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"We're helping them to reshape their business"
Small businesses are facing an unprecedented economic disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For months, many small businesses have seen a decline in sales and a lack of in-person shopping forcing some companies to find creative ways to make up for losses, including building online stores.
Dupre's Suits, Shoes and Casual Wear in Decatur, Ill., is among the many small businesses facing these unique challenges. A family business owned by Kalan and Carolyn Rodgers, Dupre's had to close down their storefront with the lack of foot traffic.
"Foot traffic wasn't a thing, and they didn't have a website," said their daughter, Keyria, who serves as director of criminal justice at Millikin University. "The main concerns going on with the local and small mom and pop shops is they rely on foot traffic. Without the ability to have online sales, and closing down the storefront and no foot traffic, it gets difficult to make payments and things. Moving online was the best thing."
Keyria Rodgers then heard about two Millikin University student-run ventures: Millikin Creates and Millikin University Performance Consulting (MUPC). Millikin Creates is a media firm that creates videography, photography, animation, marketing and audio solutions for clients on campus or in the community. Millikin University Performance Consulting is a technical consulting firm that works with businesses around the community on website development and other technical opportunities.
Advised by Jessa Wilcoxen (Millikin Creates), associate professor and chair of the Arts Technology & Administration Department, and RJ Podeschi (MUPC), associate professor of information systems, students majoring in accounting, digital media marketing, finance, management information systems and cybersecurity are working with the Rodgers family this fall to create a website and online store. The website, dupresapparel.com, is set to go live in mid-December.
"It was a perfect opportunity for them," Keyria Rodgers said in an interview with the Herald & Review.
The student-run ventures came into contact with Dupre's after both Wilcoxen and Podeschi worked with Millikin's Center for Entrepreneurship last summer on a grant opportunity that would allow students to work closely with a small business to do marketing and design work.
"Dupre's was brought forward and it was a perfect fit," said Wilcoxen. "They had a lot of needs that our students can hopefully satisfy. They wanted to revitalize their brand by moving it online which made the connection perfect for us."
Throughout the fall semester, students and faculty have met with the Rodgers family through video conferences to work on budgets, graphic design and photography needs with models showing the clothing line and video. Podeschi's students built a website to put the store online.
"This turned out to be such a great opportunity. We keep talking about collaborating because some of our students don't necessarily have the skill sets in all the areas, because they're developing depth in a specific area," Podeschi said. "The technical students in MUPC are good at putting together a website but they don't necessarily have the design skills like the students in Millikin Creates."
Podeschi says an interesting selling point about Dupre's was having a highly customized and personalized level of service. "When they shut down their storefront, they lost that," Podeschi said. "What we're working to do is to give them both a digital presence but also still give them the ability that they can do a highly customized service by doing onsite alterations with garments, delivering the cloths to their customers as oppose to having their customers come to them."
Podeschi added, "The term we like to use for online shopping is 'clicks and mortar,' which is the idea that you can click and do digital but also have some sort of mortar, but the only difference is that it's in their homes. It's a great business model that we're helping them to reshape their business as a result of the pandemic."
Sean Miller, a sophomore finance and management information systems double major from Hope, Ind., says the store owners hope to open the physical store back up eventually, but the most important thing is to get the website operational.
"For MUPC, what we were trying to do is not lose that 'small business' feel on the website," Miller said. "We don't want to display Dupre's as some big store that doesn't have connections to their customers because that's not what Dupre's is about. It's a small business in the Decatur area that really caters to the central Illinois market, and we wanted to ensure that the website reflected that, and really gave their story in the website, not just as a place where people could buy clothing items. We wanted to make sure we reflected that they were still here, they're not going anywhere, it's just a different presence, on the internet, right now."
As for Millikin Creates, the media firm is working to make sure Dupre's presence is also known on the social media side. "We are trying to help with their creativity and developed a social media schedule for them to post throughout the week on their Facebook page. We've essentially developed a social media campaign," Wilcoxen said.
The family is looking forward to the website going live. "It was a little difficult to do all this while we're having a pandemic, so we're forever grateful," said Keyria Rodgers.
Miller says communication has been the key throughout the development process.
"We learned this early on and it's helped throughout the course of the semester," he said. "We want to make sure we are meeting our deadlines so we can get the project completed so that around the holidays Dupre's can start selling their clothing items again."


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Smishing has become a growing threat due to the frequent use of mobile phones, but what exactly is it? We explain in our post.
If your home internet or WiFi network has been slower than usual lately, this might be because it has been compromised. The hacker might be using your network to do various things including illegal downloads of entertainment files like music playlists and videos, and even stealing your personal information. So how can you check if … Continued
Often when shopping online the retailer might ask you to store your credit card information. Is this safe?
Digital voice assistants are getting more and more popular, changing the way we search, shop and access online services. Devices like Amazon Alexa and Google Home have started to become an integral part of every smart home or office, with voice-enabled smart speakers predicted to reach 55% of US households by 2022. Their popularity is … Continued
It was recently announced that photo hosting company SmugMug has acquired Flickr, bringing two photography communities together. So, what’s changing and how is this going to affect the stack of photographs you store on these platforms? SmugMug have said that they do not intend to merge the two companies into one, which means that they’ll … Continued
Have you ever been in a situation where you’re talking to a friend about your next holiday, for example, and the next time you use the search engine on your smartphone or one of the social media apps, you’re served up adverts about holiday destinations? There are thousands of cases where people claim that they … Continued
Google has created YouTube Go, an app which will bring the global video-sharing website offline and to a global audience. The app is designed for users who live in areas with poor internet connectivity and are concerned with their data usage. YouTube Go enables users to save and download videos for offline viewing, a service … Continued
The fourth generation of mobile connectivity started to make waves in the late 2000s. 4G made mobile internet speeds up to 500 times faster than 3G and allowed support for HD TV on mobile, high–quality video calls, and fast mobile browsing. The development of 4G was a massive feat for mobile technology, especially for the … Continued
As the holiday season approaches, parents will breathe a sigh of relief when they get to give their child the toy they really wanted. This year, there is a strong likelihood that this could be what is known as a ‘smart toy’, a new breed of toy offering Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. Why do they … Continued
Today, apps are everywhere. Anyone with a smartphone or tablet probably has many apps installed for everything from games and entertainment to shopping and productivity. However, with millions being spent on apps every day, there’s a growing threat of counterfeit phone apps which are not always easy to spot. But there are steps you can … Continued

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The delivery of a veg box inspired husband and wife team Liz and Chris Kameen to take on a business that is now set to expand with a fast-track loan.
The couple took delivery of a box of fruit and veg from Vale Grocer in Denbigh when they moved into their new home in 2016 and started to use the service on a regular basis.
This then inspired them to take on the organic fruit and veg business in 2018.
Now with backing from a £20,000 loan from the Development Bank of Wales they are expanding the operation.
That money is being used to fit-out a new industrial unit in Denbigh, as well as funding a larger van to scale-up deliveries.
With a refrigerated storage facility and dedicated packing area, the aim is that the unit will become a hub where customers can buy organic fresh and grocery produce.
Liz said: “We were left a veg box in our new home as a moving in present.
"Little did we know what a part this box would come to play in our future.
"We signed up for a weekly box and soon realised how getting a vegetable box delivered revolutionised our approach to cooking.
"Instead of going to the shops to buy veg for a meal we wanted to cook, we were forced to become more creative and use what we had. This inspired us to take on the business ourselves.
“We now grow as much as we can ourselves and we’re working hard to get more farmers locally to grow organic produce that we can buy and sell.
"For us, it’s all about giving local people an alternative to mainstream supermarkets and bringing people closer to the growers and producers.
"The funding from the Development Bank means that we can really start to ramp up what we are able to do with the business and the process was so quick and easy with no stress; It all came together quickly and it feels like the Development Bank really understand what we are trying to do.”
Alex Baines, of the Development Bank of Wales, added: “Chris and Liz are a great example of how a passion for doing the right thing can also make good business sense.
"They’re helping their customers to reduce packaging and food miles and benefitting the local community by doing something that they believe in. It’s great to see our fast-track micro loans being put to good use like this at a local level here in North Wales.”
Small businesses, sole traders and social enterprises that have been trading in Wales for over two years can apply for a fast track micro loan from the Development Bank of Wales. Up to £25,000 is available and decisions on new customer loans are made within two working days.


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Sending spam certainly makes headlines, but sending email to recipients who actually ask to be included has a different spin-off: it makes money, says email marketing company Touchpoint's managing director Steve Shearman.
Shearman's company is deeply involved in the email marketing world - Touchpoint provides the service behind IDG Communications' email newsletters like the Friday FryUp and Virus Watch - and Shearman says companies that do send spam just make life difficult for those marketeers that are trying to work legitimately.
"Everybody's affected by it and let's face it, we get so many unsolicited emails that we don't read them. That makes it harder for companies that are legitimately trying to communicate with customers via email."
Shearman says email is often abused as a form of communication.
"How often do you get an email from a company that says 'don't reply to this email' or comes from an address like 'norespond@...' or something like that. They're missing out on the chance to communicate with their customer."
Shearman says the only real way of using email is to only deal with those customers that want to receive an email from you. Otherwise you run the risk of upsetting customers, which is hardly the right thing to do business-wise.
Companies also have to be willing to use different methodology for different relationships. Shearman says having one blanket policy across the board probably won't fit every situation. Take the example of being able to send email to someone with whom you have an existing relationship.
"If they're someone who sent you a CV do you have the right to send them mail? They're in a different category to a customer who has been receiving a newsletter, for example, that might be going online. You could send those customers an email telling them you were moving the newsletter online and asking them to opt out if they don't want it and that would be acceptable I think."
Shearman has been discussing the thorny issue of text message based relationships as well. In the US and Europe text messaging has become the latest battle ground for spammers.
"Because European networks are so integrated you get a lot of cheaper prices for bulk text messaging, say from Spain to Germany. That means text messaging sits somewhere between email and sending a letter as a means of communication."
Email is so cheap a form of communication that Shearman believes companies will always be drawn to it as a way of staying in touch with customers - once the issue of what is and isn't spam is worked out.


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Wednesday 31st July 2019
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UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss reaffirmed the UK's commitment to move quickly on a free trade deal with New Zealand as soon as the country leaves the European Union.
"I want New Zealand to be one of the first free trade agreements the UK signs as we prepare to become an independent trading national once again," Truss said in a tweet after meeting with Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker in London.
Truss was appointed to the Boris Johnson government a week ago.
“New Zealand and the UK have deep and long-standing ties built on a shared history and shared values. That, and our track record as an honest negotiating partner, means it is natural we should be an early first choice for the UK to form an even closer trade partnership – through the negotiation of a high quality, comprehensive and inclusive FTA – shortly after its departure from the EU,” Parker said in a statement.
The UK and New Zealand established a trade policy dialogue in late 2016. In the 12 months to the end of June, New Zealand exported $1.58 billion of goods to the UK and it was the sixth largest export destination. Imports from the UK were worth $1.7 billion in the same period.
Parker said he and Truss also discussed ways the two nations can cooperate in areas such as digital trade and through potential future UK entry into the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership.
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U.S. Added 4.8 Million Jobs in June as Reopened Businesses Rehired
Auditors have a duty to be alert to fraud
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Auditors keep falling into the same trap
The great interruption continues
Update on Clutha Upper Waitaki Lines Project
Napier Port Welcomes Inland Port Funding
Auckland Airport provides details of Other Significant Items expected to impact 2020 financial results and an update on further organisational change
Commercial Bay Tower fire
Industre Property Joint Venture Commences


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One of the most noticeable agritainment complexes on the North Fork’s main artery is no more.
Gabrielsen’s Country Plant Farm, which offered seasonal hay rides, corn mazes and a kiddie bounce house in addition to greenhouse-grown shrubs, annuals and perennials, has left its longtime Jamesport location. The retail business closed at the end of 2015.
The Main Road property, which is owned by a group of investors, has been largely cleared and is now listed with real estate firm Brown Harris Stevens. A for sale sign stood at the property’s edge Wednesday morning, though the listing agents did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
The 37-acre property has been listed for $4.5 million, according to Multiple Listing Service. An online listing advertised the parcel as”ideal for allowed business use with residential development rights on balance.”
Gabrielsen’s Country Plant Farm owner George Gabrielsen, a longtime farmer and a former Riverhead Town Councilman, said he will focus on the company’s wholesale business and its four-acre growing operation on nearby Herricks Lane.
“[The owners] decided after a number of years that they wanted to sell it and that’s fine,” Gabrielsen said Wednesday. “We have a wholesale business and that’s doing very well. We’re concentrating on that.”
His parents, Walter and Helen, now 90 and 85 respectively, have operated a retail business on the site since the early 1970s. Gabrielsen said he is now in the process of selecting another nearby location for retail and is “strongly considering” offering agritainment options come fall.
“We are probably going to open another site in the spring,” he said.


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In a year full of delays and uncertainties, we can at least look forward to the release of Returnal. As, developer Housemarque has announced their PS5 title, Returnal has officially gone gold. Essentially confirming, work on the base game is in a state ready for printing.
Returnal, has stood as one of Sony’s flagship titles releasing in the PS5’s first year. Revealed during the PS5’s initial reveal, Returnal was slated to release alongside other juggernauts like Gran Turismo 7, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart and Horizon Forbidden West. However, with the dubious nature of release dates for this year, Horizon has been regarded with skepticism. While Gran Turismo has already received a delay. The upcoming, God of War Ragnarok, continues to hang in a shroud of mystery.
Yet, thankfully, Ratchet & Clank and Returnal feel like safe bets for the PS5’s launch year. The latter, obviously. As well as titles like Oddworld, Deathloop and Kena: Bridge of Spirits, all slated for 2021, will certainly help round out this strange year.
Returnal Begins PlayStation’s 2021
The eerie, bullet-hell, roguelike is now one step closer to its April 30th release. Via Housemarque’s Twitter account, they begin the announcement with the following statement: ‘Returnal has finally GONE GOLD!’
Returnal will feature plenty of physiological twists and chaotic gunfights that will surely have the blood pumping. Recent trailers have also teased a deeper narrative within the core of the game, certainly deeper than past Housemarque titles. A central narrative that seems focused on piecing together various fragments of Selene’s past.
Nonetheless, with this being such a shift for the developers, a lot of excitement has stemmed from seeing how the Finnish team can rise to the occasion.


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Nike Gains $11.2 Billion USD in Revenue for Q2 of Fiscal 2021
Up by nine percent compared to last year’s results.
Earlier this week, Nike announced that it was able to earn $11.2 billion USD in revenue during the second quarter of the fiscal 2021 year. Across all of its stores worldwide, the Swoosh brand saw a nine percent increase in growth compared to last year’s numbers.
According to the official financial report, China helped boost the company’s revenue by 24 percent. Additionally, digital sales increased by “84 percent, or 80 percent on a currency-neutral basis, with triple-digit growth in North America and strong double-digit increases in EMEA, China and APLA.”
“Nike’s strong results during a dynamic environment show the power of staying on the offense,” said John Donahoe, President and CEO of Nike, in a press release. “Fueled by compelling innovative product and global brand momentum, we continue to extend our leadership. Our strategy is working, and we are excited for what’s ahead.”
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the sportswear giant had no choice but to close some of its stores across the globe. However, 90 percent of its retail locations are now open, with some operating on reduced hours. Despite certain restrictions, customers have still opted to shop online thanks to the label’s digital marketing strategy.
Head over to Nike’s website for more information about its fiscal 2021 second quarter results.


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Habeas has signed seven new email filtering solution providers to its Sender Warranted E-mail (SWE) service, which was developed to “help solve the issue of email over-filtering.” The new participants include Apache James, ESCOM, Group Mail, Spamcounterstrike, Spamfire, Spamnix and TMDA.
The service works by trademarking and copyrighting a unique set of lines, known as the warrant mark, which is embedded in the headers of outgoing email. “Warrant-marked” email will be recognized as legitimate by those ISPs and filters that have opted in to the Habeas service, a process also sometimes known as “white listing.” The Habeas SWE service is already recognized by spam filters such as SpamAssassin, Mailshell, Mail-Filters.com, iHateSpam, SpamBouncer and Cybersitter.
Canadian interactive agency ninedots has appointed Ken MacLean as director of its Nike and FedEx accounts and David Barclay as director of business development. MacLean has overseen creative work for brands such as Nestle, McDonalds and K-Swiss during stints at Symcor, Marketize and Cyberplex. Barclay was most recently associate director of business development for Modem Media.
Interactive marketer RareMethod has acquired 25 percent of Idea Machine, a Canadian strategic marketing and web development firm. Calgary-based Idea Machine counts Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, Jones Apparel Group and Cadillac among its clients. The firm was also named one of the top 10 Canadian digital agencies for 2002 by Marketing Magazine.
For more breaking news on account action and executive moves, visit ChannelSeven.com.
A class action lawsuit against an internet-connected pleasure device highlights the potential pitfalls a growing number of companies will face as they embrace ... read more
Google sparked a small firestorm last week as reports surfaced that its intelligent assistant device Google Home delivered an unsolicited advertisement to unsuspecting owners.
According to Internet Retailer's newly released The Best Digital Marketers in E-Commerce report, Target is the most effective marketer in online retail. So why is it struggling overall?
The rise of YouTube and digital video generally has a lot to do with the rise of the internet and the abundance of digital video content. But YouTube's ascendency is also the result of Google's savvy use of algorithms.


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DaVita, JDS Uniphase, New York Times, Union: U.S. Equity Movers
Shares of the following companies had unusual moves in U.S. trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and prices are as of 4 p.m. in New York.
Agilent Technologies Inc. (A) rose 9.2 percent, the most in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, to $46.75. The world’s biggest maker of scientific-testing equipment increased its long-term sales and operating margin forecasts at a meeting with analysts yesterday, JPMorgan Chase & Co. said in a note to clients.
JDS Uniphase Corp. (JDSU) , which bought Agilent’s network solutions test unit last year, climbed 8.9 percent to $27.37, the second-biggest gain in the Standard & Poor’s 500.
Cadence Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CADX US) rallied 15 percent, the most since March 2009, to $8.62. The San Diego-based biopharmaceutical company reported a loss of 33 cents a share in the fourth quarter, 1 cent narrower than the average analyst estimate in a Bloomberg survey.
Central European Distribution Corp. (CEDC US) fell 8.3 percent to $12.79 for the second-biggest retreat in the Russell 1000 Index. Credit Suisse Group AG downgraded the vodka maker to “underperform” from “outperform,” while Moody’s Investors Service said it may lower the company’s debt rating.
Cerus Corp. (CERS) dropped 14 percent, the most since Nov. 10, to $2.90. The company, which develops systems designed to enhance the safety of blood transfusions, reported fourth-quarter revenue of $6.46 million, trailing the average analyst estimate by 15 percent, Bloomberg data show. Robert W. Baird & Co. cut the stock to “neutral” from “outperform.”
Cooper Cos. (COO) advanced 10 percent to $70.10 for the biggest increase in the Russell 1000 Index. The maker of contact lenses and medical devices posted quarterly earnings excluding some items that exceeded the average analyst estimate by 26 percent, Bloomberg data show.
DaVita Inc. (DVA) gained 3.7 percent to $83.76, the highest price since at least October 1995. Health-care advisory firm Marwood Group said the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is in the final stage of revising “transition adjustment to budget neutrality” as end-stage renal disease payments move to bundled system.
Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp. (KOG) declined 4.6 percent to $6.98, the lowest price since Feb. 23. The oil and natural gas explorer in the western U.S. posted revenue that fell short of analyst forecasts.
LSB Industries Inc. (LXU) rose 13 percent to $36.28, the highest price since at least 1980. The maker of chemical and climate control products reported fourth-quarter profit of 79 cents a share, more than double the average analyst estimate in a Bloomberg survey.
Madison Square Garden Inc. (MSG) slipped 5.4 percent, the most since July 8, to $28.10. The owner of the New York Knicks reported fourth-quarter profit that missed analysts’ estimates. Miller Tabak Co. cut the stock’s rating to “neutral” from “buy.”
Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (MRVL) had the biggest loss in the Russell 1000 Index, sliding 12 percent to $16.13. The maker of the processor that runs BlackBerry smartphones announced fourth-quarter adjusted earnings and revenue that missed estimates.
Monster Worldwide Inc. (MWW) slipped 6.4 percent to $15.90 for the biggest decline in the S&P 500 Index. The online-recruiting company was cut to “market perform” from “outperform” at William Blair & Co.
New York Times Co. (NYT) sank 5.7 percent, the most since Sept. 22, to $10.24. Lazard Capital Markets Ltd. analyst William Bird initiated coverage of the newspaper owner with a “sell” rating, citing increasing pressure in print as advertising shifts online.
Rival Gannett Co. (GCI) slipped 2.6 percent to $16.24.
Spreadtrum Communications Inc. (SPRD US) rose 6.7 percent, the most since Nov. 2, to $23.07. The Chinese maker of mobile-phone chips reported fourth-quarter sales of $126.5 million, beating the average analyst estimate of $123.4 million in a Bloomberg survey.
Union Drilling Inc. (UDRL US) climbed 28 percent, the most since October 2008, to $9.70. The contract-drilling service provider reported fourth-quarter adjusted loss was 4 cents, beating the 11-cent loss average estimate by analysts.
Gabelli & Co. raised its recommendation on the Fort Worth, Texas-based company to a “buy” from “hold.”
USA Mobility Inc. (USMO) slipped 6 percent to $13.43, the lowest price since Aug. 13. The provider of wireless messaging services said it acquired Amcom Software Inc. for $163.3 million.
Vivus Inc. (VVUS) fell 9.4 percent to $6.39, the lowest price since Nov. 26. U.S. regulators said there was a risk of birth defects from the drug topiramate, one ingredient in the company’s experimental weight-loss drug Qnexa.
To contact the reporter on this story: Inyoung Hwang in New York at email@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Nick Baker at firstname.lastname@example.org


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A New Wearable For Your Finger? Apple Granted Patent For Its Smart Ring
Harin - Oct 23, 2019
It seems like Apple is secretly working on another wearable device as the company's patent has just been approved by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
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The sales of Apple Watch have been really successful. The company also creates one of the world’s best-selling earpieces – the AirPods. Recently, Ming-Chi Kuo, a reputable analyst revealed that the rumored Apple AR Glass will be released alongside the iPhone SE 2 at the beginning of next year.
However, it seems like Apple is secretly working on another wearable device. This information was unveiled through a patent that the US Patent and Trademark Office has just granted to Apple.
The patented technology relates to a ring with a touch screen, a processor, a rechargeable power source, and a wireless transceiver. Users can use this ring with just one touch of their fingers, voice command, or hand gesture, just like the iPhone or iPad. In other words, Apple Ring will not be an independent product.
Why should users use Apple Ring to control other devices? Apple states in its patent that current touch-screen devices are bulky, inconvenient, or ineffective for certain tasks and applications. For example, Apple says that after holding an iPhone or iPad for a while, the user’s hand or arm may be tired. Moreover, the light from the touchscreen device may be inappropriate in certain social environments or even dangerous if it reveals a user’s location.
Apple believes that using a ring as stated in the patent will be more efficient, safer, more discreet, and more convenient for users to interact with a touchscreen device.
Amazon recently released Echo Loop, a smart ring with built-in Alexa. The ring provides almost the same functionality as a smart speaker but is worn on the user’s hand. The device can also connect to the user’s smartphone. Similar to what Apple described on its patent, Echo Loop is small enough to fit in both index fingers. Amazon is offering Echo Loop via invitations at $129.99. After the promotion time, its official price is $179.99.
The Apple Glass is a perfect device for Apple Ring. Although users can activate certain functionalities of the glass by tapping its side, a ring will be easier to use.
The patent number is 10444834 and was filed for the first time on April 1, 2012. If Apple does plan to use this device as an accessory for Apple Glass, we might see it for the first time at the beginning of 2020.
In case the Apple Ring will be used for controlling the iPhone, it might be introduced later in September. Either way, given the experience gained from the Apple Watch, it is certain Apple Ring will be a technological product rather than a piece of jewelry.


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NEW YORK, October 20, 1999 — Hearst New Media & Technology, a unit of The Hearst Corporation, has a new name, Hearst Interactive Media. The new name recognizes the Internet's emergence as a robust business environment, said Alfred C. Sikes, president of Hearst Interactive Media.
"New media is no longer new," said Sikes. "The Internet is now the home of this nation's most rapidly growing businesses. Within the first five years of its life as a consumer platform, the Internet has demonstrated that thousands of new businesses will be created around interactivity, immediate access, and the power that comes from blending creativity and the computational power of the computer."
Kenneth A. Bronfin, deputy group head and senior vice president of Hearst Interactive Media said, "Unlike traditional media, the Internet allows us to communicate with our audiences in two directions and in very personalized ways. This creates a wide range of opportunities for existing Hearst businesses, as well as a host of new ventures."
The New Media & Technology unit was formed in March 1993 to develop The Hearst Corporation's interests in interactive media. Today, Hearst Interactive Media creates and manages Web sites, builds new businesses and makes strategic investments in Internet-based companies.
Hearst is the principal owner of Women.com Networks, the online home of Hearst women's magazines and the leader in reaching women on the Web. On October 17, Women.com Networks successfully debuted its initial public offering. Hearst is also a principal owner of GoodHome.com, an e-commerce shopping site for decorative home furnishings, launched September 28; and brandwise.com, a comparison shopping e-commerce site, scheduled to launch October 28.
Recent strategic investments include StarMedia, the leading global online network for Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking audiences; Tavolo (formerly Digital Chef), an online retailer of gourmet food and kitchenware; Talk City, the Internet's leading community chat-room site; and Quokka Sports, a digital sports entertainment company.
In a companion move, the Hearst New Media Center was renamed Hearst Interactive Studios. The digital media development facility has created cutting-edge Web sites for Hearst businesses, including CosmoGIRL!, Esquire and Rebecca's Garden, and has managed the relationship between Women.com Networks and Hearst Magazines.
For more information, visit Hearst Interactive Media's Web site, www.hearstinteractive.com.
The Hearst Corporation (www.hearstcorp.com) is one of the nation's largest diversified communications companies. Its major interests include newspaper, magazine and business publishing, television and radio broadcasting, cable network programming, newspaper features distribution, television production and distribution, Internet activities, and real estate.


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Suburban Indy Shows will present the second Home and Outdoor Living fall show and its third show since moving the home and outdoor living series to Grand Park Events Center. The show runs from Sept. 20 to 23.
Founder Donell Herberer said vendors will take up 90 percent of the leased space inside the event center. Last year, vendors only took up approximately 65 percent of the space. There will be an increase of approximately 40 vendors this year.
“The Colts training camp just finished up out at Grand Park, so I think that helps the visibility of Grand Park as well,” Herberer said. “It’s on everyone’s radar now.”
New this year will be a plant sale.
“People can come and get their fall plantings – their succulents, cactus, orchid. And we have trees, small and large, on sale, so that’s new this year,” Herberer said. “People tend to want to take something home with them, and it’s just the perfect time of the year to change out all your pots from summer plantings to fall plantings.”
Herberer said shopping is a big part of the show. Fully functional outdoor spaces, indoor spaces, marketplace artisans and local fall businesses with homemade goods will be part of the show.
“One of the big selling points, since it is 100,000 square feet, it’s very doable in a couple of hours,” Herberer said. “In essence, you can come and talk to a professional you want to work with and it doesn’t have to consume your entire day.”
Tickets are $5 if purchased online before the show or $10 at the door. Show times are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 20-22 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 23.
For more, visit surburbanindyshows.com.


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Instagram now has 'featured' video channels, of course
April 14, 2016 - Uncategorized
Video continues to eat the web.
Instagram has launched a new feature in its explore section that will include video channels, providing an easier way to avoid those boring still images.
There are also going to be “featured” channels with “videos on specific topics,” Instagram noted in a blog post. Users will also be provided with a separate “videos you might like” channel.
The change comes just a month after Instagram incited a small panic by announcing that it would be switching from a timeline to an algorithm to determine what shows up in user feeds. Facebook also uses an algorithm for the newsfeed, something that gives it a significant amount of control over what its users see. Read more…


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Whether it be a bold, single-colored coat or a bedazzled optical illusion, fans of nail art know that the tiny canvases of our fingernails can contain a cosmos of possibilities. A beauty routine that is widely practiced by women in China, nail art is starting to gain popularity among young men as well.
A 2018 trend report, jointly published by Chinese ecommerce platforms VIP.com and JD.com, showed that the size of the male skincare and cosmetics market was almost doubling year-on-year, with 48% of consumers born post-1990s. This growing trend of young men investing in their appearance has helped normalize nail grooming and upkeep.
But the current popularity of nail art among young Chinese men has less to do with progressive gender roles or self-care. Rather, the focus is on self-expression and creative freedom.
In the US and Europe, male celebrities have been rocking brightly painted nails to complete a look or make a statement since the days of David Bowie. Painted nails — especially black ones — were used by punks, goths, and emo kids as a statement of rebellion.
The trend is more recent in China, and idol-rappers such as Zhou Zhennan and Kris Wu are leading the pack, often appearing in public with painted nails. Most recently, KnowKnow of trap group Higher Brothers has also been seen flaunting colorful manicures on social media.
More recent trends in men’s nail art come from streetwear’s “logomania” — think brands such as Nike, Supreme, and Off-White — as well as simple, graphic designs popularized by rappers and Kpop stars. Deviating somewhat from punk’s anti-establishment or goth and emo’s dark vibes, pop stars and rappers care more about channeling their “bad boy” attitude, and using nail art as a fashion statement.
This trend has trickled down to China’s young and fashion conscious — particularly those in its more progressive first- and second-tier cities. Kathy Kong, co-founder of Shanghai-based nail salon Tipsy Tips, estimates that over half of her salon’s clientele are young men.
Many have chalked this surge in men’s interest for nail art up to the increasingly blurred boundaries between genders in China. But Kong believes it’s because of broadening definitions of what’s considered cool or beautiful, regardless of gender. “People’s understanding of what is beautiful has become more limitless and embracing,” Kong observes, adding that it’s unfair to put everyone who subscribes to the trend in China in one box.
“You can’t say that men who do their nails are all ‘effeminate’ or being ‘gender ambiguous.’ It is really more about an expression of one’s inner and whole self, regardless of gender.”
Still, for a majority of people, anything but a natural nail on a man risks being seen as “unmanly.” Justin Hsu, a fashion stylist and avid nail art fan, recalls that a taxi driver once shot him a look of disdain upon seeing his long, manicured nails before commenting, “Why would you do this?”
“I do my nails to express myself, for special occasions, or sometimes just to complete a look,” says Hsu. “Manicured nails are also a great conversation starter.” Still, Hsu doesn’t recommend nail extensions for men due to their inconvenience and stigma.
While some men fell in love with nail art through social media and pop culture, others had their first encounter at the salon thanks to the encouragement of a girlfriend or partner. That happened to Alan Chao, a student at NYU Shanghai. “I was with my girlfriend at the mall one day, and she suddenly started encouraging me to try out nail polish, so we went into a makeup store,” Chao recalls. He recalls feeling hesitant but also drawn to the idea, as he always had a “hidden curiosity about activities that traditionally excluded straight, heterosexual men.”
Chao’s experience is not unusual; a search on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo for “men’s nail art” yields many results of girls who successfully convinced (or forced) their boyfriends to paint their nails. It’s so common that one user wryly observes, “The number of times men do their nails is either zero or infinity.”
With the upcoming Lunar New Year in China, the tradition of getting freshly manicured nails with auspicious meanings is spreading to men as well. Helijia, a mobile app that provides on-demand manicure services, released a special men’s set nail design for this year’s Spring Festival, using “safe” colors such as navy and brown to appeal to a mass market audience.
There are already brands such as Faculty internationally that cater to a new type of client: a “third wave” of men who are hardy, confident, but also sensitive and inclusive. At the heart of this “third wave” is the freedom of expression that lets one craft his own ideals of manhood. The appetite of the Chinese market is bound to also produce niche local brands catering to this demographic in the future.
No matter the type of masculinity or personality one wishes to take on, the blank canvases of nail art are ready for it.
“With nail art, a cool guy becomes even cooler!” remarks Tipsy Tips’ Kong. “All the tiny elements and details of his look work together, forming a more complete sense of his style and his personality.”
Header image: Justin Hsu with DIY chrome nail art (courtesy Justin Hsu)
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No appetite for delicacy
Weddings are filled with elaborate customs and the banquet is one of the most important. But in response to growing concerns about environmental and sustainability issues, some traditions are making way for modern variations.
Between 50 and 80 per cent of the shark's fin market is handled in Hong Kong and, along with the tradition of serving it at Chinese wedding banquets, the delicacy was always guaranteed a place on the menu.
Nevertheless, the city's appetite for dishes such as shark's fin soup is diminishing as the efforts of environmental groups gain momentum.
A growing number of hotels, including the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Mandarin Oriental and The Peninsula, have removed it entirely from menus, and brides and grooms-to-be are opting for alternative dishes.
Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Sha Tin, whose wedding menus include Dongguan and northern Chinese cuisine, took shark's fin off its menus in January.
The hotel's executive chef Cheung Hongman says there is a definite shift in the food people want served at their weddings. 'Couples are very cautious about serving shark's fin and we are constantly asked if we have [shark's fin] on our menu,' he says.
Cheung and his team are creating alternative soups using sustainably sourced ingredients, served alongside other customary dishes, so the banquet retains many of its traditional elements.
Dishes include whole suckling pig, abalone and grouper, and seafood, vegetables and poultry.
The Peninsula also removed shark's fin in January. The hotel has long supported sustainably sourced food products and works with organisations such as the WWF and the Marine Stewardship Council to ensure the products it uses are not harmful to the environment.
Meat and poultry are sustainably selected as far as possible and the hotel also works with organisations in Hong Kong that promote sustainable and organic produce.
Vindy Lui, director of catering for The Peninsula says, to the gratification of the hotel, the move has been received positively. 'Our banquet guests recognise the importance of their choices and that their banquet can be just as memorable, while practising ethical luxury,' she says.
In February, the Mandarin Oriental also removed shark's fin from all its restaurant and banqueting menus, replacing it with double-boiled soup.
According to the hotel's director of sales for catering, Joanne Cheng, its guests are 'really enjoying' the soup, which features alongside other delicacies such as sea whelk, whole pig, abalone, grouper and crabmeat.
Other hotels are offering shark's-fin-free menus, but will make it available upon special request.
Stella Wong, senior director of events at InterContinental Hong Kong, says, in keeping with the hotel's environmental initiatives, it offers a sustainable seafood menu approved by the WWF.
'Many couples nowadays are happy to have a wedding banquet menu without shark's fin soup. However, sometimes it is the parents who still insist on having this [on the menu] because of cultural traditions,' she says.
The hotel offers a series of World of Wedding packages that include 10- or 11-course contemporary Chinese wedding menus. Dishes include barbecued whole suckling pig and seafood variations, such as wok-fried scallops, baked stuffed crab shell and sea whelk with double-boiled black chicken.
But according to Wong, most couples request a tailor-made menu. 'They know our culinary team is creative and that we can accommodate their special requests and customise each wedding so it is as unique as the couple,' Wong says, adding they usually opt for an East-meets-West combination of Chinese and Western dishes created by its chefs.
The hotel's Chinese and Western culinary teams can also work with a couple to create their own wedding cake or signature cocktail for the banquet.
Customising menus is a common benefit offered by many of the city's luxury hotels, such as Four Seasons, Hong Kong, which will accommodate the restrictions or traditions of different cultures and religions.
Some hotels report a change in Western menu trends.
Cheng says in the past all weddings at the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong were four- or five-course, sit-down dinners.
'We are seeing a shift in this trend with some guests now preferring a buffet-style banquet instead,' she says.
The hotel's Michelin-starred chef and his team create menus that are paired with wines chosen by the sommelier, and the hotel's in-house and award-winning cake artist can create 'the wedding cake of their dreams', Cheng says.
Cheung says he is witnessing a similar trend in Western wedding menus, with more couples going for casual buffets rather than formal set meals.
'It's common to find a balanced mix of ingredients in Western wedding menus,' he says, adding that a vegetarian salad appetiser, and seafood and meat for the main course are popular.
'The variety of food is even greater for weddings in buffet style,' Cheung says, adding that dishes such as dim sum, marinated seafood, parma ham with melon, roasted beef tenderloin, pasta and different desserts can be incorporated into a buffet-style wedding dinner.


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India’s crackdown on Chinese firms and mobile apps is “becoming increasingly unhinged,” and the action is nothing but “politically-motivated crackdowns on businesses from China”, state-run Chinese paper Global Times has said.
The Indian government this week banned 54 Chinese mobile applications, which are posing a threat to national security. The Income Tax department on Wednesday also carried out raids at multiple premises linked to Chinese tech conglomerate Huawei across the country in connection with alleged tax evasion.
The Global Times said in an editorial that after failing to gain any advantage by stirring up tension at the border with China, which drew stern responses from Chinese soldiers, “New Delhi has shifted its out-of-control jingoism toward a more vulnerable target – Chinese businesses operating in India”.
“Over the past several months, Indian authorities have banned dozens of Chinese mobile apps and raided local branches of many Chinese firms in shady ‘tax investigations’,” the editorial said late on Thursday.
Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies confirmed earlier media reports that Indian tax authorities raided multiple offices of the firm and questioned its local employees.
In a statement, Huawei said that it was confident that its operations in the South Asian country “are firmly compliant with all laws and regulations” and that it would “fully cooperate” with Indian authorities.
“Huawei’s response is standard for any business caught in such circumstances; however, let’s be clear, Indian authorities’ raid most likely has nothing to do with the Chinese firm’s compliance issues, but has a great deal to do with the increasing hostility of officials in New Delhi toward China,” read the editorial.
Before Huawei, several Chinese companies, including smartphone maker Xiaomi, have already been targeted. In January, Xiaomi was ordered to pay 6.53 billion rupees ($87.8 million) for unpaid taxes alleged by the Indian authorities, claimed the editorial.
Last month, multiple tax raids were carried out at the country’s premises of Chinese smartphone makers.
The Finance Ministry issued a statement, saying that Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi’s local company in India had engaged in “tax evasion” and demanded that it pay a total of Rs 6.53 billion ($88 million) in taxes owed between April 2017 and June 2020.
Xiaomi denied the claim, saying that the company adheres to legal and compliant operations around the world and abides with the relevant laws and regulations of each jurisdiction in which it operates.
Chinese mobile phone brands are highly popular in the Indian market, and their market share far exceeds that of local Indian brands.
According to the editorial, Chinese officials have expressed concern over Indian authorities’ actions against Chinese businesses and have repeatedly called on the Indian side to treat Chinese firms fairly.
Commenting on India’s latest raid of Huawei offices and bans on Chinese apps, a spokesperson for the Chinese Commerce Ministry on Thursday mounted a noticeably stronger response, calling the actions “a series of crackdown measures” that have seriously harmed the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese firms.
“For that, China expresses serious concern,” the spokesperson said.
“However, though New Delhi appears to be constantly testing China’s patience, Chinese officials have and will likely continue to avoid being dragged into tit-for-tat measures with India,” read the editorial.
“With this, we believe China will take necessary measures to protect Chinese interests overseas wherever they face discriminatory actions.”


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Updated: Pet Stop Owner Facing Animal Cruelty Counts
Editor’s note: This story replaces an earlier version that incorrectly stated that Tammy Sue Conrad also owns the Groom Room in Moundsville.
MOUNDSVILLE — The owner of the Pet Stop was charged with two counts of cruelty to animals Thursday after allegedly failing to provide medical treatment for three puppies infected with parvovirus.
Tammy Sue Conrad, 40, of Alledonia, Ohio, was also charged for failing to register her store as a kennel. Bond was set at $1,500.
According to the criminal complaint filed against Conrad, three puppies were purchased from the shop from Dec. 15-21, including two Chihuahuas and a beagle, that had contracted parvovirus and became sick.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, parvovirus is a highly contagious viral disease that produce a life-threatening illness.
All of the puppies later died, the report stated.
One customer received a refund after bringing a Chihuahua puppy back, but according to the complaint, Conrad failed to give that puppy the necessary medical treatment after it came back to the store.
Two other customers reported accruing expensive veterinary bills after getting their puppies treated several days after they were purchased.
A pre-trial conference for Conrad will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 4 in Marshall County.


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KUALA LUMPUR (May 24): Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) is going to release the consultation paper for the new passenger services charges (PSC) rate in June this year, before announcing the new rate in October, which will take effect in January 2020.
However, Mavcom chief operating officer Azmir Zain said it is too early to provide any range of how the PSC would change, as the commission has yet to obtain feedback from the industry.
The current PSC stands at RM35 for outbound travellers to Asean destinations and RM73 for other international destinations beyond the Asean region.
Meanwhile, Azmir said Mavcom also observed that airfares have generally declined around the festive seasons this year compared with 2018.
Speaking to reporters after the launch of the commission's FlySmart mobile application, Azmir said airfares have dropped between 12.7% and 74.9% a month before the holiday season, for Hari Gawai, Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Pesta Kaamatan, versus the same season in 2018.
For the Lunar New Year in 2019, Azmir said airfares on average declined 30% as compared with 2018.
Azmir said the observations were based on 10 routes Mavcom is currently monitoring, which covers flights between Kuala Lumpur and Alor Setar, Kota Kinabalu, Bintulu, Kuching, Labuan, Miri, Terengganu, Sandakan and Tawau, as well as flights between Johor Bahru and Sibu.
"Having said that, there are a handful of routes that have recorded higher airfares, that is true, and we will be continuing to monitor airfares for these routes. Our advice to consumer is to plan and purchase their tickets early, that would increase the likelihood of [them] enjoying more affordable airfare," he said.
Mavcom launches app for air travellers
At the launching ceremony earlier today, Mavcom executive chairman Dr Nungsari Ahmad Radhi said FlySmart is a consumer-centric mobile application introduced by Mavcom to enable users to obtain information and learn their rights as air travellers in an engaging and interactive way.
Nungsari said FlySmart enables consumers to gain easy access to essential information and lodge their complaints via their mobile devices, while allowing them to track the status of their complaints through the mobile application.
"While Mavcom has undertaken various initiatives to further the development of the industry, ensuring a level playing field for the players, fair competition and more, the commission is fully cognisant of the need to ensure that consumer satisfaction remains a key priority," he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar, who officiated at the event today, said Mavcom has received 821 consumer complaints in the second half of 2018, an increase of 11.7% from the same period in 2017.
"This shows that air travellers are increasingly aware of their rights while using air travel services. I was informed that 99.6% of their complaints have now been resolved," he said.
Kamarudin also announced the latest amendments to the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016 (MACPC), which will be effective June 1 this year.
The amended MACPC requires airlines to disclose the final price of airfare both at the point of advertisement and when purchasing the flight tickets.
The final price must include the base fare and all charges to be paid to the airline, government-imposed taxes and fees, fees and charges prescribed under any written law, as well as fuel surcharge.
Charges for optional services purchased by a consumer on an opt-in basis should also be displayed and included in the final price at point of payment.


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The revenue growth of telecom companies is expected to moderate in Q1 FY23, due to limited residual impact of the December tariff hike and muted subscriber additions. As per analysts, among the three private mobile companies, Reliance Jio is likely to see around 3-3.5% revenue growth, followed by 2-2.5% for Bharti Airtel and around 1% for Vodafone Idea (VIL).
According to analysts, the industry continues to see outsized churn in the lower average revenue per user (Arpu) segments, while upgrades to high-Arpu plans are likely to be limited at around 8-9 million, due to limited availability and higher smartphone prices in the wake of the semiconductor chip shortages.
Further, the quarter will also see an impact from higher inflation and oil prices on telcos’ numbers. “We expect Reliance Jio to show a better quarter on the back of its subscriber momentum bouncing back — we estimate 7.5 million net adds by Jio, far better than Bharti and VIL,” BofA Securities said.
A JM Financial report said it expects around 1 million subscriber additions for Bharti Airtel, while VIL is likely to continue with subscriber losses. Jio’s Arpu is likely to rise to Rs 174 while Bharti Airtel’s will be around Rs 186, and that of VIL around `130.
“In the near term, we expect focus to be on the 5G auction, and with no expected tariff hikes for the next six months at least, we see limited positive catalysts for the Indian telcos,” BofA Securities said.
Another report by Edelweiss said telecom operators would report Q1 FY23 revenue growth of 1-5% quarter on quarter (q-o-q), largely led by Arpu improvement. It further said the subscriber shift from weak to strong operators would continue.
On the 5G spectrum auction, Edelweiss said, “We expect telecom operators to stagger their 5G spectrum purchases due to sufficient spectrum availability and lack of ecosystem. Consequently, the balance sheet commitment could be limited.”


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US telco Verizon has debuted its fifth 5G-enabled device with the nationwide launch of the Inseego 5G MiFi M1000.
Telco V4 Telecom has been warned by the Australian Communications and Media Authority over its “inadequate” complaints handling processes, as the regulator continues its industry-wide clampdown on non-compliance with complaints handling standards.
Mobile services have fared best with a low rate of consumer complaints in stark contrast to voice only services delivered by telcos over the NBN which had the highest rate of complaints over a six month period last year, according to a report by the telecommunications regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
and you are a mindless US-above-all faggot
Same here with enslaved EU I'm part of... jerk authorities.
Any proof to back up your claims? You only need to read Sam's work to see his is honourable and[…]
"In a recent case in Victoria, a mobile phone


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Following last week's announcement by npower of an average 17.2% increase for gas prices and an average rise of 12.7% for electricity, Ofgem (the energy regulator) has tried to damp down fears of increasing residential gas and electricity prices.
Ofgem, in a response to a letter from Chancellor Alistair Darling, said that market forces (ie customers being able to switch accounts) would ensure that the consumer would not suffer unduly.
"In Britain's competitive market some energy suppliers will be better at buying their energy than others and will be able to price at an advantage to their competitors,' Ofgem said.
Over the last five years we seen this happen and companies with high prices have been punished severely by customers. With customers switching at record levels this is set to continue."
This is all very well. However, it assumes that other energy suppliers will not follow npower's lead. Npower disagrees, and said that it expects other suppliers to "follow suit very shortly".
Darling and the government will be sweating in their beds, fearful of the effect that such dramatic price rises will have on the voters' perceptions of the effectiveness of their handling of the economy.


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Nadim Khoury, Chief Operating Officer, Grey Group MENA, talks about the changing client /agency relationship and its impact on the business.
Last year, Procter & Gamble sold the bulk of its pet food business to Mars Inc. in a massive $2.9 billion transaction – on the heels of which it also dropped more than half of its brands. Around the same time, Unilever laid off 800 marketers, shrunk agency fees and products, established a standalone unit for its spreads brand and acquired Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto in what was clearly a focused expansion of its food portfolio. Samsung fought in the mobile space against emerging Korean lower-priced competitors and Apple’s profits soared on the back of the iPhone 6 launch.
Depending on the angle, any good journalist will tell you, these headlines could very well be twisted positively: P&G’s divestments reflect an increasingly focused product development strategy, Unilever’s cost-cutting is only a natural stage of the business cycle and, Samsung’s mobile losses are offset by its OEM (original equipment manufacturer) business. The sides to each story are many but the premise is the same: our clients’ industries are radically transforming before our eyes.
This is a reality that has troubled some in our industry, but not nearly as much as the fallout of the $30 billion Publicis-Omnicom merger that never was; understandably so, as this was a massive deal for both industry outsiders and insiders. But coverage and analysis around the merger provided little insight into the client side. Instead, it dug deep into the financials and opinion of either groups. It heightened a gap between the agency and client business.
The last time we truly took a hard look at the changing dynamics of client businesses was during the 2008 financial crisis. And, even then, agency chiefs reduced client P&Ls to “budget cuts” without truly understanding their implications. Today, with conversations moving into data, technology and content, many talk of how all three can push agency output and capabilities to deliver relevant client-consumer connections. But few have tied them into the client business itself. Our industry has become far too concerned with the evolution of Don Draper rather than Dow Jones. And in doing so, it is missing the mark on major challenges and opportunities shaping its future.
It struck me when I came across an op-ed by a global chief marketing officer suggesting that our industry is “changing too fast to keep pace by buying things” and that, instead, clients could be adopting a project basis to their agency relationships; an “Uber-like” system. Call it an open relationship.
This is no breaking news, of course. And it is an approach that has been reflected by the fragmentation of many agency remits both globally and regionally; partly because some client businesses are changing from within, with products and services becoming obsolete overnight, business models losing ground and relevance and competition coming from once unlikely rivals (think Google’s self-driving cars and their future impact on the auto industry). Twinned with this is the rise of a consumer-powered, knowledge-sharing and do-it-yourself economy; one that has been dissected by agencies for how it impacts and threatens their business, but not that of their clients.
So what does this mean for the agency business? In the larger scheme of things, it redefines its very core. Our perception of what a “big” account is has been altered. The value of an account remains a key deciding factor in its size. But today, other factors, such as potential future revenue streams and business sustainability should carry a much heavier weight in our assessment of prospect clients. Our pursuit of the entirety of a client’s communication business should be justified, supported and strategic, as it would mean weathering many storms that could completely fragment it overnight.
Our talent recruitment strategies might need to increasingly focus on experts in our clients’ fields, not just our own. Our client portfolio breakdown, between longstanding multinationals and emerging local players – and, dare I say, startups – must be readjusted with the realisation that small companies today can scale very quickly into global conglomerates tomorrow – and vice versa. But most importantly, our work and onus now lay in changing not only the way our clients deliver their campaigns but, also, do their business.


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The domain name co.com has been put up for sale by domain investor Paul Goldstone.
The domain, which received 4.5 million unique visitors and 14 million page views in 2011, will be brokered jointly by DomainAdvisors and SellDomains.com, according to a press release.
I can immediately think of two companies that should be interested.
It might be a very smart move for .CO Internet, the .co registry, to buy the name and wildcard the third level in order to capture .co typo traffic.
It’s also exactly the kind of address CentralNic – which sells third-level names under domains such as us.org and uk.com – likes to use as a pseudo-gTLD.
If these two and others get into a bidding war, Goldstone could wind up making a packet.
DomainAdvisors CEO Tessa Holcomb said she expects the domain to fetch a “multi seven-figure” price.
Russia’s internationalized ccTLD, .РФ, lost 18% of its registered domains under management after its first launch anniversary, according to the registry.
Coordination Center for ccTLD said that the registry peaked at 954,012 names on December 28, but DUM had dropped to 779,264 by February 15, a 174,748 domain decline.
While the Center spun this as lower than expected – some experts had apparently predicted 25% to 30% of the early-adopter names would expire – it’s still relatively high.
Telnic deleted about 15% of its names during .tel’s first junk drop, the most recent in the gTLD space, for example.
The Russian registry has also made an eye-opening set of stats related to .РФ available on a new web site.
It reveals that just 33% of .РФ domains resolve to a web site (any web site, presumably including parking) while 29% do not even have name servers.
Talk about a U-turn.
FairWinds Partners, the company behind the Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse, has gone from using CADNA to oppose ICANN’s new gTLD program in its entirety to name-dropping the organization in sales pitches encouraging companies to defensively apply for “dozens” of new gTLDs.
According to an email pitch forwarded to DI by a reader today, the company is recommending potential clients apply for new gTLDs defensively, then drop out of the process after May 1 if it turns out their competitors are not aggressively pursuing new gTLDs.
The pitch appears to be tailored to the specific potential client – pimping keyword gTLDs relevant to its industry as well as dot-brands in general. Here are a few extracts (typos in original):
Many majors brands applying for at least one new gTLD – some more than a dozen. They don’t necessarily plan on using them straight away, but it is important for businesses to secure the option to leverage new gTLDs as most major businesses will.
FairWinds (through our non-profit advocacy group CADNA – the Coalition Again Domain Name Abuse) has actually been the strongest opponent of this program for years. That said, given the sheer number of businesses that are participating, it is something that brand owners can’t sit out on and businesses have decided to work with us as FairWinds is known to be the leading voice of the brand owner community on this topic.
So you know, many of our clients are exercising what we are calling the “behind the curtain” strategy. This involves applying for a new gTLD and if it turns out that your competitors don’t apply as aggressively as we think they will, you have the option to pull the application and receive a 70% refund on the application fee. This might be the right strategy for generic extensions like those listed above. That said, I highly recommend you apply for and follow through on .application as several brands in your space will most likely apply for their primary .BRANDS.
There’s nothing positive in the pitch – no praising the speculative SEO or branding/marketing benefits of new gTLDs, for example.
It’s a fully defensive, FUD-based sales call of the kind commonly served up by more established members of the domain name industry.
The fact that CADNA is mentioned – I’ve found that FairWinds is usually keen to draw a bright line between itself and the organization, even though they share management – makes this all the more remarkable.
For the record, I do feel slightly bad for singling out FairWinds here.
It’s not actually bad advice – the strategy it proposes is sound – and I’m certain the same and worse FUD tactics are being used today by other new gTLD consultants and registries.
But it’s interesting because as recently as May 2011 CADNA was calling for the new gTLD program to be scrapped, saying ICANN “has not managed demonstrate a need for new gTLDs, nor that the benefits will outweigh the costs, particularly for brand owners and consumers”.
At least its sales pitches are consistent with that view, I suppose.
FairWinds’ Singaporean conversion may not have been Damascene, but it was certainly opportunistic.
UPDATE: I’ve changed the headline to reflect that it’s FairWinds, not CADNA, that’s doing the selling. While I think the article makes that clear, not everybody reads beyond the headline.
WIPO handled more UDRP cases covering more domain names in 2011 than in any other year, but its numbers do not paint a very convincing picture of the cybersquatting landscape.
The organization today announced that it handled 2,764 UDRP cases covering 4,781 domain names last year. The number of cases was up 2.5% over 2010.
The number of domain names covered by these cases was up by 9.4% – an additional 414 domains.
It’s basically meaningless data if you’re looking to make a case that cybersquatting is on the increase.
Obviously, while WIPO is the market-share leader, it is not the only UDRP provider. It sees a representative but non-exhaustive sample of cases.
While UDRP is the standard dispute mechanism for all ICANN-contracted gTLDs, WIPO also has side deals with ccTLD registries to look after cybersquatting cases in their zones.
As WIPO has added more ccTLD deals, it has become harder to make apples-to-apples comparisons year over year.
Based on WIPO’s own records, it received 2,323 UDRP complaints about domains in gTLDs last year, up by 28 cases from 2010, a 1.2% increase.
Given that the number of domains registered in gTLDs increased by at least 8% between January 1 and November 30 2011, cybersquatting seems to be actually on the decrease in relative terms.
And given that the number of UDRP cases filed is so piddlingly small, a single obsessive-compulsive complainant (ie, Lego) can skew the results.
Lego spammed WIPO with more than 160 complaints in 2011. As a result, Denmark is the last year’s fourth-biggest filer after the US, France and UK, according to WIPO, with 202 complaints.
So, if you see any company using these WIPO numbers to rage about cybersquatting in press releases, ICANN comments or Congressional hearings, give them a slap from me. Thanks.
Here’s a table of WIPO’s caseload from 2000 to 2011.
Sadly, the number of UDRP complaints will never reflect the actual amount of cybersquatting going on, particularly when cybersquatters only need to price their domains more cheaply than the cost of a UDRP complaint in order to stay off the radar.
WIPO’s data does raise some interesting questions about the geographic distribution of complainants and respondents, however.
Unsurprisingly, cybersquatting was found to be big business in China, the second most-common home nation, after the US, for respondents. No UDRPs filed with WIPO originated there, however.
Surprisingly, Australia is ranked fourth on the list of countries most likely to harbor alleged squatters, with 171 respondents. But Australia was 13th in terms of complainant location, with just 39 cases.
Read more WIPO data here.
ICANN’s ongoing public comment period into the “perceived” need for “defensive” gTLD applications produced a raft of demands from the intellectual property community, not all of which relate to the subject matter at hand.
With less than one month left before ICANN closes its new gTLD application window, many IP stakeholders have suggested ways to reduce the need to file a defensive applications, with many disputing its characterization as “perceived”. As far as many brands are concerned, there’s nothing “perceived” about it.
Give the imminent closure of the window, a large number of commenters have also suggested ways to reduce the need for defensive domain name registrations at the second level. While debates about trademark protection in domain names will never end, this is likely to be the IP community’s last chance to officially comment before April 12.
Some comments expressed a desire for relatively small tweaks to the existing Rights Protection Mechanisms, others said that entirely new RPMs should be created. In most cases, the proposed amendments heavily favor certain trademark owners at the expense of other registrants, including other trademark owners.
Some suggestions from the IP community would, if adopted, directly impact the business models of new gTLD registries and registrars. Others could be expected to significantly increase the risk that the new gTLD application process will be gamed at a large scale.
This DomainIncite PRO analysis is organized by issue, addressing concepts that emerged from multiple comments. In each case, we look at the likely counter-arguments to the proposals, explore the potential impact on applicants and the new gTLD program and assess the likelihood of each proposal becoming reality.
DI PRO subscribers can read the full analysis here.


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I have seen many a updates from current Lumia users on Facebook saying that they are just waiting for Windows Phone 8 and are excited to see it running on their Lumia smartphone. But with no offence, I have to say [...]
The next update for the Windows Phone operating system is being referred to as ‘Tango’. Like the last year’s ‘Mango’, Tango isn’t a major update for the platform – that is expected to come in the form of ‘Apollo’ which [...]
Getting tired of waiting for the Windows Phone 7.5 Mango update to show up on my HTC Windows Phone in India, I decided to force my Windows Phone to update. This idea is very simple to follow. Here is how you [...]
Microsoft has announced the details of the upcoming Mango update for Windows Phone 7. Over 500 new features are going to be introduced, focusing in making the phone smarter and easier to use. Smartphones today have become “app launchers”. Windows [...]
Microsoft has released Update 7.0.7392.0 for its Windows Phone 7 users. While its delivery is being phased out, at different times in different regions, I received the update notification today, when I connected my Windows Phone to my laptop.
The first update for the Windows Phone 7 operating system is expected anytime now, and Microsoft has therefore released a knowledge base article which will help you troubleshoot and fix and problems which you may encounter while updating your Windows [...]
News of what updates Windows Phone 7 will receive have been circulating since the release of the new phones but the latest leaks of the updates may be more insightful than previous rumors. The two major updates for Windows Phone [...]


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Irving Tissue readies game show finale to Golden Kittens Search
Irving Tissue will conclude its "Golden Kittens Search" promotion for its Royale brand of paper products with a 90-second commercial on July 3. The commercial will air during the evening broadcast of Entertainment Tonight Canada on Global Television. It will take the form of a game show featuring television personality Rick Campanelli as the host. Five finalists in the contest will compete in a series of skill-testing questions. The winner will receive a grand prize of $50,000. The four runners-up will receive prizes of $25,000, $15,000, $5,000 and $5,000 respectively. The contest began in January with 15-second commercials and sponsored segments of Entertainment Tonight encouraging consumers to enter by purchasing specially-marked packages of Royale products. Entries closed in May. The game show will be recorded on June 22. "Our Shaw Media sales team has earned a reputation for developing original and innovative campaigns that deliver results for our clients," said Errol Da-Ré, senior vice-president of sales at Shaw Media. "The Golden Kitten Search is the biggest contest ever executed by Royale, and they asked us to provide a dramatic conclusion. When we presented our mini-game show idea, Royale enthusiastically agreed it was the exclamation mark they wanted."


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When The Sun's Sunday paper made its debut yesterday, the advertising industry heaved a large, money-scented sigh of relief.
Since the assassination of the News of the World last summer, advertisers have had 800,000 fewer people to advertise to on Sundays. And since Sundays are now the second biggest shopping day of the week, that's been a matter of some concern, particularly for retail brands.
With the arrival of The Sun on Sunday – earlier than expected and in a flurry of excitement that has energised the newspaper marketplace – advertisers are hoping audiences will return to pre-July-2011 levels and the paper will offer a solid new platform for targeting consumers. It's easy to see why Morrisons, Boots, Halifax and Mars were among the brands that bought space in yesterday's paper.
Adland likes a media launch. After all, there's usually an advertising and media buying account up for grabs to help promote the new product: a welcome fillip for the agencies chosen to handle the business. In the case of The Sun, that's WPP which handles all News International 's advertising and media requirements, thanks largely to the longstanding chumminess of Rupert Murdoch and WPP's Sir Martin Sorrell.
With NI earmarking £7m to promote the paper and rival brands stepping up their own marketing, new money is flooding into the advertising marketplace.
It has been a relatively risk-free media launch. The Sun is well established and big brands have not been deterred by the continuing problems at NI. The Sun has out-performed the wider newspaper market and increased its share of advertising revenue since last July. Now The Sun on Sunday will push that share even higher.
Claire Beale is editor of Campaign


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Company will reveal plans for Peppa Pig, PJ Masks and Ricky Zoom during October’s virtual event.
Hasbro is due to unveil a series of plans for major eOne preschool properties Peppa Pig, PJ Masks and Ricky Zoom at October’s virtual Festival of Licensing event.
The event will see the preschool names line up alongside the rest of Hasbro’s portfolio which includes the likes of NERF, My Little Pony, Transformers, Monopoly and Power Rangers among others.
A new global brand theme for Peppa Pig – entitled Peppa’s Adventures – is kicking off in 2021, as a celebration of all the places that Peppa, her family and friends have visited since the show began. New content will include trips to places including the US.
New series premieres will be rolling out for Ricky Zoom throughout the year. Expansion of the brand’s consumer products programme will follow the phased roll out of toys in all key markets in 2020, as secondary categories will be available from SS21.
Finally, a robust plan is in place for PJ Masks which will be boosted by series four which is set to launch this Q4, the Disney+ roll out in multiple territories and the series five global launch coming in 2021.
In a first for the company, Hasbro will be launching its first toy range for the brand with a core range of new products hitting retail for AW21.


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TORONTO, Dec. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Oh, the weather outside is frightful, and the pre-holiday deals are just so delightful! Many Canadians know it's a seasoned tradition to take advantage of Boxing Day deals, however a recent survey conducted by RetailMeNot.cafound 63 per cent of Canadians surveyed find pre-Christmas deals to be just as good as Boxing Day, or better. In fact, 70 per cent of Canadians surveyed think Boxing Day deals are overrated.
More than half (56 per cent) of the respondents plan to shop on Boxing Day this season, but a whopping 96 per cent would never be caught camping out overnight in front of a store for a deal. Fifty-seven per cent of respondents would only wait in a line for a discount of more than 40 per cent off, while 31 per cent would never wait in line for a deal.
Boxing Day continues to offer great deals, however Canadians can choose to avoid dashing through the snow to score a deal this year. With digital couponing sites like RetailMeNot.ca, consumers can find deals in one place during the hectic holiday season.
To lend a hand to stressed-out shoppers, RetailMeNot.ca has also teamed up with Smart Cookies, the daily guide to living a sweet life debt-free, to offer deals and tips on how to shop smart for last-minute holiday deals.
"It's becoming more common for retailers to offer pre-Christmas deals to keep sales strong throughout the entire holiday season," said Angela Self, co-founder of Smart Cookies. "While there will still be great Boxing Day deals for those who are willing to wait until after Christmas, RetailMeNot.ca has thousands of deals to help you shop in time for Christmas."
Of those surveyed who plan to shop on Boxing Day, surprising statistics were revealed:
In addition to finding last-minute deals on RetailMeNot.ca, Smart Cookies share other tips to help you save this holiday season:
RetailMeNot.ca regularly conducts consumer behaviour surveys to examine the buying habits of Canadians.
RetailMeNot.ca (http://www.retailmenot.ca/) is a new digital coupon site in Canada. Its mission is to help consumers save money and enjoy a hassle-free discount shopping experience with retailers serving Canada. RetailMeNot.ca promotes digital coupons from thousands of retailers who do business with Canadians. RetailMeNot.ca is operated by RetailMeNot, Inc. (NASDAQ:SALE), the world's largest digital coupon marketplace.
About RetailMeNot, Inc.
RetailMeNot, Inc. (www.retailmenot.com/corp/) operates the world's largest digital coupon marketplace. The company enables consumers across the globe seeking to save money to find hundreds of thousands of digital coupons from retailers. RetailMeNot, Inc. experienced more than 500 million visits to its websites in the last 12 months. The RetailMeNot, Inc. portfolio includes http://www.retailmenot.com/, the leading digital coupon marketplace in the United States; http://www.retailmenot.ca/ in Canada; http://www.vouchercodes.co.uk/, the leading digital coupon marketplace in the United Kingdom; http://www.deals.com/ in Germany; http://www.actiepagina.nl/, a leading digital coupon site in the Netherlands; Bons-de-Reduction.com and http://www.ma-reduc.com/, leading digital coupon sites in France;http://www.poulpeo.com/, a leading digital coupon site with cash back in France; and http://www.deals2buy.com/, a leading discount offer site in North America. RetailMeNot, Inc. went public in July 2013 and is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol "SALE." Investors interested in learning more about the company can visit: http://investor.retailmenot.com/.
About the survey:
From November 25 to November 26 2013, an online survey was conducted among 1,010 randomly selected Canadian residents who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error, which measures sampling variability, is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to education, age, gender and region (and in Quebec language) census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
For more information or to schedule an interview with a Smart Cookie, please contact:
416 306 6641 office
416 995 1432 mobile


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Taco-enthusiasts in Vancouver were given star treatment at the grand opening of the new Chronic Tacos location at Waterfront Station.
The fast-casual franchise celebrated the relocation of its Vancouver restaurant by throwing a grand opening party. Jason “Wee Man” Acuna, television personality and California-based Chronic Tacos franchisee, hosted the celebration, which offered customers a range of discounts on tacos, chips, and drinks.
“We are excited to celebrate the taco life at another great international location,” said company CEO and president Michael Mohammed. “We believe our passion of serving authentic Mexican food with a unique, laid-back So-Cal flair will continue to be received at this great spot in the city.”
Currently, there are three Chronic Taco franchises open in Canada, all of which are located in the greater Vancouver area. A fourth Canadian location is scheduled to open in Calgary.


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Apple's New iPad a Hit: Over 3 Million Sold
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Apple(:AAPL) continued to make headlines late Monday, this time announcing it has already sold more than three million new iPads since the product went on sale Friday.
"The new iPad is a blockbuster with three million sold -- the strongest iPad launch yet," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, said in a press release. "Customers are loving the incredible new features of iPad, including the stunning Retina display, and we can't wait to get it into the hands of even more customers around the world this Friday."
Apple's new iPad is already available in twelve territories and countries, with 24 more coming online this Friday. Apple's products are offered through its own retail stores as well as select Apple Authorized Resellers in countries such as Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
Apple's new iPad is Long Term Evolution (LTE) capable, which it allows it to run on the high-speed networks from Verizon(:VZ) and AT&T(:T) in the United States.
Earlier Monday, Apple announced it plans to begin paying a dividend for the first time since 1995, and that it's launching a $10 billion buyback program.
Shares of Apple gained 2.65% during Monday's trading to close at $601.10. In after-hours, Apple shares are gaining 0.6% to $604.75 according to Nasdaq.com
Interested in more on Apple? See TheStreet Ratings' report card for this stock.
Check out our new tech blog, Tech Trends. Follow TheStreet Tech on your wireless devices.
--Written by Chris Ciaccia in New York
>To follow the writer on Twitter, go to http://twitter.com/commodity_bull.
>To submit a news tip, send an email to: email@example.com


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The biggest-ever Suzuki Jimny gathering is happening this week from 22 to 24 September in the town of Clarens, Free State.
The Jimny gathering coincides with Suzuki’s Safari Town Music Festival and will see hundreds, if not thousands of mini 4x4s from multiple generations dating back to the 1970s get together to celebrate its long history – including Suzuki SJ, LJ, and Samurai owners.
“By most estimates, there are over 20,000 owners of these vehicles in South Africa,” said Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager of Suzuki Auto South Africa.
What’s in store
The Suzuki Gathering weekend starts this Friday, 22 September, with the first owners and festival goers welcomed to the town and a silent disco taking place at the Jimny Camping Village.
On Saturday, Suzuki and the 4x4s “will depart on a Jimny Expedition and have fun at the Safari Town Festival” where several local bands and famous personalities will provide entertainment, including:
- Mango Groove
- Schalk Bezuidenhout
- Bernice West
- Femi Koya
- Quadasi & Maqhinga
- Black Heidi
- Josh Thatcher
There will also be artisanal food stalls; craft beer, gin, wine, and bubbly bars; a big screen to watch the rugby; a kids’ play area; craft vendors; and an opportunity to meet and greet the artists that are performing on the main stage.
On Sunday, the attendees will celebrate National Heritage Day and this is also when the official gathering world record will be attempted.
Ticket prices and registrations
The world-record-attempt Jimny gathering is only open to owners of a Jimny or one of its predecessors, while the Safari Town Music Festival is open to anyone and everyone.
Jimny owners may register their interest to participate on the official gathering website.
Regular attendees may buy tickets for the Safari Town Festival on Howler, with prices as follows:
- Kids under 2 – Free
- Kids under 12 – R60
- Kids under 18 – R150
- Adults – R250
- Jimny Camping Village & Safari Town Festival for kids under 18 – R500
- Jimny Camping Village & Safari Town Festival for adults – R750
Unfortunately, the glamping packages that include pre-erected tents with plug points, meals, and dedicated ablutions which ranged between R2,500 and R5,000 per person have all been sold out.
Keyword: Biggest-ever Suzuki Jimny gathering happening in South Africa this week – Details


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Groww's valuation at present is 3 times higher than it was in April 2021. Here are the top-line bullets you need to know.
Groww, an online investing platform, has raised $251M in a Series E. The round drew participation from Alkeon Capital Management, Tiger Global Management, Y Combinator, Sequoia Capital India, Lone Pine Capital, and Propel Venture Partners, among others.
How’s the company performing?
- India-based Groww’s platform enables retail investors to invest in special investment plans (SIPs) like mutual funds.
- The company has over 20M customers.
- Groww plans to offer crypto-based investments due to the growing crypto demand in India. It also intends to enable its users to invest in US stocks.
- The company registers over 250K new SIPs on its platform each month.
Why does the market matter?
- The wealth management platform market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.4% and reach a value of $3.2B by 2022, according to Markets and Markets.
- The increase in first-time investors and the growing adoption of alternative investment platforms have contributed to industry growth.
- Wealth tech startups have raised $12.7B across 380 deals in 2021 so far, up 115% from 2020’s 12-month funding total.


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As Burberry snaps up the pretty Harry Potter actress, is Emma Watson the new Kate Moss?
While Kate Moss and Peaches Geldof continue to make headlines every time they unveil an outrageous look, a new British style icon has been gracefully emerging.
When Emma Watson first appeared as Hermione Granger in Harry Potter, at the age of nine, she was a photogenic schoolgirl.
Ten years later, she's undergone a metamorphosis and for the past few years has been quietly building a modelling portfolio that's beginning to rival her acting career.
Filling Kate's shoes? Emma Watson, left, pictured in Burberry's signature trenchcoat cuts a strikingly similar figure to Kate Moss in 2006
In 2008 Chanel appointed her the face of their perfume Coco Mademoiselle, replacing Keira Knightley.
Since then, the fashion house's supremo Karl Lagerfeld has become her new best friend.
A touch of elegance: Emma's smokey eyes and softly tousled hair add to Burberry's sophisticated feel
Picture perfect: Kate Moss pictured in her 2006 Burberry campaign holds a similar profile to the young and blooming Miss Watson
Last month, he photographed her for an edgy French magazine.
'This was a dream come true,' she said. (And that's the other thing about Emma: you won't find her being less than gracious, a welcome contrast to mouthy types such as Lily Allen.)
Deja vous? Emma Watson, left, replaced Keira Knightley as the face of Chanel's perfume Coco Mademoiselle in 2008. And she again carry's a similar gaze to Kate Moss, pictured again in the iconic Burberry coat
Emma's latest coup is the lucrative Burberry campaign. With smoky eyes and softly tousled hair (right), she adds a touch of sultry elegance to the British label's signature trench coat.
Here's hoping she inspires the next generation of teenagers to turn away from tacky tattoos and jeggings. Well, we can dream, can't we?
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… and so the noose tightened.
“Health Canada is planning to dramatically overhaul the regulation of natural health products to address mounting concerns over the proliferation of misleading and unproven claims on product labels. Currently, natural health products are regulated in a manner similar to drugs – manufacturers must apply to Health Canada for a licence to sell and products are assigned a unique number that must appear on product labels to signal the department’s approval. But unlike drugs makers, natural health product manufacturers are not required to provide robust evidence that a product works before it’s allowed on the market.”
Read the rest of The Globe and Mail article by Carly Weeks


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By Kenan Machado and Dhanya Ann Thoppil
MUMBAI — Tech Mahindra Ltd. said Tuesday it has acquired the India-based call-center operations of Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. for $87.1 million and got in return an $845 million contract to service the unit’s existing customers.
Hutchison Global Services under Tech Mahindra will continue to provide services to its existing clients, mainly Hutchison Whampoaand its units and joint venture, said the Indian company that makes software and billing systems mostly for the telecom industry.
The deal will provide a revenue boost to Tech Mahindra, which has been finding it difficult to get new clients as the economic turmoil in the U.S. and Europe squeezed technology projects. It has also been facing a drop in sales to its biggest client, part-owner BT Group PLC.
Tech Mahindra’s recent financial performances have largely been driven by contributions from associate Satyam Computer Services Ltd.
With this deal, Hutchison Whampoa has exited its major businesses in India. The company, owned by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, had sold its stake in Indian mobile-telephony venture Hutchison Essar to Vodafone Group PLC for $11 billion in 2007.
Hutchison Global Services offers back-office and customer-service support to the group’s mobile firm, Three, in the U.K. and Ireland as well as its joint venture with Vodafone Group PLC in Australia. It has about 11,500 staff, employed across facilities in the western cities of Mumbai and Pune, and posted annual revenue of $160 million.
“This acquisition is in line with our growth plans,” Tech Mahindra Vice Chairman Vineet Nayyar told reporters.
Mr. Nayyar said the company has also signed a separate outsourcing contract with Hutchison in the U.K., but didn’t elaborate.
The five-year contract will start adding to Tech Mahindra’s revenue and earnings this quarter, Chief Financial Officer Sonjoy Anand said.
The deal will help the Indian company expand its client base and it also offers scope to scale up the business with Hutchison Whampoa, Ankita Somani of Mumbai-based brokerage Angel Broking said.
Though the deal will increase Tech Mahindra’s dependence on one sector–most of its clients are telecom companies–its impending merger with Satyam is expected to dilute the risk as the associate’s clients are mainly in the manufacturing and retail industries.
Tech Mahindra, founded by BT Groupand Indian auto maker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., had bought a controlling stake in Satyam in 2009 and turned around the company that was hit by one of India’s worst corporate scandals. The merger, an all-stock deal, is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
BT Group has been reducing both its contracts to Tech Mahindraand its stake in the Indian company as part of cost cuts and fundraising. Last week, the British telephone company sold a 14.1% stake in Tech Mahindra for about $250.7 million to bring down its remaining holding to 9.1%.
At the same time, Tech Mahindra has stepped up efforts to make acquisitions to offset the risk from losing more BT Group contracts.
Tech Mahindra had 8.86 billion rupees of debt — a bulk of it was taken for the purchase of Satyam in 2009 — and 2.80 billion rupees in cash reserves at the end of June. With 30.58 billion rupees in its reserves, Satyam is cash-rich and will likely support the combined entity’s acquisitions plans.
Tech Mahindra said it will use a combination of debt and internal cash to fund the acquisition of Hutchison Global Services.
Kotak Investment Banking was the financial adviser for Tech Mahindra, while Goldman Sachs advised Hutchison.


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Employers’ body says economic growth will be lower this year
Employers’ group Ibec says economic growth will be lower this year as a result of Brexit but also because the economy is at a mature phase of the business cycle.
The group also warns that a shortage of workers is already starting to have an effect on companies.
Ibec says growth will be around 4% this year, down from 7% last year, with labour shortages and an erosion of cost competitiveness playing a part in the slowdown.
But it says that this growth will add about 66,000 jobs to the economy.
Also wages should go up around 2.5%, say the employers, the same as last year, and inflation will stay weak at just over 1%, giving workers another year of real wage growth.
It says another 60,000 to 80,000 construction workers are needed to meet both housing demand and the Government’s infrastructure plans but says only 33,000 craft workers are on the live register meaning tens of thousands must come from abroad.
Those growth assumptions are based on the British parliament ratifying the Brexit withdrawal agreement, it says.
The group warns that a no deal Brexit means things will get a lot harder, notably for firms that export to the UK.
It says sterling could fall to an unprecedented level of 110p to the euro.
Article Source: http://tinyurl.com/kbwqb42


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The rollout of Android Pay for many customers of Australian financial Institutions has been a frustratingly slow, some have chosen to switch banks, others have stayed with their current providers hoping for good news. If you’re a Bankwest customer, then that good news has arrived… Almost.
Bankwest has announced on their product forums as well as confirming the news to customers via Twitter that Android Pay will be coming soon. While the phrase ‘will soon have access’ may not be as positive as launching tomorrow, it is at least a big step for Bankwest customers on the path to Android Mobile Payment awesomeness.
With Android Pay no longer included in an ongoing submission to the ACCC by a consortium of Australian banks to collectively bargain with Apple over their closed mobile payments ecosystem, this may well be the first of many banks to announce such good news.
Are you awaiting your Bank to announce Android Pay support? Let us know below.