text:
Japan's Softbank Hungers for T-Mobile, FCC Says "Not so Fast"
February 4, 2014 7:00 PM
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Regulators are skeptical that eliminating the uncarrier, rolling it into Sprint would be "good for consumers"
Japan's Softbank Corp. (
) is used to winning, and doesn’t take no for an answer very often. Last year it climbed from third place up to second in Japan's mobile subscriber rankings and it also entered the U.S. market,
taking a majority stake (78 percent) in Sprint
) with a cash-heavy $21.6B USD offer.
I. The Death of an (Un)Carrier?
But the new Sprint is
looking a lot like the old Sprint
over Softbank's first couple quarters in charge, bleeding money and customers. In the face of this growing headache, Softbank isn't backing down. It's instead opting for
an unusual and some would say troubling
solution to Sprint's problems.
It's in serious pursuit of
America's fastest growing carrier
, Deutsche Telekom AG's (
) T-Mobile USA. Deutsche Telekom has been eager to dump T-Mobile for some time. Despite its recent success -- the payoff of
2013's merger with MetroPCS
-- T-Mobile USA's German owner reportedly remains fairly interested in a sale.
One crucial question is whether such a deal would possibly fly.
Just a couple years ago
U.S. Federal Communications Commissions
U.S. Department of Justice
won a hard-fought war
against AT&T, Inc. (
), who had
sought to gobble up T-Mobile
This week, Softbank's Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son was in Washington, D.C., trying to convince federal regulators at the FCC that a Sprint-T-Mobile union would be good news for consumers. Mr. Masayoshi brought
Sprint's embattled CEO Dan Hesse
Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son (left) and Sprint CEO Dan Hesse [Image Source: Kyoto Newscom]
, the crux of the Japanese executive's argument is that Sprint and T-Mobile are too small to compete separately. T-Mobile has 45 million customers, while Sprint is currently at around 54 million subscribers. Both are still a long ways away from AT&T's 76.2 million subscribers and Verizon Inc. (
) subsidiary Verizon Wireless's 96.2 million customers.
But there are a couple weaknesses in the argument. First, Sprint is midway between AT&T and T-Mobile in subscribers, raising the question of why it should be allowed to buy T-Mobile if the AT&T purchase is verboten.
Softbank wants to put an end to the "uncarrier" and roll T-Mobile into its Sprint brand, according to reports. [Image Source: Flickr (top); Getty Images (bottom)]
Second, it would be an odd couple to say the least. Compared to deals like the Softbank-Sprint tie-up -- which leveraged international business synergies -- or T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS -- which combined largely non-overlapping businesses -- Sprint and T-Mobile USA are direct competitors. And the idea that handcuffing the market's brightest rising star (T-Mobile) to the biggest loser in the U.S. mobile market currently (Sprint) is also rubbing many the wrong way.
II. FCC Stands Opposed
new FCC Chairman Thomas ("Tom") Wheeler
-- an official who hails from a background as a former wireless industry lobbyist -- the talks mark a key test.
Despite his background, Mr. Wheeler has called himself an "unabashed" supporter of competition, and hinted that he will follow in his predecessor
's footsteps, looking to wield his authority to block further concentration in the mobile market. The potential bid to consolidate America's third and fourth largest carriers is perhaps the new Commissioner's biggest chance yet to leave his own regulatory mark on the industry.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is reportedly "highly skeptical" of a Sprint-T-Mobile merger.
[Image Source: Reuters]
that an unnamed FCC official, who was not at the meeting, but was familiar with Mr. Wheeler's discussion with Mr. Masayoshi and Mr. Hesse, said that the FCC Chairman was "highly skeptical" of the deal.
also cites an anonymous high-level source close to Softbank as saying:
I'm not unduly surprised by the FCC chairman's skepticism. I feel it's a rather typical reaction.
If Sprint's majority owner did score a majority bid in T-Mobile USA, a key question would be what its strategy would be. While it might make sense to merge the brands under the faster-growing, more positively perceived T-Mobile USA banner, sources indicate that Softbank might instead look to tuck T-Mobile into Sprint, rebranding its stores and devices.
Sprint and Softbank are reportedly eager to bury the "uncarrier" campaign, which is costing them (T-Mobiel US CEO John Legere). [SOURCE: The New York Times]
Likewise, with T-Mobile
forcing Sprint and AT&T to get more competitive with pricing
, it is rumored that Softbank is keen on ditching
T-Mobile's "uncarrier" strategy
and aggressive rates, before it creates further woes for the Sprint brand.
T-Mobile might also have to sell off its MetroPCS unit if it were to be acquired.
All in all, any of these moves on their own could crippled T-Mobile USA, who is showing impressive growth, but remains a fragile recovery story.
If Mr. Wheeler's stony silence was viewed as bad sign for Sprint and Softbank, then
comments this week
William Joseph "Bill" Baer
, the head of the DOJ's antitrust division, are an even harsher warning. In a speech he praised T-Mobile's role in driving competition, not so subtly adding:
Merger litigation is costly and time consuming. But the last few years demonstrate that we will not hesitate to challenge in court anticompetitive transactions where that is the right course.
It's increasing looking like even if Mr. Masayoshi does view T-Mobile as Sprint's ticket to fiscal rejuvenation, that Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Baer, along with the rest of the DOJ and FCC are unlikely to meekly bow to the plan.
As Lee Corso says, "Not so fast, friend!"
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
RE: If you're having phone problems I feel bad for you son.
2/5/2014 12:39:46 PM
AFAIK that's only for family plans.
RE: If you're having phone problems I feel bad for you son.
2/5/2014 7:19:26 PM
It's for individual accounts too.
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It sounds like something out of a Terry Gilliam movie, but it's a real device created by software engineer and weather god Ken Kawamoto. Called the Tempescope it displays the weather forecast by creating it inside a small translucent box that can be placed around your home or on your desk.
So how does it work?
Well, before you start thinking that it's either a quantum leap in science, or some form of magic, or even witchcraft, the answer is actually very simple in application, it gets the forecasts from the internet, just like everyone else, and then turns it into an ambient weather display, replicating clouds, rain, sun, even lighting.
It's a creation with which Kawamoto says he wants to "break the barrier between the digital world and the real world." - And from the pictures below we think he's done an amazing job in achieving this.
The device consists of a water pump, LEDS, mist diffuser, and Arduino computer which create the microclimate inside the box. Kawamoto has released an open source version of the device, OpenTempescope, meaning anyone with the technical know-how can follow his schematics and make one themselves.
If you're a technical dunce though, he'll be seeking funding for a consumer version on Kickstarter later this year.


text:
The CRTC’s low-cost data-only plan decision released yesterday was as unsurprising as it was uninspired. Under CRTC Chair Ian Scott, the Commission has abandoned any pretense of consumer focus, reverting to the days when Canadians perceived the regulator as a guardian of industry interests. The low-cost data-only decision, which is ostensibly designed to address a serious gap in affordable wireless services, will do little to solve the problem. Indeed, even the CRTC admitted that “none of the revised plans on their own would necessarily be enough to fill the gap identified by the Commission with respect to lower-cost data-only plans.” Those revised plans, which CRTC largely supported, would be laughably uncompetitive in most developed countries (as one expert noted yesterday, $30 for 1 GB is not a low cost data plan).
Post Tagged with: "scott"
The continuing consumer group boycott of the CRTC’s Internet code proceeding was raised directly with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during Question Period in the House of Commons yesterday. NDP MP Brian Masse noted “the CRTC says it wants to establish a consumer Internet code of conduct, but has failed to provide sufficient time for consumer groups and the public. The result is a boycotted and broken system.” Trudeau’s responded that the government was proud of working with the CRTC and included a parting shot at the NDP, commenting on its support of a taxes on Internet usage. Regardless of the NDP position on an Internet tax (Masse says he opposes one), what is notable is that it is the CRTC that has emerged as a vocal supporter of an ISP tax. CRTC Chair Ian Scott’s decision to back an ISP tax as part of a larger scheme to regulate Internet-based services not only runs counter to Trudeau’s opposition to an Internet tax but it also points to a regulator that is increasingly anti-consumer in approach.
Boycott: What If The CRTC Launched a Consumer Internet Code and Consumer Groups Refused to Participate in its Development?
Last month, the CRTC announced plans to create an Internet Code of Conduct. The CRTC promised that the code would establish “consumer friendly business practices, provide consumers with easy-to-understand contracts, ensure consumers have tools to avoid bill shock, and make it easier for consumers to switch providers.” The code attracted some initial criticism due to the wide range of exclusions – everything from net neutrality to privacy to broadband speeds falls outside its scope – but in recent days an even bigger concern has emerged with several leading Canadian consumer groups actively boycotting the proceeding.
The Canadian government’s strong pro-net neutrality position has served as its telecom policy foundation with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other government ministers frequently citing Canada’s commitment to the policy. In fact, the current review of broadcast and telecommunications legislation described net neutrality as “a key Government priority given its importance for freedom of expression and the ‘innovation without permission’ ethos that underpins the success of the Internet.”
Yet despite the emphasis on strong net neutrality rules, CRTC Chair Ian Scott used a keynote speech last week to open the door to watering down Canadian net neutrality rules, noting his desire for “flexibility” with the legislation.
CRTC Rebuked: Government Signals Frustration With the Commission Prioritizing Carriers Over Consumers
Telecom issues were in the spotlight yesterday with the government ordering the CRTC to “examine claims of aggressive or misleading sales practices concerning telecommunications services, the prevalence and impact on consumers, as well as potential solutions.” The Order-in-Council, which was accompanied by a request to the Competition Bureau to provide assistance, follows CBC reports on misleading sales tactics from companies such as Bell and Rogers and the CRTC’s rejection of a request to conduct an inquiry into the matter. The announcement from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains is a welcome development, signalling the government’s frustration with a CRTC under new chair Ian Scott that has seemingly abandoned consumer interests.


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ACE Study Finds Fitness Benefits of Wearing Casual Clothing to Work
Casual And Comfortable Clothing Workdays Promote Increased Physical Activity
The study, lead by researchers Katie Zahour, M.A., and John Porcari, Ph.D., both from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, examined 53 healthy men and women (average age: 42). Each study participant wore a pedometer two days a week (one day dressed in normal work attire; the other dressed in jeans) for two weeks.
Researchers found that workday physical activity levels increased when casual clothing was worn. Specifically, study participants took an average of 491 (or 8 percent) more steps on Jeans Day than on those days in which they wore normal business attire. That works out to an average of 2.85 miles walked on Jeans Day versus 2.64 miles walked on the normal business attire days. It is also estimated that study participants burned an average of 25 additional calories on Jeans Day with the extra steps and miles walked.
Wearing casual clothing every day for 50 weeks of work translates into burning an additional 125 calories per week and 6,250 calories per year. Considering you must burn 3,500 calories to lose one pound, the added activity from casual clothing workdays could potentially offset the average annual weight gain (i.e., 0.4 to 1.8 pounds) experienced by Americans adults.
“Over the last 25 years, advances in technology combined with our hectic lifestyles have help to virtually eliminate physical activity from our daily routines,” says Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D., chief exercise physiologist for ACE. “Wearing casual, comfortable clothes to work may be an easy way to encourage us to put physical activity back into our daily lives.”
Full study results appear in the July/August 2004 issue of ACE Fitness Matters magazine.
The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s Authority on Fitness, is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits of physical activity and protecting consumers against unsafe and ineffective fitness products and instruction. As the nation’s “workout watchdog,” ACE sponsors university-based exercise science research and testing that targets fitness products and trends. ACE sets standards for fitness professionals and is the world’s largest nonprofit fitness certifying organization. For more information on ACE and its programs, call (800) 825-3636 or log onto the ACE Web site at www.acefitness.org.
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Get a more in-depth look at the work ACE has done in the past year, as well as the progress our country has made in responding to the obesity and chronic disease epidemics.View


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The Nike Air Max Jewell Lux Tortoise Shell Pack is releasing soon. Nike Sportswear’s newest women’s silhouette, the Air Max Jewell, was inspired by the Air..
The adidas Originals New York Dark Blue & Matte Silver is available now. Back in the 1980’s, The Three Stripes debuted the now classic adidas Originals..
adidas SPEZIAL unveils a first look at its SS17 collection. For SS17, adidas SPEZIAL has paid tribute to the mix of British and Jamaican culture..
Fxxking Rabbits has unveiled its SS17 lookbook. Tokyo label Fxxking Rabbits has returned with the lookbook for its SS17 offerings starring actress and model Chantale..
Take a look at Supreme’s SS17 collection in POPEYE editorial. Supreme continues to highlight its recently unveiled SS17 collection. Following last month’s shoot with Terry..
The Weeknd will release a special collection this weekend. The Weeknd has announced a limited edition Starboy collection which will release at a variety of..


text:
The last few years have been a period of considerable upheaval for AMD. It has failed to post a profit since it bought ATI in the middle of 2006 and, in its bid to do so, has sold-off some parts of the business, spun-off others and laid-off a lot of people.
As a result, AMD's communication with the channel has been somewhat fragmented, something it moved to remedy when it appointed David Kenyon (pictured talking to HEXUS.channel editor Scott Bicheno) as VP of worldwide channel marketing at the end of last year.
Kenyon rejoins AMD chief marketing officer Nigel Dessau, who he also worked under when he was VP of worldwide storage marketing at Sun Microsystems. He spent a rather incongruous eight months heading up sales and marketing for toilet repair company Fluidmaster before taking the plunge back into high-tech with AMD.
Kenyon has kept his head down since his appointment, but recently visited the UK where he spoke to HEXUS.channel to share his vision for the future of AMD. We started by asking him why AMD hasn't performed better since the AMD acquisition, and he wasted no time in referring to Intel.
"I think you have to consider two issues, one of which came up with the EU decision - we've not been granted good access to market over time," said Kenyon. "Part of that is that the other guy has been a little better at competing and some of it is unfair competitive practice. But the other piece of it is partly of our own doing - really not coordinating our go-to-market efforts."


text:
Booking through smartphones expected to increase 30% by 2015
Despite the strong trust online customers in the Middle East have for brands, many of them fail to optimise their sites on mobile devices and tablets to boost browsing and transactions, according to Nigel Huddleston, Industry Head of Travel at Google-UK. “There is under-investment in mobile [in the region], but that’s moving rapidly,” he said.
Consumers in the region are increasingly booking on mobile devices and tablets, according to Huddleston. Around ten per cent of hotel room bookings in the Middle East are done on smartphones and tablets. He expects that to go up 30 per cent in the next two years.
Hotel brands in particular are driving online searches. Over 90 per cent of online travel queries in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are brand-related, Huddleston said. He added that more people in the region are keen on making transactions on mobile devices due to the trust they have for brands.
However, hotels and travel agencies in the region are not investing enough in smartphones and tablets for a number of reasons. Some hesitate or do not invest in these devices because they do not receive enough bookings on these devices’ sites. “That’s because they need to optimise their sites,” Huddleston said.
Meanwhile, other companies focus on optimising the sites of the platforms consumers go to when they make transactions, he said. So if a consumer makes a transaction on a desktop, rather than a mobile device, then companies will focus on improving sites that are viewed on a desktop.
However, companies need to understand that consumers go through a number of platforms before they reach one to make a transaction- and many start with mobile devices and tablets, he said.
“Companies need to look at customers’ journey in its entirety,” Huddleston said.
The PC market is slipping, while smartphones and tablets are moving ahead, driven by a rising consumer demand. Thus, companies should be aware of consumers’ behaviour and should not underestimate the value of these devices, he said.
- Nshallah! Egypt tourism sector displays signs of recovery
- It's a roller coaster ride! MENA has great theme parks but no appropriate hotels to go with them. Why?
- Indefensible, in so many ways: Gaza War marked a blow to Israel's tourism this summer
- A healthy economy: is Dubai about to become the world's next hospital?
- Hajj in the time of Ebola: how Saudi Arabia plans to keep the epidemic out of Mecca
- Mobile ads in ME only 8% of total advertising - Deloitte
- Mobile Advertising Calls For Profits in GCC
- Addiction or healthy economy? UAE leads the region in online shopping
- Not everything sells in UAE: poor profits for this IT item may make sales obsolete in near future
- Fast and getting faster: Why mobile data traffic will explode in KSA over next 4 years


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Michael Köhler was annoyed. He was cruising the world on a catamaran, seeing all kinds of technological leaps, yet struggled with a lack of power.
“People have cellphones, iPads, cameras, whatever, but the energy-harvesting system on boats did not change at all in the past 20 years,” he says. “It forces people to go to the marinas every second day or run the generators.”
So, he started noodling. For four years. He wanted to stay on the hook for weeks, running the air conditioning and all the systems.
Finally, the ideas about which solar panels, electric motors, inverters and the like to use — and more importantly, he says, how to configure them — became the basis for the brand Silent-Yachts. The company offers 55-, 64- and 79-foot catamarans that run on solar-electric propulsion. The 55 premiered this fall, and the 64 is sold out for the next two years, Köhler says.
Three power packages are available: E-Power with twin 135 kW motors; Cruiser with a pair of 30 kW motors ; and Hybrid with two 220 hp diesel engines and two 14 kW electric motors. The base power reportedly provides a top-end of 14 knots. Masts and sails can be added too.
Köhler says the trick is perfecting more than the drivetrain. It’s also considering things like insulation, so less power is needed.
“There is a Chinese saying: You do not get rich from the money you earn. You get rich from the money you do not spend,” he says. “This is our approach with energy. The less you use, the more comfortable you can be.”


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Republicans in the U.S. Congress are trying to overturn a "country of origin" beef labeling law that's angering Canada and Mexico, but the trade dispute is becoming part of a broader debate. That could be bad news for California wine producers, and other California exporters, who are hoping for a quick fix.
Some Democrats and activists are linking the beef labeling dispute to larger controversies over the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a pact the Obama Administration is attempting to negotiate with 11 Pacific Rim nations. Some consumer advocates argue that U.S. consumers should know where their beef, chicken and pork is coming from.
Rep. Mike Conaway, a Texas Republican who chairs the House Agriculture Committee, has introduced legislation to repeal "country of origin labeling" — COOL, as it's been dubbed — for some cuts of meat to avoid retaliatory tariffs on American exports to Canada and Mexico, including wine. The bill, which had 60 co-sponsors from both parties, could reach the House floor by early June, according to WineAmerica, a wine trade group that supports the effort.
"The fact that the House Agriculture Committee worked so quickly on this is an encouraging sign," Michael Kaiser, director of public affairs for WineAmerica, told me Wednesday morning. The bipartisan bill passed the committee by a 38-6 vote, he noted.
The hope is the legislation passes the House and Senate before Congress's August recess, he said, in time to preclude tariffs likely to go into effect by late August or early September, Kaiser noted.
Congressman Jim Costa (D-Fresno), a lead sponsor of H.R. 2393, along with Conaway, said the Golden State could take a $1 billion hit in new tariffs if the COOL rules are not repealed.
The World Trade Organization ruled May 18 that the beef labeling requirement violates NAFTA, giving Canada and Mexico the legal right to impose hefty new tariffs on California wine and a host of other U.S. imports.
The WTO announcement "could pave the way for Canada and Mexico to immediately seek billions of dollars' worth of retaliatory tariffs against U.S. products, including wine," the San Francisco-based Wine Institute said Monday.
Such retaliation "would do hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to U.S. wine exports," said Robert Koch, president and CEO of the wine group, which represents about 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses.
California typically accounts for about 90 percent of U.S. wine exports, the San Francisco-based group contends. Golden State wineries shipped nearly $1 billion of wine to Canada alone last year, making it the single biggest export market for U.S. vintners. Canada put wines on a list of products that could be subject to retaliation.


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By Prince Osuagwu
THIS Friday, notable stakeholders in the Internet world would be heading to Lagos, Nigeria on a one-day forum designed to make sense out of the countryâ€™s involvement in internet activities.
The programme, tailored towards Internet Governance is initiated by a Nigerian company, Digital Sense Africa and sponsored by the Nigerian Communications Commission and other stakeholders in the industry. It is in its second debut and is expected to throw bare challenges facing Africa, with particular reference to Nigeria, in internet services provision.
The programme which debuted last year, opened the eyes of a lot of players in the African internet interaction and opened up a vista of opportunities to better a lot of areas where Nigeria was lagging behind.
This yearâ€™s event is also generating a lot of interests as well and prominent companies with activities on the net are expressing very serious interests in participating, in order to leverage on the discussions to up their services.
Slated to hold at the Golden Gate Restaurant Ikoyi, Lagos, the event is endorsed by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), ICANN, Nigeria Internet Exchange Point Ltd, Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) among other stakeholders.
Director, Operations, Digital Sense Africa, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, said that everything has been put in place to prepare the Nigerian Internet community for the global Internet Governance Forum, as the 2010 edition of the roundtable was going to be a memorable one.
No wonder companies like telecommunications company, MTN Nigeria, Office Equipment Manufacturers, Omatek and Teledom group among other companies have thrown their weight behind the forum, slating sub conference themes to add colour the event.
According to Mrs Nweke, MTN is expected to showcase its 3.5G mobile broadband data roaming services at the event with the theme â€˜Five Years of IGF: Way Forward for Nigeriaâ€™ as internet access and penetration continue to grow in the country.
Indigenous software makers, SystemSpecs Limited would also take its award-winning Remita to the one-day roundtable on Internet development and governance
Just as Teledom Group through its subsidiary, ICT warehouse has promised to be displaying avalanche of ICT tools at the event, Omatek Plc is taking a stand at the event and is promising to entertain participants and visitors to its stand during the event with lots of branded products and take away gifts.
Other companies lined up to attend to the ICT needs of the participants included Internet Services Providers like, Linkserve Group, which has said it would be handy to launch its latest in shelf, Blast Broadband to the Nigerian Internet community. This is as Telecom Answers Associates, among others would also be exhibiting.
The array of resource personnel for the event is another moral booster to what a success the event might be. For instance, Mrs. Nweke said that besides National president of the Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (ISPAN), and chairman of Steineng Group, Chief Samuel Adeleke, who would preside over the event, quality speakers were listed for this yearâ€™s event.
They included the Regional Manager for Africa at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Ms Anne-Rachel Inne, who is billed to present an update and projections of the internet coordinating agency at the forum.
Minister of Information and Communications, Prof Dora Akunyili is expected to be a special Guest to the event.
The acting Executive Vice Chairman at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Stephen Bello, she said, is expected to deliver the keynote address, while the nationâ€™s only Point of Contact for the country code Top Level Domain, .ng, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, who also doubles as Permanent Secretary, Ecological Fund Office at the Presidency, would be presenting a report on the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Inter_Ministerial Committee in the last five years.
The Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), Mr. Gbenga Sesan and lead strategist at StartUp Nigeria, Mr. Loy Okezie would be delivering papers during the Youth session to be chaired by the chairman, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo. Chief executive, New Horizons Systems Limited, Mr. Tim Akano, former president, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Dr. Chris Nwannenna are billed to coordinate the interactive session.
Digital Sense Africa is an initiative of Remnek Kommunications Ventures; a group of ICT analysts and public relations consultants,with continental media affiliates as part of its enlightenment strategies to engage Nigerians for sustainable deployment and utilization of technologies in order to make sense out of the burgeoning revolution.


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The Russian branch of the Burger King fast food giant plans to sue Sergei Shnurov, the lead singer of the Leningrad group, for an Instagram post that mentions the company in a negative way, the RBC news agency reported Friday, citing Burger King's marketing director Ivan Shestov.
The post that provoked the backlash from the fast food chain’s management says that Burger King’s promotional code has "repeatedly led to hiccups." The line appeared on Monday on Shnurov’s Instagram account and has since gathered more than 50,000 likes.
Shnurov had no right to mention the brand’s name, Shestov claimed, adding that it may mislead consumers and negatively impact sales.
Burger King Russia wants 200,000 rubles ($3,000) in compensation or for Shnurov to replace the lines with new ones, complimenting the company.
"It’s a success! Score! Not a single day without court!" the singer wrote on Instagram, commenting on the matter.
The notorious Leningrad rock group and its frontman Sergei Shnurov have repeatedly been embroiled in controversy over explicit lyrics and Shnurov’s unruly behavior.


text:
In 2010, when Dark Horse launched the One for One program, making the first issue of select titles available for the low cover price of $1, the response was overwhelmingly positive from fans and retailers alike. Now, Dark Horse is making two of the biggest launches of 2012 available for less than the price of a cup of coffee!
Brian Woodâ€™s postapocalyptic, eco-conscious epic The Massive has been a criticsâ€™ darling since before the first issue even hit stands. The thought-provoking series has garnered consistent praise issue after issue, and will see its first collection released on March 20, 2013.
Similarly, MIND MGMT, Matt Kindtâ€™s electrifying tale of psychic spies and the journalist who stumbles upon their incredible secrets, is expected to make many criticsâ€™ top-ten lists for the year. The first collection is making its way to comic shops on April 3, 2013.
To celebrate, Dark Horse has decided to offer retailers and fans an opportunity to find out what they have been missing with two specially priced first-issue reprints, to be released on April 3, 2013! The Massive #1 will feature an all-new cover designed by series creator Brian Wood, while MIND MGMT will feature a brand-new cover by Matt Kindt!
Look for these special reprints in Diamondâ€™s Previews catalog on January 30, 2013.
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May 26, 2023
A Fama Licenciamentos, an agency specialized in strategic partnerships, has announced a collaboration with Kildare for the launch of a collection with football player, Ronaldinho Gaúcho. The line of casual sneakers and sandals, bearing the brand and image of Ronaldinho Gaúcho, was unveiled during the SICC (International Leather and Footwear Fair) in Gramado, Brazil.
The partnership between Fama Licenciamentos and Kildare has resulted in a collection of 12 footwear models that capture the unique spirit of Ronaldinho Gaúcho, who personally contributed to the creation of his collection, providing special touches and tips that reflect his personal style. The distribution of the products will be extensive, available in more than 30 countries, with Brazil being the first market to receive the casual sneakers and sandals inspired by the athlete.
"We are thrilled about this partnership to launch the special collection under the Ronaldinho Gaúcho brand,” says Fabiano Veronezi, chief executive officer, Fama Licenciamentos. “We are confident that football fans and footwear enthusiasts will be delighted with the authenticity and quality of the products.”
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Manticore – Galaxy on Fire saw a last-minute delay just a few days before it was supposed to release on March 22, 2018. Patrick Imbusch, lead designer on Manticore, has provided a couple tidbits about when Nintendo Switch owners will be able to play the game.
“We didn’t make that decision lightly, but it had to be done due to an unexpected issue that basically occured at the very last minute and despite our best efforts couldn’t be fixed in time,” Imbusch said.
The publisher revealed to Switch Era that these issues cropped up after the Nintendo Switch 5.0 system update. Jack, who will be handling our review for Manticore, noted that the game was virtually unplayable in its current state.
” […] you can probably imagine it’s a very unfortunate situation for everyone involved, as we were just excited as you to see reviews, discussions and especially you guys getting your hands on it today,” Imbusch continued.
Imbusch expects to announce a new release date for Manticore – Galaxy on Fire in “the coming days.” He noted that it should only be a few weeks, not months, before this ambitious space-shooter is finally available on Nintendo Switch.


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For the full-year 2019, about 520,000 NEVs were sold out of a total of 15.3 million cars delivered in Europe.
The analyst firm Canalys said NEVs included plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles and fuel-cell vehicles, adding that the increase came off a low base.
"The industry needs a boost, and it should come, in part, from the new, more affordable, compact EVs launching in the first half of 2020 from mainstream brands such as Honda, Mini, Opel/Vauxhall, Peugeot and VW," said Canalys chief automotive analyst Chris Jones.
Jones described 2019 as being another challenging year for the European car market.
"While there was year-on-year sales growth for both Q4 and the full year, the growth is misleading due to the negative sales impact of the WLTP [World harmonised Light vehicle Testing Procedure] fuel economy and emissions test, introduced in 2018," he pointed out.
"Underlying demand for new cars in 2019 in most European countries was muted and the impact of the COVID-19 virus will prove an inhibitor to consumer sales well into 2020.
"The supply chain has been adversely affected, with shortages of key components affecting the whole global automotive industry, not just NEVs. Car manufacturers are also likely to prioritise supply for vehicles that are more profitable. [The} margins are low on NEVs, in some cases non-existent, so manufacturers will seek to protect profits."


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In global cities where space crunch is a very real issue, bigger is not necessarily better in the context of individual mobility choices. While scooters and bikes do offer the convenience of maneuvering around tight curves, comfort and safety take a backseat. But that’s exactly what Israeli electric vehicle (EV) startup City Transformer aims to solve.
City Transformer showed off a small city electric car called the CT-2, and claimed that while its battery power makes it emission-free, it’s also nimble enough to handle city traffic, and its small proportions make it a good choice for crowded parking spaces. Ideal choice. Measuring just 1 meter wide – for reference, the Tiago EV is 1.66 meters wide – the City Transformer CT-2 is narrow enough to fit in most alleys and alleys. The company further claims that four of these units can fit into the parking space occupied by a conventional vehicle. “Do people like you and I need to drive a two-ton car with a 600-kilogram battery in a city?” Reuters quoted CEO Asaf Formoza as saying. “The B (small car) segment is disappearing as automakers build more SUVs, so we and others will be looking to fill a huge void.”
Clearly, the City Transformer CT-2 is not a family car. At best, it can accommodate a driver and a passenger, or for a last-mile delivery option. This is where it might really excel. The EV weighs just 450kg, less than the battery weight of some of the world’s high-end EVs, but still offers a range of 180km. In performance mode, it can also reach a top speed of 90 km/h.
City Transformer hopes to bring the model into series production from its factory base in Western Europe at some point in late 2024. The search for a location is ongoing.The company is reportedly looking to target the European market first, and speculates that the CT-2 could start at around $16,000 or around ¥1.3 million. This could be lowered if the company is able to secure subsidies for its customers. But should compact EVs like the City Transformer CT-2 also make their way to India, which currently has the world’s third-largest auto industry?
First published date: Jan 30, 2023, 10:03am CST


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As part of the Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund, FuzeHub is currently accepting applications for its Commercialization Competition. Winners will pitch in person at the NYS Innovation Summit being held in Verona, NY on November 8th and 9th. Selected applicants will compete to demonstrate the commercialization potential of their technology or product and can win up to $50,000. This competition is intended to help small and medium-sized manufacturing and technology companies strengthen their “go-to-market” strategies as they move from new product/production method to marketplace.
For more information: https://fuzehub.com/commercialization-competition/


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Want to join the conversation?
$SEE 2Q15 Call: On an organic basis, North America sales were up over 2% compared to last year. Food Care and Diversey Care were up approx. 4%. In Product Care, North America declined approx. 2% as a result of rationalization efforts and weakness in the manufacturing and electronics sectors.
$F stock slid more than 2% after the company issued two safety recalls involving more than 650,000 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ model cars.
The new CEO of $SBUX, Kevin Johnson, has some pretty large shoes to fill but there are many who have good faith in his ability to do so.
$TSLA opening a showroom in Michigan. A bold move !!
$SGY is expected to achieve $6.17 price target in next year, with a minimum target of $3.00, due to the price increase of 27.85% to $6.29 during the last trading session.


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- A survey of 1,001 parents with children from birth to 24 months found 53% are very confident they are feeding their child an age-appropriate, nutritious diet, while another 44% are at least somewhat confident.
- The International Food Information Council Foundation survey said that despite this confidence, some parents were concerned or confused about feeding young children. For example, 55% said choking hazards are a major concern when introducing babies to solid foods, with 38% had reservations about the potential for allergic reactions. One in five said a major concern is which foods to introduce, and 24% said the time to introduce foods is a worry. A third of parents with infants under six months old expressed such concerns.
- Parents also closely weigh advantages and disadvantages of what they feed their children, the survey noted. They rated the most nutritious foods as pureed green beans (25%), milk (22%) and yogurt (18%.) Cheese led the list (34%) of foods considered least healthy. Still, parents saw advantages in feeding kids less healthy foods such as cheese.
It's no mystery that millennials and young consumers concerned about nutrition would pass on those values to the their children as they start families.
The International Food Information Council Foundation found young parents said their diets improved once they had kids, and trends show millennials are more likely than older consumers to buy and consume vegetables. In terms of feeding their children, parents are concerned about babies and toddlers consuming enough vegetables and protein, and exposing them to new foods. But more than a third also are worried about offering foods their child enjoys, and around 15% are concerned about convenience, suggesting food companies shouldn’t drop these priorities when creating products for children two and under.
“Consistent with what we have seen over many surveys about the foods adults consume, taste remains a top factor over our food choices,” said Alexandra Lewin-Zwerdling, vice president of research and partnerships at the IFICF, in a news release. “Fortunately, our other findings bear out that nutrition is also quite important when it comes to what we feed our youngest children.”
Still, other studies show that while parents recognize the importance of feeding kids a healthy diet, many say time and the cost of healthier fare often gets in the way. This is particularly noticeable as children get older and it becomes easier for parents to turn to fast food or sugary products that kids may prefer at meal time. This suggests CPG companies would be wise to stress the lower cost and convenience of frozen veggies and healthy meals through grocery displays, on packaging, in social media and through traditional mailers and coupons.
A study by sales and marketing agency Acosta found last fall that 26% of U.S. consumers are shopping the frozen foods department more frequently than they did in 2016. B&G Foods, for example, has seen rapid growth in its Green Giant frozen selections, driven by the popularity of new vegetable-based products like Veggie Tots and Mashed Cauliflower. Food companies hoping to cater to busy, but health conscious, young parents would do well to follow suit.
Food companies should be aware that some millennial parents are willing to create their own healthier products for their kids if they can't find it on the market. Rethink Brands, a boxed water company, launched the Rethink Kids Water brand last year. The water was developed by CEO Matt Swanson and his team when they couldn’t find anything suitable for their young children. It is sold in more than 11,000 stores, including Walmart, Target and Kroger, according to the company, and comes in four flavors.
The IFICF study shows parents want their children to eat healthy, but they have questions about how it should be done. They also are not afraid to factor in taste and convenience when deciding what to feed themselves and their children. Food companies hoping to capture this market could consider creating and marketing such products for young families – like organic mac and cheese for kids or on-the-go fruit snacks – to be successful.


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Apple mulls transfer of iPhone production to Vietnam or India after violent protests, riots in China factory
The Market by Michelob ULTRA is the "first Amazon Just Walk Out in Wisconsin," said Sharlan Edmonds, Fiserv Forum's vice president of hospitality and strategy.
Monster broke records to become the number one deliverer of value growth in the entire soft drinks category during its 20th anniversary year.
Nike to supply Japanese baseball team's uniforms, while merchandise specialist will manage retail operations.
Delhi court orders blocking of websites of New Balance, Adidas, Louis Vuitton counterfeiter
The Delhi High Court has ordered the blocking of a website accused of selling ‘first copy’ of popular footwear brands like Nike, New Balance, Adidas, and Louis Vuitton at highly discounted prices.
In an order, Justice Navin Chawla also sought details and KYC documents of three mobile numbers through which the website ‘www.myshoeshop.in’ was allegedly offering the goods.
The court also ordered the suspension of the Instagram page of the website and asked for details of its owner.
The order was passed on a commercial suit filed by US-based manufacturer, New Balance Athletics Inc, who accused ‘Ashok Kumar Trading’ of selling counterfeits of its footwear and also that of other well-known brands.
The court said that New Balance has made out a prima facie case for grant of an injunction and the balance of convenience also lies in its favor.
It added that an irreparable loss would be caused to the plaintiff and consumers if the defendant is not restrained from continuing with their web portal.
The court had ordered the defendant to file a written statement within 30 days. The case is set for hearing on November 9.


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Xbox users will be the first to play DLC for the next Call of Duty title, Microsoft announced at E3.
During their conference, Phil Spencer revealed Xbox users would get the first opportunity to get their hands on the DLC for Slegdehammer Game’s next instalment in the Call of Duty series, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.
Spencer said the game would “raise the bar for next gen” and usher in a “new era”.
Revealed in May, Advanced Warfare will star Academy Award winning actor Kevin Spacey in the lead antagonist role as Jonathan Irons.
Set in the year 2054, the player must restore order in a state of advanced warfare against a private military corporation (PMC) headed by Irons.
It will hit stores on November 4th for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.


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Australian businesses, professionals and developers bridging the gap between using blockchain solutions to solve real-world problems.
About this event
Elas, Keyi Tech, Panda Angel and Blockchain Metaverse Association INC are proud to host the Enterprise Blockchain Conference Australia at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Southbank on the 18th and 19th of July, 2022.
Day 1 is a full day conference that involves drinks and networking throughout and the completion of the day.
Day 2 is a Developers Workshop. Both events will be fully catered for and free of charge for confirmed attendees.
The conference, on the 18th of July, is designed to provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of what blockchain technology can offer and how it works for new or existing businesses, as well as insights into the benefits of using Blockchain, such as minimizing overheads and intermediaries and maximizing cybersecurity measures to improve the daily operation of your organisation.
The conference will highlight new blockchain innovation and new product launches from aspiring Australian business. Highlighting how this technology can disrupt industries such as, Supply-Chain Management, Networking and Social Innovation, Internet of Things, Financial Services, and Data management; just to name a few.
We are delighted to have 4 special guests, Dr Cynthia Cai, a Senior Lecturer from Macquarie University discussing her research into Triple-entry accounting with Blockchain. Lisa Li, the head of the BSV Hub-China who has an influential network in the blockchain community both in Australia and in China, Robert Lee from the Blockchain Metaverse Association INC, discussing Bitcoin Mining and Michael Choi founder of Panda Angel, talking about his new blockchain product launch.
The Bitcoin SV Developers workshop on the 19th of July, will cover new tools and developments in the Blockchain space. This includes, tools (but not limited to) such as Bitcoin Script, sCrypt, smart contracts and NFT’s. We will have several international virtual speakers, including, Xiaohui Liu, who will be educating developers about the launch of a smart contract transpiler, which is a conversion tool for converting Ethereum’s Solidity into the equivalent sCrypt code.
We welcome all blockchain enthusiasts, professionals, researchers and developers to come learn, discuss and network with pioneers in the blockchain space here in Australia
Once registered you will be sent a link to our website to access the event schedule and speakers!


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New Delhi [India], March 18 (ANI): Three members of a Kolkata-based group have been arrested for cheating a 53-year-old Delhi-based businessman of Rs 11 lakhs on the pretext of selling a "rice pulling" rare metal, which they claimed was certified by ISRO/DRDO/NASA, police said on Thursday.
Laptops, mobile phones, sim cards, debit cards etc have been seized from the accused.
With the arrest of accused Raj Kumar Saigal alias Harender Kumar, Thakurdas Mondal and Munna Lal, Crime Branch's Cyber Cell has busted the Kolkata-based gang of cheats, involved in the "Rice Puller" scam.
Saigal and Mondal were arrested from Kolkata while Munna Lal was held from Haryana.
The 'Rice Pulling' scam involves fraudsters marketing/testing and selling a 'Rice Puller' device made up of radioactive material that they claim possesses magical properties and attracts rice grains towards it and is very expensive in the international market required in aeronautical science. Fraudsters also claimed that the rice pulling device was certified by agencies like DRDO/ISRO. (ANI)


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Twitch has entered into an agreement with the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), but it will still not give streamers access to songs they can legally use. In fact, if Billboard points out that this is not a license agreement at all. According to the publication, the living room service owned by Amazon has made a financial settlement for the use of licensed music on the platform. Twitch also told creators in an email that it’s putting together a new process that publishers and rights holders can use to report content.
The new process differs from a DMCA and begins with a warning instead of a fine. If a rights holder reports a stream, Twitch will issue a warning and remove the tracks with unauthorized music. In the event of a flagrant violation – for example, the rebroadcast of concerts and the leak of unreleased tracks – Twitch could issue a penalty, depending on the user’s history.
In its email, Twitch says the new process is more forgiving to users who may have accidentally picked up music they could not use in their streams. Mike Futter van Virtual Economics Podcast note, however, that the new process only makes it easier for music publishers to tag users and that it does not make things better for creators. Streamers cannot dispute a report if they are flagged as a violation, as Twitch will only delete their videos. Even users who previously had the rights to use a piece of music can remove their content if they are falsely tagged.
Billboard says, however, that Twitch and the NMPA have also agreed on a time window to find out how music on the platform will be handled going forward. Twitch is apparently offering NMPA members a subscription contract that will enable future collaboration. As for the new reporting process, the platform has told creators that it could share more information in the coming weeks.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial staff, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we can earn an affiliate commission.


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WASHINGTON – Consumer prices fell by 0.3 percent in April, the biggest decline in 18 months, led by a retreat in energy prices as the Iraq war wound down. Prices for cars, clothes and food also went down.
While Friday's report from the Labor Department (search) made clear that inflation isn't a problem for the struggling economic recovery, it could raise more concerns over whether the United States is heading down a path of a destabilizing fall in prices.
April's decline in the Consumer Price Index (search), the government's most closely watched inflation gauge, came after prices rose by 0.3 percent in March.
The drop in April's prices was the biggest since October 2001 and was deeper than the 0.1 percent dip economists were forecasting.
Federal Reserve (search) Chairman Alan Greenspan and his colleagues are on guard for any signs of deflation -- prolonged and widespread decline in prices -- in the U.S. economy. Though they say the chances of deflation cropping up are remote, Fed policy-makers last week signaled that they were prepared to lower short-term interest rates to ward off even the threat of that happening.
Private economists said the Fed's concerns over deflation raised the odds of a cut in the federal funds rate, now at a 41-year low of 1.25 percent, at the central bank's next meeting June 24-25.
Much of the weakness of consumer prices in April stemmed from a 4.6 percent drop in energy prices as the war in Iraq came to an end. In March, energy prices, stoked by war tensions, rose by 4.6 percent.
Food prices in April dipped by 0.1 percent, reflecting falling prices for fruits, vegetable and diary products. Prices for poultry, beef and pork went up. Food prices in March rose 0.2 percent.
Excluding energy and food prices, which can swing widely from month to month, the "core" rate of inflation was flat in April for the second straight month.
Prices for cars dropped by 0.4 percent in April, reflecting heavy generous incentives to discounts to move cars off lots amid lackluster consumer demand. Clothing prices went down 0.6 percent in April as merchants discounted merchandise to attract shoppers.
While deflation is dangerous, more normal and contained cases of falling prices can benefit consumers. High energy prices had put a damper on consumer spending, the main force keeping the economy going. Lower energy prices will put less of a strain on wallets and pocketbooks and may make consumers feel more inclined to buy, economists said.
That's important because consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of all economic activity in the United States. Consumers have been spending sufficiently so far to keep the economy afloat and out of another recession. But businesses, faced with weak profits and unsure about the recovery, have been wary of making big commitments in capital spending and hiring. That's a major force hurting the economy's ability to get back to full throttle.


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The Pakistan Cricket Board has unveiled the national T20I kits for both the men’s and women’s teams ahead of the Men’s T20 World Cup in 2022.
PCB has released the official T20I kit for the T20 World Cup 2022 and the following year. The shirt incorporates the standard green as well as aqua blue stripes, giving the national outfit a unique twist. The jersey is called ‘Thunder’ because of its vibrant design and bright colors.
PCB has introduced two new jersey designs: the main jersey and the clash jersey. The designs will be worn by both the men’s and women’s cricket teams in T20I matches in 2022-23. Furthermore, Pakistan will wear a special jersey in the opening T20I against England to raise funds for flood victims in the country.
At a launch event, Babar Azam formally introduced the kit, and the PCB also released an unveiling video featuring both men and women cricketers. The kit reveal video features Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, Kainat Imtiaz, and Fatima Sana.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥!
Presenting the official Pakistan T20I Thunder Jersey'22 ⚡
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 19, 2022


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Apparently, Beverly Hills City Manager Roderick Wood has just redone his bathroom. How else to explain why he’d decide he wants to replace the plain ol’ concrete along Rodeo Drive with — get this, granite?
“Never mind that the city just wrapped up a $16-million, two-year streetscape makeover that included new concrete sidewalks,” Bob Pool writes in the LAT. Wood “wants merchants to pay the $850-per-linear-foot cost of the granite.”
We had for years wondered how a city of 10 million could support nearly as many posh shopping centers. Now we know: It can’t.
But the answer isn’t granite, Mr. Wood. The US Weekly readers of the world go to Rodeo Drive thinking they’ll see celebrities. Instead of throwing money into the ground, we recommend hiring A-listers to hang out on street corners and look conspicuous.
Hey, we hear Tom Cruise is looking for work.


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SANTIAGO – The Central Bank said on Tuesday that economists it polled have revised their 2019 economic growth forecasts for Chile downward by 0.30 percent to 2.9 percent
The economists also trimmed their 2020 and 2021 gross domestic product (GDP) forecasts by 0.10 percent to 3.3 percent, the Central Bank said, citing the Monthly Economic Expectations Survey for June.
The Central Bank survey includes 50 academics, consultants and bank economists.
The experts’ GDP growth forecast is within the range laid out by the Central Bank in its Monetary Policy Report (IPOM), which was released on Monday.
In the report, monetary policy makers cut their GDP forecast for this year to a range of 2.75 percent to 3.5 percent.
The Central Bank’s GDP number is lower than that projected by the government, which expects Chile’s economy to grow 3.5 percent this year.
Officials, however, acknowledged recently that hitting 3.5 percent will be difficult due to the slowdown in the global economy caused by the trade war between the United States and China.
Economists surveyed by the Central Bank, however, said the economy rebounded in May, with the Monthly Economic Activity Index (Imacec) rising 2.4 percent, up from the 2.1 percent increase registered in April.
The Imacec, which is prepared by the Central Bank, incorporates 91 percent of the goods and services included in the gross domestic product (GDP).
Economists are forecasting 2.5 percent GDP growth in the second quarter on a year-on-year basis, up from the 1.6 percent growth recorded in the first quarter.
On the inflation front, economists expect prices to rise 0.20 percent in June, well below the 0.60 percent increase registered in May, leaving the inflation rate at 1.5 percent since Jan. 1 and 2.3 percent on a year-on-year basis.
Economists expect the inflation rate to be 2.8 percent this year. Chile finished 2018 with an inflation rate of 2.6 percent and economists expect prices to rise 3 percent in 2020.
The economists polled for the Monthly Economic Expectations Survey expect the Central Bank to leave the benchmark rate at 2.5 percent.
Monetary policy makers surprised the markets last Friday by cutting the benchmark rate by 50 basis points.


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Cash-strapped firms are seeking new alternatives to traditional advertising to get their message across, with social media Facebook or Twitter now fair game. The latest preliminary results from the world's second largest media firm, WPP, suggested that the pace of that shift is now accelerating.
WPP said Friday that revenues from its public affairs and public relations divisions grew by 6.9%, beating the 4.4% growth in the advertising sector during 2008.
The division benefited from demand for the use of social networking sites by companies. "New technologies and new media have, once again, demonstrated the power of editorial publicity through fast-growing new application such as MySpace, YouTube, Facebook and Wikipedia," the firm said on Friday. Martin Sorrell's WPP owns a number of public relations firms, including Hill & Knowlton, Burson-Marsteller, Ogilvy PR World Wide, and Clarion.
Overall, WPP's annual results for 2008 topped analyst forecasts, with its unaudited net profit rising 18.5%, to 723.1 million pounds ($1.0 billion).
The firm said that overall the year 2008 had been one of "two contrasting halves," with 5.0% organic revenue growth in the first six months being followed by a tougher second half as the impact of the global financial crisis took hold. Overall, even though the year saw a large number of major events, including the UEFA soccer championships, the Beijing Olympics, and the U.S. Presidential elections, worldwide advertising and expenditure by companies saw only moderate growth. Emerging markets had the strongest performance, with revenues rising 16.9%, compared to just 4.6% growth in North America.
Overall, the strongest performance during the year came from the firm's information, insight and consultancy subsidiaries such as Millward Brown, which help firms with their branding strategies or in making existing marketing strategies more efficient.


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KENNEWICK, Wash.-- The stress of holiday shopping may be turning several people to earn some extra cash on the Internet. But online gambling in Washington is illegal and considered a Class C Felony.
Those who decide to take the chance are also at risk for credit card fraud and identity theft. The problem is even bigger since most websites don't have age limits, and remember you never know who will be the next victim of a scam.
"Who is on the Internet a lot, is a lot of times our teenagers and children even, and when these pop ads come on they can click on those," said Dr. Stephen Younker, a registered Psychologist with the Center of Counseling and Psychotherapy. "They don't discriminate with age when you click on that pop-up ad, so yea I think it's a big problem," he said.
He also says some people turn to gambling to escape feelings of loneliness and depression. The common signs of having a problem include being pre-occupied with gambling and lying to family members.
If you know someone who could be facing this problem you can call 1-800- 547-6133.


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Political uncertainty undermines retail confidence
The Coalition can and will spin the defeats in the two gettable seats in Tasmania and Queensland, but the Turnbull government now faces an overhaul of key policies or almost certain defeat at the next federal election.
The looming defeat is partially the result of the federal government’s own making, but also matters outside its control that play into the Labor party’s narrative.
The Turnbull government’s key initiatives simply don’t translate to election vote winners and that includes tax cuts.
With apologies to William Shakespeare, the personal income tax cuts can be described as much ado about nothing.
The Turnbull Government spent months spending political capital on the contortions necessary to get the personal income tax cuts through the Senate and the judgement of the voters in the by-elections was that they were not worth the effort.
The tax cuts delivered a $500 “windfall’ to voters on the lower tax rates or the equivalent of two cups of coffee a week – and effectively less than the penalty rates cuts that are haunting the Turnbull Government.
The tax cuts are not enough to offset rising government and government agency bills as well as household costs such as utility bills, health insurance levies and transport costs and are not even going to see coffee shops realise the windfall of selling those two extra cups of coffee a week.
Labor’s cut through line during the by-elections about the Turnbull government proposing multi-billion dollar tax cuts for the banks and major corporations while wage growth remains stagnant, was ultimately incisive.
The opposition didn’t have to talk about the personal income tax cuts, which most Australians are more often than not prepared to forgo for improved spending on hospitals and health services, education and the national disability insurance scheme that is falling well short of community expectations.
The personal tax cuts may be worth boasting about in Canberra but they have no political traction with voters and the proposed company tax cuts are likely to prove politically toxic if the Turnbull government persists with them.
Interestingly, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation had a better and potentially much more electorally-friendly idea on reducing the tax burden, in proposing the abolition of state government payroll tax with the federal government reimbursing the states for the lost revenues.
The Coalition government has inherited financial timebombs from the former Rudd-Gillard-Rudd governments that have not seriously been addressed in the boasts about returning the Federal Budget to surplus, a boast that also fails to take into account global risks of trade wars and another financial meltdown.
The two major financial timebombs are an underfunded and impossibly stretched NDIS, which the Government is perceived to be squeezing, and the ill-conceived National Broadband Network, which voters are being forced to sign up to – generally at a higher cost for an inferior service to what they currently enjoy.
Then there is the niggle about the GST being applied to online purchases.
The decision is fair enough in the context of a level playing field where bricks and mortar retailers who have to chip in to the national treasury while overseas retailers have been enjoying a distinct competitive advantage, however, the decision has not increased the popularity of the Turnbull government with voters.
Much more damaging for the government though is the reduced penalty rates decision of the Fair Work Ombudsman last year.
Labor referred the contentious penalty rates issue to the Fair Work Commission after lobbying retailers whose wage bills have ballooned as a result of the weekend, public holiday penalty rates.
The Commission conducted a comprehensive review and recommended a gradual and relatively modest reduction in penalty rates.
The umpire made the decision and the Turnbull government accepted the decision but the Labor Opposition under Bill Shorten, who actually referred the issue to the Commission, sees much more political gain in rejecting the decision than accepting the objective economic evaluation.
Awaiting the Turnbull government are the outcomes of the Royal Commission into the banks and superannuation funds and the Senate Inquiry into the Franchising Code of Conduct.
There is also likely to be an expanded debate on wage theft legislation, portable long service leave entitlements and labour hire and contractor obligations for employers.
The wage theft legislation is a direct result of the extensive deliberate underpayment of employees by retailers, particularly those in retail franchising.
Around Australia, Labor is proposing new laws that would criminalise the deliberate underpayment of workers with penalties that extend to jail terms.
These laws are, for the most part, popular with working Australians and present a further test for non-Labor or Green parties around the country who can scarcely defend the wage and entitlement scandals that have been reported so frequently in recent years.
Retailers have endured a long period of subdued market conditions and there have been a significant number of casualties.
The outlook appears to be no less certain and the political and broader economic circumstances in Australia are as much, if not more, to blame than increased competition from overseas retailers entering the market and online retailers.
Uncertainty undermines confidence and, in turn, impacts directly on consumer spending.
The by-election results last Saturday will generate a lot of soul searching in the Coalition government and there may just be enough fear among marginal seat members to push for a leadership change.
In any event, politics will cast a heavy shadow over economic conditions and retail prospects this financial year with vigorous campaigns for Federal, Victorian and New South Wales elections.
If politics is not enough to unnerve retailers this financial year, there are also potential storm clouds gathering in economic conditions with a credit squeeze looming, in part, as fallout from the Banking and Superannuation Royal Commission.
Housing prices are already retreating and, while that is affording some relief to buyers wanting to get into the market, it is eroding the “wealth” and confidence of existing homeowners.
Consumers tend to spend more when house prices are rising because they believe they have a safety net for any debts they create.
Bank lending in Australia has tightened and the Chinese government has reined in the flight of capital for investment in residential properties overseas.
These actions have led to the recent decline in housing prices and, historically, when housing prices fall, those consumers have become more cautious and ease up on spending.
The Reserve Bank is loathe to raise interest rates with inflation in check and modest wage growth but the banks are mulling over increasing their rates as they face the pressure of increasing costs of money in international financial markets.
Any movement in interest rates could have serious consequences for retailers as many homeowners do not have a sufficient buffer to meet rising mortgage obligations.
The Reserve Bank has indicated a key reason why it has not moved to lift official interest rates is the fact that Australian households have high debt exposure and are vulnerable to any economic shock.
Household debt has markedly increased over household income in the past three years in Australia with total household liabilities currently estimated at $2.46 trillion, representing a household debt to disposable income ratio of almost 200 percent, one of the highest in the world.
The uncertainty of the current political and economic landscape suggests retailers need to think carefully about the mood of voters and consumers in the months ahead, just as much as federal Coalition members of parliament are stuck in a policy quagmire.
How have consumers' needs changed since the start of the coronavirus? Contributor Anastasia Lloyd-Wallis examines w… https://t.co/zV4OQfBUsC3 days ago
Like most retailers, InStitchu was hit hard by COVID-19. The opening of its first store in the UK was scheduled for… https://t.co/S2AIvG8VcX3 days ago


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ADOTAS – Tuesday’s virtual mailbag contained the following news: Daily Grommet, the online marketplace and product launch platform for undiscovered consumer products, today announced the second tranche of investment by Rakuten, the third largest online marketplace in the world, and a rebrand that includes a name change to The Grommet. This [...] more...
ADOTAS – There’s no denying it: Online video is growing exponentially. The online video industry is expected to reach $28.72 billion in 2017, up from the $3.79 billion recorded in 2010 and the $11.14 billion expected in 20121. By 2016, it is estimated that it would take over six million years [...] more...
ADOTAS – AdGooroo, a Kantar Media company, recently published a new report, “Yahoo! Bing PPC Performance Metrics,” which examines key search metrics for both Yahoo! Bing and Google AdWords across six industry verticals in the US during Q3 2012, including Retail, Financial Services, Travel, Education, Business to Business and Computer & [...] more...
Now that the 2012 election is behind us, it’s time to shed a little light on the amount of spending that took place in this year’s race to the White House. According to an article published in the November 12 issue of Advertising Age, media raked in record dollars during the [...] more...
ADOTAS - Twitter introduced some new features to show how your followers are using and interacting with your tweets. Huzzah, the Google+ platform is open for app development! Location-based social advertising platform LocalResponse — check out our profile here — has acquired social TV check-in and advertising platform Philo. After getting tapped as Subway’s [...] more...
ADOTAS - Nielsen reports that 55%of U.S. consumers that bought a phone in the last three months bought a smartphone, meaning that the souped-up mobile devices are being purchased more than their less-fancy feature-phone cousins Kantar Media has broken into Europe with analytics offering Compete. According to Horace Dediu at Asymco, the average iOS [...] more...
ADOTAS – Geoscape has released the FREEmium edition (I see what you did there!) of the Geoscape Intelligence System (GIS), which will provide marketers with frequently updated consumer info such as socio-demographic, economic and spending data via an intuitive browser interface. GIS is powered by Geoscape resources such as the [...] more...
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- PointRoll’s Social Engager Leverages Multi-Source Data to Alter Creative on the Fly for Mobile Facebook & Twitter Users March 10th 2014 AUSTIN, March 10, 2014 (ADOTAS) — Advertisers can engage prospective [...] more »
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- The Programmatic Future: Automation Poised to Dominate Video Ad Buying March 10th 2014
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- Spotlight on Search: Yahoo! Gemini vs. Google Enhanced Campaigns March 6th 2014
- 6 Trends That Reinforce the Need for Unified Data Collection March 6th 2014
- Marketing Operations Manager - Healthcare
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- Finding Your Brand Advocates, Are You Ready for Super Bowl Sunday? - Inside CXM: [...] Theresa Trevor, Adotas, offers 5 simple rules to motivate brand advocates: [...]
- Study: Consumers Want a More Personalized Mobile Home Screen | Isupon: [...] ADOTAS – New research from mobile analytics company Flurry shows noteworthy growth in the use


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Sector Portrait: Trade
International Trade is a Bright Spot for Florida
Trends and challenges at Florida's airports, seaports, and free trade zones.
Trade officials say Florida needs more intermodal railroads to pick up cargo at ports.
Retaining business, say trade officials, will require significant investments in ports and transportation infrastructure. These days "speed to market" is the top concern for manufacturers, says Michael Hopkins, vice president of Latin American operations for Crowley Liner Services, which has terminals at Port Everglades and Jaxport. But Florida's interior transportation infrastructure isn't always efficient at moving cargo into and out of airports and seaports. "Florida is currently one of the most difficult states to get around in physically," says Michael Cavendish, a Jacksonville attorney with Gunster and chairman of both the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and the Northeast Florida Regional Transportation Study Commission.
Among needed changes, officials say:
- More intermodal railroads picking up cargo on port docks
- Better road connections between airports and seaports and major highways
- Uniform highway tolls
- Widening I-95
Trains and trucks that cart goods into Florida return north largely empty — excess capacity that is an opportunity for importers to move their cargo northward inexpensively. Inbound freight tonnage, according to the Florida Chamber Foundation study, is 80% larger than outbound tonnage. That makes the state a potentially attractive location for major retailers' warehouse and distribution sites, says Joel Haka, executive vice president and COO of Florida East Coast Railway.
"Our relationship with Latin America is what gives us an edge in foreign direct investment. But having too many eggs in one basket, especially when that basket is in the developing world, can be troubling."
[Photo: Daniel Portnoy]
But, he says, attracting those retailers and the ocean cargo lines that carry goods for them will require a coordinated, statewide strategy that includes marketing and the use of financial incentives.
Challenge: Diversify Export Destinations
TD Bank economist Alistair Bentley says that boosting high-value exports such as aviation, photonics and biomedical technology would help grow the state's manufacturing sector. Manny Mencia, Enterprise Florida's senior vice president and COO for international trade and development, believes one of the fastest ways to grow exports is to help current exporters expand to more countries.More than 60% of Florida's exports ship to Latin America and the Caribbean. Mencia says Florida's top priority must remain its relationship with that region, but the state also needs to increase trade with other markets, particularly Asia, the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa.
|Airport||Commercial Passengers (2010)|
|Miami International Airport||35,029,106|
|Orlando International Airport||34,288,697|
|Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport||22,412,627|
|Tampa International Airport||16,645,765|
|Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers)||7,380,596|
|Palm Beach International Airport||5,864,910|
|Jacksonville International Airport||5,601,500|
|Pensacola Regional Airport||1,439,740|
|Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport||1,332,680|
|Orlando Sanford International Airport||1,165,435|
|Northwest Florida Regional Airport (Eglin AFB)||800,000*|
|St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport||776,535|
|Tallahassee Regional Airport||684,916|
|Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (Panama City Beach)||677,587|
|Key West International Airport||566,889|
|Daytona Beach International Airport||476,558|
|Melbourne International Airport||345,399|
|Gainesville Regional Airport||298,504|
|Charlotte County Airport / Punta Gorda Airport||182,423|
|Source: Airports *Estimate. This list may not be reproduced in any format without written permission from the publisher.|
» GET THE FULL LIST:


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Although we turned the calendar to a new year, most of our market stories remain the same. How will Covid restrictions affect supply and demand? How are the global markets and political unrest going to affect commodity and currency prices?
Two weeks into the new year and the March cocoa contract has found a range to trade in. On the chart, after a short sell-off, prices have consolidated. The market seems to like cocoa prices between 2450-2550 for now.
As the European and US stock markets move higher and continue to act like any news is good news – cocoa hasn’t been able to find its direction. Demand continues to be weak for cocoa and production remains strong. Volatility in the currencies, mainly Pound, Euro and Dollar, have added stress to an already uncertain market.
Once restrictions are eased and more openings occur, cocoa prices should head back to 2800. Traders should consider buying calls in further out months.


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Canadian group to buy theaters
Published 4:00 am, Tuesday, November 19, 2002
2002-11-19 04:00:00 PDT Toronto -- Canada's Onex Corp., which owns Loews Cineplex Entertainment, is planning to buy Landmark Theatres, a U.S. art and specialty film chain.
Onex said this week that it had entered a nonbinding letter of intent to acquire the chain of 67 theaters and 290 screens in a deal worth about $82 million.
The company already owns 296 theaters and 2,877 screens in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Spain and Korea.
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"Landmark is an exceptional fit for Loews Cineplex," said Anthony Munk, managing director of Onex Investment Corp.
Joining Onex would give Landmark the opportunity to take advantage of the growth potential in specialized exhibition, said Landmark President Paul Richardson.


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TOKYO, October 28. /Corr. Igor Belyaev/. In one of the main exhibition halls of Tokyo Big Sight /”big site”/, located on the popular man-made island of Odaiba, on Wednesday opens 44th showroom Tokyo Motor Show 2015. More than 30 leading Japanese and foreign car manufacturers will present the latest achievements in the field of automobile industry.
As expected, the main Japan’s auto giant Toyota Motor Corp will show at the motor show a new concept sports car, which will differ for small size and high manageability. According to experts, the coupe from Toyota will be the main competitor for the price and quality of the Roadster MX-5 from Japan’s Mazda Motor Corp.
Toyota will present its new concept-cards for fuel cells that looks more like the vehicle of the distant future from a science fiction movie than a car built in 2015. Similar auto show and Honda Motor Co, which also must introduce a new sports car its NSX line. Mazda will show a new sports car and a concept car. Suzuki Motor Corp will be pleased with the updated version of its subcompact Ignis.
This year, Japanese automakers have even more emphasis on hybrid cars and fuel cell car. The local industry is actively striving to reduce harmful emissions and transition to more environmentally friendly modes of transport, investing in technology development in this area billions of yen.
One of the most intriguing cars at this year’s exhibition promises to be a concept car from Nissan with an unusual name Teatro for Dayz, the design of which can identify the driver by his own choice. Experts compare this car with a “clean canvas” on which the owner of this car is able to Express their individuality. Equipped with a huge number of modern electronics that allows to achieve incredible customization of both the interior and exterior of cars, Teatro for Dayz may be the first representative of the car is really a new generation.
Tokyo Motor Show is held once every two years for nearly half a century. The first such showroom in the Japanese capital took place in 1954. “Futuristic technology come to life through the power of science and technology, said the organizer of the exhibition, the head of the Japanese Association of automobile manufacturers Fumihiko IKE. – We hope that the Tokyo Motor Show this year will be a fantastic showcase of technologies that give rise to new dreams and imagination of people around the world.”


text: Israel is not well known for possessing natural resources. Unlike other countries in the region, it has little energy reserves, relatively few mines and a minimum of arable land. However, the case of ICL shows that the country is adept at making the most of those few resources it does possess. ICL benefits from direct access to some of the world's most concentrated sources of minerals - especially potash, phosphate rock and bromine. The company is one of the world's largest producers of potash (about 9% of world production) and an integrated producer of a variety of products based on phosphate rock, including phosphate fertilizers, phosphoric acid and specialty fertilizers. The company not only produces mineral-based products crucial to modern agriculture and other applications, but maximizes the economic potential of these resources by adding value in processing and manufacturing the final product. ICL underwent a major transformation in 1992, when the government sold the control of the company to private hands. "This was a very dramatic change from government administration, with all that entails, to transparent public management," said ICL President and CEO Akiva Mozes at a Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) ceremony last September which crowned ICL as one of the country's model companies. The decision of the TASE cited ICL as a model for the conversion of a government-held company into a world-class business. Last week, ICL celebrated being awarded the TASE's model company award with an impressive market-opening ceremony in Dimona, which is home to a large part of ICL's workforce. "We are a truly global company," Mozes told The Jerusalem Post last week. "ICL not only sells 95% of its products abroad, but also produces about half of its products abroad, with facilities in all the continents other than Africa." "We analyze things from a global perspective. We compare ourselves to the peers in our industry abroad, because there are no peers of a comparable business and scale in Israel," said Mozes. Today, ICL is one of the most important companies in Israel, with its stock the most traded on the TASE, and its market capitalization of some $11 billion the second largest in Israel. Starting in 2007 and into the beginning of 2008, ICL benefited from strong demand and higher prices for its fertilizer products due to dramatic increases in the production of fertilizer-intensive crops. This came in response to the growing demand for grains in emerging countries due to the increase in population, the increase in the standard of living and improved diets, as well as the rise of biofuels. The period of high prices led to a skyrocketing of the stock prices of fertilizer companies around the globe. ICL was particularly well positioned to take advantage of the upturn because it had been able, due to its virtually unlimited storage capacity at the Dead Sea, to stockpile inventory through the market's 2006 downturn. Prices have since drawn back sharply, but ICL has sustained impressive profit levels and has continued to distribute solid dividends to shareholders, according to a recent report by Clal Finance analysts. The company is the world leader in bromine production, which is found at the Dead Sea at the highest concentration in the world, making it particularly cheap to extract. The chemical is used in flame retardants, oil and gas drilling fluids and in water treatment biocides. The chemicals industry has long been notorious for polluting and harming the environment, but ICL has revolutionized its approach to environmental protection over the past few years, making some of its most significant infrastructure investments in that area. One of ICL's most significant environmental decisions was the shift from using oil at its facilities to natural gas, a less polluting fuel. "We've taken many steps forward," said Mozes. "We are now up to the standards of American and European regulation. In fact, if you compare us to similar potash manufacturers overseas we are even more advanced in our environmental standards." As one of the Negev's largest employers, ICL has invested in the region's community, with dozens of youth centers in underprivileged towns not only financed by the corporation but staffed by volunteers from among the company's employees who tutor children after work hours.


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A recent interview with CSCMP President and CEO Rick Blasgen highlights his vision of the organization's and the supply chain profession's role and challenges for the future. The interview was conducted by the consulting and education firm LeanCor and has been posted in a blog on the company's website.
In the conversation, Blasgen, a former supply chain executive, discusses how he has long viewed supply chain management as a source of revenue and customer service, not as just a cost-cutting center. He says that to be successful, supply chain management must not only be aligned with a business's overall strategy, it must also be embedded in the strategy itself.
In particular, supply chain management plays an essential role as a sort of mediator within an organization, helping to balance cost and service levels. Blasgen mentions that a former boss, Doug Conant, who was CEO of the consumer packaged goods giant Nabisco, used to say that like Switzerland, supply chain management is neutral. "You make sure to balance all of the different functional areas that compose the supply chain while assuring lowest delivered cost with the best customer service," Blasgen explains. "Supply chain leaders need to have a high level of integrity and ethics to bring together the partners to ensure the flow of information, goods, and money that the supply chain encompasses."
As they continue to play the role of mediator, today's supply chain professionals are also navigating three common challenges: growing globalization, technological innovations, and a gap between the demand for supply chain talent and the available supply. Blasgen sees CSCMP as playing a vital role in responding to those challenges through providing relevant research, education, and career-development programs as well as opportunities to connect with fellow supply chain leaders.


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Yemenia’s New Marketing Drive [Archives:1998/42/Business & Economy]
Yemenia’s new marketing drive is developing momentum. With the third non-stop flight to Paris, the airline seems eager to project a new image, based on a new improved service.
The new Marketing Manager, Abdullah Al-Mutareb, is trying new ways to expand the company’s market share. In his first major effort since assuming his new job, he has decided to convert part of the lobby of Taj Sheba Hotel into a departure lounge -with all formalities performed all the way to boarding the airplane. “The idea is to show the new business class service on our flights,” he said.
“To put people in the atmosphere of the flight, two business class seats will be placed in the hotel lobby. Those who decide to sit in them will also get a chance to listen on a recorded conversation between the Yemenia flight captain and the Charles de Gaulle airport tower.
The simulation has triggered the curiosity of many people who are coming to the inaugural dinner on Sunday evening, 18th October. The attendance will be further boosted by 8 free tickets to Europe – besides other items – to be given as raffle prizes.


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A massive new Staffordshire shopping village creating 1,000 jobs is now nearing completion - with some big names confirming they are moving in.
More than 80 shops will feature in the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet West Midlands in Cannock.
It is still hoped the outlet will open in spring, despite the nation having been thrust into a third national lockdown.
The £160 million development will feature a range of brands, from high street to premium and designer.
A total of 23 names have revealed they are coming to the centre, with another 60 set to be released in the next few weeks.
Those announced so far include high-end fashion brands Hugo Boss, Lacoste and Kate Spade, plus sports retailers Nike and Adidas.
Shops confirmed for McArthurGlen Designer Outlet West Midlands
- Hugo Boss
- Kate Spade
- Tommy Hilfiger
- Kurt Geiger
- Calvin Klein
- Ted Baker
- ASICS EMEA
- Mountain Warehouse
- Le Creuset
- Yankee Candle
Many of the brands are also hiring ahead of the big opening, with a variety of full and part-time positions available. You can find the latest vacancies here.
Planning permission was granted by Cannock Chase Council in 2017, subject to conditions including opening hours off 10am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm on Saturdays and 10am to 5pm on Sundays and public holidays.
But the outlet will be allowed to extend its opening hours on some occasions during the year after the council allowed three amendments to the original condition.
Once complete the whole retail site will create up to 1,000 jobs in the area.
John Ralston, McArthurGlen's regional operations director for the UK, France and Belgium, said: "Our new designer outlet will be a major visitor attraction in the West Midlands when it opens, generating 1,000 jobs for the local area and supporting around £20 million of employment income every year."


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34: Dog ate my Apple Watch
Mark and Jonathan discuss Apple’s recent purchase of Dark Sky and what it might mean for developers. Then they look at Adaptivity, one of the first apps to take advantage of universal purchases that are now available. Finally Mark and Jonathan go over their WWDC hopes and wishes.
Our Site: Everyday Robots.tech
Apple has launched an app and website to inform people about COVID-19
Apple employees allowed to take future products home to continue work
Zoom is not end to end encrypted
Adaptivity one of the first universal purchase apps
Apple purchases hyperlocal weather app Dark Sky, ending API and killing Android apps