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Samsung Electronics has decided to remove its corporate logo from its new flagship smartphone Galaxy S6 and the Edge variant that will be sold in Japan, a spokesperson in Seoul confirmed on Sunday.
The new phones that go on sale from April 23 in Japan will not carry the “Samsung” logo unlike in other markets. They will be marketed as Docomo Galaxy and au Galaxy, named after their Japanese telecom service carriers.
“We think the Galaxy brand has been well established in Japan,” said the official, declining to further elaborate.
Actor Chris Evans takes selfies with a Samsung Galaxy S6 phone during the red carpet event for his latest film “Avengers: Age of Ultron” in Seoul on Saturday. (Samsung Electronics)
Samsung’s decision comes even as the world’s largest smartphone maker has yet to gain a firm footing in the neighboring country.
According to market research firm Strategy Analytics, Samsung made up a tiny 5.6 percent of Japanese smartphone sales last year, as against its 25.1 percent global market share.
Its archrival Apple dominated with 40.8 percent of the market, followed by Japanese players such as Sony (18.1 percent), Sharp (12.4 percent) and Fujitsu (8.8 percent).
That precarious position may have pushed Samsung to ditch its name and appeal to picky Japanese customers with its global brand name, the Galaxy, alone.
In the meantime, Samsung is renewing its upscale push with the Galaxy S6 and Edge phones, pledging to sell more than 7 million units.
The Edge version, which boasts a unique styling with a curved screen, is especially hot-selling in Korea.
By Lee Ji-yoon (email@example.com


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Each week, we’ll highlight the most important Cisco partner news and stories, as well as point you to important, Cisco-related partner content you may have missed along the way. Here’s what you might have missed this week:
Kickoff for Partner Summit 2014
This year’s Cisco Partner Summit starts in just a few short weeks in Las Vegas. This past week brought our first Partner Summit 2014 blog post, which included some great information for those of you that will attend this year, and for those who will be attending via Virtual Partner Summit (VPS).
Check out my blog post to get information on:
- Registering for VPS
- Using our hashtag (#ciscops14) for this year’s event
- A tutorial on social media listening and other information to keep in your back pocket for March 24
We will see you there! Read More »
Tags: Bruce Klein, Cisco, ciscops14, debbie dunnam, edison peres, Julie Hens, partner, partner weekly rewind, raja sundaram, RSA, Wendy Bahr
Each year, CRN announces its list of Channel Chiefs. This list constitutes a “who’s who” within the world of channel management. According to CRN, these folks head up the partner programs that you all depend on to run your businesses.
I am extremely honored to be one of the named Channel Chiefs this year, especially since Edison Peres and I were named to the 50 most influential list. However, I really wanted to take the time to point out my colleagues who were named this year. I can’t tell you how excited we are at Cisco to have six of our executives recognized by CRN.
Most importantly, I wanted to be sure that you all realize these types of honors are not earned in a vacuum. While I am thrilled that five Cisco executives were honored by CRN this year, this type of recognition is really a statement on our wonderful Cisco partners. With your input on our programs and insight into our business relationships, we have been able to put ourselves in a position where this type of recognition, while always welcome, is not necessarily surprising. And that is not me tooting the Cisco horn. That is a testament to the hard work and dedication of Cisco’s partners, which simply cannot go unrecognized. Read More »
Tags: Bruce Klein, channel chiefs, crn, debbie dunnam, edison peres, Julie Hens, raja sundaram, Wendy Bahr
This post is co-authored by Julie Hens, VP, Worldwide Distribution and Wendy Bahr, SVP, Americas Partner Organization.
Last week it was announced that Julie would be taking on the role of Vice President of Worldwide Distribution here in Cisco’s Worldwide Partner Organization (WWPO). We are now happy to confirm that Andrew Sage is our new Vice President, Americas Distribution.
In this role, Andrew will be responsible for all aspects of sales, marketing, operations and logistics for the Americas Distribution Channel, which represents over $6.3 billion in revenue and is a cornerstone of our Partner-Led sales strategy. Andrew was most recently Vice President for Worldwide Partner Led, and he built a Partner Led team that created a unique sales go-to-market model and a portfolio of initiatives designed for the strengths of our partners and tightly aligned to Cisco’s Commercial sales teams.
Read More »
Tags: andrew sage, Cisco, distribution, Julie Hens, partner, WWPO
Every Friday, we’ll highlight the most important Cisco partner news and stories of the week, as well as point you to important Cisco-related content you may have missed along the way. Let’s have it.
Off The Top
It’s a holiday week in the United States but that doesn’t mean a full stop for Cisco partner news and updates. For starters, we’ve named a new VP of Worldwide Distribution, Julie Hens.
“A 14-year Cisco veteran, Julie is a familiar face to many of our distribution partners and I’m confident she will be a fantastic leader in this global role thanks to her depth of experience and strong relationships,” says Edison Peres, SVP, Worldwide Channels.
Edison officially introduced Julie earlier this week. She succeeds Scott Brown, who exited the role in late May to become VP, APJC Partner Business Group. We wish Julie and Scott all the best!
Read on for all of this week’s hot topics. Read More »
Tags: #CLUS, Cisco, cisco live, distribution, edison peres, Julie Hens, Microsoft WPC, partner, Weekly Rewind
Distribution is a critical piece of our go-to-market channel strategy, representing $13 billion a year in revenue for Cisco. We need a strong leader to continue the tradition of programs and relationships we’ve established with our key distribution partners, and it’s with that in mind that I’m very pleased to announce Julie Hens as our new Vice President of Worldwide Distribution.
Julie was most recently our leader for Americas Distribution and in her new role succeeds Scott Brown, who we recently announced as Vice President of the APJC Partner Business Group.
A 14-year Cisco veteran, Julie is a familiar face to many of our distribution partners and I’m confident she will be a fantastic leader in this global role thanks to her depth of experience and strong relationships. Julie began her career at Cisco in the Service Provider Sales Organization and held roles in sales, field operations and sales productivity prior to joining Americas Distribution in 2005. In fact, since 2005 US distribution sales have increased nearly 100 percent. Julie was promoted to Vice President in 2008 and in July 2010 Julie led her team to their first billion-dollar quarter.
Read More »
Tags: Cisco, Cisco distributors, distribution, edison peres, Julie Hens, partner, scott brown

domain: news


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Disney Princess toys and Frozen characters are coming back to Mattel
(CNN) -- It's a magical world again for Mattel. The toy company won back the rights to make dolls based on Disney's princess characters, including Frozen's Elsa and Anna, Jasmine from "Aladdin" along with Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel, Moana and other Disney heroines.
Mattel rival Hasbro took over the Disney Princess and Frozen license in 2016 after Mattel had been making the toys for twenty years.
Shares of Mattel soared more than 8% Wednesday following the announcement of the Disney deal. Hasbro's stock was down 2%.
"We are incredibly proud to welcome back the Disney Princess and Frozen lines to Mattel," said company president and chief operating officer Richard Dickson in a statement. The toy maker will start selling the new items at the beginning of 2023.
Mattel currently makes toys based on characters from two of Disney's Pixar franchises: Toy Story and Cars. Mattel also recently announced a licensing deal for toys tied to Pixar's upcoming Toy Story spinoff, "Lightyear." The new deal includes rights to toys from the live action remakes of "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," "The Little Mermaid," "Mulan" and "Cinderella."
Hasbro was not immediately available for comment about the loss of the Disney Princess and Frozen toys. But Hasbro still has close ties to other parts of the Disney empire.
Hasbro announced separately Wednesday that it had renewed its agreement with Disney's Lucasfilm studio to make toys based on the immensely popular Star Wars franchise.
In addition, Hasbro will now make toys based on the Indiana Jones movies, also owned by Disney. Harrison Ford is returning to theaters as Indiana Jones for the fifth time in a new movie in 2023. The new Indy-inspired toys will be available then.
"We're proud to deepen our close working relationship and collaborate with the Disney team to bring innovative and engaging play experiences to kids, fans and families inspired by some of the world's most iconic entertainment brands," said Hasbro chief consumer officer Eric Nyman in a statement.
Hasbro also has a multi-year deal with Disney's Marvel studios to make toys based on the numerous superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That deal was extended in 2020.
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


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Phil LeBeau is a CNBC auto and airline industry reporter based at the network's Chicago bureau. He is also editor of the Behind the Wheel section on CNBC.com.
LeBeau has reported one-hour documentaries for the network, including "Dreamliner: Inside the World's Most Anticipated Airplane," "Ford: Rebuilding an American Icon" and "Saving General Motors" and "Failure to Recall: Investigating GM," which won a 2014 Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW) Award.
Prior to joining CNBC, LeBeau served as a media relations specialist for Van Kampen Funds in Oak Brook Terrace, Ill., and was instrumental in implementing an initiative to communicate the company's mutual fund and investment practices to the public and the press. While at Van Kampen, LeBeau held a Series 6 license.
Previously, he held general assignment reporting positions at KCNC-TV, the CBS affiliate in Denver, and KAKE-TV, the ABC affiliate in Wichita, Kan. LeBeau began his career as a field producer at WCCO-TV in Minneapolis, where he wrote, produced and researched consumer stories. He graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism with a bachelor's degree in journalism and broadcasting.
Follow Phil LeBeau on Twitter @Lebeaucarnews.
The major automakers are expected to roll out sales figures today. CNBC's Phil LeBeau provides a preview of the numbers and whether the momentum is likely to continue into the new year as the economy improves. Industry sales are expected to exceed 16 million, reports LeBeau.
CNBC's Phil LeBeau takes a look at what 2014 has to hold for the airline industry including new amenities and fees.
New models of these SUVs are most equipped for emergencies, U.S. News & World Report.
Tesla will double the number of Supercharger stations in 2017, to expand the reach of its network and to shorten lines at stations.
The justices declined to review a 2016 ruling by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that rejected GM's bid to block customer lawsuits over the defect.
Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said consumers could see price increases slow as crude oil costs drop.


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Families being notified following data breach of yearbook, graduation apparel supplier
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Graduation season just wrapped up, and now some parents and students are learning they are victims in a data breach.
The company Herff Jones, which is a popular supplier of yearbooks and graduation caps and gowns, is notifying customers.
Letters are being sent out in the mail by Herff Jones, notifying customers that personal information may have been compromised.
If you receive a letter, you should monitor your credit card account closely.
The Herff Jones website says back in May, they were made aware of suspicious activity with certain customers’ payment information, and promptly launched an investigation.
In an update last week, the company said they’re in the process of notifying potentially impacted customers, and are doing so by sending out letters and offering free credit monitoring for a year.
Herff Jones says they are working with a leading cybersecurity firm, and haven’t said how many customers are impacted by the breach.
Hackers may have been able to access customers’ payment card information, address, phone number, and e-mail.
The Identity Theft Resource Center (IDTRC) - a national nonprofit consumer group - lists this as a notable data breach in spring, and was discovered after graduating students from several universities noticed fraudulent transactions on their payment cards.
The identity theft resource center says if you get a data breach notification letter from Herff Jones, you should follow the advice offered by the company.
The IDTRC also says to change your password on any breached accounts, monitor your credit card and bank accounts, and if you have any questions, to contact the company. Herff Jones’ customer service team can be reached between 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Eastern Time from Monday - Friday at 855-535-1795.
CLICK HERE to read Herff Hones’ full statement on the breach.
In addition to the Herff Jones data breach, the IDTRC says Amazon Prime Day shoppers should watch for phishing scams.
Scammers tend to look forward to these types of events, and hide behind the Amazon name and logo, sending phishing e-mails.
Action 2 News has previously reported on these popular scams, where an e-mail tells you there’s a problem with your Amazon account, and you need to click to verify or change your password. There’s also a scenario where an e-mail says there’s a shipment coming, but you need to verify your credit card number.
The goal is always to get you to click and give up your personal information.
Don’t click, and don’t return a call.
If you think there’s an issue, go directly to your Amazon account, and check it out for yourself.
CLICK HERE to file a complaint with the Wisconsin Division of Trade and Consumer Protection.
Anyone wishing to learn more about the IDTRC can do so by CLICKING HERE. The IDTRC is a resource for anyone who has questions about cyber security, or is a victim of identity theft.
Copyright 2021 WBAY. All rights reserved.


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It is the largest individual compensation factory solution ever, says an international group of workers’ rights.
Underwear brand Victoria’s Secret will pay more than $ 8.3 million (about € 7.7 million) in compensation to more than a thousand laid-off Thai workers, labor law activists said on Saturday, according to news agency AFP.
The Brilliant Alliance Thailand plant in Samut Prakan, near Bangkok, went bankrupt in March 2021. In addition to Victoria’s Secret, the plant made underwear for American brands owned by Sycamore Partners, Lane Bryant, and Torrid.
The closure of the plant laid off 1,250 workers who did not receive severance pay under Thai law, AFP said.
Of the three brands, only Victoria’s Secret participated in the agreement on severance pay. The final compensation was successful through a loan arrangement with the plant owners.
Victoria’s Secret confirmed that it had reached an agreement on compensation, but did not mention the exact amount, AFP says.
At issue is the largest-ever redress solution for a single garment factory, says the international workers’ rights group Solidarity Center AFP.
“I think the agreement is extremely unprecedented and represents a new model: the amount of severance pay and interest paid on it … and the direct commitment of the brand,” Solidarity Center Thailand Country Director David Welsh said to AFP.
Problems with payroll in the clothing industry have only increased during the interest rate pandemic, says another Worker Rights Consortium, which focuses on workers’ rights.
The organization’s report from April last year says similar payroll problems had been recorded in 31 clothing factories in nine countries.
Even these cases are believed to be just the tip of the iceberg. Executive Director of the Worker Rights Consortium Scott Nova estimates to AFP that $ 500 million is owed to clothing workers worldwide.


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With consolidation in mind, enterprise social media platform HootSuite is buying (another) social media platform Seesmic.
“The companies are not disclosing the price, but we have been told it will be based on how well HootSuite manages to convert Seesmic users on to its own product,” TechCrunch reports.
Remarkably, “HootSuite and Seesmic were founded around the same time in 2008, though it took a year for Seesmic to move into its social network marketing platform development,” WebProNews writes. “HootSuite focuses heavily on marketing its services to its business clients, which it says includes 79 of the Fortune 100 companies.”
Post acquisition, “the Seesmic brand will eventually fade away as Hootsuite decides which of the social media client's features best fit Hootsuite's goals,” CNet reports.
Yet, while Seesmic’s days are now numbered, VentureBeat marvels at the start-up’s run. “Seesmic … is the king of the pivot, starting life as video commenting tool, becoming a Twitter client, transitioning to a client for social services in general, transmogrifying … into a customer relationship management system, and most recently, transforming back into a social-media cross-posting tool via its Ping.fm acquisition.”
Alas, “Seesmic chief executive Loic Le Meur had to lay off half of his staff back in March, and this buyout from HootSuite is partially a talent acquisition for the remaining roster,” according to AllTwitter.
“At the time [of the downsizing], Seesmic had been aiming to build some enterprise-grade social media tools and had gotten a $4 million funding boost from Salesforce.com and SoftBank to do just that,” AllThingsD notes.
All told, HootSuite currently claims about 4.5 million business users, but won’t say how many of them are paying customers.


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University of Iowa News Release
Oct. 24, 2005
UI Press Annual Holiday Sale Under Way
The University of Iowa Press' annual holiday sale is under way, with lots of gift books available at low prices.
Selected UI Press books on sale include titles on regional history and nature, as well as photo books, cookbooks and poetry collections. Books are available at discount prices through the Press's website at www.uiowa.edu/uiowapress/holidaysale2005. To request a printed copy of the sale flyer, please email firstname.lastname@example.org or call 319-335-2008.
STORY SOURCE: University of Iowa News Service, 300 Plaza Centre One, Suite 371, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-2500.
MEDIA CONTACT: Tom Snee, 319-384-0010, email@example.com.


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The Indian government banned PUBG Mobile, one of the most popular game titles in India, in September 2020 for security reasons. Tencent Games, a game developer, was reportedly exchanging data with the Chinese government, according to government. The PUBG Corps has been working hard to lift the ban since it was implemented. The developers have also indicated that the Indian edition of the game will be distinct from the global version and that it will be hosted entirely on Indian servers.
PUBG Mobile India Relaunch
The Indian ban on PUBG Mobile was frustrating for Indian fans and PUBG Mobile streamers. However, the announcement of a PUBG Mobile India version gives the Indian gaming community a ray of hope. In the most recent development, GodNixon, aka Luv Sharma, a prominent PUBG Mobile content maker, has stated that the government has approved the game’s relaunch in the country.
GodNixon reported in his most recent video, titled “PUBG Mobile India Update! Government Approved,” that “sources verified that the government has given PUBG Mobile a green signal.” However, sources have yet to confirm the exact release date. Ghatak, a famous content maker, has already begun posting stories and hints about PUBG Mobile’s return to India.
Ghatak, the founder of PUBG Mobile content, confirmed the news in a tweet, saying, “I wasn’t going to disclose this, but the audience’s support couldn’t stop me from making revelations.” The next two months will be great for PUBG fans, and TSM fans should expect a slew of exciting updates. Please don’t ask about the date.”
It’s worth noting that the PUBG Corporation has yet to make a formal announcement regarding the relaunch of PUBG Mobile India. As a result, we advise not to get too excited about the game’s relaunch and to take this news with a pinch of salt.
“I can’t say something about the timing or anything because we don’t know yet,” she says. But what I can tell you is that we care a lot about the Indian market, and that’s how I met you and made friends in the Indian gaming industry. So we’ll certainly work hard to make it happen,” Sean Hyunil Sohn, Head of Corporate Development at Krafton, told NODWIN Gaming’s MD and co-founder Akshat Rathee.
Also Read: 5 Best Android Multiplayer Games in 2021
Another erroneous alarm?
We’ve had a number of false alarms like this in recent months, and this may be one of them. The government does not need to offer permission for an app or game to launch in India, as previously stated, but since this includes geopolitical events, the game will need an informal nod for a relaunch.


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From a year anniversary of the shocking demonetization announcement last year, to the long-awaited increase in Twitter character limit, from the OnePlus 5T India pricing leaks to iPhone X being anointed with the title of the best display, it all happened today. Also Read - Explained: Can Twitter get banned in India?Also Read - Twitter vs government: Twitter India loses legal protection for not complying with IT rules on time
Demonetization anniversaryAlso Read - Twitter friends/followers seeking your unwanted attention could be Unmentioned
A year ago this day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the country by a storm with the sudden demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. Those were soon replaced by new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes. On the anniversary of this memorable day, we look back upon how this one announcement altered the lives of many in the country.
Further, we also look back upon how this announcement led to a drastic boost to digital payments in the country, while the awareness about the service still remains patchy amongst the users.
Twitter 280-character limit
After running a successful trial with few users, Twitter today finally rolled out its new 280-character limit for all users. In September, Twitter launched a test that expanded the 140-character limit so that users could express themselves easily in a tweet.
Apple iPhone X best display
After the Galaxy Note 8 was anointed the title of the best display ever made of a smartphone two months ago, Samsung has once again claimed this title. However this time it is not for its own smartphone, but the Apple iPhone X. DisplayMate has awarded that title and an A+ grade to Apple iPhone X s display.
OnePlus 5T India pricing
In a new report today it was hinted that the OnePlus 5T may be priced the same at the OnePlus 5 launched earlier this year. To put things in perspective, the base variant of OnePlus 5 is priced at Rs 32,999, while the higher model retails at Rs 37,999.
iOS 11 adoption
Finally, Apple today released the stats on the adoption rate of its new OS for iPhone and iPad. According to data collected up to November 6, 2017, iOS 11 is running on 52 percent of active devices. In comparison, iOS 11 is a little behind iOS 10, which at this time last year was running on 60 percent devices.
You Might be Interested


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116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Fresh Market on Tuesday said it will close 13 stores in four states on May 18, including locations in northeast Cedar Rapids and West Des Moines.
The Greensboro, N.C., specialty grocer opened a 24,000-square-foot store at 180 Collins Rd. NE on Oct. 1, 2014.
In a news release, Fresh Market said the decision to close the locations was made following the completion of an organizational analysis and consideration of the company's overall growth strategy and long-term financial performance.
'The decision to close these stores is a difficult but necessary step with the end goal of producing a stronger, more agile company,” Rick Anicetti, Fresh Market president and chief executive officer, said in the statement. 'This shift also allows us to focus our energy and resources on the growth of our remaining stores, as well as new stores we have planned in the future.”
When the Cedar Rapids store opened, in a former Kmart location, it employed about 90 people.
Fresh Market said all eligible employees at the stores scheduled to close have been offered the option to apply for a position at another store location and will receive a separation package.
'We will have human resources and store operations team members in each of these stores throughout the week to assist employees with any transition needs they may have,” Anicetti said.
Founded in 1982, Fresh Market operates 175 stores in 23 states.
The Cedar Rapid store is a tenant in the Collins Crossing shopping center, which also has a Home Goods, Hobby Lobby and Shoe Carnival.


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NEW YORK — What a difference a day makes.
Traffic was up, and exhibitors were much happier yesterday, the second day of the Direct Marketing Association's DMD Conference & Exhibition at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
“Traffic was not great [Monday]. There were too many vendors on the floor. Today it's the exact opposite,” said Bob Portner, senior account executive at Kroll Direct Marketing Inc., Plainsboro, NJ, adding that he expects next year's show to be even better.
Even an exhibitor with a less-than-ideal booth spot was happy.
“It was better today than [Monday],” said Cora A. Park of TC Direct, Cinnaminson, NJ, whose booth was in one of the rear corners of the floor and had several empty booth spaces surrounding it. “It was good, but I'm sure it was better in the front and middle aisles. Some people look and think that there is nobody back here.”
First-time attendee Dan Monaghan, co-founder of WSP Internet Consulting & Education, Toronto, a Web site creator for small businesses, found the show valuable.
“I'm actually surprised at how big and dynamic and relevant it is,” he said. “I've been attending a lot of tech shows, and they've been in steady decline. It's actually quite refreshing to see a conference so dynamic.”
Monaghan said he found it hard to choose among which sessions to attend because “there was two to three to go to. [But] it's relevant for us. I'll attend the fall show. I'll put the DMA on the list of conferences to attend.”
Diana Arroyo, vice president of operations and finance at Carney Direct Marketing, Irvine, CA, said she was pleased with the show overall.
“I think it's an indicator that business is coming back, said Arroyo, whose only wish was that more mailers would visit the exhibit hall.


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MediaTek at its Virtual Chapter of MediaTek Diaries event reiterated its focus on R&D to enable ‘Make in India’ and ‘AtmaNirbhar Bharat’, and said that it is committed to enabling the Indian smart devices ecosystem and boosting 5G capabilities to make great technology available and accessible to everyone.
MediaTek announced its collaboration with VVDN Technologies, a leading product engineering, cloud, and manufacturing company in India, to offer a new range of MediaTek AIoT solutions for home and office use.
MediaTek and VVDN will be working closely to design, develop, and manufacture innovative AIoT solutions, including camera solutions, home automation solutions, and Voice Assistant Devices / smart speakers. These smart devices powered by MediaTek will be rolled out in India in the fourth quarter of 2020, said the company.
MediaTek has also launched its brand-new microsite for Indian Non-Mobile products (smart devices beyond the smartphones) that offers detailed information on a variety of products powered by MediaTek chips, including smart home solutions (AIoT, set-top boxes, smart TVs, Voice Assistant Devices), retail broadband, education tablets, POS terminals, biometric devices, and automotive solutions.
Commenting on the same, Anku Jain, Managing Director, MediaTek India, said:
MediaTek leads the market in chipset technology for Smart Phones, Smart TVs, Voice Assistant Devices (VADs), Android tablets, feature phones and more. A recent report by techARC also states that amongst chipset manufacturers, MediaTek leads in terms of adoption of its chipset solution by various OEMs across several devices including TVs, Smart Speakers, STBs, TWS among others. India remains a key growth market for us, both in terms of business value proposition and talent pool. We are keen to enable the ’Make in India’ narrative by collaborating with indigenous device makers like VVDN Technologies to create smart solutions in India, targeted at both Indian and global consumers.
Vivek Bansal, President Engineering and Co-Founder, VVDN Technologies, said:
We are excited to work with MediaTek as the association will contribute greatly towards our ‘Make in India’ initiatives. VVDN’s collaboration with MediaTek will enable us to work together on innovative and cost-effective smart devices at our Global Innovation Park (GIP) manufacturing hub in Manesar which houses an elaborate R&D, design, engineering and electronic Manufacturing Facility. We look forward to a long and successful alliance with MediaTek.


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The inflation rate in September 2023, went up by 31.4% on a year-on-year basis. The CPI at the end of September 2023 stood at 2% higher than August 2023. While this is an alarming statistic in itself there is something that deserves a little more attention.
For the last few years, Pakistan’s rural areas face a higher value of inflation. The effect trickles down significantly even in core inflation, something that was not the case a few years ago. In a country where rural areas have historically had a higher food security and less reliance on energy, why is the inflation higher?
Inflation and Core Inflation:
As some perceptive readers may already know, inflation is the rate of change in the prices. Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a widely accepted “bucket of goods” that is used to measure this change.
However, as seen in recent times, exogenous shocks such as international fuel prices or the shortages in supply of a certain commodity can have a huge impact on inflation. In fact most of the inflation that happened in Pakistan in the last 2 years, can be attributed to increase in taxes and oil prices in the international market (underscored by the falling value of the rupee) which makes imported fuel expensive, increasing the cost of production and eventually cost of living.
But what is core inflation and why is the calculation of core inflation important? Core inflation is crucial because it provides a stable measure of an economy’s underlying price trends. By excluding volatile components like food and energy, it helps policymakers make informed decisions about monetary policy, guides financial planning for businesses, shapes inflation expectations, and aids in risk assessment. It offers a clearer picture of persistent, structural inflation pressures, ensuring that economic policies are well-targeted and that individuals can better navigate their financial landscapes.
Coming to our scope, it was interesting to note that core inflation was also recorded at a higher level in rural areas than in urban areas. At the end of September, core inflation in rural areas increased by 27.3 % and in urban areas the increase was recorded at 18.6%. Similarly, core inflation for urban and rural regions, at year end- FY23 was at 18.5 % and 25.2% respectively. In the graphs below, it can be seen how rural inflation has differed from urban inflation over the course of the year.
So if the changes in the prices of fuel due to the rupee value or an increase in levy is not the reason for the price increase, then why is rural inflation higher?
Talking to Profit, renowned economist and Deputy Executive Director at the Sustainable Policy Development Institute (SDPI), Dr. Sajid Amin states that in the past few decades, this trend has been observed in most of the agricultural countries.
He says that since the numbers of inflation were small, and are still small in the neighbouring countries, they go unnoticed. But since the inflation numbers have started crossing the 20% mark in Pakistan, it has become really apparent.
Apart from the general lack of accessibility, rural areas have also become increasingly reliant on technology. Contrary to popular belief, the rural population is much more reliant upon energy and fuel for their occupational and daily needs. Large distances and less public vehicles means that people will use fuel. Ever since “tractorisation”, the agricultural sector runs on electricity and fuel. From tractors to tube wells, everything reflects price increase in the fuel. Since the prices of fuel increase, the price levels will also increase, making it expensive to produce and cultivate.
But why is the core inflation on the rise then? Since it is devoid of energy prices. Answering this question, Dr. Amin states that “Even though core inflation does not have energy prices, it does not mean that it does not have an impact. A doctor charging a patient, or a barber charging his customer will always be cognizant of his cost of living and will price his service accordingly. SImilarly, any seller will include a factor of risk that comes with doing business in such an environment. This automatically raises the core prices. Since the risk is also higher in rural areas, the premium on the prices is higher.”
Another main reason is the absence of competitive markets. A major misconception that comes with villages is that they have food security. “Majority of the small farmers, (upwards of 86% amongst total farmers), only cultivate 2-3 major crops. For everyday food a villager also has to go to the market” says Dr. Amin.
However, unlike his counterpart in the cities, he does not have the luxury to buy from multiple shops and fix-price supermarkets. Rather the limited shopkeepers inside the village act as middlemen who go to the cities, buy food and vegetables and bring it back. Not only do they include the additional cost in the prices of the goods, the risk of operating in the current high inflation environment is also reflected in the prices that they set.
Supply Chain Challenges: Rural areas may face logistical challenges in accessing goods and services. This can result in higher transportation costs, which are often passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices for essential goods, as explained earlier. Limited infrastructure and distribution networks can exacerbate supply chain inefficiencies. The decrease in access is hence one of the main reasons for the difference of price.
Income Disparities: Rural areas often have lower average incomes compared to urban areas. This means that even moderate price increases for essential goods can have a more significant impact on the cost of living for rural residents.
Inflation might just be numbers, but to put it into context, the average rural inflation based on CPI for the last 3 years (FY20-FY23) is upwards of 80%, a bulk of which came during the last year.
According to a recent world bank report, more than 40% of people are now living under the poverty line. If reconciled with the findings with the last household income survey of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the percentage of rural population is almost a quarter above the average Pakistani. This means that the amount of people living below the poverty line in rural areas, crosses almost 50%. Compare this to the average inflation in the last 3 years and one realises how much worse the inflation is for the rural population.
What this essentially means is that there are people who have become really poor fairly recently and are not on the radar of the government.
Another impact of increased rural poverty is increased fear amongst businessmen. Under a high future expectation for inflation, prices are hiked, goods are hoarded and over profiteering becomes rampant. This becomes even more amplified in areas which are away from regulatory centres, i.e. rural areas. According to Dr. Sajid Amin, “At least 1/4th of the current inflation is due to bad governance. People are setting prices based on perception and the government is not doing anything to regulate that.”
Overall the impact is so severe that the bottom 40% in the rural areas are under extreme risk according to the World Bank report.
The increase in energy prices does not just make food and energy expensive, and is not just related to transportation, rather its impact is across the board.
Talking about a solution:
What can be done to make sure that the financially vulnerable of the rural areas get the same security as the urban population? While talking to Profit, Dr. Amin paints a rather gloomy picture.
“The government is going to need another IMF program in the coming years. It is easy to guess by the debt payments of Pakistan in the coming 2-3 years. This means that a contractionary monetary and tight fiscal policy is going to be in place for the short term” he says. What this means is that the government cannot expand capacity, create jobs or for that matter, bring inflation down below the 20% mark in the near future. The economy will move forward with slower growth and high inflation. According to Dr. Amin, the inflation is going to average between 20-25% for both FY24 and FY25.
With a high inflation it is important for the government to cover the bases especially for the vulnerable section. “First and foremost, we need to expand the social protection and social safety nets beyond urban areas. Especially for the people who have recently fallen below the poverty line. The government has data for targeted subsidies, called the NSeR (National Socioeconomic Registry), that needs to be updated.”
Typically in Pakistan, Social Safety Nets (SSN) comprise direct cash transfers and various services, encompassing both budgetary and non-budgetary programs. The budgeted social safety net programs encompass the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM), and Social Security & Welfare. Additionally, Zakat, Employees Old-age Benefit Institution (EOBI), and Workers Welfare Fund (WWF) form part of this framework. The non-budgetary part includes microfinance loans through private partners and INGOs.
“We have to relieve the bottom 40% now, from the price shocks through cross-subsidies.” he adds. “Secondly, the price control committees under the secretariat need to be reinstated. A lot of people think that these committees enforce prices like the bureaucracy itself, which is not true. Rather they keep the over profiteering in check that happens on a regular basis in the rural areas where there is lesser check and balance. These administrative measures also need to be implemented in cities under current circumstances.”
“Thirdly, I believe that agriculture and livestock are going to be a major generator of economic activity and exports in the near future. Manufacturing industry is underscored by the cost of fuel imports, which is a burden that is not borne by agriculture. The government needs to invest, not only in agriculture but also the SME sector affiliated with agriculture and livestock.”, exudes Dr. Sajid Amin.
This step can not only play a part towards reducing rural poverty but can also act as a saving grace for Pakistan. The preliminary interest in free trade with the Gulf region last month opens up a big opportunity for trade that is not reliant on imports. And in such capacity, agriculture, livestock and related industries can be some of the most attractive businesses, if they are supported by the government.


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The Playstation 4 has got a whole lot of great looking games coming up but one of the most interesting that I have seen is Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, in the case of story driven games that spread a wide sense of mystery this one looks to be quite decent. From the look of trailers I honestly would say that the game could last a while as you get wrapped up in exploring this interesting and reasonably deep would. Of course, developer The Chinese Room has announced just how long this game should take to get through when responding to a fans question, according to them the game should not take a large chunk of your time as they responded by saying:
Depends a lot on how much you explore. Probably 4-6 hours. Lots of insides to explore 🙂
The studio was also asked if the game might see a physical release which in all honesty would be the preferred release method, unfortunately this most likely won’t happen as the studio has said they must sell a large amount of copies. Essentially pointing out a physical release would be extremely pointless.
Not unless it sells a very large number of copies 😉
Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture will release exclusively on the Playstation 4 digital store on August 11th.


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Back in November 2016 Patently Apple posted a report titled "Samsung Holds Needed Pep Rally and Decides Not to Destroy Millions of Note7's in 'Burning Ceremony."' The report noted that Samsung Electronics would dispose of all their Galaxy Note 7s collected due to discontinuation. Right up to the last moment when the decision was made to discontinue the Note7, Samsung was actually preparing to sell refurbished Note 7's to developing countries such as Africa. The idea was to sell the phones at low to medium discounted prices to help improve their damaged image, but the plan was scrapped. The report further noted that in total 4.7 million Note 7's were produced; 2.5 million at the time of the first recall and an additional 1.8 million units after the recall. According to Samsung during their live conference reviewing the causes of the Note7 fires, they announced that they had now recovered 96% of the discontinued phones.
But now that the Note 7 controversy is behind them they've decided to backtrack and and sell the old Note 7s with a new battery back into the market.
The refurbished smartphone market is big business and growing and Apple knows that best – and Samsung wants in on this market apparently.
A new Korean report today states that "Samsung Electronics is considering refurbishing the discontinued Galaxy Note 7 with a new battery in a move to minimize losses from the phone's unprecedented recall last year, Korea Economic Daily reported on Feb. 21.
The report, citing unnamed Samsung sources, said the Korean tech giant plans to launch the refurbished phones as early as in June."
Samsung is scheduled to provide each refurbished Note 7 phone with a new smaller battery and outer shell, along with other key replacement parts.
The report further noted that "In Korea alone, 98 percent of the total 3.06 million Note phones have been returned. Of them, 200,000 units were used for the company's investigation into the cause of battery explosion. An estimated 2.5 million phones are stocked as inventories. About 2.5 million units were sold abroad."
Considering refurbished phones' low popularity among local consumers, Samsung is likely to sell most of the refurbished phones in other emerging markets such as India and Vietnam.
Samsung started selling refurbished models of some flagship phones, such as the Galaxy S6 and Note 4, in the US in September last year. Its archrival Apple also launched refurbished iPhones in June as we reported.
Industry sources say Samsung could reduce losses from the Note fallout through refurbished phone sales.
By flooding the market with refurbished Note 7s and new Note 8's in the second half of the year, Samsung's smartphone business is likely to rebound.
Then again, U.S. Consumers beyond the Samsung cult appear to have lost confidence in the brand according to the new Harris Poll on brand reputation. Samsung went from being in the #3 spot in 2015 only to nosedive to #49 in 2016. That's one hell of a drop that could hurt Samsung's Galaxy S8 and Note 8 sales later this year.
And with Apple coming to the party with heavy artillery this year, Samsung is going to have to come up with an incredible line-up or miracle to beat Apple during the holiday quarter 2017.
But for now, the news is simple. Samsung will resell refurbished Note 7 smartphones later this year.
About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.


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A DECISION by the U.S. Supreme Court could help level the playing field between bricks-and-mortar and internet-based businesses, while also enabling states and local governments to collect billions of dollars in sales tax revenue.
The 5-4 opinion handed down June 21 will allow states to collect sales tax on purchases their residents make from remote retailers, setting aside restrictions that date to the mail-order catalog era that limited tax collections only to vendors that had stores or some other physical presence in the state.
Ruling on a lawsuit South Dakota brought against Wayfair and two other online sellers, Overstock.com Inc. and Newegg Inc., the court said the previous 1992 law, known as the Quill decision, was flawed and outdated because of advances in technology and commerce.
"The Internet's prevalence and power have changed the dynamics of the national economy," Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion. "This expansion has also increased the revenue shortfall faced by states seeking to collect their sales and use taxes."
The decision was welcomed by traditional storefront Main Street retailers that have seen sales decline as more consumers migrate to online shopping, and by state and local units of government that have witnessed a corresponding drop in sales tax revenue.
The stakes are high. E-commerce sales totaled $450 billion in 2017, or about 13 percent of all retail activity. While customers previously were responsible for paying the sales tax to the state themselves if they weren't charged it, few did.
The court's decision now means online retailers will no longer have an advantage created by tax-free shopping.
Specifically, budget projections supplied by the city of Quincy earlier this year showed its 1 percent share of the state sales tax is expected to remain stagnant, or be slightly lower, instead of growing at 2 to 3 percent a year, which it did for six consecutive years.
Meanwhile, the city's 1.5 percent home rule sales tax was forecast to drop to $9.375 million in the fiscal year that ended April 30 and to $9.291 million for the current fiscal year after reaching its peak of $9.6 million in fiscal year 2017.
That's a disturbing trend because sales tax collections represent 28 percent of the city's revenue and the home rule sales tax makes up 27 percent. Together, budget projections pointed to a nearly $410,000 decline for this fiscal year.
That's revenue needed to pay bills and provide vital services.
Illinois began collecting the 6.25 percent state sales tax on more online purchases from sellers with a warehouse, office or other presence in the state with the 2015 "Amazon tax." A percentage of that is distributed to local governments based on population.
But the tax hasn't covered out-of-state vendors who don't have a presence selling merchandise online to Illinois residents. And cities like Quincy that have a local sales tax haven't been able to collect taxes on what their residents buy online unless they're home to a warehouse or fulfillment center.
Admittedly, traditional brick-and-mortar retailers still face an uphill battle in competing with the convenience of online shopping. But the Supreme Court's decision is a step in the right direction to create marketplace fairness.


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You're very welcome. And for the best experience, be sure to try the Yahoo Mail App for iOS :) If something goes wrong, we're able to provide more troubleshooting assistance for the Yahoo Mail App compared to the native iOS client.— Yahoo Customer Care (@YahooCare) December 12, 2017
Yahoo drops support for native iOS Mail app, says it's 'insecure'
Looks like Yahoo has taken a big decision, but hasn’t officially announced it yet. Let’s start with a bit of background. For months now (we saw reports as old as from October 2017), Yahoo Mail users have been complaining sync issues with the service while accessing it from within the native Apple iOS Mail app. But the problems still stands unresolved.
The issue is being reported/discussed by Yahoo Mail-iOS users on almost every relevant forum online. There are several threads discussing the problem on Apple’s official forum, with one of the oldest ones currently on its 9th page and almost 2000 users saying they have the same problem (the number on the ‘I have this question too’ button we are referring to here).
The thread is marked as solved, with the solution post shockingly not even remotely mentioning a solution. Ironically, the post is from an affected user who is blaming Apple for the problem. Here’s the post in question:
I’ve been having this issue for the last two iOS updates so I find it hard to believe it’s a Yahoo! issue. Something Apple changes seems to be causing issues with the ability to get email. Not Happy!
Moving on, there are many threads discussing the problem on the official Yahoo forums as well, and one of them is into its 36th page now, with users still complaining. It’s also marked as SOLVED, with the solution post being from an official Yahoo staff member Jim_Jam who says they are investigating the problem.
Our engineers are investigating. We do recommend checking your IMAP settings and in some cases, you would need to enable an app specific password.
At least that’s meaningful compared to the solution post in the Apple’s thread we discussed earlier. The Yahoo post in question is dated December 19 – dates are important here, we’ll tell you later why.
A couple of days later – on December 21 – the same Yahoo staff member Jim_Jam wrote a dedicated post in the ‘known issues’ section, effectively re-iterating the same ‘being worked on’ status.
We’ve received reports that emails aren’t showing up or being re-downloaded in the Mail app on iPhone and iPad. Our engineering team is currently working to resolve this issue as soon as possible
What’s worth observing here is that there’s another issue they acknowledged in addition to the sync problem: emails are being re-downloaded.
As per the practice Yahoo follows, every thread in their ‘known issues’ section is updated once the problem is resolved, but there’s no update in this case so far, meaning these issues are yet to be fixed.
Then last week (January 17), Yahoo’s mobile community manager Marilyn Jaynes provided another heads-up, but only on the email re-download issue, saying:
We are aware of this issue and Yahoo Mail and Apple are actively working to resolve it
Curiously missing was an update on the problem that majority of users are facing: new emails – few in some cases, while all in other – not showing up in inbox of the native iOS Mail app. Also, what seemed odd to us, Jaynes’ post was a bit heavy on selling the official Yahoo Mail for iOS app to users.
We recommend you download the free Yahoo Mail app for the iOS client, available in the App Store. When using the Yahoo Mail app, you will not experience the same issue.
The plot thickened when we went through the company’s replies to users highlighting the sync problem on Twitter. To put it plainly, replies from Yahoo customer reps slowly went up from being polite to borderline rude. Take a look:
Sorry that you're not happy with the official Yahoo Mail App. Unfortunately, we do not presently have any est. time of resolution. If you have removed and re-added your account to the iOS client and it still does not work, I would suggest reaching out to Apple for support.— Yahoo Customer Care (@YahooCare) December 19, 2017
We recommend always accessing your account via https://t.co/aEgKfHhA0o or our Yahoo Mail app. We cannot guarantee the functionality of a third party client such as the iOS app.— Yahoo Customer Care (@YahooCare) December 21, 2017
Notice the dates: First tweet is from 12 Dec, second is from 19 Dec, and third one is from 22 Dec.
Now question arises, why is this change in attitude? Was there some information that slowly propagated down the Yahoo hierarchy, and took a week or so to reach the company’s social media reps?
Well, some more digging, and we think we found the answer. An affected user shared a screenshot of their 1:1 chat with Apple Support, where the Apple rep made it clear that Yahoo has ended its support for the native Mail app on Apple’s iOS. As for the reason, they revealed the company now wants iOS users to use the official Yahoo Mail app instead.
The tweet in which the above screenshot was shared is dated December 13. Suddenly everything seems to be adding up, isn’t it? You can now see a pattern in the way events unfolded – decision taken before December mid, reached company reps later that month, and the strategy seems to be to keep the problem unresolved, while pushing users to opt the official Yahoo Mail app.
As if that wasn’t enough, there’s one more thing we want to highlight. While the reply from Apple’s gives a feeling that Yahoo took the decision as it just wants users to use their official Yahoo Mail for iOS app, some users have a different story to tell.
On an Apple forum thread discussing the sync issue, an affected user revealed that as part of troubleshooting the problem, they removed/deleted the Yahoo Mail account from the iOS Mail app and then upon re-adding it manually, they received an email from Yahoo that effectively said iOS’ Mail app is insecure.
Your account is currently not enabled to sign in from apps that do not meet modern security standards (ex. Older versions of mail and calendar apps such as Outlook). As a result, we prevented a sign in to your Yahoo account.
We strongly recommend that you switch to Yahoo’s apps such as Yahoo Mail on desktop and mobile and remove your account from all other less secure apps.
If you still want to use an app that uses less secure sign in, go to https://login.yahoo.com/account/security#other-apps and turn on “Allow apps that use less secure sign in”. This is not recommended and may leave your account more vulnerable to compromise. To learn more, please visit our help page: https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN27791.html.”
To conclude, Yahoo seems to have dropped support for the native iOS Mail app because of security reasons, while Apple is indirectly saying Yahoo just wants users to go for their official Yahoo Mail for iOS app. So fingers are being pointed, but not publicly. And what about users you ask?
“Do hell with them.” “We always strive to provide best possible experience.” 😉
Stay connected with us on Twitter (@PiunikaWeb) to hear about all related developments as and when they occur


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Sales of pumpkins ahead of Halloween have hit record levels as consumers buy them to eat as well as carve, a supermarket has said.
Tesco said it had sold twice as many “culinary” pumpkins as last year, since they went on sale three weeks ago.
The increase in customers buying pumpkins to eat has helped push up general pumpkin sales by almost 10% on last year, the retailer said.
Tesco said the increase in plant-based food in the UK is boosting demand, but awareness has also spiked around the waste created by Halloween, in the amount of plastic and pumpkins discarded after the event.
Many Britons do not consider pumpkins to be food, and around 18,000 tonnes of the fruit are thrown away every year after being carved out for Halloween decorations, figures from Wrap (the Waste and Resources Action Programme) suggest.
Shoppers will also have seen carving pumpkins labelled as “for ornamental use only”, but supermarkets are moving away from using this advice.
Pumpkin is often recommended by dietitians for controlling cholesterol and weight, and a 100g serving provides just 26 calories, with no saturated fats or cholesterol while being rich in fibre, anti-oxidants, minerals and vitamins.
Tesco pumpkin buyer David Tavernor said: “We offer several different types of pumpkin, with the carving varieties traditionally more popular.
“But this year, instead of binning the carved out flesh, more shoppers are cutting down on their food waste by eating the delicious fruit.
“Until now shoppers have bought pumpkins mainly to carve, and although we’ve always stocked the smaller culinary variety, demand for those has always been lower compared to the larger ones grown for carving.”
Oakley Farms, near Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, is one of the UK’s largest suppliers of pumpkins, growing about five million each year.
Steve Whitworth, from Oakley Farms, said: “We actually planted about 20% more culinary pumpkins this year as we anticipated that demand might be up because of the plant-based food revolution.”
Tesco sells six pumpkin varieties – Novelty, Giant, Large, Standard, Culinary and Munchkin.


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Dish's AirTV combines 4K streaming with an over-the-air antenna
A weird mashup of old-school and modern TV tech.
Sling TV accidentally reveals its set-top box for cord cutters
The AirTV Player melds over the air broadcasts, Sling TV and even Netflix.
Apple's TV single sign-on feature goes live in the US
You no longer need to log in to every last service provider on your Apple TV or iOS device.
Sling TV just added even more kids programming
There's new content from Kabillion, Kaboom and Splash.
Dish helps you follow out-of-town NBA teams
Team Pass is available as a pay-TV extra for the first time.
Watch the Olympics in 4K Ultra HD on Comcast, DirecTV or Dish
The 83 hours of UHD broadcasts with HDR and Atmos audio will be on 24-hour tape delay.
Dish's new TV remote listens to your voice commands
But it only works with the Hopper 3 and 4K Joey.
Dish drops NFL channels after deal expires
It's the latest in network-related disputes for the TV provider.
Some Dish subscribers will miss NBA and NHL playoff games
The network has blacked out Fox affiliates and other Tribune stations.


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Yusuf Mehdi, head of marketing and strategy for Microsoft's Xbox group, speaks during the presentation of the Xbox One as part of ChinaJoy 2014 China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference in Shanghai July 30, 2014. Microsoft Corp will launch its Xbox One gaming console in China on September 23, making it the first foreign company to start selling consoles in the world's third biggest gaming market after a ban on the devices was lifted this year. Microsoft is forging ahead with the console launch despite Tuesday's government announcement that the U.S. software giant is the subject of an anti-monopoly investigation. REUTERS/Carlos Barria (CHINA - Tags: BUSINESS SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY)
Content engaging our readers now, with additional prominence accorded if the story is rapidly gaining attention. Our WSJ algorithm comprises 30% page views, 20% Facebook, 20% Twitter, 20% email shares and 10% comments.


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Maui Police Conduct Walk Through at Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center on Day 1 of Phased ReopeningMay 11, 2020, 12:44 PM HST · Updated May 11, 2:04 PM 33 Comments
The Maui Police Department conducted a live walk through at the Queen Kaʻahumanu Center in Kahului on the first day of Maui’s phased reopening of retail businesses at around noon today. Many retailers remain closed or are in the process of cleaning for a future reopening.
Among the businesses that are open include but are not limited to: Starbucks, Ben Franklin Crafts/House Mart (M-Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sun. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) , Camellia’s Seeds, Lens Crafters, T-Mobile, VolcanoEcigs (vape kiosk), Zumiez, Pretzel Maker, CVS Pharmacy, Vitamin World, Nā Koa Brand, Sacred Ties Tatau, Miko Galleries, The Foam Company and Shapers.
Pearl’s and Baduas at the food court are open for take out orders, however the tables and chairs have been removed from the dining area. The QKC Farmers Market is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Sew Special is taking online orders and is offering curbside pickup on Tuesday and Saturday.
Hallmark will open on May 18, 2020. Macy’s and Victoria’s Secret remain temporarily closed as of today and are offering purchases online.
Checking out QKC and it’s opening… what can you expect
Posted by Maui Police Department on Monday, May 11, 2020
*Video courtesy of Maui Police Department.
Scroll Down to Read 33 Comments


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United Parcel Service (UPS) Flight Forward drones have flown prescription medicines to the front lawn of a private residence and a retirement facility, the U.S.unit’s first revenue-producing deliveries for drugstore chain CVS Health.
Flight Ahead’s maiden delivery flight on Friday in Cary, North Carolina, beat competitors in a single section of the race for the burgeoning market. The second drone flight delivered medicines to a public space at a retirement group.
The shipments, roughly the size of small shoeboxes, have been lowered from drones floating at an altitude of about 20 feet.
UPS and CVS said Tuesday the deliveries had been the first of their kind under a program authorized by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Regulators are still preparing guidelines for how the unmanned winged vehicles will function in U.S. airspace, and guidelines are anticipated in 2021.
“We see big potential in drone delivery in rural neighborhoods where life-saving medicines are needed, and consumers at times can’t conveniently access one of our outlets,” said Kevin Hourican, president of CVS Pharmacy.
In September, UPS became the first firm to win the broadest FAA certification to operate a drone airline. That allows Flight Forward to collect payment for drone deliveries and to fly as many drones backed by as many operators as necessary to fulfill customer demand.
Flight Forward and drone startup Matternet have struck a variety of deals to ship biological samples on a handful of pharmaceutical campuses.
Wing, a drone operator, owned by Google parent Alphabet, is collaborating with Walgreens and FedEx for a house delivery pilot in Christiansburg, Virginia.


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OMG- Ms Rosie Bea Is Bringing Out A Beauty Range!
25 April 2016, 16:02 | Updated: 6 November 2017, 09:34
Take all our money!
YouTubers bringing out beauty ranges is nothing new but we have to say we were delightfully surprised to see the amazing Ms Rosie Bea announcing her latest news. Indeed, earlier today we were having a discussion in the office about our love of Rosie, having followed her from the first day we set eyes on her as part of Daily Mix's Beauty Boot Camp. Just eighteen months later, Rosie has amassed nearly a quarter of a million subscribers and her brand new announcement means she's set to propel into the big time.
Working in collaboration with eyelash icons Eylure and nail brand Elegant Touch, Rosie is set to bring out an exclusive range of products to be sold in Superdrug! At the time of writing, we don't have full details but we can no doubt expect some amazing pairs of false lashes and gorgeous false nails.
Speaking in her announcement video, Rosie revealed that she immediately worked on some moodboards for both brands to showcase what styles and colour themes she was loving.
The announcement has been coupled with a Twitter hashtag #RosieBEAuty (see what they did there?) and fans and fellow YouTubers have flooded Twitter with some heartfelt congratulations messages (us included).
Rosie's rise to YouTube fame has been incredible, having taken part in Beauty Boot Camp in 2014. Rosie was eliminated fairly early on but gained a rapid following due to her incredibly warm personality, gorgeous hair and amazing make-up skills. Since then, Rosie has gone on to make regular beauty, fashion and lifestyle content alongside attending school making her one of the hardest working YouTubers around.
If, like us, you're dying for a look at the products and a big reveal then you won't have too long to wait as Rosie revealed in her announcement video that she'll be showcasing the range on Wednesday 4th May- the countdown is on!
Congratulations, Rosie- we couldn't be more proud of you!


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Skyline’s new project! “More than Boba- Meet Startup Founders &CEO from Taiwan”
The most dangerous place in the world? No! We are the most creative place in the world!
This new project will lead you to know more about Taiwan! We hope to share great Taiwanese startups to the world through interviewing founders of varied companies.
二拾衫TWENTYTHREE — Where Thrifting Becomes A Synonym for Quality
“We’re trying to dissociate the negative connotation toward pre-owned clothing through the deliberate use of the term ‘idling clothes’ (閒置衣物),” Oscar Yang, founder of 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE, explained. While thrifting has become an ongoing trend in numerous countries such as the United States, the Taiwanese general public’s attitude toward buying pre-owned items is still largely negative. Moreover, the options for pre-owned clothing are quite limited. However 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE is changing that.
Our interview was on an early Friday morning through Google Meets, but when we connected, Oscar was already in 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE’s perfectly lighted studio; all ready to go. Despite being confined by the video call screen, Oscar was able to animate us with his passion for sustainable fashion business. And his humorous responses makes him all the more approachable, just like 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE’s brand image — youthful and vibrant.
Oscar Yang has two roles, founder of 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE and a full-time business student
We were curious about why as full-time senior in college, he founded 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE in the first place. Oscar laughed and said that he has always loved to buy clothes, but the changes in his fashion tastes and body type left behind too much excess clothing for his small wardrobe. After discovering numerous international online thrifting platforms, he turned the solution to his own problem into a team project at school and built a website to resell “idling clothes.” While running the platform, Oscar and his team realized that they were actually able to solve people’s problem of excess clothing and alleviate the pollution brought by fast fashion. Moreover, because he has always been interested in entrepreneurship, this school project officially turned into a commercial brand, which is the TWENTYTHREE that we see today.
Originally, we assumed that the target customers of 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE are students or new graduates of the 20-30 age group. However, Oscar told us that most of their investors in the crowdfunding phase were 30-45 years old, while the age of the platform’s primary customers now have lowered by approximately 5 years to 25-40 years old. “The reason that students are not 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE’s target customers is because we have a fee for our clothing collecting service at the moment, which creates an entry barrier for students,” explained Oscar. “But we are planning to lower our fee in the future, allowing more consumers to enter the circular economy without financial burden and lowering the amount of fashion waste in Taiwan.”
“Despite knowing that fast fashion is harmful for the environment, Taiwanese people still purchase fast fashion products because there are no other options.”
“The Taiwanese public in general don’t have a high level of awareness of fashion pollution. Despite knowing that fast fashion is harmful for the environment, they still purchase fast fashion products because there are no other options,” Oscar admitted. Therefore, 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE aims to promote the benefits of buying pre-owned clothes by providing a new option for consumers. In order to increase potential customers’ purchase intention, the brand deliberately designed their website and visual presentation of pre-owned clothing to be aesthetically pleasing and represent quality. “Someone even criticized us once for making the platform so unlike a thrifting platform,” Oscar laughed. “This meant that we really changed the negative image of pre-owned clothes.” Moreover, the platform’s thirty-day return policy allows customers to build trust in the brand and to be more willing to buy pre-owned clothes under the premise of not being able to try them on.
Although consumers might raise concerns regarding the sanitary issues of pre-owned clothing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also led consumers to allocate more time and budget toward online shopping. Therefore, 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE is optimistic about the brand’s future growth, and is aiming to expand its product catalog to children’s clothes, accessories and handbags in the near future. The team’s long term goal is to find a place for the brand in the mainstream commercial market.
“I will always prioritize my team over academics, without a doubt”
When talking about the challenges he has faced when starting 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE, Oscar expressed that it’s the challenges that fuel his drive to keep on going. The skills that he has gained from starting up a business is incomparable to what he is able to learn at school. Therefore, “when facing time conflict between academics and running 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE,” said Oscar, “I will without a doubt choose 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE. I need to keep my team running.”
He also mentioned that the environment for startups in Taiwan still has a lot of space for improvement. Even though information and resources are quite accessible, issues such as mandatory military service, confusing governmental policies, and lack of support from schools makes Taiwan unfriendly for startups to develop.
“For those who want to start a business, make sure that you thrive under adverse environments,” advised Oscar, “and have a clear goal and mission in mind so that you won’t give up easily.” He also emphasized the importance of cultivating a keen sense in aesthetics and design. “Products and websites are always interconnected with visual design because only good visual designs can catch customers’ eyes,” he said. “And most importantly, being visionary allows one to plan for the future, creating a better long-term development for the business.”
Learn more about 二拾衫TWENTYTHREE: https://www.twentythree.com.tw/
Connect with 二拾衫 TWENTRYTHREE through Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/23twentythreetw/
Follow 二拾衫 TWENTRYTHREE by Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/23twentythree_tw/
Authors : Skyline overseas ambassadors 向序軒 ( Joy Hsiang), 游昀儒 (Rebecca Yu), 岳映緹 (Chloe Yueh)


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TORONTO — More than 25% of Direct Travel’s corporate clients say they can see their domestic business trips resuming in the next two to three months, and over 65% say they plan to be traveling again within the year.
The numbers come from Direct Travel’s just-released survey, which polled the travel management company’s corporate clients in Canada.
“The business travel industry took a significant hit as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are now beginning to see positive signs of that much-anticipated return,” said Brian Robertson, President, Canada West, Direct Travel. “Many clients are focused on post-coronavirus recovery.”
He called the survey stats “a very encouraging sign.”
The company notes that while many see business travel resuming before the end of this year, there are still uncertainties about what the new normal will look like for travel. A number of benchmarks need to be met before travellers are at ease travelling for work once again, with measures including guest health protocols, employee responsibilities, cleaning guidelines and social distancing requirements.
“One clear theme is the importance of post-COVID duty of care requirements and an increased focus on mandating travel policy compliance,” said Ian Race, Senior Vice President, Corporate Sales, Direct Travel.
Race adds that 60% of respondents indicated they will require a duty of care protocol and 84% plan to mandate travel policy compliance. “It is these safety and security concerns that will drive renewed interest in the travel program from corporate executive leadership, human resources and business travellers themselves.”
While the new normal is yet to be seen, business travel professionals and travel companies remain at the forefront of the future of business travel, says the company.
Added Robertson: “The resumption of travel means changing our collective approach to the travel experience. The COVID-19 crisis further emphasized the key reasons corporate clients rely on their travel management companies and I firmly believe that buyers need TMCs now more than ever.”
This week Travelweek caught up with Robertson and Race after they got back from flights to Calgary and beyond. Click here to hear about their experiences on the planes and at the airports, and their thoughts on travel’s new normal going forward.


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By SEMA Editors
SEMA Show Education is now accepting applications for industry professionals interested in hosting a seminar during the 2019 SEMA Show.
SEMA Show Education is now accepting applications for industry professionals interested in hosting a seminar during the 2019 SEMA Show. Of particular interest to the industry are speakers with experience in advanced vehicle technology, technical training and installation, small business best practices, digital marketing and social media activation, industry disruptions and solutions, diversity in the automotive industry, and brick-and-mortar vs. online retailers.
“The SEMA Show is about helping industry businesses succeed, and a big part of that is educating participants with information that will help take their companies to the next level,” said SEMA Vice President of Events Tom Gattuso. “Our seminars give Show participants greater return on their investment and an opportunity to learn about better strategies for success.”
To learn more, access the application and read the criteria.
The educational seminars make up an essential component of the SEMA Show. In addition to connecting automotive manufacturers with professional buyers from all over the world, the four-day SEMA Show is the leading venue for industry experts to network in person and learn new business strategies.
While topics address basic business practices, such as customer service, marketing and social media, the 2019 program will emphasize issues that are of greatest concern to businesses in the automotive aftermarket. All speakers should be able to focus on industry issues and not a specific company position or agenda.
“We pride ourselves in providing top-rated information from industry experts to attendees through the education program,” said SEMA Senior Director of Education Zane Clark. “Seminar proposals should be forward-looking, practical and provide attendees with practical takeaways.”
Applications for speaker submissions are available until Friday, March 1. For more details, contact Zane Clark at firstname.lastname@example.org, 909-978-6743.


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Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba reported revenue of RMB 93.49 billion ($13.93 billion) for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2019, marking 51% growth from the same period a year earlier.
Revenue beat analyst estimates of $13.42 billion for the quarter as growth momentum maintained compared with 58% year-on-year growth during the same period last year. Revenue for the 2019 fiscal year ended March 31 totaled RMB 376.84 billion, an increase of 51% year on year, lower than the company’s forecast of more than 60%.
Alibaba’s net income in the quarter ended March 31 was RMB 23.38 billion, an increase of 252% compared with RMB 6.64 billion in the same quarter of 2018.
Meanwhile, the percentage of revenue cost compared with total revenue in the quarter increased to 60%, or RMB 55.61 billion, from 53% of revenue or RMB 32.50 billion, in the same quarter of 2018.
“The increase in revenue cost was primarily due to our consolidation of Ele.me, as well as an increase of the cost of inventory and logistics from New Retail and direct sale businesses,” the company said in its announcement.
The company forecasted in its 2020 fiscal year outlook revenue of more than RMB 500 billion. Its fiscal year began April 1, 2019 and ends on March 31, 2020.
“More and more, Alibaba is becoming synonymous with everyday consumption in China, growing our base to 654 million annual active consumers and extending our penetration in less-developed cities,” said CEO Daniel Zhang. “Our cloud and data technology and tremendous traction in New Retail have enabled us to continuously transform the way businesses operate in China and other emerging markets, which will contribute to our long-term growth.”
The company’s core e-commerce business drove growth thanks to lower-tier city penetration, better purchase conversion, and expansion to local consumer services and new retail businesses.
Jiang Fan, who oversees the company’s two core marketplaces Tmall and Taobao, announced in April that the company plans to double transaction volume on business-to-consumer marketplace Tmall over the next three years.
However, slowing economy and US-China trade tension remains a long-term uncertainty for the e-commerce giant. The growth rate of China’s online retail sales dropped significantly from 17.8% year on year in the first four months of 2019 from 32.4% in the same period last year.
Revenue from Alibaba’s cloud computing unit rose 76% from last year to RMB 7.72 billion, passing the $1 billion benchmark. Although the growth rate is still impressive, it slowed significantly compared with the 103% year-over-year jump in the same period last year.
Aside from e-commerce and cloud, Alibaba has its hand in a number of other businesses, such as logistics company Cainiao, and digital and entertainment arms including video streaming site Youku and Alibaba Pictures.


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Yesterday we told you that the Apple is reported to launch the much-awaited iPhone 8 along with iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus in mid-September. Now, a new report has emerged online, which reveals that the base model of the iPhone 8 will be priced at $999 (approx. Rs 64,003).
According to a report by The New York Times, citing people briefed on the product, the 64GB base model will come with the above-mentioned price. Apple has included a bigger screen on this model and has added a host of new features like facial recognition, wireless charging and more, which has resulted in the increase of the price of the upcoming iPhone 8.
Interestingly, this also means that the 256GB version will cost around $1099, while the top model with 512GB storage, might cost you a whopping $1,199. This is in line with previous rumours that suggested the phone would cost around $1,200 when it will be launched.
Meanwhile, the company is reported to induce the Touch ID sensor under the display, however, if a recent report is believed to be true, the company is facing some major problems while doing so. The brand is reported to move the Touch ID sensor at the back panel.
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Previously, the Apple iPhone 8 camera feature was revealed from the leaked HomePod firmware. The phone is reported to come with a new ‘SmartCam’ scene selection mode along with a face recognition feature that will help authenticate Apple Pay. The SmartCam code will allow iPhone’s camera to automatically select a scene, similar to what we have seen in other smartphones like Sony, Samsung and more. The mode could adjust exposure, ISO and other variables according to the scene. The code mentions several scenes like Baby, Bright Stage, Document, Fireworks, Foliage, and more.


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With covid restrictions now a thing of the past across the whole of the UK, the gift card market is seeing growth in both retail and leisure sectors.
The latest report from the Gift Card & Voucher Association (GCVA) reveals the gift card industry now sits at a very positive 13.6% above pre-covid 2019 levels – demonstrating the strength of its recovery!
As the UK’s largest supplier of gift, loyalty and membership cards, we are delighted to see growth returning across the gift card market – and are confident this trend will continue in 2022 and beyond.
Need help maximising your gift card programme? Speak to Karen, Craig, Ajay, Ian, David, Paul or any other member of our friendly team.


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Harley Davidson plans to announce a new motorcycle in the virtual space. The presentation itself is titled “Evolution To Revolution” and will take place on July 13th at 10:00 am CDT. You can apply for participation on the official website.
The new bike will be the second Harley Davidson bike to feature a new Revolution Max engine that produces 150 hp. with a working volume of 1250 cm3. Perhaps H-D will roll out the new Nightster, as they recently registered a trademark in Europe. There is also another version. The photo of the engine closely resembles the Harley Davidson Custom 1250 prototype.
Following the successful launch of our first Pan America touring enduro, we are inspired to introduce yet another all-new Revolution Max motorcycle to the sports segment, while showcasing unrivaled Harley-Davidson technology, performance and style.
The virtual event will feature more details about the new motorcycle, featuring HOG experts, technicians and riders.


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Would you trust thousands of strangers to name your company?
Ad agency DW+H is giving it a try.
The Santa Monica firm has jumped on one of the hottest trends in business – “crowdsourcing” – to come up with a new name.
Crowdsourcing involves asking online groups to help with tasks ranging from the simple to the complex. The idea is that the crowd is smarter than the smartest person in the room.
Firm co-founder Lucas Donat said he decided a crowdsourced name could raise the profile of his company, which is not well known even though it has worked on high-profile campaigns, such as for Santa Monica-based dating site eHarmony.
“There is something very powerful about crowdsourcing that can make our industry better,” said Donat, who co-founded the firm about 20 years ago with his wife.
Donat has hired Victors & Spoils, a Boulder, Colo., ad agency to lead the process. Participants can register for free on VictorsandSpoils.com and submit ideas through Sept. 10. The new name will be announced before the end of the year, with the winner receiving $4,000.
The current name is simply an acronym representing the last names of Donat, his wife and another principal. Donat said he wants something punchier representing the firm’s philosophy that businesses can create positive societal change.
“It’s a tee-off to what your agency’s about,” he said.
– Bailey Brewer
For reprint and licensing requests for this article, CLICK HERE.


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A Toronto-based startup has been chastised by Apple Inc. for featuring nude photographs, CBC reports.
500px Inc.’s iOS app was removed from Apple’s App Store for “pornographic images” and “complaints about possible child pornography,” according to Apple. But the photo collage site, which showcases the best work of a community of online photographers, says the nude images are artistic.
Most users aren’t able to see the nude photos, which are blocked until you drill down to the individual image on a desktop Web site. But Apple is known for its strict adherence to its App Store policies.
Pupfingers, a startup acquired by 500px, has submitted a new app that addresses the concerns to Apple’s app store. 500px remains available on the Web and on the Google Play store.


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By: Rick Stein, Vice President, Fresh, Food Marketing Institute
Food retailers know the rules are changing. Now, to understand a customer’s purchasing decision it may take several complicated and detailed charts. One thing is certain, consumers want a shopping experience, but not just any experience, a tailored one that matches their exact needs. Today, a kaleidoscope of factors, including technology, is driving the atomization of American lives, how they plan and consume food.
Food retailers find themselves at the center of a consumer buying revolution. Top Trends in Fresh 2016 reports, 76 percent of all shopping trips begin online. This means manufacturers and retailers must consider how to offer personalization inside and outside of the store. This year, digital will influence 77 percent of all retail sales, and as technology continues to improve, creating digital strategies with personalized messages will be key. While technology continues to radicalize the food retail industry, grocers can create in-store experiences with specialty departments, and by expanding ethnic and international food selections.
Not only are shoppers seeking personalized experiences, they’re also seeking connections with what they’re buying. Food has shifted from being viewed as a commodity to a solution for a better life. Local foods are quickly moving from niche to critical mass and changing traditional food retail operations as we know them. Last year, local produce accounted for $20 billion of the U.S.’s $62 billion total produce sales, according to Top Trends in Fresh 2016.
However, FMI’s research shows the growing trend of hyperlocalization isn’t just about products being locally sourced, it digs deeper into how retailers do business. Do you hire hometown employees? Do you source your business needs through local contractors? Hyperlocalization is the ability for retailers to let their consumers know they’re invested and connected to the community they serve. By building your store as a local brand, retailers have an opportunity to position themselves as leaders in the localized consumer movement.


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The world's largest retailer, which employs nearly 1.6 million people in the United States, said more than 740,000 workers would receive Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro smartphones, cases and protection plans. Currently, most people share company devices.
China shipments fell to 14.9 million handsets in the quarter ended March from 30.1 million in the same period last year, according to research firm Canalys. Outside China, Huawei shipped 3.7 million units.
Its market share slumped to 16% from 41% a year ago, while Vivo and Oppo saw their shipments grow 79% and 65%, respectively. Vivo shipped 21.6 million units in the first quarter, while Oppo shipped 20.6 million.


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Managed Services Becoming Commodity?By Pedro Pereira | Print
Desktop-as-a-Service Designed for Any Cloud ? Nutanix Frame
Big-name vendors Intel and Dell are validating the managed services model, but will they also make it a commodity?
Recent moves by heavyweights Dell and Intel in the managed services market raise some questions about the market’s direction but, more importantly, add validity to a business model dismissed as hype not long ago.
Intel on April 8 launched its "white label" managed services offering, which includes hosted Exchange and Sharepoint components. A week earlier, Dell launched a pilot program to deliver managed services directly to customers, a move that is causing some anxiety in the channel about the vendor’s intentions despite its efforts in the past year to roll out an official channel program.
But Dell never denied it planned to have a direct managed services program, even as it prepared its channel strategy. In addition, the vendor is readying a MSP (managed services provider) certification initiative, the details of which Greg Davis, the vendor’s channel chief, said he will reveal before month’s end.
The Dell and Intel developments are significant because they indicate that these major vendors view the managed services model as a viable approach to the delivery of IT services. If these vendors put their marketing muscle behind raising awareness of the model among end users, they will make it easier for channel companies to promote it to their customers.
The vendors’ validation of the model also is likely to provide an impetus for those solution providers that have stayed out of managed services to change their minds.
As a result of some stumbling blocks and misconceptions when managed services started gaining popularity a few years ago, many in the channel dismissed the model as hype. But despite the holdouts, the perception has slowly changed as more and more VARs and integrators adopt the model or in, some cases, embark on complete transformations to become MSPs.
Some of the VARs and integrators looking to add managed services to their offerings are doing so in reaction to requests from their customers. As word gets out that it’s possible to monitor and manage systems remotely around the clock, and that tasks such as backup and recovery can be handled remotely as well, end users start asking their solution providers about the topic.
Clinton Gatewood, vice president of corporate development at Zenith Infotech, a managed services platform vendor in Warrendale, Pa., said that has become a common reason for solution providers to sign up as partners with Zenith.
Gatewood and I did a Webcast on Sept. 9 about managed services myths versus reality, an archive file of which will be available shortly at the company’s Web site.
In preparing for the Webcast, Gatewood and I had a wide-ranging discussion about the evolution of managed services. When I brought up the concern among some in the managed services channel about Dell and other major vendors potentially commoditizing the remote monitoring component of the model, Gatewood argued that piece already is a commodity.
If he is right, that means providers that continue to hold out will find it harder and harder to adopt the model in a profitable way. And those already delivering the services will feel more pressure to differentiate themselves. They’ll have to be ever more intimate with their customers’ business needs and make sure they are addressing those needs and helping the customer use IT strategically.
So regardless the direction in which Dell, Intel and other big-name vendors take the managed services space, priority for the managed services provider will be to tailor services to the customer’s needs and deliver them efficiently and effectively. Telling customers that a provider can remotely monitor and manage their IT environments won’t be enough.
Pedro Pereira is editor of eWEEK Strategic Partner and a contributing editor for The Channel Insider. He can be reached at email@example.com.


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WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court declined to take up three related petitions filed by Sears Holdings Corp., Whirlpool Corp. and BSH Home Appliance Corp. that have implications for retailers, manufacturers and consumers involved in product liability claims.
The High Court’s refusal to hear the cases essentially gave consumers a victory and allowed product liability lawsuits against the three companies in the lower courts to advance.
Peter Kim's Los Angeles-based premium denim line has always had its finger on the pulse of youth. This season, novelty is back in a way reminiscent of early Aughts, with studs, lace-ups, racing waxed denim and more. For more highlights if some of the key brands at the Vegas trade shows, go to WWD.com. #wwdfashion (📷: Patrick Gray; Styles by @thealexbadia; Story by @karihamanaka and @marcy_wwd)
"I was driving back on Saturday afternoon from the beach, and I just saw this sign saying 'Skydiving for $95.' And I was like, I can't not sky dive for $95," says Tom Bateman about a moment in Hawaii while shooting "Snatched." #wwdeye (📷: @vsteves; Interview by @ktauer; Styled by @thealexbadia)


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Wall Street will be focused on Coinbase with the digital currency exchange becoming a publicly traded company. Coinbase is making its initial public offering of stock with cryptocurrency chatter seemingly everywhere, even at the U.S. Federal Reserve. It is being incorporated into the business plans and accepted by major corporations like Tesla, PayPal and Visa.
“The Coinbase IPO is potentially a watershed event for the crypto industry and will be something the Street will be laser focused on to gauge investor appetite,'” Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives wrote this week.
There were 43 million verified Coinbase users in 2020, with 2.8 million making transactions monthly. Its revenue more than doubled to $1.14 billion last year and the company swung to a profit of $322.3 million after losing tens of millions in 2019.


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Eric Adams is a vegan crusader who can’t stop eating fish. The New York mayor embraced veganism more than five years ago after experiencing symptoms of diabetes and regularly promotes the vegan diet as healthier for people and the planet. He wrote a book touting veganism and even started “Vegan Fridays,” requiring public school cafeterias to provide vegan meals every Friday. And yet, people keep seeing Adams eating fish. The latest sighting appeared in an article by Politico, which reported that the mayor typically dined on “fish and salad” when he ate at Osteria La Baia, an Italian restaurant in midtown Manhattan that is believed to be his “non-fiction office.” official”. The sighting sparked another round of accusations that Adams is lying about his veganism, to which he responded with vegetarian cooking. demonstration Monday, refusing specify the precise contours of his diet and call its detractors “the food police”.
As a vegetarian for over 18 years, I am in awe of Adams’ masterful and mysterious performance here. The mayor refused to let the meat eaters set the terms of the debate, a debate that invariably focuses on purity and hypocrisy rather than practicality and ethics. People who eat meat are often desperate to prove that self-identified vegetarians and vegans are moralizing impostors who break their own rules. Adams denied these selfish critics the gratification of grief while keeping the focus where it should be: on the urgent need for everyone to stop eating so much meat. I became a vegetarian because I sympathize with non-human animals to a sufficient degree that I think it’s immoral to eat them, but even if you don’t care about that, you should probably be concerned that the he meat industry contributes massively to the climate. change – a fact its lobbyists are trying to undermine through pseudo-scientific research and propaganda.
You may be thinking: Oh great, another preachy vegetarian, here to lecture me on the evils of meat. Rather the opposite! I’m here to tell you that if you’re currently eating meat, you shouldn’t stop. It’s not reverse psychology. Rather, it is an acknowledgment that if you try to stop eating meat, you will almost certainly fail. In my experience, adults who attempt to go vegetarian quickly fall off the wagon and then go straight back to their previous meat parade. Some research confirms this and suggests that most will fail within a year of switching, although the exact numbers are disputed. And that’s the worst possible outcome. Americans eat far too much meat, far more than most of the rest of the world. The average American eats about 222 pounds of meat each year, the equivalent of 800 hamburgers. Viewing meat consumption as a binary masks the fact that there is a trade-off between eating a small mountain of meat each year and eating none at all.
Adams is eager for New Yorkers to make that compromise. In 2021, he urged New Yorkers to try the Meating Halfway Challenge, which encourages participants to eat less meat. He rejects purity of judgment in favor of sensible pragmatism. When asked about his alleged fish dish on Monday, Adams told the press that if he tried to follow a plant-based diet, he was “perfectly flawed.” While his questionable comments about cheese’s relative addiction to heroin drew the most attention, he also warned New Yorkers, “Don’t beat yourself up. No one is perfect in the city. And he added, “Here’s my message: the more plant-based meals you have, the healthier you’ll be.” It’s a brilliant message, a truthful and realistic plea to help improve health outcomes and save the planet by simply adjusting your diet.
Alright, you might say – Adams has the right idea, but why does he have to twist his own eating habits? Why isn’t he just called a pescatarian, meaning someone who eats fish but no other meat? The answer is obvious: it is not. A pescatarian typically eats fish, dairy products, eggs, and other animal by-products. But Adams doesn’t eat animal byproducts. The technical term for his diet is probably “Seagan,” but besides being a dumb word, that label doesn’t really reflect who he is. Adams’ diet is mostly vegan. Occasionally, however, he eats a meal that includes fish. He seems to believe that this intermittent deviation does not disqualify him from maintaining the vegan label.
It seems pretty obvious that as a public figure who seeks to be a role model for his constituents, Adams wants to model veganism, not seaganism. It’s a responsible choice: overfishing has devastated our oceans, driven biologically important species to the brink of extinction, decimated global fish stocks and destroyed marine ecosystems. Adams doesn’t want to encourage New Yorkers to eat fish because eating fish is not his vision and is often ruinous for the planet. To reconcile this desire with his apparent guilty pleasure of occasionally fishing, he chose to maintain his identification with veganism. And no one has a right, or a particularly good reason, to deny him that self-determination.
By modeling a vegan diet in a country where meat is both overconsumed and associated with masculinity, Adams takes a bold, even courageous stance. Vegetarianism and veganism retain a stigma in the United States — a real issue that prevents policymakers from discussing meat reduction alongside renewable energy and electric cars as common sense solutions to climate change. It’s high time a prominent politician challenged this ridiculous subservience to meat-eating sensibilities. Adams is the flawed vegan who is perfect for our times.