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Xapo CEO, Wences Casares believes that bitcoin detains the much needed potential to become the new gold Standard; he firmly stated this in a video posted by Bigthink.
Casares is an Argentinean entrepreneur with many years of experience with internet technologies and the gaming industry. In all these years of activity he gathered an enormous financial expertise. In a video session led by Bigthink, a Knowledge dedicated forum, he tells us about bitcoin and what it could mean for International ecommerce trading.
Casares says that Bitcoin may be the most important social experiment going on right now. He believes that in a social level it is an experiment although technologically it is not an experiment.
The way he looks at Bitcoin is that technologically, it is robust and it works, but because at a social it is an experiment and there is still a chance that it fails.
Wences considers that, because of the volatility and that it could fail, investing in bitcoin is a real risky business and nobody should invest in bitcoin what they cannot afford to loose. Nevertheless, there is also a chance that it could work out and if it works out well it may be the first thing in 5000 years that finally replaces the gold standard and it might become a new Meta currency that sits on top of all currencies.
However, Wences Casares stresses that:
“I don’t think that bitcoin should or would ever replace any national currency. I think that salaries need to be paid in local currencies and countries need to have their monetary policies and the systems that we have in place probably need to stay on that level, but people also need to have other options”
Wences Casares is the founder and CEO of Xapo, bitcoin vault and wallet described by the Wall Street journal as the Fort Know of bitcoin storage. Prior to founding Xapo, Casares launched Argentina’s first Internet Service Provider, Internet Argentina S.A. in 1994, a company he would go on to sell in order to found the Argentine online brokerage Patagon in 1997.
Casares founded Wanako Games, which developed the award winning game Assault Heroes honored as “Game of the Year” for Microsoft Xbox Live in 2006, and was later acquired by Activision. In 2002 Casares along with his partners founded Banco Lemon, a retail bank for the underbanked in Brazil. Banco do Brasil, Brazil’s largest bank, acquired Banco Lemon in June 2009.
Furthermore, Casares believes that bitcoin will become the most surely the currency of the internet or of the digital world, but also in that sense, a new currency that sits on top of all currencies and for certain transactions that you do, and because they are on the internet and they could be international it makes all sense to use bitcoin rather than using any other currency.
Gold is decentralized
By definition Gold is decentralized, he says. There is nobody or no Institution deciding how much gold there is and for how much it should be traded. There is no company, no country or person deciding how much Gold there is and what can you exchange it for. Gold is also in some part anonymous; if someone pays you in Gold there is no trace of that. It’s also much like cash that can be completely anonymous.
It’s totally decentralized says Casares.
Regulation over digital currencies
When it comes to protection and regulations Casares states:
“We need to regulate bitcoin to basically have consumer protection, to prevent criminal activity with it, to prevent money laundering, but I think doing so is not hard, and it can be done with the regulations that we already have in place to account for cash.”
He finds that the imposed regulations currently in place in order to minimize the anonymity of cash can be adopted to regulate bitcoin. Each country already has regulations to address people having foreign currency. Using the existing regulations for cash, gold and foreign currency, he believes we have the entire regulatory infrastructure to deal with bitcoin. However, he states that there are some regulators very unfriendly towards bitcoin and this could be strengthening the conditions for over regulation. Over regulation could be no good for anyone and could stagnate and harm the ecosystem.
Do you believe the necessary regulations are already in place and can be adopted to handle digital currency? Let us know what you think!
Link to source
Photo source: 1


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Beyond Facebook: A look at social network history - Yahoo Finance
NEW YORK (AP) -- Facebook may have made social networking a worldwide cultural phenomenon, but it wasn't the first Internet company to connect people online. And it won't be the last. Here's a look at how social networking has evolved.
FACEBOOK IPO LIVE: The social network goes public - Yahoo Finance
It's Facebook's big day. The site, which was born in a dorm room eight years ago and has grown into a worldwide network of almost a billion people, is making the most talked-about stock market debut in years. For most of the last half-hour of ...

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Stellar Value Chain hires 5,000 people ahead of festival season1 min read . Updated: 15 Sep 2021, 12:00 PM IST
- The new recruitments are for business areas such as transportations, hub and sorting centres and warehousing facilities
Bengaluru: Stellar Value Chain Solutions, a supply chain company on Wednesday said it has hired 5,000 people in various roles ahead of the festival season to cater to the growing demand in e-commerce and other segments such as fashion lifestyle and retail, FMCG and consumer durables.
The new recruitments are for business areas such as transportations, hub and sorting centres and warehousing facilities. Positions have been created in metros and non-metro cities such as Indore, Lucknow, Raipur, Coimbatore, Jammu among other places.
Stellar Value Chain Solutions has scaled up headcount and strengthened its supply chain network to meet the increasing consumer demand from both e-commerce and consumer retail segments. The company has also rolled out 12 million Grade A warehouse infrastructure fully compliant with Built-to-Suit (BTS) norms and state-of-the-art design.
“With markets gradually opening up ahead of the festive season and the number of consumers shopping online steadily growing, we have decided to step up hiring to meet the anticipated surge in consumer demand both in online shopping and offline retail. With added manpower, warehousing space and tech-enabled infrastructure. We'll help our clients offer superior customer experience during the festive season," said Anshuman Singh, chairman and managing director, Stellar Value Chain Solutions.
The company recently launched 1 million square feet of warehousing facilities in Hosur in Tamil Nadu and Banur in Punjab to offer fulfillment and distribution services to companies in sectors such as e-commerce, consumer durables and retail.
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SEOUL, Feb.24 (Korea Bizwire) – A new service that offers delivery for convenience store items such as boxed meals and bottled water is gaining popularity.
According to representatives from convenience store chain CU, the number of deliveries made in January jumped 10.5 times compared to July 2015.
Since June 2015, CU has provided delivery services in partnership with Please, a delivery service business. By purchasing CU products on the Please site or CU membership website, purchases that exceed a total of 10,000 won can be delivered to a desired location within 40 minutes.
Using GPS, the closest CU store to the customer is selected. After the purchased products are prepared, Please delivers them to the customer.
Currently, there are 200 CU stores offering the delivery service in Seoul, up from 30 when the service was first launched. The average purchase has also increased in value to 20,000 won from 14,000 won.
Popular products differed between customers, with 59 percent of the delivery orders occurring in office areas, and beverages, bottled water, and boxed meals topping the ranks.
On the other hand, areas with a large population of single-person households (21 percent) and other residential areas (10 percent) saw delivery requests of boxed meals and bottled water most frequently.
CU plans to expand its delivery services to other big cities by the end of the year.
The company is currently holding a ‘CU 100 won delivery’ promotion, offering a delivery fee of only 100 won regardless of the cost of the ordered products.
By Francine Jung (email@example.com)


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If the last week has taught me anything, it's that while social media has plenty of evangelists (hi!), there's also no shortage of people that think these tools are completely overrated and over-hyped. Naturally, we evangelists would beg to differ.
But the problem is, even those of us that use these tools are often hard-pressed to find good examples of companies that are really using social media effectively to reach their customers. I've blogged before about how I am 'tired' of talking about Dell's wonderful work in this space. Simply because I want to see other Fortune 500 companies follow Dell's lead and get active with social media as a way to reach their customers.
So to those that subscribe to the 'social media is just a fad/overrated/overhyped' idea, the fact that companies are struggling to show solid bottom-line results from their social media efforts is music to their ears. To the naysayers, this tells them that there's no 'real' benefits to be found. Which is why these tools are 'overrated' and 'overhyped' and that we blogging/social media evangelists need to 'calm down' and 'get over ourselves'.
But if Company A launches a social media strategy that does nothing to grow their business, does this mean that social media doesn't work, or that this company's social media strategy didn't work?
It's an important question to ask. Is it that social media doesn't have the potential to improve business that we evangelists think, or is it that many businesses aren't sure how to tap into that potential?
And it seems that more and more companies are betting that the potential is there. Dell's efforts speak for themselves, Lionel recently announced that the company was opening up many social sites such as Twitter, Plurk, Facebook, etc, to all its employees. Ford recently hired Scott Monty to be the company's first Director of Social Media, and he'll head up a 5-person team for the automaker. Disney is hiring a Social Media Manager. Pepsico was recently advertising an opening for a Director of Social Media.
So if Social Media is overrated and overhyped, as some claim, why are all these big companies putting money into this space? On the flipside, if social media IS working for companies, why can't they more effectively show the bottom-line results?
I think an important reason why is because social media, when utilized effectively, makes a company's existing business processes more effective. Much has been made of Dell's turnaround over the last couple of years. But even Dell's biggest social media advocates, such as Richard Binhammer, are the first to admit that while they 'think' that social media is helping their company grow, they don't really have hard numbers to point to that prove this. Is it coincidence that LinkedIn's surge in traffic seemed to coincide with the company hiring popular blogger Mario Sundar as its Community Evangelist, launching a company blog and adding more social elements to its interface? Maybe. Masi has enjoyed impressive sales growth in the past few years, despite a relatively modest advertising and marketing budget. But they do have a brand manager named Tim Jackson that's incredibly active in social media. Like Richard, Tim would likely say that he thinks that social media is greatly contributing to his company's growth, but he can't directly quantify the bottom-line impact.
But in each case, social media DID help these companies perform their existing business functions more effectively. Social media has helped Dell better communicate with its customers, and this improved communicate no doubt greatly contributed to the percentage of negative blog posts the company tracked falling from 49% to around 20% currently. LinkedIn launching a company blog helped the site better connect with its users and better educate them on how to use the site as a networking and connection tool. By connecting with current and potential customers via his blog and other social sites, Tim Jackson has greatly helped raise the online awareness for Masi.
Is it that social media's potential for businesses is overrated, or is it that many companies aren't realizing the potential that social media holds for growing their business? What do you think?


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Surplus of current account of balance of payments in 2020 will be 2.9% of GDP - NBU
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has downgraded the forecast for the consolidated account of the balance of payments in 2020 from a surplus of 4.4% of GDP (in the July forecast) to a surplus of 2.9% of GDP, the regulator's website said.
"Although the current account will record a surplus of about 3% of GDP in 2020, it will return to deficit in the coming years," the statement said.
"The coronavirus pandemic has markedly decreased energy prices, while also reducing Ukrainians' demand for imported goods and travelling abroad, and businesses' demand for investment products. Meanwhile, external conditions were favorable for Ukraine's main exports. Consequently, over the entire year, exports will fall much less pronouncedly than imports. As a result, the current account will post a surplus," the NBU said on its website.
According to the regulator's forecasts, in 2021 the deficit of the current account of the balance of payments will be 2.3% (in the July forecast 2.8%), in 2022 it will expand to 5.1% (4.5%).
"The economic recovery is triggering a widening of both consumer and investment imports, a trend which was already apparent in Q3, 2020. The rebounding global economy is also pushing energy prices up. In addition, Ukraine's income from gas transit will fall both this and next year," the bank said.


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Ford has declared it’ll usher in seven electrical autos, combining passenger as nicely industrial EVs, in Europe by 2024.The primary electrical automobile might be a five-seater mid-size crossover whose title might be revealed by Ford later this 12 months.
Ford introduced on Monday that it’ll convey three new all-electric, totally linked passenger autos and 4 new electrical industrial autos in Europe by 2024. Ford additionally shared its goal to promote six million electrical autos within the area by 2026.
Ford will begin the manufacturing of an all-new electrical passenger automobile which might be a five-seater mid-sized crossover subsequent 12 months together with a second EV that might be sports activities crossover and these might be produced in Cologne. The automaker shared the all-electric medium-sized crossover will have the ability to cowl a distance of 500 km on a single cost and the title of this EV might be revealed later this 12 months.
Additionally learn | Ford foresees 12% gross sales drop in US this 12 months: Report
One among Ford’s top-selling fashions the Ford Puma can even are available an electrical model and might be manufactured in Craiova, Romania, beginning in 2024. The corporate can even introduce an electrical model of the Ford Transit Customized one-tonne van and the Ford Tourneo Customized multi-purpose automobile in 2023 adopted by constructing smaller, next-generation fashions of Ford Transit Courier van and Tourneo Courier multi-purpose automobile in 2024.
Ford President and CEO Jim Farley mentioned he’s pleased to see the tempo of change in Europe to construct higher, cleaner and extra digital autos. “Ford is all-in and transferring quick to fulfill the demand in Europe and across the globe,” added Farley. Ford of Europe chair Stuart Rowley mentioned, “ These new Ford electrical autos sign what’s nothing lower than the whole transformation of our model in Europe – a brand new technology of zero-emission autos, optimized for a linked world, providing our prospects actually excellent consumer experiences.”
Additionally learn | This six-wheel Ford Bronco appears to be like apocalypse prepared
This announcement comes within the wake of the automaker’s current transfer to create a brand new international enterprise unit, Ford Mannequin e, that can concentrate on the design, manufacturing and distribution of electrical and linked autos. The corporate shared along with Ford Professional, the enterprise that focuses on the industrial automobile section, and the Ford Mannequin e, it’ll outline its future within the European continent. Funding within the new electrical passenger autos that might be manufactured in Cologne is anticipated to be $2 billion. The funding additionally features a new battery meeting facility scheduled to start out operations in 2024.
First Revealed Date: 14 Mar 2022, 17:20 PM IST


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Niagara-on-the-Lake residents will have the opportunity to beat the box office when the Shaw Festival opens its 2013 season ticket sales early for its neighbours.
The theatre company will open early for Niagara-on-the-Lake residents, starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 5 they will be able to place orders for 2013 season tickets a day before the general public and receive an early booking price. Those taking advantage of the early booking will also receive a free wine tasting voucher from Peller Estates and Trius Winery at Hillebrand, a value of $28 per couple. The first 50 NOTL residents who make an in-person 2013 season ticket purchase at the Festival Theatre’s box office will receive a copy of Guys and Dolls - the new Broadway Cast Recording.
“We’re pleased to open the box office first to our Niagara-on-the-Lake neighbours,” said Elaine Calder, Shaw Festival executive director. “We have a long and supportive relationship with the Town and its residents, and this designated ordering date offers them the chance to select their seats early at advantageous prices in advance of the general public.”
The Shaw Festival’s 52nd season begins April 3, 2013, runs until October 27, 2013 and features 11 productions on the Festival’s four stages: Major Barbara, Guys and Dolls, Lady Windermere’s Fan, Enchanted April, Peace in our Time: A Comedy, The Light in the Piazza, Trifles, Our Betters, Faith Healer and Arcadia.
For more details visit www.shawfest.com.


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Google circulates to create unified, first-fee auctions for publishers. The usage of Google Ad Manager doesn’t merely change the auction type. It affects pricing, header bidding, writer flooring, and the way publishers see AdWords call for. Under the new policies, all exchanges will bid for an impact on an equal time, and Google will lose the “final look” it reserved for itself to outbid its fellow transfers through a 2d-charge public sale. “How precisely this may impact the atmosphere is depending on which constituent became benefiting maximum from this benefit – publishers with higher ultimate expenses, customers with higher ROI, or Google themselves,” said Rajeev Goel, CEO of PubMatic. Buyers will need to use bid shading algorithms to bid successfully, and publishers should modify floors and study the nuances of the new public sale mechanics.
Most of the resources AdExchanger spoke with – buyers, dealers, and providers – predicted that charges would upward thrust briefly, then stabilize or even fall in the long-term. At least that’s what took place while the rest of the environment standardized on first-charge auctions earlier than Google. While CPMs to begin with rose, they’ve dipped in recent quarters as buyers commenced aggressively bid shading – a truth showed via many publishers and borne out in Rubicon Project’s income. Eventually, CPMs, in all likelihood, stabilize and discover an equilibrium as each side adapt. Besides pricing, many industry experts ask how Google’s alternate will affect header bidding and flooring strategies, Google’s AdWords business, and publishers’ quest for transparency.
Will Google’s unified, first-price auction kill header bidding?
Header bidding unified publishers’ auctions, permitting them to wrest manage from Google, which didn’t allow competing demand to vie for every effect. Now that Google will permit all shoppers to compete within the same public sale, what happens to header bidding? Former AppNexus CEO Brian O’Kelley predicts Google may want to kill off header bidding competition by dropping its charge on its header bidding-like product, trade bidding if publishers bypass the AppNexus Prebid, Index Exchange, or Amazon Transparent Ad Marketplace (TAM) wrapper. “This routes all supply thru Google in a unified auction,” O’Kelley said, “that’s brilliant for the publisher from a yield perspective and places Amazon in a nook.”
Or the opposite may occur, and header bidding will thrive beneath the newly unified auction. Once Google AdX and alternate bidding do not understand the “price to beat,” they aren’t so unique anymore, stated Chris Kane, founding the father of Jounce Media. “That will be sincerely accurate information for Prebid and Amazon TAM.” The concept of publishers abandoning header bidding because Google unifies auctions doesn’t appear likely stated Rubicon Project CTO Tom Kershaw. “It will not undermine header bidding,” he stated. “There is not anything [Google] can do to prevent that train.” Added Kargo CEO Harry Kargman: “Why might a writer give up the header if they get the great of both worlds?”
Will publishers want to invest extra in handling public sale floors?
Flooring techniques in first-charge auctions vary from floors techniques in 2nd fee auctions. When publishers set floors, they set a minimum rate for their inventory which will maintain its cost. In a first-rate auction, buyers use bid shading to reduce the CPM as a whole lot as viable without compromising their win fee. Floor rates make sure that consumers don’t lessen their charges too low. Chris Stark, the co-founding father of Freestar, which manages ad stock for publishers, believes that publishers will need to rent in-residence statistics scientists or data engineers to create state-of-the-art first-charge floors strategies.
Publishers can nevertheless keep pricing manipulate and control yield through their header bidding wrapper, said Meredith, SVP of data and programmatic answers Chip Schenck. The header bidding wrapper conducts the auction earlier than Google Ad Manager, which gives publishers manipulation they wouldn’t get via merely using Google. This introduced manipulation but any other purpose why Google’s unified public sale may not stop header bidding. The fee of now not doing so … can be hidden in declining revenue as the purchase aspect receives better at bid shading,” Stark stated.


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A TV News report out of Philadelphia shows that some produce items sold at Farmers' Markets are not grown on the local farm, but rather the same commercially grown items sold at the grocery store. Sure, it is still fresh, but not grown by the guy selling it, or probably not grown in the same region. The problem is that people don't realize it and they are spending more for it than they would at the grocery store.
This should not come as a surprise. If you are buying berries in Lancaster at this time of the year, it is probably not grown anywhere near Lancaster. Farmers' markets vendors will supplement what they grow with other items to have a broader offering. To get these items, they often go to the same produce wholesalers / distributors where your grocery store gets them. And because they are buying in smaller quantities, they pay more and thus charge more.
There is no problem with this as long as the consumer understands what they are buying. It the consumer wants to pay a couple extra bucks to help support their local farmers' market vendor, have at it. If you feel you have been duped, then talk with your farmers' market vendor. Find out which items are truly local. Also, understand what crops are grown in your area and the season for that crop.
(Thanks Josh for this link).
ABC News Channel 6 Philadelphia
FOOD & DRINK
Action News Investigation: Is farmers market produce really from the farm?
Friday, November 04, 2016 11:56AM
ST. DAVIDS, Pa. (WPVI) -- An Action News investigation revealed not all those fruits and vegetables, packaged alongside local grown produce, may actually be from nearby farms.
Action News viewer, Arjun, contacted Action News after his visit to the Good Harvest Produce stand at the Lancaster County Farmers Market in Delaware County.
Arjun took video on his cell phone after witnessing a farmer repackaging produce.
"You can see the gentleman emptying boxes and boxes of Driscoll's into these green recycled containers," he said.
Arjun said he wanted to know why mass-produced berries were being sold without clear labeling.
"I find it deceptive that mass-produced food is being almost peddled as farm grown local food," he added.
On a trip to the same stand, Action News also found packaging from other produce grown out of the area also in plain sight. Our cameras also captured both local and mass-produced produce sold in similar containers, side by side.
Action News Investigative Reporter Wendy Saltzman asked the stands owner about the repackaging.
"We do it right in front of the customer so there is no question," said Chris Powell of Good Harvest Produce.
Powell said he has been at the Lancaster County Farmers Market for 18 years. He said he is not hiding anything, and admits his stand repackages and sells produce from large manufacturers. Powell said his customers expect the best.
"We're looking for poor quality, spoilage, taking that out so when the customer gets home they have a pint of good raspberries," he added.
Powell told Action News he delineates what is grown at the Good Harvest farm and what isn't based on signage.
He added, "Homegrown from Lancaster County, that's fresh, that's homegrown, fresh in. Anything that's not from the area or Lancaster County says fresh produce."
"It's almost like a decoding chart that one needed to be able to buy produce, and I think that should not be the case," said Arjun.
Action News also found a price difference.
On a shopping trip to a nearby grocery store just down the road, a 12-ounce container of Driscoll raspberries sold for $5.98. At Powell's stand, a pint sold for $6.99. Saltzman asked Powell about it.
"My question is how much spoilage is in there?" he asked.
Action News also visited Reading Terminal Market in Center City to see if they repackaged produce. We did not find any evidence of that. Our cameras saw Driscoll's products only be sold in their original containers. Produce from nearby farms was labeled as local.
Arjun said he just wants to know what he is buying and that is why he went local.
"I'm thinking homegrown, good, fresh, support local community, local economy," he added.
In Pennsylvania there is no law that requires grocers to tell consumers where their produce comes from or if it has been repackaged from another source.
Driscoll's, a family-owned company, told us in a statement:
If true, we are disappointed that an individual switched packaging and misrepresented the Driscoll's branded fruit. At the foundation of Driscoll's, a family-owned company with a rich farming history, are our independent growers. While we deliver delicious varieties of berries, our growers oversee all aspects of farming, from planting, harvesting and packing fresh berries. We greatly value the fruit grown by our wonderful growers, and educate those that sell our berries to understand the positive impact these growers have on their local communities.


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'Obi-Wan Kenobi' is now streaming on Disney Plus — here's how to watch the new 'Star Wars' series starring Ewan McGregor
The new "Star Wars" show focuses on Obi-Wan Kenobi's adventures nine years before "A New Hope." The series debuted May 27 exclusively on Disney Plus.
Inside Netflix's plans to get into live TV programming, which put it in a race with Disney+ in the next phase of the streaming wars
After Disney+ announced its foray into live programming with 'Dancing With the Stars,' Netflix committed a small team to tackle live-streaming.
A Republican congressman who says Disney is sexualizing children and 'kowtowing' to Chinese Communists is also a Disney stockholder
Disney is "allied with a hostile foreign regime and domestic ideologues who seek to tear our country apart," Rep. Chris Jacobs recently wrote.
'Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers' is a new action comedy starring the voices of Andy Samberg and John Mulaney — here's how to watch
The satirical movie comes from The Lonely Island comedy team. "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers" is exclusive to Disney Plus and won't be in theaters.
Disney Plus costs $8 a month for ad-free streaming, but a cheaper plan with ads is coming in late 2022
Disney Plus is available for $8/month or $80/year. Bundles with Hulu and ESPN+ start at $14/month, and you can add live TV for $70/month.
Alicia Stella turned her passion into a career. Her predictions of new rides at Disney and elsewhere go on her website, podcast, and YouTube channel.
Marvel's 'Doctor Strange' sequel slipped at the box office in its second weekend, but no worse than the hit 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'
"Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" dropped 67.5% at the US box office over the weekend, in line with "No Way Home."
It's the second quarter in a row Disney World and Disneyland have seen a major increase in visitor spending compared to pre-pandemic times.
Disney touted subscriber gains and growth ahead but insiders have been speculating about CEO Bob Chapek's missteps, how he can keep his job, and who might replace him
While the Disney board has given no indication it will replace CEO Bob Chapek, his contract has yet to be renewed as he battles his own messaging gaffes, Florida's governor, and predecessor Bob Iger's legacy.
Disney just eclipsed Netflix with strong subscriber growth and an aggressive international push — and it's more proof that we're entering a new era of the streaming wars
Disney's Q2 earnings report painted a largely bullish picture for the company as streaming first mover Netflix remains on the back foot after subscriber losses and a stock price plunge.
Dr. Seuss Enterprises is reportedly eyeing a sale as M&A in kids content heats up. Here are 6 acquisition targets for buyers seeking the youngest audiences.
"CoComelon" owner Moonbug sold to Candle Media and now Dr. Seuss Enterprises may be looking for a buyer, Axios reported. Experts told Insider which kids and family content producers could be ripe for acquisition.
How Warner Bros. Discovery post-merger can compete with Netflix and Disney as the streaming wars evolve
With the ink still drying on Discovery's $43 billion acquisition of WarnerMedia, CEO David Zaslav is building the combined Warner Bros. Discovery into a media powerhouse.
'Moon Knight' is Marvel's latest original series for Disney Plus — here's how to watch all 6 episodes
"Moon Knight" stars Oscar Isaac as Marvel's most enigmatic comic book superhero. The six-episode series is now available to steam on Disney Plus.
Sen. Marco Rubio's new bill wouldn't let employers deduct travel expenses that pay for abortion or trans care for minors
The No Tax Breaks for Radical Corporate Activism Act comes as companies such as Disney and Amazon have spoken out on social issues.
Every 'Star Wars' movie and show you can stream on Disney Plus — from 'A New Hope' to 'The Book of Boba Fett'
Disney Plus has every major "Star Wars" movie. The service also has exclusive series like "The Mandalorian" and the upcoming "Obi-Wan Kenobi" show.
DisneyNow is a free streaming service for kids with popular shows from Disney's TV channels — here's how it works
DisneyNow is the streaming home for the Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney Junior. Many shows are free, and you can unlock more with a cable plan.
Disney's 'Don't Say Gay' misstep holds a key lesson: CEOs are human-rights leaders now, whether they like it or not
Companies can't dodge political fights, as consumers and employees press corporations to reflect their personal values. Disney learned the hard way.
Search engines like Google are what made the digital age possible. So why is it so hard to find something as simple as an email?
DeSantis targeting Disney is a 'boneheaded move' and shows he's trying to be 'king of Florida,' says Rep. Charlie Crist
Rep. Charlie Crist criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis for stripping Disney's self-governing status, saying DeSantis wants to have "one-man rule" of Florida.
It's the latest salvo against Disney after the company denounced the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill, sparking a feud with Florida's Republican leaders


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Samsung launched their Burgundy Red Samsung Galaxy S8 last year and now they are launching the handset in India.
The red version of the Samsung Galaxy S8 will go on sale in India on the 13th of April and the handset will retail for RS 49,990. There will be an additional Paytm cashback of INR 10,000 on the handset.
“Galaxy S8 builds on Samsung’s heritage of creating stunning designs and meaningful innovations that transform people’s lives. The smartphone redefines the future of style and consumer experience with a stunning bezel-less, dual-edge Infinity Display that provides a truly cinematic viewing experience. The device also comes with Samsung Pay, the mobile payment service with defense-grade security, the best low-light camera and a virtual assistant, Bixby.”
You can find out more details about the Burgundy Red Samsung Galaxy S8 over at Samsung at the link below.
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.


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Kylie Jenner is a Kardashian and, like most of the Kardashians, she has probably never had an original thought in her life.
So it should come as no surprise that the idiot keeps getting busted for plagiarism.
Here’s a quick rundown of her past, um, lucrative indiscretions, before moving on to the latest scandal.
Back in 2016, ‘Kylie Cosmetics’ shared an image of dripping metallic lips on Instagram. That would have been fine, except that the image was actually the work of makeup artist Vlada Haggerty, who subsequently called out Kylie and her makeup company.
The post was eventually deleted and that should have been the end of it, but Kylie did it again when she posted an ad campaign that’s practically identical to a concept shared by Haggerty a few months before:
Then, in 2017 Kylie released a camo-themed clothing line that was quickly called out for its obvious similarity to New York brand Plugged NYC’s collection of camo bikinis, crop tops and pants.
Now, in the latest plagiarism scandal, Kylie and her makeup line ‘Kylie Cosmetics’ is in hot water YET again for allegedly copying designs from an indie makeup company, Sheree Cosmetics, who is consequently suing them for unspecified damages.
Here’s the Daily Beast:
The suit, which was filed today in federal court, claims that Kylie Cosmetics ripped off Sheree Cosmetics’ “Born to Sparkle” makeup line— including an eyeshadow palette with 15 glittery shades—and name when they released their latest collection, also entitled “Born to Sparkle,” this August.
Per the Daily Mail, Kylie released her “Born to Sparkle” collection, complete with several glittery liquid eyeshadows, on August 6; even though Sheree Cosmetics filed the trademark for their “Born to Sparkle” tagline and collection on August 30, the company claims their palette has been available since October of 2017.
Most of Kylie’s “Born to Sparkle” collection has already sold out after she posted a photo of herself to Instagram wearing some “Born to Sparkle” eyeshadow.
I forget sometimes that these people and their lives are possible because the world is full of people who actually buy into them.
The similarities to Sheree Cosmetics’ makeup collection are blatantly present in Kylie Cosmetics’ version. The name is exactly the same for one. Oh, and the formula is also practically identical. You can see Sheree Cosmetics eyeshadow palette (left) and Kylie Cosmetics (right) below.
This is the latest in a trend of plagiarism, whereby the Jenners and Kardashians rip off lesser-known indie designers – usually women of colour – for their own makeup and clothing lines. To quote Haggerty:
“Crediting artists is essential, but this goes beyond that,” she said of Kylie Cosmetics’ alleged plagiarism. “It’s theft; this is our livelihood… I see these things happen too many times to artists. We are all trying to make it, and this business is extremely competitive. I would ask anyone at this level use the proper channels to obtain images.”
Kylie has yet to issue a statement on her most recent lawsuit. She’s probably trying to find a creative way to say she’s sorry she got caught.
We already knew that watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians makes you a bad person.
I’m going to add that supporting their clothing or makeup lines makes you a bit of a bad person too, especially because the lawsuit only ever takes place after the product has already turned a profit.
Just remember that every time you apply your Kylie eyeshadow, you’re taking away someone else’s livelihood.
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Warning That Backup Cameras Can Go Dark, Ford Recalls More Than 700K VehiclesThe Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 700,000 vehicles in the U.S. because the backup cameras can show distorted images or suddenly go dark.
Hyundai, Kia Recall More Than Half A Million Vehicles For Leaks That Can Cause FiresKorean automakers Hyundai and Kia are recalling more than 591,000 vehicles in the U.S. to fix a brake fluid leak that could cause engine fires.
Concerns About Possible Brake Fluid Leaks Result In Ford Recall Of Midsize SUVsFord is recalling more than half-a-million midsize SUVs in North America because the brakes may not work properly.
Some Jeep Cherokees Being Recalled To Fix Transmission Problem That Can Cause Power LossTransmission problems that can cause certain model SUVs to lose power unexpectedly, has resulted in Fiat Chrysler recalling almost 95,000 Jeep Cherokees.
Hood Latch Problem Causes Nissan To Recall Nearly 1.9M CarsFor the fourth time, Nissan is recalling hundreds of thousands of cars to fix a latch problem that could allow the hood to fly open while cars are moving.
Backup Camera Issue Leads To Recall Of 365K Fiat Chrysler Cars, Truck, SUVs And VansFiat Chrysler is recalling more than 350K vehicles because the rear view camera image can stay illuminated longer than allowed.
More Than 250K Nissan SUVs, Trucks & Vans Being Recalled To Replace Takata Air BagsPotentially dangerous Takata air bag inflators are again at the center of a massive automobile recall -- this time involving more than a quarter-million Nissan SUVs, trucks and vans.
Ford Recalls 250K+ Cars In U.S. States With High Temperatures To Fix Door LatchesThe Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 250,000 cars in the U.S. to fix doors that could open unexpectedly or may not close properly.
Headlamp Issue Has Ford Recalling 200K+ F-150 PickupsFord is recalling hundreds of thousands of pickup trucks to fix a problem with the daytime running lights.
Suspension Part Problem Leads To Recall Of 240K Ford SUVs And CarsThey say a suspension part can break and increase the risk of a crash, now the Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 240,000 SUVs and cars.
More Than 6 Million Honda, Toyota Vehicles Recalled For Air Bag ProblemsIn all, more than 6 million vehicles worldwide are being recalled by Toyota and Honda for two different air bag glitches that present different dangers to motorists.
Nearly 700,000 Toyota Cars & Trucks Recalled To Make Fuel Pump RepairsNearly 700,000 vehicles are being recalled by Toyota because the fuel pumps can fail and not only cause engines to stall, but increase the risk for a crash.
Battery And Brake Problems Lead To Recall Of 800K+ GM Pickups, CarsProblems with electronic brake controls and battery cables has prompted General Motors to recall more than 814,000 pickups and cars in the U.S.
BMW Telling Some Customers To Park Their Older 3-Series Cars Due To Air Bag DangerAnother recall of dangerous Takata air bag inflators has BMW telling owners of some older model 3-series cars to stop driving the vehicles.
640K GM Pickups Recalled Because Seat Belts Can Cause Carpet FiresConcerns about possible fires has General Motors recalling more than 640,000 pickup trucks because hot gas from a high-tech seat belt can ignite the carpeting.


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Apple will pay one-time bonuses of as much as $1,000 (roughly Rs. 73,710 crores) to store employees next month, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The company will give out $1,000 (roughly Rs. 73,710 crores) to retail staff hired before March 31, while those who joined later will get $500 (roughly Rs. 36,840), the report said.
New employees for the holiday shopping season will receive $200 (roughly Rs. 14,730) and bonuses will also be handed out to AppleCare and online sales staff, the report added.
Apple did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment
The company’s retail chief told Reuters in June that Apple was expanding its retail operations, betting that a combination of strategies developed before and during COVID-19 will make its stores more popular than ever.
In other Apple-related news, the iPhone maker has blacklisted Fortnite from its App Store for several years until all the court appeals are done, Epic Games Chief Executive Officer Tim Sweeney said on Wednesday.
Epic Games’ opening brief in its appeal to the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is due December 12, according to a court filing and Apple’s reply is due by January 20, 2022. The full appeal process could take years.
Sweeney took to Twitter on Wednesday, calling out Apple’s move and said the company will continue to fight the tech giant.
“This is another extraordinary anticompetitive move by Apple, demonstrating their power to reshape markets and choose winners and losers,” Sweeney said on Twitter.
The two companies have been locked in a legal dispute since August last year when the game maker tried to get around Apple’s 30 percent fee on some in-app purchases on the App Store by launching its own in-app payment system.
The US tech giant is facing a raft of other legal and regulatory challenges to rules it forces game makers to follow, including the closely watched antitrust lawsuit brought by Epic Games.
Apple confirmed the authenticity of the letter that Sweeney shared, but declined to comment further. Apple has not yet said whether it will ask for the injunction to be paused pending the appeal process.


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PwC survey urges retailers to keep pace with buying trends
Internet shopping has gone from “rare to routine” according to this year’s PwC report on consumer shopping trends.
The report, entitled Pick ‘n’ Mix – meeting the demands of the new multichannel shopper, found that almost one-third of consumers shop online at least once per week and 14% shop online more than once per week.
And the good news for digital retailers doesn’t stop there. PwC found that 60% of the 1,000 people that it surveyed were expecting to spend even more online over the coming two to three years.
Retailers should study the detail of the PwC report, which lists a number of technological, business and behavioural trends that profoundly shift the balance of power between all retailers and all consumers.
Over the three years that PwC has been tracking shopping behaviour, the shift to digital retail has been profound. In 2007, only 4% of consumers bought online more than once per week. Last year, 14% did so.
The report identifies several distinct factors that have driven this shift, including:
• Broadband is reaching a critical mass and is no longer confined to the early-adopting youthful end of the market.
• Far more devices connect to the internet. Smart phones, tablet PCs, televisions and games consoles all allow people to shop online.
• Software is becoming easier to use and more sophisticated. For example, Tesco has just launched a new iPhone app that turns the handset into a mobile barcode scanner that keeps track of a supermarket shop.
• The best retailers are using every digital weapon in their arsenals to build closer relationships with their customers. Personalised e-mails and social networks are just part of an ever-improving set of marketing tools based on instant reach to the market and constant data gathering.
• These digital marketing tools are constantly used to push promotions and special offers. “Shopping around for a bargain is proving to be a ‘sticky’ behaviour and is likely to persist through the new austerity and beyond,” the report states.
• Consumers like reviews and act on them. They increasingly value and trust consumer reviews.
PwC warns that failing to develop a multichannel strategy that draws lessons from the best exponents could prove fatal for traditional retailers.
“Those that fail to do this run a very real risk of losing market share to competitors who have a sharper understanding of how consumer behaviours are changing,” the report concludes.


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TESCO has raised eyebrows among shoppers by attaching security stickers to blocks of cheese costing £2.50.
Across the UK, incredulous consumers have posted pictures of cheddar slapped with bright yellow security tags.
The stickers contain a metal strip which, unless deactivated at the till, will set off the exit alarms.
Such security tags have become commonplace on higher priced items such as DVDs, expensive cuts of meat, and fine wines.
But Tesco shoppers were amazed to find them on 350g blocks of Cathedral City mature cheddar costing less than a high street coffee.
Chris Fairbairn, from Edinburgh, popped into his local Tesco Express in Great Junction Street, Leith, to get ingredients for a spaghetti bolognaise.
Chris, 26, said: “You expect to see security stickers on supermarket items such as aftershaves, perfumes – even expensive meat.
“But to see them on an everyday item such as cheddar cheese really was surprising.
“Leith is so often referred to as an up and coming area but if residents can’t be trusted not to help themselves to cheese – by the likes of Tesco – you really have to question that.”
Emma Hampton, from Norwich, Norfolk, shared a picture on Twitter which also shows her Cathedral City slapped with a security sticker.
She wrote: “I would love to know what turn of events led Tesco to feel the need to start security tagging cheese.”
Another shopper, from Liverpool, said: “Can’t believe Tesco have put security protection on cheese. What has life come to?”
Twitter user Julee (corr) Gray wrote: “Just been to Tesco and the cheese has security tags on it…must have some devious mice up these parts.”
Last year, the company resorted to placing the security stickers on shopping baskets at a store in Manchester after the 5p bag charge was introduced.
Bosses said they made the decision after almost a third of baskets were stolen within a week.


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"We now invite first-class passengers, those traveling with small children or need assistance boarding and ... Utes fans to board."
That'll soon be reality for those flying out of Salt Lake City on Alaska Airlines thanks to a partnership between the airline and school that will give priority boarding to any Utah fans wearing a Ute jersey or shirt between Aug. 23 and Dec. 1.
It's been a good week for creative marketing concepts coming out of the Pac-12 following word Oregon would use scratch-and-sniff tickets that smell like Carl's Jr. hamburgers.
And as much joy smelling a fast-food burger on a piece of paper might bring, Utah is the clear winner offering something of actual value that, as a bonus, will surely infuriate fans of BYU and Utah State.
Well played, Utah. Well played.
"We are excited about our recent expansion in SLC and recognize the important role the University of Utah plays in the community. We are proud to support this great institution and their fans, students, faculty and alumni," Alaska Airlines announced in a statement.
In addition to the priority boarding, the airline will also offer cheaper fares for road games and for out-of-state fans traveling to Utah home games.
For other Pac-12 fans, there is, apparently, some consolation.
@GuntherKFAN If you wear a Pac12 shirt, we will give you a high five. ;) -John
— Alaska Airlines (@AlaskaAir) August 1, 2014


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Labor Board Says Wal-Mart Illegally Threatened Protesting Workersby
As unhappy Wal-Mart workers were getting ready to stage protests on the Friday that followed Thanksgiving in 2012, the world’s biggest retailer was threatening employees with reprisal on national TV and elsewhere. That was illegal, according to a Nov. 18 statement by the National Labor Relations Board. The decision comes two weeks before this year’s Black Friday, when Walmart workers plan to protest again.
According to the NLRB, Walmart also “unlawfully threatened, disciplined, and/or terminated employees” in 13 states for protesting working conditions. And in four states, Walmart “unlawfully threatened, surveilled, disciplined, and/or terminated employees in anticipation of or in response to employees’ other protected concerted activities.” In a statement, Walmart said: “We disagree with this position by the Division of Advice. This is just a procedural step and we will pursue our options to defend the company because we believe our actions were legal and justified.”
The board will seek a settlement with Walmart that may include rehiring as many as 117 employees with back pay, according to Dan Schlademan, director of Making Change at Walmart, a union-backed campaign to pressure the company to improve wages and working conditions. The case also covers striking workers who took their complaints to the company’s shareholder meeting in Bentonville, Ark., in June, according to a statement from Our Walmart, an association of employees that’s also union-backed.
It wasn’t all bad news for Walmart, though. The labor board found that Walmart was within its rights to ask protestors in Illinois and Texas to move from store property to public property. And it said that Walmart didn’t unlawfully change work schedules or otherwise retaliate against striking employees in California and Washington.


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Are Porsche 914's Selling for $50,000 the New Pricing Trend?
A Porsche 914 selling for over $50,000 is not a record, but is it becoming a trend?
Three four-cylinder Porsche 914’s sold in the $50,000 stratosphere in the past year on Bring-a-Trailer (BaT). The most recent one was a Sunflower Yellow 1973 2.0-liter that sold for $54,750 on November 13, 2021. Prior to that there was 1974 Olympic Blue Porsche 914 1.8 that sold for $55,000 August 30, 2021 and a Forest Green 1975 Porsche 914 2.0 that sold for $59.914 on July 9, 2021.
Normally one thinks of a top quality four-cylinder 914 selling for $25,000 - $35,000 so prices in excess of $50,000 definitely are worthy of looking at what brings these abnormal prices. As you can imagine the excitement level among 914 owners is high after years of being overlooked by the Porsche world. Every Porsche 914 owner now thinks that they have a $50,000 914, but that is not the case. Only special cars bring these high, high prices.
In studying these three sales, there seems to be three key similarities between the cars.
Color: Air-Cooled Porsches of all models gain a premium for a unique, period color. Sunflower Yellow, Olympic Blue and Forest Green (Zambezei Green) are three popular period colors.


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The Global "Vegetable Beverages Market" is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.95% during the forecasting period (2022-2029).
Increasing demand for vegetable beverages owing to their nutritional benefits, rising global food and beverages industry, and increasing geriatric population are the major factors that are driving the global Vegetable Beverages market.
Increasing global food demand coupled with the rising benefits of vegetable beverages is a major factor augmenting the global vegetable beverages market. According to the statistics by the World Bank, the World population increased from 7.46 billion in 2016 to 7.55 billion in 2017 reaching 7.63 billion in 2017. According to the Food and agricultural organization, the projected global economic growth of about 2.9% annually would lead to a significant reduction or near elimination of absolute poverty in the developing countries of the world. Owing to this increase in the population and demand for requirement of food production, the market is expected to witness high growth rates in the forecast period.
However, stringent regulations imposed by various organizations such as the FDA and supply-demand imbalances of raw materials are the crucial factors that might impede the growth of the market in the forecast period.
Based on the type, the global Vegetable Beverages market is segmented into carrot juice, tomato juice, cucumber juice, blended juice, and others. The carrot juice segment is expected to dominate the global vegetable beverages market owing to the potential health benefits offered by carrot juice.
Carrot juice helps in increased metabolism by promoting weight loss. Carrot juice is a good source of beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A, which is one of the most powerful antioxidants and helps improve vision. Carrots contain vitamin C, which has healing properties. It helps skin recover faster from external wounds and trauma. Other important benefits of carrot juice are improved skin disorders, boosted immune system, reduced cancer risk, lowered cholesterol, strengthened brain function and healthier pregnancy. According to the statistics published by the Food and Agricultural Organization, the global production of oranges increased from 41.96 million tones in 2016 to 42.8 million tones in 2017. Owing to these factors, carrot juice market is expected to dominate the global vegetable beverages market in the future.
The Global Vegetable Beverages Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Middle East, and Africa.
The European region is expected to dominate the global vegetable beverages market in the forecast period owing to the highly increasing production rates of vegetables in the EU, especially in countries such as Spain, Italy, and Netherlands.
Italy produced 5.6 million tonnes of tomatoes in 2017, and Spain a further 5.2 million tonnes, the two Member States accounting for 61.6 % of the EU total. The United Kingdom was the largest carrot producer in the EU, with a harvested production of 0.9 million tonnes in 2017 (15.3 % of the EU total). Other key producer countries were Poland (14.3 % of the total), Germany (12.7 %) the Netherlands (10.8 %), and France (9.8 %). Furthermore, Spain and Italy remained the main EU producers of fruit; Spain accounted for one-third (32.9 %) of total EU fruit production and Italy one-fifth (22.7 %).
Owing to these factors, the European region is expected to dominate the global vegetables beverages market in the forecast period.
New product launches, expansion of facilities, mergers, and acquisitions, and strategic partnerships are vital strategies adopted by most companies to contribute to the growth of the company and improve their market growth rate.
For instance, in July 2019, Natural ingredients supplier Döhler Group strengthened its presence in the European fruit concentrates market with the acquisition of Spanish fruit processor Zumos Catalano Aragoneses (Zucasa). Zucasa produces juices, purees, sweet fruit concentrates, vegetables, and plants.
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April 1, 2002 at 5:58 PM EST - Updated June 29 at 8:00 PM
CHARDON, Ohio (AP) - Northeast Ohio maple producers who tapped their trees in early February enjoyed an above-average maple syrup harvest this year.
"Deciding when to tap is always a roll of the dice," said Les Ober, a Geauga County maple producer and a board member of the Ohio Maple Producers Association. "This year, the people who got out in the woods early were the people who guessed right."
Preliminary reports indicate statewide maple syrup production will drop from 96,000 gallons of syrup in 2001 to about 75,000 gallons this year, Ober said.
Retail prices are expected to remain stable at $32 to $38 per gallon. Last year's harvest was worth $2.7 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
A producer typically has 30 days from tapping to draw sap from the tree for making syrup, Ober said. After 30 days, the tap hole starts closing as the tree begins to heal.
Those who tapped about a week to 10 days before the traditional Presidents Day start date got a better harvest this year.
The guessing game revolves around figuring out when the ideal weather for syrup making -- warm days and cold nights -- will fall on the calendar. The risk in tapping too early is getting frozen out of syrup-making by a blast of winter in February.
Unseasonably warm weather in December and January persuaded many producers to start harvesting sap early.
"There was a certain feeling that if you didn't make your syrup early, you might not make it at all," said Aggie Sojka, whose syrup won top honors at the Ohio State Fair last year.
"I wish we would have gotten out earlier," said Jeff Burr of the Geauga Maple Co., one of the few operations still making syrup last week in an effort to boost its harvest. "We did OK, but nothing like last year."
Geauga County serves as the hub of Ohio's maple industry, and this week the community will hold its annual Maple Festival. The event runs Thursday through Sunday on Chardon Square.
(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


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In another sign of the recent strength of the U.S. consumer,
Simon Property Group
, the country's largest mall owner, said its funds from operations rose 9% in the fourth quarter.
The Indianapolis-based real estate investment trust, which is the first mall owner to report fourth-quarter results, also increased its quarterly dividend 8.6% to 76 cents a share.
Simon said its funds from operations, a common REIT performance metric, totaled $433.2 million, or $1.47 a share, in the quarter, up from $397.6 million, or $1.36 a share, a year earlier. Analysts expected FFO of $1.44 a share, according to Thomson First Call.
The results were boosted by improved leasing and healthy retail sales. Occupancy at Simon's malls stood at 93.1% at the end of 2005, up from 92.7% a year earlier. Comparable sales per square foot in the mall portfolio rose 5.4% year over year to $450. The sales number is important: Simon and other mall owners collect base rents from tenants and also grab "percentage rents," or small portions of retailers' sales.
During the quarter, Simon sold 13 of its "non-core" properties for $105.1 million, resulting in a net gain of $8.2 million. The company also bought two properties, paying $103.5 million for the Springfield Mall in Springfield, Pa., and $37 million for a 50% interest in Coddingtown Mall in Santa Rosa, Calif.
Simon also opened its Firewheel Town center development, a 785,000-square foot open-air shopping center outside of Dallas. The project cost $132 million.
For 2006, Simon projected FFO of $5.20 to $5.32 a share. Analysts have an average estimate for FFO of $5.30 a share.
During the company's earnings call Monday afternoon, investors will look for more information about the recently announced joint venture between Simon and two homebuilders,
, to develop a 5,485-acre land parcel in Phoenix into a master-planned community.
Simon shares recently traded up 22 cents to $81.69.


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According to the company, the decision to launch the freight service follows successful trials late last week.
The twice-daily, Monday-Friday service began on Monday 16 January and will be dedicated to carrying freight only between Troon and the island.
The company adds that the introduction of this freight only service to and from Troon will also free up additional deck capacity on MV Isle of Arran, which will continue to operate between Ardrossan and Brodick.
“Businesses and hauliers are being contacted directly about using this temporary service, which will operate on weekdays, whilst the MV Hebridean Isles is currently unable to utilise Ardrossan, as a result of technical defect which currently precludes safe operation at that port,” says CalMac.
Don McKillop, Area Operations Manager for CalMac for Clyde, added:
“These new, freight only sailings, are aimed at relieving pressure between Ardrossan and Brodick, by freeing up much-needed space for our other customers. This will be a temporary measure until MV Caledonian Isles is back from her scheduled annual overhaul. I must stress that the temporary Troon service is for commercial traffic only, it will not be carrying any passengers other than commercial vehicle drivers. We are contacting identified commercial customers to offer them spaces, including those with block bookings. This will relieve deck capacity between Ardrossan and Brodick and will allow the Tarbert-Portavadie route to resume, which had been cancelled to increase capacity on the Claonaig-Lochranza route.”


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Google has announced that it had acquired payments technology company name TxVia in order to the search giant’s payments capabilities and to accelerate innovation towards Google Wallet. Since 2008, TxVia has supported the management of more than 100 million accounts. TxVia is a technology pioneer that offers a fast, flexible and highly reliable payments platform. TxVia has also certified and directly connected to the major payment networks, which establishes a solid foundation for Google Wallet.
I2Mag, an Internet & Design Inspiration Magazine having emphasis on empowering and inspiring people by spreading the waves of knowledge. I2Mag is an independent news source dedicated to covering start-ups, reviewing internet products, social media, digital culture and technology news.


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Stowe Cider is looking to move its production to a new facility, according to a report in Stowe Today.
The move to the new 4,000-square-foot location will enable the cidery to quadruple its production. Construction is planned for this summer if state permits are approved. Local permits have already been secured. The owners anticipate that all permissions needed will be in hand by June.
The new location will be used primarily for production. Stowe Cider’s tasting room in the Red Barn shops will remain open.
Read all about it in this article from Stowe Today!
- Photo: Mary Bigham


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Designer Day set during Architectural Digest Home Design Show
February 24, 2011,
Experts in design and geriatrics will discuss how to design for aging Baby Boomers on March from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., with a networking reception to immediately follow.
Coinciding with the New York Design Festival, the event will take place at Pier 94 (12th Ave. and 55th St.) and is free and open to all show attendees.
Designer Day is sponsored by showroom building 7W in collaboration with the International Furnishings & Design Association New York Chapter (IFDA), the IFDA Educational Foundation and the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA).
For more information or to register for the show: http://www.archdigesthomeshow.com/for-the-trade/register
RSVP for the Networking Reception by March 11 at firstname.lastname@example.org or phone 212-686-6020.
Related Content By Author
The Countdown to the ICON Honors Continues featuring Christophe Pourny


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Michelin’s €450-million investment is the French tire-maker’s 21st North American factory, eight years after it originally planned it.
“I’m really excited because a few years ago, in 2008, I had to come to this country to postpone our investment because of the [global financial] crisis,” Michelin CEO Jean-Dominique Senard told ERJ’s sister publication Tire Business.
And according to Scott Clark, executive vice president and COO of Michelin North America, the new plant in León will be within a three-hour drive of 18 car maker assembly plants.
“The last time we launched a greenfield passenger tire plant in North America was over 30 years ago. So this is not something we do every day.
“This is a big deal and this is exactly the right place to be and at the right time,” said Clark during the ground-breaking ceremony on 22 Aug.
And the growth plans in Mexico are not exclusive to Michelin and Goodyear.
Just two months before Michelin, Pirelli Tyre SpA broke ground on a €176-million expansion of tire capacity at its four-year-old car and light truck tire plant in Silao, in Mexico’s Guanajuato state.
Production at the plant is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2017, which in addition to the upgrades on the current plant, will eventually bring up the capacity of the plant to 7.5 million tires a year by 2018.
Pirelli, too, cited Mexico’s “strategic position” as a key reason for the investment, which it said would support its NAFTA development.
And Yokohama has not ruled out Mexico as a possible location for its new plant, which it is expected to announce later this year.
“We are a late entry but, as somebody said, ‘it’s better late than later’,” said Humberto Gómez, managing director of Yokohama Tire Mexico in an interview with Tire Business in July.
The company ended 2014 with 15 full-service retail outlets in Mexico and 2015 with 56. That has grown since to 73 and “will end this year with 100,” said Gómez, who added: “We also have our first Yokohama truck centre in the state of Querétaro.”
Other supporting industries have also grown significantly in the country, with US carbon black manufacturer Sid Richardson, scouting for locations in North American country.


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Digi has announced that its initiatives to help users cope while staying home during the movement control period (MCO) have been extended until April 14.
A post on its MyDigi community page stated that all MCO initiatives, such as free additional 1GB Internet data daily for postpaid and postpaid broadband users, would be included in that extension.
Prepaid users can also get free additional 300MB Internet data and five minutes for calls when they purchase a RM10 reload or additional 1GB Internet data and 15 minutes for calls with RM30 reload. Details about more initiatives are available here.
Celcom is also extending its offerings until April 14 – including free unlimited access to WhatsApp (chat, voice and video call), as well as Microsoft 365 applications – for all postpaid and Xpax prepaid customers from 8am to 6pm daily. The company made the announcement on its Facebook page.
Prepaid users can also get six hours of unlimited Internet access instead of three hours (8am to 6pm, daily) when they purchase a Celcom Xpax Ultra Hour pass for RM2.
Prepaid users will also get 10% cashback when they purchase Xpax Reload RM10 and above through the Celcom Life app while Celcom Mega postpaid users can trade in their unused Internet quota for Boost e-wallet cashback. These offers are valid until June 30.
Yoodo, which is powered by Celcom, said active users can get free additional 1GB Internet data every Monday until April 27. More information available here.
Maxis has also announced that its initiatives to help users cope while staying home during the movement control period (MCO) has been extended to April 14.
This includes the free additional 3GB mobile Internet pass for all Maxis and Hotlink postpaid users, which can only be redeemed once and is valid for 30 days. Users can also get free data usage for video chat apps like Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams. These offers will be available for redemption from tomorrow (March 27) until April 26, according to the telco.
Hotlink prepaid users can get additional 20GB free through selected HotlinkMU purchases, receive up to 30% cashback credits with digital reloads and redeem free Internet data through Hotlink Rewards.
Maxis customers can also access selected websites such as those run by The Star, the Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC), all state health departments in Malaysia, the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Health, and the World Health Organisation without incurring any data charges. A full list of other websites users can surf without any data charges is available here.
Meanwhile, Telekom Malaysia (TM) has also announced via Twitter that Unifi Mobile users can enjoy their MCO offerings until April 14.
"We are extending our complimentary all channels access (for unifi TV), 999GB (LTE) hotspot for Unifi Mobile Postpaid and free 7-day pass for #BEBAS," according to Unifi on Twitter.
In a press statement, TM chief commercial officer Anand Vijayan said the company is here for Malaysia during MCO.
"Hence, we are extending all the support measures announced previously till April 14 following the extension of Movement Control Order," he said.
During MCO, Malaysians are urged to practice social distancing and stay home to help curb the spread of Covid-19. On March 25, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that MCO which was set from March 18 to March 31, has been extended to April 14.
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The Finish Line Inc. (NASDAQ: FINL) reported fiscal second-quarter 2013 diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.39 on revenue of $385 million. In the same period a year ago, the athletic gear retailer reported diluted EPS of $1.36 on revenue of $331.5 million. Second-quarter results compare to the Thomson Reuters consensus estimates for EPS of $0.44 and $358.3 million in revenue.
The company also said same-store sales for the quarter rose 12.3% year-over-year, higher than the 11% in 2011 compared with 2010.
Finish Line's chairman and CEO said:
Second quarter sales were driven by market share gains in running and basketball as we have been able to capitalize on recent trends in each category enabled by our strong relationships with both vendors and consumers. Importantly, we translated a 16% top-line increase into 26% earnings growth even as we make the necessary investments in order to successfully execute our omni-channel vision.
The company guided full-year EPS to a range of 6% to 9% higher than last year's total of $1.53. That translates to a range of $1.62 to $1.68. The consensus estimate calls for EPS of $1.66. The company also expects full-year same store sales to rise by 6% to 8%.
Another highlight for the quarter was the jump in comparable sales for Finish Line's online store. Comparable online sales rose 29.6%. Gross margins came in at 35%, slightly below the 35.1% gross margin posted a year ago.
The company has no long-term debt and more than $250 million in cash and equivalents. If there is one cautionary note in today's report, it is that inventory is up 9% compared with the same period of last year.
Finish Line's shares are up about 4% in premarket trading, at $23.76. The 52-week range is $17.87 to $26.16. Thomson Reuters had a consensus analyst price target of $25.82 before today's report.
Filed under: 24/7 Wall St. Wire, Consumer Goods, Earnings, Retail Tagged: FINL


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This Nintendo PlayStation Was Barely Functional In 2015 But Now It Can Play CD Games
There is a fabled gaming console called the Nintendo PlayStation that nobody thought existed for real until a prototype was discovered in 2015. It barely worked, but a professional modder got to work on it and got it up and running again.
When Terry and Dan Diebold acquired the renowned Nintendo PlayStation, it barely worked. The CD drive, its highlighted feature, could not play any games. After a slew of repairs, they only managed to turn it on. However, professional modder Ben Heckendorn (or Ben Heck for short) came to the rescue, he tinkered around with it and got the drive to work to run games.
Ben Heck explained that he changed some dubious capacitors and moved some things around, Engadget wrote. His milestone surprised him but now that obstacle is out of the way, there is another challenge to surmount. That is to find any playable CD games.
Since the tie-up between Nintendo and Sony never went to the market, no developer created games for the console. Therefore, there will be no hidden cache of games somewhere. There are two homebrew games, though, that were created by enthusiasts for emulators that were ground on the system. One was had too many glitches to run until it was fixed, while the other only showed a black screen.
Meanwhile, GameSpot explains that the Nintendo PlayStation was supposed to be a version of SNES that could run CD games. It was even publicly unveiled in the summer of 1991 at the Consumer Electronics Show But the console did not reach mass production stage because Nintendo reneged on the partnership. On the other hand, Sony went on to create their own gaming system with one-half of the name. The rest, in that regard, is common knowledge to any gaming fan.
However, at the time, there were already 200 prototypes of the system that had been manufactured. All of them should have been destroyed but one managed to survive destruction. This lone survivor was discovered by a Reddit user who posted photos of it in a forum and that was how it made it to the Diebolds and Ben Heck.
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Today, Wednesday March 3rd, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced his budget. In it, he confirmed that both the business rates holiday and the 5% VAT cut will be extended in order to help hospitality businesses over the next financial year. The cuts, combined with extensions to the furlough scheme and a series of ‘covid grants’, is welcome news for restaurants, pubs, and cafés across the UK.
In a statement published this afternoon, UKHospitality - the UK’s official body for hospitality representation - said:
“The Chancellor has listened to the concerns of the hospitality sector. Details are yet to be pored over but it looks like crucial support will help businesses at a critical time.
“The Chancellor has announced support to help our sector get back up and running, now it is vital that the Government sticks to its date of June 21st for a full reopening of the sector. Delay would see more businesses fail, more jobs lost and undo much of the good work the Chancellor has done to date.”
More details relevant to the hospitality industry are below:
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
- The job retention scheme, AKA furlough, has been extended to the end of September.
- The government will continue to cover 80% of wages, up to £2,500 a month throughout May and June.
- Through July the government will ask businesses to contribute 10% of that 80%, which will increase to 20% in August and September.
- The 5% VAT cut has been extended until September 30th.
- Businesses will have to pay 12.5% VAT rate for six months from October.
- The 20% standard VAT rate will not return until April 2022.
- Business rates holiday has been extended through to the end of June.
- Business rates will then be discounted for the remaining nine months of the financial year up to two thirds.
- A new £5bn ‘restart’ grant scheme will give restaurants, pubs, and cafés access to one-off payments of up to £18,000
- Allocations of these grants will be based on the rateable value of the property.
Recovery Loan Scheme
- Businesses will be able to access loans between £25,000 and £10m with the government providing lenders an 80% guarantee.


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29 Jun, 2022
This year, Cyber Monday falls on Monday 28th November, and hundreds of awesome deals will be coming in thick and fast here at CyberMondayVouchers.co.uk.


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On today’s Transport Evolved: Sneaky practices in Michigan, Bid to be the first, and Elon Musk gets the South Park Treatment
These stories and more on today’s Transport Evolved, with Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield, Faye Sunderland, and Paul Scott
Welcome to today’s show. This week, Nikki is joined by Faye Sunderland and Paul Scott.
Soft-spoken but quick-witted, Faye Sunderland has been writing about cars and environmental issues since 2007 and likes to call herself an “eco-warrior” working on the corporate inside. Known for her love of the outdoors, wildlife, and cycling, Faye says her ideal car has enough room to fit a bale of hay in the boot, but everything else is surplus to requirements. While Faye covers all cars green and quirky at TheGreenCarWesbite.co.uk, Faye’s current vehicle of choice is two, rather than four wheels — and powered by a good coffee and a sticky bun.
One of Plug- in America’s founding members, EV driver and advocate Paul Scott is a long-time environmentalist and activist. While most of his career was spent in the film business, it is his work with the plug-in world that most will know him for. One of the many Californian EV owners whose fight to save the RAV4 EV1, GM EV1 and other plug-in cars from being crushed was documented by the film Who Killed The Electric Car?, Paul has consistently and actively fought to ensure the benefits of plug-in ownership isn’t forgotten.
Paul’s love of electric vehicle led him to briefly work for Nissan of Downtown Los Angeles, where he helped sell Nissan LEAF electric cars to many hundreds of happy customers and helped the dealership win the 2013 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award from the state of California. While retired from that job, Scott is still working tirelessly to promote renewable energy and plug-in cars, even taking some of his retirement fund to spend on the chance to meet with President Obama to talk about plug-in cars and renewable energy. As documented in the upcoming film My Lunch With Obama however, things didn’t go according to plan…
We chat to Faye and Paul about what they’ve been up to recently, including Paul’s reaction to the news that Tesla Motors has been the victim of yet another direct-sales ban — this time in Michigan, the home state of three of the U.S.’s biggest car makers. We ask if favouritism and inside- favors came into play as it become apparent that HB 5606’s last-minute editor was paid campaign contributions from the Michigan Automobile Dealers Association and has a wife who regularly lobbies for the auto industry.
Following on, we ask for Faye’s take on the news published this morning by UK Environmental Secretary Lis Truss that solar farms are a ‘blight on the landscape,’ and that the current UK government will stop funding mass solar farms.
Also in Part One:
BMW promises a fix for the anaemic acceleration of the BMW i3 REx in range-extended mode on steep hills which could leave some U.S. i3 REx owners struggling for overtaking power. We examine why the tactic used in Europe — turning the REx on a little sooner — isn’t an option in the U.S. at the moment, and wonder if the promised modifications from BMW will mean that the i3 REx loses its CARB classification and HOV-lane perks.
While Americans have the massive home-from-home that is the RV, Brits prefer something a little smaller when combining the joys of caravanning and camping with travel. This week at the UK’s premiere caravan and motorhome expo, a British firm (Hillside Lesiure from Derby) has unveiled what it says is the first ever all-electric camper van. Based on the e-NV200 from Nissan, the DalburyE seats four, sleeps four, and comes with all the basics you need for a short family break exploring the British countryside. It also has a range of about 70-80 miles per charge, and comes with a DC quick charge socket. We ask if this is the ultimate eco-friendly travel solution for your holidays, and ask our panel if they’d like to go on vacation in one.
Following on from the Tesla Model S Dual Motor and autonomous drive announcement from last week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been dropping hints that the first Tesla Battery Swap station will go live before the end of the year, somewhere between Los Angeles and San Francisco. We remind everyone what battery swapping is, and what Model S owners should expect from the experience. We also ask if battery swapping is Tesla’s response to increasing queues at popular Supercharger stations along arterial routes — including the ones between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Staying with California for a second, a meeting this coming week could dramatically change its Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, changing the requirements for Intermediate Vehicle Makers like Jaguar, Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Volvo in such a way that we could see less rather than more electric cars on the roads of California in the future. We examine the proposed changes, and ask if the proposed rule change is a sign of more disturbing practices moving forward.
Both Toyota and Volkswagen have announced vehicular ‘for environmental charity’ giveaways this week: one for the Toyota FCV hydrogen fuel-cell car in California and one for the first 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf in the U.S. We ask if the auctions serve a purpose other than publicity — and ponder who the respective raffle winner and highest bidder will be.
Finally for the segment, more details are arriving concerning GM’s future plug-in cars, including the revelation that Chevrolet’s first mass-produced, longer-range electric car will likely be built as a next-generation Chevrolet Sonic, replace the current Chevy Spark EV, and perhaps even go on sale in Europe wearing an Opel (Vahxuall) Corsa badge. Meanwhile, on luxury side plans are starting to emerge for an all-electric Cadillac competitor to the Tesla Model S. We wonder if it will be enough to help the struggling Cadillac brand regain its market share.
French automaker Renault has always required its plug-in customers to date to buy their car but lease the car’s battery pack. While this method has meant that the purchase cost of the car has fallen, it has left owners with a mandatory rental fee every month for the battery pack. Stop paying the battery lease fee, and Renault could take your car’s battery pack away. But after four years of requiring battery leases however, Renault is reportedly about to offer battery purchase alongside battery rental. We ask if it will change the number of people who buy Renault cars — and if it makes it easier for cars like the Twizy to be imported to other countries?
This week, BMW announced to AutoExpress that the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car is sold out for 2014 in the UK, with those who make an order today being forced to wait a year before their cars are delivered. Is BMW just engaging in some purposeful supply issues to make demand seem really high, or is it really just so popular? What’s more, will people who order a BMW i8 still want it in a year’s time now that there’s a Tesla Model S that can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds for less money?
The Kia Soul EV — the compliance electric car advertised by Hamsters — has finally received its official EPA figures. At 93 miles of range and 105 MPGe it is one of the most efficient EVs on the market today. Will buyers be tempted or will they stick with the better-known LEAF?
Finally for the show, Tesla CEO Elon Musk made another appearance on South Park this week, along with the infamous “D” announcement. Does this mean Tesla has finally become a mainstream brand?
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NFT will be a gamechanger for the gaming industry: Sunil Yadav
Adgully is back with a new edition of its annual feature – TRENDING NOW – where we present the strategies and views of a cross-section of industry leaders as they go about reclaiming lost time and market opportunities and build for a stronger future, armed with the lessons of the pandemic period.
Over the last few weeks, Trending Now has been bringing insights from industry leaders on how their organisations are geared up to seize the opportunities in 2022, break through the Covid disruptions and find growth and remain resilient.
In conversation with Adgully, Sunil Yadav, CEO, PlayerzPot, speaks about the emerging trends in the gaming sector in 2022, growth of gaming in the Tier 2 and 3 markets, removing ambiguity and stigma attached to real money gaming, and more.
What are the trends that you expect to dominate in your sector in 2022?
The online gaming sector in India is evolving significantly with a visible growth in user base, revenue, investments, and expansion. A report recently introduced by KPMG mentioned that the number of online gamers in India grew from nearly 250 million in 2018 to about 400 million by the middle of 2020. Slowly and steadily, it is expected to increase in numbers and reach $3.9 billion by 2025.
The twin forces of smartphone penetration and affordable data has attracted a strong emerging user base across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. This is an encouraging trend for all the players in the gaming industry. They will definitely push their boundaries and put more effort into building community-led engagement across the length and breadth of the country. Add to that, the stigma associated with real money gaming is vanishing and more people are coming forward to play and hone their skills.
More Women Players
The second trend to witness is going to be the increased number of women players and their participation on online gaming platforms. At PlayerzPot, we witnessed a rise in female gamers in fantasy as well as casual gaming. Today, 15% of our user base consists of women playing various casual and fantasy games on the platform. The industry is paving the way for women to create their own space in the online gaming space - as gamers and entrepreneurs, both. Their contribution in the development and growth of the online gaming industry is remarkable. The participation of women players will increase, and it may not be so substantially-high compared to the growth that would be seen in Tier 2 and Tier 3 audiences. We can expect an increase in the percentage of female gamers from 5% to 8%.
NFT in Gaming
The third most important trend is NFT, which will certainly be a gamechanger. We can see NFT in gaming as rewards instead of points that players currently get after winning. Online gaming is one of the industries that has a potential to incorporate and adopt new-age technologies into their core offering by tapping into the potential of cryptocurrency.
What are the challenges and new opportunities that you see emerging in the year ahead?
The gaming industry has overcome a lot of challenges to become one of the highest revenue and employment generating industries worldwide.
Legality of the sector still remains one of the major challenges that the industry has been facing for a long period. Legality will clear a lot of ambiguity and stigma attached to real money gaming.
The other challenge is that people are returning to their offices and as a result they are going to be stuck with their daily office routines, where they will get less time to get involved in playing online games with their friends and family members. We might not see the result equivalent to the numbers during the time of the lockdown, when people were stuck at their homes and could spend more time playing online games.
We can see a lot of opportunities in terms of adding up newer games essentially into different arenas of full project products. With government support and the intervention of NITI Aayog and EIG, we could see the overall gaming laws taken care of. It will be developed in such a way that it is more conducive and favourable for companies to operate in India.
Eventually Tier 2 and Tier 3 gaming would be more of social gaming. As of now, there is no visibility of the players’ accounts, but in the future, players will be able to see players sitting on the other side of the screen. This will definitely become a gamechanger for the industry and allow more participants to come and play with more authenticity and credibility.
How is this year’s turnout expected to be in this sector as compared to the last two years? What are the changes that have happened in this sector in the last two years? How strong will this sector’s growth and recovery be compared to the last two years as well as the pre-Covid period?
We have noticed an upward swing in the online gaming sector. The industry is not only generating revenues, but also becoming a mode of entertainment and a source of generating employment as well as income. We, as a leading player in the fantasy gaming industry, witnessed growth, rise in demand and increased number of participants on our platform.
We grew as an organisation and generated 10x revenue, more or less it was a good period for us to grow. We are working in a manner to initiate all the activities and incorporate strategies that can help us to provide the best gaming experience to all our existing and potential new players on the platform.
Post-covid, people started realising that real money gaming is actually fun, if they play with all the information in mind and knowledge about the terms and conditions of the platform.
It’s a good change that we have seen over the past couple of years and are going to witness in the coming years as well. The pandemic has given a big boost to the overall industry, which was originally set to become a $122.05 billion industry by 2025 and is all set to achieve the target.


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Deutsche Post DHL Group is ending 2021 with another sustainability announcement. The Bonn, Germany-headquartered delivery company introduced a green carrier certification last week as part of its sustainability road map.
The certification was designed to reward DHL’s road transport subcontractors that are taking actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
DHL has a target to reduce GHG emissions to below 29 million tons by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The green carrier certification focuses on road transport, which is responsible for about 21% of the group’s total emissions, according to a release.
As supply chain companies strive to reduce emissions, the industry has recognized that working with transportation providers, suppliers and partners along the entire chain is key.
Those scope 3 emissions account for a large amount of emissions along the supply chain and addressing them is an important part of a company’s environmental strategy, a spokesperson at DHL told FreightWaves. And, the representative said, scope 3 emissions are often the most difficult to reduce due to the lack of standardized reporting and the challenge that suppliers have capturing that data.
“Decarbonizing trade lanes and supply chains is a joint effort and has to be built on transparency and collaboration. With our DHL green carrier certification, we have implemented uniform and transparent criteria when it comes to cooperating with our ground carriers going forward. This approach brings us all another step closer to our ambitious goal of true climate-neutral transport,” Andreas Mündel, senior vice president of strategy and operation programs at Deutsche Post DHL Group, said in a statement.
DHL evaluates service providers based on whether they:
- Have an environmental or sustainability strategy in place.
- Measure their GHG emissions.
- Are transparent with their data.
- Have implemented basic emissions-reduction strategies, such as low rolling resistance tires, aerodynamic enhancements and idle cutoff.
DHL’s internal auditing process will use an online platform with the relevant information to group subcontractors into one of the four categories: pass, good, excellent or outstanding.
The certification will help identify road transport subcontractors that already operate sustainably, and DHL said it should encourage more to invest in green technologies.
Certification and expansion
DHL’s road freight provider, DHL Freight, has surveyed more than 600 service partners in Germany, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands since the beginning of 2021. The partners were evaluated on their sustainability performance, and Girteka Logistics, a Lithuania-based road freight provider, was among the first carriers to be certified.
“We are proud to be one of the first forwarding companies to receive this certificate. It encourages us to continue focusing more on alternative drive technologies in the future,” Pavel Kveten, COO for Europe at Girteka Logistics, said in the release.
The worldwide rollout of the certification program is set for 2022. DHL divisions will survey subcontractors in other countries and award them the corresponding levels of certification in the next few months.
A green carrier certification program has existed for DHL Global Forwarding’s ocean and air freight services for 10 years, so this expansion should flow into the current program.
DHL Express has received positive feedback from carriers where it has implemented the certification as part of the tendering process for ground transportation, according to the release.
“It’s great to see a large firm like DHL pushing boundaries in sustainable freight. They’re clearly committed and working to drive adoption of green technologies within their internal and external road network. Transparent benchmarking is really important and also really difficult. Hopefully this initiative is a catalyst for industrywide adoption of green freight standards,” said Tyler Cole, director of carbon intelligence at FreightWaves.