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The first batch of 999 VinFast VF8s and VF9s arrived in California today, December 20, fulfilling a promise first broached in April at the New York Auto Show, confirmed in Las Vegas and reconfirmed in the Los Angeles Auto Show just this November.
By the opening of the LA Auto Show, over 5,000 cars were already moving across the assembly lines at the same time that just one short of one thousand were already being readied to be loaded on the Silver Queen for shipment by early December to the US.
“Today marks a very important milestone for VinFast. Early this year in Las Vegas, we announced our lineup of all-electric SUVs and made a bold promise to deliver them to the market by the end of 2022. Today, that promise is fulfilled. Starting with this first delivery of 999 VF 8s City Edition, VinFast has made another giant step in its ongoing mission to bring all-electric transportation to everyone,” Madam Le Thi Thu Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of Vingroup and CEO of VinFast Singapore said in a press statement.
Last September, CleanTechnica asked Madam Thuy how her company can deliver that promise, when during the visit to the company’s robotic assembly plant in Hai Phong the cars were still in various stages of assembly. The plant, built in just 21 months, features its own paint and press shops, an assembly line with over 1,200 robots, and a testing facility. Just within the compound is a battery manufacturing plant that boasts of not only clean energy for production but also new battery technologies for remanufacturing and recycling already built into the assembly technology.
“Many continue to be skeptical about VinFast and we want that. We want the challenge, not to prove them wrong but to show Vietnam and the world that our strategy to focus on the production of electric vehicles, cars, busses and scooters with the talent and the resources right here in Vietnam is the right one,” Madam Thuy commented.
Arriving in the Port of Benicia in California after 26 days at sea from Vietnam are the first 999 VinFast all-electric vehicles including the VF 8 City Edition, a limited edition specifically designed for the US market. This vehicle was created to enable a direct customer experience of VinFast vehicles in 2022.
The company also received all of the necessary certifications to sell cars in the US and will begin delivering vehicles to customers by the end of this month. These include EPA COC to import and sell vehicles into the US, the CARB EO to deliver vehicles to customers in California and states that have adopted CARB rules. These include Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C. The brand has also successfully complied with all applicable FMVSS issued by NHTSA.
With all the features of the standard VF 8, the VF 8 City Edition uses the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) and Smart Services platform. It will also be updated regularly over the air (FOTA) to improve vehicle functionality and customer experience.
The VF 8 City Edition will have an industry-leading 10-year warranty for the vehicle, a 10-year warranty for the battery (unlimited mileage), and 24/7 emergency roadside assistance during the warranty period. Designed for regular daily commuters, the VF 8 City Edition’s battery range has been recently certified by EPA at 179 miles for the Eco and Plus models.
VinFast assured the first purchasers of its vehicles that the innovative VinFast Battery Subscription Program will apply. VinFirst Pioneers (a name the company uses for its first buyers) who purchase a VF 8 or VF 9 in 2022 or 2023 will enjoy permanent subscription rates for the entire life of their vehicle.
According to public research, this range is several times better than the average daily range of a typical driver in California. It will be improved with a software update and the new range is expected to be announced by the end of January 2023.
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Here is The Scoop on local businesses for Dec. 22, 2016
By Kellie Trudeau/The Independent Staff
ChewVino deli opens for business
ChewVino offically opened its new expanded wine shop and delicatessan last month, offering gourmet sandwiches and soups Wednesday through Saturday.
ChewVino, now with its entrance on Main Street, is open 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. However, sandwich and soup service ends at 2 p.m. and the back Wine Bar opens at 3 p.m. But the deli case and wine shop remains open until 8 p.m. to get a unique selection of meats and cheeses and other products not sold anywhere else locally.
LeHew said there is a few more things to renovate in the next few weeks, after that they plan to be able to expand their hours to be open Tuesdays as well.
She said the community has been extremely encouraging and they appreciate the continuing support.
Chewelah insurance agency will move to new building
Bill Boyd, owner of the Chewelah Insurance Agency, has purchased the former Chewelah Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy building on the corner of West Main and Park Street and will be moving the office there soon.
Boyd said he is looking forward to being a part of an iconic building in Chewelah since it was formerly the First National Bank.
Boyd took over the Chewelah Insurance Agency in July 2015.
Tim Nielsen’s Trails End Gallery will remain in it’s current location on Park Street.
Maruji and Raines Chewelah accounting offices are in the process of relocating to the former Skok & Monasmith law offices located at 106 N 2nd St E, Chewelah.
Main Street Bistro owners opening restaurant in Valley
Jodi Hodgden and Craig McQuain, owner of the Main Street Bistro have decided to relocate their restaurant to Valley (the former location of The Laughing Crow Cafe).
They will be closing Main Street on Dec. 24 and opening Mama’s Restaurant in Valley on New Year’s Day. Their starting hours will be 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. six days a week offering breakfast and lunch.
McQuain said it is a great building with more recent upgrades and will a be more manageable location for their family. He also said they like the more rural setting of the restaurant, and are looking forward to becoming a place for people to sit and drink their coffee and read the newspaper in the morning.
McQuain said they appreciate all the support they have had for the Main Street Bistro and plan to stay involved in Chewelah regardless. But they are also looking forward to getting to know the Valley community as they take on this new business venture.
Tree of Life Nutritional Foods relocates
The Tree of Life Nutritional Food Store has moved to Wapato, WA in Yakima County. According to their Facebook page, a recent post stated on November 16, “due to a loss of a loved one in our family we made the decision to relocate the store. It will be at Rembrandt Fruit Stand off of Highway 97 in Wapato WA. To all of my friends and family down there please come in and support Erinn Brandt on this new phase.” Tree of Life opened in the fall offering bulk health foods at the King Tree building on Sount 3rd Street East.
The Scoop is monthly column reporting the business news in Chewelah. Share your news tips with us at email@example.com

domain: news


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In an effort to grow their market shares, a popular strategy of leading U.S. residential solar companies has been to reach out to partners in other industries that interact with homeowners.
Anyone who has been to a Home Depot home improvement store in the past few years has probably encountered a SolarCity sales representative, and the company partnered with Best Buy last year.
In this light, a reciprocal deal announced today between NRG Home and Airbnb makes a lot of sense. NRG Home Solar is offering Airbnb hosts a discount on solar leases which ranges from US$100-$700, and Airbnb is offering a $100 "travel credit" to PV system owners who become hosts through its platform.
This applies to new and existing Airbnb hosts, so a new host who also begins a solar lease can get both the discount and the travel credit. The program will begin on December 1 in California and New York, and NRG says that it will expand the offering to other states in coming months.
In going for Airbnb, NRG was clearly thinking big. Airbnb claims more than 2 million listings in more than 34,000 cities and 190 nations although it is unlikely that solar leasing is legal in many of these nations. In June the company participated in a $1.5 billion funding round to put its valuation at $25.5 billion.
NRG Home may need the help, as it is operating in a highly competitive environment and now has limited financial backing. Under pressure from investors, in September NRG announced that it was folding Home Solar with all its other renewable energy businesses except NRG Yield into a new company, which will receive support exclusively through a US$125 million revolving fund. NRG will launch its GreenCo at the beginning of 2016.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: firstname.lastname@example.org.


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A Madison County, Illinois man has had it up to here (hand at chin level) with the Xbox 360 that scratched three of his video game discs. He's suing Microsoft, seeking more than $50,000.
Xbox 360 owner Jason Johnson filed suit against the company after his console scratched his copies of Rock Band, Rock Band 2 and Grand Theft Auto IV, rendering all three unplayable, according to the Madison County Record. Johnson claims he heard "unnatural, grinding noises while the game disc was spinning," determining that his console was defective and to blame for the damage.
Johnson's defective console was a replacement for a Xbox 360 that red-ringed in 2007.
The complaint contends that Microsoft "violated the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act" and that Microsoft stands to profit from issuing paid-for replacement discs to compensate those harmed by Microsoft's own product.
Microsoft was hit with a class action suit for the same issue in 2007.


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The anti-counterfeiting product has delivered to the pharmaceutical company in Jiangsu. the latest drugs with blockchain anti-counterfeiting technology will come out at the end of the year in Hong Kong
Because of the covid-19, the cooperation with US manufacturers IMPINJ is still in progress.the cooperation will be determined in next few months.
We met the famous pharmaceutical company in Henan, talking about the blockchain anti-counterfeiting technology, the detailed cooperation is still in discussion
The Origin Foundation has declared the tax and annual audit.
We have updated the description on Okex included the new part of our project.


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It seems regulators have an attachment to certain dates. On 27 May, Thailand’s new Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) will go into force — almost two years to the day that data management practices were turned upside down by the GDPR. But the parallels between these laws run deeper than a similar birthday.
Heavily based on the GDPR, the PDPA borrows many of its rules and requirements. These include several old favorites, such as the right for consumers to be informed, access data and request its deletion, alongside a strict consent provision. Unless companies can prove they Read full story ›
Source: The Drum


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CHICAGO, August 8, 2012 — Impact Engine, a new accelerator that supports for-profit businesses trying to make the world a better place, welcomes eight early stage companies into the program’s first-ever class. From empowering women in rural India to improving education in the United States to providing renewable energy to the people of Africa, the 2012 class includes a diverse group of entrepreneurs tackling both domestic and global challenges.
Led by managing director Chuck Templeton (founder of OpenTable), Impact Engine launched last year as one of the nation’s few accelerators focused on impact investing. The organization is dedicated to finding solutions to today’s societal and environmental problems through market-based business ideas.
“I am excited to welcome these companies into the program. It is inspiring to be around entrepreneurs who use business principles to address the societal and environmental challenges we face,” said Templeton. “To see people building business models around water purification, sustainable employment, or services for the underbanked is seeing capitalism at its best.”
Impact Engine received more than 175 applications from 15 states and nine countries, including Canada, Uganda, and Spain. Companies participating in the 12-week program, which launches in September, will receive $20,000 in seed capital, mentoring from seasoned professionals, user-centered design training, office space at Chicago’s entrepreneurial hub 1871, access to investors, and more.
Impact Engine’s inaugural class, known as Impact 1, includes:
Azadi – More than 300 million women living in rural India face financial, educational, and social challenges because they do not have access to hygienic menstruation products. Azadi creates biodegradable sanitary pads that are both accessible and affordable to this population.
Collaborative Group – Collaborative Group aims to provide sustainable employment to artisans in need around the globe, from Guatemala, Kenya, India, and beyond. It advocates for artisans and underserved populations by sourcing goods to socially conscious retail partners and distributors in the United States.
Effortless Energy – McKinsey estimates that cost-effective residential energy efficiency measures constitute a $230 billion market, yet adoption has been extremely low. By addressing the financial, operational, and behavioral market barriers, Effortless Energy makes home energy efficiency a snap. Customers pay a reduced monthly energy bill while Effortless Energy does the work to analyze, coordinate, and finance smart home upgrades at no cost to customers.
CERCA – CERCA helps teachers deliver personalized and rigorous literacy curriculum to students through its web-based platform. This tool aligns to the new Common Core State Standards by focusing on argument-based teaching methods. CERCA lets teachers build and share lessons, track growth, collaborate with students, and create academic portfolios online.
Light Up Africa – Light Up Africa (LUA) provides renewable energy to marginalized populations in Kenya through The Zoom Box, an efficient and affordable kinetic energy storage device. The Zoom Box easily attaches to bicycles, motorbikes, livestock, and boats in order to provide electricity for small personal devices, such as cellular phones and lamps.
Pangea – Approximately 80 million consumers in the United States lack access to a payment card (credit/debit) or do not have an official banking relationship. But traditional financial services for the underbanked population have limited reach and predatory fees. By integrating into existing retail terminals, Pangea provides real-time payment transfer solutions to the underbanked that are significantly cheaper than today’s options.
Portapure – Portapure invents, designs, and manufactures affordable, easy-to-use water filtration products for the nearly one billion individuals who lack access to clean drinking water.
Raise5 – Raise5 is a fundraising platform that lets people raise money for their favorite charities and non-profit organizations through micro-volunteering. Users can donate a small service or task—logo design help, copy editing, etc.—in exchange for $5 to the charity of their choice.
About Impact Engine
Impact Engine is a 12-week accelerator program in Chicago that supports early stage, for-profit companies tackling today’s societal and environmental challenges. Its 2012 sponsors include DeVry University, Coinstar Inc., Leo Burnett, Prosper PR, Quarles & Brady LLP, Synergy Law Group LLC, and True Partners Consulting.


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The story of Zach Supalla’s capital campaign for his startup Spark didn’t begin where tech fundraising typically does — not in a coffee shop in Silicon Valley or a board room in New York City. It began in Shenzhen, China, with Supalla in an office at night staring at his laptop.
Most of his employees, two people, were sitting next to him. The rest of the company, one person, was at world headquarters in a city not known for its tech startups: Minneapolis, Minnesota.
But it didn’t really matter where any of them were. They were launching a video on Kickstarter, an online crowdfunding site, and hoping the site’s users would like the video enough to pitch in $30 here, $40 there until the business had raised the $10,000 it needed to cover manufacturing costs for its product, a piece of hardware about half the size of your thumb that connects ordinary electronics to the internet.
At 11 p.m. China time, 10 a.m. Minneapolis time on May 2, Supalla clicked the launch button. He had a bottle of whiskey and plenty of Tsingtao beer nearby — the plan was to drink every time they took in another $1,000.
The company raised $568,000 over the month-long campaign. “We hit $10,000 in an hour and a half,” Supalla said. “We were having a really good time.”
Five years ago, Supalla would have been having a really hard time raising money. The fact that Supalla could raise a half a million dollars on the strength of a video bodes well for entrepreneurs in the Midwest, a region with a surplus of ideas and a dearth of capital to fund them. (The Midwest is defined in this article as: Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota and western Pennsylvania.)
In each of the last five years, the Midwest has come up with about 18% of the nation’s patents for invention, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Yet it’s only received about 7% of the country’s venture capital funding, according to Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
That gap suggests that entrepreneurs in places like Missouri and Ohio are starting fewer businesses — not because they can’t come up with great ideas, but because they can’t find wealthy investors near them who will back those ideas.
And it’s not that all those patents are coming from Midwest corporations like
New research suggests that crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter could help close the gap between the number of good ideas and the amount of money going toward them. An online plea for funding is just as convincing from across the country as it is from the house next door. Handshakes and backslaps will never go away, but new-age entrepreneurs could raise hundreds of thousands from a YouTube video and compelling blog post.
Early data suggests people with less access to capital are eager to experiment with crowdfunding sites. “Where you have pockets of this talent that is underused that doesn’t have access to angel money or venture capital money, you see experimentation,” said Christian Catalini, an assistant professor at MIT Sloan School of Management who has co-authored several studies on the economics of crowdfunding.
A June 2013 study concludes that after an initial showing of support from friends and family, online backers tend to be farther away from the projects they support than traditional investors.
And although most money on crowdfunding sites tends to go where you would expect — tech money to Silicon Valley and music money to Tennessee, for example — the study shows that some regions are seeing significant funding go to surprising sectors.
It is still too early to definitively say that crowdfunding is giving Midwest entrepreneurs capital they could not have accessed before, but early numbers point to that conclusion. Minneapolis, for example, ranks fifth in the country in tech funding, thanks to businesses like Supalla’s. Illinois ranks third in design, and Iowa comes in the top half of states for both video games and fashion, according to data the study’s authors collected from Kickstarter.
Kickstarter allows backers to fund projects and startups but not to actually invest in them in exchange for equity. But thanks to a relaxation of regulations beginning Monday, startups can now advertise their private placements, which should make equity crowdfunding on other websites more common.
But that won’t mean open season for investing. There are tight restrictions on who can legally do equity crowdfunding, according to Brian Korn, a securities and capital markets attorney at the firm Pepper Hamilton in New York. For now, equity crowdfunding it is limited to only those with $200,000 in gross income or $1 million in net worth. The 2012 JOBS Act included a blueprint to let less-wealthy people invest, but the SEC has not fully laid out the details of that plan. The JOBS Act requires that the SEC limits the amount less-wealthy crowdfunders can invest to $2,000 a year and the amount businesses can raise to $1 million a year. Companies will also have to complete SEC filings as extensive as those submitted during an IPO process, according to Korn.


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Drones everywhere at CES
LAS VEGAS -- Accompanied by a telltale buzzing noise, drones are flying above conference-goers' heads around the CES 2014 showrooms more than ever before. Here, Vanessa Hand from CNET en Español shows off a drone flying at the CES Unveiled Sunday night.
Parrot Jumping Sumo leaps onto favorites list
Parrot had its Jumping Sumo drone on display at CES 2014. The drone can leap as high as 2.5 feet, with video viewable on your tablet or smartphone.
DJI Phantom 2 Drone hovers over CES 2014
CNET's Bridget Carey gets hands-on with the DJI Phantom 2 Drone at CES 2014. The drone -- and its pricier sibling -- can be used to shoot video from above.
Pilot from your smartphone
DJI Innovations' S1000, on the other hand, is for the professional cameraman. This higher-end drone is built to carry a Canon 5D Mark II or Mark III.
Ozobots zooming off tablets onto tables
These cute little robots want to take their virtual game into reality. Able to follow mazes on paper or tablet screen, Ozobot showed off the spherical game robots at CES 2014. A Kickstarter will follow this month.
iRobot introduces new Scooba 450
iRobot introduced a redesigned Scooba 450 robotic floor scrubber at CES 2014. The new model, retailing for $599, claims to remove 99.3 percent of the gross stuff on your floors, including bacteria like E. coli.
Keecker's mini robot is mobile home automation
The Keecker mini-robot, revealed at CES 2014, promises to do it all: bring home entertainment, as well as audio and video capture, anywhere in your house. Not only will it project video and let you browse the Web; it also has sensors that allow you to remotely monitor your home.
Neato XV Essential cleans up at CES 2014
CNET appliances editor Ry Crist checked out the Neato XV Essential robotic vacuum at CES 2014, and compared it to other robotic vacuums we've reviewed.
Moneual Rydis H68 Pro aims to compete with multi-function
The Moneual Rydis H68 Pro aimed to wow CES 2014 with its multiple functions: dry mop, wet mop, and vacuum.
We got some hands-on time with the Sphero 2B, a quirky robot toy you can control with your phone. You can see video of the Sphero in action here.


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Tariffs Against China Has an American Tradition in Limbo
SIOUX FALLS, SD— The fourth of July is known for the big bangs.
But those rhythmic pops could be seeing a change.
As President Trump has proposed to add additional products to 25% tariff against China, which would include fireworks.
“I would encourage people if you purchase a large amount of fireworks you should buy them now because if you purchase them
next year you’re definitely going to see an impact. if you’re a thousand dollar costumer, you’re going to at least see another 100 dollars in your cost,” said Brandon Fireworks Owner TJ Cameron.
According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, nearly 95 percent of US fireworks are imported this year are from China.
“You can only buy outside the US which is a little bit tough, you can’t buy fireworks anywhere else,” said Cameron.
Cameron says they are fireworks wholesalers and the tariff already has them thinking ahead.
“We’re already thinking about ordering additional products for next year before the tariff goes into effect officially,” said Cameron. “Because there is a possibility even if we placed an order now the impact of the tariff could potentially hit before the firework were manufactured and ready to ship.”
“Tariffs are not a good thing,” said Sen. John Thune.
According to Thune, the tariffs are being used a pawn in order to foster a trade deal between the US and China.
With a deal yet to be negotiated, the American consumers are feeling the real impact.
“Tariffs are essentially taxes on American consumers, which why you don’t want to have them in effect for a long time,” said Thune.
President Trump did announce that he would hold off on imposing the tariff, but if the US and China do not reach a trade agreement soon they could be imposed sooner rather than later.


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Mazda Motor of America Inc. will pay $5.25 million to settle charges it violated government agreements requiring that the automaker clearly disclose important car leasing terms in its advertising, federal regulators said.
The civil penalties include a $4.05 million fine, the largest obtained by the Federal Trade Commission's bureau of consumer protection, for what the FTC said was a failure to abide by a February 1997 agency order about Mazda's advertising.
Mazda also agreed to pay a total of $1.2 million in fines and costs to 24 states.
Mazda's North American subsidiary, based in Irvine, Calif., said it has put into practice new procedures to ensure full compliance.
As part of the settlement, Mazda will distribute a consumer education brochure on vehicle leasing through its 750 U.S. dealers.
OfficeMax issues warning
OfficeMax Inc., said fiscal second-half earnings will miss expectations because of higher advertising and Internet spending, sending its shares down 18 percent.
Shaker Heights, Ohio-based OfficeMax fell $1.25 to a one-year low of $5.81 in trading of 4.8 million shares. The shares have fallen 52 percent this year.
The company said it will scale back its store openings next fiscal year. Inventory will be cut by $400 million next year by dropping some products and suppliers, said Michael Feuer, the company's chairman and chief executive.
Midem to take year off
It's official: The Midem music conference held each of the past three years in Miami Beach will not return in 2000, while organizers revamp the format to generate more business for its clients.
Miami entertainment attorney David Bercuson, who helped the Reed Midem Organization set up the Latin American and Caribbean conference, said a survey of participants in the June event found numerous complaints and fewer music deals than expected.
Record labels, music publishers and others complained of weak sales to Latin America because of an economic slump there. Many voiced disappointment with the low level of sophistication of some South and Central American firms in licensing and other global business.
Mead to buy At-A-Glance
Mead Corp., the largest U.S. supplier of school notebooks, agreed to buy the At-A-Glance group of Cullman Ventures Inc. for $550 million in cash, acquiring a well-known brand of time-organizing products.
At-A-Glance will become a subsidiary of Dayton, Ohio-based Mead, which expects to complete the purchase in the fourth quarter. At-A-Glance products include diaries, appointment books, desk calendars, posters and planners.
Buying the group, based in Sidney, N.Y., gives Mead the recognized At-A-Glance brand name along with its sub-brands such as Day Minder, Standard Diary and Landmark to strengthen Mead's office-product line.
WebMD in sports partnership
WebMD Inc., an Internet health-care-information provider, agreed to a partnership with Global Sports Inc. and Fort Lauderdale-based The Sports Authority Inc. to sell sporting goods on its Web site.
Atlanta-based WebMD will receive 7.5 percent of the gross revenue from purchases on the site, which will be run by its two partners and linked to WebMD. In lieu of the first $5 million in commission, WebMD will receive 250,000 shares of Global Sports stock, about a 1 percent stake.
The new WebMD store, www.webmd.com, is set to launch Nov. 15.
Suit urged in drug case
U.S. Federal Trade Commission staff lawyers are urging the commission to sue Hoechst AG and Fort Lauderdale-based Andrx Corp. for illegally agreeing to keep a generic version of a Hoechst heart drug off the market, a Hoechst spokesman said.
The FTC has been investigating allegations that Hoechst violated U.S. antitrust laws by paying Andrx $90 million to delay marketing its generic version of Cardizem CD, which generated more than $800 million in sales last year for the No. 1 German drugmaker.
The suit, which would have to be authorized by the FTC's commissioners, could be the first in a series.
The FTC is investigating whether brand-name drugmakers such as Hoechst are using bogus patent-infringement suits to disguise illegal agreements that deprive consumers of low-cost alternatives.


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Blog: Does A-B InBev have a different goal for Grupo Modelo?
Andy Morton | 12 August 2013
Anheuser-Busch InBev has sold the stake in Mexican football team Santos Laguna that it inherited through its US$20.1bn acquisition of Grupo Modelo.
Grupo Modelo's new CEO Ricardo Tadeu, who was promoted from within A-B InBev when the company bought Modelo in June, said the sale of Santos Laguna will allow Modelo to “focus on what it does best - brewing excellent beers”.
It was a slightly surprising move however as who only last month Modelo upped the number of football teams in Mexico it sponsors through its lager brand Corona.
The real reason may well be Tadeu's strident cost-cutting measures that, according to his interview with CNN's Spanish-language business site late last month, will see Modelo shed 4,000 jobs (out of 40,000) and slash expenditure by US$1bn, all within four years.
Looks like A-B InBev's takeover means it is a whole different ball game for Modelo.
Whenever we read anything about Millennial consumers, there is almost always mention of the personalisation trend as well as the importance of social media....
Late last week, Diageo's North America president, Deirdre Mahlan, hosted a conference call with analysts. Having spent just over a year in the role, Mahlan offered some insight into the company's larg...
Ever wondered what fuels Anheuser-Busch InBev's acquisitional drive? Is it naked ambition? Faith? The good of mankind?...
Anheuser-Busch InBev is reportedly calling a halt to its Seth Rogan and Amy Schumer Bud Light campaign in the US....
Today is SABMiller's final day. Some time this evening, Brussel's time, the second-biggest brewer in the world will be subsumed into the biggest, creating a beer behemoth of unprecedented proportions....
- Trump, local spirits and the IR role - The Analyst
- Interview - Bernstein analyst Trevor Stirling
- Diageo NA head on Trump, Millennials, Bourbon
- Is Irish whiskey ready to recognise its potential?
- Interview - Loch Lomond GTR head Andre de Almeida
- Beam Suntory opens global headquarters in Chicago
- Pernod Ricard offloads Domecq brandies, wines
- TWE renames Blossom Hill fruit wine range
- Diageo appoints first programmatic marketing head
- AB InBev launches Budweiser Uber tie-up in UK


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Floor & Décor at 50 A&S Drive in Paramus — Courtesy: The Goldstein Group
By Joshua Burd
A former Sports Authority building in Paramus has found new life as a location for a flooring and tile seller that is expanding in New Jersey, The Goldstein Group said Monday.
In a news release, the brokerage firm said the new Floor & Décor location has opened its doors at 50 A&S Drive. The 62,500-square-foot freestanding building, which sits just off Route 17 and at the entrance to the Paramus Park Mall, is the chain’s third location in the state.
Chuck Lanyard, president of The Goldstein Group, represented the landlord in the transaction. Brian Katz, president of Katz Realty & Associates, represented Floor & Décor.
“This was the largest retail space leased in Paramus and Bergen County this year,” Lanyard said. “Floor & Décor had been looking for a suitable location in Paramus for a long time. I am pleased to bring this great national tenant to such a prime location in Paramus.”
Floor & Décor, founded in 2000, is a provider of high-quality flooring and tile at affordable prices, the news release said. The Atlanta-based company has more than 70 locations nationwide.
The Sports Authority building was one of two in Paramus that closed last year amid the bankruptcy of the sporting goods chain.


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The 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid will have a combined EPA mileage of around 39mpg (6L/100km).
The Acura Integra Prototype previews a new liftback based extensively on the 11th generation Honda Civic.
The 2022 Range Rover has a new lighter platform, two PHEV options, and a full EV coming in 2024.
The 2022 Range Rover rides on a new platform, and is available with two PHEV powertrain options.
The 2022 Range Rover has an evolutionary body, new platform, controversial rear, and PHEV options.
The 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness has 9.2-in of ground clearance, all terrain tires, new wheels, fender protectors and more.
The 2022 Subaru Forester facelift has new headlights, grille, bumpers, and improved emergency braking.
The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee is shorter than the L, and has the 2L plug-in hybrid, 3.6L V6 or 5.7L V8.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class All Terrain has taller suspension, fender protectors, and standard AWD.
The internet doesn’t like it, but the new Subaru WRX has a body that’s completely distinct from the Impreza it used to be based on.


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Last year was a rough one for the auto industry. Sales slipped to their lowest levels in over a decade.
One bright spot, though: electric vehicles. EV sales nearly doubled from 2021 to 2022 and now account for about 5% of U.S. car purchases, according to the auto website Edmunds. But some carmakers’ strategies have been more successful than others.
Tesla is still the 800-pound gorilla in EVs, with an estimated 60% of the market. But 2022 was the year competitors made real inroads, according to Jessica Caldwell at Edmunds.
“It’s not just a one-trick pony with Tesla,” she said. “We’re seeing their market share of all EVs start to decline significantly.”
South Korean automaker Hyundai and its affiliate, Kia, more than tripled the number of EVs they sold in 2021. Their strategy was to attract customers with futuristic, attention-grabbing cars, Caldwell said — but without the Elon Musk stigma or sticker prices.
If faith is lost in our full faith and creditMay 26, 2023
Why don’t we know when the U.S. will run out of money?May 25, 2023
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“People that want to have the latest and greatest, the newest technology, and they kind of want to be recognized for that,” Caldwell said.
While Korean carmakers have bet big on EVs, their Japanese competitors are sticking with hybrids. Toyota accounts for less than 1% of the all-electric market.
“They don’t see that the market is going to be that big, that fast for EVs,” said Michelle Krebs of Cox Automotive.
Ford and GM are doing what American automakers typically do: going big, with all-electric SUVs and pickup trucks. Even if inflation means individual consumers may have less money to throw at an all-electric Chevy Silverado, Krebs said there’s another important customer to keep in mind: “The fleet business. There are government fleets, commercial company fleets.”
As of last year, the waitlist for General Motors’ all-electric Hummer was in the tens of thousands. There are also long waits for the all-electric Ford F-150 pickup truck.
Since large EVs take longer to build, Detroit should consider thinking smaller, said Seth Weintraub at the EV news website Electrek.
“If they do see the equation, ‘Hey, we can make four Equinoxes with the same battery as one Hummer. Maybe we should think about that a little more,’” he said.
Weintraub said he has taken the all-electric Hummer for a test drive, and it was impressive. It just wouldn’t fit in his garage.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Micromet Inc. MITI, +1.61% shares soared almost 60% to $4.60 in Friday morning trade after the Carlsbad, Calif.-based biopharmaceutical company reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $3.4 million, or 11 cents a share. In the same quarter last year, the company posted a net loss of $6.73 million, or 42 cents a share. Revenue rose to $13.8 million from $8.68 million. Micromet said separately that the company and Tracon Pharmaceuticals Inc., have reached and agreement granting Tracon exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize Micromet's D93 antibody for the treatment of cancer. Under the agreement, Tracon will pay Micromet upfront and milestone payments of more than $100 million, if D93 is successfully developed and commercialized. In addition, Micromet will receive royalties on worldwide sales.
Micromet shares soar on quarterly results, Tracon deal


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Despite the ongoing drama with his ex Ciara, Future has great news! The Atlanta rapper has partnered with Reebok!!!
Flip and get all the detail on the Global athletic footwear and apparel brand Reebok partnering with Rapper Future…
CelebNFashion247.com has the details since Reebok officially announced their partnership with rapper Future.
The Atlanta music artist has turned fashion trendsetter, and international style pioneer. It appears Ciara rubbed off on him fashion wise.
Future launched the partnership this past weekend via social media, where he touched on the synergies between both parties while unveiling the InstaPump Fury “Overbranded,” launching Fall 2016. The InstaPump Fury marks one of Reebok‘s most iconic innovations in the sneaker industry from the 90’s, a fitting pairing to the brand’s new partner, a trailblazer in his own right.
Todd Krinsky, Global Vice President of Reebok Classic and Entertainment said:
“Future exudes the type of fearlessness and authenticity that Reebok Classic stands for.”
“This partnership not only continues our brand’s longstanding legacy of working with the world’s best hip hop artists, but also solidifies Reebok Classic’s commitment to never back down from pushing boundaries. I’ve had a preview of what’s to come from Future and Reebok and I can’t wait for everyone to see!”
While Future added:
“I’m excited to kick off the summer with Reebok by my side. It’s a natural fit for me to work with a brand like Reebok that also shares my beliefs in moving culture forward and being passionate in what you believe in. Not only am I honored, but I feel privileged to be a part of the family.”
The announcement marks the beginning of a significant creative relationship between Reebok Classic and Future, with more to come in 2016 and beyond.
Checkout more photos in our gallery:


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Deloitte Uses Facebook to Build Warranties on Bitcoin Blockchain
Deloitte has hacked together a product that uses Facebook Messenger to upload warranties to a blockchain and buy insurance after the purchase.
Deloitte has used Facebook's recently released Messenger API to build an early version of a product capable of storing warranties on a blockchain and allowing users to buy insurance for items even after they've been purchased.
Deloitte service designer, Frank van de Ven, wrote of the MVP on the company’s site:
Van de Ven explained the importance of that access by indicating that app fatigue is now high among consumers, who he says now use only around five apps on average.
"By offering our service through an existing channel we are taking away a huge hurdle in engaging new users," van de Ven said.
How the MVP works
The result of a three-day internal hackathon, the "warranty bot" lets users send an image of a specially designed receipt via Facebook Messenger. Built on the bitcoin blockchain using the Colu blockchain toolbox, Deloitte's product "unwraps" a QR code on the receipt and stores the product information on a blockchain.
Multiple warranties can then be stored in a profile accessible via a link also transmitted via Facebook Messenger. The MVP provides users the opportunity to buy insurance for the product even after he or she has left the point of sale.
By uploading the warranty to a blockchain, van de Ven says the warrant bot will let product owners transfer the warranty if the item is resold. The new owners can in-turn track the entire history of the blockchain-logged warranty.
"The ability to store assets in a safe and secure, tamper-proof way, opens up a whole new world for financial institutes, retailers, governments and other industries," wrote van de Ven, adding:
The MVP is currently a white-labelled offering which means it doesn’t include Deloitte’s branding and could theoretically be employed by third-party companies once it's ready for use.
As for the Facebook Messenger interface, that feature is interchangeable, enabling use with WhatsApp or banking and insurance applications in the future should the company continue to iterate the idea.
While the MVP announced today is still in its early phases, other possible uses include making it easier for insurers to calculate the estimated total value of goods; letting insurers and banks offer the option via a widget; and letting retailers offer automated services such as product updates without a dedicated app.
Image credit: Jakraphong Photography / Shutterstock.com
from Deloitte Digital NL on Vimeo.
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A few days ago, we reported on a lawsuit filed by Tangent Computer against Microsoft, alleging the same monopolistic activity that the software maker has been accused of for years. Our take on that particular suit was not that Microsoft has never done anything wrong, but so many other legal cases against them have failed to have any real effect that the Tangent issue is unlikely to become a tipping point.
That's not necessarily the case with current happenings in the European Union. On the heels of the European Commission's €2 million per day displeasure with Microsoft's response to the EU antitrust ruling, a group of rival companies have filed a complaint against the software manufacturer, documenting continued monopolistic practices.
The claim gives voice to long standing fears that Microsoft is merely spinning out the legal process with the European Union until it can move the goalposts with the introduction of new versions of Windows and surrounding applications. A different operating system with more advanced APIs would effectively make the EU existing ruling of academic interest only.
The complaint, which was filed by the European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS), remains officially under wraps, but a lawyer for ECIS did leak a few details. Among the issues raised were incompatibilities between Microsoft's Office applications and other suites; XAML, Microsoft's upcoming WinFX UI markup language which the ECIS alleges could be an assault on the HTML web standard; and the ever-popular bundling issue, most specifically as it relates to digital rights management (DRM). Many of these issues are a cross-Atlantic echo of the Tangent allegations. ECIS counts among its members IBM, Nokia, Oracle, Real Networks, and Corel.
Microsoft is obviously concerned about the continuing potential for huge fines, and some are beginning to wonder if the EC is truly playing fair with the company. In light of that, MS has chosen to take its case to the public by posting nearly 250 pages of documentation to its web site, including reports and copies of communications, along with a 78-page response the the EC's Statement of Objections.
While MS is responding actively and publicly, the EC seems to be taking its time to make sure all its ducks are in a row. As their researchers study the new allegations, the door is being left open for further sanctions against the company, along with the possibility of a new review of the situation in light of the ECIS complaint.
The Commission said it had received the complaint and would "study it carefully". Should Brussels find Ecis's allegations merited, it will have to open a new antitrust investigation against Microsoft. Ecis' main concern is that Microsoft is seeking to create an environment where a growing number of web-based applications functions only with computers and servers driven by Windows.
If the statements of ECIS' own lawyer are correct, several of the items in the complaint refer to future activities that Microsoft may engage in, such as attempting to leverage Windows Vista and turn XAML into a common web page component or popularize its own brand of DRM. In fact, the only thing specifically mentioned so far that refers to a past activity on MS' part is the incompatibility of Office with non-MS applications. Ironically, that is something they are working to fix.
Nevertheless, given their current troubled relationship with Microsoft, the EC is likely to consider the ECIS complaint very carefully. If nothing else, the legal groundwork is being laid in such a manner that Microsoft will be encouraged to tread cautiously around the aforementioned issues. In fact, that may be all the ECIS companies were looking for in the first place.


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AMD Prepares New "Raise The Game" Bundle - Rushing to Counter Falling Card Pricesby Ryan Smith on May 12, 2022 8:00 AM EST
- Posted in
- Radeon R7
- Game Bundles
- RX 6000 Series
As retail video card prices drop back down to more normal prices following 18 months of cryptocurrency-fueled madness, AMD and its partners are quickly finding themselves with a new concern: AMD video card prices are dropping too much. As Ethereum mining profitability has plummeted, so has the price on video cards, especially the highest margin cards at the high-end of AMD’s product stack. As a result, the company is undertaking a rapid effort to shore up video card prices by bringing back game bundles with a new Raise The Game campaign.
The tried and true tool for boosting the value of video cards in slower times, game bundles are a favored tactic of video card makers to improve the value of their product, allowing them to improve their competitiveness or value to the consumer without changing the hardware itself. With the street value of a new AAA PC game going for $60 – and video card makers paying far less than that via bulk purchases and in-kind advertising – video game bundles are a relatively cheap way to boost the value of a product or otherwise stave off a more painful price cut. And while game bundles are a common fixture in more normal times, there hasn’t been a need for them in the past year as video cards have been quickly selling out without the additional help.
Ethereum Mining Profitability Over Past 36 Months (BitInfoCharts.com)
But as normalicy returns to the video card market and demand for new cards from miners has all but dried up (Ethereum mining profitability is now back to its pre-2021 levels), video card sales have dropped significantly. And so have their prices: in the last 2 days alone, the cheapest Radeon RX 6900 XT on Newegg has dropped from $949 to $849, which now puts it a good $150 below AMD’s original MSRP.
|AMD Radeon RX 6000 Series Product Stack|
|MSRP||Lowest Retail Price
|RX 6950 XT||$1099||$1099|
|RX 6900 XT||$999||$849|
|RX 6800 XT||$649||$799|
|RX 6750 XT||$549||$549|
|RX 6700 XT||$479||$484|
|RX 6650 XT||$399||$399|
|RX 6500 XT||$199||$199|
And while lower prices are a boon for consumers, they are potentially a real problem for AMD and their partners. In short, prices are dropping but manufacturing costs have gone up. Since the Radeon RX 6000 series launched in late 2020, TSMC has raised their 7nm wafer prices at least once, shipping costs have exploded, component prices are still running high due to ongoing shortages there, and inflation in the US since the start of 2021 is at 10%. So weak video card prices not only threaten profit margins for AMD and its board partners, but left unchecked, they risk putting video card manufacturing itself underwater.
The long and the short of matters then is that, as a result of prices falling, AMD is bringing back video game bundles to shore up the value of their video cards and to avoid further price cuts. And while the first video card video game bundle in almost a year would be newsworthy on its own, the speed at which AMD is assembling their latest bundle adds a whole new twist to matters. The rapid decline of cryptocurrency and video card prices means that AMD is taking the unprecedented step of launching the new video card bundle program before it’s entirely ready. Simply put, AMD hasn’t completely figured out what games they’re giving away yet – or even developed the promotional material for the campaign.
Taking things from the top, AMD’s new/upcoming game bundle is a fresh round of their Raise The Game campaign, which has been AMD’s slogan for video card game bundles for the last few years now. The campaign kicked off on Tuesday to coincide with the launch of the new Radeon RX 6x50 XT cards, and is being extended over the entire RX 6000 series product stack, from the $170 RX 6400 up to the new RX 6950 XT. As a result, at this moment all of AMD’s current generation video cards are now coming with a coupon code that can be redeemed for games once the campaign launches.
But, as mentioned earlier, AMD hasn’t completely nailed down what games they’re giving away in this promotion, or for that matter which games will come with which cards. Thus far the company has confirmed that the upcoming Saints Row game (due August 23rd) will be part of the campaign, as will the upcoming Sniper Elite 5 (due May 26th). And although AMD isn’t declaring whether one or both games will come with any given video card, it’s very interesting to note that the official terms and conditions for the program state that the “minimum ARV of the offer is $60.00 USD”, meaning that AMD is going to be giving away at least $60 of games for even their low-end cards like the RX 6500 XT and RX 6400. $60, in turn, is enough to cover one AAA game, though that doesn’t preclude AMD from instead bundling multiple cheaper games, should they add any to the pool of games for the campaign.
|AMD 2022 "Raise the Game" Bundle|
|Radeon RX 6400||
At least $60 worth of games (ARV)
Including (but not guaranteed for any tier):
|Radeon RX 6500 XT|
|Radeon RX 6600|
|Radeon RX 6600 XT|
|Radeon RX 6650 XT|
|Radeon RX 6700 XT|
|Radeon RX 6750 XT|
|Radeon RX 6800|
|Radeon RX 6800 XT|
|Radeon RX 6900 XT|
|Radeon RX 6950 XT|
Finally, at this point AMD isn’t stating when the new Raise the Game bundle will formally launch. Being generous, there’s a good chance they don’t know themselves. What is known, at least, is that the current campaign is set to end in three months, on August 13th. Which, if it’s anything like previous game bundle offers, is likely to be extended if video card prices still need the support.
It goes without saying that AMD’s new game bundle effort is without precedent. Neither AMD nor NVIDIA have previously launched a game bundle without explicitly and meticulously disclosing what games come with what products. Which in turn underscores how strange the current video card market is coming, and how quickly AMD is having to act to shore up video card prices amid the rapid decline of cryptocurrency prices. And to editorialize for just a moment, while we have no problem with video card companies using game bundles as a value-add item for their video cards, it’s a very big ask of the gaming community right now to blindly participate in this program. Which may very well undermine its effectiveness in shoring up video card prices, at least until AMD fully launches the campaign and details the games that are included.
In any case, while the madness of the last 18 months has come to an end and video cards are once more becoming plentiful, clearly the strange times haven’t quite come to an end. As always, we’ll have more once AMD fully launches the new Raise The Game bundle.
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nandnandnand - Thursday, May 12, 2022 - linkSaints Row (2022)
Sniper Elite 5
Nobody wants the Saints Row reboot. Not sure about Sniper Elite 5. No reviews out for either. So, perfect for bundling I guess. Potentially a nice deal for 6400/6500XT/6600 buyers.
TheinsanegamerN - Thursday, May 12, 2022 - linkSniper elite has been on the backburner so long, its one of those games that everbody knows but nobody plays.
SR2022 is a dumpster fire. Bring back SR2 and 3!
meacupla - Thursday, May 12, 2022 - linkI wouldn't mind getting sniper elite 5 for 'free?', but saints row 2022... no thanks
DigitalFreak - Thursday, May 12, 2022 - linkSE5 will be on GamePass for PC this month.
kn00tcn - Thursday, May 12, 2022 - linkis the reasoning based on anything or is it speculation? i figured a very mild refresh of existing cards already 'needed' a bundle, but FSR2 was not out, summer game fest and E3 are weeks away, or maybe some regional issues appeared resulting in not being able to keep the same games list around the world
Daeros - Thursday, May 12, 2022 - linkI'm not sure why you keep saying this, but falling ASPs don't do anything to AMD's margins; they sell chips to their AIB partners at whatever their negotiated contract price is, and the AIB partners sell the cards to their retail OEM partners at whatever their negotiated contract price is. The retail channel is soaking up the vast majority of the dollars from the price increases, MSRP inflation notwithstanding.
meacupla - Thursday, May 12, 2022 - linkWhat happens when there is a massive influx of cheaper older cards in the GPU market, such that the newer cards aren't being bought up and end up sitting on shelves or warehouses? Do AIB partners keep buying too many chips, or do they ramp down production?
Threska - Friday, May 13, 2022 - linkWhere were these "cheaper, older" cards when everyone was complaining about being unable to get a video card?
meacupla - Saturday, May 14, 2022 - linkDo you not remember the crypto bubble of 2017, it's subsequent crash in 2018, and the associated GPU price crash of 2018 Q4?
The GPU market was absolutely flooded with cheap and older video cards, and even caused nvidia to lose a massive amount of money.
Ryan Smith - Thursday, May 12, 2022 - linkBear in mind that AMD is a board maker as well as a chip maker. While they don't have as much skin in the game as their AIBs, they do have a problem if they can't sell their own boards. Never mind the fact that their overall ecosystem is in trouble if the AIBs aren't happy and profitable.
As the leader of the group, it falls first and foremost to AMD to keep GPU pricing stable. And for that matter to produce incentives for buyers if demand softens.


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Amazon-selling platform Jungle Scout has clinched $110 million to expand. And it’s already applied those funds toward an acquisition: the ad tech startup Downstream Impact, which helps brands and entrepreneurs optimize their ecommerce businesses.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though Downstream’s 11 employees joined the Jungle Scout team on Tuesday. The funding will also be used to scale Jungle Scout’s advertising and ecommerce brand management capabilities.
The capital funding, announced on Thursday, was also used to extend Jungle Scout’s SaaS platform to support Walmart, which – along with other retail companies like Instacart and Walgreens – is growing its ad business.
“That work’s already in flight and we’re expecting to release that in a couple of months,” Jungle Scout CEO Greg Mercer said of Walmart, though he did not say which other companies Jungle Scout might extend its platform with. “Long term, the mission is to be a very much holistic product end solution for these sellers. So, wherever our sellers and brands are selling their products, we plan, long term, on helping them there.”
The Austin, TX-based company’s capital raise was led by Summit Partners and Mercer.
Jungle Scout was founded in 2015 by Mercer – a former Amazon seller who originally built Jungle Scout as a Chrome extension to automate the process of finding products to sell on Amazon – and now supports more than $8 billion in annual Amazon revenue.
Mercer told AdExchanger that the company had been looking to pick up an ad tech company and expand to other marketplaces.
“After we planned that all out and looked at the resources that would be required to do so, it made sense to raise some money to help expedite that,” Mercer said.
Seattle-based Downstream Impact – which manages more than $250 million per year in Amazon advertising spend for brands, including HP and Bic – gives Jungle Scout more data-driven insights to help its clients be more competitive in ecommerce.
Downstream’s automation optimizes campaigns to be more competitive on Amazon – primarily on the paid search platform Amazon Marketing Services, which accounts for the lion’s share of Amazon’s ad revenue. Downstream was founded in 2017 by former Amazon employees Connor Folley and Salim Hamed amid a surge in advertising on Amazon. In 2018, it raised nearly $2 million in seed funding.
Retail advertising on Amazon and Walmart is incredibly challenging, Mercer and Folley said.
“Advertising on an ecommerce platform requires that you account for so many different dynamics, from inventory to pricing, other third-party sellers, ratings, reviews, etc,” Folley said.
Jungle Scout is now working to integrate Downstream, Mercer said, though it will offer Downstream’s optimization capabilities even before the full integration.
Following the ecom boom caused by the pandemic, Jungle Scout is in growth mode. The company has 200 employees and Mercer said it has grown roughly 50% YoY. In 2018, it acquired Forecastly, a predictive analytics and demand forecasting tool for Amazon sellers.
Jungle Scout serves more than 500,000 sellers on Amazon, and supports 10 global marketplaces. Its data engine processes data for more than 500 million Amazon products. Last year, the company launched Cobalt, a market intelligence and product insights platform which processes more than 1 billion data points daily.
According to Amazon, advertising is its fastest-growing business, representing nearly $21.5 billion in annual revenue in 2020, a 66% year-over-year increase.


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A jury has told Samsung it must pay Apple $539 million for infringing on three design patents with Android phones sold between 2010 and 2011. The number is significant because it’s higher than what Apple was likely to get based on past court decisions.
The smartphone patent infringement case that produced a $1 billion verdict against Samsung is still chugging along, having dragged itself into an eighth year. While the jury is set to hear a retrial of the case, the Galaxy maker is expected to downplay Apple’s profits from shape over function.
Apple has been hit with a class action lawsuit over the so-called butterfly switch keyboard that’s found on all MacBook models from 2015. The plaintiffs claim Apple knew the keyboard was a flawed design even before the product launched and are seeking damages.
As a result of the eighth year of contentious legal battles between Apple and VirnetX Holding Corp. involving iMessage, FaceTime and VPN on Demand technologies, the iPhone maker has been ordered by a jury in Texas to pay the notorious patent troll more than half a billion buckaroos.
Is Apple getting serious about gaming? Would they turn the Apple TV set-top box into a viable gaming console? We don’t know that yet, but it’s worth mentioning that the company has conveniently updated its Apple TV logo trademark with new conditions related to gaming.
Apple says it’s never done anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades. “Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love,” it said. “Making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.”


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eCommerce voyeurs and consumers had a jaw-dropping shock on Monday as bitcoin surged with the revelation that Amazon, the mega ecommerce giant, opened job slots for product lead developers in cryptocurrency.
The revelation comes as cryptocurrency continues to make waves in the mainstream markets as one of the fastest-growing payment types independent from government and financial institutions.
Amazon’s growing attraction to cryptocurrency is creating conjecture that the giant is attempting to make a significant imprint in the resolution of online fraud, fostering more security in purchase decisions for their customers.
With billions of transactions processed each day, Amazon’s job posting has eCommerce heads buzzing about whether this new move will push forward or fall to the wayside.
In the job posting, Amazon states that applicants must “own the vision and strategy for Amazon’s Digital Currency and Blockchain strategy and product roadmap” while also having a “deep understanding of the digital / cryptocurrency ecosystem and related technologies” (Amazon).
In spite of its volatility, crypto’s rise in popularity is mainly attributed to the fact it offers quick, easy, and relatively cheap transactions. And the move towards crypto has increased steadily as the digital payment type has become more accessible and more popular.
Amid Mondays’ wildly circulating theories, Amazon stepped in to deny claims of timely acceptance of cryptocurrencies and released a statement stating that “notwithstanding our interest in the space, the speculation that has ensued around our specific plans for cryptocurrencies is not true”.
The online giant’s statement comes after a London-based paper cited an internal source claiming the move to crypto was imminent. According to the City AM article, Amazon is ready to accept Bitcoin payments and tokens as early as this year, and possibly roll out their own “native token” as well.
Amazon’s job posting could be revolutionary for e-commerce, it is not the first large conglomerate open to the possibility of cryptocurrency, and speculation is that this move will ensure it won’t be the last.
With emissions running high in crypto, Tesla backed out of accepting the digital payment earlier this year, but then two months later, changed its tune (BBC) noticing Amazon’s move, and admitted acceptance of the digital currency is, once again, “likely.”
Despite cryptos’ many possibilities, any negative impact on the environment generated through the large-scale coal emissions an industry like this creates could force an adverse reaction from consumers. But even that doesn’t seem to be stopping the online marketplace from diving into the possibility of using cryptocurrencies.
The use of cryptocurrency for one of the world’s biggest online marketplaces is also seen as a win-win for consumers and sellers. Third-party Amazon sellers are reeling with anticipation over news of the job posting. Not only could the use of cryptocurrencies offer more security and ease of transactions to consumers, but sellers are intrigued by the possibility of crypto to fend off hackers and offer more security in their Amazon payment deposits and account level oversight.
Consumers are also intrigued about Amazon’s move to crypto as this could potentially mean a reduction in costs since third-party sellers often mark-up product pricing to factor Amazon’s selling fees into their margins. Amazon sellers are hopeful about the possibility of lower Amazon selling fees as the transactional costs towards using crypto are expected to be lower.
Another benefit of cryptocurrency is the blockchain technology that enables its existence, a technology that can also aid in storing product warranties. Consumers would no longer have the frustration of lost paper receipts and being unable to prove warranty coverage as the blockchain would solve this problem. Sellers and customers would all be able to access the data, allowing proof of ownership to be easily validated.
Alongside secure, easy, and cost-effective fee structures, the global economy could benefit from reducing inflationary pressures. Introducing the use of crypto in payment options worldwide could eventually result in widespread change from moving assets to cash, thus avoiding inflationary trends. This is a change that many say is long overdue, while others speculate crypto is still too volatile to affect this type of sweeping economic shift.
If Amazon decides to tackle the world of cryptocurrency, it will be interesting to see whether their “native token” is eventually traded on the crypto exchanges. This will only strengthen the online powerhouse stronghold in e-commerce and cryptocurrency trading.
The question then remains of whether this type of power will see Amazon reinvent the use of the world’s greatest commodity: money. Only time will tell. For now, the global e-commerce world is waiting for Amazon’s next move.
Disclaimer: This is a guest-post written by Yoni Mazor, CGO of GETIDA, to share his knowledge with the readers of the Simtech Development blog. The Simtech Development company bears no responsibility for the visual (video and images) and text content of the provided article. If you think this content violates a copyright or trademark, send us a letter to [email protected]. Our team will review your report and take any necessary action.
Amazon is a perfect place to start your eCommerce business as a digital entrepreneur, but who says you cannot be an independent owner of your marketplace. You can have a Multi-Vendor based marketplace synced with your Amazon account. At this you get power of both platforms, share traffic and customer base. We can customize your Multi-Vendor and integrate more services to your website.


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GLATFELTER RECEIVES NONWOVENS SUPPLIER EXCELLENCE AWARD FROM ROCKLINE INDUSTRIES
YORK, Pennsylvania – February 11, 2013 – Glatfelter’s Gatineau, Quebec facility was recently recognized with the 2012 Nonwovens Supplier Excellence Award from Rockline Industries. The award honors Glatfelter’s outstanding performance in the areas of product quality and reliability, customer service, innovation and value and was presented at INDA’s 2013 VISION Consumer Product’s Conference in Orlando, Florida.
In conjunction with the INDA conference each year, Rockline honors a nonwovens supplier from around the world for outstanding performance. “We’re proud to have received this honor from Rockline,” said Jonathan Bourget, Vice President and General Manager, Advanced Airlaid Materials Business Unit. “It illustrates that Glatfelter’s long-standing commitment to innovation and continuous improvement resonates with our valued customers.”
“Rockline partnered with Glatfelter because it trusted us to deliver on our promise of quality, service and innovation,” said Alexandre Gosselin, General Mill Manager, Gatineau. “This award is validation that investments in our business and our employees are yielding tangible results. We are delighted to be recognized by one of our valued customers for our dedication to consistently producing airlaid materials to the highest quality standards.”
L-R: Tim Knouff, Rockline; Nicolas Dery, Glatfelter; Nick Santoleri, Rockline; Christophe Guillaumot, Glatfelter; Tom Peters, Rockline; Ihab Mikhail, Glatfelter
Glatfelter is a global supplier of specialty papers and engineered materials, offering innovation, world-class service and over a century and a half of technical expertise. Headquartered in York, PA, the Company employs approximately 4,200 people and serves customers in over 100 countries. U.S. operations include facilities in Arkansas, Pennsylvania and Ohio. International operations include facilities in Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the Philippines, and sales and distribution offices in China and Russia. Glatfelter’s sales approximate $1.6 billion annually and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GLT. Additional information may be found at www.glatfelter.com.
Corporate Headquarters (York, PA)


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On August 6, PepsiCo Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer Indra Nooyi announced that she would be stepping down after 12 years at the helm and a total of 24 years at the company. “Twelve years is a long time,” Nooyi told the Wall Street Journal. “This wasn’t a discussion out of emotion or anything of that sort.” In a decade, Nooyi grew the company impressively; PepsiCo and its strategic acquisitions allowed the company to grow approximately 80% in revenues ($63.5 billion last year) from when she started. More importantly, Nooyi leaves behind a company that has significantly invested in healthier eating, having predicted the decline of soda.
Under Nooyi’s leadership, PepsiCo successfully segmented its brand into three categories: Good For You, Better For You and Fun For You. Nooyi expanded Good For You (including Quaker oatmeal, Sabra hummus) and Better For You (Pure Leaf tea, Stacy’s Snacks pita chips) to make up half of revenues last year, compared to just 38% in 2006. As CEO, Nooyi introduced two key positions that had never been offered before at the global beverage and food company; the first Chief Scientific Officer and the first Director of Global Health Policy were hired under her leadership. In addition, Nooyi was on the forefront of changing behavior in the food and drinks industry, shifting from trans-fat and increasing focus on lowering carbon footprint as well as on recycling. “At PepsiCo, we have been investing in recycling for almost 10 years through the PepsiCo Recycling Program… committing a total of approximately $55 million to recovery efforts in the U.S. alone,” Nooyi wrote in a Fortune column this year. In addition, the PepsiCo Foundation has invested $10 million in what the company hopes will become a $25 million industry-wide fund.
To put Nooyi’s legacy in perspective, we compare to the performance of Coca-Cola Company during her era. Since 2006 when she became CEO, PepsiCo’s total return gained 141% (including impact to dividend boosts) compared to Coca-Cola’s 194%. Moreover, on a long-term basis, Coca-Cola has performed with higher net margin compared to PepsiCo. Yet, revenue grew about 35% in Coca-Cola while, under Nooyi’s leadership, PepsiCo grew approximately 80%.
Although on the cola trenches, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola continue to vie for soda customers, the companies as a whole are hardly apples-to-apples. An “asset-light model” as coined by Dividend, Coca-Cola has concentrated on its namesake. With Diet Coke declining annually since 2006, the company has strived to gain the attention of soda drinkers, recently launching flavored, skinner bottles geared towards Millennials. PepsiCo, on the other hand, has expanded its food and drinks product mix. In fact, in recent history, PepsiCo encountered activist investors including Nelson Peltz of Trian Fund Management who advocated for the split of PepsiCo into, in Peltz’s words, “a beverage giant and a snack king.” Nooyi’s firm hand prevented the break up despite a two-year challenge from aggressive investors.
When Nooyi took the helm, she was one of just 11 female CEOs at Fortune 500 companies. Now, the number has doubled, but still hovers around 5% out of all top executives. Last year, the number of female leaders was at an all-time high at 32 women. By middle of this year, the number of female chiefs were falling rapidly; including Nooyi’s departure, female CEO membership has fallen by 25% despite several new entrants, including Kohl’s Michelle Gass and Yum China’s Joey Wat.
Recent female CEO departures include: Denise M. Morrison at Campbell Soup, Sherilyn S. McCoy at Avon (beauty company), Irene Rosenfeld at Mondelez (Oreos maker) as well as Meg Whitman at Hewlett-Packard. While toy maker Mattel is not a Fortune 500 company (making the list at #533), its CEO Margo Georgiadis also stepped down this year. All departing female CEOs have been replaced by males.
It’s difficult to draw a comprehensive conclusion about why this was such a tough year for female chiefs with a sample size as small as 23 women, the total to date. For one, the departures could be attributed to the fact that many women were leaders of food and beverage companies, whose industry has been become increasingly difficult for business. Today, companies struggle to adjust to changing consumer taste buds. Nestle, for instance, the world’s biggest food group, experienced the slowest sales growth rate in more than two decades last year. Analysts have suggested in the Financial Times that “consolidation is inevitable… as the incumbents battle for sales.”
For Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld, Associate Dean of Leadership Programs at Yale School of Management, the story is more straightforward. “A lot of women have been easy targets when their performance weakens,” Sonnenfeld told the New York Times. “Maybe unconsciously, institutional investors get weak-kneed and don’t back them up and boards of directors collapse like lawn furniture.” While a bold hypothesis based on some existing biases at the top, it does bring to attention how the declining number of female executives may hurt progress made over the last decade.
In June, Nooyi was a favored speaker at the 2018 Forbes Women’s Summit, where she echoed advice given in previous years about women helping each other. “We need an environment where our sisterhood does not judge us but gives us constructive feedback,” Nooyi said. Despite the decline of female CEOs, the market’s unanimous appreciation of Nooyi’s achievements at PepsiCo will, undoubtedly, serve as a guide for women chasing the top.
Image Source: Fortune


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While the pandemic is largely in the rearview mirror, its effects still linger. At the height of the crisis, there were season-pushing delays in supply chains and even books thrown overboard in shipping disasters. Canceled trade shows and work-from-home disrupted established marketing and publicity practices, leading some to retire them permanently. Though much has resolved, the period of transition continues.
Inflation and the costs of living and of books weigh heavily on publishers’ minds. “Flat is the new up,” jokes John Mendelson, president of Nosy Crow. “Every book has to earn its place.”
Supply chain issues have smoothed out, but paper costs and shipping costs continue to increase and impact profit margins, says Anita Eerdmans, president and publisher of Eerdmans Publishing. “We are continuing to see soft sales in the library and educational wholesale markets,” she adds. “We are seeing the largest sales declines in the K–6 school library market.” That result is far from isolated, but some speculate this is related more closely to book bans than the aftermath of the pandemic.
“The drop in school and library sales, thanks to book challenges and restrictive local and state-level legislation, makes me really concerned about the whole middle grade ecosystem,” says Molly Ker Hawn at the Bent Agency. “Not just because I want those books to sell well for the sake of selling well, but because the school and library market is crucial for creating readers who grow up to read—and buy books—as teenagers and adults.”
Hybrid or remote work seems to have become the norm in publishing. “Speaking as someone who’s worked from home since 2015, I’m inclined to point out a positive residual effect,” says Andrew Karre, executive editor at Dutton Books for Young Readers. “I have never felt more connected to my far-flung colleagues and authors than now, and much of that is attributable to tools and processes put in place in 2020. It’s only gotten better in the last three years, and I’m glad my situation is becoming more common. That’s good for our industry.”


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California’s Board of Equalization (BOE) chairman is setting his sights on medical marijuana dispensaries that don’t pay their taxes.
BOE Jerome E. Horton has announced his support for a Cannabis Tax Enforcement “Eliot Ness” Plan, which would force cannabis sellers to pay their fair share of state taxes, reports Westside Today.
An important part of Horton’s plan is the Cannabis Tax Amnesty Act authored by Assemblyman Mike Gipson, which hopes to encourage illegitimate businesses to come clean and begin complying with state rules and regulations without receiving punishment.
“Because of the illegal aspect of cannabis sales and their potential to fund illegal activities in our communities, it is important that we distinguish between the responsible and irresponsible growers, distributors, vendors and consumers, and enforce the law to its fullest extent for those who choose to violate existing law,” said Chairman Horton in a statement. “The Cannabis Tax Amnesty Act is an opportunity for those not in compliance to bring themselves out of the shadows of the underground economy and in line with existing law.”
The BOE has found that a whopping 28 percent of cannabis dispensaries in Los Angeles alone were operating without a seller’s permit.
“Amnesty programs have proven to be helpful in reducing crime, increasing compliance, and leveling the playing field for legitimate operators,” stated Assemblyman Gipson. “If passed, cannabis operators will have two options: comply with the law or risk imprisonment, as gangster Al Capone did for tax evasion.”


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With traffic along ART moving again, is business bouncing back?
January 01, 2018 10:25 PM
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- The orange construction cones are gone. Instead, new brightly colored Albuquerque Rapid Transit bus stations are spread out along the Central Avenue corridor.
It seems the travel nightmare is over, but business in the area hasn't quite made the comeback yet. For the Astro-Zombies comic book store in Nob Hill, the project killed foot traffic in the area.
"People started avoiding coming down Central because of the construction. And because of the duration of this, people have just started to avoid central all the time," said Joseph Millard, assistant manager of Astro-Zombies.
Except for loyal customers, it seemed to be the trend for a number of businesses in the area. In fact, some businesses went under.
But Millard said traffic in the area is picking up. What that means for business, he's still not sure.
"With the conclusion of ART, it led pretty much right into the holiday season and it's hard to gauge exactly the differences between this season and last," he said.
While he waits to see the impact, other businesses say they're optimistic business will return.
"I think Nob Hill is coming back," said Debra Adler of Retail Therapy. "I'm going to maintain a positive attitude."
There's no telling though if things will ever go back to the way they were.
"I think the rebound will be more significant than the downturn," said Adam Moffett, who co-owns Slice Parlor.
Updated: January 01, 2018 10:25 PM
Created: January 01, 2018 08:47 PM
Copyright 2018 KOB-TV LLC, a Hubbard Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved


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The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC), the anti-monopoly watchdog, has begun investigating if securities companies and underwriters are pricing shares fairly in initial public offerings, Nikkei has learned.
The move comes after the body noted that in many deals, the difference in offer prices before listing and opening share prices on debut have been larger than in Europe and the US.
As a result, the listing company raises a smaller amount of capital, but investors come away happy with what is known as a “first-day pop.” Underwriters are known to be partial to this practice in order to garner financial support from investors. However, from the JFTC point of view, the investigation could open the way for underwriters to increase pricing for startups and allow them to raise more funds, given that Japan lags behind the rest of the world in nurturing young tech companies.
JFTC sent a questionnaire to about 100 domestic companies to ask if they felt they were able to sufficiently negotiate with underwriters in setting offer prices for their shares and if they were satisfied with the process. JFTC will also interview underwriters if it felt it necessary.
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Season Tickets Completely Sold Out For Inaugural Season At Cardinals Stadium
The Arizona Cardinals Football Club today announced that season tickets for the 2006 campaign at Cardinals Stadium have completely sold out.
The team sold 1,500 new season tickets over this past draft weekend and had fewer than 3,000 remaining at the start of the day on Monday.
“The goal all along was to build a large season ticket base and fill our stadium with Cardinals fans starting with our inaugural season,” said Ron Minegar, the team’s Vice President of Marketing and Sales. “We’re ecstatic not only that we’ve been able to accomplish that but particularly that it has happened so quickly.”
For the inaugural season, the Cardinals have set aside 3,000 tickets (approximately 5% of capacity) for each of the 10 home games. The first opportunity to purchase single-game tickets will go to those on the team’s season-ticket waiting list.
Individuals can join the waiting list by placing a deposit of $200 per seat. This non-refundable deposit will be applied in full toward the future purchase of Cardinals season tickets and there will be a limit of eight per person. Those on the waiting list will be able to purchase 2006 individual-game tickets in a quantity equal to the number of seat deposits they have placed. This feature of the wait list plan gives access to a broader group of Cardinals fans to attend games this inaugural season.
The opportunity for waiting list members to purchase individual-game tickets will extend through the end of May or while supply lasts.
Individual-game tickets will go on-sale to all others in June. A specific date and time has not yet been announced. While the amount available at that time will depend upon sales to waiting list members, it will be at least 1,000 tickets per home game.
For more information, please contact the Cardinals ticket office at 602-379-0102.


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This is how global trade looks before economic wars kick in
Global commerce is descending into the era of trade wars and protectionism. Here is how the global trade environment looks after decades of falling barriers – which are now being set up again.
Courtesy of: Visual Capitalist
The United States is the leader in imports, buying $2,409 billion worth of goods in 2017, about 13.4 percent of the global total, according to the data quoted by Visual Capitalist. This is $860 billion higher than the country’s sales abroad last year.
This deficit has resulted in US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and barriers and the reciprocal action which has triggered trade wars.
China and Germany come in at No.2 and No.3 respectively. China buys $1,842 billion worth of goods – 10.2 percent of the global total – while Germany, Europe’s largest economy, imports $1,167 billion (6.5 percent of total) of goods.
Source : Azvision.az


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Banks need to understand blockchain technology and explore its long-term benefits, according to the head of group payments and operations at the Bank of Ireland and chairman of the European Banking Association (EBA) working group.
Speaking at EBA 2015, a networking and research event which gathers European payment professionals, Vincent Brennan told Finextra:
During the interview, Brennan outlined the advantages of a decentralised ledger such as the blockchain in terms of foreign exchange remittances, faster payments and collateral management.
Brennan’s statement follows the publication of the EBA’s Crypto technologies, a major IT innovation and catalyst for change report, which highlighted the blockchain’s potential to improve banking, reduce costs and improve product offerings.
Read full article: http://bit.ly/1eyNy67


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Who Killed the ‘Kat?
What happened to Meerkat and Why They Lost the Live Streaming Race
Last year at South by Southwest, a small startup company introduced something new and exciting to the world: live streaming anytime from anywhere, all you need is a smartphone and an app. Meerkat believed that eliminating broadcasting costs would create a whole new type of social platform, allowing anyone to become a live broadcaster. Despite such a strong start, Meerkat recently announced a strategic change of course. CEO Ben Rubin posted on Medium about a “new breed of ‘kat,” saying that they were addressing some of the difficulties they had experienced and were “working on something new.” While he wasn’t specific, it appears that they may be shifting from broadcasting live streams globally, to more of a group messaging video platform.
So Who Killed the ‘Kat
With such an explosive start, why was Meerkat already shifting their focus? This all started last year before Meerkat even launched. When they made their big appearance at SXSW, little did they know Twitter had yet to make an announcement. Twitter was already sneaking into the live streaming space, they had just kept it hidden. In January 2015 Twitter quietly purchased the mobile live stream platform Periscope. As a result, only weeks after Meerkat launched, Twitter cut off Meerkat’s access to its social graph. This crippled Meerkat’s reach and viewership took a hit. Right after that, Twitter announced the acquisition of Periscope.
Twitter wasn’t the only thorn in Meerkat’s paw, though. Rumors were going around that Facebook was considering purchasing Meerkat to compete with Twitter’s Periscope. However, in August of 2015 Facebook announced their own solution to livestreaming, Facebook Live. They first released it to celebrity users, then to the public in January of this year. This further shut Meerkat out of the social space. Despite Rubin’s best efforts, he admitted that “the distribution advantages of Twitter/Periscope and Facebook Live drew more early users to them away from us and we were not able to grow as quickly alongside as we had planned.”
While Meerkat started off strong last year with a stir at SXSW, Facebook and Twitter have been loudly bolstering their superior live video products. As a result, Meerkat has had a dramatic rise and fall, and in desperation has decided to make a change. Time will tell if the app company can push out a product that will put it above the rest, or if it will stay in the shadows of the tech giants.
See how Facebook Live and Periscope stack up against each other here.


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Tide brings Loads of Hope to Dollar General
NASHVILLE Tide brought its mobile laundromat to a local Dollar General to benefit victims of the recent floods.
Tide’s Loads of Hope program visited a Nashville Dollar General May 12 to provide customers in the area with clean laundry. One truck and a fleet of vans house more than 32 energy-efficient washers and dryers that are capable of cleaning over 300 loads of laundry every day. Tide washs, dries and folds the clothes for these families for free.
The Loads of Hope program also benefited victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Ike, in addition to other natural disasters.
Combined effects dampen Spartan’s Q4, fiscal-year earnings
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Combined effects of a bad economy, price deflation and sold or closed stores dampened sales for Midwestern supermarket operator Spartan Stores in fourth-quarter 2010, causing a drop to $558.8 million, compared with $581.3 million in fourth-quarter 2009, the company said in an earnings report Wednesday. Spartan’s fiscal year ended March 27.
Sales for the fiscal year as a whole saw a smaller decrease, falling to $2.55 billion, compared with $2.58 billion in fiscal year 2009. Profits for fourth quarter 2010 were $13.7 million, compared with $17.3 million in fourth quarter 2009. Profits for the year were $63.5 million, compared with $72.7 million in 2009.
“We expect to generate improved cash flow, to further strengthen our balance sheet and to execute additional elements of our consumer-centric business strategy during fiscal 2011,” Spartan president and CEO Dennis Eidson said. “Following our aggressive capital investment program during the past two years, our retail store base is in good physical condition.”
ROI marks three-year anniversary
NEW HAVEN, Conn. A software-as-a-service provider specializing in retail space and assortment optimization marked its three-year anniversary.
Retail Optimization Inc. offers an innovative, predictive macro analytics that optimizes both retail space and assortment simultaneously. Since ROI’s inception, more than 400 grocery and drug stores including Supervalu, Giant Eagle, Kroger, Rite Aid and Ahold have been optimized by the ROI process, the company said.
Additionally, new partnerships with such consultancies as Willard Bishop and Retail Performance Group are continuing the momentum and already showing positive effects, ROI said.
“The retail market demands results and we typically see 3% to 5% lifts on a store by store basis,” said ROI president and CEO Wes Bray, “Since we can deliver scalable, predictive analytic reporting that interfaces with a retailer’s current systems, ROI is perfectly positioned to quickly provide critical business intelligence, especially as more retailers move toward computer automated ordering.”


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A Brookline Town Meeting member said he’s concerned that the proposed policy change that co
Marathon organizers and the city likely won’t face lawsuits from the bombing victims’
In its strongest acknowledgement yet that criminal grand jury indictments may be in store for the
Patents are dry stuff. They rarely make news.
Two months after Cape Wind Associates announced plans to buy a Falmouth marina to serve as the op