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AMATA VN Public Company Limited was represented by Mrs. Somhatai Panichewa, Chief Executive Officer, at the Thailand - Vietnam Business Forum 2023 hosted by the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association. The company participated as a key corporate partner, providing substantial support to the event. AMATA VN's notable involvement during the forum paved the way for a momentous collaboration between Thailand and Vietnam.
Picture: Mr. Sanan Angubolkul, Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and President of the Thailand - Vietnam Friendship Association is giving a keynote address at the forum commemorating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of strategic partnerships
Picture: Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Chairman of the Vietnam - Thailand Friendship Association (centered), Mrs. Somhatai Panichewa, Chief Executive of AMATA VN Public Company (fourth from left), H.E. Mr. Phan Chi Thanh, Ambassador of Vietnam to Thailand (far right) and guests.
This forum, marking a decade of strategic partnership, showcased exceptional business innovation and the power of cross-border synergy. The theme of the forum "Strengthening Thai-Vietnamese Relations Under the Concept 1+1 = Zero Boundary" highlighted the boundless opportunities when two nations unite forces.
Picture: Mrs. Somhatai Panichewa speaking to the media
The event drew more than 300 attendees from over 50 Thai and Vietnamese companies, alongside distinguished guests and leaders from both nations.


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For more than a year now, Washington and Beijing have been locked in an escalating trade conflict. Media coverage typically dismisses the conflict as a "trade war" similar to dozens of others with Japan, Europe, and many countries, and urges policymakers to "make nice" and move on for the sake of the stock market. Both the stakes and the scale of this trade war, however, are fundamentally different than the trade squabbles that have come before. The current clash is nothing less than a battle of economic systems. The United States with its market-oriented trading system is attempting to establish some sort of trade parity with China's largely state-controlled system. The stakes for the United States, China, and the rest of the world could hardly be higher, and a "political solution" that puts off real change is simply not acceptable.
Numbers tell a great deal of the story. China is and is likely to remain--barring a massive unforeseen change--the United States' largest trading partner. It is far and away the largest source of U.S. imports, but only third on the list of markets for U.S. exports. And that is a large part of the problem. The United States steadily imports from China three and one-half times what it exports to China. The U.S. bilateral trade deficit with China is by far the largest in U.S. history and in human history. China has also grown, largely based on foreign trade and investment, into the second-largest economy in the world and may pass the United States within a decade for the top spot.
THE MACROECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE
The conventional wisdom has been that the trade deficit with China should be dismissed as merely the result of market forces penalizing the United States for spendthrift behavior. And there is an undeniable economic relationship between consumption, including government fiscal deficits, and imports. But why would an imbalance driven by bad fundamental economics be so pronounced with China and so much lower with market-oriented trading partners with which the United States also has a major trading relationship?
First, this trade deficit could be driven as much or more by Chinese efforts to restrict consumption in order to build up its industries, rather than by U.S. fiscal deficits. In other words, it might just as easily be said that China does not consume and import enough as that the United States consumes and imports too much. Particularly for an economy at its stage of development with so many of its citizens still in poverty, China should consume and import more. The accounting identity that links imbalances in the U.S. capital account with an offsetting imbalance in the current account (or dissaving and imports) is just an equation--it does not assign blame or indicate appropriate policy.
Further, a primary mechanism by which trade flows are supposed to balance over the long term is through the adjustment of currency exchange rates. A trade surplus should lead to a country's currency, which is used to purchase imports from the country, becoming more valuable (stronger) relative to other currencies. The stronger currency should increase the price of that country's exports and decrease the price of its imports, which pushes down the trade surplus. In theory, this currency adjustment should limit China's trade surplus with the United States.
Unfortunately, this mechanism relies on currencies that adjust in response to market conditions. The Chinese currency--the RMB or yuan--is pegged to the dollar by the Chinese government. It only adjusts in response to decisions made by the Chinese government, not the market. The Chinese RMB has been persistently undervalued for decades as part of a Chinese export promotion strategy and has been identified as such by the U.S. Treasury without meaningful remedy. In recent months, the RMB has deteriorated markedly, losing more than 10 percent of its value relative to the dollar. As a result, the U.S. trade deficit with China could actually rise in response to RMB depreciation.
THE MICROECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE
At the level of individual industries, China also does not play by free market rules. China's grand plan to dominate ten high-value manufacturing industries, including semiconductors, robotics, and aerospace, known as "China 2025," has drawn considerable criticism in recent...

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Chrysler and Fiat lineup to be announced November 4
Tuesday 27 October 2009
US automaker Chrysler announced October 27 that it will unveil its new lineup on November 4, debuting the first offspring of the Chrysler-Fiat arranged marriage.
As Chrysler was foundering in bankruptcy last winter, Fiat was given a large stake in the company in return for engineering advice, not any monetary investment. Chrysler's antiquated product portfolio consists almost exclusively of SUVs, minivans and trucks and is in desperate need of a successful passenger compact car and sedan.
Speculation is rife as to what Italian models will make the trip across the Atlantic and which of Chrysler's many deadbeats will get the ax. If the two companies leverage each other's strengths, Chrysler will continue to produce its successful muscle cars and pickup trucks while Fiat will contribute European-style models which aim at a more affluent and family-oriented market.
It's thought that as many as seven Fiat models will be made and sold in the US by Chrysler, according to the newspaper The Detroit Free Press. Perhaps the most likely new arrival will be the smash hit the Fiat 500, which is absolutely tiny by US standards. It is expected that the 500 will be made in Mexico and be ready for the US, after the required market modifications, in 2011.
Fiat has said it will reintroduce its Alfa Romeo line, which suffers from a poor image in the US due to its mixed successes in the 1970s and 1980s. The line pulled up its stakes in the 1990s but will return as early as 2012, perhaps in the form of the successful MiTo subcompact model.
For Chrysler it's a case of addition by subtraction: Chrysler's Jeep line, bloated with redundancies, will probably be slashed to just its strongest models. By 2012 the Chrysler Sebring sedan and the Chrysler PT Cruiser will get cut.
The shift away from big cars is also likely to force Chrysler to phase out its Caravan minivan line, which was once inescapable on US roads. Chrysler has long been the premier van producer in the US but soon the Chrysler Town and Country could be the manufacturer's only minivan.
But what new Chryslers made with superior Fiat technology will be announced? The arrival of new additions November 4 is the most exciting news yet in this intercontinental wedding, but it also proclaims the end of the honeymoon phase.
The most pressing question is whether or not Chrysler, which is plummeting in US market share, can even stay afloat until Fiat arrives with its life-preserving Italian technology. This means that regardless of what is unveiled next week, Chrysler will have to get by until 2011-2012 on its current gas guzzlers and just two new models, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300 sedan.
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- 1 The BBC has just done more to eradicate ‘terrorism’ than all our wars since 9/11
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- 4 Chilling drone footage captures Auschwitz ahead of 70th anniversary of liberation
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Chinese online shopping and social networking business Mogujie has filed to list in the US. The company's investors include Tencent Holdings, Trustbridge Partners, and Hillhouse Capital.
Founded in 2011 by Alibaba alumnus Qi Chen, Mogjujie has adopted a Pinterest-style model, allowing users to share their shopping experiences through links to products provided by brand partners and third-party...
Cool Japan has taken a new angle on its cultural investment thesis with Spiber, a biotechnology developer bringing next-generation materials to the apparel industry
Creador has raised $50 million for its fourth Southeast Asia and India-focused private equity fund from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Everstone Group has established a partnership with Singapore-based warehouse operator GLP to invest $500 million in India’s logistics ecosystem.
Accel Partners and Qualcomm Ventures have joined an INR2.5 billion ($35 million) funding round for Indian agriculture industry platform operator Ninjacart.


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70% of ecommerce retailers said their top priority for 2023 was to acquire more customers, and 58% of retailers questioned said they would look to invest more in achieving that. In terms of retailer growth, 66% of respondents said they were looking to increase their headcount this year.
The in-depth Pulse Ecommerce Survey #1 by Vervaunt questioned retailers in March at their financial year end and found that sentiment for the year ahead was broadly positive.
When asked on a scale of 1-10 how optimistic they are about the next 12 months, the vast majority of respondents said more than 7/10, with 34% scoring 7/10 and 30% scoring 8/10.
This result was very close to how retailers scored last year’s performance in terms of how successful they were, despite the current concerns about the economy and potential recession that has been looming. The majority of brands scored how successful they were in 2022 at 7/10 (30%), with 19% scoring it 8/10 and another 19% scoring last year at 9/10.
Director and co-founder at Vervaunt Paul Rogers said: “It’s positive for the industry to see that the majority of ecommerce brands are looking to acquire new customers as their top priority for 2023, as well as looking to make new hires, which both show that they are still confident around business growth.”
After acquiring new customers as a top priority for 2023, retailers also said increasing conversion rate (40%); entering new international markets (21%); increasing cost of sale and profitability (19%) and increasing customer lifetime value (19%).
When asked specifically what areas they would invest more in this year, retailers said: new customer acquisition (58%); paid search and social (27%): CRM (22%); data, analytics and insights (21%) and technology stack (19%).
When asked what areas they would invest less in this year, 39% of retailers said television advertising, followed by out of home advertising (33%); technology stack (31%); paid search and social (22%); and affiliate marketing (15%).
Vervaunt is a paid media and ecommerce consultancy who works with aspirational high-growth premium lifestyle brands. The Pulse Ecommerce Survey #1 is the first annual audit, and results will also be presented at their Pulse Ecommerce Summit ‘23 in June.


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Group confirms double-digit growth in wholesale room nights for the 2017/18 year1
China remains the number one source market in the wholesale channel for Hotelbeds Group in Asia Pacific
China is now the 4th biggest source market for the Group globally, up from 5th last year
Singapore – October 17, 2018 - Hotelbeds Group, the world’s leading bedbank, has today confirmed ahead of the launch of ITB Asia the continuation of strong growth in wholesale sales in the Chinese source market.
According to Hotelbeds Group’s booking data for the full 2017 / 18 financial year, the Group grew the number of room nights sold from the China source market by double digits year-on-year.
As a source market China remains the Group’s largest wholesale market in APAC for the third year running. Additionally, it has now become the 4th biggest source market for the Group globally in the wholesale channel, up from 5th place only last year – and from 22nd place in only 2011.
The Group sells in the wholesale channel – via its Hotelbeds, Tourico Holidays, and GTA bedbank brands – to B2B buyers such as airlines, points redemption schemes, and MICE operators, as well as online travel agents and tour operators.
The top 10 international destinations booked via the Group’s platform this year remain all Asian, with each destination registering double digit growth. The list was topped by Hong Kong, followed in descending order by Bangkok, Phuket, Singapore, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Bali, Osaka, and Beijing. Paris is the top destination outside of Asia, with strong growth year-on-year.
ITB Asia is held in Singapore this week and representatives of the Group will be attending the show to meet with travel intermediary sellers and hotel partners to discuss the upcoming year’s priorities. Booking data from the Group’s platform has positioned the city as amongst the fastest growing destinations within the region.
Sam Turner, Wholesale Sales & Sourcing Director at Hotelbeds Group, said, “I am very proud to see that – once again – during the last financial year we have achieved outstanding sales growth in China. Of course, this is in part a reflection of the fact that Chinese travelers have now become the world’s number one travel segment, spending one in five of all dollars spent on outbound tourism globally.
“But this success is also a reflection of our hard work and persistence, having been in the market for well over ten years and dedicated ourselves to creating a product tailored to the needs of the local market – not least on the sourcing side, where we look for Chinese-friendly hotel accommodation and negotiate exclusive deals for Chinese B2B buyers.”
Hui-Wan Chua, APAC Regional Director for Wholesale Sales at Hotelbeds Group, said, “We are thrilled to confirm that we grew room nights by double digits year-on-year this year in China – and in this new year, which we started back on 1 October, we are confident to experience the same growth or more. The demand for travelling continues to grow in China as many Chinese people take their first overseas trips.
“Since Tourico Holidays and GTA joined our Group last year we now have over 170,000 hotels available – many of them sourced with Asian travelers in mind, and many of those contracted with exclusive rates and unique content. I am looking forward to another busy and exciting edition of ITB Asia this week as I meet with our B2B clients to tell them more about the latest deals and offers we have available for their consumers.”
1 All figures quoted in this press release refer to bookings made via Hotelbeds Group’s bedbank platform – which includes the Hotelbeds, Tourico Holidays and GTA brands – during the 2017 / 18 financial year, which closed on 30 September.
About Hotelbeds Group
Hotelbeds Group is the world´s leading bedbank.
The Group’s proprietary technology helps providers of travel services distribute their offering to travel sellers globally via an easy-to-use, advanced technology platform that increases reach, revenue and yield for both the provider and the seller.
Operating mainly under the Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, Tourico Holidays and GTA brands, the company connects over 60,000 travel intermediaries across more than 140 source markets globally with travel providers in over 185 countries representing more than 170,000 hotels, 24,000 transfer routes and 18,000 activities.
In September 2016, the company became independent under the ownership of Cinven and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). In June 2017, Tourico Holidays became part of Hotelbeds Group, followed by GTA also joining the Group in October; both companies remain independent brands whilst they are being integrated into the Group.
The Group is headquartered in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hotelbeds-group
And twitter: @HotelbedsGroup
Follow APItude on twitter: @Hotelbeds_API
Hotelbeds Group Media contact
Laura Yao · firstname.lastname@example.org
Dolores Shi · email@example.com
Tel: +86 21 6441 6701 / 6702
Hotelbeds Group Media
Media Relations & Corporate Affairs
Wei Wang · firstname.lastname@example.org


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It's a Festivus Miracle!
A couple of Seinfeld enthusiasts have submitted a free app to the Apple store that turns iconic characters and jokes from the show into emojis. (Emojis, for the uninitiated, are those little images everyone is so dang obsessed with nowadays.) Jason Richards, who runs the popular Seinfeld Current Day Twitter account, came up with the idea for the Seinfeld additions, and he recruited a designer and developer to bring the joke all the way to the Apple store.
If approved, the app would let users send puffy shirts, junior mints, and vacuous-eyed Kramers — Kragnor, in the world of Seinfeld Current Day — to each other. No word on whether the emoijs shrink after spending time in a pool.
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Starwood Hotels & Resorts Debuts Its Fast-Growing aloft Brand in College Station, Texas
Catering to the Hyper-Connected Global Traveler, aloft College Station Marks the Brand’s 100th Hotel Worldwide
Offers Modern Style, Innovative Technologies and Live Music at W XYZ® Bar
STAMFORD, Conn. - September 28, 2015 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® (NYSE:HOT) today announced the launch of its tech-forward aloft brand in College Station, Texas, marking the aloft brand’s milestone 100th hotel worldwide. Located less than a mile from the Texas A&M University campus, aloft College Station is the eighth aloft hotel in Texas, and is the first of nine new aloft hotels slated to open in the state in the next three years. Owned by Lodging America and managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, aloft College Station is designed for today’s hyper-connected global traveller with 105 spacious loft-like rooms, tech forward innovation and a buzzing social atmosphere.
“aloft College Station is an ideal fit for this fast-growing area and will appeal to both travelers and locals with its distinctive design aesthetic, dynamic social vibe and live music performances from emerging artists at W XYZ bar,” said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President, Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. “As we cross the 100th hotel milestone globally for the aloft brand, we look forward to continuing this bullish growth momentum in key destinations worldwide.”
aloft College Station is located at the corner of University Drive East and Lincoln Avenue, just minutes from both Texas A&M University and Blinn College. Nearby attractions include the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Post Oak Mall, Kyle Field, Grand Station Entertainment Center and the restaurants, bars and music venues in the popular Northgate district. The new aloft will also be near the Business Center at College Station – home to numerous technology and telecommunications companies.
Signature hotel features include an outdoor Splash pool, a 24-hour gym, re:fuel at aloft – a one-stop gourmet grab & go food and beverage area, and the brand’s signature W XYZ bar where guests can enjoy a refreshing cocktail and catch the latest up-and-coming music acts as part of the brand’s signature Live@aloft Hotels music series. The hotel also features 1,500 square feet of flexible meeting space for business meetings and social gatherings.
“aloft College Station is the hottest new hotel near Texas A&M, and we expect it will quickly emerge as a leading choice among business and leisure travelers to this fast-growing area,” said Zabir Ismail, Managing Director, Lodging America.
The aloft brand’s innovative and exclusive initiatives set it apart from the competition. aloft Hotels recently announced the launch of SPG Keyless - an evolution of aloft’s Smart Check-in - the hospitality industry’s first mobile, keyless entry system allowing guests to use their smart phone as a key. The technology is rolling out to all aloft, Element and W Hotels Worldwide by year’s end. This forward-thinking initiative is part of the brand’s innovative DNA. Additionally, every aloft Hotel around the world offers live, free access to local emerging artists and some of the hottest bands with Live@aloft Hotel programming at the W XYZ® bars.
aloft remains the fastest growing brand in the history of hospitality with 100 hotels in 15 countries now open, and the company’s second largest pipeline. Fueled by accelerating demand in dynamic markets worldwide, aloft continues to enter new markets including Munich and Stuttgart, Germany as well as expand its portfolio in Greater China to ten hotels by year’s end.
Let’s get social. Follow @aloftHotels on Twitter, check us out on Instagram @aloftHotels, or head to Facebook.com/aloftHotels.
About aloft Hotels
With 100 hotels open now in 15 countries around the world, Starwood’s aloft brand delivers a fresh approach to the traditional staid hotel landscape. For the ‘always on’ next generation of traveler, the aloft brand offers a tech-forward, vibrant experience and a modern style that is different by design. For more information, please visit www.alofthotels.com. aloft, like all brands within Starwood's portfolio, is proud to offer the Starwood Preferred Guest® program, the industry’s richest loyalty program. To learn more, please visit www.spg.com.
About Lodging America
Lodging America is owned by Texas Hotel MGT, which owns four other hotels in the area.
SOURCE Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Global Public Relations
aloft, Element & Four Points by Sheraton
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Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and during the current restrictions Metron Welding Dublin and Cork will continue to operate as usual, however our trade counter at Baldonnell will remain closed. Orders
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Metron Welding has continued and will continue operation within the guidelines set out by the Department of Health and Department of the Taoiseach Published: 28 March
Cork Office Now Open
As of Tuesday the 4th of August 2020 Metron Welding’s Cork Office is NOW OPEN!! Metron Welding Cork, Portgate Business Park, Raffeen, Ringaskiddy, Co.Cork T12 E7RW Kieran Baldwin
New Product Launch 2nd November 2020
Lincoln Electric Viking 3250D FGS Auto Darkening Head Sheild c/w Flipup to Clear Grinding Screen
Battery Tig Launch……!
newe to the hujgfuiohfoiuhf


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Business owners across the city centre of Groningen are decking out their store fronts as part of a Groningen City Club campaign.
By Hans de Preter / Translation by Traci White
Groningen shops are decking out their windows with orange and royal-themed scenes in anticipation of the king and queen’s visit on King’s Day, 27 April.
The Groningen City Club, an association for local retailers, is behind the campaign to effectively paint the town orange: GCC hopes that the festive displays will catch the national media’s eye when they descend on the city next week for the king’s visit.
Many shops are featuring photos of past visits to the city by members of the royal family which have been made available through the Groningen Archive.
Photo source: Groningen City Club


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News Carson City reports that our new Sportsman’s Warehouse, which has been under construction for nearly a year, may open up after all. But since the parent company is in bankruptcy and closing down stores, this location will serve almost as a consolidation center for merchandise from other stores. And they also think Carson City will be a good location for the struggling chain, because there is very little competition in the hunting/fishing category. The Reno stores are closing because the other big boys like Cabella’s and Scheels are too much to compete against, but Carson City’s market is much less saturated, with Wal*Mart and Big 5 being the biggest places to get gear from.
To clairify, Sportsman’s warehouse is not closing in Reno or opening in Carson as a consolidation center. We do believe Carson would be a strong market for us but due to the challenging economic times will not be able to open. For additional information on Sportsman’s Warehouse please consult our web site at Sportsmanswarehouse.com.


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BNP Paribas Fortis has denied it is exploring the idea of entering the bitcoin space as a digital vault provider.
A spokesperson for the international Belgium-based bank – a subsidiary of BNP Paribas – told CoinDesk the company was not planning to allow its customers to store bitcoin as they would any other asset.
The spokesperson added:
“I will disappoint you because we do not have a project regarding the bitcoins. So, it’s not true.”
BNP Paribas Fortis’ denial comes after CoinDesk was contacted by a subscriber to the Bitcoin Brussels mailing list, who claimed to have received an email from a marketing analyst at the bank detailing plans to offer a digital vault solution.
According to the subscriber, the message asked readers to register their interest on a Launchrock website – a platform that enables its users to create viral ‘Launching Soon’ pages with in-built sharing tools and analytics – by providing their email address.
The spokesperson for BNP Paribas Fortis attributed the “confusion” around the bank’s intentions to a training excercise:
“As part of training on the Lean Startup, the theme of bitcoin is often chosen as a case study. As part of this training, a hypothesis was tested by posting a web page (not branded) on bitcoiners [sic] forums to analyse the possible interest of these in being able to store bitcoins safe in a bank.”
Watching the blockchain
Despite unwilling to disclose specifics, the spokesperson said the bank was watching blockchain technology to assess how it could be used to speed up business processes and make them less costly.
“But these are only projects and formations,” they added.
The comments come after a report in July suggested BNP Paribas was looking to incorporate bitcoin to one of their currency funds.
CoinDesk reached out to BNP Paribas at the time but was unable to verify the news.


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The impressive, metal Galaxy S6 is Samsung's hero phone all decked out with worldly looks and sophisticated specs. But stay tuned for our final tests before you make the investment.
These two top flagship smartphones both pack high-end designs and features to boot. Here's how they stack up against each other.
The carrier says its new map of network coverage uses real-time data and will be updated every two weeks.
The new browser is intended to replace Internet Explorer on all Windows devices.
We put the latest high-end desktop PC gaming cards to the test in the CNET Labs.
Which has the most apps? Which has the coolest features? Which one is the best? The most popular streamers all have their merits, so we'll help you decide which box is right for you.
The space agency has just announced plans to fly to an asteroid, snag a boulder, fly back toward Earth and put the rock in orbit around the moon. Because science.
LG has categorically denied charges that one of its senior execs vandalised rival Samsung's washing machines, and posted footage of the alleged incident to YouTube.
We don't just plug them in and look at them! Click through for a look at our testing methodology for refrigerators.


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Apple, Motorola, Other OEMs Address Foxconn Suicides
Apple, which uses Foxconn to build its iPhone, iPad, iPod and Mac Mini products, issued a statement Wednesday that it is “saddened and upset” by worker suicides at Foxconn’s sprawling manufacturing plant in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
Apple, based in Cupertino, Calif., told Bloomberg in a statement that it is “deeply committed to ensuring that conditions throughout our supply chain are safe and workers are treated with respect and dignity.”
The first suicide at Foxconn to garner major media attention happened in July 2009, when a worker who had been questioned about a missing fouth-generation Apple iPhone prototype jumped to his death. Ten Foxconn wokers have died this year in similar circumstances, while an additional two employees have survived suicide attempts in 2010.
Other Foxconn partners issuing statements regarding the suicides on Wednesday included Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Motorola. The Foxconn Technology Group, anchored by Taiwan’s Hon Hai Group, is the world’s largest contract manufacturer of electronics and computer components.
“Motorola is saddened by the recent suicides at Foxconn, and our sympathy goes out to all the families affected,” the company said in a statement sent to CRN.com. Foxconn assembles cell phones for Schaumburg, Ill.-based Motorola.
“We take very seriously the working conditions in our supply chain. Motorola is committed to ensuring that conditions throughout our supply chain are in compliance with our supplier code of conduct and widely accepted norms of fairness and human decency,” the company said.
Motorola also said that is has been investigating labor conditions at Foxconn and would “take appropriate additional action as needed.” HP and Dell also issued statements saying they had initiated inquiries into the situation at Foxconn.
The Shenzhen factory is a “sweatshop,” alleged New York-based China Labor Watch last week following the suicide of the ninth Foxconn worker in 2010, Nan Gang, 21. On Tuesday, Li Hai, 19, plunged to his death after just 42 days on the job at the Shenzhen plant, bringing the total of falling suicides at Foxconn this year to 10.
Terry Gou, the Hon Hai Group’s billionaire chairman, has denied labor-rights groups’ charges and on Wednesday opened the Shenzhen factory for a media tour, according to reports.
Foxconn also manufacturers components for all three of the largest game console makers, Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony. Nintendo, maker of the Wii, said in a statement that it requires “all production partners, including Foxconn” to comply with its CSR Procurement Guidelines established in July 2008.
“We take our responsibilities as a global company very seriously and are committed to an ethical policy on sourcing, manufacture and labor,” Nintendo said in the statement.
Intel, which contracts with Foxconn to produce Intel-branded motherboards, said it did not have a comment on the situation Wednesday.


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It's been a few years since the Jared-related boondoggle, but Subway sandwich shops have found themselves in the news once again.
Source: NBC News
A Canadian news network called CBC Marketplace published a damning piece yesterday. In it they DNA-tested a number of chicken products that are sold by numerous popular fast food chains. They visited McDonald's, Subway, Wendy's, Tim Horton's and A&W for the report.
And, while every other fast food spot's tests came back with a less-frightening 90% or more presence of chicken in their... chicken, Subway's figures came back far smaller.
According to the DNA test, Subway's chicken strips have 42.8% chicken DNA, and their oven roasted chicken has around 53.6% chicken DNA.
Source: SF Gate
According to the test, the rest of the "chicken" was in fact soy.
Subway responded to the allegation:
The accusations made by CBC Marketplace about the content of our chicken are absolutely false and misleading. Our chicken is 100 percent white meat with seasonings, marinated and delivered to our stores as a finished, cooked product.
We have advised them of our strong objections. We do not know how they produced such unreliable and factually incorrect data, but we are insisting on a full retraction. Producing high quality food for our customers is our highest priority. This report is wrong and it must be corrected.
Source: Lean It Up


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Google has always been known for fast and easy-to-use Web services loved by consumers. Google has never been known for the kind of dedicated support enterprise IT shops demand from technology vendors.
More than a year ago, Google announced an ambitious project to create a new class of device powered by an operating-system version of its Chrome browser . Many months of hyped expectations later, Google finally took the wraps off the first of its Chr...
Intel is in talks with major Asian PC makers that could see new laptops released as early as December this year that feature fast, battery-saving processor technology announced by the company at a financial analyst's meeting on Tuesday.
Everyone wants what Microsoft's got, namely control of the most widely used computing platform. Or, more accurately, everyone wants the billions and billions of dollars that flow in from the dominance of desktop computing.
Consumers may love that Google's Chromebooks will automatically deliver security updates, but company administrators will resist it tooth and nail, experts said today.
A month from today, the Chromebooks from Samsung and Acer will hit the street. Google hopes to revolutionize mobile computing and free us from the shackles of the traditional PC experience, but the Chromebook is going to fizzle.
Google took another step toward the enterprise this week when executives unveiled the "Chromebook," a notebook PC that could boost both its new operating system and cloud apps.
Google made an interesting hardware-as-a-service proposition to businesses Wednesday with the introduction of the Chromebook. The Web-centric and laptop-like device will launch next month with support from vendor partners Samsung and Acer.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin said Windows and other traditional PC operating systems are "torturing users" at Google's Chrome OS launch event Wednesday, where the company claimed 75 per cent of business users can be converted from Windows to Chrome ...
While Google currently does not see any conflict between its Android vision for tablets and smartphones and its Chrome OS cloud-based laptop vision, a company official acknowledged today that there is potential for such a conflict in the future.
Samsung and Acer will begin selling notebook PCs running Google's Chrome OS in June, as Google presses ahead with its project to position this new operating system designed specifically for Web applications as a viable option for consumers and busine...
Acer on Wednesday charged its former chief executive officer, Gianfranco Lanci, with performance issues, after he had criticized the company's resistance to globalization in interviews with the media.
National book retailer Dymocks has partnered with Acer to offer Android-powered tablets as a vehicle for e-book sales along with a new Android app.
Research firm Canalys on Thursday said Apple was the world's fourth-largest PC maker during the first quarter, after adding the computer maker's iPad in worldwide PC shipments.
Acer, the world's second largest PC maker, saw its revenue slump in the first quarter following a management shakeup and what it described as a seasonal lull in demand. The Taiwanese manufacturer is now counting on tablets to boost overall sales.
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As the pandemic reigns on, we are starting to see the world around us tank in terms of economy. There’s no getting around the horrible news that our economy is not how it used to be just 9 months ago. And with our economy struggling, as well as our numbers in cases of COVID-19, it’s hard to see a light at the end of this never-ending tunnel. However, China might have just reached their light.
It is reported that China has seen tons of growth in their economy, a 4.9% growth in comparison to last year which is extremely impressive given the pandemic that stands in their way. After their tragic economic hit in May, reported a 6.8% decrease – the worst it’s been for them in decades – it was nearly impossible to see them reach the heights they have reached today. But they have and we can’t be more amazed.
Their strategy was great from the start. They initiated mandatory testing and quarantine policies as they began opening back up again after they got through the worst of the pandemic. Once a case arose, they made sure to lock it down and get it under control, even if that meant temporarily closing or sealing off certain areas.
Once they started really taking control over their situations with the coronavirus, factories and plants were able to open up and function at full capacity. With the factories open, automobile sales spiked as well as real estate investment, which climbed up the ladder at double-digit rates.
With China’s recent rise and economic health, do you think the United States will experience the same anytime soon? Comment down below to let us know!
This article originally published on GREY Journal.


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The August issue of BLADE magazine will feature new content to incite even more excitement among knife enthusiasts for the upcoming 2013 BLADE Show + Living Ready Expo in Atlanta, Georgia , May 31 – June 2.
Now in its 32nd year, the BLADE show is the largest knife show in the world. Some of the world’s top hand-forged knives will be for sale at the show and BLADE magazine has all the details. The August issue includes “Let The Bidding Begin”, a two-page feature that details the American Bladesmith Society auction’s top seven knives with pictures, specifications and more, while “Welcome To Their Launching Party” announces the factory knives that are making their debut at this year’s BLADE Show + Living Ready Expo.
Additionally, subscribers will receive an exclusive BLADE Show + Living Ready Expo program, BLADE in America, that will not be available on newsstands. This complete guide to the show includes exhibitor lists, show maps, seminar schedules and capsule descriptions, show schedules, information on the BLADE magazine Knives of the Year and much, much more. Plus, check out television and film celebrities R. Lee “The Gunny” Ermey (Full Metal Jacket) and Larry “The Hammer” Harley (Lords of War) on the cover and read about their appearance at this year’s show.
For more information about subscriptions to BLADE magazine, check out http://www.blademag.com/.
Logo courtesy BLADE Magazine


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Commission Acts to Block Further Food Fraud11 June 2013
EU - Almost half of the food products stopped from entering the EU were stopped because of food safety issues.
And in the wake of the horse mat scandal and an incident where the Czech food safety authority reported 36 deaths because of people consuming methanol that was being passed off as drinkable spirit, new procedures for a rapid exchange of information across the EU are to be established.
A report from the European Commission from the EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed showed that in 2012 the number of RASFF notifications fell by 3.9 per cent in 2012 compared to 2011 to 8,797cases.
Of those, 40 per cent or 3,516 incidents were original notifications and 5,281 were follow-up notifications.
These figures represent a 7.8 per cent fall decrease in original notifications and a 1.2 per cent decrease in follow-up notifications.
A total of 526 alert notifications reporting on serious risks found in products on the market, which marked decrease of 14 per cent compared to 2011.
When such a product is identified, the RASFF informs the third country in question, in order to take corrective actions and prevent a recurrence of the problem.
When a serious and persistent problem is detected, the Commission sends a letter to the national authorities of the third country concerned, so that they implement urgent corrective measures such as delisting establishments, blocking exports or intensifying controls.
Of the 3,516 original incidents reported by the RASFF in 2012, 332 concerned feed (9.4 per cent) and 299 were related to food contact materials (8.5 per cent).
These figures are in line with what was reported in 2011.
In all, 2,885 original notifications were related to food.
Since RASFF is primarily a platform to exchange information on food safety issues, both the Czech methanol and the horse meat scandal have raised a legitimate need to exchange information on cases of food fraud, which is an emerging phenomenon.
In the methanol adulteration case, TheCzech authority used the RASFF channel to swiftly inform and update its EU partners on its investigations and on the measures it had taken.
To address this, a European Commission's five point action plan aims to close the gaps identified in the wake of the horse meat scandal includes setting up a procedure for the rapid exchange of information and alerts in cases, which may constitute food fraud.
TheMeatSite News Desk


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Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) has announced plans to hire some 70,000 workers for the 2016 holiday season.
Target is planning to hire 70,00 employees at its 1,800 stores across the United states for the 2016 holiday season. It also is looking to fill 7,500 seasonal positions at its distribution and fulfillment facilities.
Target will be holding hiring events at all of its stores in the United States on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15. The company has the full list of open positions on its website. Those interested have the option of applying online or showing up at their local store to apply.
This marks the fourth year in a row that the retailer has hired 70,000 seasonal workers for the holidays. The company is hoping to get employees hired and trained before the holiday shopping madness starts.
Target employees that are already with the company will also have the option of picking up additional hours during the holiday season. They will get first pick when it comes to grabbing extra time on the clock.
The retail company said it needed the additional help in its distribution and fulfillment facilities this year due to an increase in online orders. It claims that 30% of all purchases now happen via its website.
While Target is keeping a brave face about its seasonal sales, the company is expecting less than last year. It said it expects comparable sales to be down by 2% or remain unchanged when compared to last year.
Target has seen a decline in shoppers lately. This started happening after the company announced its bathroom policy concerning transgender customers and the boycott that followed.
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Web Hosting tutorials and tips.
This article was provided by eCom News.
Royal Mail has introduced its Sunday delivery service. Bloom & Wild is the first company to take advantage of this service. This means consumers across the United Kingdom can now have flowers delivered on a Sunday.
By introducing a seven-day parcel delivery capability for major retailers, Royal Mail responds to the growth in parcel volumes. This increase is of course the result of the corona crisis, in which more people started shopping online. But it’s also because more and more consumers want to receive their purchases as quickly as possible after placing an order.
It feeds consumers’ demand for Sunday delivery
Royal Mail isn’t the first player in the UK to offer Sunday delivery, as some online marketplaces and couriers already do, but nonetheless it allows the British postal service company to feed the consumers’ demand for deliveries on a Sunday.
We are very excited to launch Sunday delivery.
“Royal Mail has been a trusted partner for Bloom & Wild for many years and we are very excited to launch Sunday delivery which allows us to respond to our customers’ needs and offer free delivery of our flowers, plants and gifts seven days a week”, Henry Mower, Director of Fulfilment & Delivery at Bloom & Wild, commented on the news.
Royal Mail and Bloom & Wild go way back
It’s not the first time these two companies have found each other. Royal Mail has been a delivery partner for Bloom & Wild since the online flourist was founded in 2013. The retail company was also the first customer to use Royal Mail’s later acceptance times to accept orders later in the day for for you in future day delivery.
In April earlier this year Bloom & Wild announced the acquisition of Dutch rival Bloomon.
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Food Recall: McCain Shepherd’s Pie
McCain Foods has announced a voluntary recall of McCain Shepherd’s Pie due to an inadvertent packaging error that has seen some contain a Tuna Mornay meal instead.
The affected product was available for sale at Coles Supermarkets, Coles Online, and Bilo Supermarkets from March 2, 2009. McCain has now sent a direction to all stores in NSW and ACT to remove all affected stock from sale.
“We apologise for the mix-up but customers are only at risk if they are allergic to fish,” McCain Marketing Director David Boyle advised in a statement.
The recall applies only to the product listed below with the specified Best Before date and with the number 353 after the time code. No other McCain products are affected, the company reported.
Date Notified To FSANZ: 26 March 2009
Food Product: Ready-to-eat meal
Name of Product: McCain Shepherd’s Pie
Package Description & Size: Cardboard box outer with plastic tray inner, 400g
Best Before: June 2010 353 only (these 3 digits appear after time code)
Australian Distribution: NSW, ACT
Reason for Recall: Labelling – Undeclared Allergen (fish)
McCain invites calls to their Customer Service team on 1800 065 521 if requiring further information.
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December 19, 2017, Washington, DC– WineAmerica, the National Association of American Wineries, today hailed the passage of federal alcohol excise tax reform legislation as a new opportunity for growth of the American wine industry.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which President Trump is expected to sign soon, includes key provisions of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act that will reduce federal excise taxes on wine, beer, and spirits. WineAmerica and its beverage coalition partners enlisted 304 House and 55 Senate co-sponsors from both parties.
“We are grateful to all legislative supporters, but particularly Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) who led the majority support, Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) for adding our bill into the broader Senate legislation, and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) who was the original champion of the entire concept and the language,” said WineAmerica President Jim Trezise. “On the House side, Representative Kevin Brady (R-TX) as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee played a crucial role.”
The bill will save all wineries, regardless of size, significant money through an excise tax credit mechanism which reduces the effective rate. For example, while the federal excise tax on table wine will remain unchanged at $1.07 per gallon, there will be a new tax credit of $1.00 on the first 30,000 gallons produced, making the effective tax rate $0.07 (seven cents) per gallon. The tax credit on the next 100,000 gallons produced is $0.90, and between 130,000 and 750,000 gallons produced the tax credit will be $0.535. The tax credit limits out at a ceiling of 750,000 gallons. The legislation also increases the allowable alcohol level for table wine from 14% to 16%, reflecting the tangible impact of climate change on grape ripening in some states.
The federal excise tax provisions are programmed to expire on December 31, 2019, which means WineAmerica and its beverage coalition partners will need to work with Congress on making the new rates permanent. WineAmerica’s coalition consists of the American Craft Spirits Association, the Beer Institute, the Brewers Association, the Distilled Spirits Council, and the Wine Institute.
“There are nearly 10,000 wineries across all 50 states, and the vast majority are small, family-owned farms and businesses, so this is a welcome development for growing our entire industry,” said Trent Preszler, PhD, CEO of Bedell Cellars on Long Island and Chairman of the WineAmerica Board of Directors. “The excise tax savings will allow wineries to invest money back into their businesses in countless ways, whether that’s hiring new employees, buying oak barrels, or planting vineyards. Ultimately, such investments will help American wineries be more competitive in the global marketplace.”
WineAmerica recently unveiled a national economic impact study showing that the American wine industry generated a $220 billion benefit to the American economy in 2017, including 1.7 million jobs and $75.8 billion in wages. Of the total impact, $58.8 billion involved the “supplier” sector which includes goods and services like tractors and vineyard supplies; tanks and barrels; packaging and transportation; plus finance, insurance and real estate. Many of these sectors stand to benefit as wineries invest their savings from the tax reduction.
“We also thank WineAmerica Vice President Michael Kaiser and government affairs advisors Larry Meyers and Fran Boyd of Meyers & Associates for all their great work on this initiative,” said Trezise. “WineAmerica specializes in national grassroots public policy advocacy involving our members from all around the country, and these are the people who bring it all together.”
For more details about the actual Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act, contact Michael Kaiser (firstname.lastname@example.org, 202-223-5172)


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Recent headlines on the move by Google and Facebook to construct undersea cables to increase internet connectivity have flooded the media in Africa. In true unrepentant African fashion, most media outlets, both home and abroad have tried to paint these Big Tech companies as saviours of some sort. However, the question is whether this move is a Samaritan gesture or there are serious other vested interests involved.
Africa has been experiencing a rapid population growth which made it a great space for economic growth. The continent has also leapfrogged the conventional path to development as it saw rapid mobile internet growth before it had achieved any major fixed line development.
This growing user base has made the continent the unlikely frontier of new Big Tech data wars. Uber has already started moving through it's $3 billion acquisition of Careem which operates in Egypt and the Middle East. Google has made significant investments in an Artificial Intelligence centre and Microsoft plans to follow suit.
It's a whole new scramble and partition of Africa again. This time, it is data that it is at stake. It will be sad if Africans see this push for connectivity as an act of charity. Just the way we are letting our data go through the data harvesting project known as Free Basics.
Free Basics lets people in some countries access Facebook and other websites without charges. It has been touted as mankind's most significant development towards promoting "internet as a right" for all. Stop to think, how many of those sites are for African startups? Your guess is as good as mine.
“Facebook is not introducing people to open internet where you can learn, create and build things,” Ellery Biddle, advocacy director of Global Voices told The Guardian in July of 2017. “It’s building this little web that turns the user into a mostly passive consumer of mostly Western corporate content. That’s digital colonialism.”
Most Africans probably remained ignorant of the Cambridge Analytica scandal as it erupted in the United States. It seemed as if we were beyond harm and it had no relevance whatsoever to our context as Africans. Yet with increased globalisation, the risks that were highlighted by this scandal are very close to home.
If Facebook and Google have their way, African users will continue hanging on to their services rather than homegrown services. Of course, this is already the status quo. Millions of African users already are hooked on the services that the Big Tech companies offer.
The biggest risk posed by the high reliance on their services means that homegrown solutions and companies will be suffocated. They cannot stand a chance against Silicon Valley ammunition.
For instance, Facebook's undersea cables are being built as a partnership with Vodacom and MTN. Undoubtedly this relationship gives it leverage in terms of access to the subscriber base of these operators. Leverage that African startups can only dream about.
As many more African startups realise that they stand no chance against Big Tech competition, they forced to give in or sell off to the Big Tech companies. It is a very rational business decision. Just like in the Careem, it opens access to the much needed Silicon Valley financing. However, when you look at the exploitation multinationals have had in other sectors in Africa you realise the risks that it poses to national security and livelihoods.
The impending invasion has also been evident in the euphoria surrounding Facebook's planned introduction of Libra. What does this mean for Africa's mobile money services?
It is tempting to think that the currency will fail as mobile money services have thrived because they are USSD based rather than internet based. Well, this works in the short term. In the long term, Facebook's currency will offer a much cheaper option for remittances as compared to mobile money services and the banking sector. This will inevitably cause a shift in the market for a significant number of Africans already lurching to most of its services.
Imagine being able to send money back home using Whatsapp? It's a whole new revolution for most. It cuts out the exorbitant rates of remittances agencies and the bureaucracy involved.
It is sad how African governments wag their tails at the prospect of exploitation in the name of investment. It is the same attitude that has the continent indebted to the West through the IMF and World Bank, and most recently to the shrewd Chinese.
Africa needs to rethink it's technology investment policy and regulation. It is important we realise that we need to put African interests before we get excited about foreign investment.
Header Image Credit: Google Africa


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EU regulators will decide by July whether to clear or block a plan by British Airways , American Airlines and Iberia to deepen their Oneworld alliance, the EU’s antitrust chief said.
The European Commission is reviewing the results of a market test on concessions offered by the three companies last month to gain European Union antitrust immunity for their alliance.
Asked when a decision was expected, European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia told Reuters on the sidelines of a briefing organised by the European Policy Centre think tank: “In June or July.”
He had earlier told the briefing the Commission favoured mergers in the airline industry.
“The trend towards consolidation in this sector is a reality, one that we support,” Almunia said.
“When analysing mergers and alliances in the sector, we are mindful of the benefits and scope for the industry in terms of international competition but also of the need to ensure that consumers do not pay the price for it.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation gave tentative approval for the alliance in February. Airlines see such tie-ups as a lucrative alternative to mergers and large-scale investments.
The three companies have proposed giving up some landing and take-off slots for routes from London to Dallas, London to Boston, London to Miami and possibly London to New York if competitive conditions change.
They also want to allow access to their frequent flyer programmes on those routes as well as London-Chicago and Madrid-Miami and to submit data on their cooperation plan. Rival Virgin Atlantic opposes the strengthened alliance, saying the antitrust concessions are woefully inadequate. (Reuters)


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Menu price inflation hit a 39-year high in November as soaring costs for labor and food led restaurants around the country to increase their charges to customers.
The food-away-from-home index rose 0.6% in November and 5.8% over the same period a year ago, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Friday. That was the highest annual rate of increase for that index since 1982.
And even that undersells just how much restaurant inflation there actually is, because the index includes prices for food at schools that have fallen 45% over the past year.
Prices for limited-service restaurants, hit hardest by the labor shortage, have risen 7.9% over the past year.
Prices for full-service meals are up 6% over the past year.
Restaurant inflation is due to a combination of factors, namely a labor shortage that has led to a dramatic spike in wages. According to Restaurant Business sister company Technomic, wages are up 14% this year, nearly three times the overall rate of inflation.
In addition, labor problems are causing major disruptions in the supply chain, making it difficult for meat processors to get enough staff to produce chicken or beef and leaving distributors without enough drivers to get goods to restaurants.
The producer price index rose 10.5% in October, an actual improvement from the 13% increase in September. Yet prices for many restaurant ingredients remain high: Cooking oils are up 39%, Technomic Managing Principal Joe Pawlak said. Chicken is up 36% and beef is up 41%.
This level of menu price inflation typically pushes consumers away from restaurants. But grocery prices are not much better. Food-at-home inflation rose 6.4% year-over-year and has outpaced restaurant inflation for each of the past three months.
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Unravelling the toxic trail from pipes to products
- Download the report (32 pages)
The investigation involved the analysis of 78 articles of sports and recreational clothing and shoes bearing the logos of 15 leading clothing brands.
Greenpeace is calling on the brands and suppliers identified in this investigation, and our previous Dirty Laundry report, to become champions for a toxic-free future – by eliminating all releases of hazardous chemicals from their supply chains and their products.
Governments also have a crucial role to play. To this end, Greenpeace is calling on governments to work towards the elimination of all releases of hazardous chemicals by adopting a political commitment to ‘zero discharge’ of all hazardous chemicals within one generation, based on the precautionary principle and a preventative approach to chemicals management.


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After allegedly failing to pay rent for her clothing store, Swagg Boutique, NeNe Leakes is being sued by her landlord.
Real Housewives of Atlanta alum, NeNe Leakes, was sued by her landlord on Tuesday, August 15, for overdue rent for Swagg Boutique.
According to Madame Noire, the landlord filed the lawsuit in Fulton County, GA, claiming that NeNe Leakes owed a $22,990 in back rent for the retail space that she leased at the Sugarloaf Mills shopping center that the landlord owed to set up her clothing store, Swagg Boutique.
According to the plaintiff, NeNe Leakes signed the lease contract for her store in 2017 and extended the agreement for another in 2021. Before taking legal actions, the landlord said that a letter was sent to NeNe Leakes demanding her payment.
Now that things are escalating to pursuing legal actions, the landlord is doing for the rent owed, attorney’s fees, and court costs.
After the news was out, NeNe Leakes was judged harshly by people for not paying her landlord the agreed rent.
According to Fox Bangor, NeNe Leakes’s clothing store, Swagg Boutique, was closed in 2020 during the pandemic. It wasn’t long after when the NeNe Leakes opened the store back and began holding a “going out of business” sales at different locations.
NeNe Leakes responded to one commenter to clarify that her husband, Gregg, handled the store’s rent. NeNe Leakes wrote, “Gregg signed the lease, not me! He ain’t here.”


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The traditional brick and mortar store is changing – here’s how.
While eCommerce continues to go from strength to strength, with people turning to online shopping for its freedom, flexibility, and convenience, brick and mortar retailing is enjoying something of a renaissance.
At present, around 49% of US consumers confirm that they choose to visit stores in person rather than shopping online because they want to “take items home immediately.” This level of instant gratification coupled with a desire to physically interact with a product before making a purchase served to keep brick and mortar retailing alive and due to emerging technological innovations, its future looks very bright indeed, with big eCommerce retailers including Amazon entering the physical arena – but more on that later.
However, we believe there’s another factor at play here.
The rapid evolution of technology, together with the fact that eCommerce brands can offer a more tailored level of customer experience than ever before, is beginning to blur the lines between the digital and physical realms. These two worlds are no longer mutually exclusive, making brick and mortar shopping an extension of online shopping, and vice-versa.
We live in a time where the lines between the real world and the online world are becoming increasingly blurred, offering new opportunities for retailers looking to make their mark and appeal to a wider audience.
That said, retail as we know it is changing, and to show you how, here’s a walk through the brick and mortar store of the modern age.
“I was reading all these reports that were down on retail brick and mortar, saying it’s all about online… I think brick and mortar is an amazing opportunity to use our stores and our store staff as a vehicle to truly engage with the community in a way no other retailers are doing.” – Jim Brett, former President, West Elm
As you enter a modern-age brick and mortar store, the first thing you’re likely to notice is the interactive displays and touchpoints installed around the shop floor or showroom.
Some stores have interactive advertising displays, some boast artificially intelligent shopping assistants, and others house installations that allow you to test the latest products before you purchase them. In the digital age, when it comes to giving your customers an immersive shopping experience, the sky really is the limit.
Consider Macy’s, for instance. To take their in-store shopping experience to the next level, the US retail giant has selected 69 stores across the nation which will now offer cutting-edge immersive features and displays.
By using a seamless blend of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), Macy’s has married online and offline shopping, making it one big connected experience. Its latest initiative, “Visualize Your Space”, empowers consumers to place different items of furniture in their home environment while in-store. Here, not only do customers get to see, touch, and feel the products; they can also harness the power of technology to decide if it’s worth their investment. And it works: the total basket size in these tech-enhanced stores is reported to be 60% larger compared to other Macy’s furniture stores.
After a quick glance at a modern retail space, mobile device in hand, you will quickly notice (if it’s a brick and mortar retailer worth its salt, anyway) that you can gain access to a wealth of valuable in-store information and features digitally while browsing the shelves.
At least 43% of consumers have used their mobile device while shopping in a bricks and mortar store. Understanding the value of mobile as both an eCommerce and physical commerce tool, forward-thinking outdoor brand REI now offers its customers a fully integrated in-store mobile experience. By using the store’s dedicated shopping app, you can enjoy up-to-date product information, accurate insights into current stock levels, and exclusive content as well as build a shopping list and interact with various touch points throughout the store.
Speaking about the initiative, REI’s CEO, Jerry Stritzke, explained:
“The attention to detail in delivering a branded experience, we need to find a way to move that into our digital assets, into our digital experience. I believe the impact of the idea of a flagship presence online for us is the fusion of creativity and technology.”
REI’s mobile initiative has been nothing short of a success, and many other retailers – big and small – are following suit. This seismic shift toward in-store mobile technology is a testament to the fact that technology isn’t necessarily killing the bricks-and-mortar; it’s enhancing it, offering people a more meaningful shopping adventure than ever before.
For more inspiration on connected eCommerce strategies, explore these four stunning examples of omnichannel marketing.
Studies suggest that 86% of people are willing to pay more for a great customer experience (CX).
In today’s world, both online and offline, offering your consumers a flawless, effortless customer experience is pivotal to success – and with an injection of digital technology, this dedication to CX is apparent in abundance.
Today’s most successful eCommerce brands use chatbots to enhance the level of customer service they offer, and this notion has been adopted in the modern brick and mortar store.
Minnesota-based salon Beauty Ecology utilizes the power of chatbot technology to help its clients select the perfect style, cut, and beauty products for their face shape, tones, and fashion goals before allowing them to book an appointment directly through the app. Once in-store, the salon also uses this technology to further personalize the customer’s experience, tailoring it to their specific wants and needs.
Another innovative use of in-store technology to enhance the customer experience comes from the fashion retailer Kohls. It’s completely interactive fitting room allows customers to try out combinations of clothes or accessories virtually and request physical items to be brought to them if they feel they’re worth trying on – another indication of the emerging value of the brick and mortar in the digital age.
Brick and mortar commerce: trends and predictions
Now that we’ve walked through the essential elements of the modern brick and mortar store, let’s explore the key industry trends and predictions for this year and beyond, including the thoughts of today’s leading industry experts:
A reduction in shipping costs:
“Omnichannel retailers will aggressively promote ‘buy online pickup in-store’ (BOPIS) as not only a way to reduce shipping costs and drive people in-stores, but also to compete with Amazon and satisfy the immediacy for the customer.” – Greg Zakowicz, Bronto software
More focus on experiential shopping:
“Retailers will invest more resources in experiential shopping, with the understanding that the role of stores is shifting away from pure product distribution, to a much more experience-centric model.” – Marc Gingras, Foko Retail
The rise of in-store marketing:
“Rewards-based marketing will change the model for in-store marketing through “shelf-talkers” encouraging consumers to post about a product and receive rewards or discounts that can be used immediately in-store.” – Herman DeBoard, Grabbr
In addition to these industry-leading insights, it’s clear that this year, more shoppers will embrace the ever-expanding choice of technological products, services, and touchpoints available at their fingertips.
As eCommerce continues to grow, brick and mortar retailers will invest in experiences that will offer their customers more connectivity to the digital world than ever before, using autonomous technologies such as AI and machine learning (ML) to make buying a product in person more informative, faster, and more convenient.
More touch-based interfaces:
As ‘touch’ becomes the most popular form of digital interaction for today’s mobile consumers, we expect a rise in experimentation with branded retail-focused visual search, AR, and voice applications to tap into today’s consumers thirst for immersive or touch-based experiences and make the physical retail journey all the more frictionless.
A reduction in lines:
Perhaps the most significant development that is expected to take the world of retail by storm this year is technology that helps eliminate the tedious task of lining up while shopping in person. Last year, Amazon announced the launch of their groundbreaking ‘checkout-less’ shopping concept to 3,000 physical locations over the next three years. Moreover, sporting retailer JD is set to roll out their unique brand of ‘un-manned’ shops by using integrated mobile technology to help customers check out and pay for their products while browsing in-store without the need to wait in line.
There’s no denying it – the retail industry has changed. No longer are brick and mortar stores and their online counterparts separate entities competing against one another. In the modern age, there is more opportunity than ever before for online and offline shopping experiences to complement one another. Ride the crest of this new and exciting wave, and brick and mortar retailing success will be yours for the taking.
For more invaluable industry insights, check out our guide to how to use traditional media to cut through the noise in 2019.


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The final season of “Love” is set to premiere on Netflix next month and a brand new trailer has now dropped ahead of its March 9 release date.
Fans of the hit series have been following Mickey (played by Gillian Jacobs) and Gus’ (Paul Rust) relationship over the last two seasons, and the upcoming third season is no doubt set to unveil what’s in store for the couple in the future.
The latest teaser, which was released by Netflix on Valentine’s Day, began with Mickey asking if she could “get her vibrator out” as the couple lay in bed together. As a confused-looking Gus stared at her in disbelief, the camera then cut back to how their romance ended up that way.
The trailer comes after co-creator Judd Apatow spoke out about the upcoming season in a December 2017 press release.
He explained: “I am really excited about the third season. I think it is our sweetest, funniest season and ends our story in a beautiful way.”


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LEDs, or Light Emitting Diodes, were originally used in aviation and automotive lighting, indicator lights and infra-red remote controls, along with laboratory and electronics equipment. Their low-light output made them unsuitable for room lighting; however, development of LED technology has seen their usage grow to become standard domestic lighting equipment.
LEDs vs. incandescent bulbs
LEDs differ from traditional incandescent light bulbs in the amount of
A business based in Llandudno has recently started offering a recycling service for free which is targeted towards recovering items which when disposed of incorrectly can damage the environment, such as light bulbs that are designed to save energy.
Special collection facilities are going to be established in order to help dispose of this kind of waste. The owner of the company, Peter Williams, has
A new initiative has been created through a partnership between Recolight, the specialist WEEE compliance scheme for the lighting industry, and CoBRA (Community Bulb Recycling Alliance). Volunteers are being recruited across the country for an important new community initiative designed to encourage the recycling of low-energy light bulbs.
The initiative aims to form teams of ‘Bulb recycling champions’ up and down the UK who will


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Bloomberg Quint was formed out of a partnership deal between Bloomberg News and Quintillion Media. The CEO of Bloomberg Quint is Anil Uniyal. An Indian business and news company, Bloomberg Quint portal was founded in the year 2016. The organization delivers news via its official website, https://www.bloombergquint.com/.
This Bloomberg news portal covers the latest updates in many fields. These include corporate law and governance, international finance, business, and the Indian economy.
After months of the website launch, this news medium recorded one million monthly users. The company is, also, looking to launch a free-to-air channel.
Raghav Bahl, together with his wife, started Quintillion Media. Prior to that, Bahl founded Network 18; also, he was the Managing Director of the company. However, he resigned in July 2014 from Network 18.
After six months of having resigned from Network 18, Quintillion Media started operations with Bahl at the helm of affairs. Subsequently, Bahl signed a partnership deal with Bloomberg LP. Both partners decided to launch a digital channel, Bloomberg Quint.
As per Livemint, in this joint venture, while Bahl owns 74% stake, Bloomberg has the rest 26% stake. This deal has been signed for 10 years.
Additionally, among present-day news publishers, Bloomberg Quint was rated the 9th most popular news brand by Vidooly, which is a digital video analytics provider.
Later, in September 2017, Bloomberg started its digital live streaming service. More so, this facility is accessible via its social media channels, including Bloomberg Terminal. As part of this service, users can view daily programs live from India and abroad markets.
Then, in November 2017, the company unveiled a WhatsApp service for businessmen to get their daily dose of news updates.
The company, also, announced plans to launch ‘Scale Up’ in November 2017; this initiative aims to help start-ups and developing companies scale up.


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Wednesday, February 6, 2013, 9:30PM: Wholesale prices jumped up 7 cents today, while retail prices have been sliding a bit. Combine that with tomorrow being Thursday, and I predict a hike to $3.79 is coming. — Ed Aboufadel
- In other words, I'm going to fill up Monday morning. -EA 10:07:26 PM May 08, 2016 from Twitter Web Client
- I expect we will start off the new week on the wrong foot: https://t.co/holgC8MIXI 10:07:09 PM May 08, 2016 from Twitter Web Client
- Price hike today to $2.39 -- ouch! Fill up if you can find gas close to $2. Some comments about all this: https://t.co/kXoC46QNEs 03:08:17 PM April 27, 2016 from Twitter Web Client
Why We Are Here
Ed A.: abou...@gvsu.edu
Bill E.: paxm...@gmail.com
The name of the site is based off an essay Ed wrote for the Grand Rapids Press titled "The Gas Game". The current website was established later by Patrick DeHaan after he and Ed predicted gas price hikes on GasBuddy's website GrandRapidsGasPrices.com, as well as Ed’s personal web page.
Note: To be precise, add 9/10 of a cent to all prices described on this web page.
AXXIS capacity Chicago Premium competition contracts demand diesel DOE dollar expansion fire futures gasoline gas prices gouging Hurricane indiana inventories maintenance margin market no prediction NYMEX Ohio oil PADD prediction price hike prices fall production profit rack prices refineries refinery refinery utilization report retailer shutdown Speedway stockpiles storage tv utilization wholesale prices WOOD


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KUALA LUMPUR: Petronas Gas Bhd (PetGas) said the third-party access (TPA) system, which allows third parties to access gas facilities that they do not own or operate, comes into force today.
“The company is in full compliance with the technical and operational provisions of the Gas Supply (Amendment) Act 2016,” it said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia yesterday.
“The Energy Commission (EC) has confirmed that the current tariff for the utilisation of the peninsula gas utilisation system, regasification terminal Sungai Udang and regasification terminal Pengerang will be maintained until the end of 2018. The company is in continuous discussion with the EC on the framework and quantum of the tariff beyond 2018,” PetGas said.
According to the EC’s website, the objective of the TPA is to create a situation where the gas price to end consumers will be based on a willing-buyer-willing-seller basis, taking into account healthy competition among rival suppliers.
But the government may regulate the gas price for retail consumers to safeguard consumers’ interest as retail consumers do not have the choice to buy the gas from other gas suppliers besides retail licensees, it added.


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Cohen taped Trump discussing hush payment | Ap Wire
- Cubs fan appears to take foul ball from child
- Hollywood offers Demi Lovato support after overdose: 'Addiction is very real'
- Iran's Rohani Warns Trump: 'Don't Play With The Lion's Tail'
- Tesla asked suppliers for money back to boost profitability
- Photographic proof that Meghan Markle would look great in a tux
- France's Kylian Mbappe hid injury in World Cup semifinal and final
- The moon will turn blood red in Canberra early on Saturday morning
- Meant no disrespect to Trump, says official
- Fiat Chrysler replaces CEO Sergio Marchionne for health reasons
- Iran's president warns Trump of 'mother of all wars' if provoked
- Ain't no mountain high enough for Geraint Thomas, Chris Froome
- Trump Ups the Ante in the U.S.-China Trade War
- Toronto shooting leaves 9 wounded, gunman dead


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New government regulations issued in terms of the Disaster Management Act, require all South African website owners to provide a link to the Department of Health’s Covid-19 portal on their landing page. There are over 1.3-million domains registered in the .za namespace. Those domains are used to power hundreds of thousands of active websites, many READ MORE >
Businesses will bear the brunt of social distancing practices and disrupted supply chains caused by the coronavirus pandemic. While it is too soon to say what the impact of the pandemic will have on the local economy, many small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be most affected by changes in customer behaviour, labour shortages, and READ MORE >
We position our clients as thought leaders by writing strong editorials that showcase their expertise in their field. Daniel Goldberg from client Bridgement was featured in #Biztrends2020, offering readers his take on Fintech trends for the new decade.


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Bowman’s Travel Brief: New Caribbean Train Routes Coming
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MGM Resorts has confirmed that it was the victim of a data breach that accessed mostly "phonebook data" of more than 10.6 million former guests last year following an initial report from ZDNet on Wednesday.
"Last summer, we discovered unauthorized access to a cloud server that contained a limited amount of information for certain previous guests of MGM Resorts," the company said in an emailed statement to TravelPulse. "We are confident that no financial, payment card or password data was involved in this matter."
"MGM Resorts promptly notified guests potentially impacted by this incident in accordance with applicable state laws," MGM Resorts added. "At MGM Resorts, we take our responsibility to protect guest data very seriously, and we have strengthened and enhanced the security of our network to prevent this from happening again."
The company said that it hired two "leading cybersecurity forensics firms" to investigate the breach and resolve the situation.
Last summer, hotel giant Marriott was hit with a massive $124 million fine following a data breach that allowed hackers to gain access to hundreds of millions of guest records.
A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson...
the latest travel news, advice, updates, upcoming exclusive deals and more.
CEO of Zenbiz Travel, LLC
Can Las Vegas Survive a Hospitality Worker Strike?
Now Open - Newly Renovated Hotel Riu Palace Macao


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This summer, thirty Chinese entrepreneurs will visit the UK as part of a drive to seek investment tie-ups with high-growth companies looking to expand into one of the world’s largest and most populated countries.
On 19 June, British businesses will be given the opportunity to pitch to the Chinese investors at a London summit. The drive, which is the second of its kind, further indicates that Brexit is not seen as a concern for the Chinese investors.
Ollie Shiell, senior partner at Asiability, organisers of the summit with the Hurun Report, says: “There is real intent in finding good partners and opportunities in Europe.
“The entrepreneurs are looking for medium-sized businesses that are looking for Chinese capital or access to the Chinese market. They also want to see exceptional small enterprises with a global vision.”
Through our joint venture with Anglo Sino Consultancy LLP, Beavis Morgan is able to identify business opportunities for Chinese investors looking to enter the UK market. And we can provide a comprehensive range of professional services to help you make the most of your investment in the UK.


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Gone, gone, gone is the era of the joystick and the Gameboy, and arrived is an age of Angry Birds and puzzle-game ubiquity.
Times are a-changing.
Mobile gaming has come a long way since the days of Nokia’s N-Gage, an era when the concept of media convergence was not only new but, to some, a bit off-putting – just see the abysmal sales figures of the device Nokia was forced to hide behind.
But today, according to a 2012 Pew Research Center survey, more than 60 percent of tablet users spend their time playing video games. For perspective, less than 10 percent of those folks spend their time checking social media on their mobile device, and less than 5 percent spend their time using messaging services.
If Aunt Susie says she’s checking her email when you see her tapping away at her tablet, chances are, she’s lying.
Moreover, at the time of the research, 76 of the Top 100 iOS applications on Apple’s App Store were game-related. That’s a lot of iPhone and iPad games! Not one to be coy, handheld juggernaut Nintendo acknowledged in a Spring 2012 press conference that the rise of the iPhone has left the company with wounded – and still bleeding — software sales. In 2008, the company sold nearly 200 million copies of handheld software for its Nintendo DS portable; in 2012, that number, with the combined software sales of the 3DS and DS, had shrunk to a strong but disappointing 100 million.
What a difference four years makes.
Electronic Arts, at one point the largest video game development studio of its kind, got ahead of the game by launching EA Mobile in 2004, a division of the company focused specifically on the development of mobile games. The company has since created mobile versions of its popular franchises – Need for Speed, Bejeweled, The Sims, FIFA, etc. – and cultivated relationships with mobile carriers like Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T to keep up with mobile gaming trends. Cementing its commitment to mobile games, EA Mobile acquired Angry Birds publisher Chillingo for $20 million in 2011. (Notably, the purchase did not include the Angry Birds property – that, surely, would have been a much more costly acquisition.) The result is a marked shift in who makes up the gaming community.
A March 2012 Newzoo Report studying the growth of mobile gaming in the United States found year-over-year growth of 35 percent, with the number of Americans who play games on their smartphone, tablet, or iPod Touch estimated at 100 million. But most surprising, is the shrinking gender gap in gaming.
Fifty-two percent of American mobile gamers are male. Whether that now slight majority is a result of an extensive casual marketing campaign sparked by Nintendo’s Wii and Nintendo DS circa 2004 is a point of intrigue, but it’s undeniable that mobile gaming is only expanding the audience the video game industry is reaching. According to Flurry, women make up a staggering 53 percent of mobile gamers worldwide.
Thanks to the significant push mobile carriers are making with mobile gaming, and adoption rate of smartphones and tablets, this inevitably means upped ante for advertisers, who will soon see mobile games as a more lucrative spot for their marketing push and, for aspiring developers, a means of access. After all, a 99-cent video game on the App Store doesn’t require the multi-million dollar budget of a flagship console title.
Or, put simply: It’s springtime in the mobile gaming world.


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‘I’ve won Olympic tickets!’ are the words I’ve yet to hear from anyone I know. Unsurprising considering 1.2 million applicants failed to win a single seat. The second round is upon us – will you give it another go?
Posts tagged with "olympics"
Tickets have been big news of late. The Olympics ‘fiasco’ took up more column inches than Cheryl Cole’s X Factor exit. But other stories show a worrying trend – the ever inflated ticket prices for sporting events.
Did you get any Olympic tickets? If so, congratulations! But what of the many who didn’t and are left disappointed and empty-handed? What are the chances of success second-time round – and what tickets will be left?
Package holidays are selling well for summer 2012, or so says TUI travel. And that’s despite an average year-on-year price hike of £40 per person. Perhaps everyone’s trying to avoid the Olympics?
If you’ve won more Olympic tickets than you need, can you sell them on eBay? No. You’ll have to wait until the official resale site is up next year. Meanwhile, the interest could soon start draining from your account.
Are you planning to buy tickets for the 2012 Olympics? You better make sure your bank account’s full of cash, because if your bids are successful you might, without notice, fall into your overdraft.
The 2012 Olympics schedule provides a tantalising peek into the raft of events set to grace our country. Yet with tickets for some premium events priced at a wallet-busting £725, can the average family really afford to go?


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The Sims is still going strong as a series, allowing players to project their personalities in a whole new world. The possibilities are endless, and having more creators is a key part of that. With EA finally going beyond the Origin platform, The Sims 4 will finally be on Steam later this year, as the team revealed at EA Play Live 2020. Of course, being able to create, live, and enjoy a utopia created by your own hand is always awesome. EA also celebrated the many fans that made the series what it is, a heartwarming message that many sorely need right now.
A new world awaits
Having made its debut back in 2000, The Sims has certainly come a long way as a franchise. Giving players the freedom to create virtual people, construct dream homes, and living out virtual lives, it was escapism that retained a touch of reality. It was a huge hit with fans, and has spawned a legacy that is envied by many. With its latest iteration, The Sims 4, arriving in 2014, the game has reached over 20 million players and counting.
That has plenty to do with the support coming from the developers as well. Each entry came with its own set of downloadable content and expansions. Not only did this keep fans coming back for more, but it also breathed new life into the game every time. While The Sims 4 has always been an Origin exclusive, the move to Steam will surely benefit the community even more.
The message of a better life, one where you are not judged, and makes you feel included is one we can get behind. With The Sims 4 coming to Steam, hopefully, more players will have the opportunity to experience that in a whole new world.
Continue Reading >>> Source link


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Entergram released a Strawberry Nauts demo for PS4 and Switch in Japan! Players may try out an early portion of the visual novel before the full release on January 27th. Additionally, a 10% off discount is now live for the digital version across both platforms. Store links for the demo are available below:
Stay tuned at Final Weapon for the latest Japanese gaming news and updates!


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Apple AirPods Max users are reporting an issue with condensation, where water droplets are forming under the removable ear pads near the drivers. The high-end headphones, launched only recently and priced at Rs. 59,900 in India, seem to be particularly susceptible to this condensation issue due to the premium design, particularly the liberal use of metal that is considerably cool to touch as compared to headsets that use a fair amount of plastic in the build. While one particular user provided details on the issue along with images, others have responded that they are facing similar issues as well.
A significant report comes from user Donald Filimon, who has provided details of the condensation issues along with images on Twitter and Reddit. The images show the AirPods Max space grey colour variant with the ear pads removed, and visible water droplets on the inside, near the drivers. The user reports that he has used the headphones in non-humid environments (primarily indoors) and the water droplets are causing ear-detection problems on the headset.
The Twitter and Reddit threads have various replies from users reporting similar problems, suggesting that the issue isn’t an isolated incident. This is particularly concerning because of the high price of the headphones. At Rs. 59,900, AirPods Max are among the most expensive mainstream options available today, and issues like these are causing significant worry for buyers who have paid the full price.
According to a report by Cult Of Mac, this is likely sweat from users’ ears. Although sweat condensation inside headphones is a fairly common issue because of the snug over-ear fit, the issue here is largely about the AirPods Max’s ability to actually handle these amounts of sweat or moisture. That said, it shouldn’t be too hard to clean the moisture out using a soft cloth periodically, but that’s assuming it doesn’t get into the drivers and cause any serious damage.
Is HomePod mini the best smart speaker under Rs. 10,000? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.


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- B2B events were broken before the pandemic, their online reinvention is creating positive change
- Sandy Hook Promise's harrowing 'Back-to-School Essentials' wins the 2020 Outstanding Commercial Emmy
- Judge blocks Trump’s WeChat prohibition order in the U.S.
- Trump approves TikTok deal with Oracle and Walmart 'in concept'
- TikTok’s TV blitz by the numbers, plus Trump and Biden bet big on swing state ads: Datacenter Weekly


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The Xbox 360 maker probably isn't thrilled about the PlayStation 3 getting Mass Effect 2 too but still asserts it has the upper-hand, according to IGN.
When BioWare announced Tuesday at the Gamescom conference in Germany that its Mass Effect 2--arguably the best game to hit store shelves so far in 2010--was coming to the PlayStation 3 in January, many wondered how Microsoft would respond.
Prior to the announcement, the Mass Effect franchise was available exclusively to Xbox 360 and PC gamers.
Microsoft won't say whether it's disappointed to lose Mass Effect 2's exclusivity, but the company was quick to point out in an interview with IGN, that it believes its console is still the best place to play the venerable title.
"Xbox 360 remains the best place to experience the Mass Effect franchise," a Microsoft representative told IGN.
The Microsoft representative also noted that those who want the full Mass Effect experience--Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2--will only find it on the Xbox 360. BioWare will not be bringing the original Mass Effect title to Sony's console.
Although details on the PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect 2 are few and far between, BioWare CEO Ray Muzyka said at the conference that the title will boast "hours of bonus content." He didn't elaborate on what the content will dig into.
Further reading: Mass Effect 2 serves up mass-market RPG action