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The Travel and Tourism Rebound
Most of the last COVID-19-related travel bans have been lifted and the summer of 2023 marked the first time since 2019 that tourists could choose a destination and not worry about COVID-19 regulations. This is great news for not only those experiencing wanderlust but also the global economy. Travel and tourism-related industries can be overlooked when considering what drives the economy. While there are certain countries that are significantly more reliant on travel and tourism, it can be a surprisingly large contributor to the world’s largest economies. In this insight, we will examine how travel and tourism have rebounded and discuss what this means for markets now and in the future.
Anecdotally, the world was fully reopened this past year, but importantly, the data backs this feeling up. Further, the data shows that in Europe, travel and tourism are near 2019 levels (and in some cases setting new records), while in Asia the data shows that travel and tourism is accelerating towards pre-pandemic levels.
Looking specifically at travel statistics from 2022 and year-to-date 2023 in Southern Europe. Reports show that bookings from the summer of 2023 showed that Italy, Spain, Greece, and Portugal experienced near-record tourism revenues this year, helping replenish state funds depleted during the COVID-19 pandemic.8
In Italy, the travel and tourism industry was worth $110.08 billion or 6.2% of Italian output in 2019. Add when you include income generated by tourist-related businesses that number more than doubles to 13%.8 This shows that returning to 2019 levels would be significant for the health of the Italian economy. From another angle, the Italian tourism data is just as constructive; through the first two months of 2023, tourists visiting Italy were up 70.5% compared to the same period in 2022, according to the National Statistics Agency. The same report posited that if this trend continued, Italy could match or surpass pre-pandemic levels.
In the U.S., travel spending totaled $1.2 trillion in 2022, which produced a global economic footprint of $2.6 trillion—a return to 2019 levels. Travel directly employed 8 million Americans and supported nearly 15 million jobs. This data from the U.S. Travel Association further reinforces that travel and tourism can be a real contributor to the overall global economy. Data in 2023 is similarly optimistic. Travel spending is up 1.2% above last year’s levels for the third month in a row as of the end of July 2023.
Although we have covered a lot of very constructive data points suggesting that the travel and tourism industries have returned to their previous peaks, when examining data specific to Asia, where more long-term and strict COVID-19 regulations remained in place, we can see that there is still room to go to get back to 2019 levels.
Thailand received 11.1 million tourists in 2022, a huge jump from a mere 428,000 visitors in 2021, according to data from the Thai tourism ministry. Thailand removed most of its COVID-related restrictions for tourists in October of last year, and tourism ballooned accordingly. While tourism jumped significantly in Thailand, the 2022 data is still a long way from the 40 million tourists who visited in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.2
Similarly, for the first six months of 2023, 10.7 million tourists traveled to Japan, the highest number since they received a record 32 million visitors in 2019 according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. The same agency believes that rebounding back towards 2019 levels would add roughly $33 bn to the economy.4
China plays a huge role in global travel and tourism as a host and visitor. In a recent CNBC interview, Ho Kwon Ping, the founder of the global hotel operator Banyan Tree Holdings, advised that the current dearth of Chinese travelers is nothing to worry about and that “Most of us in the hospitality industry, a year or so ago, predicted that Chinese tourism would only start to rebound around maybe this year or even next year.” Prior to the pandemic Chinese travelers represented 14.3% of global travel spending and while the Chinese border fully opened in 2023, many Chinese travelers are still delayed due to passport and visa processing challenges.1
Overall, the world is moving back towards pre-COVID levels, and Southeast Asia is the last piece of the puzzle so that the global travel and tourism industries can reach new peaks. In the next section, we will examine travel and tourism’s impact on the overall global economy and how this increased spending can power real overall economic growth.
Travel and tourism can be a meaningful contributor to overall economic growth. In 2019, travel and tourism represented 10.4% of the world’s gross domestic product, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). This same report forecasted that by 2033 travel and tourism is set to become a $15.5 trillion industry, representing more than 11.6% of the global economy.
In Greece, a country more dependent on travelers, tourism accounts for no less than 20% of their GDP. But even for more diversified economies like the U.S. and China, travel makes up 10-15% of their respective economies based on data from the WTTC.8
It follows that a boost to travel and tourism can be a meaningful economic contributor. In an interview with Bloomberg, Julia Simpson, president and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council, said: “Economists are saying that the global GDP is going to grow on an annualized basis about 2.6% a year, [but] In travel and tourism, we’re expecting [annual growth of] about 5.1%.”1
Overall, travel and tourism is a meaningful piece of the global economy and it is expected to grow at a greater pace than GDP overall, only increasing its influence on global markets.
We have laid out that travel and tourism play a huge role in the global economy. Now, investors must consider the different ways they can invest in a growing industry. Per usual, the most straightforward approach for investors would be to buy public equities of companies like Airbnb, Mariott, or perhaps one of the airlines – an adequate solution for some investors.
However, investors interested in gaining institutionally managed exposure to the travel and tourism industry can consider investing in Real Estate private market funds that allocate to debt and equity capital of marquee hotel brands, funds that focus on consumer experiences, or funds that find next-generation technologies in the travel/tourism space.
Listed below are some companies that are currently pursuing innovation in the travel and tourism industries.
Sevenrooms is a guest experience platform. It offers tools like reservations, online ordering, and waitlists to allow restaurants to collect customer data and to help hospitality operators own, analyze, and optimize every step of the guest journey. The Sevenrooms platform automates these processes so operators can focus on their guests.
Boom Technologies is focused on transforming air travel with Overture, the world’s fastest airliner, optimized for speed, safety, and sustainability. Overture will fly at twice the speed of today’s airliners and is designed to run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel.
Harvest Hosts is a membership for RVers that provides unique RV camping at over 1900 wineries, breweries, distilleries, farms, museums, and more. For a yearly membership fee, Harvest Hosts’ members are invited to stay at hundreds of interesting locations around North America and experience new opportunities to explore and enjoy the RVing lifestyle. The company’s goal is to provide meaningful experiences for RVers and Hosts alike.
Like many industries, there are many different investment wrappers that can provide an investor with exposure. The largest takeaway is that travel and tourism are on their way back to their previous highs and are poised to continue to grow.
- Global Travel and Tourism Will Represent a $15.5 Trillion Economy by 2033 - Bloomberg
- Thai hospitality magnate is optimistic about Thai's tourism recovery (cnbc.com)
- Time, “Why So Few Foreign Tourists Are Visiting China, Despite Lifted Pandemic Restrictions.”
- Visitors to Japan top 2 million in June for the first time since COVID | Reuters
- The Travel Industry’s Vital Role in Bolstering Our Economy | U.S. Travel Association (ustravel.org)
- The Latest Travel Data (2023-08-31)| U.S. Travel Association (ustravel.org)
- Chinese travelers are coming, says Banyan Tree founder Ho Kwon Ping (cnbc.com)
- Pent-up demand promises record tourist season for southern Europe | Reuters
Our platform provides financial advisors and their clients with the opportunity to participate in funds actively investing in the travel and tourism industry.
For registered investment advisors only.


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Technology giant Apple has begun the new year on a very high note, becoming the first company in human history to reach $3 trillion in value based on its share price.
The stock market opened for the first time in 2022 today, January 3, and Apple’s share price surpassed $182. There are about 16.4 billion outstanding Apple shares, giving Apple a total market capitalization of over $3,000,000,000,000.
Apple reached a $1 trillion valuation in 2018 before that rose to $2 trillion in 2020. At $3 trillion, Apple itself is worth more than the GDP of entire countries such as France, India, and the UK.
Apple was on the verge of bankruptcy in the late ’90s. The company’s fortunes changed after Microsoft invested $150 million into Apple and the late CEO Steve Jobs made various changes to turn things around. Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, and the company has only grown since.
Other companies in the technology space to surpass $1 trillion in valuation include Microsoft, Tesla, Amazon, and Alphabet.
The stock market is always changing, and it is only one measure of a company’s financial success. Shortly after surpassing $3 trillion today, Apple’s share price dropped, pushing the company’s market cap down to $2.99 trillion.
For comparison, some of the most valuable US gaming companies by stock price include Activision Blizzard ($52.27 billion), EA ($38.1 billion), and GameStop ($11.76 billion). Microsoft, which has many businesses, has a total valuation of $2.5 trillion, while Alphabet is worth $1.927 trillion. Tesla carries a valuation of $1.19 trillion. All of these numbers are accurate as of January 3.
In terms of how much money Apple actually has in the bank, the company’s latest earnings released showed that Apple had $34.9 billion in cash and cash equivalents on hand.
Outside of the iPhone and Mac laptops and computers, Apple operates the Apple Arcade subscription service for games and Apple Music for music. Beyond that, Apple has a film and TV division called Apple Studios that counts titles like Ted Lasso and The Morning Show as some of its most celebrated programs. One of its most ambitious and expensive upcoming projects is the movie Killers of the Flower Moon from director Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.

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We reported yesterday on the details of a new build of Windows 10 specifically for Foldable laptops being developed.
We noted that Windows 10 Build 18313.1004 rs_shell_devices_foldables moniker made it clear that the OS is designed for a family of devices rather than a specific device, and supports another rumour that Microsoft has been working with their OEMs like Dell and Lenovo to develop a version of Windows 10 with an adaptable shell designed for these kinds of laptops.
Now the Verge reports that “sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans” confirmed Microsoft is making foldable devices and dual-screen hardware “a big investment area for both Windows and Surface.”
This will include changes to Windows and also its built-in apps to work across foldable displays and devices with dual screens.
We have previously reported that Dell is working on a dual-screened Windows 10 on ARM device called Januss while Lenovo also teased a 3rd generation Lenovo Yoga Book, presumably for 2019, which appears to show a foldable screen. Microsoft is also reportedly working on a laptop-sized device with a folding screen.
The Verge was not able to confirm when these devices will hit the market but noted a wave of foldable phones will likely pave the way in 2019.


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Electricity and gas company E.ON Energy has launched a new campaign in hopes of challenging the norms in the utilities sector and exploring what can be done differently.
The first ad shows Barcelona’s city streets transformed into a giant swimming pool that is heated by E.ON’s air source heat pumps. This E.ON technology has already heated an Olympic-sized swimming pool by harnessing energy in the air, combined with electricity. The ad, of course, imagines this technology’s capabilities on a much larger scale.
Since joining E.ON a year ago, Moore has been working on the company’s purpose and what stories it wants to develop. Moore says her previous roles in the healthcare and consumer goods sectors are supporting her efforts to shift E.ON’s messaging from being mostly product-focused to being more brand and purpose-focused.
“In the same way as we’ve transformed our company over the last couple of years, becoming known for more than gas and electricity supplies, we’re working to transform our brand to truly represent the help we can give our customers today and in the future,” Moore added.
E.ON has been working towards being more customer-oriented, sustainable and innovative since it shifted its corporate strategy in 2014. In the lead-up to making its three core businesses renewables, distribution networks, and customer solutions, E.ON systematically optimized its generation fleet and production costs, laying the foundation for sustainable profitability. Today, E.ON’s innovation efforts include technologies such as electric vehicles and solar and battery technologies, in addition to equipment like the heat pumps.


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PayPal offers a "Donate" button, but when April Winchell used it on her Regretsy site to raise money for gifts for needy children, PayPal shut her account. Big mistake, but things are better now.
True, Regretsy doesn't look like a charity site, and is in fact a commercial business. They've also worked with PayPal for over 10 years. Winchell pointed out in her conversations with PayPal their guidelines don't say the user of a Donate button has to be a non-profit, just "a worthy cause." PayPal did take their cut, of course, apparently more than once.
Shutting down a fundraiser during the holidays is about the worst PR a company can get, and PayPal was showered with condemnation from across the Web in short order. Now, PayPal has reinstated Regretsy, released the funds they withheld, and made a donation of their own. But the flood of negative comments shows many people are unhappy with how the eBay-owned PayPal has handled their success.
I despise PayPal the company. The transaction capability is superb when it works. But if at any point you have to deal with the company, its policies or appalling customer service model and phone systems, look out.Alex Manchester on techcrunch.com
Paypal is the worst online transaction company in the history of the internet. They are well known to rip people off and provide zero customer support.Teknohe on cnn.com
Paypal is the shadiest of mainstream internet companies. You're better of doing business with organized crime.nickmb on news.ycombinator.com
PayPal has absolutely lost user trust.David Murphy on techcrunch.com
And another thing...
Paypal is a bank. A real Bank. Which makes it even more despicable.Philip Lindblom on techcrunch.com
As of right now, PayPal has announced its INTENT to donate, but no actual donation has been received.maiorano84 on cnn.com
Yes, after paypal not only froze the Santa account (after charging fees for the donations THREE TIMES), they froze her personal account in retribution for her blogging about the debacle,dynomoose on cnn.com
They're not so bad
Paypal is trying to do more by requiring actual identification to open an account (to combat money-laundering) and add more security steps (to prevent unauthorized use) but it's a constant battle between security and convenience.Jake Mercurio on techcrunch.com
Without wanting to justify Paypal's actions wouldn't it be easy to launder money through Paypal if they let you so easily mark a 'suspicious' transaction as legit?dazzawazza on news.ycombinator.com
Just another example of how much good will a bureaucratic blunder can cost a company in a couple of days.


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Amazon is not currently offering a shopping option directly with Bitcoin.
Total: 57 record(s).
Robotic process automation (RPA) is the term used for software tools that partially or fully automate human activities that are manual, rule-based, and repetitive.
Amazon Pay Balance featured by Amazon gives an opening for customers to wave goodbye to the lengthy checkout process and brings a huge saving opportunity for building up the loyalty with Amazon in multiple ways.
It is the most economical and most effective step to reduce environmental pollution and carbon emissions.
Amazon Pay is Amazon’s own payment solution which was launched in 2007 to provide a better, faster, and more secure way to make online payments for its users.
The electric bicycle market continues to thrive. This time, we have the FT750 signed by US-based CSC Motorcycles.
Google has announced it is rolling out a new service for Android users. It will now be enough for users to tweet when they need help.


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Clays will be the main print industry beneficiary of JK Rowling's debut adult novel, <i>The Casual Vacancy</i>, which went on sale today, after being revealed as the printer of the hotly-anticipated tome.
The Bungay-based book printer, which has a long-standing relationship with Rowling having printed all seven Harry Potter books, has printed her first post-Potter novel, which was published by Hachette UK subsidiary Little, Brown.
As with the majority of the Potter book, details of The Casual Vacancy, which charts the events following the sudden death of a member of the parish council in the fictional town of Pagford, have been closely guarded prior to its launch and it is not yet known how many copies were printed in the initial run.
However, with 2.6m copies snapped up in pre-sales and many bookshops opening at 8am this morning to try to take advantage of commuters eager to get their hands on the novel, their can be little doubt that it will be one of the hottest sellers this year.
In fact, UK booksellers were predicting the title would be the best-selling fiction title of the year long before anyone had even read it and on pre-sales alone it has already taken its place at the top of the weekly bestsellers list.
Neither Little, Brown production director Nick Ross, nor Clays managing director Kate McFarlan could be reached for contact at the time of writing.
JK Rowling will appear at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London's Southbank Centre tonight for a live interview with BBC journalist Mark Lawson followed by a book signing, although tickets for the event are sold out.
The event will be live-streamed on Southbank Centre’s Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/southbankcentre
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The members of the incoming freshmen class will be receiving new and improved computers for the 2014-2015 school year. The new HP tablets are very similar to the current tablets that every student has: they can still swivel, they have a touchscreen, etc. The new model will be improved in terms of look and hardware.
“The new tablets will have a single battery rather than having an extra battery,” said Russ Wallace, technology specialist. “This will hopefully make the tablet last all day.”
All tablets next school year will have Windows 8 software, even the current tablets. It is a high-tech, fast-moving software that will be beneficial to both teachers and students in the learning environment.
“I’m so excited to have my own tablet next year,” said Emma Schaefer, incoming freshman. “They will be so much more convenient to have and I think they look really cool.”


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The FDA is updating the Nutrition Facts label and will include significant changes to help consumers make more informed dietary choices. The changes have already been seen on many products.
The Nutrition Facts label hasn’t been updated in decades, so the transition to a more informative label has shown the importance of providing careful guidance to food manufacturers and consumers. As products transition from the old label to the new label, there are two components to a successful implementation. First, Americans can learn about the new label so they can use it to make good food choices. Second, the FDA can provide detailed and clear guidance to food manufacturers to help them make the required changes to their nutrition labels by the upcoming compliance dates.
The FDA announced the intent to launch a major educational campaign for consumers surrounding the new label and is issuing several guidance documents to further help them implement the new label.
The new label incorporates the latest evidence-based information on nutrients to provide consumers with more information regarding their food choices. The FDA will be launching and educational campaign to use the new Nutrition Facts label and interpret the overall nutritional content of products they find on supermarket shelves. The effort will take place once the updated labels are full implemented in the marketplace.
Also included in the implementation of the new Nutrition Facts label are updated requirements for serving sizes that more accurately reflect what people actually eat and drink. The FDA provided guidance on appropriate reference amounts consumed for a variety of products to aid manufacturers in determining the appropriate serving sizes to include on the labels of their products.
The guidances are reflective of the feedback the FDA has heard about the desire to know more information on the topics. The guidances will help provide information that the industry has sought from the FDA by providing the agency’s current thinking on these topics.
In 2017, the FDA extended the compliance date for the new version of the labels to give the industry more time to implement the new requirements. The extension went from a compliance date from July 2018 to Jan. 1, 2020 for manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual food sales and to Jan. 1, 2021 for smaller manufacturers. There will be a final ruling sometime this spring.


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Summer is apparently the time to go shopping in Midtown Detroit, if the new stores popping up all over the neighborhood are any indication.
The area west of Woodward Avenue, also called the Cass Corridor, was probably better known a decade ago for its abundance of poets, working-class folks and streetwalkers. Since that time, it's become a home to residents from a more upscale income bracket, who will no doubt be overjoyed with the upcoming retail offerings -- especially if they are fitness freaks, dog lovers or need to stock up on quinoa.
Local runners, in particular, will be excited about the grand opening of RUNdetroit this weekend. Located at 441 West Canfield St., the 1,400-square-foot running shoe store will offer footgear, athletic apparel, nutrition aids and other accessories. Owners Justin Craig and Alia Polsgrove are themselves enthusiasts with a wealth of knowledge about the sport. They relocated to Detroit last year from Seattle, where Craig helped launch a similar shop, according to Deadline Detroit. RUNdetroit had a soft opening earlier this month, but the couple is excited to finally get things rolling with an event that will include discounts, giveaways and a kickoff group run.
"As some of you know we’ve been struggling with construction delays and city bureaucracy," they said in a Facebook Post. "But just like marathon training we’ve stuck to our training plan through the highs and the lows and we know we’re prepared for race day."
The shoe store is housed in Willys Overland Lofts, a complex that is quickly filling up with retail establishments.
The bike and watch maker Shinola plans to open a flagship store there later this summer. Their 5,000-square-foot space will feature a skylight and a bicycle-manufacturing area open for public viewing. Local favorite Avalon Breads also expects to relocate to a larger storefront in the complex before fall arrives. Model D reports their new shop will offer a bigger menu and seating for 45 people.
These new retail options are "a sign things are going in the right direction," according to Austin Black, president of the real estate firm City Living Detroit. He told The Huffington Post the new stores could help convince more people to move to Detroit.
Not far away from RUNdetroit, a new pet supply shop is also opening this weekend at the Auburn, a mixed-use development at Canfield and Cass Avenue. Cass Corridog (ha!) will be the latest incarnation of the Woofbridge Feed and Supply, previously located within Canine to Five, a local dog boarding and grooming business. The shop opens the doors Saturday at 10 a.m.
Perhaps the most anticipated of all these upcoming openings is a few blocks east, where Detroit's new Whole Foods Market is opening Wednesday at 115 Mack Ave. Members of the public will finally be allowed to walk inside the 21,600-square-foot store and fill up carts with high-end groceries. The chain is making a big effort to go local with its Detroit store, featuring local touches like Motown-themed checkout displays and shelves stocked with goods from 50 Michigan vendors.
"All those shops ... are located in a pretty close proximity to each other," Black said. "That's what creates the vibrancy on the streets, the walking traffic, visibility and that definitely has an impact on the residential side."


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Alphabet International has taken a further step to expand its global presence. By partnering with integrated mobility, fleet management and leasing expert SG Fleet, the company fits the final puzzle piece to now cover all of Australia and New Zealand. This also marks an exciting milestone, as Alphabet now provides mobility solutions in 31 countries worldwide. By expanding its OneNet network of partners, Alphabet is positioning itself as a strong Business Mobility provider for global enterprises.
- Companies with business operations in NZ and AU can now benefit from the newly founded cooperation of SG Fleet
- With the new partnership, Alphabet is now represented in 31 markets worldwide
- Through SG Fleet, Alphabet International customers now have access to full operational leasing products and services in the Australasian region
- The success of an international company like Alphabet in today’s globalised world depends on an extensive network
Alphabet is committed to offering its innovative mobility services to as many customers as possible. Customers that already benefit from these solutions across Europe and beyond can take now also advantage of its offer across Australia and New Zealand. Just like in other Alphabet markets, clients have access to the range of Alphabet compatible products and services avail able in both markets, via its partner SG Fleet. Depending on companies’ specific needs, they can also opt for a wide range of useful on-top services, such as fuel cards, replacement vehicles, roadside assistance and insurance. The new cooperation is a valuable addition to existing Alphabet services and locations.
“Entering into a partnership with SG Fleet strengthens our presence in Australia and New Zealand, by being able to provide our services in these two markets. We are all excited to see what we can accomplish with SG Fleet,” says Susanne Loser, Head of International Sales at Alphabet International.
Robbie Blau, Chief Executive Officer of SG Fleet, also underlined his enthusiasm about the partnership: “We are excited to be joining Alphabet’s network of partners, in order to provide services to their customers in Australia and New Zealand. We look forward to a fruitful partnership with Alphabet, who continue to position themselves as experts in mobility.”


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Will privacy concerns undermine Open Banking?
Open Banking forces established banks to work collaboratively with other payment service providers by requiring them to share their customer’s data if they so wish, thus encouraging transparency and fair competition. Essentially, banks will be required to give their customers better access to their own banking data. So, Open Banking is focused on freeing up consumer data, rather than keeping it locked up as some of the banks want to continue doing. No one would have access to consumers’ data without explicit consent from the consumer, removing all privacy concerns from consumers.
What are consumers really worried about? Are they right to be worried?
The main worry for consumers is that open banking will enable third parties to steal their data or use it in a way they don’t like. However, this will not be the case as third party providers are subject to strict data privacy laws. In addition, under the Second Payment Service Directive (PSD2) these companies will need to obtain a specific license to prove the security of their systems to acquire consumer data. Moreover, the European Union (EU) data privacy law will be further strengthened when the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect in May this year, applying an obligation to implement technical and organisational measures into data processing activities. Consequently, consumers should not be worried about their data being stolen by third parties due to the strict privacy laws and licences that come with PSD2.
Will attitudes to Open Banking change over time (ie, is this just a passing phenomenon)?
Over time people will realise that they can only profit from sharing their banking data with third party providers. Doing so will provide consumers with innovative value-added banking services, such as the ability to manage all accounts on one platform. This situation can be compared to the de-regulation of telecoms a few decades ago, whereby British Telecom (BT) was no longer the dominant player in the industry. The de-regulation meant that phone lines were no longer monopolised by BT, driving more competition, reducing costs and providing greater choice for consumers.
How can banks and providers re-assure consumers? Is there privacy technology that will help, or is this an emotional issue best tackled with marketing?
Banks don’t want to re-assure their customers. They are scaremongering to discourage their customers from using third party services as this challenges their dominance in the sector through boosting online competition. Banks have a natural interest to undermine their new competitors, as Open Banking allows customers to change providers in just a few clicks. One can only hope that the regulators will watch the banks behaviour carefully and that the media stop fuelling their scare tactics.
What experiences have banks and providers had with Open Banking so far regarding security and privacy?
Many EU countries have seen third parties accessing consumer personal banking data for many years. In the UK we saw only a few and more recent examples, like HSBC inviting 10,000 of their customers to trial a new app where they can add account details from up to 21 different banks so they can view all current accounts, savings and mortgages in one place. Across Europe, there has not been any known fraud or data leak cases by third party providers in the past 15 years during which they processed hundreds of millions of transactions. Third party providers now need to prove their level of security to obtain licenses and, as a result of PSD2, will be under ongoing regulatory supervision, which reduces the likelihood of security and privacy problems even more. In addition to this, the sharing of static bank credentials must now be complemented with transaction specific one-time passwords, which will add an additional layer of security. Therefore, Open Banking and PSD2 further strengthen the already very good security and privacy practices currently displayed by payment service providers and banks.
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TengoInternet Inc. Rebuts WiFiRV Challenge
Editor’s Note: Eric Stumberg, founder and CEO of TengoInternet Inc., issued a rebuttal to a press released issued last week by WiFiRv. Here, in bullet form, is his response:
- Over the last 8 years TengoInternet has grown by helping business owners grow their business and keeping their guests happily connected. Our companywide commitment to our customers and the industry was also recognized by ARVC as the 2009/2010 Supplier of the Year. We will continue to focus on providing great service and services to our customers.
- The acquisition of Nomad was a very strategic move to grow and better serve the hospitality industry. Already, we have invested in advanced customer service, network management and guest referral generation to help increase our customer’s occupancy and guest satisfaction.
- Our contract, service and technology flexibility allows us to provide WiFi amenities to fit our customer’s guest and business needs.
- Wi-Fi is an increasingly important guest selection criteria — regardless of whether or not guests use the service — and is a significant guest satisfaction driver. As a note, guest usage at our locations has double over the last year, and we continue to see this increase with the computer generation taking to the road.
- Our customers offer free, guest-pay and hybrid plan amenities to fit their pricing and brand model needs. As we know, nothing is free- and only 30% of our customers offer pure free wireless – but our customers make most of their money on occupancy and have, in some cases, adjusted prices to incorporate the operating cost of wireless into their rate plans. We also allow our customers the flexibility to make changes to fit their business.
- WiFi is not just about internet access, but infrastructure — it now includes video cameras, point-of-sale systems, gaming systems and reservation integration and regulatory compliance.
- Some proof points:
- Last quarter, we generated 72,000 guest referrals to our customer from our online directory and served over 480,000 guests at our over 800 customer locations.
- In 2009, TengoInternet paid over $250,000 of guest access income to our customers.


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Mindanawans join frantic search for face masks to send to kins in ash fall-stricken Batangas, Metro Manila
Balaw Mindanaw sends 3,000 face masks to Batangas
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental —The frantic search for face masks has reached Mindanao as anxious families scour hardware stores to buy for their relatives in Metro Manila and nearby Batangas province, which has been covered in ash fall following the eruption of Taal Volcano on Sunday, January 12.
Supplies of N95 face masks, the most favored item, had run out from medical supply stores in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Davao cities as of Wednesday, January 15.
Journalist Bobby Timonera of MindaNews said he considered himself lucky after he was able to secure face masks from an online store for his son and daughter in Manila last Monday.
“I went to a medical store here in Iligan City but was told that a customer bought their supply of 600 pieces of N95 masks,” Timonera said.
Councilor George Goking, chair of the Cagayan de Oro City Council’s trade and commerce committee, said pharmacies in the city have also reported that their stocks of face masks have ran out.
“One store told us they sold 300 pieces in a matter of hours. Many of their customers told them that will be sending the face masks to Manila, Batangas and nearby provinces,” he said.
Supplies for face masks have run out in Metro Manila and adjoining cities amid complaints of unscrupulous traders jacking up the prices of these portable respirators.
In Cagayan de Oro, an NGO, Balay Mindanaw Foundation , sent 3,000 of FFP2 face masks, an alternative to N95, for distribution in Batangas.
Balay Mindanaw chair Charlito Manlupig said they received a shipment of face masks and other goods from their partner, Disaster Aid.
He said the shipment was supposed to be used for incoming disasters and were prepositioned in their warehouse in Barangay Lumbia, this city.
“When we heard the call for face masks, we immediately decided to use them to fill the needs in Batangas,” Manlupig said./elb
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text: Royals See the 'Jolly Trotter'! Inside The Flagship Store of Princess Kate's Favorite Children's Shop The royal loves to shop at Trotters for her two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte By Simon Perry Published on March 6, 2017 02:15PM EST Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Leanne Dixon If Princess Kate wants to take Prince George and Princess Charlotte shopping, she’s in luck: Her favorite children’s store, Trotters, just opened up a new flagship location just a few blocks away from their London home, Kensington Palace. The new flagship location is part store, part playground. It’s outfitted with a “ship” for the young customers so they will have something to play on as they get their shoes fitted. The ship, dubbed the “Jolly Trotter”, is a nod to another one of Kensington’s famous residents, Peter Pan. It sits at the center of the new flagship store just a few hundred yards away from the palace. It comes complete with a tiny slide and port holes for children to look through, and a larger arc to crawl under. Leanne Dixon “It’s part of the heritage of Peter Pan and Hyde Park,” Sophie Mirman, founder of Trotters, tells PEOPLE. “We want to make the store a fun place for children to bring their parents.” Besides the ship installation, the store also is equipped with stations for children to get their first — and subsequent — haircuts. Trained hairdressers are on hand to do the job, with the chairs sitting alongside an aquarium for the kids to watch the fish as their locks are trimmed. Leanne Dixon The children’s clothing and footwear store is a go-to of Kate’s: She previously purchased shoes for George and Charlotte at the store, and has been spotted at their former London location. FROM COINAGE: From John Steinbeck’s Cottage to an Actual Castle: 5 Historical Homes You Can Rent The new outpost could become a royal hotspot in the coming months. With Prince William set to end his air ambulance job this summer, and George starting school in the fall, the royal couple is planning to spend more time in London this year. The store’s location in London’s Kensington neighborhood is placed perfectly for them, as well as their neighbors. It is also just a few steps away from the store’s former, smaller location, where Kate has been spotted browsing the shelves. Leanne Dixon The new store also carries a shoe line with close ties to Trotters, Hampton Canvas footwear. Hampton Canvas is headed by Mirman’s son William Ross. It’s already a royal favorite, too: Prince George wore the the Nantucket models in his third birthday portraits and during his trip to an air show last summer. The store’s most famous patrons haven’t yet stopped by the new location. Trotters is always very discreet when they do, part of the reason why they continue to patronize it. “We hope to see them,” Mirman says. “That would be lovely,” But a trip just may be in order: Their offerings are also a perfect fit for little page boys, should George find himself on duty at aunt Pippa Middleton’s wedding in May.


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Passenger Service to begin in early March
The sail vessel carrying cargo to Sri Lanka began its journey from Tuticorin on Saturday.
The much-awaited mechanised sail vessel export trade operations resumed from the Old Port of Tuticorin in South India in the early hours of Saturday. With a 10-member crew on board the vessel, the MSV Raj TTN 241 is expected to reach Colombo with a consignment of 250 tonnes of goods in a span of 24 hours. Since Tuticorin is known for sail vessel, most of the people depend on its operation.


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The thin-soled, skintight shoes resemble gloves for the feet, complete with five individual toe pockets. Vibram touted that the revolutionary design promotes better foot health through more natural foot movement – one that encourages leg strength, improved sensory reception, and a greater range of motion by “encouraging a forefoot strike and a more natural running form.”
Sounds almost too good to be true, right? Well, for a large contingent of the shoe’s buyers, it is. According to a story broken by Runners World on May 6, Vibram agreed to settle a class action lawsuit for $3.5 million to avoid further court fees and assuage consumer outrage.
Because Vibram is a privately owned company, stock sentiment hasn’t played a direct role in the company’s financial standing. However, that doesn’t mean the lawsuit hasn’t spelled trouble for other investors.
Vibram is credited with creating the world’s first rubber shoe sole in the 1930s. Since then it has partnered with more than 1,000 shoe affiliates and companies, including Rocky Brands Inc(NASDAQ:RCKY), meaning there are plenty of publicly traded companies that could potentially be affected by the lawsuit.
So what does the settlement mean for the industry, for better or worse? Kick off your toe shoes momentarily for our industry analysis.
Going Bare Is Looking Bleak
The 2005 debut and success of FiveFingers spawned a new “minimalist” shoe genre that rapidly became a big part of the footwear industry. In 2011, such shoes skyrocketed to account for 9% of the overall market (more than $24 million in sales).
Initially, Vibram’s minimalist momentum attracted competition, as well as some flattering minutes of fame from celebrity wearers such as actor Channing Tatum and political commentator Keith Olbermann.
“They’re great for your knees. They’re great for your hips. They make you actually feel younger,” Olbermann said back in 2011 on The Late Show With David Letterman. “Unfortunately, if you try to run in them and you weigh more than 175 pounds, you will break something.”
But alas – like the toe pockets at the end of each shoe, the minimalist movement’s days were numbered.
In 2014, public skepticism of the shoe’s performance went mainstream. After a good run that lasted almost a decade, a solid product niche gradually eroded into a rapidly declining fad – of which Vibram’s lawsuit is both a cause and a symptom.
Industry numbers show consumers only recently gained cold feet. According to Runner’s World, minimalist shoe sales have been on the decline as early as the first quarter of 2013, in which sales dropped by a surprising 10%. Now the category is falling further behind the pack, with sales taking a nosedive by 47% in 2014, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Although FiveFingers remains one of the top barefoot shoe choices, the settlement has the potential to push other minimalist shoemakers to rearrange the deck chairs on the proverbial sinking ship. The ruling essentially discounted the category’s main selling point – healthier running – which could spell doom for Vibram spinoffs, such as the Skele-Toes from Fila Korea Ltd. (KS: 081660) and the split-toed, gym-dwelling AdiPure Trainer 1.1 from Adidas AG (OTC: ADDDF).
Less mainstream offerings from New Balance, Merrell and ZEMgear may scarcely stand a chance.
Traditional Running Shoes Are Trending
While minimalist shoe sales continue to deflate, the overall running shoe industry has grown to $7 billion. It seems the thinner the shoes are, the more likely they are to bear the brunt of the decline, as consumers increasingly embrace next-gen traditional running shoes, according to industry analysis firm SportsOneSource.
Since minimalist shoes debuted, traditional running shoes have evolved to be cut lower and more lightweight. One example of this cross-category appeal comes from the Nike Freeminimalist shoe by Nike Inc(NYSE:NKE), which has rallied sales by packing a naked running experience into a more traditional-looking shoe.
Taking the Next Step
Vibram’s litigation has likely sounded the death knell for the minimalist shoe craze. Expect consumers weary of ankle and foot pain to look toward more substantial shoes for comfort.
Some may even go as far as to embrace the “maximalist” counter-craze, which champions borderline obese running shoes stuffed with padding – i.e. the Hoka One One shoes from Deckers Outdoor Corp(NYSE:DECK). Since the fat-soled shoe’s introduction, the company has expanded by 400%, Outside magazine raves.
But Vibram isn’t backing down – just picking its battles. The company maintains no wrongdoing, but agreed to cease touting the alleged health benefits – unless, of course, they can prove so through experimentation.
Until then, we’ll cross our toes and let the great foot debate continue.


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Ladies: You prefer Antwerpen Toyota. At least, that’s the impression held by the Clarksville, Md. car dealership, which has been circulating the “Ladies prefer” assertion in its advertisements since 2007. In order to keep the ladies happy, the dealership offers up female-friendly extras to waiting customers, including professional manicures, on-site cappuccinos, and pastries.
According to a 2007 story in the Maryland Daily Record, Antwerpen Toyota’s female outreach services initially went far beyond the fingernails. The story read: “On ‘Ladies Days’—-Tuesdays and Wednesdays—-women who come to get their car serviced can get manicures, pedicures and cappuccinos. And the truly brave can even get their eyebrows and bikini lines waxed.”
Wait: which of us ladies prefer to get their bikini lines waxed at a car dealership?
“I can’t imagine anyone getting their bikini waxed at a car dealership,” insists Ben Messier, Antwerp Toyota’s general manager. Messier says that the dealership’s resident professional manicurist performs up to 25 manicures a day—-but offers none of the more intimate spa extras. Not even pedicures. “I’m sure you understand, we’re not trying to do a full-service salon here,” says Messier. “We’re not offering pedicures, shaves, or Brazilians. But if you bring the car in for an oil change, and you’ve got 35 minutes to kill, we can have your nails done by the time you’re finished.”
Then again, the Daily Record story broke before Messier’s time. Messier inherited the “Ladies Day” programming from Bob Schrader, who served as Antwerpen Toyota general manager back in 2007 (he’s with Jim Coleman Infiniti in Rockville now). Schrader says that the bikini wax was never a part of his package. In fact, it’s not even a part of his vocabulary. “I don’t even know what that is,” says Schrader, who was heretofore unaware that the Daily Record story attributed the bikini wax to his Ladies Day regime. “I’ve never heard anything like that in my life. That’s absolutely ludicrous,” he said.
Daily Record reporter Louis Llovio, for the record, couldn’t immediately recall where the four-year-old factoid originated—-whether from manager, advertisement, manicurist, or otherwise. Messier offers up one possibility: “We do offer hand waxing—-on cars,” says Messier. “Maybe they jumped from hand waxing to bikini waxing.”


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Holmes Report 17 Feb 2013 // 12:00AM GMT
CHICAGO—The American Dental Association has selected Fleishman-Hillard as its agency of record, following a competitive review of 12 national and global agencies that began in the fourth quarter of 2012. ADA, a leading advocate of oral health, will partner with Fleishman-Hillard on an integrated awareness campaign that will educate the public, engage the broader healthcare community and support the future of access and optimal oral health for all Americans.
NEW YORK—Armitron, the watch brand, has chosen MWW as its public relations agency of record. MWW will lead a national public relations initiative to support Armitron’s “Make Time” campaign, which celebrates special moments in people’s daily lives. MWW will also craft communications programs to promote the company’s Anne Klein and Nine West brands. The account will be led by MWW’s consumer lifestyle marketing practice, based out of MWW’s New York office.
MINNEAPOLIS—Padilla Speer Beardsley has been engaged for communications services by two healthcare clients. For Midwest & Mountain Dental, a provider of family dentistry with 110 offices nationally, Padilla will develop and execute a lead generation campaign to accelerate patient growth in key markets. For Patterson Companies, a $3.5 billion specialty distributor for the dental, veterinary and rehabilitation supply markets, the firm will work on crisis and issues management and training, in addition to support for Patterson’s investor relations program.
NEW YORK—Lippe Taylor has become the consumer agency-of-record for ZeptoLab, the Moscow-based gaming company best known for Cut the Rope. Lippe Taylor will be responsible for spearheading consumer PR and building greater brand awareness for new and existing game titles, a new and expanding line of Cut the Rope toys and merchandise, and the award winning web series Om Nom Stories.
NEW BRIGHTON, MN—Risdall Marketing Group has added Dental Services Group, a dental laboratory network providing products and services to dentists across the country; Pathway Health Services, a professional management and consulting organization focused on the long-term care industry; and Vertical Storage, a supply and storage company for the material handling industry. Other recent additions include Groveland Capital, QBF, Schussler Creative, the University of Texas at Tyler, and Wayne D. Jorgenson.
NEW YORK—The Morris + King Company has been retained by Arby’s Foundation, a foundation dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America. MKC will work with the Atlanta-based Foundation to develop a revamped branding strategy and help engage and educate the public about its work to connect children with the healthy meals they need. The campaign will tap MKC’s expertise in the consumer, lifestyle, healthcare, foundations and life sciences sectors.
BOSTON—PAN Communications, a public relations and digital media leader driving communications strategy for technology, consumer and healthcare industries, has added four accounts to its technology portfolio: Veracity Payment Solutions, a merchant acquirer and provider of payment transaction processing services; Caserta Concepts, a consulting and technology services firm that specializes in data warehousing, business intelligence and big data analytics; Outerlink Global Solutions, a first-responder communications provider for M2M applications; and Conduit Systems, which delivers information technology support and services.
LOS ANGELES—JS2Communications has been selected by Pennyful.com, a pioneer in online cash-back shopping, as its agency of record. The firm will introduce the recently re-launched website and further expand the company’s US presence through media relations, marketing and social media consulting.
ATLANTA—Brandware Public Relations has been selected as public relations agency partner for Mighty Auto Parts, which is celebrating 50 years in the American automotive aftermarket. Brandware will work alongside Mighty’s longtime advertising partner, Agency South, supporting a full range of corporate public relations needs, including strategy, media relations and event support.
NYACK, NY—Carolyn Izzo Integrated Communications has been selected by the newly opened El Ganzo Hotel in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico as its agency of record. CIIC's goal is to put El Ganzo on the radar of trendsetting travelers throughout the United States using both traditional media and social media, through targeted media outreach, executive media tours, celebrity and key influencer outreach.


text: The number of COVID-19 cases spiked dramatically in November, spurring LA County to increase safeguarding measures, effective tomorrow, November 20th. The number of customers at any time can be no more than 50% maximum outdoor capacity at outdoor restaurants, breweries, wineries, cardrooms, outdoor mini-golf, go-karts, and batting cages. This number is 25% at businesses permitted to operate indoors, such as retail stores, offices, and personal care services. In addition, restaurants, breweries, wineries, bars, and all other non-essential retail establishments must close from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. At personal care service locations, both staff and customers must wear a mask at all times, disallowing services that would require the mask to be removed, and these establishments cannot serve food or drinks. The maximum number of people at outdoor gatherings is 15, with a limit of 3 households. LA County has also established potential future guidelines that will be implemented if the number of cases or hospitalizations increases beyond certain levels.


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UAE start up Sphere Networks to be bought out
Major Taiwanese OEM set to buy UAE-based start-up enterprise network management company Sphere Networks
Sphere Networks is currently in buyout talks with a major Taiwanese manufacturer to sell off the majority of the company, including the intellectual property rights to its network management software technology, supporting research and development team.
Although the company would not disclose the name of its potential suitor, Mohamed Hamedi, CEO and founder of the start up networking technologies firm, said that the potential buyer is "the largest OEM hardware manufacturer for networking equipment" in Taiwan.
Sphere Networks developed enterprise-level network management solutions, that allow organizations to monitor and control thousands of nodes at any one time.
The company was launched in 2005 by Hamedi, who personally bankrolled the company. In 2006 DSOA invested in the start up, followed by a cash injection from Intel Capital in 2008. The values of the investments were not disclosed at the time.
"Any start up company is going to have two exits," said Hamedi. "They are going to get acquired, or they are going to IPO, and right now is not exactly a very good IPO climate, so a merger or an acquisition is perfect and it is something that we selected with Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) and myself and Intel. It is part of the plan to basically exit the company and then take it to the next level."
He revealed that the buyer produces switches, routers, access points and similar products and that its core business is making products for other vendors. Now it wants to start focusing on producing its own-brand products and it is for this reason that Sphere Networks has fallen on the company's radar, as the buyout will supposedly help it complete the software and functionality side of its portfolio.
After the official announcement Sphere Networks will be enveloped into the purchasing company including its IP and technology and supporting technical resources which amounts to almost 20 employees. However, Hamedi explained that staff that work in the sales and human resources side of the business will be cut as a result of the merger.
"Given our product is aimed at the enterprise level and is less of an SMB [product] - and considering the structure of the Middle East with large governments and strong SMB markets - our products better suit the European or the US market," explained Hamedi.
He maintains that creating a company in the Middle East to target enterprise end-users in other markets was a strong strategy and upholds the fact that the merger has been a long time in the coming. He also denies the suggestion that support for local developers of IP is low on the ground here.
"We wanted to create a company where we could build the technology and then sell it outside [the region]. So it was a very cost effective development base, being in [the region] and having access to strong resources and strong talent and building it from here and selling it out to the European market," concluded Hamedi, who will continue to work with Sphere networks for up to 18 months part of an earn out agreement.
Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, which is involved in supporting local technology start ups in the UAE, was unavailable for comment.


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Last summer, SSC North America announced that the first production Tuatara was introduced to its owner during Monterey Car Week, yet no photos of the handover were provided. The Washington-state-based carmaker was oddly low key about the event, having spent 10 years getting the Tuatara into production and delivering chassis #1 at America's glitziest auto event. Now we know why. Dr. Larry Caplin wanted to debut his car in his hometown of Philadelphia. Caplin founded CF Charities, a nonprofit that supports underserved students interested in health and STEM careers, and CF Charities is sponsoring a supercar pavilion during the Philadelphia Auto Show. The star car is the doctor's Pearlescent Black Tuatara with Gloss Black and Red accents, dressed in SSC's high-speed configuration. There's a chance it's sharing the stage with its predecessor, a white 2011 SSC Ultimate Aero that also forms part of Caplin's collection.
Ex-Pininfarina designer Jason Castriota drew the exterior shapes. SSC says the skin and carbon fiber monocoque below are fashioned from aerospace-grade carbon fiber, the company tapping the manifest aerospace materials suppliers in the Pacific Northwest for the glossy stuff. Castriota says that lots of wind tunnel tuning has resulted in a 0.279 drag coefficient, and active aerodynamics means the Tuatara exhibits "identical aero balance from 100 mph to well over 300 mph." We're looking most forward to seeing if the Tuatara has the gumption to hit 300 mph, never mind go "well over" that mark.
It's been given the powerplant to do so, on paper at least. Developed with Nelson Racing Engines, the 5.9-liter twin-turbo V8 with the flat-plane crank and 8,800-rpm redline produces 1,350 horsepower on 91 octane, 1,750 hp on E85. Torque maxes out at 1,280 pound-feet at 6,800 rpm, all to move a car that weighs 2,750 pounds dry. A CIMA seven-speed automated manual gearbox manages shifting, swapping cogs in less than 100 milliseconds in Track Mode before sending power to the rear wheels.
Daily driver intentions are fulfilled by push-button dihedral doors, a large, vertically-oriented infotainment touchscreen with controls and readouts for the expected mod-cons as well as vehicle data and telemetry, rear and blind-spot cameras, and a Front Lift Mode that raises the nose 1.6 inches when traversing obstacles. The flat-top-and-bottom steering wheel and digital cluster look properly slick. The adjustable suspension flips between the default Sport Mode and Track Mode, a 1.25-inch ride height difference between the two; at the track, the Tuatara sits just 2.75 inches off the ground at the front, 3.25 inches at the rear. SSC also says tall drivers are invited to the Tuatara party, claiming that occupants as tall as 6-foot-5 will fit comfortably, "even sporting a race helmet."
Assuming all goes well, SSC plans to build only 99 more examples before shutting down production. The company still hasn't revealed a current price — last we heard, in 2013, MSRP was $1.3 million. That plus a touch of inflation should get a buyer well on his way to what's being billed as "America's Hypercar."


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The Seattle-based retail giant announced today that its Prime Early Access sale will take place Oct. 11 and 12. The event is aimed at customers who start their vacation shopping earlier than ever with the goal of securing the best deals. During the sale, Amazon will release a top-100 list of the “most popular and gifted items of the season,” in addition to a list of popular toys, its press release says. This fall event marks the first time the retailer has scheduled two Prime Sale events in one year.
Although Amazon has promised deals on top brands during the sale event, small businesses that sell on the platform also have an advantage. Nearly 2 million small and medium-sized businesses participated in the annual Prime Day event in July, bringing in $3 billion in sales. New features, such as the Small Business Badge, have offered to help businesses succeed on the platform.
Reports show that customers have already started holiday shopping, as inflation has forced shoppers to look for better deals early before prices can increase. There’s also an advantage for businesses to make their holiday sales as early as possible: Amazon will begin charging sellers an extra 35 cents per item for using its fulfillment service between Oct. 15 and Jan. 14 to account for increased shipping and logistics costs over the vacations. The Amazon Prime Early Access sale timeline may help businesses get through a significant number of orders before the holiday fee goes into effect.
In addition, with inflation affecting the cost of living, getting customers early — before they reach their budgets or credit card limits — will be key to the holiday season’s success, said Marshall Cohen, chief retail consultant at global research firm NPD Group. recently. “The early bird catches the worm,” he says. “You want to get to the consumer when they have the money.”


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More PIKs for Ardagh
Ardagh Group wants to raise an equivalent of Eu395m in euro and dollar secured PIK notes to repay its 2015 PIK notes and to return money to shareholders. The Luxembourg-based packaging company plans to issue two tranches, provisionally rated Caa1, with sizes of Eu185m and $300m. The notes will mature in 2018.
Citi is sole bookrunner on this transaction and has organised investor meetings for Wednesday. Price talk for the seven year notes is expected to circulate on Thursday with pricing towards the end of the week, according to a banker close to the deal.
The face value of Ardaghs 2015
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Van Franchise News: Read the latest activities and news from Van Franchises and get the latest UK Franchise news from van-based franchises and business opportunities. Learn about new products and services, franchisee business successes and other Van Franchise News updates
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Ovenu Chesterfield targets record turnover following 'full circle' appointment
20th October 2016
Paul Paling has re-joined Ovenu Chesterfield to keep up with increased demand, following year-on-year growth of 40%.
Riverford Organic Welcome their Latest Franchisees
Riverford Organic Franchise
17th October 2016
Scott Taylor and Marja Boyce are the latest franchisees to join Riverford’s network of veg box delivery teams.
Trophy Pet Foods BFA Franchisee of the Year Awards 2016 Finalists
Trophy Pet Foods Franchise
6th October 2016
Trophy Pet Foods are proud to announce that Trophy Pet Foods Swindon and North Wiltshire are finalists in the British Franchise Association...
Wilkins Chimney Sweep Winner in 2016 bfa HSBC Franchisee of The Year Awards
Wilkins Chimney Sweep Franchise
5th October 2016
Wilkins Chimney Sweep has been named the winner in the Microbusiness category at the 2016 bfa HSBC Franchisee of The Year Awards.
InXpress Gives Back Program Announces Chosen Charity
29th September 2016
InXpress are delighted to announce that they will be supporting the EYESeeMee charity for the next 12 months through their InXpress Gives...
Record Consumer Leads for ChipsAway in August 2016!
28th September 2016
ChipsAway is delighted to announce that demand for their services reached an all-time high in August 2016.
Delivering for a good cause
22nd September 2016
Ash Poulton from InXpress County Durham, and his wife, Kim, recently held a series of charity events to raise money for Group B Strep...
Oven Wizards are looking for their 50th Franchisee!
Oven Wizards Franchise
13th September 2016
Oven Wizards are looking to recruit their 50th Wizard into their oven cleaning community.


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The United Kingdom announced on Friday June 4 a free trade agreement with three European countries, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, a new important step in its ambition to strengthen its commercial influence after Brexit. The agreement concluded with these three countries which are not members of the European Union but are closely linked to it through their membership of the European Economic Area (EEA) covers a trade volume of 21.6 billion pounds in 2020.
It will lead to “a major boom in our trade” with the other three states, said UK Trade Minister Liz Truss in a statement. Since the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union (EU), Boris Johnson’s government has a project, described as “Global Britain”, to negotiate trade agreements around the world, which it believes will be more advantageous than those negotiated. by the EU.
London has already secured agreements with the EU, Singapore and Japan, and is in talks with Australia, the United States, India and New Zealand. Negotiations will also begin with Canada and Mexico. The one unveiled Friday will “boost important sectors such as digital, lower tariffs on high-quality British food and agricultural products and support jobs across the country,” said the Ministry of Commerce.
A reduction in customs duties provided for in the agreement
Essentially covering trade with Norway, the agreement notably provides for a reduction in customs duties, which can now reach 277%, for exporters of certain cheddar cheeses to the Nordic country. It also includes rate cuts in pork, poultry, some fish and shellfish and “helps preserve 18,000 jobs” in fish farming.
Norway, for its part, stressed that the agreement would not lead to an increase in the quotas of British beef and cheese, thus appeasing a priori the fears of national producers as the center-right government faces legislative elections which are taking place. present badly in September. The Nordic country thus secures access to its first market, outside the EU, since the United Kingdom absorbs 22% of its exports, including a lot of natural gas and fish.
Among other advances, the text provides for electronic procedures rather than paper forms for trade, a cap on telephone roaming charges or even mutual recognition of training for certain qualified jobs (nurse, veterinarian, lawyer). …).
A less dynamic agreement than that of the EEA
In anticipation of Brexit, the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein had signed a temporary agreement allowing them to continue to exchange their goods freely but a permanent and more extensive agreement, including in particular services and public procurement, remained to be concluded. At a press conference in Oslo, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg hailed “the largest free trade deal we have ever concluded.”
Europhile in a country which has twice refused to join the EU, Erna Solberg however stressed that “a free trade agreement will not be as satisfactory as the EEA agreement”. With Brexit, the United Kingdom also left this space which guarantees the free movement of people, goods, services and capital between the EU and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
“A free trade agreement means more bureaucracy and increased costs for businesses and citizens, and is less dynamic compared to what we have through the EEA,” argued Erna Solberg. “The agreement does not remove all barriers to trade either. Some are not resolved, ”she added. The text has yet to be approved by the Norwegian Parliament, where Erna Solberg’s government is in the minority.
In Reykjavik, Icelandic Foreign Minister Guðlaugur Thór Thórdarson, for his part, welcomed “a historic agreement which marks a turning point in relations between the countries”. “The UK is one of Iceland’s most important export markets and, due to the close ties between the two countries, it was considered extremely important to conclude a future deal with the UK at this stage, ”he said in a statement.


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| Sep 8, 2013
| 6:33 PM
These have not been good times for Corinthian Colleges Inc. or its investors.
Founded in 1995, Corinthian is one of the world's largest for-profit college companies, with an enrollment of about 81,000 students at 111 schools in 25 states and Canada....
| Sep 14, 2013
| 8:00 AM
The job came with certain unassailable perks. When Raquel Pomplun was anointed Playboy's 2013 Playmate of the Year, the 25-year-old model knew she could expect a Playboy Mansion luncheon hosted by Hugh Hefner, a tomato-red 2014 Jaguar convertible and...
| Sep 13, 2013
| 12:21 PM
MGM Holdings Inc., the parent of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., has authorized a $75-million stock repurchase plan and announced a dividend designed to protect the company from a hostile takeover.
Privately held MGM said the move was not being adopted in...
| Oct 30, 2013
| 5:41 PM
SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook's 60% jump in revenues may put to rest any nagging doubts investors have had about the giant social network's ability to sell mobile ads.
Advertising on mobile devices accounted for nearly half of Facebook's third...
| Oct 31, 2013
| 10:08 AM
Sony Corp.'s movie unit -- for months the focus of scrutiny from activist hedge fund investor Daniel Loeb -- posted an operating loss of $181 million for the company's fiscal second quarter, a major contributor to its overall poor performance.
| Nov 1, 2013
| 6:00 AM
The fight with CBS left Time Warner Cable with a black eye.
The cable giant said Thursday that it lost 306,000 video subscribers in the third quarter, which includes the roughly 30 days CBS-owned TV stations and the pay-TV channel Showtime were off...
| Nov 1, 2013
| 12:11 PM
Credit ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service Inc. said Friday that it is reviewing Sony Corp.'s credit rating and could downgrade it to junk status.
The news comes one day after Tokyo-based Sony, which reports its earnings in yen but provides...
| Jul 5, 2013
| 8:53 AM
Underwhelming sales of the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4 led the two phone-making technology giants to miss analysts' quarterly profit estimates, according to preliminary earnings reports released Friday.
In the quarter ended June 30, HTC Corp....
| Jul 9, 2013
| 5:19 AM
The Kroger Co. will buy Harris Teeter in a $2.5 billion deal, the company announced Tuesday.
Both grocery chains have a presence in Hampton Roads. Right now, Kroger executives are not saying exactly how the merger will change either grocery brand.
| Jul 12, 2013
| 7:14 PM
Wells Fargo & Co. booked a record $5.5 billion in profit during the second quarter despite a dramatic rise in mortgage rates and signs of a slowdown in its refinancing business.
The 19% year-over-year jump in earnings for the nation's largest home...
| Jul 17, 2013
| 6:44 PM
AeroVironment Inc., hurt by a drop in military contracts for its tiny drones, got a shot in the arm from a new investment company that wants to wean it from the government trough and move its products more into the commercial market.
Engaged Capital, an...


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In February, the LA Times reported that Amazon was systematically stealing Flex drivers' tips. After we ran a letter from an Amazon worker earlier this week describing the harsh reality of working for the company, we received dozens more emails from other Amazon workers in a variety of different jobs wanting to share their own stories.
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Fairfax begins charging for online content
Fairfax Media will begin charging for some of its online news content within a matter of weeks when it launches its first subscription-based smartphone applications.
Chief executive Brian McCarthy said the company would launch smartphone applications, or apps, for its four major online news mastheads - smh.com.au, theage.com.su, brisbanetimes.com.au and watoday.com.au - in the next few of weeks.
"(This marks) the first move by Fairfax Media to charge for its online news content on a mobile phone," he told an American Chamber of Commerce in Australia luncheon.
"I'm not going to reveal the pricing on these devices until closer to their release in a couple of weeks, but I will say it represents terrific value and I'm confident that smartphone users will find it very attractive."
Mr McCarthy said Fairfax's yield on such products would be low in their early stages, but forecast higher prices once audiences are established in order to improve returns.
"It's going to be quite a delicate balance for the early years as we move through that phase," he said.
Fairfax is developing around 40 more apps for smartphones and tablets, such as the iPad, which were expected to be released in the coming months, Mr McCarthy said.
Mr McCarthy said he was confident of Fairfax's ability to meet the challenge of newspaper publishers adapting to new digital platforms and consumer needs.
"I know and I sense we are now moving into a very much more positive era, and feel very confident about it," he said.
"I think media companies are done with the doomsayers, and we're now focused on the tremendous possibilities ahead of us as new platforms and channels for our content emerge.
"There is no doubt they will be challenging times, but I also think they will be very exciting times, and we are very well positioned to adapt."
Fairfax shares were up 0.5 cents to $1.505 at 1.20pm.
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A Pennsylvania law firm said Friday it has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of shareholders of Advo Inc., the direct-mail company immersed in a disputed merger with Livonia-based coupon giant Valassis Communications Inc.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Connecticut by Schiffrin & Barroway L.L.P. of Radnor, Pa., alleges that Windsor, Conn.-based Advo misrepresented its finances when the merger was announced, and anyone who bought the Advos stock between July 6 and Aug. 30 paid an inflated price.
Advos outside public-relations firm, Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher in New York City, said the company would have no comment on the lawsuit.
Schiffrin & Barroway lawyers handling the suit could not be reached for comment.
In a statement announcing the complaint, the firm characterized the case as a class-action lawsuit, but a district court clerk said no class-action suits regarding Advo had been certified by Friday afternoon.
In its statement, the law firms said the complaint accuses Advo and its executives of violating the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The specific accusations are:
- Advo misrepresented the success of its business and its prospects for future success.
- Advo did not possess the business prospects to meet its financial projections.
- Advo lacked adequate internal controls.
- As a result of the above, Advos financial statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
Valassis, a coupon-maker known for its Sunday newspaper inserts, sued Advo on Aug. 30 to halt the deal, accusing Advo management of fraud. Advo has countersued to enforce the merger.
The case will be heard Dec. 11 in Delawares Chancery Court. Valassis and Advo are incorporated in Delaware, a common practice in part because of the states chancery court, which specializes in corporate disputes.
Valassis, which needs a court order to rescind the deal because the merger is considered a binding contract, accused Advo of the same things listed in the lawsuit filed by Schiffrin & Barroway, saying Advo fabricated its earnings projections and hid details about the health of the company.
Advo has denied those charges and has characterized Valassis complaint as a case of buyers remorse and a tactic to drive down the per-share purchase price.
Advo shareholders who held stock in the company as of Aug. 4 voted Tuesday to approve the merger. The vote has no effect for now, however, because the merger is in court.
The deal, which received federal regulatory approval on Aug. 21, was approved by the boards of directors of both companies in June. Valassis shareholders arent required to vote on the merger.


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Inflation Outlook — Take 2The inflation outlook is the proverbial million-dollar question at the moment. In September last year we put together an inflation outlook piece (based on US CPI) that predicted inflation will peak and then fall rapidly in early 2023. So far, so good. But the big question now is – will it keep falling or level out somewhere above central bank targets? And if so, at what level will inflation baseline?
This thematic looks at the underlying components of inflation and draws upon lessons of the past to see if we can garner any insights as to central banks’ abilities in getting structural inflation down.
Main Points:1. Services CPI is a worry. Looking back to the 1970s – another epoch where there was an exogenous inflation shock – services CPI stayed belligerently high and indeed put a floor under Headline CPI falling below 5% in the US. Is history about to repeat itself and therefore our ‘terminal, terminal’ scenario is a foregone conclusion?…
Full Article reserved for dozzi’s Premium Investment Service.


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Industrial eggs and chicken meat carry an unacceptably high risk of pathogen contamination because of Big Ag’s poultry production methods. Raising your own chickens can greatly reduce your exposure to salmonella, E. coli and other deadly bacteria. Giving your birds a more natural life will allow your family to enjoy healthier eggs and meat.
Campylobacter bacteria contaminates up to 88 percent of meat produced through industrial chicken farming.
Photo By Fotolia/branex
Once upon a time, before industrial agriculture began keeping tens of thousands of genetically super-charged chickens in huge barns, we rarely had to fear that our eggs and chicken might be contaminated with salmonella, campylobacter, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and other sometimes deadly pathogens. Many people, even in the city, were raising chickens. Sunny-side-up eggs seldom made us ill. There were small risks before, but nothing like we have now.
Today, salmonella often lurks inside industrial eggs and campylobacter bacteria are found on up to 88 percent of chicken meat because the U.S. industrial system stresses poultry in multiple ways, including those listed below, making chickens less able to resist infections:
Poultry scientists have known for decades that these intensive, inhumane practices contribute to an increased presence of pathogens in industrial eggs and meat. A 2006 study in the Journal of Food Protection confirmed that “free-range chickens on family farms are exposed to more diverse microflora than are chickens raised at commercial farms, and therefore acquire a wider array of microorganisms, including microbes that are inhibitory to campylobacters."
Taxpayer money is now being spent to convince us that visitors should wear special suits and “disinfect” their shoes and vehicle tires before they enter poultry facilities, including backyard coops. And the federal regulatory agencies, often unduly influenced by the fears of Big Ag, have recently proposed requirements that certified organic chickens be given access to outdoor space, but that the space must be fenced and covered to prevent contact with wild birds, as a way, they believe, to reduce contamination of eggs after hens come into contact with wild bird feces.
Continuing to try to protect highly stressed chickens from microbes — instead of breeding birds that are strong enough to fend off disease and raising chickens using more natural, less-stressful production systems — is not the right course, folks. If you're concerned about this wrong-headed proposal for chicken production, let your elected officials know how you feel.
Read more: Interested in raising your own chickens for meat? Check out Raising Broiler Chickens for more information on choosing the right breeds, feeds and more.
Cheryl Long is the editor in chief of MOTHER EARTH NEWS magazine, and a leading advocate for more sustainable lifestyles. She leads a team of editors which produces high quality content that has resulted in MOTHER EARTH NEWS being rated as one North America’s favorite magazines. Long lives on an 8-acre homestead near Topeka, Kan., powered in part by solar panels, where she manages a large organic garden and a small flock of heritage chickens. Prior to taking the helm at MOTHER EARTH NEWS, she was an editor at Organic Gardening magazine for 10 years. Connect with her on Google+.
More than 150 workshops, great deals from more than 200 exhibitors, off-stage demos, inspirational keynotes, and great food!LEARN MORE


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The president of the National Chamber of the Industry of Restaurants and Seasoned Food in Yucatan (CANIRAC) Alejandra Pacheco Montero, in an interview mentioned that the conditions of security, peace and tranquility offered by the city of Merida and the state of Yucatan, are conducive for national and foreign investors to establish businesses in the restaurant sector in order to offer the market new options in gastronomy and cuisine.
“We have seen a great variety that ranges from foods from other states, to other countries, as well as new trends in other types of food such as vegan. That is because consumption patterns have changed significantly and Yucatan can offer many new options, besides security, which contributes to more people coming to Mérida” she explained.
She also mentioned: “The demand for restaurants that offer alternative styles of food has increased, because people no longer come with the only idea of eating something at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Now people are looking for an experience. New proposals of flavors, ingredients, aromas, that often come together in different styles across the world”.
The business leader stressed that now, the competition is greater, so it is vital to carry out an important work in the preparation, not only by offering a good meal, but also creating an experience, with better service and attention to costumers. “Now restaurateurs have to be prepared in a better way, to be the best in their kind, from the smallest to the largest, with their different types of food” she explained.
More than 13 thousand food businesses
Among the hundreds of members of CANIRAC, you can find some that offer homemade Thai or Italian food, to name a few. It is estimated that in the state there are more than 13 thousand food businesses, with around 65 thousand families depending on them.
She added that the implementation of digital applications to place food orders helps to boost sales; however, there are those who prefer to go to the premises to consume freshly prepared food on site.
Alejandra Pacheco Montero mentioned that most of these 13 thousand businesses are in informality.
The Yucatan Times
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Buzzfeed missed its $250 million revenue target last year, according to the Financial Times, and generated only $170 million.
Because of this, Buzzfeed has also halved its revenue prediction for next year from $500 million to $250 million.
Buzzfeed disputed the figures but did not give its own figures, telling the Financial Times, “We are very pleased with where BuzzFeed is today and where it will be tomorrow.”
Business Insider reached out for comment and will update this article when we hear back.
Although Buzzfeed has generated large investments from the likes of Andreesen Horowitz and NBCUniversal, and has proven it’s capable of creating compelling content that reaches many users. However, its business model of creating custom branded content is not scaling well, according to the FT.
Buzzfeed may be considering moving deeper into television with a tie-up with NBCUniversal, the FT reported, echoing a move Mashable made just last week, and Vice did in launching Viceland


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Telecom Lead Team: Ixonos has unveiled its new
patent-pending, next-generation Super App Concept at the Mobile World
Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
Ixonos has created the Ixonos Super App concept,
developed the patent-pending technology and designed the customizable user
interface, all in-house.
“With well thought-out, customized Super Apps, we
aim to deliver next-generation app experiences that have lasting appeal to
consumers”, said Sami Paihonen, head of user experience design at
that it offers to help its customers by creating for them apps that truly stand
out from among the 1.3 million apps currently on offer in the 250+ application
stores in existence.
Super Apps combine the best online content with the most
useful functionalities and create unparalleled user experiences by harnessing
the pull of social networks, the company added.
Super Apps will offer a way for companies to
significantly increase their customer loyalty and brand engagement.
The company said that Super Apps will allow it to gain
information on how and when consumers engage with them.
We can turn this intelligence into fail-safe viral
marketing campaigns for our customer companies. Super Apps will be a
cost-effective way to broaden a company’s digital marketing towards its
existing customers and also to target new consumer groups,” Sami added.
Ixonos said that it is ready to productize the concept, and the company plans to offer
the design and delivery of customized Super Apps to customers via a licensing
model, as a part of the Ixonos App Agency service.
The patent-pending technology will allow Ixonos to roll
out customized super apps in just one month as well as to implement them on a
variety of platforms and on all types of wireless devices.
see the complete coverage of Mobile World Congress here


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Chelsea Asplund/The AS Review
Participants came bearing over-stuffed garbage bags, reusable shopping bags and backpacks. Within minutes, clothes were strewn across the carpet in a colorful array of shirts, scarves, jackets, pants, belts and dresses. Each participant set up their station, folded their items and strategically placed them in the order they desired.
“It’s interesting to see all the different fashions people have,” senior Bryan Harthorne said as he folded his shirts meticulously on the floor. “You get to take a look at their old clothes and see ‘okay, that’s what they used to be.’ It’s interesting to see what they’re wearing now, compared to what they used to.”
On Nov. 13, the DIY Ethics and Arts Alliance sponsored the Fall Style Swap, an on-campus event where students traded unwanted clothing and accessories with other students. While the room resembled the contents of a clothing store, the difference was that these participants left the room without a receipt.
The alliance calls itself a “creative outlet club,” where students can learn new skills through weekly arts and crafts demonstrations. The activities include knitting, crocheting, stenciling, making things out of hemp, decorating and recycling old clothing, making jewelry, restoring old furniture and screen printing.
In their first full year as an official club, president and senior Jessica Lynch said they hope to do a clothing swap event every quarter because it demonstrates the do-it-yourself lifestyle that the club encourages. She said that through these events the club hopes to increase the awareness of the waste of clothing, and that there are other options beyond buying and throwing away clothes.
“You can rejuvenate your old clothing or you can make something new out of something old you have,” Lynch said.
It was clear that Lynch was no stranger to clothing swaps as she used a colorful sheet to mark her territory, which was full of dozens of shirts, pants, shoes and accessories. In the past, she said that alliance members have hosted several successful clothing swaps on and off campus, and it was the continual success of those events that drove them to become an official student club.
“Since I have been doing the style swaps I rarely buy new clothes, I just bring my old clothes in and then trade them,” Lynch said. “You get a new wardrobe. I think it’s a lot more fun too. It’s an interactive process rather than just buying new clothes off the rack.”
Senior Erica Olson has been involved with the club since last spring, and said their weekly tutorials are a great way to learn and share other members’ interests and talents. “All of the members get together and if someone has an interest in teaching others a skill they have, they put on a tutorial,” she said. “I really like learning new skills. It’s a lot of fun.”
Lynch said in the future they hope the club can do larger scale craft demonstrations and open them up to the public. Since one member of the club also plays in a punk band, Lynch said there has been some talk about having a benefit concert to raise awareness for the club, as well as generate more funds for their projects.
“We wanted to create a place where people could learn freely different arts and crafts, so people would have a creative outlet,” she said.
The DIY Ethics and Art Alliance meets at 6 p.m. on the first and last Mondays of each month in Academic Instructional West 305.


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SUWANEE, Ga. (October 12, 2017) Hisense, a global leader in premium television technology and appliances, announces the opening of their brand-new showroom in their Atlanta based U.S. headquarters. The opening was celebrated with an event where local community members were invited to see the new space, get to know the brand and participate in a raffle to benefit the American Red Cross’s disaster relief fund.
“We are thrilled to have our U.S. home base here in Suwanee, and to celebrate this grand opening with members of the local community,” says Jerry Liu, CEO of Hisense USA. “As our brand grows, we look forward to deepening our ties with the local organizations here, including the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.”
The new showroom is nearly 5,000 sq. ft. and was designed to showcase Hisense’s latest technology innovations across the TV and Home Appliance departments as well as the company’s many sports sponsorships which include U.S. Men’s, Women’s and Youth Soccer, FIFA’s 2018 World Cup and NASCAR’s Joe Gibbs Racing. The showroom is outfitted with Hisense’s soon-to-launch 100” Laser TV, premium refrigerators, wine coolers, and TVs ranging in size, and show off much of Hisense’s capabilities, including many products that aren’t on the market yet.
Hisense execs cut the ribbon to the new Atlanta showroom.
“Metro Atlanta is the tech hub for the southeast U.S., which is why Hisense chose the region for their Americas headquarters over a decade ago,” says Nick Masino, Chief Economic Development Officer – Partnership Gwinnett. “We are thrilled to have Hisense here, contributing to that, we look forward to working with them in the years ahead and for their continued success and growth.”
Hisense USA resides in Atlanta; however, the multinational company sells products in over 130 countries, with a global headquarters in Qingdao, China. Hisense is well known as the world’s third largest TV manufacturer and the number one television manufacturer in China for over 14 years and is now aggressively expanding in the United States. Hisense televisions and appliances, which offer premium technology at accessible prices, have been well-received by U.S. consumers and the company achieved its most successful sales month ever in Q2 2017.
In addition to their Atlanta home, Hisense has three R&D facilities across North America in San Jose, CA, NJ and Toronto, Canada; business offices in Toronto and Mexico City, Mexico and a production facility in Rosarito, Mexico.
About Hisense USA Corporation and Hisense Company Ltd.
Hisense USA Corporation offers an innovative range of technology products that disrupt the consumer electronics industry, challenge the competition and provide significant value to consumers. Manufactured and distributed across North America, Hisense USA Corporation’s product portfolio includes televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, beverage coolers and freezers.
Hisense Company Ltd. is a multinational consumer technology manufacturer and one of the largest television brands in the world with the No. 1 TV share position in China for 14 consecutive years. The Company is committed to advancing the consumer technology industry across North America and has dedicated R&D centers in Atlanta, GA; San Jose, CA; and Toronto, Canada to enable localized product development and innovation.
Hisense products are available globally in over 130 countries and regions, with production facilities in China, South Africa, Czech Republic and Mexico, as well as sales offices across North America, Europe, Australia, Middle East, and Southeastern Asia.


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Bernie Stolar, June 25, 2022 was involved in the launch of PlayStation and Dreamcast, was 75 years old
One of the most important video game executives of the 90s, has passed away at the age of 70, informs GamesBeat.
Stolar started his video game business in 1980, first starting a coin company before moving to Atrari;
Where he did everything from working on his arcade games to his later console videogames domestico for all things to lead development on Lynx, Atari's infamous massive handheld device.
He moved to Sony, where he helped found the American division of the company's PlayStation brand, serving as the company's first executive vice president.
While at Sony, his biggest achievement was lining up multiple studios and properties for the first library of games of PlayStation – forming relationships that in many cases last into 2022 – including Ridge racer , Crash Bandicoot e Spyro.
After the launch of the PlayStation, Stolar moved to rival Sega, where he didn't play around. As GamesBeat remember:
“When I arrived at Sega, I immediately said, 'We have to kill Saturn. We have to stop Saturn and start building the new technology.' That's what I did.
I brought in a new team of people and cleaned the house. There were about 300 employees and I reduced the company to 90 employees to start rebuilding,” Stolar said.
While with Sega Stolar made another long-term visionary signing, buying a studio called Visual Concepts that would become 2K Sports and continues to release the NBA 2K series to this day.
Stolar's post-90s career was marked by stints at Mattel (where he lobbied the company to double down on the company's video game production). Barbie) and Google, where he served as the company's first “game evangelist”;
Position it used to champion the idea of a game streaming service, something the company waved at at the time and later… would revisit a decade later, long after Stolar had left, before completely screwing up.


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Mission Catwalk, a Caribbean based fashion reality television series is in search of burgeoning fashion talent in the region. The hit series, which was recently ranked as the number one television show in Jamaica, is about to get a Bahamian invasion.
When Mission Catwalk Season 3 premieres on April 13 the Bahamas will be represented by local fashion designer Theodore Elyett, as he put his needle and thread in the race.
Mission Catwalk is filmed in Kingston, Jamaica, the country which also delivered the show’s past two winners.
This year, Elyett is seeking to give the contestants from Jamaica and the seven other Caribbean countries represented a run for their money. Elyett began his climb on local fashion scene in 1998 and says all the hard work is certainly paying off.
“Mission Catwalk is an opportunity of a lifetime. Not only do I have the opportunity to showcase my talents to the region and the world, but I also have the responsibility of ensuring that the Bahamas is well represented in this competition as well,” said Elyett.
“There is no doubt that I entered this competition with the mindset to walk away with the grand prize, but I have also allowed myself to embrace this opportunity as a learning experience for growth as well,” he said.
Elyett, along with his competitors, will be mentored throughout the season by veteran fashion quality control specialist Kay Devitian. Devitian has worked with international fashion brands like Jones & Co. New York and Ralph Lauren to name a few.
A total of 15 aspiring designers are set to take part in the Caribbean version of the highly popular Project Runway show, all of them vying for a hefty cash prize, a suite of industrial sewing machines, the opportunity to showcase at London Fashion Week and an intense course at renowned London College of Fashion with dual courses in Paris, France.
Elyett describes the competition as “intense” but based on the local and international awards and mentions he’s already racked up, it’s evident that he knows how to put in work and make every stitch count.
Elyett has been crowned Stylezine Magazine’s People’s Choice Award for 2012 Designer of The Year; champion of Runway to Fashion Week 2010 competition and winner of Harl TaylorBAG Scholarship in 2010.
A staple in the fashion industry in The Bahamas, Elyett has studied at one of the world’s top fashion school’s, Parsons The New School For Design, in New York City during an intensive summer scholarship.
When the season begins on Saturday, April 13, Elyett is seeking to stick a pin in Jamaica’s reign and bring the Mission Catwalk crown home to the Bahamas.
“I’m not going into this trying to be just another competitor. I want to bring them a brand already in action. I am seeking to offer them something; a mutually beneficial relationship is how I’d like to think of it,” he said.
You can watch the show on Cable 12 or Youtube.com.