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Come Sunday night, the Super Bowl will have its winner and its loser.
But before the two teams even made it to Atlanta, the country’s annual circus of consumerism and commercialism already had one clear victor: the marijuana industry.
CBS’s refusal to run a cannabis-focused investment firm’s ad advocating for the legalization of medical cannabis marked a coup for an industry whose product is still illegal federally. “The fact that an ad was even considered for the Super Bowl shows that we’ve turned a corner,” Lisa Buffo, the founder of the Cannabis Marketing Association, told the Guardian.
Cannabis industry advocates have spent decades countering both fearmongering over marijuana and Cheech and Chong stoner stereotypes. But now that cannabis is legal in some form in 33 states and two in three Americans are in support of legalization, the industry has entered a new phase and has turned its attention to branding and marketing.
The dream of a bud broadcast in the same vein as a mass-consumed Bud Light commercial most likely won’t come to fruition until the drug is legal federally. Companies can only advertise in states that have legalized cannabis and they are bound by state and local regulations. State and local authorities have imposed varying limitations, including on billboards in areas frequented by those under the age of 21.
There are no formal statistics on how much the industry is spending on marketing, Buffo said, though the Cannabis Marketing Association is working to track those numbers this year. Buffo believes cannabis businesses spend less than companies in other industries on marketing since it’s not considered a deductible business expense for them. But even if the industry were to spend just 10% of its revenue on advertising, that would still amount to $900m total.
MedMen’s brand of “redefining the cannabis industry” has translated into an extensive advertising blitz that includes print ads in southern California, web banner ads, social media influencers, and more than 30 traditional billboards and 60 mobile billboards in California and Nevada.
The Los Angeles-based company also has its own “cannabis and culture journal” called Ember, in partnership with Paper magazine. The August issue featured the actor Lake Bell on the cover.
And then there’s Ignite Cannabis, a California-based company whose Instagram full of scantily clad women looks like a shot out of a Fyre Festival documentary. In September, a billboard in Modesto depicting two women from behind with the words “Best Buds” prompted outrage among some parents who believed it sent “the wrong message” to their children.
The billboard, however, was in compliance with state regulations for marijuana advertising that required it “only be displayed where at least 71.6% of the audience is reasonably expected to be 21 years of age or older”.
Some local lawmakers feel that state regulations have not gone far enough in protecting children. Chris Cate, a councilman in San Diego, California, introduced legislation in October that would go beyond state law and prohibit billboards within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, youth-oriented facilities, recreation centers, libraries, churches and residential care facilities, and within 100 feet of residential housing. His proposal would also restrict websites like Weedmaps and Eaze, which list and rate local dispensaries, and websites that facilitate marijuana deliveries.
“We wanted to put together regulations that would treat the cannabis industry similar to how we would treat the tobacco and alcohol industries,” Cate told the Guardian. “We don’t want to encourage underage usage, and I think that’s important for the city and residents.”
San Diego’s legal marijuana businesses appeared supportive of Cate’s proposal. Phil Rath, the executive director of the United Medical Marijuana Coalition, told the Los Angeles Times that they seemed like “commonsense reforms”. Given concern over perceptions of the burgeoning industry, many seem more than willing to work within the restrictions set by local and state jurisdictions.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for an industry that was once associated with shady dealings in liquor store parking lots, advertising a product and educating the public are two sides of the same coin.
The Super Bowl ad, put forth by the cannabis-focused investment firm Acreage Holdings, for example, called for federal legalization of medical cannabis. Consumer education is still “a huge growth area”, said Allan Steiner, who heads insights and development for Green Rush Consulting, an Oakland-based firm that provides guidance to cannabis entrepreneurs. He noted that the “50-plus crowd” is “the largest-growing cannabis market”.
“My prediction is that cannabis will continue to go in the direction of wine and craft beer, and the consumer knowledge of the product will become similarly nuanced over time,” Steiner argued.
“Cannabis has been illegal for 80-plus years, so its history is steeped in prohibition, propaganda, and more recently the drug war,” said Buffo, of the Cannabis Marketing Association. “In essence, everything the industry does with cannabis is representing the new era of legal cannabis and thus, its new brand. Until the stigma changes, it can be argued that marketing and branding cannabis is its own form of advocacy.”
For the leadership at Acreage Holdings, the advocacy angle of their Super Bowl ad meant that in the end, it didn’t really matter that CBS rejected it.
“Our hopes were that we would get it to run, but we knew that either way that we would get the word out there,” Harris Damashek, Acreage Holdings’ chief marketing officer, said in an interview. “We knew that there would be interest in the story, and the story is in the PSA.”
In the world of viral marketing, the ad was a success. The minute-long video was played, uploaded on the internet and viewed hundreds of thousands of times despite CBS’s rejection. George Allen, the firm’s president, appeared on CNN, and the message the firm wanted to send was seen by millions: legalize it.
“I think we’re knocking down false narratives and preconceived issues that people have about cannabis all day long,” Allen said. “I think five years ago, a PSA about medical cannabis around the Super Bowl would have been poorly received. Now I think most people around the country have one degree of separation from someone whose life has been changed in the positive by cannabis and that’s why I think the message now matters.”
And perhaps one day, that might mean actual Super Bowl airtime.


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At Hot Chips this year, Xilinx gave a good talk on the problems with electrical and optical backplanes, and what the options are to deal with some thorny impending problems.
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Hot Article Intel foundry customer bails out
Hot Article Coffee Lake is going to impact Intel’s margins
Hot Article SemiAccurate digs up Intel Coffee Lake specs

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A wine bar is under investigation amid allegations it is breaching planning conditions. Wine Republic in Cardiff is already mired in controversy over claims its owner oversaw a toxic culture in his previous venture and failed to pay staff £10,500 in wages.
Adam Pledger, 45, is well-known from his time running Park House, an award-winning Cardiff city-centre restaurant which went bust last March. Recently we reported that the restaurant owed seven staff members a total of £10,500 in wages and that Mr Pledger had blocked their messages for months.
Last October the businessman opened a Rhiwbina venue called Wine Republic, which on its frontage displays the words "wine bar". This week our reporter visited and gathered evidence of the business appearing to operate as a bar without planning permission. Mr Pledger told us the site was "primarily a wine shop" but that he would look into the concerns. Cardiff Council said it was investigating.
Before its launch Wine Republic, based at 6C Heol-Y-Deri, was granted an alcohol licence by a Cardiff council licensing committee. But its address, previously an interior design shop, still has a planning use class of A2 (professional or financial services). It does not have a use class of A1 (retail) or A3 (food and drink). Welsh Government guidance describes A3 as being "for the sale of food and drink for consumption on the premises", including "drinking establishments".
In November we were contacted by an anonymous source who said: "Wine Republic doesn't actually have planning permission.. If Adam applied for A3 consent, certainly soundproofing would be a requirement. They currently have no soundproofing."
We raised the issue with the council, which said the property could "continue to be used as a shop" under its planning use class. But its spokesman added: "If the premises is selling food and drink which is being consumed on the premises, then the owner may require planning permission." The council said the allegation would be "looked into further to see if any breach of control has taken place".
One evening this week we sent a reporter to Wine Republic to investigate for ourselves. Our understanding is that the A2 use class may permit wine-tasting and free samples being consumed on the premises. It does not appear to allow the sale of food and drink for consumption on the premises. Yet that is exactly what was offered by the food and wine menus laid out on tables in the plush Wine Republic.
Our reporter said: "When I went in, Adam Pledger asked me and my friend if there was anything he could help us with. I asked him if we could get a couple of glasses of prosecco, which cost £6 each, and he said that was no problem. There were three booth-style seating areas inside, and a couple of higher tables in the middle of the shop which people can sit on and have drinks and food brought to them.
"We sat in one of the booth areas, and also ordered some bread and olive oil from a food menu, which was £3.50. Adam brought the bread and the prosecco to the table. The shop felt like a restaurant, with menus dotted all around the tables. One lists the various foods you can get, including different cheeses, bread and olives. And the other menu shows what wines you can buy by the glass. We sat in the shop for an hour, and finished both glasses of prosecco and the bread before we paid the bill."
The food menu included a "cheese and charcuterie selection" comprising four artisan cheeses and four Trealy Farm cured meats served with crackers, quince and chutney. The price was £18 for one person or £35 for two.
When we presented our evidence to Mr Pledger he said: "This is something I will have to investigate. We are primarily a wine shop." The 45-year-old claimed he had not been contacted by the council about the matter and had not been aware of an issue. He said he had no further comment.
In Cardiff, planning permission is always needed to change use class to A3. When we showed Cardiff council our evidence, a spokesman said it would be inappropriate to comment further while its own investigation is ongoing.
The former Park House staff members who are allegedly owed £10,500 said in a statement: "The audacity of [allegedly] serving food and wine without the proper planning permission only adds to the maddening disregard for rules and morals. Opening another business should never have been an option... It baffles us how Adam Pledger expects to brush aside the fact that he owes people wages. Is he under the illusion that we'll simply walk away from this? It's time for him to face the consequences of his actions, because we're not letting this slide.”
We previously revealed former Park House employees' allegations of bullying, tax discrepancies, chaotic negotiations with suppliers, and gruelling shifts rewarded with unreliable pay. Staff, who claim their Park House wages were paid by a Wine Republic account, started an online petition with the message: "Our [former] employer, Adam Thomas Pledger, has been ignoring us for months and withholding our wages. This is not just about money; it's about respect and dignity."
The former staff called for people to support their "fight for justice" by signing the petition and boycotting Wine Republic — which prices cases of wine at up to £310 — until the alleged debts are paid. In a statement to WalesOnline they said: "We have struggled terribly for months with the loss of our wages and no jobs. We worked relentlessly for him and his business. Many of us have been on anti-depressants due to the fact we couldn’t afford to live. He disappears... then opens a fancy wine bar in the same city. It’s an insult to Cardiff."
Our earlier reporting on the Park House employees' claims includes allegations bullying, tax discrepancies, chaotic negotiations with suppliers, and gruelling shifts rewarded with unreliable pay.
Records show that nine employment tribunals since 2019 have found that Park House owed wages. Across those cases Mr Pledger's business was ordered to pay a total of £23,568.
When we first reported on allegations of a "toxic" culture and "exhausting" work conditions, Park House said it could not comment on individual cases but "refuted the contents of this article". The restaurant told us last April: "We are one of the 13,000 hospitality businesses that have closed since Covid. And it is with great sadness that Covid coupled with the cost-of-living crisis meant the business became unsustainable. We are working hard to minimise the distress caused to all stakeholders."
If you would like us to investigate an issue in Wales, email us at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Pokemon Go players furious as Niantic ‘forget’ much-awaited event shinies
The Lustrous Odyssey event in Pokemon Go promised the shiny versions of Espeon and Umbreon in the wild but fans have yet to come across them, even days after the much-hyped event started in the mobile game.
After the announcement of the Lustrous Odyssey event in Pokemon Go, players were on the edge of their seats to get the iconic Dusk Form Lycanroc in their collection, but the rarity of a Rockruff that could evolve into the said Pokemon took many off-guard.
But it looks like that isn’t the only bummer as fans cannot find two highly sought-after shinies that were supposed to be available in the wild during the event. Now, they are calling out devs Niantic who seemingly “forgot” the two shiny Pokemon.
After a Reddit user named ‘AnotherRedditor-38’ shared the “I think I forgot something” meme referencing the lack of wild shiny Espeon and Umbreon in the event and stated: “I can’t believe Niantic forgot this,” several users joined the comments section, trolling Niantic for the goof.
Frustrated Pokemon Go players wrote: “I can’t believe I actually believed the announcement” and “Now that explains why on every shiny check I did, I never got a shiny.”
Some trainers assumed it could be a mistake by Niantic. “Have you ever known this could’ve been a Niantic mistake even saying they would be available? Just like the times they said that Shiny Skwovet was available from the GBL,” a fan commented.
To this, a player clarified: “If it was an incorrect announcement they could’ve updated the blog immediately, but it still shows them as shiny-eligible.”
Additionally, the concerns with Dusk Form Lycanroc and the shinies of these two Eeveelutions led some trainers to slam the event altogether.
“The spawns and bonuses are just so lame that it barely looks like an event,” one user mentioned before another added: “Wait, these are event spawns? I thought we were in standard spawn time.”
Players should note that the official post for the event still features shiny Espeon and Umbreon among the wild spawns and they hope to find at least one of these two iconic shinies before the event ends on January 10.


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On Wednesday April 5, HTC Vive will be celebrating its first anniversary with ‘Vive Day’ – which will see a number of discounts on the popular virtual reality headset's hardware and software.
The day will also mark the launch of the Viveport Subscription service, which offers HTC Vive owners a Netflix-like experience. For a monthly subscription of £6.99/$6.99/AU$9.99 you can choose five virtual reality apps or games from a curated list to download and install.
You’ll have unlimited access to the apps you select, or you can swap them each month to try something new. If you find an app or game you want to keep outright, you can buy the app as well.
Explaining the company's move to a Netflix-like service, Rikard Steiber, President of Viveport at HTC Vive, said: “Introducing a subscription model to VR is a natural evolution of where this market is going, and as film, music and TV have proven it’s becoming the preferred way customers want to explore and experience entertainment content.”
When we spoke to Steiber he explained how getting people to experience virtual reality, and the various applications it can be used for, is essential to maintaining the technology's success – and that the Viveport Subscription service is a good move for ensuring this.
- Behold, the best PC games to play before summer rolls around
More birthday presents
HTC Vive has also lined up some other gifts for Vive Day, with £100 ($100, around AU$130) being knocked off the asking price of the HTC Vive headset.
Also on April 5, HTC Vive will make its VR action game Arcade Saga available to download and keep for free. This game, which includes a number of games based on pinball, table tennis and archery, features boss battles and online multiplayer, and is usually sold for £14.99 ($14.99, around AU$19).
It’s nice to see HTC Vive mark its first anniversary with offers that benefit existing owners, while tempting potential newcomers to VR , and the Viveport subscription service could prove a key differentiator between the HTC Vive and its competitors.
- Make your ears happy with only the best gaming headsets


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In late February, Michigan Sugar Company announced that it had acquired the assets of AmCane Sugar LLC, a cane sugar refiner and specialty sugar manufacturer based at Taylor, Mich. “The addition of AmCane will broaden Michigan Sugar’s product offerings and allow it to meet its customers’ requirements for a variety of specialty products and organic sugars,” MSC stated in a press release. Am-Cane’s Taylor refinery and its packaging and blending operation in Toledo, Ohio, will increase Michigan Sugar’s revenues by more than $60 million and its sugar sales volume by nearly 15%, the company added.
AmCane employs 100 workers at its two facilities and refines a broadline of specialized cane sugar products, including liquid sucrose, VLC liquid sugar, evaporated cane juice, large/coarse grain sugar and boiled brown sugar.
“Acquiring AmCane allows us to expand our value-added offerings,” stated Mark Flegenheimer, president and CEO of Michigan Sugar. “Adding cane sugar products to our product lineup will allow us to better serve our customers while maintaining a keen focus on value-enhanced products.”
Read our entire issue and back issues. Click here


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Comcast NBCUniversal has announced the launch of SportsTech, a global accelerator for sports technology startups, the company said.
SportsTech will feature an unprecedented partnership of three of Comcast NBCUniversal´s sports brands — NBC Sports, Sky Sports and Golf Channel — alongside NASCAR and two US Olympic sports organizations: US Ski & Snowboard and USA Swimming. Comcast Ventures, the company´s San Francisco-based venture capital arm, will round out the partnership. Each partner will serve on an advisory committee that influences the innovation priorities of SportsTech, and each will provide startups with direct access to strategic industry relationships, mentorship, and partnership opportunities.
Early stage startups from around the world are encouraged to apply for the inaugural class, which will begin in August, at www.comcastsportstech.com.
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with three primary businesses: Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable is one of the United States´ largest high-speed Internet, video, and phone providers to residential customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides these services to businesses. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.


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Belk sees slight uptick in net income, sales
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Belk Inc.’s net income edged upward three-tenths of a percent to $30.6 million in the second fiscal quarter, which ended Aug. 2.
That’s up from $30.5 million during the same period last year.
Charlotte-based Belk says sales at stores in operation for at least a year grew six-tenths of a percent in the latest fiscal quarter.
Sales were strongest in children’s shoes, ladies contemporary and better sportswear, juniors and children’s apparel.
Overall sales totaled $906.5 million, up eight-tenths of a percent from a year earlier.
“While the beginning of the quarter was soft, sales trends improved during the quarter with July being the strongest month,” says Tim Belk, chairman and chief executive. “Merchandising margins were higher than last year with lower inventories, which positions the company well for the fall season.”
He notes digital continues to be Belk’s fastest growing business segment. E-commerce sales jumped 43.1 percent in the second quarter. Online sales accounted for 1.8 percent of the comparable-store sales growth.
For the first half of the fiscal year, Belk has earned $49.9 million. That’s down nearly 15 percent from $58.7 million a year earlier.
Belk cites its investment in strategic initiatives as the reason for the decline. The retailer has planned investments totaling more than $700 million over a three-year period that began in fiscal 2014.
That list includes the retailer’s focus on its omnichannel initiative, which will connect shoppers across multiple shopping platforms, enhance in-store shopping experience and create more personalized customer interactions. It continues to invest in its flagship strategy as well as opening stores and remodeling locations in existing and new markets.
Jennifer Thomas covers retail, health care and education for the Charlotte Business Journal.
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The Kardashians announced they will be closing all of their Dash boutiques.
"After nearly 12 years, my sisters and I have decided to close the doors of our Dash stores," Kim Kardashian said in a statement released on Thursday. "We've loved running Dash, but in the last few years we've all grown so much individually. We've been busy running our own brands, as well as being moms and balancing work with our families. We know in our hearts that it's time to move on."
The boutique, which was founded by Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, was first opened in 2006 in Calabasas, California, and moved to West Hollywood in 2012. The stores then expanded its locations to Miami in 2009 and New York in 2010. The New York location closed in 2016.
There was also a spin-off show released by E! in 2015 based on the boutique employees called "Dash Dolls."
"We love our Dash Dolls and are so grateful for the amazing memories - and we have to give a special thanks to the Dash employees and all of the incredible fans and customers who have supported us throughout the years," said Kardashian. "We couldn't have done it without you. Thank you to everyone."


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Clorox recalls some Pine-Sol cleaning products in Canada and the U.S. due to possible bacteria
California-based Clorox said Tuesday it has recalled some of its Pine-Sol scented multi-surface cleaners and all-purpose cleaners because they may contain bacteria that could cause serious illness in people with compromised immune systems.
The recall doesn’t include its iconic original pine-scented Pine-Sol, which is its only product registered as a disinfectant.
The company confirmed in an email to CBC News Tuesday evening that the recall applies to Canada, too, and includes Pine-Sol Scented Multi-surface Cleaner in Lavender Clean, Lemon Fresh, and Mandarin Sunrise scents.
“Original Pine-Sol Pine scent and Pine-Sol Multi-surface Cleaner in Spring Blossom and Rainforest Dew, which are sold in Canada, are not included in this recall and are safe to use,” it said.
Consumers can find a full list of affected products and date codes on the company’s website, and a hotline (1-855-378-4982) will be available as of Wednesday for Canadian consumers who purchased the recalled products to submit a request for reimbursement.
The company says the recalled products “may contain bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an environmental organism found widely in soil and water.”
“The bacteria can enter the body if inhaled, through the eyes, or through a break in the skin. People with healthy immune systems are usually not affected by the bacteria,” it said.
The affected product was sold from January 2021 to September 2022.


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Amid rising unemployment, more Americans are selling cosmetics, vitamins, kitchen knives and other goods to their friends and neighbors. Or trying to, anyway.
Industry figures suggest that as the ranks of salespeople grow, the increased competition is making it harder for many to move merchandise. That has left people like Lisa Wilson stuck with closets full of unsold inventory.
“You get pity purchases from your family, who feel guilty if they say no or they want to support you in your new endeavor. So you think it’s easy,” said Wilson, a graphics designer and advertising saleswoman in Austin, Texas, who sold Mary Kay cosmetics for about a year. “But once that dries up, you go out and get a big slap in the face.”
The number of people selling for Mary Kay, Avon, Tupperware and other direct sales companies swelled 47 percent this decade, many lured by the prospect of earning a good income at a time when regular jobs can be tough to find.
But sales grew by just 21 percent over the same period, to $29.6 billion in 2008, according to the Direct Selling Association. Last year, sales dropped by 4 percent, even as the industry grew slightly, to 15.1 million sellers.
Retailers of all stripes have been suffering from the economic slowdown, as consumers rein in spending. But the direct sales business model poses additional hurdles, experts say.
Direct sales companies typically require their representatives to pay their own startup costs, which can mean hundreds if not thousands of dollars in upfront expenses.
Then comes what for many is a surprise: Often the only way to earn big money is to become a distributor – enlisting others to sell and taking a percentage of their revenue.
“It’s not just about selling the product – it’s about recruiting other people to sell and become part of your lineage of sales reps,” said Brent Schoenbaum, a retail partner at Deloitte & Touche. “If you’re not good at recruitment and you’re just selling the products, you’re not going to make enough money.”
That’s also one of the issues in a Los Angeles federal court battle between Herbalife International of America Inc. and a group of its former distributors.
Herbalife fired the first volley, suing Robert Ford of Georgia and seven other distributors on grounds that they allegedly stole the company’s trade secrets and solicited Herbalife’s distributors after they left Herbalife for a rival direct sales outfit, Melaleuca Inc.
In a countersuit, the group contended that Herbalife operates an illegal pyramid scheme, in which earnings are based on the amount of products distributors buy from Herbalife, not on what distributors sell to consumers.
Herbalife continues to do well despite selling nonessential goods in a tough economy.
Its profit rose to $221 million last year, up 16 percent from 2007. Herbalife said profit declined 28 percent in its most recent quarter – to more than $48 million – from the same period in 2008, but said that was partly because of unfavorable currency changes.
Wall Street likes the direct sales industry. So far this year, shares are up 49 percent at Herbalife, 69 percent at Tupperware and 36 percent at Avon Products Inc.
For those who are successful, direct selling is helping make ends meet during a prolonged economic downturn.
Patrick Folsom struggled to find work after moving from Connecticut to the Los Angeles area last year. He applied for teaching positions, then jobs at restaurants and grocery stores.
A year ago, he became a sales rep for Cutco Corp., a direct sales company specializing in high-end kitchenware such as knives and utensils. He paid $146 to join, which covered the cost of a sample set that he uses to demonstrate products.
“I was willing to try out anything, and I needed to get a job,” the 30-year-old salesman said.
The first month, Folsom sold nothing and considered quitting. But sales started to pick up. In July, he sold $8,000 worth of products, pocketing $3,000. His commission rate, which started at 10 percent, has since increased to 50 percent.
“I really like that it’s so nonconventional as far as jobs go, and you’re kind of your own boss starting your own business,” Folsom said.
Direct sales have also helped supplement the income of stay-at-home moms, college students and full-time workers.
Many direct sales companies are appealing to potential sellers by playing into their fears about the economy. In a commercial for beauty products seller Avon, a sales rep gushes: “Even in these tough times, my business is growing! I can’t get fired; I can’t get laid off.”
Although the direct sales industry saw sales fall 4 percent in 2008, Neil Offen, president of the Direct Selling Association, said the industry usually does well during recessions. He attributed last year’s dip to a typical “lag between recruitment of a new seller and productivity in terms of sales” as first-time reps work to get their businesses up and running.


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With the impact of a cheating scandal nipping at the heels of its chief rival, Toyota appears ready to win the global sales race for 2015 again, something that seemed far less likely just a few months ago.
Going into the final months of the year, Volkswagen AG was posed to nab the sales crown from the Japanese giant. But VW sales have taken a serious hit since it was revealed in mid-September that the German maker had cheated on diesel emission tests.
Both makers are still expected to finish 2015 with total sales of more than 10 million vehicles, a barrier that seemed difficult for any manufacturer to breach just a few years ago.
But Toyota officials are warning that global auto sales could stagnate next year, and some analysts are even fearing a modest dip, despite the ongoing recovery of the U.S. market and a nascent turnaround in Europe.
Through the end of November, Toyota sold 9.21 million vehicles, with Volkswagen’s 11-month total at 9.10 million. That marked a significant turnaround from the first half of the year, when VW outsold its Japanese rival. Toyota has now led the industry for five months in a row.
And the gap between the two industry leaders appears to be widening. VW’s sales slipped 2.2%, a slide that has been growing worse by the month since the carmaker’s subterfuge was first revealed. In September, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that VW had installed a so-called “defeat device” designed to sharply reduce emissions levels when the system determined a vehicle equipped with a 2.0-liter turbodiesel was undergoing testing.
(VW abandoning ‘das Auto’ marketing campaign. Click Here for more.)
Almost 500,000 vehicles sold in the U.S. were equipped with the software, VW has acknowledged, 11 million worldwide. The maker has since conceded it also violated U.S. rules with its 3.0-liter diesel used in such higher-end products as the Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q5 and Porsche Cayenne.
VW has since offered gift cards and other bonuses to owners and earlier this month established a victims’ compensation fund headed by Ken Feinberg, who handled victims’ claims in the General Motors ignition switch scandal.
(VW hires victim compensation expert Kenneth Feinberg. For more, Click Here.)
How much of an impact VW will continue to feel from the diesel testing brouhaha is far from certain, though most observers anticipate it will be a while before sales recover. For one thing, VW currently can’t sell its diesel models in the U.S. where they normally account for a quarter of its retail volume.
While the VW scandal has given it some breathing room, Toyota still has some challenges of its own, notably in China and Europe, as well as the home Japanese market. Global sales by its various brands were off 1.0% for the first 11 months of this year and are likely to end the year slightly below 2014 levels, the maker has anticipated.
Meanwhile, Toyota is forecasting that it will sell 10.114 million vehicles in 2016, a virtually rounding era about the 10.098 million it expects to have sold by the end of this year.
General Motors, long the global leader, is expected to finished in third place for 2015, narrowly edging out the Renault-Nissan Alliance. GM had been the sales leader for three quarters of a century before ceding the crown to Toyota as the U.S. maker plunged towards its 2009 bankruptcy. GM briefly regained sales leadership in 2011 due to the effects of the devastating Japanese earthquake and tsunami, but Toyota rebounded the following year.
Toyota’s biggest problem is China where Japanese makers, in general, have struggled against Western manufacturers. But Toyota has also been lagging in Europe. Its biggest strength is the U.S. market where it is vying with Ford for second, behind only GM.
(Safety remains key issues as 2015 ends with flurry of recalls. Click Here for more.)


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Intel, the worlds largest producer of microprocessors, posted its third-quarter profits Oct. 17, and the company reported that its net income declined by 35 percent compared to the same quarter in 2005.
For the third quarter, Intel posted a net income of $1.3 billion, or 22 cents per share, compared to a net income of $2 billion, or 32 cents per share, during the same period last year.
Wall Street had been calling for revenue of 17 cents per share and revenue of $8.62 billion, according to Thomson First Call. During its announcement, Intel, based in Santa Clara, Calif., said it had revenue of $8.74 billion.
Excluding share-based compensation, Intel posted operating income of $1.7 billion, net income of $1.5 billion and earnings per share of 27 cents, the company said.
During the third quarter, Intel has been involved in a pricing battle with its main rival, Advanced Micro Devices, and the companies have been striving to push more new products out into the marketplace.
On July 27, Intel introduced its new Core 2 Duo for desktops and notebooks. During that announcement, the company said the new chip would give a 40 percent increase performance, while reducing power consumption by 40 percent, compared to the Pentium D.
Intel has also been forced to cut cost has it lost some market share, according to Mercury Research, and announced Sept. 5 that it would layoff more 10,500 workers.
Still, some analysts seem Intel on the comeback trail.
Joe Osha, a research analyst with Merrill Lynch, wrote in a research report to investors that the quarterly results were in line with Merrill Lynchs expectations, the product lineup was improving and the market share loss should stop.
“On the negative side, share losses in server processors are likely to continue, and manufacturing capacity appears excessive,” Osha wrote.
Osha also gave the upper hand to Intel in its battle with AMD.
“The reality is that Intel has highly competitive 65nm products in both the desktop and notebook markets while AMD will only just be getting ready to ship 65nm late this year or early next,” Osha wrote.
Intel estimated its fourth quarter revenue would be between $9.1 billion and $9.7 billion. Wall Street has called for revenue of $9.43 billion.


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Google has posted a blog post on its Glass Google+ page which admits that the device is not yet ready for ‘prime time’.
The blog post, which highlights ten myths commonly thought about the wearable device, said: "Myth 4 – Glass is ready for prime time."
"Glass is a prototype," said Google, "and our Explorers and the broader public are playing a critical role in how it’s developed. In the last 11 months, we’ve had nine software updates and three hardware updates based, in part, on feedback from people like you. Ultimately, we hope even more feedback gets baked into a polished consumer product ahead of being released. And, in the future, today’s prototype may look as funny to us as that mobile phone from the mid 80s."
Some avid Google Glassers are still hoping for an announcement at Google I/O 2014 in June, but the foucs then will more likely be on Android 4.5 and the Nexus 6.
Other ‘myths’ busted by the blog post were that Glass is the perfect surveillance device, and that Glass marks the end of privacy.
"If a company sought to design a secret spy device, they could do a better job than Glass! Let’s be honest: if someone wants to secretly record you, there are much, much better cameras out there than one you wear conspicuously on your face and that lights up every time you give a voice command, or press a button," said Google.
"When cameras first hit the consumer market in the late 19th century, people declared an end to privacy. Cameras were banned in parks, at national monuments and on beaches. People feared the same when the first cell phone cameras came out. Today, there are more cameras than ever before. In ten years there will be even more cameras, with or without Glass. 150+ years of cameras and eight years of YouTube are a good indicator of the kinds of photos and videos people capture–from our favorite cat videos to dramatic, perspective-changing looks at environmental destruction, government crackdowns, and everyday human miracles."


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That peppery flavor of Syrah? It comes from the same chemical that gives pepper its aroma, a recent study says. So sommeliers aren't making this stuff up: Wine bouquets actually have an empirical basis. But the compounds are tough to pin down because they change when mixed, and 20% of the study's subjects couldn't whiff the chemical in question at all, Tara Q. Thomas writes in Gourmet.
Which means wine tasting is subjective, yet again. “My peach could be someone else’s apricot," Thomas writes. "Gooseberry, a popular term in the UK, leaves most Americans scratching their heads, as it’s not a very popular fruit here." And that's fine by her: The study just shows “that there is no right and wrong in wine tasting.”


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Human beings are known for having a ton of valuable elements in their arsenal, but if we are being honest, there is nothing more valuable in it than our tendency to grow on a consistent basis. This tendency, in particular, has allowed us to hit upon some huge milestones, with technology appearing as a major member of the stated group. The reason why technology gets to enjoy such a significant place in our lives is inspired by its unique skill-set, which guided us towards all those possibilities that we couldn’t have imagined otherwise. Nevertheless, if we look a little deeper, it becomes clear that the whole runner has also been predicated upon how we applied the stated skills in a practical environment. The latter component was, in fact, what gave the creation a spectrum-wide presence, and consequentially, kickstarted a tech revolution. This revolution, as we discovered later, will go on to scale up the human experience from every conceivable direction, but even after achieving such a monumental feat, technology will somehow continue producing all the right goods. The same has turned more and more evident on the back of our recent progression, and a new funding should only make the trend a lot stronger moving forward.
Eclypsium, the enterprise device security company, has successfully secured over $25 million in Series B financing. Led by Ten Eleven Ventures, the round saw further participation coming from the likes of KDDI Open Innovation Fund (KOIF), J-Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Madrona Venture Group, Alumni Ventures, AV8 Ventures, Intel Capital, Mindset Ventures, Oregon Venture Fund (OVF), Translink Capital, and Ubiquity Ventures. According to certain reports, the company will use the newly-raised cash to expand its core product capabilities. This goal is intentioned to help Eclypsium’s enterprise and public sector customers in realizing integrity of hardware, firmware, and the overall software supply chain. Apart from it, the company plans to dedicate a chunk of the funds towards improving its sales efforts, while also increasing the employee count from 80 people to over 100 by the end of 2022.
“A few macro-level trends are driving demand for Eclypsium’s solution, and therefore made this the right time to raise funding to enable accelerated growth. The global supply chain is increasingly complex, which means that finished devices may have hardware and firmware components sourced from vendors around the world — all of whom add to the risk and complexity of securing a device,” said Yuriy Bulygin, co-founder of Eclypsium.
Founded in 2017, Eclypsium started out its journey with a goal of saving companies from the danger of relying on equipment manufacturers and more traditional endpoint security management tools. The company’s proprietary platform, in turn, has upheld that mission by allowing organizations to see and control fleets of devices as well as networking infrastructure without having to install client software. Eclypsium’s firmware orchestration capabilities double down on this new and secure dynamic by using the company’s technology to discover, analyze, and deploy firmware updates, which are published by device manufacturers, so to spot unexpected, and potentially malicious, software modules embedded in the hardware.
“Eclypsium solves a critical and often overlooked dimension of the cybersecurity puzzle – ensuring every device is continuously protected against supply chain risk,” said Alex Doll, co-founder and managing general partner of Ten Eleven Ventures. “While device security was historically more controllable by the original device manufacturer, today’s complex supply chain and reliance on third-party software and componentry have exponentially expanded the attack surface. Eclypsium has entered the market at the perfect time to address these complexities with its comprehensive solution.”
Talk about the company’s clientele, Eclypsium is currently serving many Fortune 2000 companies. Beyond that, it has even working a number of U.S. federal government assignments.


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Sheriff’s Office Offers Online Application Process for Concealed Carry Permit | News
The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office now offers an online application process for a concealed carry permit, however, the signature and photo for the permit must be done in person.
The new online application process is available at crawfordcountypa.net/sheriff – which is the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office page on the Crawford County website.
Sheriff Dave Powers said the addition of an online option for the concealed carry permit adds another level of service and convenience for the public.
Powers said sometimes the pace of the clearance process can be slow for in-person applicants, taking an hour or more, due to obtaining Harrisburg’s background clearance.
“The beauty of it is that a person can apply online and when we message them they are approved, all they have to do is show up at the office, have their picture taken and sign,” Powers said. “We can hand them their license then and it’s only about 5 minutes.”
The online application process allows a person to complete an application, pay by credit/debit card, receive personal acceptance or rejection notifications via email or SMS.
The online application process has a $5 fee in addition to the $20 permit cost. The additional $5 fee is broken down into $1 for credit card processing and a $4 convenience fee.
To process, an applicant must have a valid ID with the applicant’s current address printed on it and two references each with an address and phone number.
With the online permit application, the individual must still appear in person at the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office for a photo and signature within 30 days of approval. The permit is issued when the person appears at the sheriff’s office.
Concealed carry permit applications continue to be accepted in person at the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, located at the Crawford County Judicial Center, 359 E. Center St., Meadville.
The cost of a permit is $20 with payment in cash or by check or credit/debit card. The office accepts credit/debit cards, but there is a $1.95 charge for credit/debit cards in addition to the $20 permit fee.
In-person applications only are accepted at the Sheriff’s Office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
More information: Contact the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office at (814) 333-7411 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at [email protected]


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After Ben & Jerry’s announced it would stop selling ice cream in Israel’s West Bank settlements, pro-Israel organizations such as Brooklyn-based Amariah demanded that the ice cream company’s hechsher, or kosher certification, be removed. Some Australian grocery stores, as well as Australia’s Kashrut Authority, have removed Ben & Jerry’s from lists of kosher items.
But this is not the same as removing the brand’s hechsher, the process of which is not so simple. Kof-K, the Teaneck, New Jersey-based organization that certifies Ben & Jerry’s, has a contract with the ice cream company’s Israeli distributor that doesn’t expire for another year-and-a-half. Though the organization’s hands are tied until then, it is working with Unilever, Ben & Jerry’s parent company, to pressure Ben & Jerry’s to reconsider its stance.
“We hope that we’ll get it reversed,” said Rabbi Yehuda Rosenbaum, a Kof-K administrator.
But while some are fervent about wanting the hechsher removed from Ben & Jerry’s, some Philadelphia establishments are just as eager to get their own kosher certification.
Jessica Boese, co-owner of Cherry Hill, New Jersey’s new location of Nothing Bundt Cakes, isn’t Jewish but wants her franchise bakery location to be kosher to accommodate Cherry Hill’s Jewish population.
“It’s relatively simple for the amount that it is appreciated by the community,” Boese said.
Because she, along with her husband and co-owner, Steve Boese, knew they wanted a kosher establishment before opening, they didn’t need to worry about buying new equipment or making new rules about staff bringing non-kosher food into the kitchen.
For franchises like Nothing Bundt Cakes or Insomnia Cookies, getting a hechsher is straightforward.
“They have standardized ingredients that are coming in: They’re bound by the rules of their franchise agreements to only use certain suppliers that are coming in, all with their own certifications on it,” said Rabbi Yonah Gross, an administrator for Keystone-K, the Philadelphia organization that supervises those area franchises.
One factor that complicates the process of getting a hechsher, according to Gross: serving meat.
Preparing meat at a kosher restaurant requires not only separation from dairy, but the constant supervision of a Jewish person to ensure the product is being appropriately handled. That can be a non-starter for many restaurants that are most profitable on Friday and Saturday, as, besides not being able to cook meat on Shabbat, they wouldn’t be able to hire a Shabbat-observant supervisor, either.
“I don’t think we’d be able to supervise a meat restaurant that’s open on Shabbos,” Gross said.
Dairy restaurants also often require continuous supervision, but there are still more kosher dairy than kosher meat restaurants in Center City.
Plant-based restaurants Bar Bombón, Charlie was a sinner. and several HipCityVeg locations around the city all received kosher certification from the International Kosher Council on July 27. Supervised by Rabbi Eliezer Hirsch of Mekor Habracha Center City Synagogue, these restaurants join the ranks of other vegan kosher restaurants in the area supervised by IKC, such as 20th Street Pizza and Goldie.
“It really aligns with our mission to bring plant-based foods to people everywhere,” said Nicole Marquis, founder and CEO of Bar Bombón, Charlie was a sinner. and HipCityVeg. “Because we really believe it’s the single most important thing we can do to have a positive impact on our health, and, of course, on the environment.” Marquis hopes for her restaurants to become halal, further expanding her clientele.
Like kosher establishments that serve dairy or meat, vegan restaurants also have to be vigilant when washing produce and checking them for bugs. Though they don’t require constant supervision, restaurants are still required to have administrators provide periodic checks to ensure their standards are being upheld.
Not all vegan restaurants are interested in becoming kosher, Gross said. Some restaurants source sauces with animal byproducts because customers requested them. That these restaurants still advertise themselves as vegan underscores the importance that a kosher certification has on guaranteeing transparency between restaurants and customers.
Gross said he has noticed a steady increase in restaurants in the Philadelphia area applying for certification. Marquis said that she has seen a growing demand for plant-based restaurants, and members of the Jewish community have asked for her restaurants to get certified.
Despite Marquis’ anecdotal evidence, there doesn’t appear to be a major push from Philadelphia-based restaurants to become certified. Even so, the establishments that are becoming kosher — largely chains and vegetarian and vegan restaurants — indicate the growing desire of restaurants to gain a more inclusive consumer base, as well as become more conscious of where they source their food.
Conversely, kosher restaurants may get the short end of the stick if clientele are mostly limited to the kosher-keeping community.
“For kosher restaurants to be able to gain market share from the non-kosher community, that’s a big challenge for them,” Gross said.
[email protected]; 215-832-0741


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Earlier this month, Apple unveiled its latest M2 chip at a WWDC event, along with the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The latter is available now, while the MacBook Air will be released sometime next month.
The M2 chip in the new laptop is very powerful in terms of CPU and GPU performance. Over the past few days, we've seen several reviews showing the chip's performance and how it handles heavy tasks. Recently, a new comparison table has emerged, aiming to show the performance of the new M2 chip versus the old Apple chip, from the A13 Bionic to the M1 Ultra.
Apple is preparing to launch its next generation 3nm M2 Pro and M3 chips in the coming months. Earlier this year, Apple also unveiled a new Mac Studio with the M1 Ultra chip. The new comparison chart is designed to reflect the performance differences between Apple's chips, from the A13 chip in the iPhone 11 to the M1 Ultra in the Mac Studio.
The comparison was conducted by Macworld, which shared GeekBench 5 results for all the latest iPhone, iPad and Macs processors. It is worth noting that temperature control at different clock speeds may result in different performance, so this result is for reference only.
The A15 bionic is an update to the A14 bionic found in the previous iPad Air, but the performance gap between the two is small, which may be one of the reasons Apple chose the M1 for the 2022 iPad Air upgrade. The A15 bionic system in the tablet must be timed to maintain the proper operating temperature, so it's not as fast as the A15 bionic system in the iPhone 13 Pro.
The M1-powered iPad Pro and iPad Air are the fastest models, and there's a big gap between them and the iPad and iPad Mini. Staggered releases make it hard to predict what Apple will do with the cpus in the iPad and iPad Mini; The iPad may get the A15 Bionic in the next update, but what about the iPad Mini? The M1 may be too hot for the iPad Mini's form, though it may run a timed version.
The results are hardly surprising. The M1 Pro and M1 Max chips are the faster chips in the MacBook Pro line. You can see the table above for Geekbench 5 multicore and calculation comparisons. Apple will release more powerful M2 chips in the coming months, which will further improve CPU and GPU performance.


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New Delhi banned wheat exports on Saturday, as an intense warmth wave hit output and home costs hit a document excessive.
The sudden ban on wheat exports trapped about 1.8 million tonnes of the grain at ports, doubtlessly forcing merchants to take heavy losses.
On Tuesday, the federal government allowed grain awaiting customs clearance to be shipped out. However merchants are pressuring the federal government to additional loosen up its ban.
The administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying into the calls for of wheat merchants, authorities sources accustomed to the matter instructed Reuters.
“We’ll confirm the advantage of the demand and no real dealer will probably be harassed,” mentioned one of many sources who didn’t want to be recognized in keeping with official guidelines.
The federal government may ask for export knowledge for the previous few months to determine that they’re bona fide sellers.
The federal government is conscious that many real exporters are caught due to the sudden ban, mentioned a New Delhi-based supplier with a world buying and selling agency.
“The federal government is attempting to present concessions in a means that real exporters are protected,” mentioned the supplier who declined to be named in keeping with his firm’s coverage.
The sudden ban has halted buying and selling in lots of wholesale grain markets. Home wheat costs have dropped greater than 4%.
Together with merchants, transporters are additionally getting impatient, with their vans ready at ports to unload wheat.
“Piecemeal relaxations usually are not going to assist and the federal government must resolve the difficulty within the subsequent few days to keep away from a sequence of (cost) defaults,” mentioned the New Delhi-based supplier.


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Recovered plastic exports out of the U.S. dropped slightly in 2023, bringing a record low for the fourth consecutive year.
The U.S. Census Bureau, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, recently released December 2023 export figures, allowing for a full-year analysis.
The U.S. exported 918 million pounds of scrap plastic in 2023, down from 962 million pounds the prior year.
2023 marks the fourth straight year of the lowest plastic export volume on record since the U.S. Census Bureau began keeping records in 2002. And it’s a dramatic drop from where exports were at a decade ago: In 2014, U.S. scrap plastic exports hit a record high of 4.8 billion pounds, and the 2023 volume represents an 81% drop.
Much of the decrease was driven by China’s retreat from the global scrap plastic trade beginning in 2018. In 2017, for instance, China imported 1.2 billion pounds of U.S. recovered plastic – more than the entire amount exported from the U.S. in 2023. China slashed scrap plastic imports in 2018, and today the amount of recovered plastic flowing from the U.S. to China is negligible.
Unlike in the fiber market shakeup following China’s retreat from that sector, other countries have not increased imports enough to offset the loss of the Chinese market for U.S. scrap plastic.
Beyond the Chinese market exit, increasing global regulations on the scrap plastic trade have impacted export volumes. Amendments to the Basel Convention have limited the markets available to U.S. exporters, leaving Canada as by far the largest importer of U.S. material.
In 2023, the largest export markets for U.S. scrap plastic were Canada (339 million pounds), Mexico (165 million pounds), India (101 million pounds), Malaysia (75 million pounds) and Vietnam (44 million pounds).
By grade, mixed (classified in trade data as “other”) plastics made up the largest portion in 2023 at 37%. Polyethylene made up another 37%, with polystyrene, PVC and PET making up the remainder.
Despite the substantial decrease in volume in recent years, U.S. scrap plastic exports continue to receive heightened scrutiny. Just this week, the Basel Action Network (BAN) and the Last Beach Cleanup – two organizations that monitor plastic exports – issued a report highlighting shipments coming out of California. The groups noted a 2021 law approved by California lawmakers requires that exports out of the state meet Basel Convention criteria, and the groups presented evidence indicating California’s exports are consistently exceeding acceptable contamination levels.


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Dubai: The Gulf F&B giant Americana Restaurants has set a price range of Dh2.50 to Dh2.62 per share for its ambitious IPO. This sets up the company's equity value at between Dh21.06 billion to Dh22.07 billion (or SR21.48 billion to SR22.58 billion) as the company heads for a dual listing on ADX and Saudi Tadawul.
Assuming all the shares are sold, the size of the IPO will be Dh6.32 billion to Dh6.62 billion (or equivalent to SR6.44 billion to SR6.77 billion). As of now, 5 per cent of the total offering will be allocated to UAE-based retail investors, up to 10 per cent for Saudi retail buyers, and 85 per cent to institutions.
The subscription period will run from November 14 to 21 for retail investors and November 22 closing for institutional buyers. The company - the biggest restaurant operator in the Gulf and wider Middle East - plans to float 30 per cent of the equity.
This will make Americana the biggest IPO on Saudi Tadawul this year. On ADX, that mantle falls on Borouge.
The current shareholding in Americana is led by Mohammed Alabbar, founder of Emaar and noon, with the Saudi wealth fund PIF. (This is done through their jointly owned vehicle Adeptio Investments AD.)
The final price will be determined through a bookbuilding, which starts today, and likely to be announced November 23. The completion of the offering and listing admission is expected to take place December 6.
"We can expect investors to take a big bite out of the Americana IPO," said Oliver Schutzmann, CEO of Iridium Advisors. "The company has a well-diversified business model, with 12 leading restaurant brands operating across a dozen countries. The company's growth and financials are solid, which should give investors confidence in the business.
Additionally, there appears to be scope for steady future growth as there are plenty of opportunities in underpenetrated markets, and the company's business is relatively resilient to inflationary concerns.
From 2023, the company expects to bring in an annual dividend distribution policy, and pay out a minimum of 50 per cent of net profit attributable to the parent entity, with the intention to further distribute any cash not specifically reserved for general corporate purposes, growth investment or M&A activity.
The first full-year dividend from 2023 would be payable in the six months ended June 30, 2024.
- The selling shareholders in Americana 'reserve the right' to increase the size of the UAE retail offer and reduce that for institutional investors at any time prior to the end of the subscription period.
- They will not, however, increase the size of the UAE retail offer above 10% of the total offer or reduce the size of the institutional offer to less than 80%.
Americana, incidentally, is registered at the Abu Dhabi Global Market. It had revenues of $2.05 billion and $1.15 billion in 2021 and the first-half of this year, respectively, with 'strong profitability and cash generation'. Net profit attributable to parent last year was $204 million and for the six months ended June 2022 was at $121 million.
"What is especially interesting with Americana's IPO is the decision to list on both ADX and the Saudi Exchange – making it the first company to do so," said Schutzmann. "This not only improves the chances for the company to increase its access to capital by reaching a broader set of investors, but should also work to further raise the publicity and profile around the brand.
"Thanks to a larger pool of investors, the dual listing should also increase the liquidity of the stock, making it easier to trade in the aftermarket."
The Americana IPO is expected to raise around SR6.4 billion to SR6.8 billion based on a price range of SR2.55-SR 2.68 per share...
The Americana IPO is expected to raise around SR6.4 billion to SR6.8 billion based on a price range of SR2.55-SR 2.68 per share. This will make it the biggest IPO on Saudi Exchange this year.
There were two additional retail companies listed on the Saudi Exchange this year - Amwaj International and Jahez International. Shares of both are down more than 15% since listing.
- Junaid Ansari, Senior Vice-President of Investment Strategy and Research at Kamco Invest


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When Xi Jinping took office as President of China in 2013, he made it clear that he wanted his country to have access only to an internet that matched its government’s values. China has been restricting its citizens’ internet activity since the early 2000s, but Jinping’s administration invested in specialized technology to advance censorship and surveillance, providing foundational infrastructure to what is now called the Great Firewall of China. American tech giant Apple has since laid a few bricks on top.
The internet, of course, has always been good at scaling walls. For many years, Chinese citizens kept each other informed through blogging about political discrepancies, and using virtual private networks (VPNs) to gain access to restricted sites. But in 2017, Apple removed 674 VPN services from China’s App Store at its government’s request.
One year prior, Apple removed The New York Times app, too. The Great Firewall blocked The Times’ website in 2012, so the app served as the last means for citizens to read its content without specialized software, like a VPN. Upon removal, Apple did not disclose which of China’s laws that the app had violated. This, as The Times reports, limits the possibility of filing an appeal or challenging the government in any way.
Just before the removal of the apps, The Times was working on reports of how the Chinese government subsidizes the world’s biggest manufacturer of iPhone parts in the city of Zhengzhou. The factory is owned by Apple’s contractor Foxconn, which employs over one million Chinese workers. The Times’ 2016 report refers to the plant as “iPhone City” per Zhengzhou locals’ terminology, noting that, at the time, it could produce as many as 500,000 iPhones every day. This past September, China Labor Watch exposed the factory for illegally hiring temporary workers, implementing forced overtime, and neglecting to distribute bonuses to workers while pushing production of the iPhone 11. Apple has since acknowledged these violations of its work standards, but initially denied the claims.
More recently, in early October, Apple complied with China’s request to remove the app for online news organization Quartz, which provided extensive coverage of unrest in Hong Kong. Since its inception, Quartz has disseminated information about digital platforms, access points, and global economic dynamics.
During protests this past July, Quartz reported on Hong Kong demonstrators’ use of Apple’s AirDrop feature to share photos and videos of demonstrations with internet users on the other side of China’s Great Firewall, which censors most — if not all — press coverage of these events.
The protesters’ attempts at sharing content with mainlanders were deliberate; some Hong Kongers went as far as captioning AirDropped photos and videos with the simplified form of Chinese used by mainlanders, rather than their own native Cantonese.
Many of the files were also explanatory, intending to educate recipients on how China’s authoritarianism was brought about by the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. Other files contained QR codes that appeared to link to major Chinese mobile payment systems, but instead of accessing money, recipients would find information about the extradition law that set the present unrest into motion and why it isn’t worth it for mainlanders to support the law. Imagine receiving what looks like a Venmo payment from a stranger, only to find a link to a web page with eye-opening information about a topic you’ve only seen one side of. One Twitter user called these images “cheeky.”
So, AirDrop, a trademarked feature exclusive to Apple products, became a tool to subvert the censorship that the tech giant has since supported. This is not the only contradiction within Apple’s relationship with China.
Unlike its kindred monoliths, Facebook and Google (both of which are essentially banned in China), Apple sees China’s population of almost 1.4 billion not only as a booming consumer market, but also as a vast workforce. The company relies on Chinese factories for the majority of its production, which includes over 200 million iPhones annually, and its stock price tends to rise and fall depending on its sales in China, according to reports by The New York Times.
Upon criticism from U.S. senators regarding its involvement with the Chinese government and compliance in removing VPN apps in 2017, Apple responded: “We believe that Apple can best promote fundamental rights, including the right of free expression, by being engaged even where we may disagree with a particular country’s law.” This statement continues to set the tone for their relationship.
In mid-October, in the midst of fierce protesting, HKmap.live was the most downloaded travel app in Hong Kong for less than a week before Apple removed it with the explanation that it violated guidelines and “local laws.” The app, which still has a web location accessible at hkmap.live, depicts a map with icons to indicate the locations of police, riots and safe zones, helping both protesters and passive civilians to avoid encounters that might involve tear gas and water canons.
In a statement, Apple claimed that the Hong Kong Cybersecurity Technology Crime Bureau blamed the app for helping protestors, “target and ambush police, threaten public safety, and criminals have used it to victimize residents in areas where they know there is no law enforcement.”
At the time of the removal, the HKmap.live Twitter shared that Google had not removed the app from Android’s marketplace, where it saw half as many downloads as on the App Store. The account also tweeted: “HKmap is used by passerby, protesters, journalist, tourist, and even pro-government supporters. It might be hard for people outside to imagine tear gases in your neighborhood, train station, or your go-to shopping mall, but ~5000 of them is fired since June” [sic].
Apple released an update to iOS products in late September in which it altered the emoji keyboard for users in Hong Kong and Macau to hide Taiwan’s flag. The Chinese government does not acknowledge Taiwan as an autonomous state. The emoji is still accessible in apps and even through predictive text, but Apple’s incentives are clear. This micro-censorship of a political symbol might be even more powerful than words. As we move into the next decade, the question of free speech must extend beyond national borders and into the digital, global marketplace.
This article was updated on Nov. 13 to correct a spelling error.


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Microsoft has announced two new manufacturers which will be partnering with the company to build Windows Phone based smartphones, bringing the total number of partners to an impressive 15.
Hands on with the Microsoft Band
The Galaxy Alpha: Samsung's answer to the iPhone 6
Samsung Galaxy Alpha
All the latest on Windows 10
Windows 10 promo img
Office next expected in 2H 2015


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Thursday, February 23, 2017
Google is using a PR tactic to verify the efficacy of its placement of online advertising. The firm is allowing an outside auditor to analyze the process by which it places ads on behalf of companies and whether they are going to the right web sites to guarantee optimum consumer exposure. This is important for the company since it dominates the market along with Facebook. Transparency is ideal. Advertisers should be able to drill down and see exactly how their ads are being placed and who reads them. A lack of credibility will kill the business for Google and damage the company deeply. No wonder the Google spokesperson was open to auditing and is "all for it." An offshoot of increased credibility is that Google is raising the bar for other ad placement firms. Soon advertisers will demand the same transparency from them.


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Can Outlier festival build Vail’s cycling status?
VAIL — In a town well known for the breadth and popularity of its festivals, it can be hard for new events to earn their place on the calendar. This year’s inaugural Outlier Offroad Festival is trying to do just that.
On the surface, it seems Outlier has the needed ingredients for success. The promoter, Mike McCormack, has a solid track record of successes with cycling festivals, including the Epic races in Breckenridge. The chosen weekend — this weekend — has a good chance of providing fine weather and glorious scenery just about every year. And there’s a deep reservoir of cycling enthusiasm in the Vail Valley and around the state.
So prospects are good.
But that’s no guarantee Outlier will catch on.
“Sometimes we have events that we get excited about that miss the mark for whatever reason,” Vail Valley Partnership CEO Chris Romer said.
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The short-lived Diva half-marathon also seemed to follow a successful recipe, but ultimately fell flat, Romer said.
Other events can be a surprise. The annual kids adventure race in the valley has quickly become a must-do for local and visiting families.
The early indicators for Outlier seem positive. As of mid-week, the valley’s lodging properties in Vail, Avon and Beaver Creek were about 60 percent booked. That’s fairly normal for the weekend the past couple of years, Romer said (the Vail Valley Partnership is a reservation agency and tracks bookings). What will be interesting to see is if late-booking drive-up traffic boosts those numbers.
Given historic booking patterns, Romer said he expects the valley’s lodges will end up about 75 percent full for the weekend.
Mike Spaid, the director of sales at the Apex Holiday Inn Lodge in West Vail, said he expects “day-of” bookings to nearly fill that property this weekend. That’s what happened last weekend.
Spaid said he’ll be interested to see how many people come for the Outlier event, especially given that businesses are generally looking for more customers this time of year.
McCormack said the early registration numbers for Outlier show between 500 and 600 participants, a good number for an event in its first year.
Those several hundred participants likely represent only a portion of the number of people coming to Vail, given that participants often travel with friends and/or family.
That’s why Tara Picklo will have all-hands-on-deck staffing at the Yeti’s Grind coffee shop in Vail Village for the weekend.
“Right when the offseason has started creeping in, we’re back to (full staffing),” Picklo said. “I’m excited to see what happens.”
Picklo is an avid cyclist and said she’s looking forward to one of Outlier’s big attractions — the opportunity to sample new gear on the mountain.
“It’s a great opportunity to demo bikes and experience it going downhill,” Picklo said.
At the similar, but not lift-served Eagle Outside Festival earlier this year, Picklo said she test-rode perhaps five different bikes and said she was just about exhausted by the end of the day.
Picklo, the co-owner of the Yeti’s Grind shops in Eagle and Vail, said Outlier could be a good bookend cycling event to the Eagle event in May.
‘KEEP THE INTEREST UP’
At the Mountain Pedaler in Minturn, shop manager Andy Rossetto said he doesn’t expect a lot of new business from Outlier — most local bike shops still cater primarily to locals, he said. Still, he added, the festival presents some new opportunities for Vail.
“Having an event like (Outlier) is really good to keep the interest up,” Rossetto said. “More bike related events in Vail is a big, positive thing.”
Like Picklo, Rossetto said he’s excited to see how the gear demonstrations go over.
“A new bike is a big investment,” he said “People want to ride a lot of different options — that’s awesome for people.”
Hotels, restaurants and other businesses are likely to see some benefits from this weekend’s events. But, Rossetto said, the future opportunities are also enticing.
“I like the idea of trying out some new trails for races on Vail Mountain,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to get the word out there’s some pretty cool trails out there.”
McCormack said those long-term benefits are becoming apparent in Breckenridge with the July Firecracker race and the Epic event.
“With the Firecracker, as soon as the course is ridable, people are heading there to ride the course (for practice),” McCormack said. “And with Epic, a whole cottage industry has sprung up around the race. People fly in to participate.”


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Combe, one of the leading privately held family-owned personal care companies in the US, has increased its stake in biotech haircare brand Virtue Labs. The company also announced the appointment of Jose Luis Palacios as its Chief Executive Officer.
WHO: Founded by beauty industry veteran Melisse Shaban in 2017, Virtue Labs claims to be one of the fastest-growing prestige haircare brands, with products available globally at Sephora, Bluemercury, and at select salons and retailers throughout the US, UK, Canada, Europe, and Australia. The brand is based on the discovery made by a group of bio-scientists, who found a new way to collect keratin in its pure form, leading to the creation of Alpha Keratin 60ku. The proprietary hair-healing protein is clinically proven to transform hair into its healthiest version in as few as five uses.
Combe, founded in 1949 and based in New York, is a privately held, third-generation family-owned personal care company. The company is the creator of iconic personal care brands, including Clearasil, Just For Men, and Vagisil. In addition to developing and nurturing its in-house brands, Combe selectively invests and provides growth capital and operational support to external brands and businesses whose mission is focused on tangibly improving the lives of consumers with differentiated technologies and brand propositions.
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Steam Adds VR Mode in New Client Update
Steam’s latest client beta update adds a virtual reality mode.
According to the patch notes from yesterday’s update, the new version of Steam’s client beta includes a new virtual reality mode that users will be able to use with a compatible head-mounted display unit. This mode will include new VR specific options in Steam’s view menu, “support for switching from desktop mode to VR mode,” and “added support for detecting when an HMD has been plugged in after Steam has started.”
Valve, in recent months, has expressed its desire to help further virtual reality technology and its practical application as an entertainment delivery method. Its efforts haven’t been without setbacks, of course, but it’s nonetheless been making strides to establish Steam as the go-to source for VR gaming. This new VR mode is likely just the latest step in what’s likely to be a long term investment for the company.
It’s worth noting, of course, that the client update wasn’t just about VR. It additionally included updates to Steam’s in-home streaming beta, improvements to its Mac OS X operations and some other minor fixes.


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Digital TV News: Globo
Globo moves to cloud-based encoding with Bitmovin
Nov 10, 2020 – Bitmovin ahs announced that Globo, the largest mass media group in Latin America, has selected Bitmovin Encoding to speed up the delivery of 4K video streams to its digital subscribers.
News categories: Bitmovin, Globo, Lucas Teixeira Stephanou, Stefan Lederer, Igor Macaubas, Brazil, Content Distribution, Digital TV, OTT
Roku launches Roku Express in Brazil
Sep 2, 2020 – Roku (NASDAQ: ROKU) has announced the launch of Roku Express, the company TV streaming device, in Brazil. The Roku Express is expected to be available in stores in the upcoming weeks at an average starting price of R$349.90.
News categories: Roku, Arthur van Rest, Brazil, Digital TV, OTT, Set Top Box
AT&T closes DIRECTV Latin America operations in Venezuela
May 19, 2020 – AT&T has closed its DIRECTV Latin America operations in Venezuela. The U.S. government’s sanctions have prohibited the broadcast of Globovision and PDVSA's channels which are required under DIRECTV’s license to provide pay TV in Venezuela.
News categories: AT&T, Digital TV, Satellite, Venezuela
Telecine deploys MediaMelon OTT streaming optimization platform
Apr 22, 2020 – MediaMelon has announced that Telecine SVOD cinema hub has deployed its SmartPlay OTT streaming optimization platform to deliver a better video QoE with lower content delivery costs despite an unprecedented surge in new subscribers and viewing hours.
News categories: MediaMelon, Telecine, Kumar Subramanian, Fabio Lima, Brazil, Content Distribution, Digital TV, OTT
Brazil's video market picks up the pace
Mar 18, 2020 – According to Futuresource Consulting, Brazil’s video entertainment market has emerged from the shadow of recession. New SVoD services from global players and increased investment in pay TV and OTT services by local media companies are seen as the key drivers.
News categories: Futuresource Consulting, David Sidebottom, Brazil, Digital TV, Market Research
Roku TV launches in Brazil in partnership with AOC
Jan 21, 2020 – Roku (NASDAQ: ROKU) has announced that it is partnering with AOC to bring the AOC Roku TV to consumers in Brazil. The TV will offer consumers a smart TV experience that is easy to use, with great streaming entertainment at an affordable price.
News categories: Roku, TPV, Globoplay, G2C Globo, Anthony Wood, Arthur van Rest, Andre Romanon, Erick Brêtas, Fernando Ramos, Brazil, Digital TV, Middleware, OTT, Smart TV
ELSYS adds security camera support to STB based on Frog middleware
Dec 17, 2019 – Elsys has integrated a range of security video cameras on the Elsys TOTALMAX receiver powered by Frog, the Wyplay open source middleware. ELSYS developed and customized the middleware in partnership with Globo for its SAT HD Regional project.
News categories: Wyplay, Elsys, Jacques Bourgninaud, Damian Zisman, Brazil, CES2021, Digital TV, Middleware, Set Top Box
Rohde & Schwarz supports 5G Broadcast trial in Brazil
Oct 16, 2019 – At the Rock in Rio festival, Grupo Globo launched the first 5G Broadcast field trial in Brazil with equipment from Rohde & Schwarz. The objective of the project is to validate the operability and market opportunities of the technology.
News categories: Rohde & Schwarz, Grupo Globo, 5G, Brazil, Content Distribution, Digital TV
Amino acquires 24i Media
Jul 15, 2019 – Amino Communications has announced that it has acquired privately-held 24i. 24i provides the Amino Group with a broader and deeper product set, talented development capability, complementary skills and a greater geographical reach.
News categories: Amino, 24i Media, Donald McGarva, Martijn van Horssen, Digital TV, MnA, UX, Worldwide
- Pay TV revenue in New Zealand to follow -3.1% CAGR
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text: The State-run Aarey shops known for selling their patent milk drink Energee and Lassi now don a new look. The pale yellow, light pink and pista green Energee bottles have been displaced by Pepsi's bright pink, fluorescent yellow and sparkly blue beverages. Pepsi's recently launched Duke's sodas are attractively packaged and are profitable, say stall-owners. Shops and stalls seem to be pushing Duke's. PepsiCo is giving them a 25 per cent profit as trade margin for a bottle, say retailers, largely from the Kutchi and Gujarati communities. In fact, Maharashtra was the first to see the launch of Pepsi's flavoured Duke's soda. The company expects to have an all-India roll-out in the next few months. Duke's is available in four flavours - Ice Cream Soda, Raspberry, Masala Soda and Gingerade. It is available in 200 ml retro glass bottles priced at Rs. 10 and in 500 ml PET bottles for Rs. 25. The cola-major plans to launch the soda in other Western States in the second phase of the roll-out, and eventually the rest of the country would be covered in the third phase, senior company officials said. "We have been flooded with positive responses from customers for re-launching this product. We have eight stock-keeping units of this product which consist of 200 ml and 500 ml bottles. We have already released seven stock-keeping units," said Pepsi's Executive Director (West Marketing Unit). "We will scale-up the supply in the coming months as per the response," he said, referring to the key performing indicators that they have been monitoring over the last few weeks. PepsiCo did some research and found this product "relevant" to consumers and therefore re-launched it, he said. They also decided to retain the packaging and the retro look of the bottles. "Since Duke's is a heritage brand, we wanted consumers to associate with the old, much-loved product. There are some local brands that are producing similar Raspberry drinks but we have our own product lovers," he said. Commenting on the discounts given to retailers, he says that they are on a par with what they offer for their other beverages. But a shop owner at Hughes Road, an arterial road in South Mumbai, explained: "We are getting close to Rs. 6 per bottle so why not push the sales of this product over other products." Getting defensive about the displacement of Energee bottles, another Aarey stall attendant said, "It's not that we are trying to push Energee bottles to the back of the rack. If we are getting more profit on these sodas then why not place them prominently. Also, the colours are really attractive so consumers definitely stop and ask."


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Maharishi has made a name for themselves as innovators in the world of street fashion, and they show no signs of slowing down with the Viet, their latest sneaker model. Styled with a minimalist silhouette in hemp, the shoe has two elastic straps so they can be slipped on and off with ease. The Viet will be released next year as part of Maharishi’s Spring/Summer 2009 colelction.
Latest posts by Yang-Yi Goh (see all)
- N.A.S.A. - October 12, 2009
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- Freshjive “Lords of Los Angeles” Tee - June 11, 2009


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BRITAIN’S farmers could be undercut by cheap foreign imports if urgent action is not taken to make sure illegally produced pork does not flood the market, a Labour MP has claimed.
Mary Creagh, MP for Wakefield and the shadow Defra secretary, told the Yorkshire Post that an upcoming European Union-wide ban on the use of sow stalls for pigs is likely to be flouted by as many as 20 member states.
Such measures for keeping pigs were made illegal in Britain more than 20 years ago but the EU-wide ban does not take effect until the start of next year.
A similar EU ban on battery hen cages is being ignored by a large number of European countries with British farmers having to take action to make sure illegal eggs did not undercut them in the market place.
So far a voluntary agreement not to stock illegal eggs looks to have been successful, with all of the UK’s major supermarkets and food processors having signed up to the pledge.
However Ms Creagh said it was important to act now to ensure that the “fiasco” with the battery cage ban is not repeated with the sow-stall ban in January and, said that it was vital to make sure illegally produced pig meat was not found in the UK food supply chains after that date.
Speaking after a visit to Malton’s Elm Tree Farm, a supplier to Sainsbury’s, Ms Creagh told the Yorkshire Post: “Our food industries are well audited and highly regulated.
“We cannot control what is happening with other European Union member states but we can control what is happening in our own country. We really do need leadership on this issue.”
Currently, pigs reared in the UK for meat must meet UK animal welfare standards. These standards exceed those required in EU law but farming to these standards inevitably involves increased costs – something farmers fear may encourage retailers to look to continent where more cheaply produced pork can be sourced.
“British families have been enjoying home-reared pork produced to high welfare standards for over a decade,” said Ms Creagh.
“British shoppers want to be confident about where their meat comes from, and I hope that supermarkets will also take a lead in supporting home-reared pork in their products.”


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J.D. Power's second customer satisfaction study of tire replacement providers shows consistency with the initial rankings in 2019. The top four tire dealers maintained their spots and their overall scores barely budged.
The latest survey of aftermarket customers by J.D. Power shows service facilities can dramatically improve their customer satisfaction scores by quickly acknowledging and saying hello to customers. It also shows tire replacement providers have the greatest room for improvement in this area.
RubberHub has introduced a new scheduling system designed specifically for mobile tire operations that allows visibility into the real-time status of installations and service calls via smartphones, tablets and other devices, among other benefits.
I know you’ve heard me grumble about technicians performing poor, improper vehicle inspections - or even skipping the entire inspection process - before. Performing thorough inspections can grow your revenue and when done right, will make customers happy.
Students who want to get into a field of study that is growing 12 times faster than the current U.S. job market -- IT/cybersecurity -- can now apply for a scholarship from The University of the Aftermarket Foundation (UAF).
AutoVitals, a leading provider of Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions to automotive repair and maintenance shops, has acquired BayIQ, a provider of automated marketing software to the independent tire and automotive repair industry.
Auto service professionals with automobile certifications A1-A9 can get a one-time, one-year extension of their unexpired credentials by subscribing to the ASE renewal app, according to the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).
CarMD.com Corp. has released its 2020 CarMD Vehicle Health Index Make and Model Reliability Rankings, continuing its decade-long tradition of analyzing and reporting on which model year 1996 to 2020 vehicles require the fewest check engine light repairs and which cost the least to fix when they do need repairs.
The leadership of National Pronto Association and Automotive Distribution Network announced today the merger of the two organizations. As of Jan. 1, 2021, the newly formed organization will be known as the Pronto Automotive Distribution Network.
NGK Spark Plugs has been named the brand with the highest increase in U.S. market share in the maintenance and repair super category as part of The NPD Group’s 2020 Automotive Aftermarket Performance Awards.
Pep Boys — Manny, Moe & Jack will celebrate 100 years in business in 2021, and Icahn Automotive Group is celebrating the brand's founding by four Navy veterans with the release of a historical calendar that will help support veterans' organizations.
The Tire Industry Association is adding three weeks of virtual classes to its December training schedule. The first two weeks will highlight the association's Automotive Tire Service courses and the third week will offer a 200-level Basic Commercial Tire Service training class.


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A Dancing Panda, a Marching Band, and a Whole Lot More Showed Up at This Year's E3 Expo
Fresno State’s marching band performance at the E3 Expo, the world’s coolest gaming event, was over-the-top in the best possible way. Each year, Ubisoft (the company responsible for the cult-classic game Just Dance) puts together a fun performance filled with fame, talent, and a dash of humor for the unveiling of its new and improved version of the game. Last year, Bebe Rexha performed!
Kicking off this year’s L.A. festivities was none other than a dancing panda, a few live instruments courtesy of Fresno State, and a brightly colored crew and set.
Just Dance 2019 has already gotten a ton of attention for its 40 new songs and Wii version, but we’re pretty sure this extravagant opening performance will steal the limelight.
Check it out:


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Black Friday shopping moves to Thanksgiving
The "official" start to the holiday shopping season will begin on Thanksgiving this year.
The Minneapolis-based Target said it is responding to customer desires by opening on Thanksgiving.
"We heard from our guests that they look forward to kicking off their holiday shopping with deal-hunting on Thanksgiving night," Kathee Tesija, Target's executive vice president, merchandising, said in a prepared statement released Monday. "Opening at 9 p.m. gives Target's Black Friday guests a more convenient way to create an after-dinner shopping event that the entire family can enjoy."
Toys R Us plans for an early release of its Black Friday ads on Facebook; Target already has begun disclosing some of its sale plans.
Paul J. Gough is digital producer at the Pittsburgh Business Times. Contact him at email@example.com or 412-208-3827. You can also follow him on Twitter.
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|Sick of seeing articles talking about narcissistic millennials? Tired of getting unwanted opinions in your newsfeed about those entitled youths? Annoyed with the media’s portrayal of today’s young adults?
Then get the “Millennials to Snake People” Chrome extension.
Boston-based UX designer Eric Bailey has recently skyrocketed to social media fame after creating the “Millennials to Snake People” Chrome extension, which converts any and all mentions of “millennials” to “snake people.”
“I read one too many listicles, and I was like, this is getting a little weird,” Bailey told Adweek. “I had a free Saturday night, as sad as that sounds, and banged it out in a night.”
It’s easy to read into Bailey’s new extension. Converting mentions of millennials to snake people can definitely be seen as a commentary on how the nation characterizes 20- and 30-somethings, but in actuality, it’s just fun. Why did he choose snake people, specifically then?
“I don’t know,” he told AdWeek. “I’m a huge nerd, so it just seemed funny. The testing was basically a week of giggling straight.”
The project didn’t get much attention during its first few days, but somehow picked up steam somewhere. Soon enough, Bailey saw The Next Web’s tech reporter, Owen Williams, had tweeted a link to it, which in turn had been re-tweeted by famous author William Gibson.
“It’s sort of a lampoon,” he said. “Every generation seems to do this to the generation that comes after it.”
There is a lesson here, though. UX, which Bailey designs, is an integral part of any digital presence. It’s the process of improving a website or app’s usability to enhance user satisfaction. Without a quality UX, companies’ digital counterparts are virtually unusable, and help the competition get ahead.
“This is a product of the eye-rolling that’s happening online with the overuse and under delivery around the ‘Millenial,'” said Tom Ajello, Founder and Creative Director of Makeable. “People are throwing the word around without any commitment when it comes to creating a great user experience for the target. Overall, I’m not surprised that this type of app would appear. There is a massive misconception that The Millennial is a specific ‘bullseye’ of a target demographic. That is just untrue. The target is made up of a vast spectrum of tastes, idiosyncrasies and technical affinities just as any other target [market] one could think of today.”
By creating a quality app that enhances the UX of a popular web browser, Bailey’s gone viral. In other words, content is key for anyone looking to garner some social media fame to help their brand name development.
After all, what content could be better than poking fun at those selfie-taking, latte-sipping, Uggs-wearing snake people?


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State-run Coal India reported a 77.4 per cent on year fall in its consolidated net profit for the September quarter which stood at Rs.600.44 crore. The PSU´s net sales for the quarter also dropped 7.7 per cent on year to Rs.15,645.05 crore. During half yearly period of Apr-Sep, Coal India´s average realisation dropped from Rs1,430 per tonne to Rs.1,344 a tonne. Coal India further said production of the company in Apr-Sep rose 0.21 per cent to 230.04 million tonne while offtake declined 0.90 per cent to 249.11 million tonne.
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MIT's Industrial Performance Center concluded in a study released in September that the U.S. data system used to track offshoring in the services sector has "signficant gaps." The group recommended the collection of more and better data on services trade, which account for an estimated 85 percent of U.S. public sector gross domestic product and that more information should be extracted and published from current sources.
Overall, the offshoring of services has had little impact on U.S. employment. But the MIT study predicts that the effects of services offshoring will grow in specific industries and geographic areas. "This is why the collection and use of more detailed statistics are required," the study concluded.
Most government data on offshoring is collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The MIT study recommended that BEA collect more detailed data on international trade in services.
"The most severe defect in the United States' data collection system for services, by far, is in the realm of international trade," it warned.
It added that the bureau should expand its collection of data on occupational categories when surveying the activities of U.S.-based multinational companies.
The MIT study did not focus on specific industries like high-tech, but other studies have also concluded that U.S. data collection on the offshoring of technology services needs to be reviewed. The National Academy of Public Administration, which is following up on a July 2004 Commerce Department study on the offshoring of high-tech jobs, is expected to reach similar conclusions in a report to be released soon.