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Business Insider transportation editor Matthew DeBord (formerly of Jalopnik too) said Tesla and Fiat Chrysler’s stock show both companies’ susceptibility to market volatility and that each automaker could be in dire situations if a mild recession were to rear its head again.
(Although he does note that the best return on an investment this time last year would have been a few hundred bucks into FCA’s stock.)
Tesla may have more in common with FCA than it likes in terms of market unpredictability, which could raise the specter of a merger if its Model 3 isn’t on time or if the economy takes a dive, DeBord writes. As long as Musk doesn’t talk openly about hugging Mary Barra, he may have a decent shot.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced this week that they would be recalling nearly 500,000 SUVs — including more than 350,000 in the U.S. — for a vanity mirror wire that could potentially overheat and increase risk for a fire.
The affected SUVs are model year 2011-2012 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Durangos made before Sept. 2, 2012. Those cars were the subject of an earlier recall that, if conducted improperly, could leave those cars more susceptible to a short circuit.
FCA said it was unaware of any injuries.
Who would have known that one of the largest parts supply recalls in U.S. history could poison the well for the rest of your business?
That, and Jeep needs you to keep it dry for a minute, Porsche pulls another player from Volkswagen’s bench and how big does Magna International’s yacht need to be anyway, after the jump.
Federal regulators Thursday fined Fiat Chrysler Automobiles $70 million for under-reporting death and injury claims from vehicles as far back as 2003, officials announced in a statement. The fine is related to a September announcement from the automaker to the Transportation Department that the automaker had violated terms of the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act.
The automaker issued a statement saying it would accept the penalty and agree to a consent order that would require FCA to submit crash data from the cars.
“FCA US LLC accepts these penalties and is revising its processes to ensure regulatory compliance. However, FCA US is confident that it identified and addressed all issues that arose during the relevant time period, using alternate data sources,” the company said in a statement.
There comes a point in our lives when we all fly off the handle. It can happen when we’re still young and ready to believe anything or when we’re old and the voice of those young’uns make us instinctively say nasty, insensitive thoughts.
Temporary insanity comes and goes with the seasons. With that I am about to recommend a [s]car[/s] [s]truckster[/s] [s]minivan[/s] lame duck vehicle that has a surprisingly good fit for one type of buyer in particular: Those with large families who want a new car but don’t really give a shit about cars.
This isn’t the first SRT product to wear the Digestible Collectible title, but it is certainly the oddest. Ever since our news editor Aaron Cole sent this to me earlier this week, I’ve been looking over the ad in bewilderment.
Perhaps that’s the point. I can’t see any other reason why one would take a limited-production, low-slung, high-powered, long-wheelbase pony car and lift it a couple inches other than to make people point and stare. It certainly isn’t going to be of any use off-road beyond well-groomed trails.
To top things off, this 2014 Dodge Challenger SRT8 has been fitted with an Edelbrock supercharger, making this a proto-Hellcat.
A proto-Hellcat with light truck off-road tires.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced Friday that it would recall nearly 900,000 cars worldwide — including more than 550,000 cars in the U.S. — for defective airbag and brake systems.
The company said some 2003 Jeep Liberty and 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee models were fitted with faulty airbags that could deploy. The automaker acknowledged that seven injuries had been caused by the airbags, which were not made by Takata. In all, 284,089 cars are affected by that recall.
Additionally, the company said more than 275,000 Dodge Journey models from 2012-2015 may have defective anti-lock brake systems that could fail due to excess moisture.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration selected former Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater as an independent monitor over Fiat Chrysler Automobiles safety compliance, the automaker announced Friday.
Slater was transportation secretary under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001. After his federal post, Slater has held a slew of automobile safety-related posts including his recent appointment as special counsel to Takata.
Slater was the first black director for the Federal Highway Administration and the second black transportation secretary.
The Dodge Viper will end production in 2017 when the current model expires, according to approved language included in the United Auto Workers’ contract with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
According to Automotive News, the Conner Avenue plant, which makes the sportscar, doesn’t have future product planned beyond 2017, effectively sealing the fate for the flagging car. The Viper was re-launched in 2011 after a three-year hiatus and has struggled ever since.
United Auto Workers at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles plants voted to overwhelmingly approve a contract with the automaker three weeks after turning back its first proposal, the union reported.
According to a statement posted on the UAW’s website, 77 percent of hourly production, 72 percent of skilled trades and 87 percent of salaried bargaining unit workers approved the contract.
In the past few days there has been a flurry of posts about Fiat Chrysler Automobiles ending production of the Dodge Viper in 2017 and closing the Conner Avenue Assembly facility where the v-10 powered sportscar is hand-built.
When I see a news story, I’ll try to seek out the original reporting and if possible, the original source material. Now that I’ve seen that source material, and asked Conner’s plant manager about the matter, I’m not convinced that the Viper’s demise is a certainty. Viper fans shouldn’t go hanging snakeskin* crepe just yet.
Proving that no good deed goes unpunished, Dodge will end production of its supercar Viper in 2017 when the current generation has finished its run, Allpar reported.
(OK, so the Viper wasn’t exactly perfect.)
The website reported that United Auto Workers proposed contract with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles doesn’t include a product at the Viper’s Conner Avenue plant when Viper finishes in 2017. Viper has languished since its introduction in 2013, suffering from a high price and increased competition from the Chevrolet Corvette. Last year, Dodge sold 760 coupes, which was the best year for the current generation so far, but far from the nameplate’s zenith in 2003 when it sold 2,103 examples.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles may double the amount of temporary workers it uses under a new deal negotiated with the United Auto Workers, Bloomberg reported (via Automotive News).
The negotiated terms include a provision for the automaker to use the workers any day of the week, instead of the previously allowed Monday, Friday and weekend shifts.
According to the report, the terms may have been negotiated as a way to keep labor costs lower and offer more workers raises. Temp workers are hired at rates lower than any of the tiered-pay scales. Temp workers can be terminated at any time by the automaker.
United Auto Workers at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles facilities will vote next week on a newly proposed contract to cover 40,000 workers, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Workers will have until Oct. 20 to review the proposed deal, which was reached last week before a threatened strike. According to the report, workers will vote on the deal Oct. 20-21. Roughly 65 percent of workers reportedly voted down the first deal between the automaker and the UAW because of concerns over its tiered pay structure, health care co-op and lack of communication from union leadership.
On Wednesday night, as the deadline for strike action came closer and closer, the United Auto Workers-Fiat Chrysler Automobiles National Bargaining Committee announced they had “secured significant gains” over the last proposed tentative agreement that was widely rejected by UAW membership.
Details on the new agreement were not published.
The new proposed agreement averts a strike — for now — and will be sent Friday to local union leaders that comprise the UAW National Chrysler Council for discussion and voting.
“We heard from our members, and went back to FCA to strengthen their contract,” said UAW President Dennis Williams early Thursday morning in a statement. “We’ve reached a proposed Tentative Agreement that I believe addresses our members’ principal concerns about their jobs and their futures. We have made real gains and I look forward to a full discussion of the terms with our membership.”
FCA acknowledged they reached a new proposed tentative agreement with the union, but declined to give specifics due to the pending vote by UAW members.
Ram production will be coming back to the United States and car production moving to FCA’s Mexican operations, Automotive News is reporting citing anonymous sources.
The news comes just days after FCA and the UAW tentatively agreed to a new national contract while locals continue to hammer out the finer details at the plant level. According to the report, there will also be some movement of products within U.S. borders between FCA plants.
Dodge announced for its Charger Pursuit cars Friday an available 12.1-inch Uconnect touchscreen, which is five times larger than its 5-inch model available in some of its cars.
The 12.1-inch screen — which is only available on Charger cars for police for now — is meant to eliminate mounted laptops in the front seats of many police vehicles. The screen can be connected to a laptop in the trunk via ethernet cord, and can display functions such as lights, sirens, forward-mounted cameras and radio information.
Farmers are the ultimate craftsman when it comes to small-scale production. The level of management needed to stay competitive and above the high water line is, simply put, astounding. Consolidation in certain areas of agriculture has lead to factory farming, the widespread adoption of automation and genetically modified seeds that keep seed producers competitive. Private farmers are constantly at war with the market and their own budgets.
The agriculture industry has wholly transformed itself over the last 100 years. The automotive industry, which has only really existed for that same period of time, has seen similar levels of change. We are now building more cars, trucks, SUVs, crossovers, trikes and quadracycles than ever before, just like we are growing more food than we’ve ever seen in human history.
But, there’s one major stumbling block ahead — and Sergio Marchionne sees it.
The Durango was last redesigned in 2011, so a SRT version could be a victory lap for the three-row SUV. Jeep may take over three-row crossover duty with its Grand Wagoneer.
If you’re pressed between a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk or a Durango SRT — there is a third option, this Kia Sorento with an LS engine swap.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles may be showing off a Dodge Barracuda convertible, a next-generation Charger, Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and a Grand Wagoneer — they probably put root beer in the fountains too — according to multiple media reports.
At the dealer meeting in Las Vegas, FCA executives outlined the future for the brands (Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Fiat) that may include up to 30 new or refreshed products within two years.
According to reports, FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne also addressed reports that the automaker was seeking a merger with another automaker, and any potential deal would be “to strengthen the competitive position of the companies involved,” he said according to Automotive News.
At virtually every other automotive outlet for whom I’ve worked, the communication between writer and reader has been a one-way street. I give advice. The reader listens. Whether the reader acts on that advice is completely unknown. Also, the reader never gives advice to the writer.
Thankfully, TTAC is different and the Best & Brightest will drop a nugget of information in the comments that I can use not only in my professional life, but in my personal life as well.
And it’s on this advice that I drove 2 1/2 hours to Moncton to drive a 2015 Dodge Charger R/T Road and Track.
Just in time for super-low gas prices, Dodge’s Hellcats will cost $3,650 to $4,200 more next year — at least — Autoblog is reporting.
The 2016 Challenger Hellcat will start at $65,190 — including destination and gas guzzler tax, an increase of $4,200 over 2015. The Charger will start at $68,640 — including destination and tax, which is an increase of $3,650.
(Those prices don’t reflect the “market adjustment” one could likely see for the highly coveted, limited-production vehicles. Although, Dodge really doesn’t like that.)
The automotive journalism industry is infinitely weird. I’m much more likely to be recognized by someone in a foreign land than I am in my own city. Just recently, during Halifax’s Pride Parade, a man I didn’t know walked up to me and asked, “Are you Mark Stevenson?” It’s the first time that’s ever happened to me in Halifax. Maybe I have the local LGBT demographic on lock, or at least the “G” part of the initialism.
Regardless of my popularity with the sharply dressed set, I can walk into virtually any local dealer and nobody will know who I am — which is absolutely perfect when you run into a salesman who states: “Let me be honest with you: I make $100,000 a year at this place and it’s made me not care about cars anymore.”
Of course, this was at a Dodge dealer that lacked any kind of automotive enthusiasm on its lot.
Legendary DJ and hip-hop artist Grandmaster Flash is asking fans for help in finding his Dodge Charger that he said was “given away” at a New York parking garage July 16, ABC News is reporting.
Grandmaster Flash, whose real name is Joseph Saddler, asked for help Sunday on his social media accounts, saying he dropped his white Dodge Charger off and returned two hours later July 16 to discover a parking attendant had given the car to someone else who looked like Saddler.
According to ABC News, Saddler reported the car as stolen to the NYPD on July 16, three hours after the incident happened. Saddler said the car was full of vinyl records and equipment.
Dodge will roughly double the number of Charger and Challenger Hellcat models it makes next year and will significantly change the way dealers can order the 707-horsepower model in the future, the company announced Monday. Dodge also announced that it would be cancelling nearly 900 unfulfilled 2015 orders and honoring those prices for 2016.
Dealers will begin taking new orders for the super-performance cars sometime around Aug. 10 and will only be allowed to order their specific allocation. According to Automotive News, reports surfaced last year of Dodge dealers accepting deposits for many more Challenger and Charger Hellcat models than they were allotted.
Dealers will begin receiving Hellcats in September through February.
You know what a Venn diagram is, right? It’s one of those drawings where you have two or more circles representing the members of different groups, and the area where the circles overlap shows common members of those groups. One of my favorite jokes goes like so: “The Venn diagram of people who care about font choice and people who care about food trucks is a single circle.”
Here’s another Venn diagram for you: the circle of people who have the talent and training to drive the new-for-2016 Viper ACR to its limits, and the circle of people who can afford the $117,500 plus-tax-and-title MSRP on the window sticker. How much overlap do you think there is between those circles?
Looking at all the full-size sedans available in America is certainly a case of “one of these things is not like the other.” Dodge’s latest iteration of the LX-platformed, rear-wheel drive sedan sticks out like a sore thumb covered in beer and barbecue sauce.
The freshly facelifted, second-generation new Charger (it’s the seventh generation overall to use the nameplate) is exactly what I want in a pony car with four doors: mean looks, lots of power and a suspension more tuned for going in a straight line than around corners.
But, I am not going to say its better than the new Maxima — another full-size(-ish) sedan that makes a sporty claim. Actually, it’s definitely not as good as the Maxima.
And I couldn’t care less.
We just had a fight.
Scratch that. We were still having a fight. This was just the tense calm between volleys of verbal mortar fire. I won’t even tell you what we were fighting about. The subject was so stupid it would make my girlfriend and I both look like utter idiots — like those times when you shout at a character in a TV show to grow up and “just say you’re sorry already!”
Instead of doing what any rational human would do, I figured my only chance of peace was to escape the waves of relationship-drama ordnance. I grabbed the keys to this week’s Charger along with my vaporizer and fled the front line to regroup and regain my sanity.
“Let me show you how this works,” Danger Girl laughed, as we descended the stairs in the airport parking garage. I call her Danger Girl because
0. I keep putting her in danger, sometimes mortal;
1. She soloed in a Cessna before she turned seventeen;
2. She has certain other dangerous habits that, this being a different kind of publication than it was in days past, cannot be discussed in the full and frank fashion with which it was once my delight to oppress our more delicate readers.
She’d told me that we were renting a Camry. I was happy about this. I like renting Camrys. But as we walked towards a line of cars that clearly included Camrys, Danger Girl took a sharp right turn towards a black Challenger in what I was pretty sure was the rental return lane. “I can take any car I want,” she informed me, “so I’m going to take this one.” I loaded our luggage into the wide, flat, Seventies-style trunk as she fired up the Pentastar and adjusted the seat. “Off we go!” she laughed, and we drove up two levels of a circular ramp and out into the warm California night.
As we entered the freeway, something occurred to me.
“Hey… aren’t you supposed to, like, tell somebody you’re taking this car?”
Sergio Marchionne sent Mary Barra a detailed email in the middle of March in an effort to start merger talks. Barra, CEO of General Motors, was uninterested in the offer and rebuffed Marchionne, CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
It was the first time the two executives had ever spoken, but it wouldn’t be the last Barra would hear of Marchionne’s merger desires.
That’s the story being told by the New York Times today, detailing the lengths to which Marchionne is going to trigger consolidation within the automotive industry.
The first car I bought new was a 2000 Chrysler LHS. (I single handedly lowered the model’s average age demographic.) It was the very pinnacle of Chrysler’s Iacocca turn-around. It was large, competitive and made from Chrysler’s universal parts bin. Then Mercedes came on the scene promising to “synergize” product development with their luxury brand. The plan had a promising start with the 300 HEMI C concept, but the production reality was a big sedan with a plastacular interior and Mercedes hand-me-down parts.
Now that Mercedes and Chrysler have divorced, we’re starting to see what a real German-American synergy looks like. For 2015, the Dodge Charger has gone under the knife to look leaner and meaner with a new German transmission. Like my 2000 LHS, this may just be the pinnacle of the Marchionne turn around. It’s big, it’s bold and it’ll make you forget why you stopped to look at that Toyota Avalon last week.
It was one of those weekends where nothing went quite right. The first rental car I got was pretty banged-up on all corners, and the interior reeked of menthol cigarettes. Worst of all, it wasn’t even a Mopar, and since I was on the way to Thunderhill so I could race a Neon with famous Mopar engineer, Hellcat inventor, and Viper-related head-shaver Erich Heuschele, I decided to Gold Choice my way into a Dart. Both Erich and I are still awfully passionate about Neons despite the fact there hasn’t been a Neon for sale for quite some time now, and I thought that the Dart, as the Neon’s authentic successor, would be a good choice.
The first thing I noticed about the Dart was that it had nearly 35,000 miles on it. The second thing was that someone had swapped the front tires out for astoundingly noisy, unbalanced cheapo replacements. The third thing I noticed was that it did not have cruise control, and by then it was too late to turn back.
Is the standard color palette for the 2015 Dodge Viper not enough for you? Have you looked at your child’s Twilight Sparkle and Sonata Dusk brushables and thought to yourself, ‘Those hair colors might look good on on a Viper’? Dodge has a program just for you.
Were you hoping to have a red Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT or Dodge Durango Ron Burgundy Edition in your driveway in time for Christmas? You may have to try your luck on the lot, as new orders will be painted black, white, gray and silver all over for the next few months.
Since the 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat roared at the 2014 New York Auto Show, enthusiasts have been waiting for the day the big cats would enter the showroom.
When ordering opened in October, so did the floodgates.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Not long ago, we were told that gas was going to $6 a gallon, maybe even higher. CAFE, crash safety regulations and government interference would force us all into autonomous, emissions-free transportation pods.
How lucky am I to be filling up a 707-horsepower rear-drive sedan with 93 Octane? More shocking than an auto journalist paying for his own gas is the fact that 13 gallons of the good stuff cost me about $45.
Most customers purchasing a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat aren’t likely considering fuel economy as a reason for wanting one of the most brutal machines ever assembled. That said, the pony car is fairly efficient on the highway in comparison to more exotic fare.
Getting decent conclusions from very limited data is the sort of thing of which Nobel Prizes are made. What you’re about to read won’t be Nobel-worthy; however, I believe it will help you understand how fast the Hellcat and how it compares to both the other Challengers and the external competition.
To some degree, it’s about the number, right? Seven hundred and seven. The Dodge people certainly made the point again and again about how the Hellcat stacks up to everything from the Z06 to the Murcielago. Mine’s bigger than yours. And that other number — 10.9 seconds with drag radials and 11.2 without. That actually isn’t such a big deal; there are people out there who have put stock C6 Z06es with draggies into the tens. Still, they closed the freaking road course after just ninety minutes so the journalists could line up and try their hand at quarter-miles. I didn’t bother to do that. Nor did I get any street time in the Hellcat. What I got was this: four laps, none of them unimpeded. When you come back in the afternoon, I’ll tell you what my TrackMaster data showed about the Hellcat vis-a-vis the 6.4L. But for now let’s talk about what the Hellcat is and what it does.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary deﬁnes muscle cars as “any group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving.” Wikipedia goes further, and says that “a large engine is ﬁtted in a 2-door, rear wheel drive, family-style mid-size of full-size car designed for 4 or more passengers. Sold at an affordable price, muscle cars are intended mainly for street use and occasional drag racing, and are distinct from two-seat sports cars.”
I am here to report that my 2014 Dodge Challenger R/T hits those deﬁnitions very squarely on the head.
Among the TTAC staff, the consensus is clear: the Ford Mustang is the top choice in the pony car segment. For cheap thrills, the Mustang V6 with the Performance Package is the most comprehensive “performance per dollar” option on the market. The 5.0, Boss 302 and Shelby GT500 represent increasing levels of performance that rival the best of the sports car world, at prices accessible to the common (or, slightly better off) consumer. The Camaro is not as highly regarded, but of course, what would this site be without a dissenting voice.
So what about the Dodge Challenger?
Four hundred cubic centimeters. That’s not a whole lot of volume. A cylinder that’s about 3 inches in diameter and 4 inches tall. It’s rather amazing what a difference that about a coffee cup’s worth of displacement will make in the character of an automobile. In my first look at the Dodge Dart, I felt that the Dart is a nice compact car, but that it was deeply compromised by a powertrain that combined the 2.0 liter four cylinder with a six speed automatic transmission. In a quest for a calibration that yields impressive EPA fuel economy numbers, Chrysler produced a car that’s a chore to drive. Now that I’ve had a chance to drive the Dart with the 2.4 liter MultiAir Tigershark engine, I’m happy to report that those 400 ccs of displacement make a night and day difference, changing “chore to drive” to “fun to drive”.
A while back Chrysler loaned me a Dodge Dart Limited with the 2.0 liter Tigershark engine and six-speed automatic transmission for the purpose of writing a review. That’s how it works, they loan you the car, you write the review. A social contract, if you will. In this case, however, though I drove the car for a week and took scores of photos and copious notes, I decided not to write the review at the time. That sort of behavior comes with some risk, particularly if the next time you ask for a press car and they ask for a link to your last review. I had my reasons for putting off the review, and now that I’ve driven a Dart with the larger 2.4 liter motor, I’m glad that I waited, and I think Chrysler should be glad that I waited as well.
I’ll explain all that gladness in Part Two, my review of the 2014 Dodge Dart GT 2.4 L, but everything has a backstory.


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Lower Pecan Prices in 2012/2013 Led to a Significant Increase in Consumption. Where does the Industry Go From Here?
October 02, 2013
The final 2012 export figures were published last month by the USDA Foreign Ag Statistics Service (FAS) and, as expected, exports were up dramatically. Overall exports climbed from 150.64 million pounds (inshell basis) to 200.62 million pounds; a new record. While exports to China accounted for 34.4 million pounds of the increase, exports to all of the other major pecan importing countries were up. Export shipments of shelled meats continued to rebound; up approximately 11%.
Total consumption is also up from 385.6 million pounds (inshell basis) a year ago to 452.8 million pounds; net basis. This is also a record. While not as dramatic as the total consumption figures, domestic consumption was also up. The increase was minimal; 248.7 million pounds vs. 244.7 million, but the increase temporarily halted a five year slide. Domestic consumption is still down significantly from its 2008 high of 311 million pounds and any further gains will be totally dependent on new crop prices.
Based on last month’s USDA Cold Storage Holdings, it would appear that lower prices have finally gotten to the consumer. Since May, 88 million pounds have been shipped. With almond, walnut and pistachio prices all at or near record highs, shipments should continue to be good.
The elephant in the room is China. Having purchased almost 100 million pounds this past year, will they need to buy heavy this year? Over the prior five years they purchased an average of 59 million pounds per year from the US. While early sales to China would indicate stronger prices lie ahead, did they really increase their consumption by 34 million pounds or were they simply hedging their bets that this year’s prices would be higher? Historically they have purchased heavily in the long years to minimize the impact of higher prices in the short years. Further, with South Africa becoming a major player, do they still need to press the US market as early as they have in the past? South Africa’s crop was much smaller this year which may account for some of the early market pressure. However, we have already seen what can happen to consumption when prices get over $6.00/lb for meats.
Overall, the information coming from the Government last month was good. Current market conditions should lead to more good news in the short term. Long term, the pecan industry has a great opportunity ahead of it. The big question really is what will they do with it?
Finally, I have added a number of downloadable graphs to the statistics page of my website highlighting many of the above points.

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This has been a banner year for the East Orlando Chamber of Commerce as we celebrate 70 years. Did you know the chamber has hosted a beauty pageant, Easter egg hunts and a Christmas parade on Colonial Drive? We revisited the past and shared information regarding the growth of East Orlando at a recent Vision Event.
In June, the Business Expo was the most successful to date with 75 businesses showcasing their services and products to 400 attendees. Our 32nd Annual Golf Tournament provided an opportunity for our members to network on the green. Many golfers won prizes and enjoyed a beautiful day out of the office.
The Southeast Update sold out again this year. The topic was Sports and Medical Tourism: A Billion-dollar Growth Industry in our backyard. Representatives from the Central Florida Sports Commission, Lake Nona, Nemours, Orlando City Soccer, the USTA and the V.A. were panelists.
Education Day packed Avalon Park with representatives from 30 public schools and close to 1,000 kids performing on stage throughout the day. Nearly 3,000 people visited our business booths and enjoyed food, entertainment, inflatables and more.
In November, the Local Charities Luncheon featured Mark Brewer from the Central Florida Foundation and showcased 10 local charitable organizations to a packed house.
Members received exclusive opportunities including an Orlando Magic game with courtside access, an escape room, a local brewery tour and a visit to the Emergency Operations Center at the TechCF luncheons.
We will continue to improve upon this year’s successes throughout 2017. Contact us to learn how you can join and connect with others to grow your business. Visit www.EOCC.org or call 407-277-5951 for more information.


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A decade on from creating Click Frenzy, Peter Krideras has a new, and very different initiative: Green Friday, an antidote to Black Friday that he hopes will encourage consumers to shop in a more sustainable way.
“When I came up with Click Frenzy, I was very much focused on the retailer,” he said.
“But as a business owner, I have evolved and grown. My focus is now on the consumer, and what I can see is that there is a new generation of shopper who is more thoughtful and considered, and wants to buy in a more socially responsible way.”
Krideras is now the co-founder, with Steve Kulmar, of Releaseit, a rental platform that supports the circular economy.
He is also the founder of Green Friday, an online platform that invites sustainable brands to showcase their goods on Black Friday and Cyber Monday (and the weekend that falls between these sales events), urging shoppers to think about what they are buying. While the site does not encourage deep discounting, as is traditional on Black Friday, it is geared towards purchasing.
“We’re not telling people not to shop. It’s more about, take a breath, be more thoughtful and conscious of your purchases. It’s pretty simple, would you buy it if it wasn’t on sale?”
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, the Australian Retailers Association estimates that Australians will spend upwards of $59 billion, an 11.3 per cent increase on 2019 sales. To assist with the boom in online commerce, Australia Post has deployed 45 additional operational sites and employed 4000 new team members. But as events like Click Frenzy, Black Friday and Cyber Monday heat up, a backlash is gaining momentum.
We wanted to get away from making consumers make panic decisions.
— Nicola Kilner, Deciem CEO
Deciem, a cosmetics company owned by Estee Lauder, celebrated “Slowvember” this year, discounting every product by 23 per cent for the entire month so consumers could choose to buy slowly.
“We used to take part in Black Friday and it was the biggest weekend of the year by far for us,” says Deciem chief executive Nicola Kilner. “The results were phenomenal. But as we started to think about what we would discount – you know, is it this product because it has a higher margin, or is it this one because we have a lot of it? – you think, this is not really consumer-friendly. It’s about shifting product. We started to realise the hyper-consumerism Black Friday causes – and I include myself in that, as a shopper – and we wanted to get away from making consumers make panic decisions.”
The company, which does not discount at any other time, instead began offering an averaged discount over November. That was three years ago, and this year, the brand will go even further, shutting all of its stores across the world on Black Friday and turning off e-commerce on its sites. “You won’t be able to purchase Deciem products at any of our stores,” says Kilner. Instead, the stores will host poetry readings, floristry workshops and other “slow events”.
“This is new, so I don’t know how consumers will react,” says Ms Kilner. “But our shoppers have a good sense of our spirit and what we stand for.”
‘We are not against sales’
It is a sentiment echoed by other brand founders. Elizabeth Abegg of Spell, a Byron Bay-based clothing brand, once participated in Black Friday, but now opts out, instead choosing to run a 12 Days of Christmas sale that is similar to Deciem’s discounting process in that it gives consumers time to shop wisely.
“We are not against sales, but we don’t run on anyone else’s schedule for other things, so why this?” says Ms Abegg. “We did Black Friday for a few years; it was a great way to connect to our American customers in particular. But after a while, it just seemed more and more gluttonous. We would rather add value for the consumer than simply get rid of inventory.”
Abegg says the brand’s customers are well-versed in its values. “There was some pushback initially,” she says, “with customers who expected us to discount at that time. But now they know we do this our own way.”
Not all retailers are on board. Ahead of Black Friday, retailers such as Myer, David Jones and Amazon have already begun slicing up to 50 per cent of a range of fashion, shoes and homewares. Others, from fashion retailers The Iconic and Peter Alexander, to appliances chain Bing Lee, have foreshadowed huge deals for the day.
Opting out not an easy choice
Against this backdrop, opting out of a significant sales event is not an easy choice, says Macquarie University Business School’s professor of marketing and consumer behaviour, Jana Bowden.
“There is a real push and pull force here,” says Bowden. “On the one hand you have pent-up consumer demand, with people coming out of lockdown with $40 billion in their pockets because we haven’t travelled for two years. [Black Friday] is a real chance to get people to open their wallets.”
Conversely, though, Bowden adds that attitudes towards consumerism are shifting, meaning brands have to tread carefully.
“There is an increasing move towards conscious and ethical consumption, which is inherently slower,” says Bowden. “After COP26, brands are looking for ways to tell the story that they are different, they are sustainable, they are responsible citizens.”
Other brands have chosen to tackle Black Friday with their own, greener alternatives. Melbourne clothing brand Elk will not discount, but will plant a tree for every purchase, while Citizen Wolf, a custom t-shirt business, is hosting Black Fri-dye, an event where shoppers can send in worn clothing to be re-dyed black so as to extend its lifespan.
“We’re not immune from the economic pressure of these sales,” says Citizen Wolf co-founder Eric Phu, “but we never go on sale because we think it contributes to so many of the things that are inherently wrong about the fashion industry”.
While Black Fri-dye’s numbers are not huge – last year, the company received just 358 garments, though this represented a 289 per cent increase on 2019 – Mr Phu says the point is not to compete with the sales, it is to hijack the concept itself.
“We’re not saying, ‘Don’t engage in sales at all’. If you need something, buy it, and try to buy the best version of it. That helps everybody. But if you don’t need it, don’t buy it. And we have this incredible resource, our wardrobe, which we don’t use enough. Data tells us we use about a third of our wardrobes, so it’s underutilised. So, rather than mindlessly using things we don’t need, and getting caught up in that frenzy, be more mindful. If you have something you really love, we will give you a few years out of it for a very low cost.“
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Westland Giftware continues its line of useable Star Trek items in 2012 with four new offerings.
The first is a 10” Captain Kirk Cookie Jar, a companion piece to the previous released Spock jar.
Last year, Westland Giftware premiered three 4.5” coffee mugs with unique delta insignia handles of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. Now, the line continues with Scotty and Uhura being added to the mix.
Finally, there will be a Delta Command Insignia Salt and Pepper Shaker. At 4.25”, the two shakers will join together via a magnet to create Starfleet’s most famous symbol.
All of these items are expected to be available during the first quarter of 2012.
Visit Westland Giftware for more information.
Maria Jose and John Tenuto are both sociology professors at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois, specializing in popular culture and subculture studies. The Tenutos have conducted extensive research on Star Trek’s history, and have been invited to present at venues such as Creation Conventions, ReedPOP’s official Star Trek 50th Anniversary Convention, the St. Louis Science Center, and to the towns of Riverside, Iowa (future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk) and Vulcan, Alberta, Canada. They have appeared in episodes of the Netflix TV show “The Toys that Made Us” and in the Decades Network documentary “Through the Decades: Star Wars 40th Anniversary.” They’ve written for the official Star Trek Magazine and their research has been featured on BBC Radio, WGN News, CBS News, and in the USA Today and WIRED Magazine.


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As we move more towards 5G, we demand all the gadgets in our use to support the new wireless connectivity. And smartphones are no excuse.
Apple, in this case, shook hands with Qualcomm for 5G modems in its iPhones and iPads. While this is going well, the Cupertino-based company is now eyeing making its own 5G modems, in partnership with TSMC.
This could make Apple rely less on Qualcomm, and give more authority on its hardware. Further, integrating all in-house features can improve the performance significantly, as happened with Apple M1 chips in MacBooks.
Apple’s Homemade 5G Modem
One of the main reasons Apple always stands out from the other smartphone OEM crowd is the hardware. The Cupertino company designs its own hardware and hires a manufacturer for production. Making things at home has a clean advantage – understanding things better.
Apple is able to produce most components in-house, thus integrating better and producing the best results. But, it’s not complete always.
Apple has to rely on third-party vendors for a few critical components, like Samsung for display and Qualcomm for 5G modems. While the former cannon be dumped already, the latter is going to change within the next couple of years.
As per reports, Apple is in talks with TSMC to produce its own 5G modems for future iPhones and iPads. To date, Apple relied on Qualcomm to support 5G connectivity for it’s handsets, and the deal between them is set to expire in 2025. If Apple is able to come up with a proper plan by then, it will ditch Qualcomm as it did with Intel for MacBooks.
Apple has already acquired Intel’s mobile processors unit for $1 billion, which offers access to over 17,000 wireless technology patents! Apple can leverage this deal and tie-up with TSMC for its initial in-house 5G modems soon. Once set up, this integration can save up Apple a lot of money, although it wouldn’t result in reducing the cost of future iPhones.
Yet, hardware grip is what Apple may get. This will surely result in better performance, as we’ve seen Apple M1 chips beating Intel’s top-end chips in MacBooks.
Other Trending News:- News


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Small companies from coastline to coastline have shut up store this calendar year in reaction to rampant crimes that threaten the protection of their employees and prospects, and oftentimes, remaining them with significant costs to cleanse up crack-ins and decline of products. The enterprise owners’ tales fluctuate, but all have identified a typical theme: Criminal offense and other difficulties like drug use need to be cleaned up in America’s cities or companies will go on to endure.
“Somebody goes out and does anything that is improper. It’s incorrect. So they really should have … necessary jail time for certain offenses like breaking and getting into,” San Antonio business proprietor Ana Fernandez told Fox News Electronic in an interview.
Fernandez was pressured to close her brick-and-mortar place for Chamoy Town Boundaries, a cafe famed for its chili and other Tex-Mex classics, back again in November right after dealing with eight crime incidents in just eight months. She is however doing catering orders and functioning a meals truck.
The enterprise owner recounted the “most egregious” criminal offense incident she faced was when the air conditioner on Chamoy Town Limits’ roof abruptly stopped doing work. She termed a repairman, bracing for what she assumed would be a program albeit highly-priced fix.
AMERICA’S Smaller Corporations SLAMMED BY Climbing Crime: ‘PEOPLE ARE AFRAID’
Instead, the repairman reported the air conditioner was not on the roof at all. Anyone had stolen the unit to offer it for scrap metallic, Fernandez instructed Fox Information Electronic. Chamoy Town Limitations was not ready to get a new air conditioner until August, which means personnel had to function by just about the complete Texas summer time with no air conditioning.
Fernandez is 1 of dozens of small business proprietors across the nation who place their foot down on exposing by themselves, clients, and even their finances to America’s criminal offense spike.
The U.S. witnessed a violent criminal offense spike in 2020, with murders raising by just about 30% compared to the yr prior, according to FBI knowledge. It marked the largest one-calendar year raise in killings considering the fact that the company began tracking the crimes.
In 2020’s violent criminal offense wake, residence crimes, drug use and other problems have continued plaguing some communities.
PORTLAND Store SHUTS DOWN, POSTS BLISTERING Observe ON Entrance Doorway SLAMMING RAMPANT Criminal offense: ‘CITY IS IN PERIL’
A person clothes retailer in Portland, Oregon, acquired countrywide awareness this tumble when it posted a blistering be aware to its entrance doorway saying it was closing the area and charging that Portland is “in peril.”
“Tiny enterprises (and significant) can not maintain executing business enterprise, in our city’s recent point out. We have no security, or recourse, towards the legal conduct that goes unpunished. Do not be fooled into imagining that insurance firms deal with losses. We have sustained 15 split-ins … we have not acquired any economical reimbursement considering the fact that the 3rd,” a observe posted to the Rains PDX retailer in Portland browse.
The shop proprietor stated that after 15 break-ins around the past calendar year and a 50 %, there was no way to maintain the losses.
A common dwell leisure venue and vineyard in Washington, D.C., identified as Town Vineyard, declared this month it was closing its site in the Ivy Town community in excess of crime and would relocate elsewhere.
A bar in New Orleans, known as the Portside Lounge, shut this summer time above criminal offense “chasing men and women away at an elevated price,” Eater New Orleans reported.
“In February, we had 3 again-to-back again shootings. Just after the 2nd just one, I was like guys, you need to carry the law enforcement in this article. It is unacceptable, it is gonna come about all over again.”
HOW Arranged RETAIL Criminal offense Turned A $100 BILLION Difficulty THAT IS Escalating ‘DRAMATICALLY’
In Seattle, the owner of famed pastry shop Piroshky Piroshky declared in February it was closing a locale in the city’s downtown area about “innumerable basic safety considerations.”
“In February, we experienced 3 back again-to-back again shootings,” Olga Sagan, owner of Piroshky Piroshky, instructed Fox News Digital in a cellular phone job interview this thirty day period of what crimes unfolded near the bakery’s spot. “Following the 2nd a person, I was like men, you require to convey the law enforcement in this article. It is unacceptable, it really is gonna transpire all over again.”
Following a third shooting transpire around the retail outlet, “we just shut down for the reason that my workforce did not feel safe and sound. It was seriously messy,” Sagan extra.
Sagan mentioned the place was a drug current market mecca, describing it as the “reverse” of a festive and loved ones-friendly Christmas sector but with a very similar set up, citing rampant drug gross sales and abuse.
“Absolutely you can find no question about it,” Sagan informed Fox when questioned if this current criminal offense wave is the worst she has observed because primary the corporation much more than 20 years in the past. “I have hardly ever noticed something as terrible.”
Months after the shootings and closing the locale, Sagan declared she will reopen the doorways of the downtown locale and see if crime difficulties have eased and if a lot more prospects are out on the streets.
Enterprises have been hit with a one-two punch since 2020: the pandemic’s lockdowns that throttled product sales as people hunkered down at house and then a criminal offense wave that has now lasted a long time.
“Theft is an issue. It’s better than what it has traditionally been.”
For Fernandez in San Antonio, she highlighted that when organizations commenced closing up store for coronavirus-relevant explanations, the remaining shops have been left susceptible to criminal offense.
Crimes begun raising for her “when firms all around us started out to shut owing to the pandemic,” she stated.
SKYROCKETING CHICAGO Criminal offense HAS Little Firms, Corporations PACK THEIR Bags: ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’
Sagan claimed comparable conclusions in her remarks.
“I come to feel that a ton of corporations have shut in the last pair of a long time owing to COVID and other reasons,” Sagan mentioned. “So there is a great deal of vacant areas … [The vacant spaces] conclusion up becoming stuffed out by people today who are utilizing prescription drugs and performing a full bunch of other actions due to the fact there is no foot targeted traffic.”
The new crime wave has even hit significant box outlets and nationwide chains, with the Nationwide Retail Federation reporting earlier this year that crimes in opposition to retailers have ballooned to a $100 billion difficulty.
“Theft is an concern. It is bigger than what it has historically been,” Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, for case in point, explained to CNBC’s “Squawk Box” previously this month. He extra that if the crime wave is not halted shortly and if prosecutors never provide costs towards shoplifters, “price ranges will be increased, and/or retailers will close.”
Little small business homeowners are contacting on shoppers to proceed supporting them and for perpetrators to be held to account for their crimes.
GET FOX Small business ON THE GO BY CLICKING Below
“Persons just will need to hold supporting little companies. Federal government requires to assist compact firms,” Sagan said.


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This is easily one of the coolest things we have ever done over the last 11 years!!!!
Olivia Palermo News Archive
Unlike Sarah Jessica Parker, Karolina Kurkova and Anne Hathaway, the former reality star went rouge in a one-shoulder Christian Dior tiered gown paired with a random leopard print belt and Diane von Furstenberg pumps.
To Olivia's credit, she was carrying a purple feather Valentino bag, but it stuck out like a sore thumb.
Overall, the whole look was a mess, which is so unlike her.
Oh well, guess everyone's entitled to an off-day every once and a while, right?
[Image via C. Smith/WENN.]
This is exciting!
Senior vice president and general manager of Piperlime, Jennifer Gosselin was blissful about the company's first store, saying
Kristen Stewart! Yes, really.
And for the third year in a row the worst dressed title went to Jordan aka Katie Price, which we gotta admit is pretty impressive. Ha!
Check out who else made the list…AFTER THE JUMP!
According to reports, the former reality star and socialite has registered a trademark in her name in a variety of categories including pet clothing, collars, leashes, carriers, toiletry cases, purses, wallets, handbags, luggage and jewelry organizers.
That’s a LOT of stuff!
Although the trademark was filed, Olivia's reps issued a statement saying:
“Olivia does not have a line of accessories at the moment.”
Do U think she can pull this off?!
[Image via Daniel Deme/WENN.]
Le grand amour!
After making their rounds, they take a break at les Jardin des Tuileries and enjoy a little dance.
Next week, Lifestyle Mirror will feature the full story on the lovers' experience throughout Fashion Week in le city of love!
But until then… U can enjoy this sneak peek (above)!


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One Photo, Two Lawsuits For Unauthorized Use By Media Companies
January 25, 2017 at 6:14 AM (PT)
A pair of new photographer lawsuits have been filed against broadcast companies alleging unauthorized use of copyrighted photos.
THEODORE PARISIENNE has filed a pair of suits, one filed MONDAY (1/23) against TOWNSQUARE MEDIA for using a photo of DESIIGNER on its XXL TWITTER page and the other against iHEARTMEDIA for using the same photo at the site of Urban WBTT (105.5 THE BEAT)/NAPLES-FORT MYERS.
Both suits were filed by attorney RICHARD LIEBOWITZ, the lawyer handling a significant number of the previously-filed photographer copyright lawsuits against media companies.


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R-Type Tactics Remakes Announced
During a recent live stream, Japanese developer Granzella announced remakes for strategy RPGs R-Type Tactics and R-Type Tactics II: Operation Bitter Chocolate. Details about the remakes including platforms and any potential enhancements were not revealed, other than they will be available as a single release.
R-Type Tactics was originally released for PlayStation Portable in Japan in 2007, and in North America by Atlus (under the title R-Type Command) and in Europe by Rising Star Games in 2008. Sequel R-Type Tactics II: Operation Bitter Chocolate was also released for PlayStation Portable in Japan in 2009, but did not receive a western release. The titles are spin-off to the R-Type shoot-’em-up series and put players in charge of a force of space fighters, battleships, and other units as the Earth Space Corps fight against the alien Bydo.


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updated 10:25 am EDT, Wed September 1, 2010
May leave device absent from Wed. press event
People should not expect to see a new Apple TV shipping immediately after today's Apple press event, sources for the Australian edition of Macworld claim. The people moreover say that the device is retaining the Apple TV moniker, instead of switching to the iTV name as has been reported. The product code for the new hardware is allegedly "Apple TV - USA MC572 LL/A."
The information may cast doubt on what Apple plans to announce today regarding the Apple TV, if anything. The company is already expected to be announcing a new iPod nano and a new Touch, along with 99-cent iTunes TV rentals. Still other reports have suggested the possibility of an iTunes web store.


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1: Enterprise Holdings
2009 revenue: $12.1 billion -7.6%
Although revenue declined 7.6 percent last year, Enterprise Holdings remained profitable in fiscal 2009, which ended July 31, 2009. The company, which acquired the Alamo Rent A Car and National Car Rental brands in 2007, completed the integration process with its Enterprise Rent-A-Car and launched the new Enterprise Holdings corporate identity in August. Since the acquisition, the company’s three brands have increased their combined airport market share from 27 percent to 33 percent.
Standard and Poor’s recently raised Enterprise Holdings’ credit rating to BBB+ due to its improved financial profile, with “stronger credit ratios due to continued strong cash flow ... and substantial debt reduction.” Moody’s Investors Service also upgraded its outlook on the company from stable to positive. The company, which is owned by the Andy Taylor family, continues to receive high marks from customers, receiving recent recognition from both J.D. Power and Associates and the Market Metrix Hospitality Index. “That recognition shows the growing strength of our three-brand portfolio in the marketplace,” said Pam Nicholson, president and chief operating officer.
Leadership: Chairman and CEO Andy Taylor, President and COO Pam Nicholson
2008 revenue: $13.1 billion (rank 1)
Employees: 4,000 local, 68,000 total
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As the wearable tech and ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) markets are hotting up in 2014, Intel has announced a tiny computer which is small enough to fit into an SD card casing. The minute machine is based on Quark technology, which was developed in order to power wearable technology and the IoT.
Whilst Quark itself was unveiled back in September 2013, Intel introduced its version at the recent CES 2014 in the first keynote address. The Edison is a dual-core, 22nm system which is built into an SD card housing in order to allow for easy development.
It was revealed yesterday by Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, who also took the opportunity to show off a range of a wearable devices, which included earphones with "biometric sensors”.
"It's a full Pentium-class PC in the form factor of an SD card," Krzanich said.
Edison supports multiple OS and supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and has its own app store already.
Edison will be available in the middle of this year, Krzanich said. "We believe that Edison will enable rapid innovation and rapid product development," he said.
IoT and wearable tech are expected to explode onto the market this year and can be used for monitoring health, movements during the day and sleep patterns. The technology can also be used to track children whilst walking to school and to monitor babies as they sleep. Further to this, a smart bottle warmer can monitor a baby’s moods and begin to warm a bottle in anticipation of feeding times.
Krzanich also revealed that Intel will be launching a competition in order to encourage innovation when it comes to wearable technology. The contest has a total prize fund of $1.3m, with a top prize of $500,000 and the top ten products being brought onto the market with the help of intel and its partners.
According to the Register, Intel’s Edison is similar to that of start-up Electric Imp, which has built a similar device that has already been on the market for a year. It’s thought that Edison will be on sale by this summer.
It looks to be another exciting year ahead for tech, as more innovative products come onto the market and the PC market becomes less relevant than ever before. It’s thought that the top trends for the year will continue to surround the mobile market, with MDM software rising and more native apps appearing.
IoT and wearable tech are also expected to experience strong growth this year as smart homes and health-related products gain more traction in their respective markets.


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Some new technology made right here in Milwaukee is helping brick and mortar stores compete with shopping online.
We're talking about floor sensors that provide insight into shoppers’ habits and much more.
"It's almost like turning a floor into a touch screen," said Joe Scanlin co-founder and CEO of Scanalytics
"So what we're doing here is providing that same level on intelligence to the physical brick and mortar retailer. We're providing them is the ability to have a platform where they deeply and intimately understand how they can better serve their customers, which helps them with costs and sales."
But these floor sensors focus on other things as well, not just shopping. They also gain accurate information on how people move through space at trade shows, elderly care facilities and commercial office spaces.
"Our customer base, our market is really anyone that has a physical building," said Scanlin.
"We're really excited about being able to understand the consumption of the physical world in general."
Scanalytics is worldwide they have international clients in both Southeast Asia and Europe. Smart floor sensors are also environmentally friendly. They can trigger lights to turn on and off when someone enters a room and they can control air flow which helps with energy costs.


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Ex-car dealer’s trial delayed until August
by Associated Press
Published: May 19,2010
COLUMBUS — The trial of former Parker Kia owner Tommy Parker has been continued until Aug. 24.
Parker, who was arrested in March 2009, was originally scheduled to stand trial yesterday. He was charged with sale of encumbered property without disclosing the lender for selling customer trade-ins and without paying off debt customers owed on the vehicles.
Before his Kia dealership closed, The Commercial Dispatch reports Parker had operated the business for more than 10 years.
Parker’s arrest came about three months after he shut the dealership’s doors and removed his inventory from the lot.
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On August 14th Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co Ltd said that its subsidiary, Fosun Industrial Co Ltd, had placed a bid for Arbor Pharmaceuticals LLC in July. The company did not disclose the financial terms of the deal but added that it was awaiting a response from the US-based specialty drugmaker.
A potential deal could be valued at US$3bn, according to a Reuters report citing sources. Arbor has also seen interest from other drugmakers, including China's Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co.
Fosun's bid for Arbor comes on the heels of its decision to publicly list its Israeli subsidiary, Sisram Medical Ltd, on the Hong Kong stock exchange. The company had said that net proceeds from the listing would be used to repay debt, increase spending on research and development as well as market expansion and brand promotion.
Both Shanghai Fosun and Shanghai Pharmaceuticals are looking to buy a 20-30% stake in Arbor, according to anonymous sources cited in a Bloomberg report. Shanghai Fosun is owned by Fosun International Inc, a Chinese conglomerate, which reportedly came under regulatory scrutiny in China in June for its overseas acquisitions. However, at the time, a spokesman said that "all is normal" at the company.
Source: The Economist Intelligence Unit


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The major explosion in the Port of Tianjin in August 2015 damaged and destroyed over 7,500 intermodal shipping containers. The damage and the resulting supply chain disruption led to insured claims of around $9bn. The most immediate problem however for shippers and insurers was the inability of many of them to actually confirm what was where in the port at the time of the explosion.
Tracking of specific containers and their contents is not cost effective when the contents are not high value, but the lack of information can also prove costly.
The trial by IBM and Maersk to use the blockchain to track containers not only offers the direct benefits that are mention in this article, but should also allow a clearer understand for insurers of where containers and contents are, allowing a better understanding of the risks, both through the full journey and in the case of occurred or impending catastrophes (e.g., when a typhoon is heading towards a port and the insurer needs to be clear on their aggregated risk position).
It is often the case that what helps an insurer manage their portfolio of risks better is data that is created for other purposes. This is likely to be one such example, and could, if handled smartly, lead to a more sophisticated approach to cargo risks.
Traditionally, a simple shipment of refrigerated goods from East Africa to Europe can go through nearly 30 people and organizations, including more than 200 different interactions and communications among them, said the IBM announcement.


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The mood at Prabal Gurung’s debut presentation in early February reflected his sculpted and glittery ready-to-wear — a feather-dusted cream cocktail dress; a crimson stunner worked into an enormous bow — which is to say it was glamorous and unrestrained. Cynthia Rowley, a former employer and mentor to Gurung, giddily wrapped the designer in a bear hug, while the actress Zoe Saldana, whom Gurung dressed for events during his years as a designer at Bill Blass, bounced on her heels while in line to greet him, exclaiming to one editor, “I flew all the way from California for this!” For Gurung, in that moment at least, it seemed the recessionary cloud that hovered over so many fall shows had drifted elsewhere.
Skip ahead two months, and Gurung, along with a group of his designer counterparts — fresh names like Bibhu Mohapatra, Matthew Ames and Nima Taherzadeh — are facing the realities of the difficult economy. “I started my business plan nine years ago, and my plan was always to launch in fall 2009,” Gurung explains. When Bill Blass shuttered in November and he left his design director position after five years, Gurung was already working on his own 21-piece lineup (as well as designing for private clients), though he did not anticipate this year’s shattered retail climate, nor the steep drop in wholesale pricing that many buyers are attempting to negotiate with designers. Yet while Gurung added a few jersey column dresses to the collection at the behest of buyers from Bloomingdale’s, where the lineup will be sold in the fall, he has otherwise stuck to his plan to grow slowly and maintain a grand aesthetic. “Tough times are when creativity is at its peak,” Gurung says. “You take everything into consideration and you come up with something that is desirable, aspirational and practical. My clothes are very expensive, but women will wear them for many years.”
Optimism aside, these designers must now answer the question of how to develop a small luxury business around expensive-to-produce clothes, which have garnered praise but lack a core clientele. Not surprisingly, resisting the kind of overt trendiness that dates a look — the ubiquitous spring harem pants, for instance — is a priority for those starting out in the uberpricy designer category. “People don’t want to buy things that belong to a certain season. You have to make clothes they can keep in their closet all year round,” says Taherzadeh, who launched his line, Nima, two years ago and now sells in Saks, Bloomingdale’s and specialty stores such as Stanley Korshak. Taherzadeh, like Gurung, makes elegant, expensive clothes: a purple silk poplin cocktail dress retails for $995, while a black leather and organza cropped jacket with zipper trimming goes for $2,490. And also like Gurung, Taherzadeh received rave reviews (his best yet) for fall, which he admits have yielded few new orders despite an initial rush of buyer interest. Taherzadeh has, in fact, found himself busy tweaking signature pieces for the stores he already has. “I have these leather jackets that are quite light, and you can wear them all the time, so I’m making more of those and adding accents to them,” he says. “For me, the only reason that I can keep going is that these things are still selling.” Yet while he’s happy to accommodate buyers by increasing production of certain items, Taherzadeh has no plans to tone down the flourishes on his day and evening pieces. “Now is not the time for basics,” he adds.
Call it sticking to one’s creative guns — a sentiment Matthew Ames, a 2009 Ecco Domani winner who showed his lineup of cocoon dresses and coats for the first time in February during New York Fashion Week, echoes. “[For] a new designer, [the economic climate] can be a good time, because people are looking for new things to put in their stores,” he says. Ames’ pieces, many of which are reversible and loose-fitting, evoking a Zoran-esque minimalism, may be more understated than Gurung and Taherzadeh’s (think cool creams, taupes and blues in cashmere and wool, with coats retailing for up to $2,000), yet he is confronting similar questions about how to design limited luxury pieces. “Certainly my clothes aren’t for everyone,” says Ames, whose line is sold at Takashimaya in New York and Forty Five Ten in Dallas, among other small boutiques. “But the stores are telling me that spring is selling well, and I do think it’s because these aren’t clothes you get everywhere and they aren’t easily recognizable. I’m interested in creating a timelessness.”
There it is again — timelessness, “endurability,” as J.Mendel alum Bibhu Mohapatra characterizes his take on rtw. Mohapatra, who launched his line with a packed presentation high above Bryant Park in early February, has so far sold pieces only to the Greenwich, Conn. boutique Dighton Rhode and Philadelphia’s Adresse, though he is in negotiations with several other boutiques for fall. He says a number of stores and major retailers expressed interest in his designs, but tightened budgets prevented them from writing orders. “I specifically designed a capsule collection for my debut season,” he says, “and, consequently, our initial sales projections were set very conservatively.” Mohapatra notes that while the larger retailers were enthusiastic about his day dresses (average retail price: $1,500), boutiques were keen on his eveningwear and furs (which go for up to $16,000). The common thread in Mohapatra’s clothes is rigorous construction. “The way I was trained, the clothes don’t have to have embellishments. They just have to be super well-made, even if it is just a canvas coat,” Mohapatra explains. “If somebody is spending $1,500 on a garment, they want to make sure they are getting something that will last and be made well. The challenge is how to make it approachable to buyers and customers who don’t know my name yet.”
That challenge may be eased by the fact each of these designers is taking private orders — such as the ostrich feather-tufted wedding gown Gurung is making for a longtime client getting married this summer — to keep their businesses afloat, a practice that will, ideally, get women on the charity and red-carpet circuit asking each other, “Who made that?” And despite their short store lists, all are prepared for what Gurung calls “a slow start,” insisting they’re in it for the long haul. “I’m making investment clothes,” says Gurung. “A few very well-made pieces will always be better than a whole closet of mediocre ones.”


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Gift of Ultima Lifestyle products on playing Rs.1 game on IME Pay
KATHMANDU:The digital wallet 'IME Pay' has launched a Rs 1 game on its app starting this month of Magh.
IME Pay, which has previously played similar games in its app, has teamed with Ultima Lifestyle in this version to offer Rs. 1 game has begun.
The game includes ten Ultima goods as a bonus. Users of the IME Pay app can get Rs. 1 and then choose a product or game to play.
In addition, Ultima has announced a discount on IME Pay purchases for its new product, Ultima Boom 161 Q, which was debuted in the Nepali market. Users can also get an additional 15% discount (up to Rs. 150) on payments via IME Pay when they buy the Ultima Boom 161Q from the Daraz app between Magh 4 and Magh 8.


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Smartphone-friendly microscope creator ioLight has recently been granted a patent for its standalone portable, digital and high resolution microscope.
Further accelerating the development and performance of automated test and automated measurement systems, National Instruments have announced the release of LabVIEW 2018.
The first fully-radiometric Fluke infrared cameras with MATLAB and LabVIEW software plug-ins deliver continuous temperature monitoring for research, science and engineering applications.
PCE Instruments added a new model to their existing range of roughness testers. The PCE-RT 2000 measures the roughness parameters Ra, Rq, Rsm, Rsk, Rz, Rt, Rp, Rv and Rc. The numerical values and graphics are shown on a large OLED display.
Introducing the new full 3D AOI system that features the industry’s highest hardware specifications and a highly fast, AI-focused automatic programming method – while achieving production-ready inspection results.
Anritsu Corporation announce that the latest firmware release for the Network Master Pro MT1000A now make it the world’s smallest-in-class handheld tester that supports 100 Gbps with eCPRI/RoE and high-accuracy delay measurement functions.
PCE Instruments added a new model to their existing range of magnetic stirrers. The special feature of the PCE-MSR 350 is the heater that can heat the stirred aqueous liquid up to 230 °C.
PCE Instruments have introduced a new highly accurate ISFET pH meter with different probes for different applications in laboratories, in the industrial sector and many many more.
RS Components has introduced an ultra-compact, USB-powered oscilloscope that has a footprint approximately the size of a passport with a thickness of just 19mm. The new RS Pro 2205A-20 is the smallest oscilloscope in the RS Pro range.


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Samsung Electronics America, Inc., has announced it is strengthening its mid-tier range with two new mobile devices coming to the United States, the company said.
The Samsung Galaxy A6 smartphone delivers an immersive screen and powerful camera. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5″ tablet brings high-quality entertainment and family friendly features. Both new devices bring the performance and capabilities consumers want at a more accessible price point.
Consumers are increasingly looking for innovative features and high-quality hardware in mid-tier mobile devices. Samsung is delivering by expanding its lineup with excellent devices offered at an exceptional value. The Galaxy A6 joins the Galaxy J series and Galaxy S and Galaxy Note series, while Galaxy Tab A 10.5″ joins the Galaxy Tab S4 tablet. The strengthened mid-tier gives consumers more flexibility to choose the phone or tablet that best fits their needs.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, N.J., Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), is a recognized innovative provider of consumer electronics, mobile devices and enterprise solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SEA is pushing beyond the limits of today´s technology and providing consumers and organizations with a portfolio of groundbreaking products in appliances, home entertainment, Internet of Things, mobile computing, smartphones, virtual reality, wireless infrastructure and wearables, in addition to offering content and services related to mobile payments, 360-degree VR video, customer support and more. To discover more about Samsung, visit http://samsung.com.


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Tech research firm Canalys revealed that Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi reclaimed its crown as the leading smartphone vendor in China in the second quarter this year, while Apple dropped to third place.
India looks set to beat the United States as the world’s second biggest market for smartphones by 2016, according to research firm eMarketer.
As Apple and Samsung give all in their rivalry for dominance in the smartphone market, the South Korean-based Samsung raked in more profits in Q2 than California-based Apple.
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What if it's better than Champagne? Taittinger snaps up site in Kent to establish new vineyard producing English sparkling wine
- Taittinger will produce English sparkling wine near Canterbury
- French Champagne firm looking to tap into Britons love of fizz
- First time a Champagne firm has bought into a site in Britain
A new vineyard in Kent will produce English sparkling wine under the auspices of global Champagne brand Taittinger after a deal struck today.
The upmarket French firm aims to make 300,000 bottles of English sparkling wine a year from the site near Canterbury, which it has bought in cooperation with UK wine specialist Hatch Mansfield.
It comes as Britons taste for fizz - especially Italian Prosecco - has grown prominently in the last few years, with many supermarkets reporting bumper sales of sparkling wines in the run-up to Christmas.
Cheers! Pierre Emmanuel Taittinger, president of Champagne Taittinger, and Patrick McGrath managing director of Hatch Mansfield celebrate on their newly-acquired land
English sparkling wine tends to be more expensive than Prosecco or Cava, but brands such as Chapel Down and Nyetimber have become more common place on the shelves of supermarkets and off licences across the country in recent years.
Taittinger is the first Champagne house to invest in English sparkling wine and will call it Domaine Evremond.
The firm already owns 288 hectres of vines in France - but is now looking to capitalise on the growth in the UK market.
It expects to produce its first fruit for winemaking in Kent by 2020, but it will be around eight years before the first bottle of Evremond is produced.
Taittinger has taken a 55 per cent stake in the venture, alongside Hatch Mansfield and private investors, which has purchased 69 hectares of farmland at Stone Stile Farm, Kent, close to Canterbury.
Forty hectares of this will be planted with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier vines to produce English sparkling wine.
Kent wine: The climate in the county is similar to that of Champagne in France - the red dot is the location of the farm
Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, president at Champagne Taittinger, said: 'We have dreamt for a number of years of working with our dear friends in the UK to create a special Franco/British project.
Built on the values of friendship, this venture will create something special to show our appreciation of the UK support for Champagne – it is Champagne Taittinger's number one export market. We are very excited that this dream is now becoming a reality.
Popular: Taittinger is a popular pick with Britons
'We believe we can produce a high quality English sparkling wine drawing on our 80 years of winemaking expertise.
'Our aim is to make something of real excellence in the UK's increasingly temperate climate, and not to compare it with Champagne or any other sparkling wine.'
Mr Taittinger has connections with the Kent area through his father, Jean, who twinned Canterbury with Reims over 45 years ago when he was Mayor.
Domaine Evremond takes its name from Charles de Saint‐Evremond, a Frenchman and the first true ambassador for Champagne, who fueled its popularity in England during the court of Charles II.
A poet, epicurean and literary critic, he is buried in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey.
Patrick McGrath managing director of Hatch Mansfield, said: 'We are delighted to be working with Champagne Taittinger on this project and we have a joint ambition to produce very high quality wines using our combined expertise.
'As a team, we have a real belief in the potential of English Sparkling Wine. Our aim is not just to be an English sparkling winemaker, but also to be a significant supporter of the whole English wine industry.'
Global warming means parts of England that are similar to the Champagne region of France geologically are now similar in terms of climate too.
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Alibaba's Youku platform battles top competitors. For the December quarter, Alibaba said Youku's average daily subscribers increased by 64% over the past year. However, the company has been noticeably quiet when it comes to releasing a specific figure for its monthly viewers. Out of all the digital-video viewers in China, eMarketer estimated 24% would subscribe to Tencent in 2018, while 23% would subscribe to iQiyi and 22% would subscribe to Youku. However, the research firm believes that Youku could overtake iQiyi by the end of 2019. While Alibaba hasn't released specific viewing figures for Youku, the platform was estimated to have 374 million monthly active users as of December 2017, according to Quest mobile figures. The company last estimated it would spend $8 billion on content in 2018 but has been quiet about a specific content budget going into the New Year. Some estimates say the top U.S. video streaming platform could spend up to $15 billion on content in 2019. Netflix is constantly defending its strategy of going into debt to fund its content spend because it believes high-quality programs are the best way to grow its subscriber base.
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Feb 21, 2019


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Brought about by the recent signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between Taipei and Beijing is an unfavorable position for South Korea and Japan. Through ample tariff exceptions and reductions, Taiwanese companies are to enjoy considerable advantages on the huge Chinese market compared to their Korean and Japanese counterparts. Due to still sluggish demand from US and EU, the issue has been becoming even weightier.
Since a high percentage of Korean and a considerable share of Japanese exports to China overlap with Taiwan’s, Tokyo and Seoul are afraid of losing the edge.
As Korean businessmen are scrambling to pressure their government to sign its own free trade agreement (FTA) with China, Japanese companies now start seeing Taiwan as a handy short cut to the Chinese market. The formula is simple: the Japanese side establishes joint-ventures in Taiwan, produces on the island and enjoys the same preferential treatment in China as fully-owned Taiwanese companies do.
Japanese companies from sectors as various as international trade, consumer electronics, semiconductors, optoelectronics, solar cells, machine tools and comics and e-books have reportedly been seeking to get a foothold in Taiwan with the objective of getting easier access to the Chinese market. Although there are a number of ways Japanese companies could use to take advantage of Taiwan’s new positioning under the ECFA, the establishment of joint-ventures is the most promising. With the help of those, Japanese businesses will be able to benefit from the ECFA just like any pure Taiwanese company as soon as the ECFA comes into force in January 2011. By contrast, for a fully Japanese-owned venture that operates from Taiwan, it would take at least three years until it’s allowed to penetrate the Chinese market.
Apart from the tariff exceptions and reductions Japanese companies strive to take advantage of, there are a handful of other reasons that make Taiwan a plausible choice to become an even closer trading ally for Japan as it has already previously been. The recent labor protests at Japanese-owned factories on the mainland cast doubts among the Japanese whether China, the so-called factory of the world, in future will continue being a good choice for Japanese investments. A significant rise in Chinese labor costs is expected. As another considerable aspect, China’s widespread anti-Japanese resentment frightens Japanese expatriates and their families residing on the mainland. Since Japanese companies doing business abroad employ significantly more home-country nationals than do US and European firms, issues like the increase of crimes such as robbery, stealing and swindling cases and the unbearable air pollution in China’s cities are likely to make Japanese businessmen to appreciate Taiwan’s Japan-friendliness and relatively safe living environment. Last but not least, there’s the perception that Taiwan’s bureaucracy is far less prone to corruption that China’s. Transparency International’s 2009 Corruption Index puts Taiwan on 37th place, well ahead of China’s unflattering 79th.
When it comes to the ‘who-with-whom’ in East Asia, scholars point out that from a trader’s perspective, it’s a wise move for Japan to team up with Taiwan. “South Korea is Japan’s first and foremost trade rival, not Taiwan”, Liou To-hai, Professor of Diplomacy at Taiwan’s National Chenchi University and Director of the Center for WTO Studies, says in an interview with Asia Times Online. “By establishing joint-ventures with Taiwanese companies, Japan gains advantages in competing with South Korea.”
From a security-strategic point of view, however, it’s a different story. South Korea and Japan – the US’s main military allies in the region- should work on a Japan-Korea FTA first before thinking of negotiating on bilateral pacts with others, so Liou. However, there is a hindrance as he explains: “The main obstacle a Japan-Korea FTA faces is Korea’s trade deficit with Japan.”
Observers attribute the deficit that has been surging rapidly since 2004 to imports of high tech parts for Korea’s manufacturing sector as well as to increasing tourism to Japan.
China replaced the US as Japan’s biggest export destination in 2008, and Korea’s as early as in 2006. In 2002, the leaders of China, Japan and Korea agreed on undertaking non-governmental academic research on setting up a regional free trade zone. In-depth studies dragged on from 2003 to 2009, and when China and Taiwan began negotiating on the ECFA, the China-Japan-Korea trade talks took a backseat in the list of Beijing’s priorities.
After the signing of ECFA, the absence of a FTA between Korea and China is believed to hurt Korean businesses in particular since even before the signing of ECFA, fourteen of Korea’s twenty key export items have already faced competition from Taiwanese goods, so the Korea International Trade Association (KITA).
No wonder that Korean president Lee Myung-bak has been coming under pressure from his country’s business groups since shortly before the ECFA was signed. The demands from various corners of Korea’s economic landscape come in unison: The negative impact from the China-Taiwan ECFA must be minimized by signing a Korea-China FTA as soon as possible. This, however, is a complex task, given the fact that a proposal to establish a US-Korea FTA keeps sticking in the US Congress over sensitive issues in the auto sector. According to Professor Liou To-hai, President Lee Myung-bak’s hands are tied because the issues of China-Korea FTA and US-Korean FTA are related. “Although Lee is nervous and eager to sign an FTA with China, he couldn’t possibly do so before the US-Korea FTA has been approved since otherwise he would hurt his country’s strategically vital relation with the US”, so Liou.
It’s left to be seen which means competing businesses of Korea and Japan will chose to apply to make the race into the Chinese market, a market that has been enjoying an 8 to 9% growth rate. Many Japanese entrepreneurs, however, have apparently made up their minds. They decided not to wait for their government hammering out favorable deals with China. To the Japanese businessmen, the Taiwan-Japan joint-venture concept is the most promising option. Liou To-hai tells of an opinion which recently has been rather commonly expressed by the Japanese media. “Japanese commentators recommend Japan to sign an FTA with Taiwan and the US first before start negotiating with Beijing”, so Liou.


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India Just Lost Tesla Electric Car Manufacturing to Shanghai China. What happened?
It looks like Musk just played the long game using India to leverage China into allowing them to become the first wholly foreign carmaker in Shanghai. Find out how he did it.
Tesla electric car manufacturing has been considered as not just a net creator of jobs and employment but also one with the added boon of technology and knowledge transfer. Thus when the Trump administration continued to pivot the United States away from eco-tech and environmentally-friendly products, countries in Asia, specifically China and India saw the potential to incentivise non-fossil fuel products and place emphasis on green, renewable energy projects, attracting the attention of electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla.
On 14 June 2017, Elon Musk, Founder and CEO of Tesla had himself tweeted that Tesla was working with the Indian government to be granted temporary relief on import restrictions until it can build a factory. The tweet followed persistent rumors about Tesla launching in India, with the Model 3 as its first product in sometime late 2017, or early 2018, adding fuel to the flame (bad pun, sorry), Tesla opened channels for customers in India to make reservations on the new Tesla Model 3. But this wasn’t to be.
Onerous sourcing requirements which legislated that a Tesla Gigafactory would require as much as 30% of parts and components to be locally sourced and after some study, Musk himself concluded that India not only lacked suppliers of EV parts but also the infrastructure to support electric cars, essentially torpedoed the idea of Tesla Electric Car manufacture in India and Musk decided to strike a deal with the Shanghai municipal government to set up the brand’s electric car factory there instead.
India Lost Tesla Electric Car Manufacturing to Shanghai China. What happened?
If one considers that three out of the world’s six largest auto markets are Asian countries: China, India and Japan. It is quite likely that Musk was leveraging India all along. Before his 14 June tweet, he had already posted on social media on 21 May 2017 that he had already learnt that India didn’t have industries which could supply the necessary components. Prior to that, Chinese giant Tencent had already made investments in Musk’s company, hinting to decisive strategic and financial implications to come, in essence, Musk’s pivot to China, while likely the result of push and pull factors, telegraphs somewhat that he might have been setting up a long play to make Tesla the first wholly foreign owned car manufacturing facility in the Shanghai’s free-trade zone. Before Tesla, foreign auto makers could only built cars in China through joint ventures with local manufacturers, a deal which forced many foreign carmakers to split profits.
Musk’s Tesla Gigafactory deal with China has already changed the state of play. That said, this win bodes well for both Musk and China, already the fastest growing developer of green energy sources and renewable tech. This deal will boost the already fast-growing segment of electric vehicles in China and will continue to haunt India for years to come.
Business of luxury: Bet on Renewable Energy and Tesla stocks
Shortly after Trump announced US withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was cosying up to Macron with a pledge to move India three years ahead of schedule to achieve its “Intended Nationally Determined Contribution” to the Paris climate agreement: Instead of the original objective of 40% renewables by 2030, Modi pledged for India to hit their those targets by 2027 and it looks to be a reality – the country is already on track for 175 GW wind (from current 57 GW) expected by 2022 and 75 GW solar PV by 2027. Meanwhile, India’s installed capacity for solar energy has tripled in the last three years to its current level of 12GW. This turn to renewable energy is driven in a large part by declining coal prices where India once derived 60% of its 330 GW energy production from.
Meanwhile, Tesla, held in the last 12 months as one of the most heavily shorted stocks is on the verge of a breakout as investors look at the new agreement to establish electric vehicle manufacture in China. The People’s Republic is home to rapidly growing population of wealthy car shoppers which have already bought more than $1 billion in Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles in 2016. According to The Street, Tesla has 8.6% of China’s booming electric car market on a unit basis, making Tesla fourth overall and the only non-Chinese firm to place in the top ten.
According to 2016 statistics, China is the world’s largest auto market with growth rates higher than its closest rival, the United States. China was up 23.6 million from 16.3 million in 2013 while the US had grown to 17.4 million from 15.5 million in 2013. Europe currently accounts for 15.1 million. Followed by Japan with 4.1 million and India with 2.9 million.
Asia also is the world’s largest market for EVs forming 45% of the market in 2016, up from 35%. With this deal, China looks set not only to lead in car sales but also dominate in the manufacture of EVs. Tencent, a major player in China with market cap of US$275 billion and a consumer base of 889 million across communications, shopping, gaming and payments not only has the cash but strong political connections to push Tesla to greater heights. Tencent currently owns 5% of Tesla, tellingly, Tencent been a research leader in AI for autonomous cars.
Based on these factors, Tesla might be a little pricey now at US$380 per share now but signs point to the stock growing a heck of a lot more expensive in the months to come.
LUXUO is not responsible for financial investments taken as a result of the news presented here. Caveat Emptor.


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It has been seven months of the deadly pandemic and in this period everyone came to knew about the real essence of Life. And in this period most of the people lost their jobs due to lockdowns and strict precautionary measures. In this pandemic most of the business wiped off but some survived. Here are some of the major industries which are struggling to survive
• Victoria's Secret declared bankruptcy.
• Zara closed 1200 stores.
• Chanel, Hermes and Rolex have stopped production.
• Nike is getting ready for stage two of layoffs.
• AirBnb founder says that due to the pandemic, 12 years of effort were destroyed in 6 weeks.
• Starbucks announced the permanent closure of 400 stores.
And the list continues...
Economy is the major problem of the nations right now, whether it will be recovered or not.
Hope The Pandemic Ends soon and everything gets back on track.


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When the Atlanta Braves wanted to build the first major league baseball stadium in the metaverse, they didn’t have to look too far to find the talent to make that happen.
The first iteration of the Park allows users to walk through the stadium and the surrounding area of The Battery, and even explore the clubhouse area. Greg Mize, Vice President of Marketing & Innovation for the Braves, told Hypepotamus that the roots of the digital park started during COVID as the team looked for ways to connect with fans.
“In times of tragedy, sports is always a unifying element,” Mize said. “It always provides an escape or provides the ability for people to kind of all rally together.”
After seeing how Fortnite put together its Travis Scott concert early in the pandemic, the Braves started looking for ways to connect with fans remotely. But as the world opens up in 2022, the Braves still see the digital stadium as a key part of their engagement strategy moving forward.
Mize and his team are treating Digital Truist Park not simply as a “photorealistic digital twin,” but rather as an entirely new venue that can be completely activated and programmed.
Tapping Surreal was a strategic move for the Braves. The startup, which officially got off the ground in 2020, touts itself as “an entree into virtual worlds through the lens of events” and a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) company for those creating virtual venues.
Cdo-founders Josh Rush, Nick Grant, and Adam Voss have been building out digital experiences long before the metaverse entered our general entertainment lexicon. The team has been working on complex problems like GPU rendering at scale in order to make photorealistic immersive experiences possible in any browser. Surreal’s virtual venues are built on top of Epic Games’ Unreal Engine.
The Braves and Surreal connected last year to bring Digital Truist Park to life.
“The Braves are committed to crawl, walk, run approach,” added Rush. “We want to build something that the fans want to use, including a place for games, exclusive prizes, and the ability to meet and greet with players.”
Rush added that he sees the opportunity to expand to concerts and other virtual sponsored events in the near future.
Atlanta’s Metaverse Leaders
Surreal isn’t the only company in the city building what’s next in the metaverse and overall digital experiences.
Offbeat Media Group, backed by Mark Cuban and Atlanta Ventures, is working on the building blocks needed to make a fully digital world. The team is currently helping brands connect with the next generation of shoppers, creators, and builders on the web. The startup crossed the 40-person mark earlier this year and has built out an impressive catalog of online content for the digital native generation.
Farah Allen and The Labz has taken off as a no-code web platform designed for anyone looking to make on-demand online experiences. And Exploring Digital up in Roswell plans on opening up The Megaverse™, a physical theater space that allows people to step into a metaverse environment.
Local VCs have also taken notice. Valor Ventures recently invested in Dallas-based educational-focused metaverse startup STEMuli.
As Rush points out, it is Atlanta’s strong tech and media industries make it easier to recruit metaverse-focused talent. And budding talent, coming out of game design programs at Georgia Tech, SCAD, and Kennesaw State, are building the next generation of tech talent in the city.
That could help keep Atlanta as a key source of innovation when it comes to the next iteration of web technologies.
“The web as we know it for the last 10 years has been driven nominated by social media. We spent a lot of time scrolling through the internet. But we feel like the next 10 years we’re going to be “strolling” through the internet and actually walking 3D spaces that are either fully simulated or augmented and enhanced by mixed reality,” added Rush.