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Then there is competition from the large companies, who have better bargaining power, access to finance and the ability to scale. In short, India's MSME sector is exciting but challenging; faced with several hurdles, yet vital to the economy.
Speaking on the learnings from the pandemic at the ET India Inc Boardroom, Animesh Saxena, President, FISME, Ashish Vaid, IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Indian Merchants Chamber and Mahavir Pratap Sharma, Current Chair, TiE India Angels and Rajasthan Angels, said that the first six months were tough.
ET India Inc Boardroom, in partnership with TXN NXT powered by NPCI, brings together industry leaders, policy makers and economists to discuss and deliberate key sectors of the economy. Over the five-day conclave, experts will uncover trends and challenges in the BFSI, Retail, Manufacturing and MSMEs sectors, as well as the economy as a whole.
Ashish, who is also associated with the real estate sector, said, "The real estate sector was hit very hard. The workforce left for their hometowns and villages, there were no sales and the slump in the real estate sector also hit its over 250 ancillary industries."
To this, Animesh added that the SME sector was already reeling from demonetisation and the implementation of the GST, and then came the pandemic. "SMEs already have thin margins, so payments got blocked, there were no means to support manpower and overheads, and after things started opening up, it was almost like starting from scratch."
On what their learnings were from the pandemic, Mahavir said one should have a product line where essentials are part of the portfolio. He also said the pandemic highlighted the need for having leaner organization structures. Technology has an important role to play and lowering operational and product cost is important. There is also a good sense in economizing, he said.
Future of business
Some interesting patterns emerged during the pandemic, said Amod Malviya, Co-Founder & Engineer, Udaan. People shifted from physical wholesale markets to online marketplaces and wholesalers, while the trust in the neighbourhood kirana, or a mom-and-pop store, rose multifold. Online sales became more popular, but offline also gained popularity.
Attesting to his point, Swati Bhargava, Co-Founder, CashKaro, said that while April was a low point in business because even if there was demand, there were supply-side issues, June saw a rebound in e-commerce. Starting with grocery, pantry, health and beauty to education, home, and electronic goods, demand only grew stronger.
There was a whole new demand set coming from Tier 3 to Tier 6 cities and there were many shoppers who wanted to shop online but were scared to use credit cards, and unsure of returns. Here, the neighbourhood shops took on an aggregator role, taking online orders from people. With this, e-commerce became accessible to everyone, and this trend is likely to continue going forward.
To this, Sandeep Komaravelly, Director of International, Shopify, added that when people shopped online, there was a clear change in preference for local businesses and brands.
The one thing that all businesses without exception need to set up, keep going, grow, and scale up its funding. While larger companies find it relatively easier to access finance from formal channels such as banks and NBFCs, the going for MSMEs is tough.
"MSME is an important segment for the country and access to finance is a challenge. While things have improved, there is a long way to go. Over the last decade NBFCs and microfinance institutions played a huge role here, and later fintech companies," said Anup Agarwal, South Asia Equity Lead – FIG & Fintech, IFC.
Estimates peg the current debt requirement for MSMEs in the country at Rs 15 lakh crore to Rs 16 lakh crore.
There is rapid growth of the online ecosystem and India has made significant infrastructure investments which will yield results in the time to come. "The interesting thing about India is that digital lenders here are not competing against banks but working with them to reach more sections of the economy," said Alok Mittal, Co-Founder and CEO, Indifi Technologies.
"Most MSMEs need capital, but the entire process from applying for a loan to disbursal is cumbersome. By the time an MSME's loan gets approved, the cost has become a hindrance," said Akash Gehani, Co-Founder, Instamojo.
He also said customized underwriting and specialized NBFCs that focus on specific sectors and lend accordingly will make a sea change for MSMEs.
(For front-line insights on Economy, Retail, MSMEs, Manufacturing and Banking & Finance tune in to ET India Inc Boardroom (www.etboardroom.com) from 22-26 February and hear from over 50 industry leaders.)
Watch all sessions of Day 3 (MSME)
Monday, 04 Dec, 2023
- 3-1: Modi’s Guarantee Stamped on Heartland
BJP records massive win in MP, ejects Cong govts in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh; southern comfort for Grand Old Party with victory in Telangana. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stamped his electoral authority on the heartland ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as the BJP wrested Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh from the Congress while retaining Madhya Pradesh with a two thirds majority.Blackstone set to Sell India ARC to Former Exec
Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative assets manager, is exiting the distressed assets space in India by selling its controlling interest in a high-profile, six-year-old joint venture that includes Tata group, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank. Mathew Cyriac, former PE co-head for Blackstone India, has emerged as frontrunner to buy a controlling 51% in IARC, said people in the know.Singhania, Nawaz Discuss Settlement
Settlement talks have commenced between Raymond Group chairman Gautam Singhania and his wife Nawaz Modi following their separation, legal sources close to the couple said.


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Posted by: Frederik Balfour on June 25
New signs that China’s economic recovery is gaining speed have led to a flurry of optimistic revisions to GDP growth forecasts in the past week. First the World Bank upped its estimate for Chinese economic growth to 7.2% as against its March forecast of only 6.5% growth for this year. A few days later, the OECD weighed in with a prediction of 7.7%, versus a 6.3% figure three months ago. Credit Suisse is calling for 8% growth.
Evidence of strength abounds. Sales of automobiles have soared this year, a situation Detroit executives must look at with longing and envy. Auto sales in China climbed 14% in the first five months to nearly 5 million and the market could reach 11 million units this year. Encouraging too for the environment, is the fact that much of the growth came from smaller engine, fuel sipping autos.
More importantly, China’s property sector is rebounding faster than most had predicted. That’s one big reason why Standard Chartered Bank upped its growth forecast from 7.4% from 6.8%. Housing prices dropped sharply across the country starting last September, and sales volume slowed to a trickle. By early February sales volume picked up dramatically, and residential floor space sold in the first five months is up 27%.
What’s more prices have not only stopped falling but in cities like Shanghai they are picking up, contrary to expectations just a couple of months ago of a lousy year. Remarkably, not a single major property developer went bust during the downturn, helped in part by a massive injection of money into the economy by the government so far this year to goose the economy. Property accounts for about 25% of fixed asset investment, and a principal vehicle for Chinese to hold their wealth, so a buoyant market is good news for construction materials suppliers, makers of appliances and home furnishings manufacturers.
I must admit, somewhat sheepishly, to deriving a certain degree of satisfaction that things are turning out better in China than most people believed they would. Back in December I went fairly far out on a limb saying that China’s economic travails late last year marked the beginning of the end for China’s economic slump. And let us not forget that China is now the world’s third largest economy, and while it may still export a heck of a lot more than it imports, the world would be a lot worse off if it were shrinking, not growing.
BusinessWeek’s Joe Weber, Patricia O'Connell, Michelle Conlin, Frederik Balfour, Peter Coy, Greg Spielberg and Roger Crockett examine The Case for Optimism by looking past the financial turmoil and economic unrest gripping the globe to focus on the promising future that lies on the other side of this storm. We’ll chronicle the forward thinkers investing in R&D, launching promising new products, entering new markets, or implementing management and leadership.
See why BusinessWeek Editor-In-Chief Stephen J. Adler is optimistic about the economy amid the sharpest downturn since the Great Depression.

domain: news


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WSJ reports on jittery advertisers whose ads are being displayed next to risque content on platforms like MySpace and AOL, via ad aggregators and advertising networks such as Advertising.com. Some examples are:
Last month, Verizon Communications Inc. was surprised to find one of its Internet ads on a MySpace.com page with photos of scantily clad women. Walt Disney Co. was unaware that its ad was next to an article about male sexual performance on About.com. Jobs Web site Monster.com
didn’t realize its spot was on a site that appeared to be offering
unauthorized downloads of copyrighted music and videos. Once they found
out, all three yanked their ads.
My guess is that we’ll see less and less of this type of complaint as companies eventually learn that the association between editorial and advertising content is not as strong on the internet as TV and print. If a TV set is tuned to ESPN at a strip club, and you see an ad on TV for Toyota, you don’t think of Toyota as sponsoring (or condoning) strip clubs. (I am not suggesting that this will happen very quickly, though.)
The ad networks are making advertising (or getting attention) more efficient, so they will increase in volume. It’s fun to see old media (read: WSJ in this case) take jabs at the forces looking to eat its lunch.


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According to Brad Stone’s book The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon,” the all-powerful marketplace set its Competitive Intelligence unit on Marc Lore’s Diapers.com business, dropped diaper prices on Amazon.com by up to 30% to bleed the successful startup, and ultimately pressured it to sell out to Bezos and company for close to $600 million dollars.
Today, Lore will set out to lower prices—and, one guesses, the boom—on Bezos and Amazon with the launch of a new all-encompassing online marketplace called Jet.com. Jet is a $49.99-a-year subscription service that offers free shipping on all orders of $35 or more. Most important, however, it promises to give members the lowest prices possible, even if it loses money on the deal, which it intends to do until at least 2020. One of the most highly capitalized e-commerce startups in history, Jet has raised $225 million and intends to burn its way through hundreds of millions more to build out its product selection. It goes so far as to operate a “Concierge Service” that buys merchandise it doesn’t have from other retailers and taking a loss by selling it at a lower price.
A crazy idea? It might seem so if it wasn’t the battle-tested and highly capitalized New Yorker Lore behind it.
“No doubt about it. This is a really audacious bet he’s making, but Marc is not somebody I would bet against. Price, selection, and speed is what Amazon is all about, and price is the jugular that Jet is going after,” says David Spitz, CEO of ChannelAdvisor, whose platform connects suppliers with online retailers the likes of eBay, Alibaba, and, of course, Amazon.
“Amazon does a good job with best price, but the difference here is in the business model,” Spitz explains. “Jet doesn’t charge a commission on a sale. It makes its money with the annual subscription fee. Amazon takes an average eight to 15 percent on sales. So, Jet not taking that cut leaves sellers a lot of room to play with on price.”
Sellers are happy to jump on board with Jet for that reason, Spitz says. “We’ve signed a significant number of retailers and suppliers to sell on Jet. We’re seeing some pretty intense interest from the supply side of the equation.”
Shmuli Goldberg, director of marketing for Feedvisor, a provider of pricing optimization services to online sellers, thinks there’s room for Jet.com in an Amazon world. He says that what Lore is attempting is more of a social than a retail experiment. “It’s almost the antithesis of Amazon and Amazon Prime. Amazon asks people to sacrifice a better price to get excellent customer service. Jet asks them to sacrifice customer service for the best price.”
One thing different about Lore compared to dot.com startups of the past is the realistic, long-term plan he took to investors. He has admitted that it will take him years and a huge investment to buy share. Like a general walking into battle, he’s confident of victory, but equally aware that Jet.com might run out of ammunition. Still, he has a war chest that will let him direct his campaign through the end of the decade and he has his eyes set on a defined retail territory: bargain shoppers.
“I have no doubt that Jet will find a place in the market, because there’s a strong contingent of people—we’ve judged it to be about 14% of consumers—who are always looking for the best price,” Goldberg says. “And he may not be looking to become profitable. He may be trying to build a sustainable business model, like Amazon.”
Both Goldberg and Spitz agree that the retailer in Jet.com’s sights may not be Amazon at all. “I think the people at Costco have more to fear. Jet.com is looking for people to sacrifice customer experience for lower prices. Right now, that’s Costco,” Goldberg says.
“This is a model that, if it endures, can really take off. We’ve seen this proven by Costco,” says Spitz. “Jet can do it if they prove they’re able to turn seller commissions into sustainably lower prices. If it were some unknown quantity behind this, I might be wary, but Marc Lore knows the business and knows where he’s heading.”


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Autotrader and Discovery explore ways to reduce operational costs of header bidding
Header bidding has been a welcome salve for publishers ever on the hunt for new ways to improve their programmatic advertising yields. But it has always had its drawbacks: page latency and operational costs for starters.
Now, publishers including Discovery and AutoTrader are looking for new ways to squeeze value from their header-bidding strategies and reduce the associated operating costs that have become a burden.
Both are beta partners for an open-source tool released by Rubicon Project, called Demand Manager, designed to absorb operational headaches and free up valuable resource. The ad tech vendor will provide technical and yield management support via a managed service.
Autotrader, which has deployed the tool in the U.K., and Discovery are both in the early stages of using the tool so haven’t yet been able to calculate the resource savings they will make. But both believe savings are inevitable.
“We’re expecting it to free up a lot of resource over time,” said Bill Murray, vp of programmatic solutions at Discovery, which has rolled out the tool in the U.S. market.
Publishers experienced a major boon to programmatic ad yields and overall revenues after the arrival of header bidding. But over time, that growth has plateaued, partly because of the increased operational costs to run it.
“We have generally seen some flattening,” added Murray. “There are times where we implement new technologies and see bumps, just not the meteoric rise we saw a few years ago. There has been some course correction in the way publishers optimize yield and the way advertisers are bidding. The first-price auction has had a big impact on that.”
Over time, media agency buyers have become more adept at bidding in header-bidding environments and, more recently, to adjusting from second-price to first-price bidding strategies. That increased bidding sophistication has naturally caused a reduction in the average publisher CPMs, according to Michael Barrett, president and CEO of Rubicon Project.
“When publishers initially brought in a unified auction bidders were caught a bit flat footed,” said Barrett. “Then the move from first- to second-price auctions was another way of publishers being able to gain an advantage. We’ve seen a flattening in CPMs as buyers have got more sophisticated at how to win in header bidding and how to work in a first-price auction. So the pendulum is swinging back [to favor buyers].”
Autotrader plans to move from its header-bidding offering to a server-side one, which was partly why it was drawn to the new tool, which will incorporate this capability. Where header-bidding drawbacks have largely centered on page latency, sever-side’s challenge is nailing match rates. But the publisher now expects to be able to onboard partners faster as a result of the tool and in doing so increase its match rates. Autotrader integrates with its SSPs via Google’s Exchange bidding product. Without this new open-source tool, the publishers wouldn’t have been able to service the demand those SSPs provide, according to Richard Robinson, head of programmatic sales for Autotrader.
Better servicing these additional demand sources should improve the cookie matching across both platforms from 40% to 80%, which will have a positive effect for its PMPs set up on those platforms as well as open marketplace demand, he added.
“Another advantage of the Demand Manager tool is they have integrated Programmatic Guaranteed into it, and there is the possibility of moving to a server-side SSP solution. That will enable us to do what would have previously taken us months on our own.
In 2015, when header bidding began its quick rise, ad tech vendors raced to fulfill the demand from publishers for header-bidding solutions. The result was the arrival of the wrapper in 2016 — a proprietary tech that typically favored the provider’s supply over any other vendor’s within that wrapper. At the time, publishers complained they weren’t always sure exactly what was happening in their wrappers.
Over time, those methods have dropped out of favor more, as the arrival of the open-source Prebid option developed by AppNexus and RubiconProject, began to be adopted by publishers. But this open-source option also added complexity for publishers.
“There is a common understanding of how the transactions are occurring [with the new tool],” said Murray. “It is not a proprietary black-box solution. It’s a tool that allows us to manage our prebids without having to have a tremendous amount of technical expertise to manage it.”
‘Qualify the context’: Publishers see success with podcasts created to deepen coronavirus crisis coverage
Publishers expanded COVID-19 coverage with products like podcasts as audiences flocked to pandemic-related content.
‘We need to see ourselves as a media business’: AC Milan’s endgame for content
Italian football club AC Milan has joined the likes of Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona F.C and Bayern Munich in owning its production arm.
California’s privacy law has had ‘no impact’ on ad revenues or inventory, but indirect effects could hurt
Publishers, ad tech firms and ad agencies say they felt a bigger hit from opt-ins in Europe than from opt-outs in California.
SponsoredShoppable content is reshaping brand and publisher relationships
In recent years, brands and publishers have adopted affiliate marketing as an increasingly established method to audiences. However, what may seem to be a mutually beneficial arrangement between brands and affiliates on closer scrutiny reveals itself as a solution that comes with challenges. Meanwhile, the emergence of content commerce is opening different approaches to matching […]
‘Isolated and voiceless’: Burnt out young workers are turning to tech for mental health support
Gen Z workers think robots are more helpful than humans for mental health support — a factor that hints at deeper work-culture issues.
Cheat sheet: Facebook brings news back to platform in Australia – who it includes and under what terms – remains murky
Facebook will still have to pay publishers directly for content. But the payments will reinforce power structures rather than upset them.


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Cubase 5.5.2 Maintenance Update Available
Steinberg has released the free 5.5.2 maintenance update for Cubase 5.5 and Cubase Studio 5.5.
Featuring over 20 bug fixes and enhancements, this update addresses problems involving the VST Bridge, VariAudio and the MediaBay among others. This update went through Steinberg’s entire quality assurance process.
The update is available as a free download for all registered customers of Cubase 5 and Cubase Studio 5.
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- Antelope Discrete 4 Synergy Core review About a year and a half ago, Antelope released the Discrete, a new range of Thunderbolt & USB interfaces including discrete preamps, their famous FPGA module as well as the stack of audio effects that would usually come with it. Now back in June 2019, Antelope releases a new version of its Discrete 4, this time providing dual DSP chips in addition to the FPGA. Marketing ploy or real step forward?
- The top commercial audio editing software for 2018 Four years after our first poll on the topic, few things have changed in the world of audio editors, at least according to our French readers.


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It might only be 114 words long, but the 96-year-old letter speaks volumes. The Alberta Aviation Museum celebrated the arrival Friday of one of the first pieces of airmail in western Canada, a one-of-a-kind missive from a Calgary businessman to a 10-year-old boy.
Fall fashion trends were the featured exhibit at the Art Gallery of Alberta on Oct. 4, 2012, when Flare fashion folk came to town, offering a runway show of looks from Southgate Centre. The Edmonton show was one of six to be held across the country, combining a runway show with Flare’s annual fall trend presentation, normally an insider event done with vendors. Here are some photos of the sold-out event.


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"I thought you'd have fangs or horns or something."
"I had them filed down."
Based on a series of popular books and video games, "The Witcher" is Netflix's newest big-budget fantasy action series.
Now that "Game of Thrones" is over, "The Witcher" looks like it's trying to fill in the gap. But are viewers actually excited for the fantasy newcomer?
According to Parrot Analytics' research from the past month, U.S. demand for "The Witcher" is more than 10 times the demand for the average TV series. In the past 30 days, demand for the Netflix title also increased by more than 30% — ranking it far above other series in the action fantasy genre.
Those numbers should come as no surprise to people familiar with the title. Ever since it was originally published in Poland in the '80s, the series has gained a cult following in parts of Europe. As of this summer, the video game franchise, which started in 2007, has sold over 40 million copies internationally.


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A new study finds Florida is leading the nation in creating new jobs in solar energy. There is both hope, and some hurdles, facing the industry moving forward.
Consider a solar powered attic fan if you are not ready to make the full switch to solar energy. This type of fan features sensors that can turn on the fan at a certain temperature. This will remove heat and lower the cost of cooling. A good solar powered attic fan will help cool your house and not cost anything to run.


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Nio (NYSE:NIO) stock has reversed course in recent weeks. The stock had long fallen on mounting losses and slowing sales in the Chinese vehicle market. However, improving conditions and a key partner helped Nio stock to recover.
Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com
Unfortunately, NIO remains one of hundreds of electric vehicle (EV) makers in the market. Moreover, the company continues to lose money. Its current stock price makes stock dilution a limited solution at best for more funding. Although the Chinese EV market will likely continue its growth, investors should not assume that the benefits will accrue to Nio stock.
The Chinese EV Market and Nio Stock
To be sure, EVs look to have a bright future in the People’s Republic. Qian Yang, a doctoral candidate in finance at Michigan State University, made two critical points.
First, electric vehicles remain a bright spot in the Chinese automotive market. While overall vehicle sales fell by 10.3%, sales of “non-conventional vehicles,” which include EVs, increased by 20.8%.
Secondly, while EV sales growth has fallen, a 67% reduction in subsidies is the likely explanation. Yang believes removing subsidies will improve profitability by shifting production more toward premium vehicles. He also thinks more mergers and acquisitions will consolidate the industry and improve efficiency.
However, despite optimism about the overall EV market, I have long encouraged investors to avoid Nio stock.
NIO is only one of many EV manufacturers in the country. The market had 486 companies in this business as of March. These manufacturers produced nearly 1.3 million EVs in 2018. Of those, Nio made only 11,348 of those cars. Nio stock gets the attention precisely because a Nio stock exists. No other Chinese EV companies have made the effort to launch an initial public offering on U.S. exchanges.
Moreover, NIO and its Chinese peers must compete with Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), who is building a Gigafactory in Shanghai. Volkswagen (OTCMKTS:VWAPY) has likewise made bets on the Chinese EV market. One cannot also rule out Ford (NYSE:F), General Motors (NYSE:GM), and other large automakers making similar moves.
Move Higher Makes NIO a “Lottery Stock”
My advice to avoid Nio stock has mostly proven correct. NIO fell deep into penny stock status. Investors also stopped calling it the “Tesla of China” as the equity kept dropping.
However, in recent weeks, it has bounced from a low of $1.19 per share. Now trading at about $2.20 per share, investors have bid the Nio stock price higher on signs of optimism.
Nio stock bull Luke Lango points to a collaboration with Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) on self-driving cars. He speculates that Chinese EV makers will sell between seven and ten million vehicles per year by 2030. He believes that could amount to annual sales of 375,000 units by that time or 5% of the market.
His theory could prove correct. However, given a current market share of 1%, I feel less optimistic. In time, the market will begin to consolidate and only a handful of companies will survive. Where this leaves NIO remains unclear. Analysts predict losses beyond 2021, so I do not know where Nio will find the capital to take over other companies. In the end, investors need to prepare for the likelihood that companies who do not trade on U.S. exchanges may take the lead.
Traders should also note that Mr. Lango refers to Nio stock as a “lottery stock” despite his bullish stance. If investors buy into this rally, they should treat NIO as such.
Although it has begun to recover, investors should remain cautious on Nio stock. Industry researchers such as Qian Yang point to a bright future for the Chinese EV market. While I agree with his assessment, this does not necessarily mean that NIO will benefit in the end.
At its current price, the cost of one share of Nio resembles the cost of a lottery ticket. If one chooses to spend this money on Nio stock instead, fine. However, much like with lottery ticket money, one should hope for the best but prepare themselves to lose it all.
As of this writing, Will Healy did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned stocks. You can follow Will on Twitter at @HealyWriting.
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The post Don’t Expect Rising EV Sales in China to Boost Nio Stock appeared first on InvestorPlace.


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In 2020, while the United States was reeling with the surging cases of the COVID-19 pandemic, the police were kept busy by a different kind of attacks: gun store burglaries.
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), thieves stole not less than a thousand firearms across the United States in only a week during spring. To put that into perspective, the volume of stolen ammunition represented about one-fifth of the total missing firearms in 2019, which was over 5,500.
But this isn’t an isolated incident. For years, various gun stores and individuals with collections have been prime targets for stealing—and the statistics have been increasing.
The ATF shared that in 2016 alone, the total number of robberies in gun stores increased to 33—over 150% increase than in the previous year. In 2012, more than 370 burglaries in these shops had been reported.
Gun shop owners can always participate in a property insurance program for gun stores to protect their business. The coverage, for instance, can pay for a portion or the total value of the stolen goods.
However, because these are dangerous weapons and robberies have been happening for a long time, it is also important to understand the reason behind the attacks. Why do many Americans love to steal guns, where do they go, and what do they do with it?
Where Does Gun Stealing Usually Happen
The Center for American Progress revealed that gun store robberies are not the same across different states. Places like Tennessee, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Alabama have the highest rates of gun theft.
But the percentage is also 13 times higher than the average in five states with the lowest gun burglary cases. These include New York, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
The question is why. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) may have the answer. Based on its map, the number of gang members present in the states with the highest gun theft is between 2 and 6 people per 1,000 inhabitants.
Moreover, these states have also experienced a massive expansion of outlawed motorcycle gangs. For example, Arkansas is currently home to the Outlaws and the Wheels of the Soul. Juvenile gangs, meanwhile, are present in South Carolina, while the East African gangs are in Tennessee.
State laws on gun ownership and control may also impact the risk of gun shop burglary. According to Zippia, three states with the highest rates of gun theft also have the loosest gun regulations. These are Arkansas, Alabama, and South Carolina.
In Arkansas, for instance, undercover sting operations may no longer be allowed. This is after Michael Bloomberg, then a New York mayor, commissioned an investigation of a gun show held in Arizona in 2011.
Both Tennessee and Arkansas also passed a law that protects handgun-carrying individuals. With the regulation, the gun owner can now keep their personal information confidential. This also means that newspapers and the rest of the media cannot publish their names in the reports.
The Dangers of Stolen Guns
There’s a good reason the American Center for Progress and the authorities encourage gun store owners to take proactive measures to secure their inventory: they often end up being used in violent crimes.
In an investigation on stolen guns in Tennessee, the Commercial Appeal discovered that over 9,000 guns were burgled or robbed in Memphis from January 2011 to June 2016. About 21 were later used in homicides and 60 in aggravated assaults. Almost 30 were linked to robberies and close to 70 to drug crimes.
ATF also shared a similar sentiment. According to the agency, stealing from a gun store is one of the easiest ways to diver the ammunition from a legal to an illegally trafficked market. Many will also end up being used in crimes around the area.
The investigation conducted from July 1996 to December 1998 found that over 13% of criminal cases involved guns stolen from licensed gun shop owners and dealers. This was about four percentage points higher than ammunition that came from private residences.
As expected, these unlicensed and illegally procured guns will be difficult to trace. In fact, law enforcement authorities may likely hit a dead end unless the store, for example, reports the burglary and maintains a thorough, detailed record of their inventory.
In reality, many states don’t mandate gun shop owners to take precautionary measures against theft. The United States also has one of the easiest requirements in owning and carrying a gun. But shops can take it upon themselves to boost their protection. This way, they can also prevent many violent crimes from happening.


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Everardo Sustaita, CEO
Learning about the logistics industry came naturally to Everardo P. Sustaita, CEO of Sustaita Logistics Center LP.
“I went to work my last year of college as a verifier of shipments for my father, a longtime Mexican Customs Broker,” Sustaita said. “During that time it became clear my father needed better control over the shipments going from the U.S. to Mexico. He needed someone who would cover his back, and that was me.” He and his father both realized what a vital job it was. “Discrepancies on shipments found at Mexican Customs could have landed him in jail in Mexico.”
Putting aside his dream to become a professor of economics, Sustaita first rented a shared warehouse in Hidalgo but without the tight security Sustaita wanted. Within two years, he bought the land on his current site and built his first 5,000 square foot warehouse.
Today he has a total of 82,000 square feet with 47 employees on the U.S. side and 170 at his Reynosa facilities, working mainly with manufacturing plants. Sustaita provides Mexican customs broker services, border transfer transportation and warehouses goods arriving from the U.S., which are shipped to Mexico and distributed across the border. The company handles inventory control management for its clients and when the finished goods come back across the border, Sustaita Logistics Center processes the distribution of the end products throughout the U.S.
Developing computer software to track the shipments, Sustaita can know in an instant where a shipment is, the metrics as it goes through customs, whether it’s red or green lighted, and how long it takes to get through.
Having obtained his PhD in Customs Law and International Trade Law, Sustaita has been invited to Spain for a conference in Customs Law. He has also been asked to be a professor at UTRGV. His dream of teaching lives on.
“You never knew 22 years ago what you were going to be building, did you?” I asked.
“No,” Sustaita chuckled. “I just wanted to be a professor.”


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Direct marketing of beef discussed
Wyoming Livestock Roundup
November 19th, 2021
Rapid City, S.D. – During the Range Beef Cow Symposium held at the Monument in Rapid City, S.D. on Nov. 16-17, Amanda Blair, a South Dakota State University professor and Extension meat science specialist, shared her knowledge on marketing and management considerations for the fed cattle beef industry.
Global pandemic impacts
During COVID-19, it was not uncommon for consumers to experience empty meat cases in local grocery stores. In addition, limitations in meatpacking, processing capacity and labor affected the market.
“The market decline and the ability to process meat caused by the partial or complete shutdown of these packing plants had consumers faced with a shortage of meat,” shared Blair. “What this led to for some producers was the opportunity to sell some – or all – of their beef directly to consumers.”
Over the last year, an increase in direct-to-consumer sales has been observed, noted Blair, and this trend of purchasing meat directly from farmers and ranchers post-pandemic continues.
Blair discussed multiple reasons why consumers may be interested in purchasing directly from a producer, including the preference to purchase locally, desire to know the source of protein or have an interest in a specific beef quality. Options for grass-finished beef, exceptional marbling, specific breeds of cattle and organic production may also be considered.
Regardless, there is an opportunity for farmers and ranchers to differentiate their product from grocery store beef and grow direct sales beyond the trend post-COVID-19, shared Blair.
Direct marketing enterprise ...
Specific management considerations ...
Animal selection ...
Finishing programs ...


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For many people, the best part of the holidays is the opportunity to spend meaningful time with friends and family. That quality time can be extended throughout the new year with an experiential gift like a 2020 Calaway Park season pass.
Many local families have made it a tradition to put a set of passes under the tree — the park’s holiday deal on passes is the lowest price of the year. Until Jan. 1, 2020, passes are priced at just $43.95 plus GST. This is a 63 per cent saving compared to the regular pass price and only a couple of dollars more than a regular single-day gate admission, meaning that the passes almost pay for themselves after one visit.
“We did not increase the price this year,” says Bob Williams, general manager of the Calgary amusement park. “The experience that we offer greatly exceeds what we charge for the pass. We do that on purpose for our customers in the Alberta region, because this is the market that has supported us over the years and makes the park what it is.”
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As always, the passes offer unlimited access to all rides, live stage shows, the Cinemagic 3D Theatre and free parking all season long. Through the Flash Your Pass program, pass holders also get 10 per cent off regular prices at all food and retail shops throughout the park. Those visiting from farther afield or wanting to have a mini-staycation next door to the park can also flash their pass for 10 per cent off the rack rate for a stay at the Calaway RV Park and Campground.
Season pass holders also get to maximize their visits to the park with a Sneak Peek event on Mother’s Day (May 10) that is only open to pass holders. The park is also expanding its extended summer nighttime hours. In 2020, it will be open until 9 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday nights throughout the month of July.
There will be plenty of new surprises announced for Calaway Park’s 39th season. For now, Williams can share that this season has been dubbed the Summer of Magic and will feature four new live shows, as well as a new 3D movie. This is in addition to the new CP Spray n’ Play attraction that opened midway through the 2019 season. The spray park, which is included with regular admission, includes 15 water features to help guests chill on hot summer days.
Stay tuned for more announcements (including some new food items for the 2020 season). In the new year Calaway Park will also reveal its plan for the next five years to take the park “from great to greater” through a new set of improvements and additions. For now though, seasons pass buyers can rest assured that their new pass will give them excellent value and offer gift recipients a summer full of the high-quality family fun that visitors have come to expect from Calaway Park.
“At Christmastime, people are looking for unique ideas,” Williams says. “From a family perspective, what you’re giving with the pass is a gift of experience. Christmas is about family and we’re about family, which is a pretty special match.”
Calaway Park 2020 season passes are available at Calgary Co-op locations or through calawaypark.com.
This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of Calaway Park.
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The Horizon game series has been incredibly successful, with Horizon Zero Dawn being a massive critical and commercial success for PlayStation. Developed by Guerilla Games, Horizon Forbidden West was one of the most anticipated PS4 and PS5 games of early 2022. Is Horizon Forbidden West making its way to PC too, though?
Horizon Forbidden West was released on February 18th, 2022 officially starting up Aloy’s adventures again for players to tag along. Its reviews have been favorable, with fans calling it a worthy successor to Horizon Zero Dawn.
The game’s predecessor made the surprising jump to PC in August 2020, seeing massive success on the platform much like it did on PlayStation. With the recent release of Horizon Forbidden West, PC users are hopeful that the sequel will also head over to PC soon. Whether it will or not is still largely up in the air.
About Horizon Forbidden West
In Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy must find the key to eradicating a red plague that is destroying both wildlife and foliage known as the Blight. She finds herself on a massive journey that broadens the scope of the game’s science fiction setting further than Horizon Zero Dawn did.
The story remains personal, with Horizon Forbidden West focusing on the humanity found in others and how one connects to that to create friendships, new and old. The dialog is reminiscent of Dragon Age, proving that it is more than just an open-world action game.
One of the biggest flexes the game offers is Guerilla Games’ technical art skills which truly bring the characters you meet to life. Players are able to see the emotion, whether it be happiness or fear, on their friends’ faces. This emphasizes the theme in Horizon Forbidden West of finding humanity in yourself and others.
Will Horizon Forbidden West Head to PC?
Currently, Horizon Forbidden West isn’t set to release on PC any time soon. The game is a PlayStation exclusive that was launched on PS4 and PS5. Sony has also stated that the company has no intentions of simultaneously releasing its big titles on PlayStation and PC, and Horizon Forbidden West is definitely a big title.
However, hope is not lost. PlayStation exclusive titles like God of War and Days Gone have made their way to PC. Even the game’s predecessor, Horizon Zero Dawn, is available on PC. A PlayStation Studios Steam page has also been created, which hints that more titles will inevitably be headed to the platform.
With the Horizon series already having made its claim, it seems likely that at some point in the future, Horizon Forbidden West will head over to PC, too. This will most likely happen a few years down the line, though, as Horizon Zero Dawn took three years to move from PlayStation to PC.
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site. We cover gaming news, movie reviews, wrestling and much more.
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Australia's leading source of security and threat news
These search results are from across the Techday network of sites
Chayora’s hyperscale data center campus in China nearing completion
The company's hyperscale campus in greater Beijing is almost finished, with more giant campuses in China currently in development.
2degrees leaps to the cloud with Commvault HyperScale Software
2degrees was already using Commvault’s data protection solutions but recognised the need for a more holistic approach.
What Facebook and Google can teach you about DC networking
Enterprises of any size can learn a thing or two from hyperscalers like Facebook and Google.
Big 5 fuel ‘staggering’ growth of capex in hyperscale data centres
Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook continue to balloon in the hyperscale data centre market with spending reaching an all-time high.
Equinix closes Metronode deal: Everything you need to know about the acquisition
Global interconnection and data center company Equinix has completed its acquisition of Metronode.
KALEAO introduces new version of its flagship KMAX
KMAX-EP supposedly builds on the scalability and cost benefits of KALEAO’s initial KMAX offering.
World Backup Day – what every business should be thinking about
Organisations are challenged to ensure users have access to data easily, whilst also keeping it protected regardless of where it lives.
Submarine cable boom fueled by new tech, soaring demand
The international capacity deployed by companies such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Amazon rose 14-fold between 2012-2016.
Baidu backs Seagate's new hard drive for hyperscale data centers
The world will create 163 zettabytes of data in 2025, predicts analyst firm IDC.
5 reasons why Japan is a global data center powerhouse
Moreover, in 2016, Google launched its first Japanese cloud region in Tokyo and second in Asia Pacific.
Amazon and Facebook make 2017 the year of hyperscale
“The capex analysis emphasizes the biggest reason why those cloud providers are so difficult to challenge.”
Google’s data centre investments in EU since 2007 exceed EUR 4.3b
Google's data centre investments in EU have reaped widespread benefits according to a recent report from Copenhagen Economics - but change is needed.
High performance computing market worth US$45 billion by 2022
An increasing need for efficient computing, enhanced scalability, and reliable storage is expected to propel the adoption of HPC solutions.
Expert paints picture of steady worldwide growth for colocation providers
The first half of 2017 alone saw $18.2 billion invested in mergers and acquisitions, up from $7.6 billion in all of 2016 and $6 billion in 2015.
Former Intel president launches rival chip company
“We have an opportunity with cloud computing to take a fresh approach with products that are built to address the new software ecosystem."
Cisco forecasts cloud data centre market to explode over next 4 years
Cloud data centre traffic will make up 95 percent of total data centre traffic by 2021, with hyperscale data centres nearly doubling in number.
Ixia extends CloudStorm with testing for hyperscale data centers
Ixia, announced CloudStorm 25GE, an extension of the CloudStorm network security test portfolio.
Hong Kong company gets green light to build hyperscale data center in Mainland China
This is the company’s first hyperscale facility in Mainland China.
Vertiv shows us what the future of data centers looks like
Debate is ongoing, but 2018 will see those discussions advance toward action and answers.
4 trends driving Singapore's hyperscale data center market
Key players, from Amazon Web Services, Google and Microsoft to Alibaba Cloud, have increased their uptake of data center capacity in Singapore.
AirTrunk opens hyperscale data center campus in Melbourne
When fully completed, the data center will have a total capacity in excess of 50 megawatts and will meet the Australian Govt's security requirements.
Singapore at the forefront of hyperscale data center trend
Butler says that while smaller data center deployments will remain in the sector, hyperscaling in data centers is here to stay.
Schneider Electric cools down hyperscale data centers with new offering
The energy management company claims it’s latest cooling solution, the Ecoflair Indirect Air Economizer, reduces cooling operating costs by 60%.
AirTrunk opens its new Sydney data centre
AirTrunk says this new facility is the first step in its wider growth strategy across the Asia-Pacific region.


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Next over-performs in heatwave, but recent trading is strong too
Any information about the health of the UK high-street is of interest at the moment so the latest half-year results from Next are being closely watched.
And what did we get for the six months up to July? The company said that it “over-performed” in the first half, which is good news. But it added that its results were “flattered by the unusually warm summer” so it's staying cautious.
Full-price sales in the first six months of its financial year rose 4.5%, which was well ahead of the 1% uplift it had predicted as far back as January. But it was also ahead of the 2.2% rise that it was forecasting as recently as May.
Clearly the heatwave took Next by surprise as much as it did everybody else in the UK. But to be fair to the company, it wasn’t only blistering temperatures that drove its sales and it said it continued to take advantage of strong summer sales even after the heatwave faded in August.
“We [had thought] that there was a high risk that the sales gained in July would be offset by losses in August,” it said. “As it turned out, we did not experience any material loss of sales in August or early September.”
The result of all that was that on Tuesday it raised its central guidance for full-year pretax profit by £10m to £727m, broadly in line with last year's profit of £726.1m.
So plenty of good news then. But it also said that “the UK retail market remains volatile, subject to powerful structural and cyclical changes. Many of these headwinds have not abated. As expected, sales in our stores continue to be challenging.”
The company also pointed out how much retail is changing, saying that 10 years ago, Next Retail contributed £2.2bn turnover and accounted for 67% of group sales and profit. This year it expects Retail sales, at just under £2bn, to contribute less than half of its sales and only 30% of profit.
It added that the challenge in Retail is twofold. It needs to “rigorously control our Retail costs” and “must ensure that we take maximum advantage of the many lease expiries we will experience over the next few years. Our aim is to manage rent levels and new lease terms to match today's levels of trade and volatility.” And it is “intensely focused on increasing the role our stores play as an integral part of our Online Platform's delivery and returns network.”
That’s the challenge ahead. But what happened in H1? Next Brand full-price sales rose 4.5%, as mentioned, and total brand sales (including markdown) were up 3.9% to £1.939bn. That divided into Retail sales being down 6.9% to £925.1m and Online up 16.8% to £892.3m. Total group sales, including finance and other smaller parts of the business, rose 3.8% to £1.986bn. Group profit before tax was up 0.5% to £311.1m and net profit was £254.2m, marginally up on the £252.2m of a year ago.
Within all this, full-price Retail (ie its physical stores) sales were down 5.3%, which was better than expected. And more good news (in a way) is that it has decided to close seven of its clearance stores at the end of their leases in response to lower levels of sale surpluses and the success it’s having clearing surplus stock online.
It remains heavily committed to physical retail and said that this is also supporting its online operations with a full 50% of the volume of its UK online orders fulfilled through its shops. And it's integrating the two much more closely with more of its retail stock made available to order online. In fact as much as 4% of its online sales are serviced with stock from its shops and this has helped it launch a same-day click-and-collect service for stock that is already available in a customer's local store.
It's also looking closely at items that sell well online and shifting these quickly into shops that have a high probability of selling that item. “The potential downside is limited because, if required, the item can still be ordered online and serviced from store stock,” it said.
The aim is to bring some of the dynamism of the online offer to its stores but it said “it will take some time to understand whether the economics of this idea make sense, and it will then take more time to master the art of deciding what stock to send to which stores, so it is very early days for this concept.”
And talking of online, as the figures show, this business is thriving. Full-price sales grew 16% in the first half with total online sales growth of 16.8%.
All of which sounds like Next is on the right track. Investors certainly think it is and the firm’s shares rose over 8% in early trading on Tuesday.
Copyright © 2021 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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Evergreen Solar Inc., a maker of thin polysilicon solar power panels, reported a bigger-than-expected fourth-quarter loss on a charge to write down the value of a closed factory and higher startup costs at another.
The loss was $52.1 million, or 32 cents a share, compared with profit of $788,000, or 1 cent, a year earlier, the Marlboro-based company said yesterday. Evergreen was expected to lose 24 cents, the average of 9 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Sales doubled to $44.2 million from $22.2 million.
Evergreen closed its Marlboro plant and took a charge of $23.1 million to write down its value as the recession slowed new orders and reduced prices for solar power modules. The company is expanding capacity from a Devens plant that will produce up to 40 megawatts per quarter by the end of this year.
“Evergreen has been experiencing some cost overruns in their startup associated with the Devens facilities,” said Vijay Singh, an analyst at Janco Partners Inc. in Greenwood Village, Colo., who has a “market perform” rating on the shares and owns none. He estimates startup costs this year of $10 million.
EverQ, a German solar-cell maker that’s a joint venture of Evergreen, Germany’s Q-Cells AG and Norway’s Renewable Energy Corp. AS, pays royalties to Evergreen for its technology, known as the four-furnace process. The venture, now called Sovello, contributed revenue of $4.3 million in the fourth quarter, down from $5.3 million a year earlier.
Gross margin, a measure of revenue against production costs, dropped to 4.6 percent from 28.1 percent a year earlier because of lower selling prices for panels and manufacturing inefficiencies related to the startup at the Devens facility.
Evergreen has accrued an order backlog of more than 1,000 megawatts over the next five years, Chief Executive Officer Richard Feldt said yesterday on a conference call. The company plans to deliver 79 megawatts of that total this year, 160 megawatts next year, and 254 megawatts in 2011, he said.
Evergreen Solar dropped 24 cents, or 11 percent, to $1.98 as of 4:24 p.m. in late trading on the Nasdaq stock market. The shares have decreased 79 percent in the past year. The company’s earnings statement was released after the close of regular trading.


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WATCH: China rapid rebound thesis tested as virus disruption deepens
INTERNATIONAL - Economists are turning more pessimistic over the chances of a speedy recovery for China’s virus-hit economy, as evidence mounts that the disruption will be deeper and more long-lasting than first thought.
With factories struggling to re-open amid curbs on movement, consumers housebound and global supply chains fraying, analysts from Citigroup Inc., Nomura Holdings Inc., Gavekal Research are among those signaling deeper concern than their initial estimates. That’s even amid signs that the spread of the disease is slowing.
S&P Global Ratings said growth this year could be as low as 5%, which would be the weakest since the early 1990s, while Capital Economics Ltd. goes as far as to predict the end of the world economy’s 43-quarter growth streak.
Such concerns challenge the early prediction that China’s economy would follow a v-shaped trajectory, slowing sharply in the opening months of 2020 and then rebounding as fast. Global policy makers are on the alert for a longer slump with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Tuesday singling out the virus among the risks to U.S. growth.
“I don’t think we can say that it is just a quarterly shock that then everything goes back to normal,” Alexandra Heath, head of economic analysis at the Reserve Bank of Australia, said on Wednesday.
Sentiment in global financial markets has been improving on speculation the economic impact of the virus will ultimately prove temporary. Chinese shares rose Wednesday after those in the U.S. hit a new record.
The economist worries though point to the rising awareness that the economic implications of the virus outbreak will be wider and deeper than those following the 2003 spread of SARS. Many analysts had used that experience as a first template for how the Chinese and world economies would fare this time, hoping that once again the threat would pass and expansions would resume.
Doubts are mounting. Restoring production is being complicated by orders to wear face-masks and curbs on travel. Economists note real-time data such as property sales, coal consumption, airport arrivals, box office sales, traffic flows and the return of migrant workers from the recent Lunar New Year holiday all point to lackluster economic activity that may take longer to recover.
Nomura’s economists warned this week that even if the worst of the virus passes, business could be slow to return to normality, resulting in rising numbers of bankruptcies, mass layoffs and worsening demand.
President Xi Jinping, for one, is sticking to the recovery script that says the virus will be defeated swiftly, allowing factories and shoppers to normalize activity and make up for lost ground. Xi pledged this week that China would still meet its economic goals and be “more prosperous after overcoming this epidemic.”
And he’s not alone. Ray Dalio, the billionaire founder of Bridgewater Associates, said on Tuesday that the impact of the outbreak on markets has been exaggerated and is likely to be short lived.
Government stimulus, while moderate, is expected to cushion some of the blow. The central bank has injected more liquidity and trimmed rates. Fiscal policy should be more supportive, though on either front China is unlikely to roll out aggressive measures.
The SARS experience that many rely on is being tested. Fatality and infection rates have already soared past SARS levels -- in a shorter time frame -- and its geographic spread is wider.
China is also more economically influential than it once was, accounting for 17% of global output, four times the amount of 2003. That means problems there are transmitted abroad either via weaker demand or failure to produce the parts foreign manufacturers need.
It’s the biggest market for new cars and semiconductors and churns out virtually every computer notebook or smartphone. Apple Inc. and General Motors Co. are among the big name brands already feeling a hit. Singapore, Australia and South Korea are the trading partners at particular risk, according to Bloomberg Economics.
“Economically, this process will be disruptive for months to come,” said Victor Shih, associate professor of political economy at the University of California San Diego.
Citigroup’s China economists led by Liu Li-Gang on Tuesday said their Jan. 29 assessment now looks too optimistic as they again downgraded their growth forecast. They now see first quarter GDP of 3.6% and annual growth of 5.3%, compared to 4.8% and 5.5% respectively.
In a report to clients on Tuesday titled ‘Back to Work, Not Back to Normal,’ Beijing based Andrew Batson and Ernan Cui at Gavekal warned upcoming readings on the economy may be even more “horrific” than seemed likely just last week.
All of which means the coming weeks will be crucial for determining how the recovery plays out.
“The longer it lasts, the more U-shaped the recovery might be,“ said Tianlei Huang, research analyst at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.


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More than 28,000 acres of Virginia farmland were used for organic production in 2014. The U.S. Department of Agriculture released findings of its most recent survey of organic farms on Sept. 17. The survey found Virginia had 167 organic farms—139 USDA-certified and 28 exempt from certification requirements—that accounted for 28,412 acres of production last year. They produced $41.3 million in organic products.
Eighty-one percent of that total was attributed to crop production. Another 5 percent was from livestock and poultry, and 14 percent came from sales of livestock and poultry products such as milk and eggs.
On the national level, the survey found 14,093 organic farms that sold $5.5 billion in organic products last year—an increase of 72 percent since 2008.
“It’s encouraging, given that retail food prices have increased across the board,” said Tony Banks, a commodity marketing specialist for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. “We, as consumers, are fortunate to have numerous options when making our food purchases.”
The industry shows potential for further growth. Thirty-nine percent of organic farmers surveyed said they intend to increase their organic production over the next five years, and nearly 700 farms with no current organic operations are transitioning into organic production.
The top five commodities in organic sales last year were milk, $1.08 billion; eggs, $420 million; broiler chickens, $372 million; lettuce, $264 million; and apples, $250 million.
The first point of sale for 80 percent of all U.S. organic products was less than 500 miles from the farm, compared to 74 percent in 2008. Forty-six percent were sold within 100 miles; 34 percent were sold within 101 to 499 miles; 18 percent were sold 500 or more miles from the farm; and 2 percent were sold internationally.
“Consumers in this niche sector not only want organic produce, but also want it to have been produced locally,” Banks noted. “However, the data illustrates there are opportunities for both distant and local organic farms.”
Seventy-eight percent of U.S. organic farm sales were to wholesale markets such as buyers for supermarkets, processors, distributors, packers and cooperatives.


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The Welfare of Laying Hens Directive remained top of the agenda in the United Kingdom when NFU poultry board vice chairman Duncan Priestner made his report to NFU council.
Pressure levied in the wake of the January deadline had brought a reduction in the number of birds in incompliant cages, he said, with Spain subsequently cutting numbers by eight million. However the vice chairman estimated that there were some 40 million hens to go across the EU.
The effects of the legislation will contribute to a 2.5% drop in EU 2012 production, and 20% in Spain, he said.
As a result wholesale rates have increased substantially, ending 18 months of “horrendous” prices. However, Priestner noted that demand has slackened in recent weeks and the free-range sector continued to have a “tough time”, picking up only small gains on the back of the wholesale market.
The vice chairman added that free range sales were suffering from over supply and that managing that, while supporting those in the sector, would be a challenge for the board going forwards. Another area of concern was the year-round turkey market, which had “disappeared”.
Source: NFU Online


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Let's assume your property has a gift shop or another type of shop or shops. Once a customer purchases an item, in what type of bag is the item given to the customer? Plastic? You may have read or heard about the problems with plastic bags. I was recently sent a press release about an effort by the Greenhouse Neutral Foundation to ban nonbiodegradable plastic bags. The release does a pretty good job explaining the problems that plastic bags cause. Here are some facts to consider:
- Around the planet, almost one million plastic bags per minute are distributed. Only 2 percent of those bags are recycled.
- Those plastic bags that are not recycled persist in the environment for 500 to 1,000 years or more.
- Two million birds are killed yearly from ingesting or becoming entangled in plastic debris. Plastic bags cause more than 100,000 sea turtle and other marine animal deaths every year when animals mistake them for food.
- Every single piece of plastic ever manufactured is still on the planet (well, maybe there are a few items on the moon or floating in space).
- There are an estimated 46,000 pieces of plastic in each square mile of ocean.
There is currently an initiative under way to ban the plastic bag by the end of 2010. Until plastic bags are outlawed, do what you can to avoid using them. Offer your guests paper bags instead. Or, better yet, offer them reusable bags—the kind often found in grocery stores today. Put your property's logo on them. Make them attractive—something your guests will be excited about reusing. Do what you can to eliminate plastic bags from the waste stream.


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You may feel like most phone manufacturers have ditched physical keypads in favour of touchscreens. But Motorola has bucked the trend and launched a BlackBerry-esque button-based phone. Moto_Q11 Motorola's Q11: The Moto Q11 is designed for anyone who wants a fully featured smartphone and the advantages associated with a …
Poor old Moto...
As far as handset manufacturers go now, they're kind of the equivalent of the drunk, senile old aunty at a family party, who just sort of staggers around forgetting people's names and saying embarassing things, while everyone prays for them to wear themselves out and fall asleep in the corner.
- Apple stuns world with rare SEVEN-way split: What does that mean?
- Got Windows 8.1 Update yet? Get ready for YET ANOTHER ONE – rumor
- Patch iOS, OS X now: PDFs, JPEGs, URLs, web pages can pwn your kit
- RIP net neutrality? FCC boss mulls 'two-speed internet'
- Sony Xperia Z2: 4K vid, great audio, waterproof ... Oh, and you can make a phone call


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DoubleDragon Corp., the holding company of tycoon Edgar “Injap” Sia II, has moved a step closer in its plan to expand to Japan following the signing of an agreement with a Japanese contractor, sealed during President Marcos’ ongoing visit to Japan.
DoubleDragon and its hospitality arm Hotel101 Pte Ltd yesterday signed an agreement with major Japanese contractor Iwata Chizaki Inc. for the construction of its upcoming Hotel101-Niseko in Hokkaido Japan.
Sia, chairman of DoubleDragon and co-chairman Tony Tan Caktiong signed the agreement with Iwata Keigo, president and CEO of Iwata Chizaki, one of the major contractors in Japan and the same contractor who built the Chitose International Airport in Sapporo Hokkaido Japan.
President Marcos, who is in Japan, witnessed the signing of the agreement.
Last year, DoubleDragon subsidiary, DDPC Worldwide Pte. Ltd. and Hotel101 Worldwide Private Limited acquired a 9,000-square meter land for its planned Hotel101-Niseko, which will have 518 rooms.
Sia envisions the Hotel101 brand to become a homegrown hotel brand known globally and one that would create job opportunities to Filipinos who reside in the Philippines or abroad.
Hotel101-Niseko will target local domestic travelers in Japan and foreign tourists from other countries as well as Filipino travelers who visit Hokkaido for leisure. The site is accessible to Filipino travelers via a few hours of flight from Manila to Sapporo New Chitose Airport.
Niseko is famous worldwide for its powder snow and Kutchan Town where the property is located is one of the foremost areas of heavy snowfall reaching 13 meters on average with some of the driest and lightest snow in the world.
Hotel101 rooms globally are intended to cater to the mid-end market.
The Hotel101 concept allows DoubleDragon to generate revenue and income twice, first from the pre-selling of the Happy Room units, then second after the project is constructed it generates long term recurring revenue from hotel operations.
In Manila, Hotel101 recorded an average occupancy rate of 96.03 percent in 2021.
In all, Sia II said the idea is to establish Hotel101 globally as the homegrown Filipino hotel brand similar to brands of other countries such as Holiday Inn for the US, Novotel for Europe and Jinjiang Inn for China.


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India Looking At Tapping New Markets For Importing Edible Oil: Sitharaman
Chennai, (PTI) India was looking at tapping new markets for import of edible oils, following the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said here on Tuesday.
According to her, the country was facing various hurdles on import of edible oils due to the conflict.
'Everyone knows there is a war going on between Russia and Ukraine. There are various hurdles in terms of importing oils. You know we are not able to import edible oil, we were getting sunflower oil. Now, we are not,' she said at an event here.
'Now, we are importing edible oils from various other markets and are also looking at newer markets,' she said.
Sitharaman said due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, an opportunity has also arisen for industrialists in terms of tapping those markets for exports from India.
'Earlier, they (Ukraine and Russia) were exporting to some markets. Now, they are not exporting (due to the conflict). We have got an opportunity to export to those countries (where Ukraine and Russia were exporting). You (as industrialists) should also look at opportunities in every challenge and the Central government was always ready to offer its support,' she said.
The Finance Minister was speaking at the Stakeholder's Outreach Programme organised by Directorate General of Foreign Trade on the occasion of India signing a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the United Arab Emirates and the Economic Cooperation Trade Agreement (ECTA) with Australia.
(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without any modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)
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Project Solar is under investigation over the integrity of its system designs, with the residential installer stood further accused of using counterfeit mounting equipment, Solar Power Portal can reveal.
Griff Thomas from GTEC discusses the scope of the technology in residential domestic settings and explains the training and standards that are supporting growth in this critical sector.
The MCS has launched its new battery installation standard, detailing requirements for MCS certified installers who supply, design and install electrical energy storage or battery systems.
Telford-based battery and energy storage company AceOn is to showcase its new residential energy storage battery at the upcoming Solar and Storage Live conference at Birmingham’s NEC.
The Treasury has outlined reluctance to change the VAT level on green products, following calls from industry for reductions to accelerate the rollout of technologies like solar panels and heat pumps.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is to consult on a new route for installer certification.
Pressure mounts as associations urge the adoption of plan to fix ‘over-engineered’ Green Homes Grant
Four industry associations have joined forces to urge the government to adopt a new plan to improve the beleaguered Green Homes Grant after finding 35% of installers are at risk of shutting up shop due to the scheme.
Installers are calling for an extension to the Green Homes Grants by at least eighteen months.
MCS has updated its solar PV Standard as it celebrates the “encouraging levels” of new installations.
Home Insulation & Energy Systems (HIES) has announced that it is taking legal action against the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) Service Co Ltd, due to the latter’s decision to mandate all its registered installers to join its commercial partner Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC).
Domestic solar PV installations more than doubled in June, jumping 185% on average compared to May.
There are “early signs” of domestic renewable energy installations recovering, according to the MCS.
Negative business impacts caused by COVID-19 have been seen by 90% of solar installers, according to a new survey.
Installers across the UK are shutting up shop in light of the COVID-19 pandemic (coronavirus) as uncertainty remains over key worker classification.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) has published its standard for the installation of battery energy storage systems.
The Solar Trade Association (STA) is joining forces with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) for a new offering.
Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC) membership is to be integrated into Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) from next year.
National certification scheme MCS has launched a new certification mark for installers and manufacturers.
The Home Insulation & Energy Systems contractors scheme (HIES) is to take a fresh approach with the appointment of a new managing director.
Solar could play a pivotal role in the government’s proposed Future Homes Standard, with a more ambitious option for carbon emission reductions in new build housing preferred.
The Solar Trade Association (STA) has slammed government solar deployment statistics, issuing an ultimatum to either “get its house in order” or cease publishing the figures.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) has unveiled its rebrand focused on improving accessibility for consumers and emphasising the benefits of ‘home-grown energy’.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) has launched a consultation on its new certification for battery energy storage systems.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is the latest to join a slew of calls for the proposed solar VAT hike to be scrapped.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is to launch a new certification scheme for battery energy storage systems.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) has relocated to Liverpool City Region as it bids to start the “next chapter” of its role within the country’s small-scale renewables sector.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is preparing a proactive investigation of around 300 solar installations as the watchdog doubles down on enforcement issues.
Gemserv, the administrator of the Micro Certification Scheme (MCS), has acquired two specialist consultancies specialising in digital services and cyber security in an effort to broaden its capabilities.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) has completed its long-awaited novation process, and its new board of directors have immediately set sight on evolving the scheme.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is to strengthen its enforcement action as the body looks to bare its teeth.


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Says the Coles spokesperson: ‘‘We’re sorry to be the bearer of bad news, however, we can confirm that one of the largest manufacturers of Cottage Cheese in Australia has gone into voluntary administration and this has caused a strain on the supply of all cottage cheese products around the country.
‘Please be assured that we are working to reestablish a supply as fast as possible.’
Coles’ statement was met with shock on one Facebook group, who shared the message. ‘It’s worse than we thought,’ wrote one. ‘Does that mean we’re not going to have cottage cheese for a really long time?’ asked another.
In September Brancourts dairy processing company went into administration after 124 years in business. The company has been making cheese - including cottage cheese, sour cream, haloumi and yoghurt - for Australian consumers since 1895, and are a key supplier of cottage cheese to supermarkets.
And while administrators were hopeful of finding a new owner for the business, the company had been forced to stand down more than 50 staff.
United Dairyfarmers of Victoria President Paul Mumford told the ABC that tough times in the dairy industry had taken its toll.
‘We have seen stress at the farmer level for numerous years and it's now being transferred to the processing sector, and with the closure of Dennington and Tongala in Victoria the manufacturers are hurting,’ he said.


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2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 15:44
The Toyota Prius tops the top ten on the 20th VCD environmental list. Three German models are also represented in the top ten.
By Thomas Flehmer
The new third generation Toyota Prius has won the 20th edition of the VCD Auto Environment List. In the ranking of the German Transport Club presented on Tuesday in Berlin, the hybrid model, which has only just appeared on the market, relegated its brand colleague iQ to second place. Another representative with an electric drive and a combustion engine took the last podium place with the Honda Insight Hybrid.
Four evaluation categories
The four categories of CO2 emissions were assessed with a share of 60 percent of the overall rating, noise pollution (20 percent), pollution (15 percent) and pollution of nature (five percent). "The VCD environmental list is like an all-around event at the World Championships in Athletics," said VCD's transport policy spokesman Gerd Lottsiepen, "a car cannot afford an outlier in any category." Last year's winner, the second-generation Toyota Prius, would only have come in fifth this year.
Lottsiepen praised the automotive industry for having more environmentally friendly models this year than in previous years. “But you can't rest on that. It is important that the environmental technology is incorporated in all models."
Clap for German manufacturers
Overall, however, Lottsiepen was not satisfied with the development, in particular the German car manufacturers were once again criticized. As early as 1999, Mercedes had an A-Class on the market with CO2 emissions of 119 grams, ten years later the best A-Class emitted one gram less.
And of course Lottsiepen came back to the three-liter Lupo. "It must never happen again that such good technology is scrapped." With the Prius one is now back on the way to the three-liter car, so Lottsiepen, who unpacked the next gossip for the Germans. While the hybrid drive could determine the future for Lottsiepen, the German manufacturers slept through the hybrid drive and were therefore on the wrong track. Mercedes, BMW or VW / Porsche would come with hybrid models, but they would be packed in racing machines and swallow at least nine liters.
Premiere for the diesel smart
Lottsiepen was all the more pleased about the Diesel Smart, which is on the list for the first time after it had not been considered in previous years because it did not have a closed soot particle filter system. With CO2 emissions of 88 grams per kilometer, the two-seater also ranks first among the best in the climate with the lowest CO2 emissions, ahead of the Prius (89 grams) and the VW Polo 1.6 TDI Bluemotion, which blows 96 grams per kilometer into pleasure.
The Polo is also represented as tenth in the overall ranking of the top ten. There is in front of the Diesel Smart, which takes eighth place, with the Fortwo Coupé 45 kW, another car from German production. Otherwise the Japanese models dominate. Fourth place is shared by the identical Nissan Pixo and Suzuki Alto, sixth was the Honda Civic Hybrid, and ninth place is the Daihatsu Cuore 1.0.
Natural gas cars in the front for seven-seaters
In the “The best of the compact class” category, the Insight took first place ahead of the Civic Hybrid and the VW Golf 1.6 TDI BlueMotion, while the Prius triumphed in the family cars ahead of the VW Golf Variant 1.6 TDI Bluemotion and the natural gas Touran, which took the category the best seven-seater won ahead of the natural gas models of the Opel Zafira. For Lottsiepen, especially with the large models, it is clear that family cars can now also be bought from an environmental perspective.
Lottsiepen was a bit more cautious about the electro hype. "In the next ten to 20 years, electric cars will not dominate the streets." That is why the “National Electromobility Development Plan” that the Federal Cabinet intends to adopt on Wednesday should also be reconsidered. Not only Lottsiepen is counting on one million electric vehicles for the year 2020. «Of the around 50 million vehicles in Germany, most of them will drive around with combustion engines. That is why the VCD rejects funding of 5000 euros for the purchase of electric cars. " More important is a subsidy for all cars, the consumption of which has been significantly reduced. France is currently promoting the purchase of cars that use less than 60 grams of CO2 per kilometer with 5000 euros.


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IYOGOC, Innsbruck, Austria Jan 06, 2012: Innsbruck 2012 tickets, Following the last of the promotion days, during which members of the public had the chance to secure tickets via the online web shop, the Organising Committee of the Innsbruck 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games has announced that 80% of the tickets available for the Games have already been distributed. “Of the 80,000 tickets available, 64,000 have gone.
I think that just goes to show the level of interest in the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games, both here in Austria and abroad,” explained Innsbruck 2012 CEO Peter Bayer.
Tickets for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies were among the first to be snapped up by fans via the web shop. A 15,000-strong crowd will pack Bergisel Stadium for the Opening Ceremony on 13 January to witness Innsbruck become the first city in the world to welcome the Olympic Family for a third time. The Closing Ceremony in Maria-Theresien-Straße will welcome 4,000 spectators on 22 January.
To the delight of all Innsbruck 2012 fans, events held in the open-air Competition Venues – Patscherkofel, Olympic Sliding Centre Innsbruck, Seefeld and Kühtai – will be open to the public and not require a ticket.
All remaining tickets will be available between 9 January 2012 and the end of the Games on a first-come, first-served basis via two channels:
• Free of charge via the Venue Information Booth on Medals Plaza, at the northern end of Maria-Theresien-Straße. Opening hours: 10:00 –18:00.
• Via the online web shop at www.innsbruck2012.com/en/tickets.
Fans who have secured tickets but who can unfortunately no longer use them can still share in the Olympic spirit by returning their tickets to each Venue Information Booth.


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The managers of an Atlanta department store chain had no doubt what they were looking for when hiring sales clerks: applicants who were outgoing, enthusiastic and smiled a lot.
In short, exactly the wrong qualities for the job.
"They should have been looking for shrinking violet types who are good listeners and enjoy helping people solve problems," said Terri Kabachnick, a consultant who was hired by Rich's department stores to pinpoint the real personality traits of the chain's top-performing sales people. "Outgoing people are less likely to listen to the customer and the first to quit. During slow times, they get bored and leave their department to find friends to talk with."
With profits slumping, many national retailers are rethinking old habits. Near the top of the list: engrained assumptions about what to look for in employees. "Retailers must be sure the DNA of their store brand is reflected in every person they hire," said Ken Banks, Kabachnick's co-founder in Totalbrand Integration Inc., a Largo consulting company.
Both partners have lengthy resumes in retail. Banks was vice president of marketing for Eckerd Drug, Circuit City and PetSmart. Kabachnick was chief executive of a family-owned department store in Connecticut and an executive in the Gimbels chain. As a consultant who taught retailers how to deliver good customer service, it struck her in 1993 that many skills cannot be taught. "All the training in the world will not change a zebra's stripes," she said. "You have to hire the right people from the start."
It's fertile ground. A few chains, such as Wal-Mart, are firmly entrenched as the low price store. The rest need other ways to bond with customers, such as consistent customer service. Based on job assessments Totalbrand compiled on 4,000 retail workers so far, millions of retail workers simply aren't a good fit.
Totalbrand found that 64 percent of retail workers don't share the values, behavior or personality traits of the top achievers, so it's no wonder annual industry turnover exceeds 100 percent.
Among other findings: 92 percent of retail workers say their employers do not identify or deal with poor performers, and 81 percent of retail managers and executives say leadership jobs are based more on politics than competence.
"The results are not at all shocking," said Ellen Goldsberry, director of the Southwest Retail Center at the University of Arizona. "There are a lot of people in retailing who were not drawn there by any career aspiration. It's a situation that just cannot continue. If retailers don't offer a clear career path, employees will not stay."
Totalbrand uses 24-question tests, which it says have been empirically validated, to establish benchmark traits of everyone holding the same job. Traits unique to the top performers form a "job template" that defines applicants who best fit the model.
A typical question asks you to select the group of words that describes you the most and the least: 1) cautious, wary, careful; 2) determined, decided, unwavering, stand firm; 3) convincing, assuring; 4) good natured, pleasant.
The result is a self-assessment.
"We're looking for mismatches," said Bill Bonnstetter, president of Target Training International Inc., the Scottsdale, Ariz., company that designs the assessments for a number of industries. "A jewelry sales person who doesn't have a good aesthetic sense is not going to have much passion to sell jewelry."
Hiring managers are not required to pick people the test identifies. But they are pointedly reminded that people with those traits are more likely to succeed.
Such tests come with controversy. Tests designed for small groups increase the likelihood of bad results. Employers expose themselves to legal challenges if tests result in discrimination in hiring or promotion, even unintentionally, against women or racial minorities. Employers also run the risk of creating a clone army.
"You want variety on your payroll," said Erik Gordon, director of research at the University of Florida retailing program. "When I was in retailing, we tried to isolate the qualities of our best managers. We found some worked like Vince Lombardi, others like Mother Teresa." Sears, for example, long had a rich corporate culture, and it carried the company for a century. "In the last 10 years, they ran the company into a ditch," Gordon said.
Some retailers swear by testing, others avoid it completely. But basic skill tests are part of a computerized application process at stores such as Target and JCPenney. At Penneys almost a third of applicants never get past it to a job interview. Many retailers use so-called honesty tests to screen out job prospects identified as most likely to steal or drug tests to weed out substance abusers.
"It is sad that retailers today spend more money finding out if their employees take drugs than how well they are equipped to handle the job," said Bonnstetter of the testing company.
Still, experts say many companies that are picky about hiring have prospered in tough times. These are companies that nurture a corporate culture that matches customers' expectations.
Wal-Mart's culture and typical employee is consistent from store to store. "Even the broom-pusher can speak eloquently about what Wal-Mart is all about," Goldsberry said.
During the worst of the prerecession job squeeze, many retailers such as Gap, Home Depot and Target had no shortage of applicants. Southwest Airlines interviewed 216,000 people to fill 5,134 open jobs in 2001. "We don't test applicants, but we are very careful about hiring people who fit in our culture," said Christine Turneade, a spokeswoman for the Dallas airline. "We do use personality tests after people are hired as a tool to help employees understand exactly how the people they work with are different."
The traditional definition of customer service is not always the goal. At self-service discount stores such as Kohl's, a fast-growing chain in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kabachnick learned customer service meant clean stores, fast checkout and fully stocked shelves.
Stock options and good pay are one incentive, but employees who enjoy what they are doing can be as important. "If putting down a floor doesn't give you a kick, you probably should not be working in the flooring department at Home Depot," Banks said.
Sometimes company culture has to change for the good of the business. Circuit City, for instance, found that clinging to the old way can bring disastrous results.
"The research showed that 95 percent of Circuit City's home appliance customers were women, yet 95 percent of the salespeople were men," Banks said. "Instead of trying to increase the number of female salespeople or make the appliance displays more appealing to women, they just lined the appliances up like boxes in a warehouse. In the end, Circuit City gave up on a $1-billion business."
Kabachnick is working on a book linking customer service to hiring the right people. That put her at the Container Store, a Dallas chain consistently ranked among the nation's best retail employers. The company offers competitive pay and flexible hours for working moms, but Kabachnick was most impressed to find employees who don't associate their jobs with work.
"I remember one vividly," Kabachnick recalled. "I asked what she did and she replied: "I organize people's homes. No, I organize people's lives. I talk about the Container Store so much that I am the Container Store.' "
_ Mark Albright can be reached at albrightsptimes.com or (727) 893-8252.
Employee attitudes by the numbers
If you're wondering why customer service leaves a lot to be desired these days, consider the attitudes among those who are supposed to provide it.
Among retail workers:
_ 92 percent say their employers do not identify or deal with poor performers.
_ 76 percent would leave their job to work for a company that develops people.
_ 42 percent would quit to follow a good boss to another job rather than stick around to build a relationship with the replacement.
Among store managers:
_ 71 percent think management expects them to be followers, not leaders.
Among retail managers and executives
_ 81 percent say leadership jobs are based more on politics than competence.
_ 72 percent have no clue as to their future with their employer.
_ 58 percent think an outsider has a better chance of landing a leadership position at their company.
SOURCE: TKG Research, based on surveys of 4,000 retail workers.


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By: Editorial Staff, Date: June 29th, 2021
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was established to help small businesses afford to keep their employees on the payroll throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the set duration of PPP has come to an end, many businesses, still struggling with the impact of the pandemic, are forced to look elsewhere for funding.
With PPP completing its second round and coming to a close, alternative lenders credit unions, institutional lenders, and other non-bank sources of funding are already seeing a spike in demand. Banks, meanwhile, are heavily focused on loan forgiveness in the wake of the pandemic’s end, and most aren’t yet ready to start ramping up small business lending that is no longer backed by the government.
Thankfully, there are still forms of government assistance that small businesses can apply for aside from PPP. COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans is one such option for small businesses that are still experiencing a temporary loss of revenue due to the pandemic. The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program is another form of assistance available to small businesses impacted by the coronavirus that was established in the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act. Lastly, NIH grants are still available to select small businesses as well, but only those involved in researching biomedical technology that is directly related to combating COVID-19.
Ever since PPP was established by the Trump administration in July 2020 and extended by the Biden in March 2021, the program has helped countless small businesses weather the economic storm that the pandemic has created. Even though the pandemic seems to be nearing its end, many small businesses are still struggling to stay afloat. For other businesses still feeling the financial impact of the virus, PPP is no longer a safety net that can be relied on – and the desperate scramble for new sources of funding is now in full swing.