsistencies in this data due to how it was collected or other outside influences. “The majority of the data sources vary considerably in terms of what exists historically and the reliability of some sources has improved over time,” Reed wrote in the report.
“Consequently, it is difficult to draw conclusions about the potential effects of marijuana legalization and commercialization on public safety, public health or youth outcomes, and this may always be the case due to the lack of historical data. Furthermore, the measurement of available data elements can be affected by the very context of marijuana legalization.”


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India’s export in 2022: India’s exports are expected to increase in the year 2021 after the slowdown during the Corona epidemic. Exports are expected to increase in the new year amid a rapid revival. Apart from this, increasing demand in the global market, due to interim trade agreements of Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) will contribute significantly to the increase in domestic manufacturing.
Expectations of a positive increase in the country’s exports are in line with the estimates of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The WTO has projected a 4.7 percent increase in global trade in the year 2022.
Exporters believe that India’s exports will cross US$ 400 billion in the financial year 2021-22 and may reach US$ 475 billion in the year 2022-23. However, exporters believe that growth and global demand will also depend on the extent to which Kovid-19 and the new form of the virus, Omicron, is controlled through mass vaccination across the world.
According to a survey released by the Reserve Bank of India in September, exports of software services, including services provided by Indian companies to foreign associates, stood at $148.3 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. This figure exceeds the potential income from oil sales in 2021 to Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter.
Commerce Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam said the world now respects India as a trusted global trade partner and the country’s exports are increasing in new regions, including Middle East and South American countries. He told PTI-Bhasha that Ease of Doing Business, incentive schemes like PLI and other measures are facilitating business.
According to another senior official, the Commerce Department is working on a new Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) and expediting free trade agreements (FTAs) with major trading partners including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK and Australia. . He said that these measures will lead to a record increase in exports in the next year as well.
(This is an auto-generated article from syndicated news feed. TEAM BEPINKU.COM may not have modified or edited the article).