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Montreal -- A survey released Friday by e-commerce visitor feedback analytics firm iPerceptions found that, despite online retail sales being up, online retailers are missing out on revenue opportunities.
Third quarter 2011 Retail Ecommerce industry report showed that, while U.S. retail sales estimates show online retail spending rose 13% year-over-year to $36.3 billion for the quarter, task completion fell significantly for visitors at nearly every stage of the retail purchase cycle.
As e-commerce sales grab a larger share of total retail sales, visitors’ task completion fell from 73% in third quarter 2010 to 69% in third quarter 2011, according to the survey. The most notable decrease in task completion occurred for visitors who came to make a purchase, from 63% to a mere 54%.
“With online retailers increasing investment in Search Engine Optimization programs and web analytics in general, this noticeable drop in task completion demonstrates that e-tailers are not in touch with what’s most important to customers,” said Claude Guay, president and CEO of iPerceptions. “Sales would be better if online retailers identify and address the biggest barriers to task completion, which include understanding customer intentions -- not just what customers click on.”
For visitors who came to make a purchase and did not complete their task in third quarter 2011, 35% claimed they couldn’t find the product they were looking for, while 34% said the product they were looking for wasn’t available. Other significant barriers were unclear pricing and comparisons (13%) and a lack of product information (9%).


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October 28, 2007
The NY Times also has a spread on eco-friendly designers in this week's Sunday magazine, with some lovely shots of Shalom Harlow sporting a series of gothy looks that fall far from the burlap-sack stereotype. Labels include Noir, Edun, and Stella McCartney, whose new skin-care line, called Care, claims to be both ethical and organic. Now that's taking sustainable style, and Stella's brand, to a whole new level.
Posted by titania at 6:58 PM

domain: news


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Rapid economic growth has led to an increasing demand for energy. And as energy prices keep increasing more pressure is being put on supply and demand. The reform of the energy industry, especially its pricing mechanism, has drawn much attention.
The National Development and Reform Commission said recently it was necessary to reform the pricing mechanism of resource products to further improve efficiency. But the reform should be implemented at the right time with due consideration for all concerned.
Energy prices in China are mainly decided and controlled by the government and do not reflect the scarcity of resources and the impact of energy use on the environment. The prices are relatively low and the pricing mechanism is not in line with that of the international market. This has caused serious problems in energy utilization, economic development and environmental protection.
The pricing mechanism is not in line with production and consumption. This has led to the over-exploitation of resources. China's rapid economic growth is mainly built on an economic structure of high-energy consumption and low-efficiency. The waste in exploitation contrasts hugely with the shortage of resources.
At the same time, low energy prices have increased the competitiveness of China's high-energy-consuming, high-polluting and resource-based products, enlarged trade surpluses and exaggerated the pressure on the yuan's appreciation.
The government is now paying great attention to energy conservation and emission reduction. Without reform of the pricing mechanism, the efforts will only achieve half the results. Reform is a matter of urgency.
Reform will mean further price hikes, and as it takes hold, it will affect the producer price and consumer price indices. The pressure of increasing costs on producers will gradually be transferred to consumers. The process, however, will take time.
Though the rise of energy prices will increase pressure on middle and downstream products, its impact on inflation in the short term will depend on the supply and demand of consumer goods. Over-capacity will lessen pressure for price increases, judging by China's current industrial and energy consumption structure.
In the long run, a price lever is still the most effective way to conserve energy and reduce emissions. As long as energy prices are low, enterprises will lack the drive to improve efficiency and cut emissions. The only way to stop high-energy consuming enterprises from expanding is to increase energy costs. It is therefore necessary to reform the pricing mechanism, marketize energy products and let prices guide investment and economic restructuring.
The reform faces a series of tough issues.
First, the supporting measures of the reform are not completed. There is a lack of overall planning and design in the pricing structure of different energy products. For example, coal prices are market-led now but not electricity. China's crude oil prices are in line with the international market but reform of refined oil prices has not caught up.
Today discussions on reform of the energy pricing mechanism are mainly about bringing China's energy prices in line with the international market. But merely stressing this while ignoring the characteristics of the country's energy resources is not a good idea.
If the scarcity of resources and environmental costs are properly considered, China's energy prices may be even higher than the international level, which could attract more imports of energy resources.
Social fairness is also an issue that should be considered. The price hikes that will come with reform will produce different impacts on consumers of different income levels and social groups. Even prices that are in line with the international market will harm the interests of some consumers. Transparent subsidies for certain consumers will help solve the problem. This is also an important part of the reform.
The current way subsidies are granted to producers have led to unfair distribution and consumption, which does not improve efficiency or promote social fairness.
Compared with other reforms, reform of the energy pricing mechanism will take time because of its importance, complexity and sensitivity. Marketization offers a way.
Any further delay in reform will make us lose important opportunities and increase the cost of sustainable development. Without feasible alternatives, the inefficient use of energy resources driven by the low prices today will mean higher energy prices and a bigger cost to the environment tomorrow.
It is reported that mounting inflationary pressure could slow down our reform of the energy pricing mechanism, if we do not do it now, we will have to bear the costs later.
The author is director of China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University
(China Daily December 25, 2007)


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Reported by ClassAction.org, the lawsuit was filed last year in Queens County Superior Court, but has now been transferred to a New York federal court. The lawsuit, brought by plaintiff Jacqueline Shepherd, centres around claims by Google ahead of Stadia's release that the streaming platform would be "more powerful than both Xbox One X and Playstation 4 Pro combined", particularly in its ability to stream games at 4K resolution.
However, upon launch, it became clear that many Stadia games weren't pushing a true 4K image, but upscaling from lower resolutions. By allowing pre-orders before launch, and not offering full information about the platform's ability to push 4K, the plaintiff alleges that, "Google made false and misleading claims concerning the streaming quality of Stadia’s service in order to generate increased revenue for the Google Stadia division."The plaintif includes Id Software and Bungie in the suit because of their advertising for Doom Eternal and Destiny 2 on Stadia, which included mentions of 4K resolutions – but neither game ran at true 4K upon release. The plaintiff alleges that Id, in particular, "wrongfully generated millions of dollars in revenue as a result" of those claims. Id has denied any liability or wrongdoing.
The plaintiff is seeking financial compensation for a number of different factors, as well as an order that forces Google to display the true resolution and frame rate of every game sold on Stadia.
The class action seeks to cover any person in the US who, from June 6, 2019 onwards, bought a Stadia Founder’s Edition, Stadia Premier Edition, or Stadia Pro subscription because of information that Stadia was more powerful than other consoles, or would run all games at 4K. It's unclear how far the lawsuit will progress, but we'll update you as we learn more.
Stadia recently shut down all of its internal development studios – reportedly in part due to Microsoft's Bethesda acquisition – but says the service will receive more than 100 games in 2021. That won't include Terraria, however, as the developer has boycotted Goggle after being locked out of a number of Google accounts.
Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to firstname.lastname@example.org.
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Fans React to Apple Vision Pro Announcement With Memes, Shock Over Price Point
9h ago - Apple's new headset costs $3500, and the internet can't believe it.
Apple WWDC 2023: The Biggest Announcements Today
11h ago - Apple Vision Pro, a new MacBook Air, and updates to iOS are coming.
Apple's $3,499 Mixed Reality Headset 'Vision Pro' Revealed
12h ago - "The most advanced personal electronics device ever."


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Mecum’s Kissimmee auction is one of the company’s biggest events of the year — and for 2021, it set a new record as the largest single auction event in the company’s 34-year history.
At Osceola Heritage Park, 2,030 cars went to new owners over ten days for a final total of $122.8m.
Then, a few days later, Mecum hosted an extension of the Kissimmee sale at Muscle Car City in Punta Gorda, Florida, selling another 200 mostly GM muscle cars for an additional $18.4m.
Combined, those events bring Mecum’s January total to a whopping $141.2m.
The high sale of the event went to Carroll Shelby’s personal 427 Cobra — CSX3178 — at $5.94m, followed by the first 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88 convertible at $2.5m and a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing for $1,567,500.
At Muscle Car City, the high sale of the day was a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Resto-mod at $368,500, followed by a 1969 Chevrolet COPO Camaro at $297,000. One of the more surprising lots was a custom-built 1965 Chevrolet C10 4×4 pickup. Fitted with a Tri-Power 427-ci big block, it hammered sold for $198,000.


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Control systems are at risk, experts warn
The built-in procedure that Intel Pentium-powered computers use to blow off their digital steam could put users in hot water by making the machines vulnerable to cyberattacks, computer security researchers announced at the CanSecWest/core06 conference last week.
When the processor begins to overheat or encounters other conditions that could threaten the motherboard, the computer interrupts its normal operation, momentarily freezes and stores its activity, said Loïc Duflot, a computer security specialist for the French government’s Secretary General for National Defense information technology laboratory.
Cyberattackers can take over a computer by appropriating that safeguard to make the machine interrupt operations and enter System Management Mode, Duflot said. Attackers then enter the System Management RAM and replace the default emergency-response software with custom software that, when run, will give them full administrative privileges.


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Retail intelligence firm Springboard says it expects footfall in the UK to have risen in the new year when it analyses the results of the first days of 2018.
In a report issued on December 29, the analyst said footfall across UK high streets, shopping centres and out of town retail centres would increase in early January by 13% year-on-year – restoring a renewed optimism amongst retailers for a modest end to the year in terms of sales.
With the Christmas trading period – which saw footfall decline by 3.3% in December up to Christmas – now largely over, it is forecast that footfall will rise by 6% over the New Year period [Saturday 30th December to Monday 1st January inclusive] compared with 2016, with forecast uplifts on both New Year’s Eve and on New Year’s Day.
New Year’s Eve was forecasted to see footfall rise by 3% compared to 2016, in part due to the greater demand for hospitality and eating out amongst consumers that has been evident throughout 2017.
Footfall on New Year’s Day is likely to be flattered in comparison to a huge drop in footfall last year of -24% due to very poor weather, and also the fact that it is the last day before people return to work and therefore the last opportunity to shop; whilst in 2017 New Year’s day fell on Sunday so consumers were still able to shop on Monday 2nd January before returning to work on Tuesday.
Diane Wehrle, Springboard Insights Director said: “Footfall on New Year’s Day is forecast to rise, by 13% overall, with the greatest increase of +15% in high streets due to their wide range of food and beverage offerings. However, footfall in retail parks and shopping centres is also forecast to increase by +10%. Much of this rise will be a bounce back from the significant decline of -24% on New Year’s Day 2017 when there was severe wind and rain which deterred consumers from venturing out into retail destinations.”


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The deaths of 2 boys has prompted the federal government to pull a popular toy off store shelves. The toy is a dart gun that was sold exclusively at family dollar stores. The problem, the darts are small enough to get stuck in the throat and prevent a child from breathing.
10 year old Desman Young was simply playing with a classmate's toy dar gun during recess, he was chewing on a dart when it slipped down his throat, he started convulsing and passed out, his teachers frantically tried CPR. But Desman died the next day at the hospital.
The dart that killed Desman Young came from the "Auto Fire" target set, sold exclusively at Family Dollar stores for a dollar fifty. The consumer product safety commission issued the recall after Desman and a 9 year old boy from Chicago both died of asphyxiation after swallowing darts that came with the gun.
The problem with these specific darts, you can't get them out of a childs mouth, they fit just like a stopper.
Parents should take these dart guns away from their children and throw them out. You can also return the gun to a Family Dollar store for a refund.


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The 2023 New Ventures BC Competition, presented by Innovate BC, is officially underway. Innovative startups from across British Columbia are encouraged to apply for the province’s largest and longest running tech competition.
Each year, hundreds of early stage ventures from across BC compete to be crowned the province’s top tech startup. Last year, more than 200 startups entered the competition, which was won by Vancouver-based OVOU. Since the competition’s launch in 2000, more than 3,400 startups have participated and over $4M in cash and prizes have been awarded.
2022 was a notable year for competition alumni. 2017 Top Regional Startup Certn raised a $50M USD Series B round; 2021 winner Mintlist landed $2.5M through an oversubscribed seed round and were named Car Buying App of the Year; and 2018 Runner-Up Cyberdontics secured $15M to bring their robotic root canals to market.
Over the next six months, startups will compete through multiple rounds of the competition to get their hands on more than $250,000 in cash and prizes. Competitors will also get access to in-person events, mentorship opportunities, and New Venture BC’s educational seminar series. The winner will be crowned at an award ceremony later this year.
For more information about this year’s competition, click here.


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Amazon’s third-party logistics (3PL) service that goes by the name of Fulfilment by Amazon is now available to its Australian suppliers.
“The thousands of businesses registered to sell on Amazon’s Australian Marketplace will be able to access Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA),” Amazon said in a statement. “Businesses can now benefit from Amazon’s logistics capabilities, helping them quickly and efficiently reach customers across Australia.”
Instead of warehousing, picking and packing, and dispatching themselves, businesses selling via Amazon send the products they wish to ship through FBA to Amazon’s distribution centre and when a customer places an order, Amazon will pick, pack and ship the product on behalf of the business. This is said to save time and money for businesses as they will no longer need to individually purchase shipping materials, individually pack orders, and make multiple trips to the post office. They will also access Amazon’s much lower freight rate structure, and Amazon will also handle all customer returns.
The service is not restricted by company size. Businesses of all sizes, or even individuals selling out of their home, can make use of the service.
“Size doesn’t matter in the digital economy and Amazon Marketplace helps to level the playing field when it comes to starting or growing a business,” said Amit Mahto, head of FBA in Australia. “We are focused on helping Australian businesses of all sizes succeed by inventing on their behalf and making our technology available to them and FBA is a fantastic example of this. Customers shopping on amazon.com.au will be able to access an ever growing and more unique range of products accompanied by the convenience of fast delivery and Amazon’s world-class customer service.”
FBA gives customers free delivery on eligible orders above $49, and with Prime set to launch in mid-2018, all FBA orders will also be eligible for the Prime shipping discounts.
Australian businesses pay a monthly fee of $49.95 for the right to sell their products on Amazon, on top of which comes a commission on sales of between 6 per cent and 15 per cent.
Amazon charges third-party sellers from $1.76 up to $25.48 for a bulky order weighing up to 30 kilograms to pick-and-pack an order.
On top of that, Amazon charges $7.76 to send an order weighing up to three kilograms.


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Neely Bower takes pride in her yard, keeping it neatly landscaped all year round. Neely Bower "It's relaxing. It's hard work, but it's relaxing." Consumer Reports ShopSmart says for women who do lots of yard work, having the right tools is key. Editor Lisa Lee Freeman and yard equipment expert Peter Sawchuk have some great options that get the job done. Gas-powered mowers are heavy, noisy, and require a lot of maintenance. Instead, consider an electric mower like this 450-dollar one from Black and Decker. Lisa Freeman "With an electric mower, you press the button and you're good to go. And it's super quiet, too." Keeping your lawn leaf-free can be challenging. And a full-sized leaf blower can weigh almost 25 pounds! A lightweight backpack leaf blower like this 280-dollar one from Stihl makes the job much easier! Lisa Freeman "Oh, that's easy." Gas-powered string trimmers are also heavy and hard to start. This battery-powered one from Ryobi does a great job for 130 dollars. All you have to do is push a button and pull the trigger. If you're serious about yard work, but don't want to deal with a chainsaw … … ShopSmart has another option from Black and Decker. Lisa Freeman "It's basically a mini-electric chain saw and even though it's small and compact and easy to use, you can prune trees and shrubs. You can even cut firewood and fallen branches. And it's a lot less scary than a regular chain saw." A bonus - the blade is hidden, so it's safer, too. With these tools, your yard will soon be the envy of the block. ."
More On Your Side Stories
- As college students head off to school, they have to figure out how to set up their banking and receive their financial aid.
- Most eat it for breakfast, but 11 percent have cereal for dinner according to the market research company Mintel.
- Seventy-nine percent of cell-phone users keep their phones with them for all but two of their waking hours.
- There's a serious health concern about eating some kinds of fish, because many popular varieties contain high levels of mercury.
- Back-to-school shopping is the second biggest spending spree of the year, according to the National Retail Federation.
- 44 children died last year from heat stroke inside cars.
- Can you get away with spending less on laundry detergent?
- Consumer Reports tested a 20-dollar device that promises to unclog drains without caustic chemicals or a costly plumber visit.
- Who doesn't love ice cream, especially in the summer?
- a just-released Consumer Reports' survey found that 59 percent of people look for foods labeled "natural" when they shop. But Consumer Reports says it's essentially meaningless claim.


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Prepare for a jolt: Starbucks has announced it's adding calorie counts to its menu boards. Here's a look at just how many calories are in some of your favorite Starbucks drinks. Calorie counts are for Grande sizes and include whipped cream, when available, and 2 percent milk, which is now the Starbucks standard.
Starbucks is now posting calorie counts to its menu. Find out how "bad" your favorite drink is.
Placer County public health officials announced that a nationwide outbreak of listeriosis from prepacked caramel apples may have found its way to Northern California after an El Dorado County resident likely picked up the illness.
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The Royal Bank of Scotland, a UK-based banking and financial services company, is reallocating their run-the-business budget to grow-the-business investments through increased transparency into IT spend and value. By understanding where they get the most value out of IT services, RBS is able to shift dollars toward innovation to meet growing consumer and market expectations for digital evolution.
From back-office to revenue generator
RBS wanted to put the focus on customers and the employees who serve them. Key to this was embracing technology as an innovation and growth engine, not just a back-office function. With 93% of RBS’ payment transactions running through technology, gaining a holistic view over all IT spend was key to identifying where costs could be cut, freeing up spend for digital innovation.
To date, RBS has managed to use this strategy to remove 20% of IT’s annual budget, while simultaneously exceeding customer expectations for exceptional service.
Watch the video to hear how RBS is using TBM (Technology Business Management) to drive strategic business decisions.
Read the full RBS case study, How TBM drives business strategy at Royal Bank of Scotland.2


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Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff is many things, depending on who you ask. According to Donald Trump Jr., it’s a “#fakenews book”. According to UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, it’s trash. According to Hillary Clinton and the Grammy awards, it’s fodder for a campy skit.
Regardless of where you land on the White House exposé book, according to e-commerce and book-selling giant Amazon ($AMZN), it’s a nonstop, bestselling juggeranaut that is showing no signs of slowing down.
We’ve been tracking Fire and Fury’s sales ranking at Amazon, and since it launched last month, it’s stuck to the number-one spot on all but the past few days.
According to publisher Henry Holt and Co., the book has sold more than 1.7 million copies across hardcover, e-book, and audio versions, and that’s all before the paperback shows up in airport retailers and discount book shops.
The book has also already been optioned for TV (hence the Grammys skit in which host James Corden asked what auditions for the show may look like) to become a series in the US.
If the book is indeed trash, it's hot trash.


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Date Added: 11.03.2022
Mins Read: < 1 min
Author: Josh Seaward
CHS launches LV= General Insurance to intermediaries
Bringing General Insurance products to intermediary networks
Insurance giant Allianz appointed CHS as its creative partner to launch General Insurance products to intermediaries, following a competitive pitch process.
For the first time, LV= will be bringing General Insurance products to brokers, financial advisers and intermediary networks. News which stems from Allianz’s recent acquisition of both the LV General Insurance Group and the general insurance division of Legal & General.
As such, the combined efforts of LV= and Legal & General has generated a brand new general insurance intermediary service – all under the much-loved LV= brand name.
CHS has been a creative partner of the LV= brand for over 20 years, specialising in below-the-line comms for their consumers.
Over the next 12 months, they have the opportunity to support the brand with its new B2B venture. Helping develop the branding for this new proposition – and take it to market with a high-impact campaign plan.
Chris Southgate, Managing Director at CHS Agency, said: “Clearly, this is a hugely exciting time for LV but for us, this win is a huge nod to the waves we’re making as an agency in our own sector.
“Being part of this launch is a really big opportunity for us to showcase our unique know-how within the insurance market and use the powerful equity from the consumer-facing brand to make an impact in a brand new landscape.
“The next year will be a big adventure and we’re thrilled to be coming along!”
Sophie Fuller, Marketing Procurement Office at Allianz , said: “CHS demonstrated a clear and unique understanding of our objectives and goals for this exciting new direction.
“We’re delighted to have their dedicated team on board and hope this is perhaps the start of a fantastic and fruitful partnership.”
The creative work pitched by CHS will begin with immediate effect in preparation for the finalisation of the acquisition towards the end of 2021.


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A new report released today from the national environmental advocacy group Food & Water Watch details the growing crisis in Iowa farm country caused by the increasingly consolidated hog industry. The report is the second in a series outlining the harsh economic costs to consumers, rural communities and farmers of corporate monopolies throughout the American food system.
In the report — “The Economic Cost of Food Monopolies: The Hog Bosses” — Food & Water Watch analyzed the economic welfare of counties in Iowa, ground zero for the nation’s consolidated hog industry. Through an analysis of 35 years of data from the USDA Census of Agriculture, the report examines the impacts of a hyper-consolidated agriculture industry on Iowa’s local economies, consumer prices and climate change. The report also highlights how federal policies and lax antitrust oversight enabled and encouraged these impacts.
The report finds that Iowa is producing more hogs than ever, on fewer farms than ever, to the detriment of local economies. Specifically:
- Iowa lost nearly 90 percent of its hog farms from 1982 to 2017, as rapid factory hog expansion drove out smaller, family-scale farms. Continued farm loss is a steady trend, with fully one third of Iowa’s remaining hog farms disappearing from 2007-2017.
- Since 1982, Iowa counties with the most hog factory farm development suffered declines across several economic indicators, including real median household income and total jobs. These counties also experienced significant population decline — twice the rate of Iowa’s rural counties overall.
- Overproduction — and growing corporate consolidation — have pushed down the real price of hogs. Adjusting for inflation, today’s farmers earn $2 less per pound of pork produced compared to 1982, while the retail price fell only $1; slaughterhouses, processors and retailers capture the other $1.
A March poll commissioned by Food & Water Action found that 95% of Iowa voters support rules that make it easier for small farmers to compete with large agricultural corporations, and a 2019 study found that 63% of Iowa voters support legislation to ban factory farm expansion and corporate monopolies in our food system.
“Our centralized, corporate-controlled food system was built to funnel local resources into Wall Street hands, at the expense of local economies, independent family farms, consumer prices and our environment. Nowhere is this more obvious than with Iowa’s hog bosses,” said Food & Water Watch Research Director Amanda Starbuck. “Factory farming, dismantling federal supply management, and a consistent willingness to shirk antitrust oversight and enforcement for the industrial agriculture industry are hollowing out Iowa farm country. To fix this, Iowa legislators must enact a moratorium on new and expanding factory farms. And President Biden must ban new and expanding factory farms through passage of the Farm System Reform Act, restore supply management in the 2023 Farm Bill and improve antitrust oversight and enforcement.”
“I run a factory farm because I have to; I run a regenerative hemp farm because I want to,” said farmer Ethan Vorhes of Floyd County, Iowa. “Over my daughter’s lifetime, Iowa lost one third of our farms. While I’m one of the few remaining, I’m struggling to make ends meet. Our policies, tax dollars and elected officials should support methods of farming that help farmers like me and families like mine — not industrial factory farming that lines Wall Street pockets at our expense.”
“It started with needing to take on a second job to make ends meet — farming just doesn’t pay the bills like it used to,” said farmer Nick Schutt of Hardin County, Iowa. “Jobs are evaporating and my community along with it. Today, I work three jobs. Farming, hauling trash for the dump, and fighting against the very policies that created this mess. We have to give power back to the little guy, by banning factory farms and halting the corporate consolidation ruining Iowa.”
“After 25 years out-of-state, I returned to Iowa for retirement. It felt like a completely different place,” said Linda Luhring of Calhoun County, Iowa. “The businesses I’d frequented in my hometown had shuttered, and everywhere I looked, I found nothing but hogs and corn. Iowa is so much more than Big Ag’s playground. We need to reign in corporate power, stop the unsustainable proliferation of factory farms and reinvest in our rural communities.”
“Decades ago, the federal government told farmers to “get big or get out,” so they did. We’re paying with the consequences now,” said Julie Duhn of Hardin County, Iowa. “People are leaving town to find jobs, and factory farms are polluting our air and water without regulation. It’s up to our elected officials to turn this ship around. The government needs to reinvest in farmers doing the right thing, not the destructive factory farming system carving out our communities.”
For more on The Economic Cost of Food Monopolies report series from Food & Water Watch, see Grocery Cartels, detailing exploitative retailer monopolies and their impacts on consumers.
Contact: Seth Gladstone – [email protected]


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Some of the best wine producers in Italy's Piedmont region put rare bottles of their Barolos on the block this week. On Sept. 4, a small auction -- featuring vintages from 1949 to 1990 -- brought in a total of about $15,000 from a handful of buyers, including a number of American restaurateurs.
This is the third year that the commercial Asta del Barolo event has been held. "We buy the wine from producers or private collectors and then auction it," said vintner Gianni Gagliardo, who hosts the auction each year at his winery in La Morra. "The proceeds basically cover the event, which has its expenses. Our idea is to promote our region's wines and the Barolo appellation."
About 180 people attended the event, including owners and representatives of at least 20 local producers -- including Ceretto, Michele Chiarlo, Domenico Clerico, Bruno Giacosa, Pio Cesare, Rocche dei Manzoni and Vietti -- all eager to see what prices their wines would fetch.
American bidders included Italian-restaurant owners, such as Piero Selvaggio of Valentino in Los Angeles, who went home with nine lots. Blair Taylor, owner of Enotec Imports and the Barolo Grill in Denver, bought five lots for himself and his clients, which include Spago in San Francisco and San Domenico and Osteria del Circo in New York.
Highlights included a bottle of Aldo Conterno Barolo 1958, which went for $170, and a lot consisting of a 1-liter bottle of Zabaldano Barolo Chinato and a 1-liter bottle of Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Chinato (both without vintage dates, but believed to be 25 to 30 years old), which fetched $350.
Other lots of interest included a magnum of Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric del Fiasc 1985 and a magnum of Bric del Fiasc 1989 ($470), a double magnum of Gianni Gagliardo Barolo Preve 1990 ($465) and 12 bottles of Rinaldi Francesco & Figli Barolo 1971 ($1,500).


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It took a while, but according to The Nikkei, Google Japan is finally introducing TrueView ads on the Japanese version of YouTube. TrueView lets viewers on YouTube decide over which ads they want to watch or ignore.
The obvious goal here is to get new advertisers and establish a new revenue stream on the Japanese market.
For that, YouTube Japan is reported to start with the so-called Instream ad format first (this ad format plays as a pre- or mid-roll) next month. Advertisers only need to pay when a viewer watches the ad in question in full.
According to The Nikkei, Google Japan is planning to integrate the so-called YouTube Inslate ad format later (where viewers get to choose which ads to watch during a longer video).
In Japan, YouTube’s biggest rival is a home-grown video sharing platform called Nico Nico Douga.


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Facebook is launching Avatars, a playful way for users to represent themselves in chats and comments, TechCrunch reports. The feature allows users to create customized digital characters to represent themselves in Messenger chats and News Feed comments. The feature is currently only open to users in Australia, but all Facebook users will be able to create them sometime at the end of this year or early next year.
App researcher Jane Manchun Wong first spotted the Avatars in development over a year ago, and the new designs have a more polished, 3D look compared to their original flat style. They look decidedly less like Bitmoji, Snapchat’s own customizable emoji, which it draws obvious comparisons to. Unlike Bitmoji though, Facebook Avatars won’t yet be able to be integrated into other apps like keyboards, and there’s no feature that lets users snap a photo to get the creation process started. “We want to make sure we don’t show you something totally opposite of the photo. There’s sensitivity around facial recognition,” a Facebook spokesperson told TechCrunch.
Users will be able to start creating their avatars with a selection of gender neutral people to customize with 18 traits and clothing items. The company says it imagines avatars will come in handy for users who want to stay anonymous in profile photos or in Groups, which is a funny thing for a company literally called ‘Facebook’ to say.
Facebook is definitely late to the digital avatar game, as Bitmoji have settled in the pop culture lexicon since it launched in 2014. It’s hard to say whether Avatars will be able to top the offbeat charm of a well-placed Bitmoji — one of the best gags on HBO’s Barry is Noho Hank’s use of Bitmoji, cementing his place as the world’s most likeable hitman.


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GENEVA -- With pessimism reigning on both sides, the top trade negotiators from the United States and Japan began a last-minute attempt to reach an auto trade agreement before U.S. sanctions take effect after a deadline set for tomorrow.
Japanese Trade Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto compared the task facing the negotiators to scaling the nearby Swiss Alps.
"There are a lot of mountains in this country that are very difficult to climb," he said.
U.S. Trade Representative Mickey Kantor gave Mr. Hashimoto, an amateur martial arts fighter, a "Kendo" stick as the two smiled and posed for photographers before starting an evening negotiating session.
Emerging after more than three hours of talks late yesterday, Mr. Kantor and Mr. Hashimoto joked about their testy personal relations, but gave little indication of progress.
"There is still distance to be covered between us," Mr. Hashimoto said.
Later, a senior U.S. official said the two men had a "serious in-depth discussion, but wide gaps remain on all the issues." The talks were set to continue this morning.
The U.S. has threatened to impose 100 percent tariffs on 13 models of Japanese car imports, valued at $5.9 billion last year, if an agreement isn't reached by tomorrow to further open Japan's auto and auto parts market. Mr. Kantor's chief deputy, Charlene Barshefsky, said in Washington earlier that there was "no chance" of extending the deadline.


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Material World: Let's Talk About Sex
Every other week, hosts Jenny Kaplan and Lindsey Rupp guide you through the consumer universe, examining what's going on with all the things people buy.
Once taboo, the subject of sexual pleasure is widely discussed in pop culture today. Changing societal norms have also transformed the sex toy industry into a $15 billion market.
This week, Lindsey and Jenny talk with Phil Harvey -- who had to fight for the survival of his adult store Adam & Eve -- about how the industry has changed in the last 40 years. Even today, the stigma surrounding sex creates problems for businesses. Babeland founder Claire Cavanah describes being "fired" by her bank and struggling to get loans. And while technology allowed Alexandra Fine and Janet Lieberman to use crowd-funding to make a new toy, rules governing online advertising make it difficult to advertise their business, Dame Products.
Even so, demand for better products and experiences keeps increasing. In 2005, just three of 10 U.S. women had a vibrator; by 2014, that figure had jumped to seven in 10, according to one study. And for those looking to cash in, the market is growing globally, too.
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In 2017-2018 bitcoin bit gold as bait for investors. However, the situation is expected to change in 2019 as investors already hope more for the gold than for the «big daddy», said the top exec of Van Eck Associates.
Shift From Bitcoin Back to Gold
In a conversation with CNBC journalist, the top executive of Van Eck Associates — Jan Van Eck — assumed that the most known cyber-coin investors have switched their attention to gold.
Our top trading bots
The company’s CEO believes last year and in 2017 BTC «pulled a bit of demand from gold.»
Van Eck added that the company has surveyed 4,000 BTC investors and found out that their top priority for piling in funds in 2019 is gold, not bitcoin.
«So gold lost to Bitcoin and now it's going the other way,” concluded the CEO.
Still a Questionable Store of Value
Interestingly, Van Eck Associates founded «the GDX gold miners ETF and the GDXJ junior gold miners ETF,» according to CNBC. The company’s CEO claimed they have been demonstrating great results for the past quarter of a year. He also emphasized that these assets do not do the same thing as stock markets do.
In the frames of the same conversation, the creator and CIO of Seymour Asset Management Tim Seymour also touched upon bitcoin ETFs. In particular, he said that BTC’s function as a store of value is dubious.
“Not only have we lost all liquidity on the underlying [commodity] but truly outside of the existential blockchain argument, it's been very difficult to argue store of value which is really what we started hearing about. Gold is a store of value and there's no disputing that,” said Seymour.


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Consumers over 40 may find it hard to pass the 800 credit score threshold. Here are some who did.
Like fine wine, your credit score can improve with age, if properly maintained.
While it’s not so surprising when a consumer over 40 crosses the threshold of an 800 FICO score, some may find it harder to pass that threshold because they’ve already covered many of the credit scoring bases.
Length of credit history accounts for 15 percent of your score under FICO’s scoring model. That component factors in the age of individual credit accounts and all accounts combined. Credit mix is only 10 percent of your score, but you’re in a better position to score high if you have installment loans – such as mortgages, which many young consumers are delaying these days – in addition to card accounts.
“Most people, by the time they’re 40, have a revolving account and an installment account,” said Michaela Harper, director of community education at the Credit Advisors Foundation. “So, you’ve pretty much maxed out the points you get from being able to handle different types of credit.”
Additionally, consumers over 40 may suffer occasional credit score setbacks if they depend too much on various credit accounts to help them make ends meet. They’re more likely than younger consumers to juggle mortgages, card accounts and car payments with educational expenses such as student loans. And many may own businesses that are funded with credit and their own cash.
Relying on too much credit can put you at risk of missing a payment or maxing out credit cards. Payment history and credit utilization combine to account for 65 percent of your FICO score. Even an anomalous slip-up can keep you from maximizing your score in the short term.
However, consumers over 40 who consistently maintain good financial habits can reach the highest rungs of the credit scoring ladder. Here are the stories of a few who are working to keep their scores over 800.
Keeping up with bills amid a busy lifestyle
Deborah Sweeney is the 43-year-old CEO of a Los Angeles-area business services firm and has a near-perfect credit score of 840. This despite the fact that she and her husband balance home and business ownership with the needs of two children who attend private school.
“We use credit for our homes, for the properties we own where we work and in our businesses,” Sweeney said. “I find it difficult to make sure we pay every bill on time.”
Sweeney once experienced a credit score setback due to a mishap with a retail card account from Nordstrom. She said the store stopped sending email statements at the same time her business moved to a new office. Instead of an email, a paper statement was sent to her old office’s address. Sweeney didn’t receive that bill, so by the time a second paper statement showed up at her new office, the payment was past due.
“It was a nominal hit, but I take it so seriously that I was devastated,” Sweeney said. “I called Nordstrom, but they said, \u2018What’s done is done,’ and they had already reported me to the credit agencies.”
The incident was an aberration. Prior to that and ever since, she has paid off all outstanding balances on her personal and business credit cards each month. In fact, her excellent credit helped her purchase her company during the height of the Great Recession, when many lenders tightened their purse strings or stopped granting loans altogether.
A post-recession bounce
A June 2017 report from FICO revealed the credit scores of many consumers who had serious delinquencies during the Great Recession have drastically recovered. But even people who maintained excellent credit throughout the recession saw improvement later.
Andrew Poulos, 44, who runs an accounting firm in Atlanta and also owns rental properties, saw his business revenues decline by 35 percent during the economic downturn. As small-business clients shut their doors and real estate tenants defaulted on payments, Poulos racked up more than $46,000 in credit card debt. However, he was able to diversify his business and stay on top of his debt payments, including a mortgage and other bills.
“This helped take my credit score from the low 700s to over 800, where it is today,” Poulos said. “It all boils down to managing money well and being fiscally conservative to survive during tough economic times.”
Poulos said he has more than 24 trade lines, including 15 credit cards. Most of his cards have high limits, which helps him keep his utilization at 30 percent or less on any given card.
No need to keep up with the Joneses
Detroit-area financial planner Michael Palazzolo is 47, and has a credit score of 826. He and his wife Amy have a mix of credit cards and installment loans, and they pay their card balances in full each month. Palazzolo also gets a bit of a score boost from his utility provider, which reports the couple’s on-time bill payments to the credit bureaus.
Palazzolo and his wife carry only two personal cards and one business card that he uses to operate his financial planning firm, Fintentional. He said each personal card has a credit limit of just under $20,000, and the couple tends to keep their monthly charges at 30 percent or below.
“My wife and I have lived a fiscally responsible lifestyle in our 24 years of marriage,” Palazzolo said. “We strive to live within our means and do not place a significant value on \u2018keeping up with the Joneses.’”
Palazzolo said he also uses Quicken software as a tool to set aside money in the family checking account to pay each monthly credit card statement in full.
A revolving balance breakdown
Janice Lintz, a 54-year-old freelance writer living in New York City, started using credit cards more than 30 years ago. Shortly after college, she did something she vowed never to do again – carry a balance on a card.
“I did that for one month and it almost gave me a breakdown,” Lintz said. “It was just a colossal waste of money.”
Nowadays, Lintz pays her balances in full each month, keeps her credit utilization at or near 1 percent and has a credit score of 810. And she doesn’t shy away from new credit card offers. Lintz says she owns more than 12 cards and frequently takes advantage of rewards offers to help pay for fun trips around the world.
Closing a credit card account can eventually hurt your credit score by reducing your average age of accounts. But because of her long credit history, Lintz is able to discard plastic she no longer wants and chase new rewards cards without significantly damaging her score.
Your credit behavior will dictate your score
With age comes fiscal responsibility, whether you’re a parent, a business owner, a globetrotting adventure seeker or all of the above. We often have to borrow to fund the things that make life worthwhile, and it can be overwhelming to keep up with so many bills to pay. However, solid financial habits go a long way toward building a credit score that stands the test of time.
“I always recommend that people do not chase credit scores,” Harper of the Credit Advisors Foundation said. “If you watch your credit behavior, the score will take care of itself.”


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TE Connectivity is set to acquire Measurement Specialties, a manufacturer of sensors and sensor-based systems, in a deal valued at nearly $1.7 billion.
Measurement Specialties is expecting revenues of $540 million in its current fiscal year.
The acquisition of Measurement Specialties is a key part of its strategy to become a leader in the sensor industry. The addition of Measurement Specialties adds nearly $40 billion to TE’s addressable market, said TE in a statement.
Tom Lynch, chairman and CEO of TE Connectivity, said: “The acquisition enables TE to provide customers with an unmatched range of connectivity and sensor solutions that are essential in a world where everything is increasingly connected.”
TE’s scale and Measurement Specialties’ sensor product range will create double-digit growth in TE’s sensor business. In addition, TE expects to achieve cost and tax synergies.
This apart, the combination of Measurement Specialties with TE creates the leading provider of highly engineered connectivity and sensor solutions. This combination will enable TE to provide a broader range of solutions for its customers and will increase TE’s content per application.


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|Trade in Old Phone for Free Galaxy|
|By JOANNA STERN (@joannastern)||Jul 24, 2013, 10:50 AM|
Best Buy is turning its trade-in love from Apple to Samsung. After holding two popular iPhone and iPad trade-in deals, the retailer is allowing customers to bring in any working cellphone to one of its 1,400 store locations and trade it in for a free Galaxy S3 or a $50 credit toward a new Samsung phone.
The offer begins today and ends Aug. 3.
The Galaxy S3 costs $49.99 with a two-year contract. But if you don't want the year-old phone and would rather go for the $199.99 Galaxy S4 or the $299.99 Galaxy Note 2, Best Buy will apply a $50 credit to any Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
If you're old phone is worth more, you might get more off the new phone, Best Buy confirmed. Customers will also have to sign a two-year service agreement on the new phone with either Verizon, AT&T or Sprint to get the deal.
The cellphone you bring in can be however old: Yes, old BlackBerrys or flip-phones are accepted, but the phone has to power on, can't have any screen cracks or water damage.
The deal is the third significant trade-in deal the retailer has offered in the past month. The deals aren't happening now for any particular reason, but rather just to drive consumer traffic, Best Buy's Shandra Tollefson said.
"We have had a number of trade-in offers," Tollefson told ABC News. "It's great for our business and it's great for customers. It's made to increase customer awareness."
When asked whether the deals were driven by Apple and Samsung, the fiercest competitors in the mobile phone space right now, Tollefson said Best Buy was driving the efforts in order to increase awareness of its mobile trade-in program.
Consumer electronics trade-in sites and options have become increasingly popular in the past few years as the release cycle of devices has rapidly sped up. Sites like Gazelle have built a $100 million business on just Apple product trade-ins. Prior to the launch of the iPhone 5, the site received 1.2 million price quotes for iPhones from people who were considering selling their phones before the launch.
Apple has also been rumored to begin its own in-store, trade-in program.
Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile have also recently announced phone upgrade deals. T-Mobile specifically launched its JUMP program, where customers can pay a $10 monthly charge to trade in their phone for a new one after six months.
Unlike Best Buy, however, T-Mobile, Gazelle and others do accept broken or damaged phones. The working traded-in phones are typically refurbished and re-sold in the United States or overseas.
Broken items are usually sold to repair shops that will repair the devices and then resell them as refurbished.


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New single-family home sales fell 28.5% year-over-year in October, from 396,000 in October 2009. Month-over-month, the decline was 8.1%:
New home sales tumbled in October while the median home price dropped to the lowest point in seven years.Building permits are down 4.2% year-over-year.
Sales of new single-family homes declined 8.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 283,000 units in October, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.
It was the fourth time the sales rate has dropped in the past six months. New home sales are just 2.9 percent above August's pace of 275,000 units — the lowest level on records dating back to 1963.
Top 10 cities where home prices have improved most (or fallen least) in the past year
Many economists believe it could take three years for the industry to get back to a healthy annual rate of sales of around 600,000 homes.
The median price of a home sold in October dipped to $194,900, the lowest level since October 2003.


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Electric cars to Rwanda, Volkswagen brings first
Known as the eGolf, the vehicle, imported by global carmaker Volkswagen, will be used for the company’s local ride-hailing service.
VW, which has a global target of producing 600,000 electric cars a year by 2022, is starting small in Kigali, importing 50 eGolf models over the next few months.
“Probably in the next 5-6 years electric car prices will come down dramatically and traditional cars will actually get more expensive, because now you need higher engine cleaning facilities and everything,” said head of Volkswagen sub-saharan region, Thomas Schaefer.
“When those two curves cut, when electric cars become cheaper, and they have the same range like a traditional car and you can charge them overnight and you do not have to go a petrol station for it, and then you must drive…driving is really fun, ah? So when that happens there will be a complete switch I guarantee you.”
Unlike many African countries, Rwandan electricity is relatively reliable.
15 charging stations built by Siemens will be available in Kigali to charge the electric cars.
Up to 80 per cent of the battery can be charged within an hour at a station.
Rwandan President Edouard Ngirente was at the launch.
“E-mobility presents a great opportunity to substitute expensive fuel imports, with electricity generated in the country,” said Ngirente. “In 2018 fuel products were the largest single imports product category into Rwanda accounting for 12 per cent of all imported of goods. Rwandans are becoming increasingly aware that protecting environment is a top priority.”
While VW acknowledged the high price of electric cars would not appeal to most African consumers, it’s hopeful scaling up production and favorable government policy will help bring prices down


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Says Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA):
Deregulation is code for ‘let the rich guys do whatever they want’ … The Trump administration and an army of lobbyists are determined to rig the game in their favor, to boost their own profit, the cost of the consumer be damned.
But deregulation opens markets to competition because existing regulations protect existing businesses from competition. And competition brings more choices with many price points.
Hemp was deregulated in December, 2018 as part of the Farm Bill. It was removed from the list of controlled substances. Existing businesses operated in regulated markets, illegally — so strict were the regulations that the product was banned.
Hemp’s return to farm fields this spring coincides with a surge in demand for cannabidiol, a derivative of hemp or marijuana that has become a popular additive in drinks, foods and dietary supplements. Proponents say it relieves anxiety, inflammation and other maladies without the psychotropic ingredient that delivers a high to marijuana users.
Farmers and processors believe growing demand for cannabidiol will turn hemp into a lucrative cash crop.
… Hemp flourishes in rocky soils inhospitable to other crops. It also represents a new potential revenue stream for tobacco farmers abandoning that crop. Other growers are eager to diversify away from mainstream crops after several years of low prices spurred by a production glut and trade tensions.
… Growers can earn $200 to $400 an acre growing hemp for use in textiles, plastics, insulation and construction materials, according to Rodale Institute, a farming research agency. Hemp grown for cannabidiol could earn farmers thousands of dollars an acre, according to the institute. Farmers earned net profits of around $11 per acre for soybeans and lost $62 for corn in 2017, federal figures show.
… Processors in the U.S. also are expanding. Folium Biosciences is building a $30 million, 110,000-square-foot hemp extraction facility in Colorado to increase its capacity 10-fold, said Chief Executive Kashif Shan.
Hemp regulations were bad for the economy, they did restrict freedom, and they made life harder for farm businesses. So Warren’s logic would only make sense to someone smoking a big, greasy cigarette of hemp’s sister species.


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Vietnam is among the five most popular destinations for Japanese tourists this summer, according to the results of a survey conducted by the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA).
JATA said that the survey was given to at least 312 travel companies who voted on the top ten most popular destinations for Japanese tourists this summer.
The results show that Asian nations enjoy advantages over nations from other continents as they take up eight spots in the top 10 list.
Southeast Asian countries saw a remarkable improvement with three nations including Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore entering the list of the top five most popular destinations.
The Pacific island chain of Hawaii beat Taiwan (China) to become the most popular tourism destination for Japanese people this summer. Thailand secured third position, while Singapore and Vietnam rose one place to fourth and fifth position respectively in the list.
The remaining places in the top 10 were made up of Hong Kong (China), the Republic of Korea, the island of Guam, and Italy, while China and the Philippines ranked 10th in the list.


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DISH Network’s DISH fourth-quarter 2019 results are expected to reflect the negative impact of persistent subscriber loss due to stiff competition and cord-cutting in the Pay-TV industry. However, an expanding Sling TV subscriber base is expected to have aided the top line in the to-be-reported quarter. Notably, DISH’s subscriber loss increased in the last reported quarter. Total Pay-TV subscribers were 12.180 million, down 3.8% year over year. However, Sling TV subscribers increased 13.3% year over year to 2.686 million. For the fourth quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues currently stands at $3.17 billion, suggesting a decline of 4.3% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter. Moreover, the consensus mark for fourth-quarter earnings has been steady at 62 cents over the past 30 days, indicating a decline of 3.1% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure. Notably, the company’s earnings missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters, surpassed in one and matched in the remainder, the average negative surprise being 0.4%.
Let’s see how things are shaping up for this announcement.
Factors to Consider DISH’s efforts to diversify business from being a pure-play satellite-TV operator to an Internet TV operator are not expected to have provided any meaningful impetus to its growth prospects in the fourth quarter. The company is likely to have continued losing Pay-TV subscribers to online video streaming and on-demand content providers such as Netflix ( NFLX Quick Quote NFLX - Free Report) , Hulu and YouTube. The launch of Apple TV+ and Disney+ is expected to have further intensified competition for DISH in the to-be-reported quarter. Moreover, the bottom-line performance is expected to reflect the impact of escalating programming and content expenses along with retransmission fees. Nevertheless, the addition of Amazon’s AMZN prime video app to Hopper 3, the company’s award-winning DVR, was a noteworthy development in the quarter. The deal expanded DISH’s catalog of integrated streaming options that already includes Netflix and Alphabet’s GOOGL YouTube and YouTube Kids. DISH’s focus on gradually improving the value of the Hopper platform is indicated by the rollout of a software update on the platform that allows customers to access Google Assistant via DISH voice remote. The company also launched a new Google-branded voice remote to complement this new integration. Key Q4 Developments DISH announced price hikes and new channels for Sling TV on Dec 23, 2019. Sling Orange and Sling Blue are now available at $30 per month each instead of $25. The main difference between the packages is that Sling Blue includes Fox and NBC broadcast and sports networks, while Sling Orange includes Disney and ESPN channels. Notably, the combo Sling Orange and Blue package is priced at $45 per month instead of $40. Moreover, Sling TV raised the prices of most of its add-on channel packs. Sports Extra is now $15 per month, while the Sling Orange + Sling Blue bundle is available for $10 per month as an add-on to individual packages. Moreover, later in the fourth quarter, DISH integrated Google Nest Hello doorbell to its Hopper and Wally receivers. The new update allows customers to pair their Google Nest Account with DISH Hopper or Wally and receive notifications, including an image, directly on their TVs when their Nest Hello is pressed. Zacks Rank DISH currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see . the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2020 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-hold tickers for the entirety of 2020? Last year's 2019 Zacks Top 10 Stocks portfolio returned gains as high as +102.7%. Now a brand-new portfolio has been handpicked from over 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank. Don’t miss your chance to get in on these long-term buys. Access Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2020 today >>


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Promising Triangle technology companies raised more than one-third of a billion dollars in venture capital funding in 2015 — the region's best showing since 2008 — despite so-so fund-raising results in the fourth quarter.
For all of 2015, 44 Triangle companies raised $378.8 million in venture capital. That dollar total is up 43 percent from the 39 companies that raised $265 million in 2014.
“2015 was a terrific year for companies raising money,” said Dhruv Patel, director of investor relations at CED, a Triangle-based support group for entrepreneurs.
In the fourth quarter, 10 Triangle companies raised $50.9 million in venture capital, according to data being released Friday. The data was compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association, based on information supplied by Thomson Reuters.
The fourth-quarter results, although middling by recent standards, were easily the lowest in 2015. It was the lowest quarterly total since 10 companies raised $47.4 million in the third quarter of 2014.
For the first time in memory, no life science companies – biotechnology and medical device companies – raised any venture capital in the fourth quarter. The Triangle is a biotechnology hub, and life science companies usually are a major driver for the region’s venture capital totals.
Patel noted that venture capital numbers don’t provide a complete picture of the funding landscape for startups and other early-stage companies. If you include funding from other sources that aren’t always reflected in the venture capital data – such as funding from angel investors and corporations – then the fourth-quarter funding totals were “very strong,” he said.
Most notably, Humacyte, a biotech company based in Research Triangle Park, by itself raised $150 million in October – three times the amount of venture capital raised by local companies in the quarter. Humacyte’s funding wasn’t included in the venture capital tally.
“This is a really good year if you just focus on venture capital, but it’s a really, really good year if you look at the broader (funding) activity,” said Laura Robinette, who heads the Raleigh office of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Most young technology companies rely on venture capital funding to boost sales and marketing efforts and develop new product. Venture capital funds obtain a piece of the business in exchange for their investment.
Four of the 10 Triangle companies that raised venture capital in the fourth quarter were software companies and another four were information technology services companies.
“Over the last two years, the tech sector has been very active,” Patel said.
Most of the deals were relatively small, with just two of them exceeding $3 million: digital advertising technology company Netsertive raised $24 million and sofware startup Pendo raised $11 million.
Nationwide, the $58.8 billion in venture capital raised in 2015 was the second-highest in the last 20 years.
In the fourth quarter, venture capital firms invested $11.3 billion across the country in 962 companies in the fourth quarter, down 32 percent in dollars and 16 percent in companies compared to the third quarter and the smallest amount invested since the third quarter of 2014.
Patel said that, based on his conversations with venture capitalists, he doesn’t see any signs that funding will slow down in 2016.
Robinette said that although she’s “cautiously optimistic,” it really too early to tell what the immediate future holds in light of the stock market’s recent woes.
“I’m hoping that it’s very temporary in nature and we’ll see a quick rebound here later in January,” Robinette said. “When the stock market is down, I think you just have a much more cautious investor pool.”


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Oxford Frozen Foods capital project approved for innovation rebate
Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI) has approved Oxford Frozen Foods for an innovation rebate towards a $2.82 million project.
The company plans to install state of the art product sorting equipment, using digital and visual systems, to provide enhanced sorting capabilities and increase production capacity.
NSBI says they're eligible for a maximum rebate of $702,205 upon completion of the project.
To be considered for an innovation rebate, a company's total project costs must be between $2 million and $15 million, and an approved rebate is 25 per cent against eligible project costs.


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If you ask Fred Pearson if he’s always wanted to work for Domino’s, When Michigan-based Domino’s franchisee Dave Cesarini heard about Story, Domino’s recognizes and celebrates the diverse heritage of all its team Joining us now Sarah fuller and jenny Seiber. like carving Domino's Pizza - Find news stories, facts, pictures and video about Domino's Pizza - Page 2 | Newser Its two new Roman outlets are in the Portonaccio and Marconi districts, on Via Cardano 82 and Via di Portonaccio 224 respectively. Domino's Pizza is one stock that just reached the mark, now earning a score of 81. ), visit recycling.dominos.com . The first is the brilliantly named the Chick-Ain’t pizza. Pizza boxes, with grease and all, are indeed recyclable! Domino’s in Doylestown and Perkasie, Pennsylvania are no different. the individuals who work behind the scenes in supply chain – people like Duane the community. The new vegan toppings from Domino's Pizza look mouth-wateringly good. Domino’s Pizza now sells Tsundere Pizzas in Japan, wants to both hurt and please you; Japan now has a giant pizza sandwich called Meat Mountain, packed with 18 different types of meat; Domino’s now sells tapioca boba pizza in Japan, and we’re so very, very confused【Taste test】 he’s determined to find what makes each of his store employees tick, and to use that to motivate In early 2020, Domino’s worked with WestRock to increase the recycled content in its pizza boxes from 40% to 72%. more money than Dennis was making. Eric Arntson now owns 12 Domino’s locations Not learning a lesson from the past mistakes has cost Rs 10 lakh to the popular pizza brand Domino's. To easily find a local Domino's Pizza restaurant or when searching for “pizza near me”, please visit our localized mapping website featuring nearby Domino's Pizza stores available for delivery or takeout. and the pay would be worth his while. The schools to provide much-needed resources to get food in the hands of students. Domino’s shows signs of slowdown despite World Cup sales surge, Domino's Pizza shares surge after strong third-quarter sales results, Couple caught having sex in Domino's pizza may be jailed, Domino's is giving away 10,000 free pizzas today, Domino’s profits boosted by chocolate pizza and new stores, Man delivers pizza in the middle of G20 riots, Domino’s to introduce flying pizza delivery drones, Domino's embarrasses every single fast food chain in America, Domino’s Pizza sued for systemically underpaying employees, DJ gets pizza delivered on platform while he passes through on train, Domino's set to introduce pizza delivery robots in New Zealand, The 10 biggest business stories on Thursday March 3, Domino's driver fired after sending 'sinister' messages to student, Domino’s Pizza sales up 19% thanks to mobile app, The Business Matrix: Saturday 7 December 2013, Domino's delivery man quits after workers told to only speak English, The Week Ahead: Prudential investors seek glimpse of the future, David Prosser: No better time for SMEs to issue own debt, The Business Matrix: Thursday 30 August 2012, ‘Real IRA’ claims blame for attack on barracks, Northern Foods blames falling M&S sales for profit warning, Market Report: Domino's to deliver a topping sales rise, The Week Ahead: Irn Bru still fizzing with sales and profits increase, Janet Street-Porter: I'd be a lousy MP – and so would Esther, The Week Ahead: Well-targeted advertising pays off for M&S, The looters' legacy: Misery – and insurance claims of over, The Week Ahead: Barclays kicks off bank reporting season, Market Report: Investors take a flutter on Bwin.party bid talk. Sept. 24, 2020 was not an average day for Domino’s delivery driver The Week Ahead: Next leads the retailers' post-Christmas results. Brandon Eckstein. Domino’s customers rejoice – the days of waiting for your carryout More. Domino’s in Copperas Cove hosted a Soldier Appreciation Day to thank soldiers and their families More than you might Dennis Tran began working for his family business as a teenager. Johnnie as the 2018 National Delivery Expert of the Year at a recent awards ceremony in in Cutoff and Raceland, Louisiana, and was recently presented the ... Read Penne's In a small pizza shop in Ypsilanti, Michigan, on Dec. 9, 1960, a beloved brand and global leader was born. Hamish McRae: Will services provide our salvation? Amanda Stevenson believes in America’s farmers, and wants to make a Story. giving back to essential workers and those in need across the area. And he hasn't ordered in 11 days. But, that is exactly what happened. Domino’s stores across the country celebrate heroes every day. The 10 biggest business stories on Thursday March 3. Washington, D.C. Read Johnnie's The months following 9/11 were fast-paced and anxious, as Walter When Randy Foote was 8 years old, he played a daring game with trains He But, first and foremost, he is a father, and his daughter is a cancer Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg News member, naturally they think of a pizza maker or delivery driver. To easily find a local Domino's Pizza restaurant or when searching for “pizza near me”, please visit our localized mapping website featuring nearby Domino's Pizza stores available for delivery or takeout. However, in 1978 the 200th Domino's store opened, and things really began to … Investment Column: Autonomy proves worthy of its lofty rating, Johann Hari: The religious excuse for barbarity, International Art Market: Bargains still abound despite increase in, The Week Ahead: Barclays' results signal start of the bonus season, Cadbury hits the profits sweet spot with chocolate and gum, Domino's Pizza ends 'Britain's Got Talent' deal, Market Report: Licence agreement gives Imagination a boost. employees passed out pepperoni pizzas to kids and their parents, members of the community, and He jumped on the side of them and rode them through town. of a work-study program in high school, she never could’ve imagined that one day she’d own her the local Domino’s store in Gaithersburg, Maryland, passing out flyers door-to-door – earning Hmm. Domino’s stores throughout Flint, Michigan, believe in giving back to Story, Megan Houstin knew she wanted to work at Domino’s in in 2020. Pizza chain resists partnerships while rivals link with Grubhub, DoorDash Domino’s relies on its own employees to make deliveries from its 6,000 U.S. stores. Do Big Phil and Shiny Simon have the X Factor? for the sacrifices they make every day. another franchisee's giving back initiative, he couldn't wait to put it into practice with his Family gatherings and holidays were cancelled, and special occasions were ... Read Domino's Pizza, the American multinational pizza chain, has launched in Rome as part of an expansion plan in the north and centre of Italy. Domino's Pizza … John Rentoul: How many years out in the cold? The stores banded together Domino's Pizza has introduced India's first plant-protein based product, the 'Unthinkable Pizza,' which it claims, is '100 per cent chicken-like and 100 per cent vegetarian". ITT Technical Institute, looking for a part-time job. Market Report: Earnings hopes underpin demand for Rolls-Royce, Market Report: Wellstream goes with the flow of positive rumours, Small Talk: Bellzone Mining sees the future in Guinean iron ore. Business Diary: The perfect product placement? especially in times like these. consecutive year, Domino’s has joined forces with Stand with Trans at the Motor City Pride her way up to win Rookie Manager of the Year in 1996 and Manager of the Year in 1997. A Current Affair 7:41pm Jun 25, 2019 Consumers can find a link to The Recycling Partnership’s toolkit on recycling.dominos.com, which they can send to their local recycling programs to encourage them to explicitly accept pizza boxes into their system. Cassie Gerety started as a Domino’s delivery driver Penne owns Domino’s stores Geiger in 1985, he had no idea he would be back in Jacksonville, North Carolina 30 years later … families who are served by Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Redlands-Riverside in California. Pass – a new technology that lets them skip the line and grab their order. Domino’s Pizza said in a statement that its corporate office along with franchisees has raised more than $68 million for the kids of St. Jude through an annual campaign. needs – like food, rent and utilities – is getting harder for millions, including many kids and those with disabilities. Tough, because the delivery chain is plotting world domination: The … For the third first. She became a general manager a year later, working Domino's Pizza launches India's first plant-based meat pizza The plant-based protein pizza would be available at all Domino's restaurants across Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Bangalore. To celebrate the milestone academic For some, that is more than just a saying – it is a way of to launch the Dallas Gives Back Pizza Blitz on March 31. When she was one This is domino's pizza and we have a customer that usually orders like every night from us. things present: food, storytelling and some sort of competitive game. that quote more and more these days. to the Kingsley House community on Tuesday, May 5. Former Dominos employee reveals 'secret' to getting free pizza (Image: PA) Cut through the noise with the top M.E.N. own stores. Domino's Pizza rejects claims it hasn't been upfront about relations with some of its franchisees. News about Domino's Pizza Inc., including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times. A pair of Domino's Pizza managers in Lake City, Florida, have been charged with burning down a rival Papa John's Pizza franchise, the Ocala Star-Bannerreports. Story. Centers to help feed those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. New Delhi: Leading pizza chain in the country, Domino's Pizza has launched India's first plant protein-based product called 'The Unthinkable Pizza,' the company said in … Since it was across the street from his high school, he thought it would be a convenient Lisa Price, executive vice president and chief human resources officer – to ask about her life, end of the day, he would save the life of a 15-year-old teenager. In June of 2020, Domino’s CEO Ritch Allison made a statement unequivocally denouncing all acts of racism, hatred and the unjust treatment of Black people. Domino's Pizza Enterprises ((DMP)) is in line for a strong first half, providing several indications from its investor briefing that store growth and technology advances will continue apace. Claim: Domino's Pizza workers saved a loyal customer's life after recognizing he hadn't ordered in almost two weeks. Not a fan of Domino’s pizza? Story. Read Alec's When his parents found Every morning when franchisee Ben Thomas walks into one of his stores, In the news release, Domino's Pizza® Announces Q4/Year-End 2020 Earnings Webcast, issued 19-Jan-2021 by Domino's Pizza, Inc. over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that "When: Thursday, Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. EST ", should read "When: Thursday, Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. The latest breaking news, ... Domino's Pizza's 'tone-deaf' Karen offer dropped after online backlash. so easily done. Domino’s customers now have yet another way to carry out their favorite think, thanks to Domino’s! Suzanna Caldwell of Anchorage, Alaska, works as the recycling In June of 2020, Domino’s CEO Ritch Allison made a statement unequivocally denouncing all acts What We're About Fun Facts History Community Partners Foundation Diversity Fundraising News Making pizza since 1960... 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One ply is enough
Conservationists target the use of plush toilet paper
Environmentalists are asking American consumers to steer clear of super-soft toilet paper.
Softer wood fibers come from old trees, often found in old-growth forests. Conservationists note the environmental value of the trees, which “scrub” carbon dioxide and provide habitat for innumerable species.
This plush product, activists say, is the pinnacle of consumer excess.
“It’s like the Hummer product for the paper industry,” Allen Hershkowitz of the Natural Resources Defense Council told The Washington Post.
Toilet tissue manufacturers say consumers consistently demand a softer product, and one—Quilted Northern Ultra Plush—has begun selling a three-ply tissue. However, activists from Greenpeace appear to have made some headway with another company; Kimberly-Clark (makers of Kleenex and Cottonelle toilet paper) has vowed to make its tissue products with 40 percent recycled paper or sustainable forests by 2011.


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Few days after sources speculated that Alibaba Group will start a fully-owned e-commerce business in India, Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, has handed over his role to his successor, and stepped down from his post as the head of the e-commerce unicorn.
Daniel Zhang, chief executive and an accountant by training at Alibaba, will occupy Ma’s rope in the company.
Ma said, “I’m the person always looking forward. I don’t want to look at the things back.” He has previously said he will turn his attention to philanthropy, focusing on education in rural areas.
Ma’s resignation comes at a time when growth of China’s e-commerce industry has slowed, along with the broader economy, and the company faces more competition from other large tech firms.
He has turned Alibaba from an e-commerce startup to China’s biggest conglomerate by expanding into financial services, mobile payments, cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
Alibaba Group was founded by 18 people led by Jack Ma in 1999. Its businesses are comprised of core commerce, cloud computing, digital media and entertainment, and innovation initiatives.
Furthermore, according to the Forbes magazie, Ma’s net worth is $38.4 million, making him China’s richest man.
Ma announced his retirement as chairman of Alibaba in 2018.


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NFL Films to Dramatically Expand Content Production; How Could Streaming Play a Part in Studio’s Future?
NFL Films has long been synonymous with the highest quality of sports documentary filmmaking. NFL Films’ brand has a unique visual style, which combines top-notch packaging of game highlights with booming music and eloquent voiceover narration.
While it exists separately from NFL Media, NFL Films is involved in a wide variety of programming, including the HBO series “Hard Knocks,” the long-running “Inside the NFL” series that’s now on Paramount+, and many shows on NFL Network, including the “A Football Life” documentary series. The NFL has also teamed up with athletes like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, having a hand in the production of Brady’s “Man in the Arena” and Manning’s “Peyton’s Places,” both of which streamed on ESPN+.
Now, there’s word that NFL Films has even bigger entertainment ambitions. Business Insider reported on Tuesday that NFL Films is now “in talks with Hollywood partners about expanding its TV and film efforts.” With sports documentaries undergoing a renaissance and the likes of Lebron James setting up production companies, NFL Films reportedly wants to further cement its place as the sport’s premier storytelling destination while also expanding into genres that have never been a part of the NFL landscape before.
“We have a sport that is most akin to Hollywood,” NFL Films senior director Ross Ketover told Insider. “We can help find those stories and help them get made, whether it’s streaming series, television or feature movies.”
The idea is that since the NFL is the most popular — and profitable — league in the United States, NFL Films wants to draw on the century’s worth of stories and stars to create new films, TV series, unscripted programming, and more. Plans include more partnerships with athletes, content centered on other sports, and possibly even nontraditional programming like cooking shows.
The question is, what could that all look like, especially from a streaming standpoint?
Insider said that NFL Films does not currently have any deals with any studios for their future output, but once they do, it could go any number of directions.
The NFL is known for liking to spread out its media rights to as many different partners as possible, with games airing on CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN, ABC, ESPN+, and Prime Video, not to mention “Hard Knocks” on HBO and HBO Max. With those relationships already well established, as NFL Films begins to branch out into films, scripted series, and reality programming, it would make sense that those outlets — along with NFL Network — would be natural destinations. Additionally, Apple is trying to finalize a deal to be the home of the league’s out-of-market NFL Sunday Ticket package, which would give NFL Films another built-in partner for content distribution.
The league is also reportedly in talks to sell off a stake in NFL Media, possibly in conjunction with the bidding for the rights to Sunday Ticket. While NFL Films is not part of NFL Media, if a company like Apple were to land both the Sunday Ticket rights for Apple TV+ and a stake in NFL Media, that would further create a natural place for NFL Films content to go.
The popularity of alternate broadcasts has grown tremendously since Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning began their “ManningCast” with ESPN in 2021. With so many different rights holders airing NFL games, NFL Films would be a perfect partner to assist with the production of alternate broadcasts on corresponding streaming services. Disney and Amazon already regularly produce alternate broadcasts, but Paramount+ could host a streaming alternate telecast of each Sunday’s AFC games with a cast of NFL greats. If contracts allow, Tubi could do the same with FOX’s NFC games; although that would likely need to be a slightly different product since Tubi is a free platform, while Paramount+ is a subscription service.
NFL Media already hosts something akin to an alternate broadcast with NFL RedZone which provides a comprehensive look at all of the league’s action in real time. If Apple TV, Prime Video, ESPN+, or YouTube land Sunday Ticket, they could take the whip-around idea to new heights with a panel of fun and insightful hosts and guests breaking down all of the day’s action as it happens.
Beyond new ways to package games, streaming provides incredible opportunities for NFL Films to produce and deliver the high-quality documentaries that it is known for. Even beyond “Hard Knocks,” HBO has long been a home for exceptional sports documentaries and could become a hub for additional NFL titles.
One of the genres that the Insider article mentions NFL Films is exploring was cooking shows. As HBO Max is set to merge with corporate sibling streamer discovery+ next year, this new platform would provide an ideal opportunity to bring multi-quadrant programming to a service that will have two rather disparate slates of content offerings.
NFL Films is also said to be looking to build its own equivalent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, not necessarily in terms of superhero fare, but in terms of ubiquity and varieties. Of course, with the league’s longstanding partnership with ESPN and ABC, Disney+ would be an ideal avenue for kid-focused titles and if NFL Films actually did want to position players like Patrick Mahomes as the next generation of Avengers, there would be no better home to do so.
While it’s not clear what direction NFL Films plans will go with its new content initiatives, there is a good chance that you’ll be seeing a lot more of the studio’s content, and most likely across even more streaming services.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — For years, Tesla Motors Inc. was the outlier of the global auto industry, reporting vehicle deliveries — its proxy for sales — only alongside quarterly results and not a minute before.
Tesla TSLA, -12.97% surprised markets earlier Friday by announcing it delivered 10,030 Model S sedans worldwide in the first quarter, a record for the company and a 55% increase over the first quarter of 2014. It had previously told analysts to expect deliveries of 9,500 cars in the quarter.
“Inaccurate sources of information are sometimes used by others to project the number of vehicle deliveries,” Tesla said, explaining the decision, adding it plans to publish its delivery numbers three days after the end of each quarter.
The decision, announced on the company’s website as well as through a government filing, contrasts with recent Tesla news that have arrived via Chief Executive Elon Musk Twitter feed, including a tweet earlier this week announcing a new product line to be unveiled April 30.
“When you are meeting targets, it’s easier to keep it closer to the vest,” said Efraim Levy, an analyst with Capital IQ. And there’s no downside in reporting the information earlier, he said.
Tesla missed year-end delivery targets, and investors had turned more cautious about the company.
Tesla shares have lost 13% of their value over the past three months, and 15% in the last 12 months. That compares with gains of 0.4% and 9% for the S&P 500 Index SPX, +1.32% in the same periods.
The move will also brew fresh goodwill among analysts. Other auto makers report their monthly sales regularly and typically all on the same day.
“There was so much misinformation out there about their deliveries,” said Theodore O’Neill, an analyst with Ascendiant Capital. Dealing with company numbers rather than often-diverging estimates “will make my life a lot easier.” Estimates were confusing for some investor clients, O’Neill said.
Not reporting deliveries meant that third parties —from known industry watchers such as Autodata Corp. to websites catering to electric-car enthusiasts — sometimes had widely different estimates for Tesla every month.