text:
Toxic commerce flourishes in the opaque US regulatory environment. For over thirty years, corporate members of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) have enjoyed the confidentiality and toothless nature of the most important chemical regulation that applies to them: the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
But the days of secrecy and unregulated access for new chemicals are numbered. For seven years, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) tried to push TSCA reform legislation through the Senate environment committee. On Wednesday, his Safe Chemicals Act finally cleared this hurdle by a 10-to-8 party line vote.
ACC chair Cal Dooley last month called the Lautenberg bill an "extreme proposal," and Republican senators professed economic, safety, and even national security reasons not to support it.
While the bill may not survive a polarized legislative branch, the vote convincingly demonstrates growing momentum for controlling toxic commerce. It reflects marketplace and public policy developments outside Washington, D.C. Ingredient disclosure and testing requirements are on the rise in private transactions, from building products to cosmetics, as well as state regulations, and regional directives such as the European Union's REACH.
Industry secrets exposed
On Tuesday, the Senate committee aired the dirty laundry of the flame retardant industry. Witness testimony built the case for reforming TSCA.
Heather Stapleton, a Duke University environmental chemist, discussed her groundbreaking study of 101 baby products that contain polyurethane foam. She found that 79 of these products contained halogenated flame retardants. Some of the compounds were not previously known to be in commercial use.
Despite industry claims of confidential business information, her lab was able to identify the compounds with precision. "In this day and age, it is not difficult to determine," she told the committee.
Stapleton linked the rising use of these flame retardants with the rising levels of these compounds in Americans' bodies. Many infants spend almost 24 hours a day in "intimate contact" with these products. The end result is that people in the United States - especially children - have ten times higher levels of these flame retardants in their blood than do people in Europe.
A failed strategy
Former Maine Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree recounted Maine's battles with the flame retardant industry. "The chemical industry does not always tell the truth, and they will use a variety of means to beat back the regulations," she said. "The ACC was spending large amounts of money to deny that the chemicals had health impacts and were building up in people."
Old-school corporate tactics did not work. "The people of Maine didn't buy it," noted Speaker Pingree. Legislation to ban three brominated flame retardants "passed nearly unanimously. We didn't want to be on the wrong side of protecting Maine kids, and despite a lot of money, we still won."
The tide has turned
All transactions are political, whether they involve passing legislation or buying produce. And from the halls of legislatures to the aisles of grocery stores, people are demanding material content disclosure. We are refusing to purchase products that either do not disclose or contain chemicals of concern.
This kind of market transformation is underway in the building materials sector, through platforms like the Pharos Project and the Health Product Declaration. We can also see it in the USGBC's continued resolve to offer credits for reducing toxic chemicals in LEED®-certified buildings.
As Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) told Speaker Pingree, "Sometimes the good guys can win despite all the machinations of special interests."
Jim Vallette is senior researcher for the Healthy Building Network. He previously addressed trade secrecy and flame retardants in "Clearing a Flame Retardant Smoke Screen," published by the Pharos Project in January 2010.


text:
This time last year, our reforms to the retail banking sector came into effect. These reforms – designed to make the sector work better for individuals and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) – are now pushing banks to provide a better quality of service and offer fairer prices. This is in addition to enabling new providers to offer innovative products and services.
In this blog, I want to reflect on the impact of our reforms; particularly in tackling overdrafts charges, helping customers to compare service quality, and the changes being delivered through Open Banking.
Historically, banks have been able to make a lot of money from unarranged overdraft charges: we found that banks generated revenues of £1.2 billion in 2014 from this alone.
Now our reforms – combined with further action by the financial regulator, the FCA – are helping people take back control of their overdrafts.
- banks are now required to alert their customers when they are at risk of slipping into an unarranged overdraft and being hit with fees.
- we’ve made banks limit how much they charge their customers when they do go into unarranged overdrafts.
These measures came into effect this time last year, and since then we’ve been active in enforcing these new rules. We have detected a number of instances of banks not complying. This has usually been due to errors with implementation, rather than deliberate non-compliance. Positively, the banks have usually held their hands up when they’ve made a mistake and we’ve been able to deal with this promptly and see that customers were refunded.
Since our reforms came into effect, we have required banks to refund around £1.6 million in fees to their customers. Now that 12 months have passed, and banks have had time to get used to the new regulations, there is no excuse for further errors and we will take action to deal with repeated, or serious issues, with banks not complying. This could include calling out poor performance, or issuing legally enforceable Directions to ensure compliance.
The FCA has also been reviewing overdraft charges in response to a recommendation we made in our market investigation. In December it published the outcome of its review and the further reforms it is making to protect customers.
People need reliable information about the quality of service that banks offer. This helps new customers make an informed decision when selecting a bank and can help existing customers find and switch to a better provider. Therefore we’ve taken action to improve transparency: banks now have to publish how their service quality ranks against others. This is based on customers’ willingness to recommend them to friends, family or colleagues. In the latest independent survey, 16 thousand customers of the 16 largest personal account took part.
These surveys are making a difference. People now have comparable information about the quality of service they can expect, helping them to choose the bank that is right for them.
You may have seen the First Direct advertising shouting about the fact they’ve been ranking “number 1” on some measures. For banks who haven’t performed so well, this is a clear indication that they need to do more to raise their game.
One of our most ambitious reforms has been our work on Open Banking, which is helping people choose the best deal from competing products, and giving new, innovative providers a better chance to enter and grow in the market.
For too long, current account customers have been unclear about whether they have been getting a good deal from their bank and whether they could get a better deal elsewhere. As a result, only 3% of personal customers and 4% of business customers switch to a different bank in any year (Figures from the 2016 CMA retail banking investigation final report). But for the first time, Open Banking will allow customers and SMEs to easily work out which banks offer the best service for them by using secure apps.
More fundamentally, Open Banking has allowed innovative new products and exciting new players to enter the market, while encouraging innovation from the existing players. You can find a full list of Open Banking service providers here.
To encourage providers to create the best Open Banking products for SMEs, we’ve been working in collaboration with the innovation charity Nesta. As part of Nesta’s ‘Open Up Challenge’, FinTech businesses have competed for additional funding to take their products and services to market. Between 2017 and 2018, the Open Up Challenge has awarded funds of £4.5 million to 25 tech companies. In December 2018, the six final winners of the Open Up Challenge were announced.
It’s been a promising year since the retail banking reforms were introduced. There has been a lot of progress but there’s still more to be done to make sure that banks are working harder for their customers. In the coming months, we will continue to work in collaboration with government, regulators, customer and business representatives and the banking industry to improve banking for all.
Visit our case page for more information on our retail banking remedies.

domain: news


text:
Amber Enterprises Expects AC Sales To Pick Up From Third Quarter
Third party air conditioner maker Amber Enterprises India Ltd. expects second quarter sales to remain soft after posting flat growth in the previous due to better-than-expected monsoon season.
The recovery would only begin from the next quarter, its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jasbir Singh told BloombergQuint in an interaction.
“The current quarter would witness an impact as the air conditioner industry is holding up some inventories and are trying to liquidate in the market,” said Singh. “The next two quarters after that will be positive.”
The unpredictable monsoon would not change the long-term outlook of the sector. Air conditioners remain a low penetrated product in the consumer durable segment, Singh said adding the industry should growth at its normal pace after Sept.
Watch the full interaction here:


text:
Stay on Top of Enterprise Technology Trends
Get updates impacting your industry from our GigaOm Research Community
In-Game advertising firm Double Fusion, based in San Francisco, has received another big tranche of funding: it has received $26 million in its second round of funding. Norwest Venture Partners led the financing round, which included investors Accel Partners, Jerusalem Venture Partners, Time Warner, Hearst Corporation, IDG Ventures Pacific and Japan’s Sedona Capital. Time Warner is also an investor in mobile gaming company Glu Mobile.
We mentioned a $5 million round earlier this year (but that was part of this second round) and a $10 million round last year. The announcement also comes two weeks after it announced a big partnership with 2K Games.
Double Fusion plans to use the funding to build up media sales, technology, and international operations. CEO Jonathan Epstein said the company has close to 40 people now, but he plans to increase head count by as much as 50 percent by mid-2007.
The company competes against the likes of IGA and Massive (now part of Microsoft). More details in the release here.


text:
Last Updated on May 10, 2021 by Danielle
Both Lego and Mattel are trying to be more inclusive with their toys.
Mattel, the maker of Barbie, and Lego, the world’s biggest toy company, unveiled expansions to their existing product lines with the introduction of three new body types and disabled figures. It is encouraging to see both companies lead the charge toward a more inclusive direction.
Mattel announced it is expanding its Fashionista line of Barbies to include three new body types – tall, curvy, and petite. These new dolls will be available in seven different skin tones, twenty-four hair styles, 22 eye colors, and flat feet. The new dolls represent a doll line that is more reflective of the world girls live in. The variety in body type, skin tones, and style allows girls to discover the doll that speaks uniquely to themselves.
With Barbie being one of the top toys for girls, Mattel has stated that they have a responsibility to girls and parents to reflect a broader view of beauty. This is a very different take on a doll that has received much criticism for having unrealistic proportions and failing to live up to parent’s expectations of the doll being a role model. Mattel is hoping this new stance will bring a resurgence to Barbie sales and return the iconic doll to its former glory days.
Similarly, Lego announced a Lego figure in a wheelchair at the Nuremberg Toy Fair. This new Lego figure will be available in June. The idea surfaced due to last year’s #ToyLikeMe equality campaign. Additionally, there are rumors about a figure with a guide dog in the works. People who have been urging Lego to expand its range of figures to positively represent disabled persons will be delighted by this news.
Now we’ll have to see how the market responds to these new inclusive toys from Mattel and Lego. Will they be popular toys for christmas 2021? And will other toy companies follow suit?


text:
Pillar Project team will give a live demo of its wallet on BrightTalk on February 16 at 8:00PM
16 February 2018
Pillar aims to build the world’s best cryptocurrency and token wallet that will become the dashboard for the users' digital life. It is developing a Pillar Wallet, which should help users store and manage cryptocurrencies and tokens.
On February 16, Pillar Project will give a demo of their wallet as a work in progress.
Pillar Mobile Wallet
As the team of the project states, Pillar wallet will be a simple, easy-to-use wallet that will transform into a combination of eBay and a personal digital assistant. The nonprofit foundation is committed to continuous delivery of wallets and features, and plans to show the community how it is going by giving the first real demo of a working wallet.
The live demonstration will be presented by David Siegel and Pillar team, and will start at 8:00 PM on BrightTalk.
At the moment of press, these are main market parameters of Pillar:
TOP-3 Upcoming ICO 22 - 28 Apr According to Our Readers
Let’s check which ICOs from 22nd to 28th April are considered the best according to our readers
23 April 2018
Our readers are dedicated cryptocurrency enthusiasts and fans of blockchain technology. We provide them with the ability to express their opinion regularly. Let’s check top three ongoing ICO according to our readers
Momentum is the world’s first blockchain and crypto-token based marketing automation platform that enables companies to reward their best customers and supporters with crypto-tokens. With Momentum, companies can reward customers in exchange for their attention, business, brand advocacy and data insights, while giving the consumer full control over their personal data. MobileBridge Momentum Token is the token that powers the MobileBridge Momentum platform. Demand for the Momentum will be fuelled by the ever increasing demand for the token as transactions on the MobileBridge Platform continue to increase.
At the moment of press, Momentum is running the private sale, no info on the raised funds available.
B2AND is a result-oriented cloud-based online platform providing easy-to-use and scalable service utilising viral marketing within marketing campaigns in new innovative and extremely effective way. The new B2AND decentralized eco-system will be based on successful B2AND platform and will rely on a decentralized architecture on Ethereum blockchain supported by B2AND token. The B2AND decentralized eco-system will be transformed through four generations, whereas 1st generation B2AND platform has already been deployed.
B2AND tokensale started today (23/04/2018). We wish good luck for the team!
TV-TWO is an application for Smart TVs used as the new gateway to linear broadcast combined with a personalized video stream as an additional channel. It is based on blockchain, the technology to orchestrate the new television ecosystem, with direct interactions between users, advertisers and content producers. A custom Ethereum-based token called TTV, the Token for Television, will fuel the ecosystem while ensuring security and fairness.
TV-TWO tokensale hadn't begin yet, but team doesn't lose any time. They have active social network and live shows life.
We will keep our eye on these campaigns and we hope that their projects will be successful. We are really grateful to our readers for your opinion expression. Please, check the new Top Upcoming ICO and take part in new poll!


text:
Bajaj Auto is all set to launch the much-awaited Kawasaki Ninja 250R motorcycle on October 5. The bookings of the same bike would begin just ahead of Diwali, Bajaj Auto Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj said here today.
The Ninja 250R is considered to be an entry-level sports bike manufactured by Japanese two-wheeler maker Kawasaki. The motorcycle would be priced between Rs. 1.50 lakh and Rs. 2 lakh in India. “The bookings would start just ahead of Diwali and the deliveries would happen immediately,” Bajaj stated. He also said, the new version of Pulsar would be launched within next three months.


text:
After more than 20 million downloads and thousands of enterprise deals, MongoDB Inc. is launching a new release of its namesake documenet store that is aimed at large organizations with broad and complex datasets.
Arguably the biggest enhancement in MongoDB 3.4 is support for graph processing, an addition that will enable users to analyze the relationships among their records using the native feature set. There are examples of the platform being used for such a purpose as early as 2013, but the task has historically required a great of deal of specialized code. Users can now look for connections inside their data without having to perform extensive tweaking beforehand.
A financial institution, for instance, could employ MongoDB to examine suspicious ties between transactions. And marketers can take advantage of the new functionality to gain a better insight into the people who discuss their brands on social media. With that said, the system probably won’t pose a threat to specialized graph stores such as Neo4j that were designed from the ground up to process data relationships. But today’s addition should still appeal to existing MongoDB customers that don’t want to set up another database in their analytics environments.
In the same spirit, today’s release also adds a so-called faceted navigation function that provides the ability to narrow down the data that a query retrieves using custom filters. The feature will make it easier for the numerous ecommerce companies that rely on MongoDB to implemenet search functionality in their sites. It should be especially useful for retailers with large product catalogs that require an extensive selection of filters to properly explore.
Rounding out the new release is a set of operational features designed to ease the management of large-scale deployments. The most valuable addition is a new multi-region partitioning capability for distributing datasets, which is geared towards organizations that run MongoDB across several geographically disparate facilities.
It’s joined by a read-only mode that provides the ability to expose information for an application without letting it make changes. The feature will simplify the management of sensitive records such as transaction logs that can be modified only in limited circumstances.


text:
Prius manufacturing headed to the U.S. for the first time
Responding to the global issues of oil supply and local sourcing, Toyota will produce the hybrid Prius in the U.S. beginning in 2010.
The company said Thursday it will build the Prius in 2010 at its new plant in Blue Springs, MS. Toyota already builds a hybrid version of the Camry sedan in the Georgetown, KY, plant that won the 2006 Plant Engineering Top Plant award. The Prius is the most popular hybrid car on the road in the U.S. and deamnd is high, but this is the first time the Prius will be manufactured in the United States.
As another indicator of the changing mood in the vehicle market, Toyota will also suspend production of its Tundra pickup truck in San Antonion and its Sequoia SUV in Princeton, IN.
According to a CNN/Money report , Toyota said it made the moves as U.S. demand for trucks and SUVs continues to decline. Toyota’s U.S. sales fell 21% in June compared with the year before, an even steeper decline than the industrywide slump of 18%. Sales of the Tundra were down 54% while sales of the Prius fell 34% as Toyota failed to keep up with growing demand.
“The truck market continues to worsen, so unfortunately we must temporarily suspend production. But this good news about production mix demonstrates our long-term commitment to our North American operations and to our team members, suppliers and communities where our plants are located,” Jim Wiseman, vice president for Toyota Motor engineering and Manufacturing North America, said in a statement.
Toyota has 13 North American plants and two under construction in Mississippi and Ontario, employing more than 43,000 workers.


text:
Morrisons is employing 3,500 drivers and warehouse workers as it ramps up its home delivery network in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. It also said it would introduce new ways of delivering to customers, including vulnerable people and those affected by the virus. The supermarket wants to recruit 2,500 drivers and pickers as it rolls out its expanded home delivery methods. It will also seek to employ an additional 1,000 staff to work in its distribution centres. The recruitment […]
Compliance levels in Northern Ireland have continued to improve, the latest figures from the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) show.
Uncertainty over EU workers’ future employment rights is a “major concern” given that 10% of the UK’s driver workforce is from the EU, the FTA has warned.
Andrew Baxter (pictured), MD of Europa Worldwide Group, has revealed the pressures transport and logistics companies are facing in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.


text:
Consumer spending on Google Play store has surpassed spending on games than popular handheld consoles like Nintendo DS and Sony Playstation – Cheers to Android mobile game developers!
With most of the money still going to Apple, as provided in the report released by International Data Corporation (IDC) and App Annie, consumer spending on games for iOS App Store & Google Play combined rose to 4x that of gaming-optimized handhelds. However the report primarily focuses on consumer spending on mobile and handheld gaming devices during Q2, 2013.
The report also stated that for Google Play store, most of the revenues came from Asia- Pacific, especially Japan & South Korea.
At least for positioning, Google Play has managed to push Nintendo and Sony down into third place. This either means that Google’s games strategy is on the right track or increase in Android penetration over iPhone and other smartphones is resulting into popularity of Google Play Store. Moreover it would not be wrong to say a big thanks to Samsung for that.
So What helped the shift?
In an interview, Google Play’s lead manager Greg Hartrell told AllThingsD that three out of four Android users play games. According to him, growing Android revenues are because of three main factors: expansion of Google Play into 130 countries (from a total of 30 in 2011), developers offering features like cloud saving and multiplayer options and new ways to collect revenues including direct carrier billing.
Well, where the increase in android portion of the overall portable/mobile gaming industry is a good news for Android game developers, it’s good for Android players as well as they get to play and compete with more skilled players.
To contact Author, email Devesh@wirefootindia.com


text:
China’s Ant Financial joins Razer, Grab in contest for Singapore digital banking licence
- Southeast Asia’s digital lending market is expected to grow from US$23 billion in 2019 to US$110 billion by 2025
China’s fintech giant Ant Financial has applied for a digital wholesale banking licence in Singapore, joining the city state’s digital banking race to create virtual lenders after gaming start-up Razer and ride-hailing company Grab applied for full banking licences in the same week.
“In line with our commitment to promoting financial inclusion globally, we have submitted an application to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for a digital wholesale banking licence,” an Ant Financial spokesperson told the South China Morning Post on Thursday. “We look forward to contributing to the development of the digital banking landscape in Singapore.”
Last June the MAS unveiled plans to grant as many as five virtual bank licences to boost competition and innovation. Requiring capital of S$1.5 billion (US$1.1 billion), two will be full bank licences that will allow the applicant to provide a range of banking services to retail and non-retail customers. The other three will be wholesale licences, requiring capital of S$100 million, allowing applicants to provide services to small and medium enterprises as well as other non-retail customer segments.
“Singapore is already a well-served market – although there is still scope for technology-led innovators to compete, especially in servicing SMEs,” said James Lloyd, Asia-Pacific financial-technology lead for consulting firm EY. “A key question is how much technology can serve as a true differentiator in a relatively small market like Singapore – both in terms of reducing overheads and improving customer experience.”
Singapore’s move to open up its banking industry to technology companies comes after Hong Kong granted similar licences to companies including Ant Financial and Tencent Holdings earlier last year.
Southeast Asia’s digital lending market is expected to grow from US$23 billion in 2019 to US$110 billion by 2025, representing a 29 per cent compound annual growth rate, according to a report by Bain & Co, Google and Temasek Holdings.
Razer teamed up with Sheng Shiong, the private unit of supermarket chain owners the Lim brothers, and FWD, the insurance business of Pacific Century Group, to apply for a full digital banking licence on Thursday. The consortium is the second group to submit a licence application, after Grab Holdings and Singapore Telecommunications announced their joint bid on Monday, in which Grab holds 60 per cent equity.
If its application is approved, Razer Fintech, the company’s financial technology unit, plans to build the world’s first global youth bank, Razer Youth Bank, to focus on serving youth and millennials. The company said in a statement that it will own a 60 per cent majority stake while its strategic partners will take up the remaining equity interest.
“Addressing the unmet financial needs of the large, yet underserved, segment of the population through an innovative digital-first banking platform is a natural extension of our payments business,” Lee Li Meng, chief strategy officer of Razer and chief executive of Razer Fintech, said in a statement.
Bids for the virtual licences were due by the end of 2019 and the MAS is set to announce the successful applicants by mid-2020.
Ant Financial is an affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding, which owns the Post.
Additional reporting by Tracy Qu


text:
--America Movil taking minority stakes in two European phone companies
--Lack of mergers-and-acquisitions options in Latin America prompts move into Europe
--America Movil goes carefully as it gets to know new markets
MEXICO CITY--Mexican telecommunications company America Movil SAB (AMX, AMX.MX) is treading lightly as it pursues geographic diversification in unfamiliar European markets after exhausting options for acquisitions in Latin America, the company's chief financial officer said Friday.
America Movil, controlled by billionaire Carlos Slim, said Friday it has agreed to buy 21% of Telekom Austria AG (TKA.VI) from investor Ronny Pecik, to raise its stake to about 23%. The agreement follows an offer last month to buy up to 28% of Dutch phone company Royal KPN NV (KPN.AE), of which America Movil has so far accumulated 8%.
America Movil Chief Financial Officer Carlos Garcia Moreno said in a telephone interview that the rationale for entering Europe was to continue with geographic diversification, which has given America Movil scale and solid cash-flow generation, even in times of economic turmoil.
The company continues to invest and expand organically in Latin America, but "if we look at mergers and acquisitions in the region, there isn't much more to do, there isn't much more to buy," Mr. Garcia Moreno said. "If we want to continue with M&A, it will have to be elsewhere."
Mr. Garcia Moreno said America Movil felt comfortable taking majority and outright stakes as it expanded in Latin America, but is less familiar with the competitive dynamics and customer preferences in Europe, which is why it's doing it through minority stakes.
While KPN management has opposed America Movil's $3.28 billion offer, saying it undervalues the shares, Telekom Austria's Chief Executive Hannes Ametsreiter welcomed the Mexican carrier as "a strategic and long-term investor," bringing know-how and knowledge of the industry to the European concern.
America Movil is Latin America's largest wireless service provider with 246 million mobile subscribers in 18 countries.
The two offers are similar in that they bring America Movil's size and experience in creating value to their smaller European counterparts, Mr. Garcia Moreno said. "This is what we're bringing to the table."
The company is also determined to maintain its conservative debt ratios to preserve its credit ratings, which are among the highest in the world for the telecommunications sector, and at present isn't looking to enter other regions, the official added.


text:
FIGHT FOR 15 Burgerflipping robot makes debut at California fast food chain
At the CaliBurger in Pasadena, CA, the grill is now being “manned” by a robot named Flippy.
But human workers aren’t being entirely replaced just yet. Through artificial intelligence, Flippy learns from a colleague who fills the grill with raw patties and then lets the robot mostly take over. A co-worker is also needed to add cheese to burgers, since Flippy hasn’t learned that skill yet either.
KTLA-TV covered Flippy’s debut, and sampled the fruits of the robot’s labor ahead of its first full-time shift, which starts Monday.
John Miller, CEO of Cali Group which runs CaliBurger, told KTLA that the importance of product consistency was the driving force behind implementing the new technology, saying that soon “anytime you go into a CaliBurger anywhere you know that the patty will be cooked exactly the same.” But having Flippy take over the grill cook position will also save the chain money in turnover costs and increase worker safety. – READ MORE
We can only deliver independent news & Intel with your support. Keep our unique voice alive.Read More...


text:
State officials on Monday announced new efforts to go after organized retail crime rings in Illinois.
The Illinois Attorney General’s Office is teaming up with the Illinois Retail Merchants Association on several initiatives, including cutting down on third-party sales of stolen items. The proposal would also require online marketplaces to verify the identity of third-party sellers by using bank account numbers or taxpayer IDs.
“It is not a victimless crime,” said Rob Karr, president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association. “While the [Magnificent] Mile and high-end stores have captured headlines, neighborhoods and retail quarters throughout the state have been victims.”
The measures also call for stiffer penalties for thieves. Under the new framework, organized retail crime suspects could also be prosecuted by the Illinois Attorney General through a statewide grand jury.
“They need to be treated differently under the law,” said Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
Raoul said the retail thefts are not being carried out by just “run of the mill” shoplifters.
“These crimes are perpetrated by sophisticated, criminal enterprises coordinating the theft of many items of high value,” said Raoul.
The new initiatives also include the creation of a statewide database to aid communication between law enforcement agencies and retailers.
The proposal calls for earmarking state funds on an annual basis to create new positions in the AG’s office and various state’s attorney’s offices across the state solely dedicated to investing and prosecuting retail theft and illicit trade.
A Republican candidate for attorney general released a statement after Raoul’s announcement saying the Democrats are scrambling to fix their own failures. Steve Kim is blaming recently passed criminal justice reform measures for increased crime.
“JB Pritzker and Kwame Raoul’s anti-law enforcement bill provided an out for criminals who take part in flash mob theft, and now they are trying to cover up for themselves,” said Kim in a statement.
According to the National Retail Federation, organized retail crime has increased 60% in the last five years.
“For the first time in my nearly three decades involved with retail, this is the first time that safety and crime has been one of the top two concerns as stores decide whether to locate or keep stores open,” said Karr.
Illinois Radio Network


text:
The summer’s looking up for all you beauty junkies: Late last month, luxury beauty retailer Bluemercury officially opened its doors in the Seaport District, bringing the D.C.-based chain’s Boston-area tally to a whopping six outposts. But it’s the retailer’s new Seaport location, sited at 105 Seaport Boulevard, that finally brings one-stop beauty shopping within walking distance. (Huzzah!)
The new storefront carries all its traditional cosmetics, offering makeup and skincare fanatics easy access to over 90 industry-leading lines like La Mer, Kiehls, Nars, and more. Even better? For those not familiar with the spa-makeup-skincare hybrid, Bluemercury also offers pampering services. Think: peels, waxes, and a world-renowned oxygen facial. So this summer, forget trekking to Copley or Back Bay—your next beauty fix is right around the corner!


text:
But one attack vendor where most security companies are still lacking is detecting malicious payloads that are written only to memory, also known as single-use malware. Malware can, for example, masquerade as a permitted DLL (Dynamic Link Library), which skirts around DEP (Data Execution Prevention) security features in OSes.
"This type of attack circumvents protections that lack behavioral analysis for these attacks," NSS Labs wrote. Only three products from Kaspersky, McAfee and Sophos have features to protect against that style of attack.
NSS Labs, which does not accept money from vendors for its testing, is selling the report on its website for $995.
Sign up for Computerworld eNewsletters.


text:
Last time we heard about a release date for BioShock Infinite it was delayed to February of 2013. Now once again the highly anticipated game has been delayed one more month. The game is now set to release on March 26th, 2013.
Originally the thoughts regarding the cause of the delay would be from the amount of departures Irrational faced this year, but thankfully its quite the opposite. Earlier in August Rod Fergusson announced that he was leaving EPIC games and transferring to Irrational to put work into BioShock Infinite. Regarding the delay Ken Levine stated "The game has to be the best game it could possibly be". This statement was relaying the teams feelings for the game development and the recent hiring of Rod Fergusson.
Even though this is the second delay that Irrational has put on for BioShock they've stated that it will benefit the final product for gamer's to experience. Knowing Irrational and their work on the past 2 BioShock games they shouldn't disappoint their fans.


text:
PMMI announced that nominations are open for the Packaging Hall of Fame Class of 2011. The annual honor will be presented at a reception during PACK EXPO Las Vegas on Monday, September 26, 2011 at the Las Vegas Hilton.
“The Packaging Hall of Fame honors packaging’s greatest innovators, and induction is a true mark of distinction for the industry’s greatest leaders,” said Maria Ferrante, vice president, Education & Workforce Development, PMMI. “Being inducted into the Packaging Hall of Fame recognizes a lifetime of work.”
• Personally advanced the science, technology and practice of packaging (Please cite scientific inquiries, technologies advanced, patents received, etc.)
• Expanded packaging knowledge and the understanding of packaging (Please cite significant roles played in packaging education, research, market analyses, published works, etc.)
• Been a remarkable volunteer leader in the packaging community (Please cite leadership roles played in packaging associations/organizations and the groups’ accomplishments during the nominee’s tenure.)
Inductees will be selected by a commission of their peers in the packaging industry. Submit nominations of up to 1,500 words to Maria Ferrante. Include a recent headshot (color) of the nominee as a .jpg, .eps or .tif file. Submissions may be sent by e-mail or provided by PMMI’s online nomination page.
Nominations will be accepted through June 30, 2011.


text:
SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Christmas trees in Oregon may cost a bit more this year as the supply of holiday firs in the state has dropped.
The Salem Statesman Journal reports that an oversupply of trees in 2015 has led some growers to leave the market, meaning there are fewer trees to go around this year, which could push prices slightly up.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, harvest and sales of trees dropped 26 percent in 2015 compared to 2010. USDA statistician Dave Losh says growers planted an overabundance of trees compared to the demand for them.
Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association Executive Director Bryan Ostlund says while supplies have tightened, there is no shortage of Christmas trees in Oregon.


text:
A company’s stance on ESG issues can significantly affect its reputation – and that will increasingly factor into a business’s success, according to a recent survey of executives.
Over the next five years, reputation will become more important than margins, 72% of business leaders said in a report published on Tuesday by Signal AI, which surveyed 1,000 c-suite executives at companies that have at least 250 employees.
The majority (92%) said they agreed ESG issues will affect their business’ reputations during the next 12 months. The report points to findings from Edelman’s 2022 Trust Barometer, which found that 60% of people let their values and beliefs guide what they buy and from whom they make purchases.
Signal AI, which among other services helps companies measure changes in their reputations, included an assessment of the top 10 companies in the S&P 500. Telsa, for example, had the highest proximity to environmental issues – and by far the most media coverage on that topic – although the “sentiment” score for the firm, based on how it appears to be perceived in news coverage, as third-lowest, ahead of J.P. Morgan and Johnson & Johnson, according to the report.
Meanwhile, Apple was shown as being more distanced from environmental issues but had a more favorable perception for that topic, and roughly the second most media coverage. Microsoft, Amazon and Berkshire Hathaway had the highest perception ratings for environmental coverage, though the firms had a lower proximity to the topic, Signal AI found.
In an analysis of Microsoft’s performance, the tech firm plotted the company’s sentiment score for the environment topic against its share price over the past year, showing a positive visual correlation between the two.


text:
A RAPIDLY expanding school uniform business is continuing its growth by moving into a retail unit on Babington Lane in Derby let by Innes England.
In what is increasingly known as ‘click to brick’, Uniform Direct is successfully taking its online business on to the high streets of a number of towns and cities in the East Midlands and beyond.
The ground floor Derby premises, with direct links to the city’s main retail thoroughfare St Peter’s Street, will be the third shop the business has opened this year – and will support three new jobs.
Owner Harvinder Shanan said moving into Derby was a logical step in the company’s continued expansion.
She said: “We were already servicing schools in Derby from other stores and through our online operation so there was clear demand for a high street presence and Innes England have found the ideal unit for our needs.
“We are a family business run by parents for parents so we understand how important it is that uniforms represent good value for money and our pricing reflects that.”
Tim Richardson, of Innes England Derby, said he was delighted they had been able to help bring Uniform Direct to the city.
“It is always satisfying to be able to help progressive businesses like this make the move from ‘click to brick’ which is good for them and gives the high street a real lift.
“Babington Lane is a busy street with the Post Office recently moving there and Uniform Direct joins a number of well-known retailers in the vicinity such as Hunters, Jillian Hart Pronuptia and Reliance Electrical.
“We wish Uniform Direct continued success in growing their business which will provide an important service for local families.”
The online uniform provider started 15 years ago and opened its first store in Lincoln where it now has its head office and a bigger warehouse to accommodate its rapid growth.
That rapid expansion means Uniform Direct now has five high street stores in Leicester, Grimsby and Gainsborough as well as Lincoln and its new Derby premises.
“We are enjoying on-going growth and the three people employed in our Derby premises bring our total staff count to one hundred,” Harvinder said.
“That includes twenty people taken on this year and in the next twelve months we will be looking to take on another ten hopefully.”
Uniform Direct promises the ‘complete solution’ for schools offering design, manufacture, retail and supply of uniforms nationally including bespoke school badges on clothing.
“Our success has been built on a proven track record for stock availability, fastest turnarounds, individual design and customer satisfaction,” Harvinder added.
Innes England has only one shop remaining available on Babington Lane.


text:
MN Wire Featured in Journal as a Manufacturer Giving Back The Wire Association International recognized Minnesota Wire as a ‘manufacturer giving back’ in their online journal in December. In the Wire Journal News, MN Wire was lauded as “A 54-year-old family-owned business that specializes in manufacturing wire for defense and medical markets, cites ‘community’ as […]
Due to the complexity of modern engineering design and the technological landscape shifting so rapidly, manufacturer’s experience challenges familiarizing themselves with every innovation and advancement in every aspect of their product creation.
Held each year on the first Friday of October and extended throughout the entire month of October, it is a celebration of the modern manufacturing landscape, demonstrating the advanced techniques and methodologies used by thousands of companies across the nation.
The last two years have been globally brutal for the manufacturing industry. With the Covid-19 pandemic, we have experienced unprecedented supply chain interruptions, natural disasters, and shortages which created the perfect storm of delays and increased costs nearly across the board.


text:
WATCH: Out of Africa and Into Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week, the largest biannual fashion event in the city, unveiled the fall collection for 2016 in February. The fashion scene is changing: designers are increasingly using African fabrics and Fashion Week is attracting African designers, many for the first time, who are ready to brave the fashion scene and make their mark.
Jojo Abot, an African designer and artist from Ghana, is determined to break into New York’s fashion scene and hopes other Africans will join her effort.
“We will continue to be bold and we will continue to be proud of who we are,” she said, adding that the group would “not dilute the beauty that is our culture but stand firmly behind it and express that boldly and share it with the world.”…


text:
Resident Calls on People to Wear Boston-related Clothing For ‘Spirit Day’
Melissa Bourgoine knows that Boston has a lot of spirit, and in this time of tragedy she wants residents to show it by wearing clothing that is Boston-related. From hooded sweatshirts with peoples’ favorite sports teams embroidered on them, to hats, t-shirts, and apparel showing school pride—or, simply clothing that says “Boston” on it—Bourgoine is trying to rally people to start what she is calling “Spirit Day.”
“It just hit me [Wednesday] morning—as I was coming into the city I saw the skyline and saw people wearing their Red Sox hats, and it made me think that seeing those things is important for the healing process,” she says.
Bourgoine, a graduate student at Suffolk University who also works in the city, says on Friday, April 19, it would “be great” if people all over Boston wore similar articles of clothing in a show of support for the victims and families impacted by the bombings at the marathon finish line on Monday. “It’s just about coming together to show our support, and is something that would be visually powerful. Anything to put a smile on someone’s face, really. When I saw someone decked out in Patriots gear, it really put a smile on my face.”
Bourgoine has been spreading the word about “Spirit Day” on social media sites like Facebook, where she created a group for the event. She has also been using the Twitter hashtag “BostonSpiritDay,” to try and get others involved, in an effort to increase awareness about the impromptu movement. “I am getting some traction on twitter and getting support from friends and hoping to get that going. There are already so many vigils going on, I just wanted people to show their pride and support,” she says.


text:
After reporting better than expected third quarter results, Lululemon dimmed its outlook for the next quarter and fiscal 2014 due to the supply chain issues, overall weak traffic trends and the projection of weaker Canadian dollar. It said that the all-important Q4 is estimated to be ho-hum after years of double-digit growth it had posted.
With the retail space getting competitive every day, Lululemon has begun to feel the heat with lower traffic at its stores. Lululemon is finding it difficult to convince its customers to buy its high-priced athletic wear when competitors are offering cheaper options.
On the other hand, the quality of its products, off-late, has also disappointed many customers, leading to the departure of its CEO Christine Day who was blamed for the inferiority of company’s core product, a black Luon yoga pants. She will be replaced by Laurent Potdevin, former president of TOMS Shoes.
Lululemon has also announced Michael Casey as the replacement for its chairman Chip Wilson, who holds roughly a nine per cent stake in the company, just weeks after his controversial comments on the Luon yoga pants.
To recover from the setbacks and to keep tabs on consumer response, Lululemon has started conducting brand perception surveys. The company has also replaced its existing suppliers and intensified quality controls.
Founded 1998 by Dennis "Chip" Wilson, the first Lululemon retail store was opened in Kitsilano, a Vancouver neighborhood. Today, Lululemon operates approximately 201 stores, with the majority in North America.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
Textiles | On 27th Mar 2017
The board of directors at Indian home textiles manufacturer and...
Apparel/Garments | On 27th Mar 2017
In a new round of funding, Flipkart, one of India's biggest ecommerce ...
‘Indian footwear market is nascent and largely a trend follower’
Dow Microbial Control
'Silvadur is most rapidly adopted in areas where hygiene-conscious and...
ITME is an occasion not only to receive new leads but also to work on...
Paolo Ocleppo, Rotary Cutting Segment manager, Sandvik Hyperion discusses...
The Indian market has huge potential in technical textiles, and by far,...
InvestKonsult Sweden AB
Investkonsult Sweden AB has been buying and selling second-hand textile...
Sonam and Paras Modi's Sva Couture is synonymous with head-turning...
Gildan Activewear SRL
Gildan Activewear, a manufacturer and marketer of branded clothing and...
Somaiya Kala Vidya
Among the many honours showered on Frater, including Fulbright and Ford...
Apparel/Garments | On 25th Mar 2017


text:
Apple and Google working on "many more" projectsGoogle chief executive Eric Schmidt said Monday that Google and Apple are continuing to collaborate on many new initiatives.
Schmidt made the comments at the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference in San Francisco while responding to a question concerning rumors that the two firms were working on a tablet-style personal computer.
Without commenting specifically on the rumor, Schmidt reportedly said Google and Apple are "doing more and more things together."
"We have similar goals, similar competitors," he added.
Thus far, Apple has integrated Google's geographical mapping service into its upcoming iPhone hand set. Rumors have also suggested that Google's technology will play an increasing role in the Mac maker's upcoming Leopard operating system release.
Schmidt, in addition to his role atop Google's executive hierarchy, is also a member of Apple's board of directors.
On Topic: General
- This week on AppleInsider: Apple Watch at Best Buy, Apple Music numbers, Apple TV news & more
- IBM reportedly plans to purchase up to 200K MacBooks for employees
- Facebook completes first full-scale drone for spreading Internet access to remote regions
- AppleInsider podcast talks Apple Watch at Best Buy, rumored iPads, Steve Jobs movies & an Apple car
- Apple could be held liable for supporting terrorism with strong iOS encryption, experts theorize


text:
Retail sales at the end of 2018 suffered the steepest decline in nearly a decade, roiling the stock market Thursday and fueling fears of an economic slowdown.
The Commerce Department on Thursday estimated retail and food sales in December totaled $505.8 billion, up 2.3 percent from the same time last year but down 1.2 percent from November, the largest month-over-month decline since September 2009. Sales fell in every category except auto dealers and home supply stores.
“It was surprising because this year was expected to be the biggest holiday retail season,” said Venky Shankar, research director of Texas A&M University’s Center for Retailing Studies. “It was a disappointment.”
Stocks slumped Thursday following the retail report, which raised fears of weakening consumer spending in the world’s largest economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 100 points, or 0.4 percent, and the S&P 500 fell more than 7 points, or nearly 0.3 percent.
On HoustonChronicle.com: Analysts predict rosy sales for retailers this holiday season
December’s sales report, delayed by the partial federal government shutdown, capped a lackluster holiday season that fell below expectations despite steady job growth and low unemployment. A volatile stock market, the government shutdown and ongoing trade dispute with China could have impacted consumer confidence, industry leaders said.
Holiday retail sales, excluding automotive, gas and restaurant spending, totaled $707.5 billion, an increase of 2.9 percent from the previous season, according to the National Retail Federation. The Washington, D.C.-based retail association had forecast in-store and online retail sales of as much as $720.9 billion in the last two months of the year, an anticipated increase of 4.8 percent from the 2017 holiday season.
“All signs during the holidays seemed to show that consumers remained confident about the economy,” National Retail Federation President Matthew Shay said in a statement. “However, it appears that worries over the trade war and turmoil in the stock markets impacted consumer behavior more than we expected.”
On HoustonChronicle.com: Brick-and-mortar meets the internet to boost holiday sales
E-commerce wasn’t spared from the slowdown. Online retailers posted $678.8 million in sales in December, up 3.7 percent from the previous year but down 3.9 percent from November, the largest month-over-month decline since November 2008.
“The decline in internet sales can’t be due to the weather,” Shankar, the Texas A&M professor, said. “It has to be people holding back their purse strings.”
Most of Houston’s publicly-traded retailers, such as Francesca’s and Men’s Wearhouse, have yet to report holiday season sales figures. Privately-held retailer Academy Sports + Outdoors declined to comment on sales. Charming Charlie’s did not return a call for comment.
Group 1 Automotive, the nation’s third-largest automotive dealership group, sold a record number of vehicles in 2018, up 5.4 percent from the previous year, but reported a 16 percent decline in new car sales during its fourth quarter ended Dec. 31. The company attributed the drop to the prior year’s surge in replacement vehicle sales after Hurricane Harvey.
On HoustonChronicle.com: Black Friday still draws crowds in Amazon era
Shankar said it’s too early to tell whether December’s disappointing retail sales is indicative of where the local and national economy is heading.
“We have to watch how consumer confidence is this quarter and next,” he said.
Muzaffer Savukduran isn’t planning to wait and see. The owner of Woven Arts plans to shutter his Oriental rug and home decor store in Rice Village at the end of April after sales during the holiday season fell 30 percent from last year.
Savukduran blamed the growing popularity of online sales eating into brick-and-mortar sales, rising rents and newly-installed parking meters at Rice Village for his store’s impending closure. After closing shop in Rice Village after six years, Savukduran hopes to reopen in Montrose.
“The holiday season was very low,” Savukduran said. “Retailers are not doing good, it’s not only us. We’re closing in two months. It’s that bad.”


text:
Spain’s second-largest lender, BBVA, in collaboration with Wave, has launched a blockchain-based pilot program to automate document presentation in import-export operations between Spain and Latin America.
The efficiency of blockchain technology reduces the sending, verification, and authorization of foreign trade transaction time from 7-10 days to a mere 2.5 hours.
Under the pilot program, a real sale operation was conducted between Mexico and Spain, in which a company named Frime, located in Barcelona, purchased more than 25 tons of frozen tuna from Pinsa Congelados, a Mazatlán company (Mexico). The operation was carried out through a letter of credit, the most traditional payment system in international trade operations, issued by BBVA Spain and paid by BBVA Bancomer.
As explained by the financial institution, the large amount of documentation required by a letter of credit involves a series of processes that in most cases involve manual checks and the sending of physical documents. When unavoidable errors are taken into account, this process can extend to almost two weeks.
Meet BeSquare: the new tech training program for Malaysian graduatesGo to article >>
BBVA’s global trade and international banking head, Patxi Fernández de Trocóniz, said: “The pilot we carried out with Wave represents a leap forward in improving the efficiency of international trade transactions. The time it takes to manage the documentation was reduced to a process that lasted just a few hours, in which all parties – the banks, the importer and the exporter – were constantly aware of the status of the documents.”
Wave’s blockchain platform also allows changes and correction in the documentation until the arrival of the shipment in the destination. It introduces electronic signatures, simultaneous distribution of copies to all necessary parties, and the generation of ‘receipt of ownership’ of the documentation at every step of the supply chain.
The introduction of blockchain technology in such a massive supply chain has not only reduced the cost of operations, but also made them more transparent and reduced operational risks.
Daniel Berenguer, BBVA’s head of digital trade finance, said: “The operation was registered and securely validated at the same time for all parties, thanks to the distributed ledgers and the immutability of blockchain.”
BBVA is testing the incorporation of the blockchain system in various areas of its operation. Apart from this pilot project with Wave, BBVA is also carrying out blockchain-based forex exchange processes with Ripple. BBVA is part of the main consortiums working on the development of platforms and concept tests linked to blockchain technology, such as R3, Hyperledger, Enterprise Ethereum Alliance and Alastria.


text:
“Over the next decade, the electricity industry is predicted to unlock approximately $1.3 trillion in value through development and digitization of infrastructure, including platforms, devices, as well as cloud and advanced analytics.”
With the “greatest opportunities are predicted at the retail (8.5% EBIT improvement) and generation (6.6%) levels.”
Original source: Digital transformation in power generation and delivery
“More specifically, our definition will include leveraging technologies, such as AI, machine learning or robotic process automation, but it’s really about data and how we’ll utilize it. Like most insurers, we have decades of outcome data. Now, with evolving capabilities, the availability of new data sources and advances in analytical modeling, we can marry historical data with real-time data to create something more powerful. The ultimate goal is establishing new ways of working that are more data-driven in order to become more proactive and valued in our customers’ lives.”
Original source: A look inside American Family Insurance’s digital transformation office
“Thirty-six percent of those reported premium over $1 billion per year; those companies also said they planned to increase IT budgets by about 11% on average. Carriers between $500 million and $1 billion in premium plan an average increase of 5%.”
Original source: Largest insurers plan biggest IT budget increases
So why is everyone, including us of course, so excited? Because the benefits are extensive:- decentralisation, reliability, simplification, transparency, traceability, cost saving, reduced room for error, faster transactions and improved data quality… just to mention a few!
I don’t really understand any of this, but it seems like a thing.
Source: 5 Ways Blockchain will Transform Financial Services
“IDC predicts the cloud computing market to reach about $70 billion this year and the number of new cloud-based solutions to triple within the next four to five years….the biggest cloud computing verticals worldwide will be discrete manufacturing, banking, professional services, process manufacturing, and retail. IDC expects the five verticals to represent 45 percent of the market’s total spend.”
IDC: Industry-specific solutions to drive public cloud computing
Citrix has a new DaaS service provider survey out. I’m often overly harsh on virtual desktops and, by extension, DaaS. I’m always curious who actually uses this stuff, so the vertical breakout is interesting:
The largest number of service providers who responded listed financial services, healthcare and manufacturing as the vertical markets they served. This is an interesting change in the vertical market ranking compared to the December 2011 Citrix Service Provider survey. In 2011, service providers indicated their leading verticals were healthcare, legal and public sector/government. Manufacturing finished fifth in the 2011 survey ranking of most popular verticals and third in the 2014 survey. The growth of manufacturing as a DaaS vertical is a keen indicator of new trends in the vertical market ranking, which is usually dominated by healthcare and financial services.
Citrix has, of course, chosen to not sell DaaS directly but rather be a supplier for others who’d like sell DaaS. They seem to be doing well according to what they reported to us for a recent 451 report: 50% y/y growth from service providers. Amazon and VMware, and others, have gone the opposite route. We’ll see what happens.
Who’s using DaaS
The deal is one of the best and most lucrative examples so far of applying a Google-style data-science mind-set to an existing industry — in this case, the world’s oldest and most popular: Farming.
Farming analytics startup goes for $930m


text:
roughly Streamers Aren’t Liking Twitch’s Potential Cash Making Thought will lid the newest and most present steering all however the world. door slowly for that motive you comprehend capably and appropriately. will accumulation your data cleverly and reliably
Twitch is reportedly contemplating main modifications to the monetization practices that streamers are upset about as a result of the doubtless lopsided percentages work out to pad Twitch’s backside line.
In line with a Bloomberg report, Amazon, Twitch’s father or mother firm, is contemplating a number of modifications to its accomplice program as a way to increase its income. These modifications embody a brand new income cut up from subscriptions, a brand new tier system, and bolstering commercials.
One of many monetization modifications into consideration is a income lower from subscriptions for partnered streamers, Twitch’s hottest streamers. The proposed lower would lower the income partnered streamers make from subscriptions from 70% to 50%.
One other proposal Twitch is contemplating is including a tiers system for partnered streamers. In line with Bloomberg, these tiers element the standards a streamer should meet to obtain 50% or 70% of income from their subscription. In change to this proposal, nameless sources instructed Bloomberg that Twitch may launch streamers from their exclusivity of their contracts, which is able to permit them to stream on Twitch’s competitor websites like YouTube and Fb Gaming probably to recoup any lower income.
Twitch can be reportedly contemplating incentives for extra promoting by way of “revenue-sharing association,” that Bloomberg says will current “a extra profitable mannequin for streamers.”
Twitch streamers haven’t taken kindly to the information of Twitch’s proposed modifications to its partnership program. Twitch streamer PleasantlyTwstd instructed Kotaku that she isn’t shocked by Twitch exploring these modifications. If modifications hit the web site this summer season as they’re now, PleasantlyTwstd stated smaller streamers can have “little to no incentive” to develop their channels on the platform.
“Smaller streamers I believe are going to have little to no incentive at this stage to essentially push for development,” PleasantlyTwstd stated. “It’s going to begin feeling prefer to make a payout you need to hit extra subs and the battle at present is discoverability in any respect.”
PleasantlyTwstd stated she wish to see streamers be introduced into the dialog about Twitch’s monetization modifications so they’re advocated “in earnest.”
“Twitch has been type of in a holding sample the place their precedence is making the platform more cash however till they really attempt to work extra intently with the individuals who make them cash or freely create instruments, they’re simply going to maintain throwing out concepts and ‘initiatives’ that fall flat,” she stated.
Leftist streamer Hasan “Hasanabi” Piker took to Twitter saying the rationale Twitch made these modifications is as a result of firm not viewing itself as having competitors throughout the livestreaming area, so there’s little motive to supply one thing that’s really compelling for its customers.
“[I] love twitch nevertheless it looks like they’re shifting away from [content creators] to repair their income,” Piker said in a tweet. “Practically my whole income comes from subscribers who elect to provide me $5 a month. Twitch doesn’t take into account the 50/50 cut up it takes from smaller creators in that course of worthwhile sufficient. That’s wild.”
“Subscriptions are extra necessary to the life of each streamer than nearly another utility Twitch provides and to the touch the cut up is to financially devastate and probably take away 1000’s of full-time creators out of your platform it instantly,” JERICHO stated.
“What a joke. Makes it worse for everybody besides Twitch themselves,” Jacksepticeye said.
“Twitch is INSANE in the event that they suppose it will go over effectively,” Max “Gassy Mexican” Gonzalez said. “Like really will shake the platform within the worst manner potential.”
Kotaku reached out to Twitch for remark.
Whereas these proposed modifications are reported to hit the web site as quickly as this summer season, nameless sources instructed Bloomberg none of those modifications have been finalized.
I hope the article virtually Streamers Aren’t Liking Twitch’s Potential Cash Making Thought provides perception to you and is beneficial for including as much as your data


text:
APEX TECH 2023: Day Three – The final day of the conference got off to an excellent start with the first of two planned panel discussions/workshops on the topic of in-flight advertising.
Looking into how IFEC can unlock the four key advertising revenue drivers: scale, data, access to demand and ease of execution campaigns, the panel included moderator, Inadvia Director, Matthew Blay; and panelists Jonas von Krüchten, Head of Strategy and Business Development, AERQ; Dirk Ottens, Head of Content and Media Strategy, Lufthansa Systems; Mary Rae Esposito, Director of Sales, North America, Spafax and Nick Pajic, Founder and CEO of SmartTray International, LLC.
With the digital advertising market likely to rebalance itself and rebound in 2023 and beyond, noted Blay, the time for airlines to use IFEC to trade on its unique attributes for advertisers – content, environment, quality of audience, etc. – is now.
Like many of the events on day three, Blay’s session was more of an open workshop with a free-flowing dialogue between the panelists and the audience. As such, the subjects raised ranged from specifics about airline data management programs to how much time carriers are willing to dedicate to inflight advertising and even how to best mirror, in-flight, the approaches that streaming businesses embrace as they enter the advertising market on the ground.
In the end, however, a question from a member airline in the audience seemed to best encapsulate the conversation: “Airlines have heard for years about how much ad revenue can be generated through coordinated IFEC, what are the major impediments to realizing these potentials?”
“Again, it’s the supply chain,” replied AERQ’s von Krüchten. “So, putting those elements in place, scaling it up, rolling it out, to really have a fully working supply chain that can fully leverage on what we’re talking about here is important.”
Esposito seemed to agree. “Right now, it’s as good as the information that we have. So, when you talk about seatback advertising, like, what information is the airline capturing that passengers are feeding onto the system on the plane? How much personalization can we do from what’s on the manifest, right? So, we’re limited by that too.”
That said, von Krüchten pointed out that there are things airlines can do right now to prepare for the changes to come.
“You know, ask the passenger certain questions, get them off what we’ve seen before. All of that adds context to what the passenger is doing and the more of that information that we can ultimately feed into the system the better.”
Wrapping things up, Blay noted that while the industry needs to be realistic about the changes in the short term, the investment that involves, and the ways of working that need to change, he is still very excited for the future.
“I think we’ve got the right people in the industry right now and APEX is doing a great job of driving this conversation forward. So, I think there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic,” added Blay. “So, let’s focus on figuring out what’s next!”


text:
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trading in Wednesday's session are Best Buy Co., Micron Technology Inc., Monsanto Co. and Research In Motion Ltd.
is expected to post earnings of $1.52 a share for the fourth quarter.
is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings of 60 cents a share.
Circuit City Stores Inc.
is expected to post earnings of 63 cents a share for the fourth quarter.
is expected to report second-quarter earnings of 30 cents a share.
is expected to post a loss of a penny a share for the second quarter.
is expected to report second-quarter earnings of 94 cents a share.
MSC Industrial Direct
is expected to post earnings of 61 cents a share for the second quarter.
Research In Motion
(RIM) is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings of 99 cents a share.
After Tuesday's closing bell, Marshall & Ilsley Corp. said it's splitting into two companies with financial help from private-equity firm Warburg Pincus. See full story.
Alliant Techsystems Inc.
late Tuesday said it has agreed to acquire satellite components and subsystems provider Swales Aerospace. Financial terms weren't disclosed. The Minneapolis-based advanced weapon and space systems company said the transaction is subject to antitrust and shareholder approvals. Alliant said it expects to realize more than $100 million in additional revenue in 2008 on the deal.
Bob Evans Farms Inc.
said that March same-store sales at Bob Evans Restaurants rose 1.2% from the comparable period last year. Mimi's Cafe same-store sales for fell 0.2% in March, the company said. Bob Evans Farms is based in Columbus, Ohio.
CKE Restaurants Inc.
agreed to repurchase 4.07 million shares of its common stock, or about 6.1% of its total outstanding shares, from Pirate Capital LLC for $18.97 a share. CKE, which owns and operates Carl's Jr., Hardee's and La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill restaurant brands, said the purchase price is based on Monday's closing price. The deal is expected to close Thursday.
said its annual report on Form 10-K included an audit opinion with a "going concern" qualification. A going-concern qualification is a statement from the company's independent registered public accounting firm expressing substantial doubt, based upon current financial resources, whether the company can continue to meet obligations over the next year. The San Diego-based medical device company said in the report that it has sufficient working capital to fund its operations until December 2007 and to pay off its existing debt, and that additional capital would be needed to fund operations into 2008.
Exfo Electro-Optical Engineering Inc.
(EXF) reported fiscal second-quarter net earnings of $2.68 million, or 4 cents a share, up 97% from $1.37 million, or 2 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue at the Quebec City-based maker of test and measurement products for the telecommunications industry rose 17.1% to $35.2 million from $30.1 million. Exfo forecast earnings of 3 cents to 6 cents a share on revenue of $36 million to $39 million.
(GSK) Trexima migraine headache treatment proved superior to alternate treatments in two studies of more than 2,900 patients. Glaxo, which is developing Trexima with Pozen Inc.
said results of the studies are part of a New Drug Application under review by the Food and Drug Administration.
GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes
said passenger traffic in March rose 42.9% from last year, as capacity rose 59.2%. Load factor, or the percentage of a plane filled with passengers, fell 7 percentage points from last year to 61.8%, the Brazil-based airline said.
said it has ended its Phase III Assert trial of senicapoc, a treatment for sickle cell disease in adults, based on a recommendation of the independent Data Monitoring Committee. The DMC said data from the trial indicated there was "low probability of achieving a reduction in crisis rate, the primary endpoint," the Research Triangle Park, N.C.-based biopharmaceutical company said. There were no statistically significant differences in safety measurements between the senicapoc and placebo treatment groups, according to the data, the company noted. Icagen said it has informed the Food and Drug Administration of its plan to end the study. The company also said it will consider future options for the development of senicapoc.
Leggett & Platt Inc.
will sell its Prime Foam operations to Comfort Co., a unit of privately held Catterton Partners, for an undisclosed amount. The Carthage, Mo., company said its prime foam operations had 2006 annual revenue of about $200 million. Leggett & Platt said the sale is consistent with its previously stated intention to actively manage its business. Leggett & Platt, which had 2006 revenue of $5.51 billion, said the sale, which is the largest in the company's history, will generate a pretax gain of about 6 cents a share. However, the sale will cut full-year operating earnings by about 4 cents a share.
Oxford Industries Inc.
reported fiscal third-quarter net earnings of $9.74 million, or 54 cents a share, down 33% from $14.6 million, or 82 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The Atlanta-based apparel maker said revenue in the quarter ended March 2 fell 3.1% $266.6 million from $275.2 million in comparable period last year. Oxford expects fiscal fourth-quarter earnings from continuing operations of $1.07 to $1.14 to a share, or $1.00 to $1.07 excluding a gain on the sale of real property. Oxford had previously forecast earnings from continuing operations of $1.17 to $1.25 a share. The company now expects fourth-quarter revenue of $285 million to $295 million, compared with its previous forecast of $295 million to $305 million. Analysts are expecting per-share earnings of $1.21 a share on revenue of $301 million.
Pacer International Inc.
said it now expects 2007 per-share earnings of $1.50 to $1.60, based on lower-than-forecasted revenue growth for the first quarter. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial are currently estimating 2007 earnings of $1.98 a share on revenue of $1.99 billion. The Concord, Calif.-based provider of third-party logistics and freight transportation also said that it has authorized the purchase of up to an additional $100 million of its common shares. Pacer said it plans to consolidate some of its operations, reduce the number of employees and invest in information technology systems. These and other initiatives could result in restructuring charges and increased expenses during 2007 and lower per-share earnings for the year, the company said. Pacer said it expects to reduce ongoing costs by about $10 million annually through its consolidation efforts.
Parker Hannifin Corp.
acquired Rayco Technologies, an Asian elastomer and seal technology company serving electronics and medical markets. Financial terms weren't disclosed. Parker Hannifin, Cleveland, said Rayco's 2006 revenue was about $26 million and the deal will boost earnings in the first full year of operations.
Robbins & Myers Inc.
reported second-quarter net earnings of $7.93 million, or 46 cents a share, up from $1.2 million, or 8 cents a share, during the year-ago period. The Dayton, Ohio-based industrial-equipment maker posted revenue of $162.5 million vs. $150 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial had estimated second-quarter earnings of 47 cents a share. Robbins & Myers said it attributed the increase in earnings to strong sales growth and improvements in its cost structure. The company also raised its fiscal 2007 forecast on the strength of its backlog and continued favorable outlook. Robbins & Myers said it now expects fiscal 2007 per-share earnings of $2.20 to $2.40, up from its previous range of $2.10 to $2.30. Third-quarter earnings are expected to be from 52 cents to 62 cents a share, the company said.
said that President and Chief Executive Ken Constable has resigned to pursue other business opportunities. The San Francisco-based online retailer said that John Pound, previously chairman, has been named executive chairman, and will assume day-to-day leadership duties.
said Michael Archbold, executive vice president, chief financial and administrative officer of Saks Fifth Avenue, will resign effective April 13 to become CFO and chief operating officer of the Vitamin Shoppe. Archbold was slated to become CFO of Saks Inc. on May 4. New York-based Saks said it will not fill Archbold's position.
named Peter Bocian executive vice president and chief financial officer designate, effective May 14. The Seattle coffee retailer said Bocian most recently served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of NCR Corp.
Bocian, 52 years old, replaces Michael Casey, who will transition into a senior advisory role, the company said.
UAL Corp.'s United Airlines
said traffic in March rose 1.6% compared with the year-ago period. Capacity increased 0.5% vs. last year, while load factor rose 1 percentage point to 85%, the Chicago-based carrier said.
U.S. Trust Chief Executive Peter Scaturro is expected to step down this summer due to a series of disagreements with Bank of America Corp.
according to a media report Thursday. Bank of America, which agreed in November to acquire U.S. Trust from Charles Schwab & Co.
for $3.3 billion, confirmed Scaturro's exit in a statement, The Wall Street Journal reported. According to the report, sources said Scaturro has clashed with Bank of America executives over how the private-banking operation should be run.
named Ursula M. Burns president. The Stamford, Conn., company also elected Burns to its board. She will report to Chairman and Chief Executive Anne M. Mulcahy. Burns was previously Xerox's president of business group operations. She joined the company in 1980. A company spokesman said Burns fills a new position.


text:
Christmas without seafood or fish? The weather and the calendar complicate last minute purchases, but there are alternatives
Last Friday our fishmonger was very clear: whoever has not already bought the fish and seafood for Christmas Eve next week will have it clear. Without a doubt, it is being a difficult Christmas to buy fish and seafood, but is it that bad?
Traditionally, on December 23 and 24 we find fishmongers full of gender to satisfy consumers who leave their purchases to the last minute, but this year we are going to see much less seafood and fresh fish, and the one that remains is much more expensive, since a large part of the fishing fleet has not been able to fish due to the storm. The fact that Christmas Eve falls on Tuesday - with little time for Monday's catches to arrive - complicates matters even more.
We visited the Madrid market of Chamberí to see that, indeed, the genre is scarcer than on other Christmases, and the prices are higher. "It's fatal," says Gabriel Sierra, from the La sirena de roca fish shop, which has been in Mercamadrid this morning. "There is practically nothing, and what little there is is much more expensive." - "How much?" - "About 15% more expensive than other Christmases, which compared to the rest of the year is crazy."
As Jesús Álvarez, from Pescados Tetuán explains, the storm has been more noticeable in fish than in shellfish and has been in short supply for weeks, especially with regard to catches from the north, such as hake, which is very expensive.
Frozen seafood will be the only option for many families.
A situation that does not favor the fishmongers
How do you explain Direct to the Palate Mª Luisa Álvarez Blanco, managing director of the National Federation of Provincial Associations of Retail Entrepreneurs of Fish and Frozen Products (Fedepesca), the traditional products of these dates, such as sea bream, skewered hake or shellfish have skyrocketed in price due to the storm, but this does not mean that there is a shortage problem.
"There is no problem eating fish and shellfish at Christmas, now, if we are going to look for a classic like sea bream, you will find it at exorbitant prices," explains Álvarez. The same happens, he points out, with skewer hake: “A skewer hake from Burela is not going to be easy to find and it will be very expensive. But if you like we have it ”.
Although we might think that the exorbitant price of some fish favors retailers, the opposite is true. "People believe that when the product is more expensive, we earn more, but it is not true, the margins are tighter", explains the director of Fedepesca. “Nothing is convenient for retailers. Especially at this time customers have commitments, they want to look good, and they want to be up to par, but when prices are so high you may not sell everything you have bought, and this can ruin the Christmas season ”.
Sea bass and sea bream are the best option to enjoy fish these holidays.
The best alternatives
But what to buy without spending a lot of money? Some species do not rise especially in price at Christmas, and they do not detract in anything to traditional products. As the fishmongers in the Chamberí market explain, both sea bass and sea bream have a price similar to that of the whole year. Specifically, wild seabass is in full season, and can be found without problems these days for around 15 euros, a more than interesting price.


text:
The AUD was given a boost last week following news that China’s economy grew more than expected in quarter three of this year. The Australian economy is heavily reliant on a booming Chinese economy, whose demand for Australia’s raw materials has continued to support the Australian economy through the recent global financial crisis. Other facets of Australia’s export industry have slowed down which make an active trade arm with China even more essential.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) are also keen to keep the value of the AUD under control, as they alluded to in their meeting earlier this month. A strong AUD is only going to harm their export industry, which needs to recover outside of the mining sector, in order to ease the growing burden that is being put on the Australian economy. If the demand for Australia’s raw materials wanes, then the high labour costs required to keep their mining sector affluent will be unsustainable and this could seriously damage the long-term growth prospects for the Australian economy.
If you have an upcoming GBP/AUD requirement and would like to be kept up to date with all the latest market movements, or just want a comparable rate with your current provider then please feel free to contact me directly at [email protected]. Alternatively you can call one of the team on 0044 1494 787 478.


text:
Intel's upcoming Meteor Lake processors have once again made an appearance, this time with a mysterious new chip called the Intel Core Ultra 7 1003H. The existence of this new processor was revealed through a PugetBench result shared on social media.
Last month, Intel introduced its new naming system in preparation for the Meteor Lake launch. While Intel didn't explicitly mention the addition of “Ultra” to the name, an Ashes of Singularity listing showcased a Meteor Lake processor named the Core Ultra 5 1003H, suggesting that this could be part of the rebranding.
Intel Core Ultra 7 1003Hhttps://t.co/NLKGfRleRR
— Benchleaks (@BenchLeaks) May 23, 2023
The recent PugetBench result shared by @Benchleaks is the second leak that features the Core Ultra branding. Although the meaning behind “Ultra” remains unclear, it could be one of several names used to differentiate SKUs across the entry-level, mid-range, and high-end markets.
Based on the PugetBench benchmark results, the Core Ultra 7 1003H appears to be a mobile SKU, indicated by the letter “H” in its name. However, its performance in the PugetBench Lightroom Classic benchmark was mediocre, scoring 534.5 points. This places it just 32.5 points above a PugetBench system featuring an older Intel Core i7-8665U mobile processor.
It's important to note that these benchmark scores should be taken cautiously, as the chip could be a pre-production sample with unresolved performance issues. Additionally, the Lightroom Classic benchmark may not necessarily reflect real-world performance accurately.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru says: The listing may not show much about the upcoming Core Ultra “Meteor Lake” processor, but the increasing appearances on benchmark databases suggest it shouldn't take long before Intel starts to spill the beans on the upcoming CPUs.


text:
Israeli housewares major Keter Plastics is investing $36 million in a manufacturing plant in New Mexico.
The firm is renovating and expanding an existing facility in Belen that will house up to 175 workers, announced New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez in a Jan. 12 news release.
The announcement came less than six months after Keter's founding family sold a majority stake in Keter to a London-based private equity firm and a Canadian pension investment fund in a deal reported in the Israeli media as worth $1.3 billion.
“We are proud to be making a long-term investment in New Mexico by placing our newest manufacturing facility in Belen,” stated Keter COO Tony Jonas. “New Mexico's business-friendly climate made the decision to come to New Mexico an easy one.”
New Mexico beat out California, Arizona and Nevada in landing the Keter project. The New Mexico Economic Development Department will invest up to $2 million in the project from Local Economic Development Act funds. The fund is designed to recruit new business and help existing businesses in the state. The LEDA fund has grown to $56 million from a tapped-out base during Gov. Martinez's stint, according to a news release issued by her office.
Keter is buying, renovating and expanding a former Solo Cup plant in Belen. It will construct an additional 60,000 square feet of space onto the existing 165,000-square-foot structure.
Keter Plastics is part of the Keter Group, which operates 18 factories and two distribution centers in nine countries. Among Keter Group's well-known brands are Curver and Allibert. It makes plastic furniture, garden sheds, toolboxes, housewares and a host of other consumer and recreational goods. Its annual sales exceed $1 billion.
Keter Plastics will consume some 60 to 100 tons of plastics and other materials to make 10 to 15 truckloads of patio furniture, sheds and similar products per day, New Mexico officials estimated. Major retailers like Home Depot are Keter clients.
“Keter found an ideal location using Belen's best rail infrastructure, nestling themselves among Belen's other national and international manufacturers,” stated Belen Mayor Jerah Cordova.
Belen is near the geographic center of New Mexico about 35 miles south of Albuquerque. It is a major transportation hub with access to rail, the interstate highway and an airport.
Keter claims to supply all of the top 250 retailers worldwide, amounting to some 25,000 retail outlets.
Keter's New Mexico project is the second major housewares investment in the United States revealed this month. Earlier in January Sterilite Corp.'s proposal to build a $73 million housewares factory and distribution center in Davenport, Iowa, came to light.
In another strategic move in the plastic consumer products sector, Newell Brands Inc. said a month ago that it is expanding into the Southern Hemisphere by acquiring Sistema Plastics, which recently built a highly automated injection molding plant in Auckland, New Zealand. Meanwhile, Newell is looking for a buyer for its food containers business to exit the hyper-competitive market for the plastic products.


text:
Congress Likely to Push for Data Governance
By Alan Chapell
"Data, data, who's got the data," a for-mer boss used to say with regularity. There's no doubt that data is the lifeblood of the direct marketing industry. And with what seems like a never ending wave of data breaches and other assorted scandals, it may be time to reassess the way many of us are using data to run our businesses. There's a train a comin' my friends. And it's time to get on board as we move into a new era in direct marketing.
There's a good deal of bile being directed at the large data aggregators by some of our elected representatives. It will be interesting to see if their level of vigor is sustained over the upcoming months given the business ties our industry shares with some of them. As many of us know, it's fairly common for politicians to work with data companies to build and enhance voter and contributor lists. And there are plans in place to sell a good deal of consumer data to help build counter-terrorism databases. Given what happened with the do-not-call list, does anyone wonder whether Congress will seek to exempt itself from future privacy legislation?
Speaking of the future, our industry needs to recognize that additional privacy legislation is a certainty. Some of us may be tempted to take a hard line against that legislation, and that would be a mistake. Make the deal you can live with now, rather than the one that might break you a few years down the road.
At the very least, we'll see a national version of California's SB 1386, the law which requires companies to disclose data breaches. Moreover, we likely will see legislation that provides consumers with additional access to their personal information, provides them with some level of choice regarding who else has access to that information, and gives them tools to help correct information on these databases when it is found to be incorrect.


text:
Holiday apartment rentals on the Costas are booming with Mallorca, Menorca and Cadiz enjoying high-levels of reservations rates. Ninety per cent of holiday apartments in Mallorca have already been booked.
UP to 77.7 per cent of holiday rentals on Spain’s coasts have already been reserved up until August, according to Rentalia, a Spanish holiday platform. Last year’s final occupancy level was 77.3 per cent.
Twelve Spanish coasts already have a higher occupancy level than they had in 2020. The coast of Valencia has 6.3 per cent more booking than it did last year, followed by the coast of Mallorca with 5.7 per cent more booking than last year. Bookings in Malaga are up 4.9 per cent, in Menorca by 3.7 per cent, Cadiz by 3 per cent. Girona, Tarragona, Alicante, Barcelona, Murcia, Castellon and Huelva have growth of between 0.2 and 3 per cent.
“Although in August 2020 international tourism declined and Spanish travellers mainly opted for less crowded destinations such as Asturias, Cantabria and A Coruna, August 2021 heralds a boom in classic summer destinations. The good vaccination rates are encouraging tourists, both national and international, to book their vacations in a hurry and it would not be surprising to see some Spanish coasts with levels of occupation prior to the pandemic,” said Almudena Ucha, director of Rentalia.
Ninety per cent of holiday apartments in Mallorca have already been booked. In Menorca 87.9 per cent are booked, in Cadiz 86.2 per cent, in Cantabria 85.5 per cent and in Alicante 85 per cent.
Travellers who have not yet booked their vacations will find greater availability in destinations with the lower levels of occupancy, such as the coast of Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, Huelva, Castellon, Lanzarote and Barcelona.
Email: [email protected] Phone: +34 971 694 044 Website: http://www.gcmca.es
Thank you for reading, and don’t forget to check The Euro Weekly News for all your up-to-date local and international news stories.


text:
Predatory consumer lending is still flourishing in California. Payday lending continues to be pervasive, capturing borrowers who were sold a short‐term loan in a long‐term cycle of debt. But high‐cost debt trap lending has expanded rapidly in the past few years to much larger loans, including some which are secured by and put a borrower’s car at risk. At the same time, some new lenders are demonstrating that larger consumer loans can be made with lower interest rates and with lower likelihood of defaults and charge‐offs, but additional consumer protections are still warranted.
It is critical for policymakers, regulators and stakeholders to understand these market dynamics as they consider reforming California consumer lending laws that both protect consumers from predatory lending products while preserving and expanding access to safe and responsible lending.


text:
Swarovski Black Diamond Crystal Cufflinks - Sales
Swarovski Black Diamond Crystal Cufflinks, Material: Plated Base Metal, Dimensions: 5/8" Diameter, Cool Feature: Swarovski, Ships Within One Business Day,
“Negative publicity could also compromise JD.com’s ability to attract international brands to its marketplace, which has been a top focus of the CEO over the past two years or so,” Sanderson said. The agreement with Shandong Ruyi is part of that effort. Liu talked about the fashion industry in a press release about the deal but did not address his arrest in the United States. Liu lost a court battle in Australia in July to keep his name out of a sexual assault trial. Liu was not accused of any wrongdoing in that case, according to a court document.
SAN FRANCISCO/MUMBAI (Reuters) - swarovski black diamond crystal cufflinks Google retains only a slight lead over Facebook in the competition for digital ad dollars in the crucial India market, sources familiar with the figures say, even though the search giant has been in the country far longer and has avoided the controversies that have dogged its rival, Facebook’s success has shaken Alphabet Inc’s Google, led by an Indian-born CEO, Sundar Pichai, who has made developing markets a priority, Google officials in India earlier this year were alarmed to learn that Facebook Inc was likely to generate about $980 million in revenue in the country in 2018, according to one of the sources, Google’s India revenues reached $1 billion only last year..
Facebook and Google declined to comment on Indian revenue figures or the competition between the two companies. Google is now pushing back, attempting to lure customers with better ad-buying tools and more localized services. The revamped strategy mirrors initiatives that have succeeded in boosting the time Indian consumers spend with Google services. The battle in India reflects an epic challenge for Google in developing markets around the world that are crucial to the company’s long-term growth - many consumers in those country’s are gravitating to Facebook and it’s siblings, Instagram and WhatsApp, at the expense of Google search and YouTube, and advertising dollars are quick to follow.
“Facebook is a far more user-friendly platform even though they haven’t created features specifically for Indian advertisers,” said Vikas Chawla, who runs a small ad-buying agency in India, Facebook ads, compared with those on swarovski black diamond crystal cufflinks Google search or YouTube, tend to transcend language barriers more easily because they rely more on visual elements, said Narayan Murthy Ivaturi, vice president at FreakOut Pte Ltd, a Singapore-headquartered digital marketing firm, Pinpointing younger consumers and rural populations is easier with Facebook and its Instagram app, he and other ad buyers said..
And Facebook is succeeding in India, which boasts the fastest-growing digital ad market of any major economy, despite internal turmoil and political controversy. It has been without a country head for the last year, and has faced a series of incidents in which rumors circulating on Facebook and WhatsApp have prompted mob violence. Facebook and Google between them took 68 percent of India’s digital ad market last year, according to advertising buyer Magna. Media agency GroupM estimates digital advertising spending will grow 30 percent in India this year.
The Facebook phenomenon is evident close to home for Google, During a recent lunch period, six out of 10 people who walked out of Google’s Bangalore offices while looking at their phones swarovski black diamond crystal cufflinks told Reuters they were checking WhatsApp, All 10 said they regularly used Whatsapp, Eight Indian ad buyers interviewed by Reuters were divided on whether Facebook would overtake Google in Indian ad revenue, That such a question would even be debated explains why Pichai, Google’s chief executive, has pressed to flip the company’s approach to emerging markets..
“India is the most important market for the ‘Next Billion Users’ initiative,” Caesar Sengupta, the head of the effort, told Reuters on the sidelines of the annual “Google for India” event in New Delhi last week. For many years Google designed its services for early adopters of new technology, who tended to be in Silicon Valley, said Nelson Mattos, who oversaw Google’s Europe and Africa operations for several years. Great products would then find a broad global audience.
“Over time, as you saw the growth of Facebook, the importance swarovski black diamond crystal cufflinks of WhatsApp and other tools in these new markets, and not the same adoption of Google, the company started to realize that maybe they had to change that approach,” Mattos said, Shortly after taking the helm three years ago, Pichai mapped a new strategy for places such as India: More services tailored to locals; more marketing on radio, billboards and TV; more local staff and start-up investment, Google’s India workforce has more than doubled since to more than 4,000 employees, or about eight times Facebook’s presence, according to a tally of LinkedIn profiles and company statements..
- Elegant Pink Cufflinks
- Toronto Raptors Cufflinks
- Harvard Business School Sterling Silver Cufflinks
- F1 Cufflinks
- Black Stainless Steel Black Pave Crystal Cufflinks
- 2018 Golden State Warriors Nba Champions Cufflinks
- Sterling Silver Classic Cushion Mother Of Pearl Cufflinks
- Tennessee Titans Cufflinks
- Blue Swarovski Cubic Cufflinks