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June 24, 2014 |
NEW DELHI: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) is likely to consider tomorrow a proposal to hike the minimum support price of paddy by Rs 50 to Rs 1,360 per quintal and pulses by up to Rs 100 per quintal for this crop year. Ram Vilas Paswan , who has not been included in the CCEA, has been asked to attend the meeting in his capacity as Food Minister, sources said. "The price policy of kharif crops for 2014-15 is on the agenda of the CCEA meeting tomorrow," sources said.
June 23, 2014 |
NEW DELHI: Sugar prices rose up to Rs 60 per quintal in its prices on the country's leading wholesale markets on stockists buying after the government raised import duty on the sweetener to 40 per cent besides additional interest-free loan of Rs 4,400 crore for mills. Further, increased offtake by bulk consumers to meet summer season demand also influenced prices. In the national capital, Sugar ready M-30 and S-30 traded higher at Rs 3,320-3,460 and Rs 3,300-3,430 as against previous levels of Rs 3,270-3,400 and Rs 3,250-3,380 per quintal.
April 24, 2014 |
NEW DELHI: The Agriculture Ministry has proposed a moderate hike in the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy by Rs 50 to Rs 1360/quintal for the 2014-15 crop year (July- June) and upto Rs 100/quintal raise in pulses MSP. The ministry has also proposed a Rs 50 per quintal increase in cotton MSP at Rs 3750 for medium staple and Rs 4050 for long staple for 2014-15 crop year, sources said. The Agriculture Ministry's recommendations on MSP of paddy, cotton and other 12 kharif crops are in line with the suggestions made by the government's statutory body Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)
February 7, 2014 |
KOLKATA/NEW DELHI: The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar has extended relief to the sugar industry in the form of exemption of purchase tax on sugarcane , reduction of zonal development council (ZDC) commission on cane and rebate on cane price. The total relief comes around Rs 11.20 per quintal on cane though the industry had sought for a relief of Rs 30 per quintal from the Bihar government. Despite this relief, industry feels that price of sugar at the factory level should increase to Rs 35 per kg from Rs 28 per kg now and consumers should shell out Rs 40 per kg for the sweetener.
February 6, 2014 |
NEW DELHI: Government today approved Rs 10 per quintal hike in the sugarcane price to Rs 220 per quintal for 2014-15 marketing year. "The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved a proposal to increase the fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane by Rs 10 per quintal," Food Minister K V Thomas said. The FRP, which is the minimum price that mills need to pay to cane farmers, stands at Rs 210 per quintal in the ongoing 2013-14 marketing year (October-September)
January 28, 2014 |
NEW DELHI: The Food Ministry has proposed a marginal increase of Rs 10 per quintal in the fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane at Rs 220 for the year starting October 2014. This is in line with the recommendations of statutory body Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) that advises the government on pricing policy for major farm produce. The FRP for sugarcane for the ongoing 2013-14 (October-September) sugar year stands at Rs 210 per quintal.
January 20, 2014 |
CHANDIGARH: The Cooperative Sugar Mills in Haryana have so far produced over 9.02 lakh quintals of sugar by crushing 114.55 lakh quintals of sugarcane during the current crushing season. Besides, Cooperative Sugar Mill Assandh has crushed 11.97 lakh quintals of sugarcane and produced 97,600 quintals of sugar. Stating this here today, a spokesman of Haryana State Federation of Cooperative Sugar Mills said that a maximum of 19.99 lakh quintals of sugarcane has been crushed by Cooperative Sugar Mill, Shahabad, followed by Rohtak Sugar Mill which has crushed 16.93 lakh quintals of sugarcane.
January 10, 2014 |
CHANDIGARH: Cooperative sugar mills in Haryana have produced over 7.51 lakh quintals of the sweetener by crushing 96.05 lakh quintals of sugarcane during the current season so far. A maximum of 16.35 lakh quintals of sugarcane has been crushed by cooperative sugar mill, Shahabad , followed by Rohtak sugar mill which has crushed 13.96 lakh quintals of sugarcane, an official spokesperson said. These two sugar mills have produced over 1.44 lakh quintals and 98,400 quintals of sugar respectively.
January 6, 2014 |
NEW DELHI: The cooperative sugar mills in Haryana have till date produced over 6.30 lakh quintals of sugar by crushing 81.67 lakh quintals of sugarcane during the current crushing season. A spokesman of Haryana State Federation of Cooperative Sugar Mills said that a maximum of 13.51 lakh quintals of sugarcane has been crushed by Cooperative sugar mill, Shahabad followed by Rohtak Sugar Mill which has crushed 12.03 lakh quintals of sugarcane. These two sugar mills have produced over 1.17 lakh quintals and 84,350 quintals of sugar respectively.
January 2, 2014 |
NEW DELHI: Government today hiked the minimum support price (MSP) of jute by Rs 100 to Rs 2,400 per quintal for 2014-15 season. The proposal was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). "Jute MSP of TD-5 variety has been increased by Rs 100 per quintal," Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters after the CCEA meeting. In order to incentivise farmers for the production of higher grades, the premiums for TD-3 and TD-4 varieties of raw jute will be maintained at 20 per cent and 8 per cent respectively in relation to the price of TD-5, an official statement said.


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Netflix will readjust the values of its monthly subscriptions starting this Thursday (22). The streaming service confirmed the increase in all its traditional plans (basic, standard and premium) to TV news. The last change had taken place in 2019.
In an official note sent to the report, the platform justified the increase on the grounds that it will improve the experience of its subscribers. In the second half of this year, Netflix has as forecast the releases of several titles awaited by its audience, such as the last batch of episodes of La Casa de Papel, A Barraca do Beijo 3 and the second season of The Witcher.
Check out how the new prices are with the adjustments:
- Basic plan (1 screen): from R$21.90 to R$25.90;
- Standard plan (2 screens, Full HD video quality): from R$32.90 to R$39.90;
- Premium Plan (4 screens, video quality in Ultra HD, HDR, Dolby Atmos): from R$45.90 to R$55.90.
The platform informed that the updated values will reach old and new subscribers. For those who are already consumers of the service, the company said it will notify them of the increase in the next 30 days. The exact date of communication will depend on each subscriber’s billing cycle.
We believe people have more choices than ever before, and we’re committed to delivering an even better experience for our subscribers. As of July 22, we will readjust our prices, which have remained the same since 2019. With this, we will continue to offer the best content, between movies and series, in addition to a wide variety of genres.
For Guilherme Zanin, strategist economist at Avenue Securities, Netflix’s monthly fee increase was unexpected, mainly because it comes at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic continues to rise in Brazil.
According to Zanin, the biggest problem facing the service today is the drop in the number of subscribers in the United States, despite strong growth in Latin America and Asia. In this second quarter of 2021 alone, Netflix lost 430,000 US customers between April and June.
“The big problem is that the average amount per person is much lower on the Asian and Latin American continents. For Brazilians, Chileans or Indians, these costs are higher compared to traditional Americans in their income. There, they face competition greater, whether in local brands or the rise of services such as Disney+ and HBO Max,” explained the professional.
Zanin said the financial market sees Netflix’s move as unexpected and that the increase could be postponed to the end of this year or early 2022. The strategy could be a shot in the foot given competition elsewhere.
“[Nos EUA] the average value is $14 [R$ 72,80] per person, while in Asia and Latin America it is less than US$ 10 [R$ 52]. They are trying to equalize, but that will definitely hurt the competition. The other platforms come with lower costs, and the Brazilian cannot absorb them like the common American. For them [nos Estados Unidos], it’s less costly to sign them all together,” he added.
Currently, Netflix has 209 million subscribers worldwide. This quarter, the increase was 1.5 million customers, 500 thousand more than expected by the company. The result was driven by growth in Asia and the Pacific region, where the base grew by 1.02 million, and by Latin America, which had 760 thousand more customers.

domain: news


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Continued turmoil in the production, marketing and distribution of high-definition DVD players appeared evident today as Korea's LG said that it had dropped plans to launch a dual-format DVD player that would be compatible with both Sony's Blu-ray and Toshiba's HD-DVD discs. The announcement was confusing, given the fact that LG had announced last March that it had dropped plans to produce a Blu-ray-only player. However, at an electronics conference in New York on Monday, Bob Perry, VP of LG sales, said: "LG remains part of the Blu-ray camp and will make a product announcement later in the year."
This political drama is a scandalous thriller starring Patrick Wilson and Lena Headey. It has been directed by Mora Stephens.
Seven Davis Jr.'s debut album, 'Universes', continues the astral theme in both title and tilt.
Chris Cornell refuses to stop, and on the eve of the release of his fourth solo album next month, he is reissuing his first solo album on vinyl and...
Pharrell Williams teams up with Puff Daddy and The Family on new single 'Finna Get Loose'.
The actor will have his fifth outing as the secret agent in 'Spectre' this November.


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October 11 2021
The pandemic year has changed many relationships, including those between brands and their consumers. This seems quite natural. Over the past year, people have fundamentally shifted their focus from consumption to life and health. The value of individual life, regardless of nationality, age and personal history, transformed from a theoretical, speculative concept into a very applied one. The empathic ability is now valued first and foremost, not only in relationships between people, but also in relationships between brands and their consumers.
The first thing that has changed in consumer behavior is the quick transition to online with the start of lockdowns around the world. According to a research by McKinsey, the growth of online sales in just the first three months of the pandemic, under normal conditions could only be achieved within 10 years. These figures clearly reflect the scale of changes.
While in the past year, these changes forced companies to focus on their own survival and solidarity in the fight against Covid-19, later they had to face the fact that the previous formats of communication with consumers lost their effectiveness. Back in March 2020, McKinsey experts warned about a disconnect between modern consumers and traditional loyalty programs. The pandemic has really increased this disconnect. A consumer has turned into a very discerning user who switches between different sales channels, and his or her choice is most often based on emotional response and successful experience.
Brands have to seek new customer touchpoints in order to build and maintain customer loyalty. In this respect, cutting-edge technologies benefit retailers: bonus programs transform into digital currencies; discounts are automatically calculated at the time of purchase and become personalized. McKinsey consultants describe the shift in loyalty programs as tectonic.
Mastercard says that it has identified three core values and needs that have become critical to consumers in the pandemic year. The company is now building relationships with its customers basing on them.
Russian brands faced very similar changes in consumer behavior because these changes originate in a collective fear of an unknown disease, in forced isolation and the subsequent digitization. People around the world and in Russia have experienced severe stress during the pandemic, and now naturally demonstrate an increased demand for maintaining psychological comfort and physical health. Therefore, companies are trying to offer promotions and programs that would fit in this trend, which seamlessly includes a request for health safety, awareness and maintaining a work-life balance.
For example, Kaspersky Lab presented the Cyber Spa project. It is a virtual space for holistic relaxation, presenting different ways to deal with stress and anxiety. According to the company’s representatives, many people faced problems of increased anxiety, depressed mood, burnout and insomnia due to the pandemic.
McDonald’s Russia decided to relaunch its corporate communications to educate potential employees about the unique benefits of working for the corporation. The main idea of the company is to show the importance of adjusting your job to life circumstances, taking into account your interests and acquiring useful skills. The advertising campaign “Work for Life, not Life for Work” was given the slogan “We Can Arrange!” and McDonald’s own employees, talking about how the company became an important part of their active life, were the main heroes of the campaign.
A number of companies started paying attention to parent-child relationships. The pandemic and the universal remoteness revealed the problems that have long been accumulating in families. People who were locked down in their homes had to communicate more with their children, to combine childcare with work. The revealed problems of mutual understanding and maternal burnout, combined with increased empathy, led to the emergence of a number of projects designed to help children and parents.
For example, Russian online marketplace Yandex.Market launched the Mamtra Project to combat the emotional burnout of young mothers. It includes a meditative playlist, image and product videos, merch with positive slogans, as well as a range of goods “for a calm motherhood”. Eight experts were engaged in the creation of the meditative playlist: specialists in various types of meditation, a psychologist who works with parental burnout, and an instructor in breathing techniques.
In the spring of 2021, the Russian TV channel “Friday!” together with Shalash Foundation and VKontakte launched a social campaign “What is your child hiding”. Its organizers urged parents to talk to their children without violating their personal boundaries. A special app provided information on how to determine by external signs that a child needs help from adults.
To sum up, building brand loyalty has become a very creative task. Companies need to consider an almost endless choice of products and services that a consumer can get hold of; offer values that a customer can share rather than a product; and take care of his or her physical and mental health. All this should remain as flexible and personalized as possible so that a person gets a positive experience from interacting with a brand, an experience that he or she would like to repeat.


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Holiday shoppers spent 20% more on Black Friday this year compared to last year, and several real trends emerged from an IBM study based on its Benchmark digital analytics package.
Additionally, IBM conducted a 1,200 person customer survey to see what people really wanted from the companies they shop with the most.
Smart Shoppers Need Consistent Message
For young shoppers especially, an app is a core requirement of a consistent message, the IBM survey found. The same group was also twice as likely to see a need for an online forum where other shoppers could talk about their preferred items and favorite brands.
Even after customers found their favorite items and bought them online, the post purchase experience was nearly as important, the survey found. If it was handled correctly, 75% of respondents said they would recommend the company as a result. Let's see what those shoppers actually bought this year during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday bonanza.
Home Goods Lead Black Friday Sales
IBM focused on the apparel, department store, health and beauty and home goods sectors for its 2012 Holiday Benchmark Report, and it found mobile shopping in particular soared in 2012. Mobile sales for the industries measured were near 13%, almost a 100% increase from 2011 on Cyber Monday.
Sales of home goods went up by almost 30% on Black Friday in 2012, and people were both spending more and buying more items than in 2011. Customers appear even more savvy this year than last because while they appear to be finding what they want, they are doing so in less time and in fewer page views.
Time on site and page views are common metrics, but when sales are up as much as this year, the fact that those are down has less of an impact. That trend held up for the entire report too, so it wasn't just for home goods. Overall, US retail experienced an over 100% increase in iPad traffic on Black Friday with sales peaking just before 1 p.m. EST.
Mobile shoppers and the second screen came through for several retail segments this year.
IBM called the online buying spree this year couch commerce. People are increasingly spending their Thanksgiving browsing online with an iPad, looking for deals, and scouting out products. For retailers, it highlights the importance of offering a consistent message across devices and increasingly, even in brick and mortar stores. Because so many smart shoppers are browsing online and then going to the store to buy items, any lack of continuity just seems sloppy.
At least for the five segments measured by IBM this year, digital channels look to be fairly on message with their timing and strategy.
Social Takes a Hit on Cyber Monday
One of the less promising trends was the shrinking social media impact on Cyber Monday. Social referrals accounted for only about one half of a percent of sales, but even that was down 26% from 2011. That could be a function of the industries measured, however. It could also mean people are simply not shopping as much from sites like LinkedIn and Facebook.
While the iPad was the most widely used device for online shopping, more people actually used their smartphones. About 60% of shoppers surfed with a phone while 40% used an iPad. iPad users likely spent more time overall on their devices compared to smartphones, and that could account for the disparity in traffic.
IBM doesn't release information on specific retailers for this report, but it did say there were at least five retailers in each segment. That means at least 20 retailers were included in this report, although the data is anonymous and aggregated.


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Postal News Roundup
CNN Money: Staples and RadioShack Deliver Big Hit to Jobs
RadioShack's bankruptcy will put thousands of workers out of work, but Staples' plan to buy rival Office Depot could cost even more jobs. The two office supply companies have about 4,000 stores and nearly 150,000 employees between them.
Local News 8: Pocatello Postal Workers Face Involuntary Reassignment
Several postal workers at Pocatello's Flandro Drive processing center tell Local News 8 they received letters Thursday warning of possible “involuntary reassignment” to other positions within the postal service. Local News 8 has been unable to confirm how many workers this will affect, but the Idaho State Association of Letter Carriers said it's part of a plan to close the processing center and redirect mail to Salt Lake City.


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Four noteworthy food events to check out this month across the country:
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA—Mega music fest Coachella takes over Indio, California for two weekends next month (April 15-17 and 22-24), and all those girls in flower crowns have to eat something: Once again, the festival will throw a massive outdoor dinner party called Outstanding in the Field, and the chef lineup includes some notable names like Michael Voltaggio, Chris Oh, Antonia Lofaso, and Nyesha Arrington. Tickets aren't cheap at $225, but they do include booze. Stay tuned for the lineup of festival food vendors; last year's list included Roy Choi and LA breakfast sandwich sensation Eggslut.
NEW YORK—80 of the world's top pastry chefs will gather in New York City for a sugar-fueled charity event, Around the World in 80 Sweets: An Evening with the World's Best Pastry Chefs, on April 4. The lineup includes macaron master Pierre Hermé, Paris patissier Sadaharu Aoki, and NYC's own French wonder François Payard; chefs including Geoffrey Zakarian, Anita Lo, Bill Telepan, and Marcus Samuelsson will provide savory bites to counteract all the sweetness. Tickets are $125 and proceeds go to City Harvest.
CHICAGO—Regardless of your feelings about the city's beloved deep-dish, an event called the Chicago Pizza Summit sounds like one not to be missed. This 21-and-up event will be held April 3 at butcher/deli/bar/restaurant Chop Shop (sounds cool already, no?) with food from 12 different pizzerias; weirdly enough, musician/partying advocate Andrew W.K. will be giving a keynote speech. The $35 ticket price includes unlimited pizza plus drink tickets.
SAN FRANCISCO—Bloomberg Business Week is hosting its 2016 Design Conferenceon April 11 at SF's Yerba Buena Center, and speaking on "The Design of Food" will be Dominique Crenn, chef/owner of tasting menu-only restaurant Atelier Crenn. Here's a sneak peek:


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Snapchat added a number of new lenses with augmented reality in order to promote social distancing practices among users on the platform. The new lenses were created in a collaboration with the World Health Organization, in order to convey safety information to the masses.
One of the new AR lenses is named 'My Social Distance,' and it has an AR circle on the ground that visualizes the appropriate amount of space that people should maintain when out of their house. Another one of the lenses presents users with multimedia content that encourages people to wash their hands, and also to not touch their face.
Overall it is clear that the Snapchat platform is attempting to keep users informed.
Image Credit: Snap


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Check out the 2021 Ford Bronco in our article with more details and photos.
We are inching closer to the culmination of what was a long process of teasing, spying, and on the revived Ford Bronco. The curtain should come off on July 13 when all three versions of the off-roader will be revealed in full and Ford has just released a new teaser to prepare us for the event.
The new shadowy image shows all three members of the Bronco family - the four-door Bronco, the two-door Bronco, and the Bronco Sport, all of which will come as standard with all-wheel drive. The Blue Oval is also introducing its new Built Wild slogan, which summarizes the Bronco team’s efforts to create one of the best modern off-road machines. In fact, the Bronco will become much more than just a model name - the firm is expanding it into a whole sub-brand.
New Ford Bronco: Spied, Teased, Speculated
“Rugged vehicles are in our heritage and we see strong growth opportunities with this ever-more popular segment,” Kumar Galhotra, Ford president, Americas and International Markets Group. “The Bronco brand meets that need by creating a family of truly capable off-roaders to take our customers further into the wild. We’ve leveraged extensive off-road experience from vehicles like our F-150 Raptor to ensure that every Bronco delivers the ‘Built Wild’ toughness and durability our customers expect.”
Gallery: Ford Bronco Spy Photos
In an official press release for the media accompanying the teaser image, Ford also takes a look back at the Bronco’s past. Featured in more than 1,200 films and 200 songs, the Bronco is among the most famed off-road vehicles of America, the company points out, with first-gen model prices skyrocketing in the last few years. The automaker is also introducing a number of special off-road adventures for new Bronco owners with outdoor playgrounds built for all skill levels.
We will have all the technical details about the new Bronco family in exactly one week from now. Stay tuned or/and watch the big debut here.


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Payless will be shutting down all North American stores over the course of the next few months.
Payless ShoeSource announced on Feb. 18 the company filed for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, and stores began liquidation sales on Feb. 17, according to a Payless spokesperson. Most stores are expected to remain open through May and all stores will remain open through March. Beyond that, no specifics could be given.
According to a press release from the company, all of the about 2,500 Payless stores on the continent will close by the end of May.
A sign on the door of the Jacksonville Payless, located at 1375 Western Blvd., reads: “We are closed until further notice due to hurricane damage repairs.”
Information on whether the Jacksonville location will reopen for liquidation sales was not immediately available.


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The government ordered the public to wear face masks and face shields whenever they go out of their houses to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the holiday season.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced the measure on Tuesday, a day after the policy-making Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
Previously, the government only required the public to wear face masks and face shields inside public vehicles and establishments.
Last week, OCTA Research Group said a post-holiday COVID-19 surge could be prevented through strict enforcement of discipline and health protocols.
“While some experts see the post-holiday surge of COVID-19 cases in the country as inevitable, we disagree,” the group said.
“In our view, a substantial relaxation of restrictions and behavior during this season may result in exponential increases in transmission,” they added.
The OCTA team also projected earlier that the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines could hit 500,000 by the end of 2021.
Wearing of face mask, face shield required in all public areas
“Kahit po kayo ay naka-mask at naka-face shield pero kayo naman ay pumupunta sa matataong lugar na halos dikit-dikit na po kayo, maaari pa rin kayong mahawa,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire warned.
Vergeire further explained that the Inter-Agency Task Force, the government’s policy-making body on COVID-19 response, prohibits “mass gathering” because the risk of transmission is very high in crowded places.
Instead, the DOH urges the public to just shop online for the gifts they will give to their loved ones during the holidays to avoid COVID-19 transmission.
According to Vergeire, DOH understands the public’s excitement about Christmas shopping and celebrating holiday traditions. However, a possible surge of infections could occur as people crowd in shopping malls and commercial districts.


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Starbucks' Christmas Tree Frappuccino Is a Chemical Nightmare, Science Says
We asked a food scientist for answers.
All military historians know that Starbucks has been quietly leading the war on Christmas for many years now. In its latest offense, the caffeinated drink empire has released a delicious seasonal treat for the whole family: the Christmas Tree Frappuccino.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, this is how Starbucks, sitting atop its throne of sweet, candy-coated deceit, bills the beverage:
Delicious mocha and peppermint are blended with milk and ice, topped with a festive tree made of matcha infused whipped cream, a caramel drizzle and candied cranberries finished off with a strawberry tree “topper.”
Yes, it sounds incredible. Yes, it will leave you buzzing with 15 milligrams of caffeine and holiday cheer. But, of course, a cursory glance at the ingredients tells a different story. Unsurprisingly, there are 50 grams of sugar in a grande, along with some hard-to-pronounce preservatives in the drink’s syrups, including potassium sorbate, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate, and more.
“Sodium benzoate is a preservative against microbial growth,” Rich Hartel, a food scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, tells Inverse. “So some company made that syrup and ships it to Starbucks, which means it has a fairly long shelf life. The shelf life of that syrup has to be 6 months or longer.”
From a business perspective, it makes sense why Starbucks would use so many preservatives in its syrups. These things can last a long time, and unsavory mold won’t grow inside. But certain ingredients in this frappe can have potentially harmful effects — emphasis on potentially.
Take sulfites for example. While sulfites prevent food from browning, they’ve also been linked to allergies in certain people — so if you want to indulge in a Christmas frappe, just keep that in mind if you have certain medical conditions.
To reiterate, the Starbucks Christmas Tree Frappuccino will almost definitely not make you sick. It might even fill you with the spirit of Christmas, though that’s about it.
Still, it’s interesting to know that so much chemistry goes into a seemingly simple beverage. There’s science even down to the caramel.
“Soy lecithin [in the caramel] is an emulsifier,” Hartel says. “It’s a modified triglyceride — a molecule that bridges water and oil. There’s undoubtedly some fat in there, so someone thought the caramel needed lecithin to distribute the fat uniformly throughout. Caramels usually have lecithin in them in order to disperse the fat into nice fat globules.”
Here’s the thing: If you’re yearning for some yuletide cheer — in sugary form — you might as well try the Christmas tree frappe. Who knows, maybe it’ll even give you some X-Men powers.
Check out this video on how to smoke an Old-Fashioned.


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By Mayumi Negishi
TOKYO--SoftBank Corp. said on Tuesday that its net profit more than doubled from a year earlier in the April-June quarter, bolstered by stellar earnings from newly consolidated mobile games developer GungHo Online Entertainment Inc. (3765.TO) and a switch to international financial reporting standards.
The Japanese telecom firm, which completed its purchase of U.S. wireless carrier Sprint Nextel Corp. S 0.00% earlier this month, said it earned a quarterly net profit of Y238.26 billion ($2.42 billion), up from a restated Y105.58 billion in the same period a year ago.
The company said its revenue in the quarter increased 21.4% from a year earlier to Y881.07 billion while its operating profit rose to Y391.03 billion from Y203.32 billion.
In the months leading to its Sprint acquisition, SoftBank raised its stake in GungHo Online, developer of the hit mobile game "Puzzle & Dragons." SoftBank expects the consolidation will yield a windfall of Y150 billion this year. SoftBank also holds a wealth of unrealized assets, including a 36.7% stake in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group.
SoftBank Chief Executive Masayoshi Son is mustering his resources to turn around Sprint, which posted deeper losses and bled customers in the three months ending June. Mr. Son has said he hopes to use economies of scale and cash flow generated from high spending on wireless connectivity in Japan to help close the gap with the two giants in the U.S. industry, AT&T Inc. (T) and Verizon Wireless Inc. (VRZ.XX). Since its acquisition by SoftBank, Sprint has cut the cost of its unlimited wireless plans by about 30% in an attempt to retain customers.
Sprint reported a $1.6 billion net loss in April-June, deeper than the $1.4 billion loss a year earlier, as it shed a net 1.05 million contract subscribers. Verizon Wireless, the largest carrier in the U.S. added 941,000 while AT&T added 551,000 in the same period.
Japan's No. 3 telecom operator did not give a full-year forecast, but Mr. Son said Tuesday that he expects SoftBank to earn a group operating profit of at least Y1 trillion in the current fiscal year ending in March.
Write to Mayumi Negishi at Mayumi.Negishi@wsj.com
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires


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November 14, 2017 5:50:42 am
Uber is offering free rides in vintage cars, including the Contessa and NE118, on Tuesday to mark Childrens’ Day. The experience on November 14 would rekindle memories of the nineties, the cab aggregator believes. Uber is partnering with Droom.in, an online automobile marketplace, to bring back the cars, which were popular during the nineties. Uber will roll out these cars, including Contessa, NE118, Ambassador, Maruti 800, and Padmini on Tuesday to mark the special occasion.
“All one needs to do is request for a joyride in one of these iconic cars. The joyride could last ten-fifteen minutes. There is no cost for this,” an official statement from Uber read. The application would be integrated with a feature whereby the rider would have to click on an icon named ‘Nostalgia’ to avail a free ride. Riders could also receive gift hampers that include Tinkle comics, Kismi toffees, Phantom sweet cigarettes, audio cassettes, movie posters, slam books and more.
“This experience will be available only in Mumbai and Pune on November 14 from 1 pm to 3 pm. If connected, you’ll get a chance to enjoy a 15-minute joyride in a ‘90s car and receive your own hamper,” the statement added.
“Back to the 90s is a simple effort from our side to give our riders a break from their day to day routine, take a trip down memory lane. With this activation, we hope parents enjoy showing their children what the 90s were like,” said Shailesh Sawlani, General Manager West, India, Uber.
Sandeep Aggarwal, Founder and CEO, Droom said, “This is a great opportunity for the riders to rekindle their fond memories of the 90s with a nostalgic experience comprising renowned cars of the 90s and a surprise hamper with 90s memorabilia. We hope that this campaign that promises a trip down memory lane will ensure a memorable experience for the riders that they will cherish for a lifetime.”
📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.


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[np_storybar title=”How a Hurricane Sandy-related PR nightmare cost startup Uber $100,000 in one day” link=”http://business.financialpost.com/2012/11/01/how-a-hurricane-sandy-related-pr-nightmare-cost-startup-uber-100000-in-one-day/”]Uber, a company that makes an app you can use to summon a livery cab, had to deal with an extremely messy situation in New York on Wednesday. Now it’s having to deal with obnoxious punditry. Let’s hit Wednesday first. Because the subways were out, Uber’s black car drivers were in huge demand
Taxi drivers have smartphones. Their customers have smartphones. It doesn’t take a genius to see the enormous potential for an app that would let the former collect fares and the latter hail a cab with just a tap.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
But don’t start the meter just yet: As businesses introduce the technology to connect cabbies and riders in cities across North America, they’re also running headlong into an entrenched industry’s long-established rules of play.


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Musk's Twitter buyout to inspire many tech entrepreneurs
Elon Musk is undoubtedly one of the biggest technology entrepreneurs of our times. Starting from SpaceX to Tesla, Musk has been on a pursuit to achieve most arduous goals of mankind.
Elon Musk is undoubtedly one of the biggest technology entrepreneurs of our times. Starting from SpaceX to Tesla, Musk has been on a pursuit to achieve most arduous goals of mankind. In the process, the mankind is also reaping the benefits of his technology innovations through solving the contemporary problems faced by the globe. No wonder, Musk is a rock-star of technology industry with his every word, each tweet being closely followed by billions across the world. So, when he tweeted an offer to buy Twitter for $44 billion, the whole world has its attention. Opinion pieces are being written, each incremental move is being reported, and twitter itself is divided with some arguing in favour and some against.
Meanwhile, Twitter board has unanimously accepted the offer of Elon Musk. As per deal, shareholders will receive $54.20 in cash for each share of Twitter stock they own. Upon completion of transaction, Twitter will be a privately held company. Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter and a tech titan, has supported the move saying that 'Elon Musk is the singular solution, I Trust.' Without dwelling into the debate around free speech and how Musk's entry will affect it or supplement it; Twitter is one the biggest leveraged buyout deals in history. The 16-year-old social networking platform, commanding a valuation of $44 billion shows the reality of our times. It indicates that technology has taken over the traditional media. Now, leaders communicate directly with their constituents, companies sell their products and services through the social media platforms and social influencers pitch for a specific element of their choice with their followers. In short, the world has changed. Technology has made sweeping changes how the world operates. That is the precise reason that world's top rich list has many promoters owning social media platforms.
In Indian context, significance of Twitter buyout is multi-fold. Firstly, it shows how technology-powered platforms can change the traditional business models. Unless traditional businesses embrace technology, existential issues may crop up. Secondly, technology-driven enterprises can scale up very rapidly. Their market is not limited to any geographical constraints. Examples such as Indian IT companies, SaaS firms and tech-powered startups indicate that sky is the limit as far as the market opportunity is concerned. In addition, Twitter buyout shows that if the platform is adopted by users, it will always find buyers. So, skeptics shouldn't doubt the valuation of Indian startups. If there is a willing buyer or buyers, the valuation is justified as it is between the buyers and the sellers. Most importantly, it sends a positive message to Indian startup ecosystem. Indian tech entrepreneurs can create a global brand having lasting impact on human lives. And Elon Musk shows that it is possible.
Lastly, India is low-income country with a huge set of economic issues. This throws open opportunities for Indian entrepreneurs to solve these problems, which in turn will be rewarding for them in monetary terms. If a solution can be found for India-specific problem, it can be replicated in many low-income countries, which will touch many lives. As Elon Musk's Twitter saga unfolds, there will be no dearth of business lessons in the coming time. Hopefully, those events will inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs in time to come.


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Dell Strikes Deal to Go Private: In The Loop (2/5)
Feb. 5 (Bloomberg) -- On today's "In The Loop," a conversation with House majority leader Eric Cantor and Dell announces a $24.4 billion deal to go private.
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Why Bitcoin Has Been Hit By Extreme Volatility
13:03 - Luno CEO Marcus Swanepoel discusses bitcoin volatility and regulation. He speaks on "Bloomberg Markets Middle East." (Source: Bloomberg)


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Anyone for telly?
The mobile-telecoms industry thinks it has found salvation—again
WILL watching television on your mobile phone be the next big thing? Many in the mobile-telecoms industry think so. Nokia, the world's largest handset-maker, has just released the results of a mobile-TV trial in Helsinki which found that 41% of participants were willing to pay for the service, and thought a monthly fee of €10 ($12.50) was reasonable. The response to the trial was “exceptionally good”, says Pekka Rantala of Nokia. Others in the industry are similarly optimistic. “It has tremendous appeal to consumers,” says Andrew Cole of A.T. Kearney, a consultancy. Trials are under way around the world, and in South Korea a mobile-TV service launched in January has already attracted over 100,000 subscribers.
If you think all this sounds familiar, however, you are right. As revenue from voice calls has stopped growing in developed markets, the industry has been searching for new avenues for growth. In recent years it has championed mobile web-browsing, picture-messaging and video-telephony as the answer. Its latest passion, at least until mobile-TV mania broke out, was for music downloads to mobile phones—witness the fuss over this week's announcement of a music-player phone from Apple. But, despite all the hype, consumers have not taken to any of these things in large numbers: most people, it seems, are content to use phones simply for voice calls and text messages.
Hence the suspicion, among sceptics, that mobile TV is merely the latest in a long line of new services that nobody really wants, but which the industry is trying to foist on them anyway. “They are desperately trying anything,” says Michelle de Lussanet of Forrester, a consultancy. Her research shows that 60% of consumers in Europe and America are not interested in watching TV on their phones.
Ah, but mobile TV is different from all those other services, say true believers, because there is no need to educate the consumer. “Everyone gets it if you say ‘mobile TV',” says Richard Sharp of Nokia. Mr Cole notes that Forrester asked people whether they wanted mobile TV without actually showing it to them. “But if you've seen it, oh my goodness—the responses are off the chart,” he says.
If demand is so great, why does hardly anybody use existing portable TVs, then? For a number of reasons, says Mike Short of O2, a European operator that is currently carrying out a mobile-TV trial in Oxford. Current portable TVs can only pick up terrestrial transmissions, which means there is relatively little sport, much of which has moved on to satellite and cable channels; they also have large aerials and do not work well on the move. But the various mobile-TV technologies now being tested have been optimised for mobile use. The trial in Helsinki, which was conducted with the co-operation of Finnish broadcasters, found that familiar TV shows, sport and international cable-news channels were most popular with viewers.
So perhaps there is something to the idea after all. Even sceptics such as Ms de Lussanet concede that mobile TV might prove popular—eventually. The problem is that, as usual, the industry is being far too optimistic about how quickly it can launch the service. Several operators will probably try to launch mobile-TV services next year, she says, but as with web-browsing, picture-messaging and video-telephony, the initial service will be “far from perfect”. Operators and broadcasters must strike deals, regulators must allocate spectrum, and national mobile-TV broadcasting networks will have to be built. Users will also have to upgrade to new handsets with built-in TV receivers, which will have to be easy to use and not too bulky, expensive or power-hungry. “Those things take years to come together,” says Ms de Lussanet. Then, and only then, will it be possible to tell whether mobile TV is something that people really want.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline "Anyone for telly?"
From the September 10th 2005 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contentsExplore the edition
What is at stake as Hindenburg Research picks a fight with India’s mightiest tycoon?
A strangely pervasive custom of odd poses and forced smiles
The pioneering e-commerce giant battles soaring costs and a stagnating legacy business


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Where are all the crypto influencers and celebrities now?
Influencer marketing has become a great way for companies to reach new highs in terms of audiences and their rates of engagement with products and services.
Crypto itself has even been able to garnish thought leaders that pave the way in terms of content creation, creating content that possesses a lot of value and education,
However, this article will not be looking at those groups of content creators, as much as of a credit that they are to the space.
We’ll be going over the influential people that have jumped on the crypto and NFT hype to collect that “quick bag” and the results that followed.
The good, the bad, and the ugly
Over the past 12-18 months, the increase in tokens amongst cryptocurrencies did not go unnoticed.
Social media became a go to for advertising, but once the market really started to pick up in popularity, mainstream outlets picked up on their advertising efforts.
Crypto gaming is currently a leading sector for crypto a new gamers are being introduced to the different immersive titles available on the market.
However, games such as The Sandbox have allowed celebrities to endorse web3 through legitimate and more regulated means.
Fans have been able to enjoy in-game experiences from their favourite brands and personalities without facing repercussions.
Celebrities in these collaborations have shown great interest in web3, understanding the possibilities it can bring to the entertainment industry for fans to enjoy.
Every week there seemed to be a new celebrity endorsing a new project on their twitter profile.
Many of these tweets follow a very similar structure. They would state how X crypto coin is here for the long run and how they personally are holding and investing in said coin.
For many, seeing tweets like this will raise instant scepticism as it doesn’t take a level headed investor to see through the lines in their statements.
However, as these tweets were coming at an unprecedented time, many followers of these online personalities and celebrities were quick to their wallets.
Ultimately, many that invested suffered as these advertised projects were either a “Pump & Dump” or fell victim to market volatility and the current bearish market we are experiencing.
Due to the unregulated rules of crypto, many influencers were able to get away with their wrongful advertising of blockchain projects.
Lil Uzi Vert
Lil Uzi Vert, the highly popular rapper, had an NFT project called “Eternal Beings” based on the Solana blockchain.
It was available on Magic Eden, where floor prices started at $300. They now sit at roughly $20 per NFT.
Their tweets about the project have been deleted, and funds from the project were withdrawn.
Some reports have even shown that the rapper bought a Mclaren motor vehicle for his girlfriend with crypto, potentially having links to the project.
Now Jake Paul was one of the celebrities that took things to an extreme level when involving himself within web3.
He was reported to be part of multiple schemes that all had devastating results, at an estimation of $2.2 million.
- Safemoon (token)
- League of Sacred Devils (NFT)
- MILF (token)
- Yummy (token)
Due to the lack of attention from the actual authorities, YouTubers such as Coffeezilla were able to work out the dodgy doings through their own research due to the lack of attention from the actual authorities.
Jake Paul has since been involved in lawsuits against him for his crypto deals with Safemoon that involved other celebrities such as Soulja Boy and Lil Yatchy.
As many investors were left with nothing after these celebrities sold whilst fans were still buying.
Primetime television had their hands in the crypto pie as many A list celebrities had their say in advertising crypto exchanges and the concept of investing and trading digital currencies.
Many were for well established exchanges that are used by millions of crypto traders worldwide, such as eToro and Coinbase.
Examples include the ads used for the Super Bowl that featured celebrities such as Lebron James and Larry David.
Matt Damon and Tom Brady were featured, but many online have noticed these TV ads have been taken off the air. This was noticed quite close to when the crypto market experienced some volatility.
Crypto.com has managed to make an impact in the sporting world. They have their own arena that is based in Los Angeles, where popular sporting events take place.
What does this mean for crypto?
For many this recent surge in mainstream popularity for crypto is what they have been waiting for.
The exposure allows the market to grow and flourish as more investors invest their money.
However, more room is created for people to be potentially exploited.
These celebrities have large followings of young, naive fans who will not have a clear understanding of blockchain technologies.
Recent global events have left people in vulnerable positions. Therefore, when someone’s favourite musicians are promoting ways to make money, people become inclined to hand over their money.
After all if they’re doing it then it surely must be the right thing!
With how widespread the marketing was, many caught on to celebrities’ wrongdoings, with morality being questioned.
Recent market trends have put off these schemes promoted by influencers, and with how Jake Paul case ended up, authorities are becoming more and more tight on regulating cryptocurrencies going into the future.
Always be weary of any potential scams being promoted via social media networks. Remain diligent as any funds you put forward can not be retrieved if the project falls through for any reason.
These recent headlines should be enough for any new investors looking to start out to remain weary.


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- Posted January 21, 2014 by
Costigans Continue Mission To Hire More Veterans To Buy Cars
After being featured on Dateline for hiring returning veterans, Mike and Sue Costigan have made it a point to continue to hire as many veterans as possible as Kelly Car Buyer continues to grow. Mike said “As our guys have matured and moved on, we have been terribly proud of being able to help more veterans out in a small way to get back on their feet.” Sue said that the quality of soldier they encounter has been remarkable and “We have yet to hire a veteran that has not become an asset to the company.” Sue went on to say; “We haven’t found a young lady yet that has been all that interested in buying cars, but I’m sure the day will come when we find a gal with the right temperament to talk to customers about buying their used or junk cars every day.”
They are finding that these veterans spend about a year or so buying cars and getting enough confidence that they can now leave their homes and head out again among their peers. Costigan said: “When they start work with us most of these guys have in many cases lost the confidence they once had in the military, but after a few months of becoming successful buying cars every day with KCB, they get their legs back under them and make remarkable transformations. Kelly Car Buyer survives in a team environment and the veterans seem to thrive within it.”
Right now Kelly Car Buyer is looking to interview more veterans in the Chicagoland market. KCB pays cash for junk cars and tries to pick up the cars on the same day when possible. Some of the veterans seem to buy cars easier than others but in most cases, training is the key in the very beginning. It is very hard to train over the phone or the web and unless training happens face to face, it doesn’t seem to work out, says Jim Stuglis the sales and training manager. If interested potential candidates can apply by filling out a form on the www.kellycarbuyer.com website.


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I was quoted by AgriLand.ie on the issue of a derogation for a COVID-19 GMO vaccine development procedure. You can read the full quote below, or you can visit the original source here.
The EU’s stance on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has been criticised by the Consumer Choice Center, which has labelled it an “inexplicable double standard”.
The international consumer advocacy group noted that the European Parliament has recently authorised a temporary derogation from rules on genetic engineering, to allow Covid-19 vaccine development to benefit from GMO technology.
In a statement, quoted by the consumer group, the European Parliament said: “The derogation will facilitate the development, authorisation and consequently availability of Covid-19 vaccines and treatments.”
In response to this, the Consumer Choice Center’s senior policy analyst Bill Wirtz said he’s “puzzled by the change of heart” of members of the parliament, adding:
If you had suggested anything of the sort six months ago, some lawmakers would have been furious.
“Now that Europe is facing the largest health emergency in our lifetime, scientific innovation is desperately needed.”
Continuing on the long-rumbling matter, the analyst said:
“The unfortunate reality is that GMOs have been so highly politicised that we have moved away from a sober evidence-based conversation.
It is now politically viable to allow for scientific innovation to fight this virus – but in the area of agriculture, we are still facing a dead end. If it is safe for vaccines, then shouldn’t we also trust the mountain of scientific evidence that it is safe in food?
“We need to rethink the 2001 directive on GMOs, which has been at the forefront of slowing Europe down on genetic engineering,” Wirtz claimed.


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Veronica N. Chapman, Social Entrepreneur and Children’s Book Author, Launches First Black Children’s Book Week
“Studies show that when black children see themselves portrayed positively in their media, it boosts their self-esteem and helps protect them from the impact of racism,” says Veronica N. Chapmanfounder of Black Children’s Book Week. “In an ideal world, black children could grow up fully enjoying the joys and protections of childhood, and not be dehumanized simply to have melanin-rich skin. Instead, they are often affected and fully aware devastating effects of racism. , which can replace their natural childhood curiosity and zest with anxiety and fear. Black Children’s Book Week is an invitation for everyone to be intentional in ensuring that black children feel our love.
Administered by Boxxout Enterprises and Black Baby Books, a platform dedicated to simplifying the discovery of children’s books with black characters, many have responded to BCBW’s call to action to help “raise the vibration in the world” for black children. Authors, educators, community advocates and more are hosting events throughout the week to achieve this goal. Participating countries in BCBW include, but are not limited to, The United States of America, UK, Nigeria, St. LUCIA, Venezuelaand more.
To learn more about or attend Black Children’s Book Week, please visit (https://blackbabybooks.com/bcbw/) and follow Black Children’s Book Week on Instagram (@blackchildrensbookweek)
For all media inquiries for Veronica N. Chapmanplease contact Breanna Simmonds.
About Black Children’s Book Week
Black Children’s Book Week is a worldwide celebration of black children and the people who ensure black children are represented in children’s books and other media. Founded by entrepreneur and children’s book author Veronica N. Chapman, and administered by Black Baby Books, LLC, a platform launched by Veronica to facilitate the discovery of children’s books with black characters, Black Children’s Book Week will begin each year on the last Sunday of February.
contacts: Breeana Simmonds, [email protected]908.588.2602
SOURCE Boxxout Companies


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Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne does not stray from an opportunity to beat the drum, and as boss of the company that owns Ferrari, Maserati and most of Chrysler, he's offered more than a few glimmers of hope to fans this week.
Speaking at the Detroit Motor Show, Marchionne confirmed that while the upcoming Maserati-badged SUV will be built on the Chrysler/Daimler-developed Jeep Grand Cherokee platform, it will be driven by Ferrari.
Describing the SUV's powertrain as a "rock and roll engine," Marchionne added that the SUV may be offered in both V8 and V12 form.
It's a move that seems appropriate, given the use of Ferrari engines and engineering in the brand's other models, the GranTurismo and the four-door Quattroporte.
Maserati's SUV is expected to go into production in the next 12 to 18 months - meaning a motorshow concept could appear as early as March's Geneva Motor Show.
A new entry in the SUV segment isn't Maserati's only motivation for the coming year, either. Earlier this year, Maserati boss Harald J Wester confirmed that a new Quattroporte is in the works, bringing all-wheel-drive and a new ZF eight-speed automatic transmission with it.


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WASHINGTON, D.C. вЂ“ U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) вЂ“вЂ“ ranking person in the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs вЂ“вЂ“ urged the nationвЂ™s top consumer agency to ascertain strong guidelines to combat predatory techniques within the pay day loan market. The customer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) happens to be considering brand brand brand new guidelines to deal with payday financing, a training that frequently traps borrowers in a period of financial obligation . In a page yesterday to CFPB Director Richard Cordray, Brown joined a lot more than 30 Senators in calling in the agency to produce guidelines which will rein in payday loan providers in Ohio and nationwide.
вЂњWe support the CFPBвЂ™s steps that are initial releasing a proposed guideline and urge one to issue the strongest feasible guidelines to get rid of the damaging results of predatory lending,вЂќ the Senators penned.
вЂњSmall-dollar, short-term loans with astronomical interest levels that pull consumers into a period of debt are predatory. These loans have actually high default prices, including following the debtor has recently compensated hundreds or thousands due to triple-digit interest levels. [вЂ¦] No matter if customers usually do not default on these loans, high rates of interest, preauthorized payment techniques and aggressive business collection agencies efforts often cause a cascade of damaging economic effects that will include lost bank reports, delinquencies on bank cards as well as other bills, and bankruptcy.вЂќ The Senators urged the CFPB to pay attention to significant ability-to-pay requirements for small-dollar loans. Such requirements may help break straight down on loans with excessive interest levels and costs that low-income clients are not likely to help you to settle. Many employees look to predatory payday advances to pay bills. These loans can hold concealed costs and may have interest that is annual up to 500 %. A 2014 CFPB research discovered that four away from five pay day loans are rolled over or renewed. These operations are thriving at the cost of low-income People in america. The SenatorsвЂ™ page is supported by Us americans for Financial Reform, the California Reinvestment Coalition, the middle for Responsible Lending, Consumer Action, the buyer Federation of America, Consumers Union, hill State Justice, the NAACP, the National customer Law Center, nationwide Fair Housing Alliance, National PeopleвЂ™s Action, PICO system, PIRG, Policy issues Ohio, the western Virginia focus on Budget and Policy, together with Woodstock Institute.
The text that is full of letter follows below. Dear Director Cordray:
We compose about the customer Financial Protection BureauвЂ™s (CFPB) efforts to review and deal with lending that is payday. We offer the CFPBвЂ™s steps that are initial releasing a proposed guideline and urge one to issue the strongest feasible guidelines to finish the harmful aftereffects of predatory lending. Small-dollar, short-term loans with astronomical interest levels that pull consumers as a period of debt are predatory. These loans have actually high standard prices, including following the debtor has compensated hundreds or 1000s of dollars due to triple-digit rates of interest. Particularly, the conventional debtor of the two-week loan is with debt for longer than half the entire year. In addition, long run high-cost installment loans with smaller payments than lump-sum payday advances can lead to high standard or refinancing rates, high prices of bounced re re payments along with other harmful effects. Just because consumers try not to default on these loans, high interest levels, preauthorized payment methods and aggressive commercial collection agency efforts often produce a cascade of damaging financial effects that will add lost bank reports, delinquencies on charge cards as well as other bills, and bankruptcy.
Predatory lenders shouldn’t be in a position to carry on unjust, deceptive, and acts that are abusive methods that can trap borrowers in a period of financial obligation. A CFPB research unearthed that 75 % of loan charges fastcashcartitleloans.com sign in on pay day loans arrived from customers with over 10 deals more than a period that is twelve-month. That is a company model rooted in preying on people and families which have no power to repay, in addition to CFPB possesses critical possibility to protect customers by issuing strong guidelines. We wish that the Bureau does therefore, while additionally using into account and respecting states that have actually strong guidelines presently in position and building to their efforts to guard customers from predatory financing.
In finalizing proposed guidelines, we urge you to definitely concentrate on significant measures to ensure an ability that is consumerвЂ™s repay. Into the outline for the proposals being considered, the CFPB had written it вЂњbelieves that the failure which will make an ability-to-repay determination outcomes in numerous customers taking out fully unaffordable loans.вЂќ Ability-to-repay is a fundamental piece of responsible financing; but, predatory loan providers, specially people that have immediate access up to a checking that is consumerвЂ™s, never have prioritized this standard. Lending when you look at the lack of a highly effective ability-to-repay dedication, and track of just just how loans perform in training, causes significant injury to customers. We urge one to offer this standard consideration that is appropriate the proposed guidelines. We appreciate your focus on this matter and hope you can expect to quickly issue strong guidelines to deal with the predatory financing practices that will simply continue steadily to harm customers without quick action.


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Sony: We Are Totally Open For Crossplay, Game Developers: No, You Totally Are Not
from the cross-purposes dept
It’s a really dumb saga that has gone on for far too long, but Sony has built for itself a public history of not allowing gamers to cross-play multiplayer games on their Playstations with players on other consoles. This is all an attempt to get Playstation owners to convince their friends to also buy Playstations so that they can game together, which is exactly the kind of protectionist hardball that makes Sony, you know, Sony. The backlash against Sony last summer was bad enough that Microsoft and Nintendo, rivals in the console space, decided to put out joint advertisements together along with a social media campaign essentially trolling Sony over the issue, while pointing out to gamers worldwide that owners of Nintendo and Xbox consoles very much could play with one another.
In one of the all-time underwhelming responses to a PR crisis in the history of gaming, Sony did enable crossplay… for exactly two games. Fortnite and Rocket League have crossplay enabled, but literally nothing else. Which made it somewhat baffling that the Chairman of Sony Interactive managed to claim in a recent interview that the lack of crossplay at this point was all the developers’ fault.
“People keep saying, ‘Why doesn’t Sony allow more people to have it,’” Sony’s Shawn Layden told Game Informer. “All it takes is for publishers and developers who wish to permission it. As ever, just work with your PlayStation account manager, and they will walk you through the steps that we’ve learned through our partnership with Epic on how this works. I don’t believe right now there is any gating factor on that. I think they’re open to make proposals, because the Fortnite thing worked pretty well.”
It’s a striking claim in many ways. First, the inclusion of a phrase like “as ever” must surely be infuriating to any developer or gamer who knows the history of crossplay on Sony’s hardware. It’s not “as ever.” At best, it’s “as very, very recently.” Second, the claim makes no sense. Developers and publishers across the spectrum have managed to get crossplay enabled on Xbox and Nintendo hardware, but the claim is that they’ve just been too lazy to do so with Sony? All while they’re screaming that they want their games to be crossplay enabled? Come on.
And it’s not just me saying so. Layden’s comments were met with immediate backlash from developers.
Finn Brice, the CEO of Chucklefish, which developed and published the recent Advance Wars-inspired hit Wargroove, took issue with Layden’s characterization in a thread about the interview on the gaming forum ResetEra.
“We made many requests for crossplay (both through our account manager and directly with higher ups) all the way up until release month,” Brice wrote. “We were told in no uncertain terms that it was not going to happen.”
Wargroove is currently available, with cross-play, on Switch, Xbox One, and PC. The game is slated to launch later this year on PlayStation 4. Brice added that while it might be more complicated from a policy standpoint on PlayStation’s part, for Chucklefish, implementing cross-play is as easy as flipping a switch, something people have speculated about ever since Fortnite maker Epic Games accidentally enabled cross-play between Xbox One and PS4 back in September of 2017.
In other words, Sony is Sonying all over this. Why in the world this kind of comment should be thought to do anything other than anger both gamers and game developers alike is beyond me. Blame developers for your own protectionist behavior that refuses what your own customers want? That’s ballsy, even for Sony.
Filed Under: crossplay, playstation, video games
Comments on “Sony: We Are Totally Open For Crossplay, Game Developers: No, You Totally Are Not”
I’d say this is even stupider than Yoshidas claim about online multiplayer costs being about "delivering a better service and receive[ing] proper payment
Don’t hate on Sony, it’s a language thing. We say crossplay, they hear cossplay. Huzzar! you say, I shall dress as Crash Bandicoot. They hear cash ban and get angry. Damn seams they really do want cross play.
While I get your joke, crossplay is already a term in otaku culture, it means cross-dressed cosplay. You know, men dressed as female characters or women dressed as male ones. We can’t just assume that they can’t understand the language.
But, is anyone honestly surprised? For decades, Sony’s business model has been about locking people into proprietary systems. The fact that they have to be dragged kicking and screaming into allowing people to be exposed to other ecosystems is par for the course.
Funny, I had no problem playing Final Fantasy XIV on my PS4 with PC gamers.
FFXIV is a special case. As evil as Sony are, they’re also pretty greedy and know on which platform the MMO bread is best buttered. FFXIV is even available for Mac!
Re: Re: Re:
Actually, it’s just that the console and PC markets are different enough that Sony don’t feel that they’d be losing anything to a competitor by allowing that. Plus, the nature of MMOs means that the console ecosystem alone might have been riskier than allowing crossplay in that instance. They obviously think differently when dealing with other consoles.
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I also had played Fortnite with PC players long before they enabled it for Xbox cross play as well which always annoyed me when Techdirt would run article claiming there was no Crossplay on the PS4 for fortnite when it did exist, just not with Xbox.
Last generation, Sony wanted it with the PS3. Microsoft with the larger market share didn’t want it on the Xbox 360.
So just because Microsoft are playing nice this generation doesn’t mean they will next generation, if they get the market lead again.
Re: Last Gen
True, but it’s hard to backtrack on this kind of stuff once there’s a proven demand.
Re: Re: Last Gen
Yeah, that would be like selling consoles with the promise that you could run other operating systems on them – say, Linux – and then retroactively taking away that capability. Nobody would be crazy enough to do that, would they?
Re: Re: Re: Last Gen
Completely different scenarios. In the OtherOS debacle, Sony were removing features from products already purchased. Whereas, crossplay is a feature meant to entice people to buy new products. Plus there’s a huge difference between a niche console feature and a feature currently being used in some of the biggest titles on the planet.
Once crossplay is established as an expected feature, it’s unlikely that it will be removed as that just hands ammunition to competitors. Plus, Microsoft is actually embracing cross platform play in a big way (they recently announced XBox Live to be launched on Switch, iOS & Android) so the only thing they could possibly achieve by removing it is to hand marketshare back to Sony.
Never say never, of course, but I’d say it’s as unlikely as them removing the achievement system at this point.
Yeah, it’s all about the $, and it’s not just Sony. Microsoft is thirsty because of lack luster Xbox1 sales THIS generation, so they’re playing nice. Companies are open to change only when they think it’ll be financially beneficial…blah, blah, blah
Re: shoe...other foot...$
That’s apples to oranges. If something as big as crossplay were removed after it being offered and an expected feature, there would be such a backlash that it would make the backlash against diskless consoles look quaint in comparison.
So… are developers going to refuse to target Sony devices until they agree to crossplay?
Didn’t think so, despite the fact that it’d have Sony supporting crossplay in a heartbeat.
No, developers won’t decide to boycott a large proportion of their market because they disagree with a small aspect of how that marketplace is designed. Especially since all of their competitors who don’t consider crossplay to be important will remain in their spot.
But, nice of you to shift blame on to them rather than holding Sony accountable for its own decisions.


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AT&T today announced that it will begin sales of Pantech's Android-based Crossover on June 5 for $69.99 with a two-year voice contract and monthly data plan.
The Crossover is the first Pantech Android device sold in the U.S.
The low price set by AT&T's for the Crossover, which includes a 3.1-in. touchscreen and slide-out Qwerty keyboard, compares to $250 to $300 for other recently unveiled high-end Android smartphones from manufacturers like Samsung, HTC and Motorola. The latter devices offer more powerful processors and higher screen resolution than the Crossover.
The Pantech model, while much cheaper than some other Android phones, still offers AT&T an opportunity to lock-in a new customers to two-year voice and data contracts. The minimum data plan goes for $15 a month for 200MB. If users exceed 200MB, AT&T automatically charges $15 for another 200MB.
AT&T said the Pantech Crossover is "perfect for first-time smartphone users," which correlates to the marketing strategy all the carriers use to initiate mostly younger cell phone users with the data and browsing capabilities of smartphones.
"This Crossover works to AT&T's advantage big-time," noted Jack Gold, an analyst at J. Gold Associates. "AT&T doesn't make much on the hardware anyway, relying instead on voice service and data plans, and if they have a low-cost offering, they will hit a new class of subscribers. And the difference between $70 and $300 is important to some buyers."
The Pantech Crossover runs a 600 MHz processor, compared to the 1 GHz, or even have dual core 2 GHz processors in the higher-end smartphones. The dual core chips are helpful for for graphics and video tasks.
The Pantech device does offer users a 3 megapixel digital camera with camcorder, and a 2GB MicroSD memory card that can be upgraded to 32GB. Pantech and AT&T didn't disclose the screen resolution, although an AT&T spokeswoman acknowledged that it is lower than on some of the more expensive smartphones that the company sells.
The 1500 mAh Lithium-ion battery might be considered slight when compared to more expensive smartphones. AT&T said the Crossover's battery gets up to five hours of active use, compared to the eight hours or more sought by many users.
Crossover runs Android 2.2, and supports HSPA and GSM cellular networks as well as Wi-Fi. It is 4.45 x 2.28 x .56 inches and weights 5.15 ounces, making it heavier than some other smartphones.
Crossover gets some high-end credibility because it can serve as a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to five devices for a minimum of $45 a month for a 4GB data plan. The overage charge is $10 per 1GB.
Pantech already makes several mobile phones sold by AT&T. None of them, including the Laser, Ease, Pursuit, Breeze II, Link and Impact, run Android, and some run limited browsers. Primarily, they have been marketed by AT&T as quick messaging phones, with an emphasis on texting.
Pantech already has a reputation as a Windows Mobile device maker and has been a recognized mobile phone brand name in foreign markets for many years, Gold noted.
"They've been making phones a long time, but Pantech is just not a recognized name in the U.S.," Gold said. Often, Pantech would produce devices that carriers would sell without the Pantech brand name on the device, he added.
"It's not a surprise to see low-cost smartphones like Crossover coming to market, because you can already buy a BlackBerry smartphone for $69," Gold said. "But what you'll see happening more and more is these companies like Pantech, ZTE and Huawei latching onto Android and coming to market. They can turn the cranks and produce high-volume product cheaply, since they know how to buy chips and screens in bulk."
Various Asian manufacturers will increasingly produce Android devices for sale in the U.S., including up-and-coming manufacturers based in India, Gold noted.
Matt Hamblen covers mobile and wireless, smartphones and other handhelds, and wireless networking for Computerworld. Follow Matt on Twitter at @matthamblen , or subscribe to Matt's RSS feed . His e-mail address is [email protected] .
Read more about smartphones in Computerworld's Smartphones Topic Center.


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A new issue of Statistical Series presenting an economic forecast for the economy of Iceland is now available. The forecast covers the years 2023 to 2028.
Economic growth accelerated to 6.4% last year driven by an increase in private consumption and a robust recovery in exports. For this year, GDP is projected to grow by 3.8%. Growth in domestic demand is expected to ease but the contribution of foreign trade to economic growth will be positive.
Robust growth in private consumption, which increased by 7% in 2021 and 8.6% in 2022, is set to slow down this year and is forecast to grow by 1.9%. Tight labour market conditions support private consumption, but high inflation and rising interest rates reduce purchasing power. Public consumption grew by 1.6% last year. Public consumption growth is expected to be 2% this year and 1.7% next year.
Business investment is set for slower growth in this year after a significant increase in the last two years. Business investment is forecast to increase by 3.4% this year as growth is expected to be broad-based. In 2024, business investment is expected to increase by 5.4%. Housing investment decreased by 6.3% last year for the second year in a row. The number of people employed in the construction industry increased by over 11% last year to its highest level since 2008. Growth in housing investment is projected to exceed 14% this year and around 8% next year. Public sector investment decreased by 0.9% last year. This year public sector investment is expected to decline by 3.5% due to postponement of investment projects. A turnaround is projected next year as public sector investment is expected to grow by 2.1%.
Exports have grown rapidly in the past two years due to recovery in the tourist sector. Despite strong growth, the contribution of foreign trade to economic growth last year proved to be negative due to the high growth of imports, which is attributed, among other things, to imported services and the imports of commodities. It is estimated that exports will grow by 7.8% this year and imports by 5.1%. For the past three years the balance of trade has been negative and is projected to remain so this year and in 2024.
Inflation outlook has deteriorated. High global inflation, exchange rate depreciation at the end of the year and a tight labour market have increased domestic inflationary pressure. This year, inflation is forecast to increase by 8.2% from last year. Next year, inflation is expected to ease, reaching 4.6%, due to lower inflation abroad and a cooling economy.
Last year the unemployment rate averaged 3.8%. At the same time, there was a large population increase, but the number of people of working age increased by 2.7%. Employment participation also increased and was 80.1% compared to 78.8% in 2021. The labour market is expected to remain robust this year and unemployment is forecast to average 3.8%, similar to last year.
Total household debt is low compared with disposable income, assets and GDP. Total debt of business enterprises has increased in recent months but is historically low as a percentage of GDP. There has been some turmoil in international financial markets due to the operational difficulties of foreign commercial banks, but the combined capital ratio of domestic systemically important banks is 2.3-4 percentage points above the Central Bank of Iceland’s minimum requirements. Iceland's international investment position at the end of 2022 was net positive by 24.2% of GDP.
The last economic forecast was published on the 11th of November 2022. The next forecast is scheduled for June 2023.
Economic forecast — Statistical Series


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Retailers look to metaverses to redefine the retail experience
As consumers rediscover the pleasures of shopping in physical stores and workers return to their offices, the strong tailwinds that benefited the digital economy during the pandemic are losing some of their force. So where does that leave the metaverse and what is its likely impact on retailers?
The argument underpinning the metaverse is that social interactions and commercial transactions are becoming increasingly digital and it remains a very powerful one that has propelled investment in this sector.
Facebook changed its name to Meta Platforms last year and Reality Labs, Meta’s VR and AR division, has spent $10 billion creating the tools needed to build and better experience the metaverse. When unveiling the new name, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg talked about transactions worth hundreds of billions of dollars that would take place in the metaverse in the next decade. Other tech giants and leading consumer brands also rushed to set up metaverse projects.
But the metaverse has not escaped the recent cooling of investor sentiment towards the technology sector due to the worsening economy and the collapse in value of overhyped metaverse technologies such as cybercurrencies and non-fungible tokens.
Meanwhile, Meta recently pushed back plans to launch a commercial headset that would allow consumers to experience virtual worlds.
The metaverse may not have yet arrived but clearly it is only a matter of time as many of us already use its enabling technologies every day: eCommerce, 5G networks, virtual reality, augmented reality, remote meetings, social networks, crypto, NFTs, wearable tech and AI.
An immersive channel for retail
With the advent of the metaverse, retail leaders have a great opportunity to be able to give their customers an immersive digital experience, without compromising the benefits of the physical experience.
According to a study conducted by Accenture, just over half of consumers globally, consider that part of their lives and means are being transferred to the digital environment.
Moreover, 72% of executives globally are betting that the metaverse will have a significant and positive impact on their organizations, so many buyers and sellers are now preparing to move fully into the digital environment.
Undoubtedly, the adoption of the metaverse in the retail sector will offer businesses the ability to offer an experience that goes beyond the limitations of today’s physical or online store experience.
Combining physical, augmented and virtual reality allows retailers to create an environment where users can seamlessly interact with products and stores, as well as enhance their marketing strategies.
As the metaverse matures, more tangible opportunities for retailers will emerge. For example, they can launch new products in the metaverse and gather consumer feedback before deciding to investment in a production run.
Or they can turn shopping into a game offering the winners tokens that can be exchanged for real-world goods .
Lowe’s, the US home improvement retailer, sees the metaverse at a pivotal stage of development. The retailer has introduced new types of interactive digital experience, such as with its Measure Your Space tool, or as Holoroom How To, which applies VR technology to home improvements.
The metaverse has the potential to forever change the customer experience and the way consumers interact with brands today. Are retailers ready for it?


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The series of big mergers and acquisitions that propelled Diageo to No. 1 in the drinks business is helping it open a competitive lead over rivals.
Diageo, which makes Johnnie Walker whiskey, Smirnoff vodka and many other well-known alcoholic beverage brands, said today that its latest big deal, the purchase of the Seagram spirit brands, had almost doubled its net income in the first six months of 2002. For the fiscal year ended June 30, the company said, pretax profit rose 3 percent, to $3.19 billion. Sales fell 12 percent, to $17.71 billion for the year. Excluding businesses sold during the year, sales rose by 8 percent.
In an indication of the industry's relative resilience in times of economic downturn, the company said it would not lower its annual sales growth target of 8 to 10 percent.
''We aren't blind to the fact that things are getting tougher in some markets, but we don't see anything in our business not to maintain those targets,'' said Nick Rose, Diageo's finance director. Latin America will be the most challenging market, the company said.
The results announced today were roughly in line with what analysts had been expecting. ''The acquisition has done very well,'' said Henk Potts of Barclays Stockbrokers, referring to the $8 billion deal last December that divided the Seagram beverage businesses between Diageo and Pernod Ricard. Diageo has ''significant distribution scale,'' Mr. Potts said, ''and that gives it a very strong competitive edge over its peers.''Continue reading the main story
Diageo owns most of the world's top-selling drink brands, including Baileys liqueur, Guinness beer and stout and Tanqueray gin. It has been steadily transforming itself into a company focused on premium drink brands. Last year, it agreed to sell the Burger King fast-food chain for $2.26 billion and the Pillsbury food business for $10.5 billion.
To win regulatory approval for the Seagram deal, Diageo also agreed to sell the Malibu rum brand; Allied Domecq bought it in February for $793 million.
The company has used the proceeds from the sales to buy back shares worth $2.55 billion, and it plans to spend $2.25 billion more to buy back shares.
Not everything has been going well. The company said it would write off $36 million in inventory of Captain Morgan Gold, a ready-to-drink mixture of rum and cola introduced in May that has not caught on. ''The brand is relatively small,'' said Nigel Popham of Teather & Greenwood, a brokerage firm, ''but what it signals for the ready-to-drink sector is not optimistic.''
The sector had been seen as a bright spot for growth in an industry where sales of beer in British pubs are falling and other established products are generally flat. Diageo's Smirnoff Ice, a vodka-and-lemon mixture, is a hit, doubling in sales volume from last year, the company said.
But the success of the category, especially among younger drinkers, has brought many new entries. ''There's a lot more competition coming into it,'' Mr. Potts said.Continue reading the main story


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Investors spooked by recent market gyrations will turn to community banks as a safe haven, an analyst predicted.
Burned by speculation in hedge funds and fearful of a slumping economy, Wall Street is coming back to retail banking, a stronghold of community banks, said Kevin T. Timmons, an analyst at First Albany Corp., Albany, N.Y.
"Ultimately, I believe this trend will reflect positively in community bank stocks," Mr. Timmons told a crowd gathered here for the New York Bankers Association's annual retail conference.
Though criticized for "nondramatic growth" compared with credit cards or speculative lending, the retail side of the business tends not to dry up or sour as quickly in a downturn, he said.
"Finally analysts and investment managers are seeing that retail banking has its place," Mr. Timmons said.
Bankers here were generally pleased with Mr. Timmons' prediction. However, a few snickered at the thought of analysts clamoring for stocks of conservative-minded companies.
"It will be interesting to see these same people who came into my office a few years ago telling me to spread out, coming back to me because I didn't," said one Upstate New York banker who asked not to be identified.
Collyn Bement, an analyst at Ferris, Baker, Watts in Baltimore, agreed that recent events will make everyone more cautious. But that does not mean investors will let earnings growth come to a halt.
"The dynamics have changed so dramatically in this industry, I don't think people are going to accept slow-growth numbers," she said.
And Mr. Timmons said he still has long-term concerns about retail banking. He said the question of whether there is value in adding branches has still not been answered. And it remains to be seen whether the industry's spending on technology will pay off down the road.
For the time being, though, retail is a good place to be.
"Customers aren't going to run away from the local bank because of some global crisis," he said. "There will still be business out there."


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New Fat-Hugging Jerseys Are Destroying NFL Players' Self EsteemLatest
This year, the NFL unveiled new, sleeker uniforms to help the players give each other concussions with less wind resistance. But the Nike jerseys aren’t very popular among one subset of football players — large, heavy linemen who complain that the snug fit makes them feel like big fat babies.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the new design was introduced after a decade of using the same Reebok jerseys. But what Nike calls an improved “Body Contour Fit” is more like a shrunken sausage casing on larger players, many of whom tip the scales at more than 350 pounds. And it’s giving some of them a complex.
Yes, like a gang of middle school girls upset that the clothes at American Apparel make them look like big fat hookers, NFL linemen are having serious body confidence issues. Lumps are poking out in places that were once thought to be svelte. Stomachs are hanging out of the bottom of the shirts. Self esteems are in tatters.
One reported that after his wife saw him in his new jersey, she told him that he looked like he had eaten a small child. Others say that any moisture at all causes them to ride up, thus exposing mounds of athletic-but-bountiful flesh to millions of prying TV audience eyes. It’s like going to the beach that summer after you first got your “Woman Body,” but for giant millionaire dudes.
On one hand, I feel a little guilty about being so tickled by reports of the lineman complaints about too-tight jerseys being unflattering. After all, being forced to parade around in public in an outfit that makes you feel ridiculous is not a fun experience, a fact with which most bathing suit averse women are painfully aware. But on the other, misery loves company.
Maybe this is just Nike priming the pump for its new line of gigantic athletic Spanx.


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By Bill Cunningham
June 26, 2018
It’s World Cup season, and we at SiteSpect are brimming with enthusiasm. As the biggest sporting event in the world, the tournament holds additional interest for us as we work with marketers across industries and locations: It’s a huge marketing opportunity for brands drumming up engagement. Here’s what experts are saying about the World Cup and marketing.
Football’s Next Marketing Superstar May Emerge at This World Cup, The Conversation
Even if you don’t follow soccer you have probably heard of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi from Nike, Adidas, and a variety of other luxury brand advertisements. But, Simon Chadwick, Professor of Sports Enterprise, writes, this is likely the last world cup for these two international superstars. (In 2022 Ronaldo will be 37 and Messi will be 35. In other words, old for soccer). Chadwick notes three contenders for soccer’s marketing super stars: Neymar, the Brazilian fashion star who also plays for Paris Saint Germain; Paul Pogba, the French and Manchester United player with a very cool Adidas ad where he dances in cool outfits along to Stormzy; Mohamed Salah, the so called Egyptian King and Liverpool star forward whose popularity has spurred social changes and inspired a generation in the U.K. and abroad.
The Takeaway: The world cup is not only the biggest sporting event in the world, but also a big window into the future of marketing.
In case you missed it, Iceland — a country with a population roughly half the size of Boston’s — is the smallest country ever to make it to the World Cup. In their first game of the tournament, they faced Argentina, home to soccer legend Lionel Messi, and tied 1-1. Reports from RUV sports, the channel airing the match in Iceland, say that 99.6% of people watching television in Iceland at the time were watching the match. That works out to 60% of the nation.
The Takeaway: Pretty much all of Iceland was tuned in for their magnificent draw against Argentina. Even if soccer’s not your thing, the viewership cements it as one of the most culturally important sporting events in history.
For the first time since 1986, the U.S. men’s soccer team is not in the World Cup. This puts a pin in many brands’ marketing and engagement plans, but author Jonathan Crowl notes five brands who have found creative ways to engage American viewers. The brands are: Jagermeister and DraftKings collaboration, 23 and Me, Anheuser-Busch, and Telemundo. Each of these brands has found a way to engage an audience who doesn’t have an automatic team affiliation or loyalty.
The Takeaway: Even though the U.S. isn’t in the World Cup this time, brands are finding creative ways to engage American viewers. Look out for these tactics this summer.
A Little Point of View
The World Cup is arguably the most universal sporting event of the world, uniting fans even more than the Olympics. As such, the marketing trends here speak volumes to how brands are engaging customers internationally as well as in their home countries. Especially since the U.S. is not competing this time, U.S. based brands need to find other ways to get customers excited. It’s been interesting to see how this influences U.S. viewers’ fan associations and how viewers respond to ads.
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As Naspers Sells Buscape To Zoom, Its WeBuyCars Deal Is Legally Threatened
South Africa’s conglomerate Naspers has agreed to sell Brazilian online comparison site Buscape to competitor Zoom, while the country’s Competition Commission has recommended that the company’s acquisition of WeBuyCars should be blocked.
June 2018, it was reported that Nasper had hired Citigroup Inc to help them in the sale of Buscape. The move was part of its strategy to focus its portfolio on classifieds, food delivery, and fintech startups. While the amount involved in the transaction remains officially withheld, the deal could be concluded this year.
Cape Town-based Naspers bought into the Sao Paulo site in September 2009. According to a Market Watch report, a 91 percent stake in the Brazilian company was acquired for USD 342 Mn. As of 2015, Naspers tried to sell Buscape but got discouraged by offers below the initial purchasing price.
The price comparison site attracts 15 million unique visitors and is underpinned by a network of 5,000 merchants and 12 million product offerings in many categories. If Naspers is agreeing to sell Buscape to Zoom, then it would mean that the South African firm found a better deal with the reliable storefront.
Meanwhile, Naspers is looking to buy WeBuyCars. The hitch in the transaction, however, has been brought on by the Competition Commission of South Africa who has said that the acquisition should be prohibited because it will prevent similar businesses from entering the market and dominate other competitors.
MIH eCommerce Holdings, an investment holding company of Naspers, was supposedly going to acquire a 60 percent stake in WeBuyCars, an S.A-based platform that makes it easy for people to evaluate and sell their cars quickly. MIH also has investments in OLX and the Naspers’ subsidiary, Car Trader, which operates as AutoTrader.
Since Naspers is not active in auto dealing, the commission was not able to find any competitor overlap that might result from the deal. It was however found that the group had been planning to make an inroad into S.A’s market for the wholesale and online buying of used cars in competition with WeBuyCars.
The commission said: “These entry plans were thwarted directly as a result of the merger. “Given this potential entry, the commission assessed if the proposed merger will result in the removal of potential competition in South Africa, as Naspers Group had plans to enter the South Africa niche wholesale buying of used car market segment utilizing the instant cash model and compete directly against WeBuyCars.”
According to the Commission, there is a vertical (supplier-customer relationship) overlap because the Naspers Group owns and operates online classified automotive advertising platforms, OLX, and Auto Trader, and WeBuyCars utilizes these platforms to either sell or purchase vehicles.
They believe that the proposed mergers will culminate in the foreclosure of other traditional dealers, which includes the rivals of WeBuyCars on the sell side. The commission also revealed that Naspers could harness the complementarities of WeBuycars and AutoTrader and/or OLX to the exclusion of effective competition against WeBuyCars rivals as well as other online platforms.
The commission also revealed that Naspers could harness the complementarities of WeBuycars and AutoTrader and/or OLX to the exclusion of effective competition against WeBuyCars rivals as well as other online platforms.
The commission said it is concerned that the proposed merger would result in the foreclosure of other traditional dealers, that is, rivals of WeBuyCars on the sell side.
It also discovered that the acquisition would spell the removal of Naspers as a potential effective competitor to WeBuCars in the used car wholesale and online buying niche, which the group currently dominates.
“This is because AutoTrader is a significant platform on which many traditional dealers advertise their cars and has the ability and incentive to offer preferential treatment towards WeBuyCars,” it said.
“Overall, the proposed transaction is likely to substantially prevent or lessen competition in the relevant markets and result in used car customers paying higher prices in future than they would otherwise pay in a competitive environment.”


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11 Mar 0
The recent crisis in European refinery industry has attracted eyeballs of economists and industry experts. Amidst the fading operating margins and tough global competition many refineries are facing inevitable shutdowns. Few of the major issues have been highlighted in the article.
22 Jan 0
In early January 2012 market research Firm Insight Research Corp. predicted that global telecommunication industry would reach $2.1 trillion by the end of the year.
15 Dec 0
The Light-Emitting-Diode or the LED market of India has been scaling up over the last three years, displacing many conventional technologies such as incandescent, HID and fluorescent lighting.
08 Nov 0
Video gaming, though in the virtual world is a serious business and the customers are no more confined to any specific age group. It’s a global phenomenon and is catching up pretty fast and has turned itself into a multi-billion dollar business.
05 Nov 0
Over the past few years India along with other Asian and African countries, has become a major destination for electronic waste (e-waste) exports from OECD counties. Managing E-waste - both locally generated and internationally imported, are the major challenges for the government.
01 Nov 0
The Global insurance industry is hit by the low interest rates and the euro debt crisis is the major reason promoting the headache for the insurance industry. Although at the same time there is a bright yet slow momentum spot seen in the emerging markets.
26 Oct 0
The use of plastics in medical applications is wide and varied. Ranging from implants to disposables there are numerous applications of medical plastics. With a clear path to achieve a much wider usage, improvisation seems to be the key buzz word for all types of plastics.
18 Oct 0
We are living in an enormous digitized world. Every day we are generating quintillion bytes of data knowingly or unknowingly. An online purchase, a single tweet or a Facebook comment, hourly climate information, a cell phone call; all contribute to building a large database.
20 Sep 1
Amidst global economic slowdown, India continues to have high hopes for growth. Increasing demand in consumer electronic goods market, made India one of the preferred investment destinations for global players.
14 Sep 0
For the past few years, Electronica India & Productronica India has been India’s leading trade exhibition of the electronics industry specifically dealing with electronic components, systems and applications.