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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Investors jumped on a mixed bag of retail stocks Tuesday to give the retail index a meaningful push higher after better-than-expected earnings from a host of retailers.
Home Depot, Nordstrom and Big Lots all outpaced expectations for the first quarter and helped reverse a week-old downturn. The latest batch of quarterly results for the sector also outweighed the second decline in a row for weekly retail chain-store sales as compiled by Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi.
The BTM-UBSW chain-store retail index slipped 0.1 percent for the period ended May 17 against the prior week. "Consumers' desire to shop has been relatively restrained," said Michael Niemira, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi's retail analyst.
Home Depot was the biggest mover among Dow Jones Industrials components and a major force behind the 2 percent increase in the S&P Retail Index $RLX, which ended the session at 299.49.
A day after Lowe's Cos. reported a 22 percent leap in earnings, Home Depot said that its quarterly profit climbed 6 percent. For the quarter ended May 3, Home Depot made $907 million, or 39 cents a share, against year-earlier earnings of $856 million, or 36 cents.
The results were 2 cents ahead of the consensus of analysts polled by Reuters Research. Home Depot
At the close, Home Depot's shares stood at $30.67, up $2.60. Smaller rival Lowe's gave back $1.30, or 3.2 percent, to $39.63.
Seattle-based Nordstrom also forecast a higher range of fiscal-year results on a per-share basis. For the quarter, Nordstrom posted $27.2 million, or 20 cents a share against a net loss of $24.6 million or 18 cents a share last year -- 4 cents ahead of Wall Street's consensus.
Subtracting $55 million in one-time charges, Nordstrom reported earnings of $30.4 million or 22 cents a share in the year-ago period. Net sales rose 3.5 percent to $1.3 billion for the quarter while same store sales dropped 1.4 percent.
"Despite the challenging retail environment, we are encouraged by our relative sales performance this past quarter and are working diligently to continue to build market share," said President Blake Nordstrom said in a statement.
Shares of Big Lots
The consolidator reported of $10.2 million, or 9 cents per share, down from its year-ago profit of $12.2 million, or 11 cents per share.
Sales rose 4.9 percent in the latest three months to $948.4 million from $904.1 million in the same period a year earlier. Same-store sales rose 1 percent in the quarter.
Looking ahead, the Columbus, Ohio-based off-price retailer said it remains cautious in what it called an "uncertain retail environment."
After Monday's close, Long's Drug Stores came up a bit short of Wall Street hopes, posting first-quarter net income of $5.8 million and 16 cents per diluted share. While a turnaround from the $13.7 million, or 36 cents, lost in the year-ago period, it was a penny shy of the consensus estimate of analysts polled by Thomson First Call.
Long's total sales for the quarter came in at $1.1 billion, up 1.2 percent, but same-store sales eased 0.8 percent. Shares of Long's
The results were short of Wall Street's expectations that the Little Rock, Ark.-based chain would report a per-share profit of 43 cents on sales of $1.9 billion. Same-store sales declined 5 percent.
The results quashed last year's profit of $58.1 million, or 68 cents a share on sales of $1.9 billion, not including an accounting charge.
The company headed off worse results by clocking a gain of $10 million, or 12 cents per share, related to the sale of Dillard's interest in Sunrise Mall and its associated center. The retailer also used a credit of $7.9 million, or 9 cents per share, from the resolution of certain liabilities related to its purchase of Mercantile Stores Co.
Dillard's noted that it took higher price cuts aimed at trimming inventory during a quarter stressed by a weak economic environment. Not surprisingly, gross margins plunged. However, the company still ended the quarter with 5 percent more inventory than the prior quarter when inventories dropped 11 percent.
Dillards' also bought about 1.2 million shares of stock for $15.3 million.
Elsewhere, Staples SPLS shares retreated by 87 cents, or 4.3 percent, to $18.90 after the office-supply retailer reported lower profits, stung mostly by an accounting change.
Based in Framingham, Mass., Staples said profits plunged 74 percent to $25 million, or 5 cents a share vs. last year's profit of $94 million, or 20 cents a share. The results included a one-time, noncash adjustment that eroded profits by $62 million, or 13 cents a share.
Subtracting the adjustment, the results at 18 cents a share were a penny ahead of the average at First Call. Staples said sales in the quarter rose to $3.14 billion from $2.74 billion a year ago.
Staples said it expects current quarter earnings per share in line with the analyst estimates. It sees full-year adjusted earnings growth of 20 percent and sales growth in the range of mid to high single-digit organic growth. Comparable-store sales should roll in at "low single-digit positive," the company said.
Rival Office Depot


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Last month Business SA and the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA) drew up a template workplace agreement that, if implemented, would cut penalty rates for already low paid retail workers.
Business SA is a major employer organisation in South Australia and the SDA is Australia’s largest union representing around 230,000 retail employees. Employers and right wing politicians alike hailed the agreement as “landmark” and called for it to be spread to other states across the country.
While the agreement is merely a template it provides employers, who are currently obliged to pay Award rates, with an avenue to reduce their wages bill by slashing penalty rates that are paid when employees work anti-social hours.
The SDA claims that the agreement is “win, win” for both the employer and employees as in exchange for reduced penalty rates the employee would receive a small pay increase. They would also get the right to refuse some weekend work.
The problem is that the pay rise in exchange for the penalty reduction is only once off and there is also the possibility that no pay rises at all will be forthcoming once the agreement has expired.
As for refusing weekend work, whether or not that right can be implemented would depend upon the strength of the union in the shop. In places with a weak union presence those types of things are routinely ignored by employers.
It is not possible for an agreement to be “win, win”. A certain amount of wealth is created in a business and there is a struggle over how much of that wealth goes to wages and how much goes to profits. Employers compete amongst themselves and are constantly looking for ways to outdo their rivals. No employer gives up a share of the wealth without being put under pressure.
If this agreement was implemented the employee would be much worse off. The employer has control of the rosters and therefore has the ability to manipulate shifts to their advantage. The one off pay rise would be eaten into in no time but the condition would be lost forever. Measured over several years the employer would be thousands of dollars a year better off.
The question some may ask is if this is the case, why would the SDA agree to it? The SDA have in fact signed many agreements similar to this with major retail chains. Their modus operandi is to sign sweetheart deals with employers in exchange for exclusive coverage in the shop.
In many shops they have helped employers reduce wages and working conditions in exchange for the employer helping them to recruit to the union – a type of closed shop arrangement.
The employer gets increased profits while the SDA gets thousands of members paying fees to the union. They use this massive paper membership as the basis of their affiliation to the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). Within these bodies they hold undue influence and push a right wing conservative political agenda.
The motive behind the new template agreement is an attempt to extend their reach beyond the major retail chains and into small and medium business where they currently have little coverage.
In reality the SDA are a yellow union that facilitates low pay and casualisation in the retail sector while dragging the ALP even further to the right. Worse still they negatively impact on the whole union movement.
Young people in particular are repelled by their collaboration with greedy employers and vote with their feet by refusing to join unions despite high levels of exploitation. There is a desperate need to challenge the corrupt practices of the SDA and rebuild the trade union movement along fighting and democratic lines.
Unless this is done wealth inequality will continue to rise and union membership will continue to stagnate.
By Anthony Main

domain: news


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Ford has been at the forefront of enacting more environmentally friendly practices throughout the automotive industry for quite some time now, and the company has now been recognized for that work. That’s right, Ford has earned a spot on the CDP Climate ‘A List’ for its work on cutting emissions, mitigating climate risks, and developing the low-carbon economy. With this grand achievement in mind, let’s take a look at some of the environmentally friendly practices Ford has implemented.
[ LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL THINGS FORD IN OUR BRANDON FORD BLOG ]
As we mentioned in our introduction, Ford has been implementing a wide array of environmentally friendly practices, including being in the midst of an $11.5-billion electric vehicle rollout and taking part in providing electric drivers with the largest electric vehicle charging network in North America. Initiatives like those have helped Ford earn the admiration of environmental advocates like CDP.
“Congratulations to Ford for earning a spot on this year’s Climate ‘A List’ – the company is a model for true corporate sustainability leadership. Climate change is an undeniable business risk if unaddressed and we must transition to a low-carbon economy now to avoid the worst impacts. ’A List’ companies know sustainability presents an exciting race to the top, an opportunity to innovate and rethink business as usual, proving that environmental responsibility simply makes good business sense.”
Bruno Sarda, President of CDP North America
For more on all things Ford, including more on the new Ford cars, trucks and SUVs at Brandon Ford in Tampa, FL, please contact our staff.


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The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) -- a misnamed organization if there ever were one -- has threatened to sue McDonald's for making kids fat by enticing them with toys. The organization on Tuesday sent a letter to the fast-food firm expressing its intent to sue if toys are not removed from "Happy Meals."
In a shocking display of sanity and reason, McDonald's urged parents to take responsibility for what their children eat.
The CSPI action came less than two months after Santa Clara County, Calif., (where else?!) supervisors approved an ordinance that bans restaurants in unincoporated parts of the county from offering toys or other incentive items with certain foods.


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Sayantani Kar, Business Standard
Mumbai, April 30, 2014
"Those who have tasted it loved it. But we are also enjoying the buzz created by those who have just heard about it," says Sanjiv Razdan, general manager – Pizza Hut & Restaurant Excellence, at Yum! Restaurants India (Yum) about the chain’s latest product, the Birizza. The combination of Indian-style rice with a bread crust and gravy on the side has triggered varying reactions among consumers, ranging from bemused, incredulous to curious, especially on social media. After rolling out tandoori pizzas, it is offering a take on the Indian tawa pulao/biryani. Detractors have underlined how the concept is at odds with the chain’s branding, a concern that Razdan says is laid to rest when one samples the product.
While quick service restaurants (QSRs) had entered the food scene with Indianised menus, the market has also had a lot of products withdrawn since then. After the initial success, is it now a case of more misses than hits in new menu-items for these QSRs?
Why fix what ain’t broke
Devangshu Dutta, CEO, Third Eyesight, says QSRs have a set of core items that define the branding of a chain. "Beyond these, other products will come and go."
For Pizza Hut, the contribution of its core product – pizza – is around 60 per cent, according to Razdan. Senior officials at McDonald’s say that for the burger chain the core mid-range menu of burgers, wraps and fries comprises around 40 per cent, while the premium range which is seeing the most product innovations contributes around 23 per cent, the entry-level ‘happy price’ menu 23 per cent and beverages 14 per cent – categories that also see the chain revising its line-up often.
Why do the QSR brands, then, look to expand beyond their core? Dutta says, "New items bring in additional footfalls, drive up price-points and ticket sizes, adding to margins in these times of low consumer spending." Fast-food chains sure need the help with the three major companies – Jubilant Foodworks, Yum and Westlife Development (owns Hardcastle restaurants which is the franchisee of McDonald’s in the west and south) – seeing a decline in growth ranging between 2.6 and 9.8 per cent in the December quarter.
The chains’ reasons
For Birizza, Razdan says, "We wanted to get new users for not just our brand but for the category as well, ie. who don’t like pizzas. It was time to take a big leap rather than incremental innovation such as a variant of a pizza." He informs that the birizza would be a permanent fixture as rice is a preferred staple in most of India.
Pizza Hut’s sister brand, KFC, owned by Yum, had already experimented with a flavoured rice meal with gravy. Razdan says Pizza Hut Sri Lanka too had recently set a precedent with rice. "We had to introduce something with Pizza Hut’s twist and hence, the crust," says Razdan.
President and COO of Dunkin’ Donuts India, Dev Amritesh, says they have to keep in mind the palate of the Indian audience in picking flavours, spices and herbs. The doughnut chain managed by Jubilant FoodWorks that also handles Dominos, is set to enter its second metro city, Mumbai, in May and has recently launched wraps and a bagel bun-burger. Amritesh says, "New product development keeps the brand promise of being an adult QSR brand in mind. It is not for the first-time QSR customer, but an evolved one. So the menu would have some complexity with a story behind the items and a western vocabulary." Dunkin’ is currently tailoring its new products such as the Tough Guy burger, which has a bagel bun instead of the usual bun, to make customers get their ‘mojo’ back.
For McDonald’s, it is about premiumising its menu. After its chunky McSpicy range, it is now pushing the Royale range that is its most expensive.
The strategy would increase the ticket size and serve the customer at different meal-times too.
Lessons from the misses
But what about the products which lost their spot on the limited menus, typical of fast-food chains? The lessons are being ploughed back in product innovations. "We have learnt that we can’t get new customers by just bringing in more of our international flavours. So, even with a pasta range abroad, more pastas in India would not mean more customers in our fold," says Razdan. Pricing, especially in this climate of low consumer spending, is another lesson. "With both our new big pizza and Birizza, we are mindful of the prices. Now, we have pizzas which are on an average 23 per cent more than the regular size of competition without a price hike."
Senior director, marketing, corporate communication and menu management at McDonalds, Rameet Arora, says, "We have learnt to launch products that preserve the credibility of the brand. To keep interest levels up, we have always had limited edition products such as chicken popcorn, cheesy fries and a Mexican spice festival range."
Dutta says that chains often don’t mention the trade-offs: "A low-margin product could become the default order, and it may not be profitable, requiring a trade-off between footfalls and profitability. For example, the McAloo tikki burger has been made unavailable in some markets and certain outlets of McDonald’s." Abheek Singhi, partner and director at The Boston Consulting Group, says "Eighty per cent of the time, new flavours and food products don’t work. Often they are not meant to garner volumes but generate excitement."
(Sourced from Business Standard.)


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Monday 8th November 2021 – XÀBIA AL DÍA with Mike Smith
The selective collection of used textiles in Xàbia continues to improve every year and, according the date provided by the NGO ‘Humana Fundación Pueblo para Pueblo’, some 95,469kg of used clothing and other textiles were deposited by the town’s residents between January and October in the special purple containers located across the municipality, a figure that already exceeds the figure for the whole of 2020 (90,320kg).
A statement from the NGO explained that the increase of 5.7% so far this year will rise even more by the end of 2021 and they attribute the rise in deposited items to greater awareness by residents.
In Xàbia, there are a total of 42 purple containers in which to deposit clothing, footwear, accessories and home textiles that are no longer used in order for their useful life to be extended thanks to professional and transparent management.
The more than 95 tons recovered by the organization is equivalent to 386,000 garments which will provide a double benefit through good and proper management. Firstly, it will help the environment by reducing the generation of waste which ends up in a landfill and reducing CO2 emissions by some 302 tons.
Secondly, it will create more green jobs since Humana generates indefinite employment for every 30,000kg of used textiles that it collects and allocates a part of the resources to social projects.


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In 2018 Georgia will spend about 16.309 million GEL on advertising campaigns about Georgia. According to National Tourism Administration, winter and summer advertising campaigns will be held in the following...
”Kakhetian Traditional Winery” will build energy efficient hotel in Akhasheni. Head of the company, Zurab Chkhaidze explains that they will receive electricity from solar energy.
41-room hotel will be adapted for people with disabilities, rooms, as well as surroundings of the hotel area.
The construction is almost complete and will launch next year, financed by Bank of Georgia and DCFTA project. The volume of investment is GEL 7 million.


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In the Riviera Nayarit we have open beaches
Open beaches, the business sector requests 50% occupancy
Facing the urgent need to reactivate the economy in Bahía de Banderas and also as a favorable result with the tourism promotion strategies, ADEPM has formally requested authorization from the state government of Nayarit to have beaches open to 50 percent of their capacity.
Having direct communication and coordinated efforts with the government of Nayarit, we have presented reasons to highlight the importance of having open beaches. Especially because it has been working with a tourist promotion that allows to recover and start the high season. Vacation season which, in years prior to the health pandemic, used to be an important economic pillar for the state of Nayarit.
Different organizations, associations and business chambers of the Riviera Nayarit, in alliance and with the clear intention of generating greater strength and scope in the economic reactivation of the state, is that we have joined efforts to create a business alliance, which facilitates carrying out the tourism promotion strategies for the Riviera Nayarit.
In the Riviera Nayarit, companies have worked very hard to modify their operating standards and adapt them to a new modality, with new protocols and sanitary measures. In addition, resources have been invested to acquire what is necessary to guarantee the monitoring of these health and hygiene protocols.
The business sector in the Riviera Nayarit is prepared to continue offering unforgettable experiences to its visitors, to take care of them and keep the holidays in a safe atmosphere. Hotels, restaurants, land transportation and other tourist companies. We are open and prepared to continue making memorable memories and enjoy the open beaches in the Riviera Nayarit.


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Summary by JW Williams
Apeel Sciences is a California based company that produces Edipeel, a plant-based film coating barrier that stops produce from losing moisture, thereby slowing down visual spoilage.
Apeel’s product has been maligned on the internet as a Bill Gates and World Economic Forum company that makes produce last three times longer and cannot be washed off. The message includes a screenshot of a safety data sheet for a product called “Apeel” with hazard statements that say that it can cause serious eye damage, allergic skin reaction, and may harm aquatic life with long lasting effects. The Associated Press and other mainstream fact-checkers pointed out that the safety data sheet that was attached to the internet warning was for an entirely different product, also called ‘Apeel’ that is a “hard surface cleaner” and is located in the UK.
The coating reportedly consists of purified monoglycerides and diglycerides that are designated by the Food and Drug Administration as a “generally recognized as safe”, or GRAS, food additive. This suggests that Apeel Science’s product, Edipeel, has bypassed federal safety testing.
Apeel is allowed to be applied to organic foods.
Dr. Josh Axe wrote in 2021 that he spoke with Vani Hari, the Food Babe, who told him that emulsifiers called “monoglycerides” and “diglycerides” are an additive that is a byproduct of oil processing, including partially hydrogenated canola and soybean oils. This additive may contain artificial trans fat – a dangerous food ingredient known to cause coronary heart disease and linked to 50,000 fatal heart attacks a year. In 2016, the Food and Drug Administration finally determined that trans fat is no longer generally recognized as safe for food use. Even though mono- and diglycerides may contain trans fat, they aren’t required to be labeled as trans fats on food packages.
Jenny Du, co-founder of Apeel, failed to reveal the exact ingredients of the product. Krysten’s Kitchen published an analysis and wrote that if the mono- and diglycerides are plant derived, she wants to know which plant and what the plant was treated with. She also wrote about the loss of nutritional value in older produce. She lists numerous stores where Apeel-treated produce, including limes, avocados and apples, is being sold. Her article is on Substack
Apeel cannot be washed off without damaging the fruit or vegetable, according to Apeel’s website. Apeel was asked whether the produce is cleaned before application of their sealant and the company responded by saying that the fruits and vegetables are subject to the food safety laws of the countries where they are grown and where they are sold, indicating that Apeel does not have a policy to first clean the foods unless directed by laws of countries that grow and sell the produce.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided funding for Apeel Sciences in 2012 and again in 2015, according to the AP. Katy Perry and Oprah are also reported to be investors.
The Weston A. Price website asks people to imagine their local organic fruits and vegetables being replaced with produce traveling the world by slow boat and then still looking fresh for an extended time on retail shelves and having reduced nutritional value.
Many health oriented people are buying their foods from local farmers’ markets as a way to try to eat local, fresh and clean produce.
Krysten’s Kitchen: https://krystenskitchen.substack.com/p/the-dangerous-chemical-coating-bill
Dr. Josh Axe: https://draxe.com/health/dangerous-additive/
Apeel FAQ: https://www.apeel.com/faq


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Here’s a fact: Blue Moon—which most consumers think of as ‘craft beer’—is actually brewed by the world’s second largest brewer, MillerCoors. That news didn’t sit well with suds consumers, who felt miffed by the idea that America’s beer titan was allegedly masquerading as a small operation.
If you recall, back in April, San Diego beer frinker Evan Parent sued macro-brewery MillerCoors for falsely advertising its Blue Moon brand as a craft beer. According to The Brewers Association, a craft brewery by definition is a small, independent brewer that produces less than six million barrels per year. MillerCoors is none of these things. (Note: the BA definition isn’t legally binding).
Speaking as someone who is wildly indifferent to craft beer, Blue Moon is not a craft beer.
— John Mosley (@____Mose) October 19, 2015
Based on the definition, Parent thought he had the perfect case against: He believed the major brewery should not be allowed to market its product under false pretenses.
However, it looks as though the court system disagrees. Last week, a federal judge shut down Parent’s lawsuit, explaining that there are no regulations against a major brewery passing off as a small, independent one.
tonight there will be a blue moon in the sky, which is not a craft moon at all but a lie sold to you by MillerCoors
— Tokyo Sexwale (@CrystalPepsi) July 31, 2015
According to Fox News, MillerCoors claims that “no reasonable consumer” could have been under the impression that it was “hiding” under a craft brew label. The company explains that it explicity states its ownership of Blue Moon on the bottle’s label and online.
In the meantime, the judge has allowed for Parent to revise his claim, so MillerCoors is not quite off the hook yet.
[via Fox News]


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Taco Bell® Viva Young Makes Old Look and Live Young
For the first time since 2010, when Taco Bell promoted its $5 Big Box, the company will be present on the screens with a 60 second commercial during the Super Bowl XLVII. Taco Bell® recently unveiled a 60-second online teaser video in anticipation of its 60-second brand Super Bowl commercial. The teaser, featured in the video below, shows 87 year-old Bernie Goldblatt going “wild” on a football stadium, making “donuts” on the field.
The campaign’s teaser was created by Deutsch LA, a full service ad agency, with offices in New York and Los Angeles. Deutsch LA is part of Taco Bell’s agency roster along with lead agency Draftfcb.
The 60 second teaser reveals a bit about what will follow in Taco Bell’s LIVE MÁS® brand commercial, scheduled to debut during the third quarter of the game broadcasting Feb. 3, 2013 on the CBS Television Network. The commercial attempts to show that people of any age can “live young.” We already know that the LIVE MÁS® campaign will feature the Beat’s “We Are Young,” which will be sung in Spanish, what we don’t know, or can predict, is how much the audience will identify with the character, as Brian Niccol, Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer, Taco Bell Corp., wishes and hopes:
“Our hope is that our consumers will see themselves in this ad. They tell us that Taco Bell is about memories and experiences, and things they like to share with their friends. We believe that advertising on the world biggest stage, the Super Bowl, was the ideal way to share these experiences with our fans, while also providing further context into the mindset of Taco Bell and what it means to LIVE MÁS.”
Edelman PR is the agency of record for Taco Bell.


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- Callum Lo
American Express Earnings' Discussion
- American Express’ moves to compete with products offered by firms like JPMorgan Chase appear to be paying off.
- The firm has released earnings, showing it beat expectations by a small margin on both its top and bottom lines.
- A new CEO has been announced.
- DCF valuation of $104.
To read the full article click here.


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Click Farms, Instagram Crack Down and Facebook Chatbots
- Social Media
Ever get random likes from completely random Instagram accounts? Click farms may be the reason why…
Click farms are establishments in which low-paid workers spend their days clicking on web or social media content. Click farms contain hundreds or even thousands of phones, all at the ready for when an organisation or business pays for traffic.
A huge click farm based in Thailand is the latest to be caught. The click farm had more than 500 mobile phones and 350,000 SIM cards. The setup also included nine computers and 21 SIM card readers.
Instagram Crack Down
This week, Instagram launched a brand new feature created to crack down on sponsored content. The aim is to make it more transparent where celebrities or influencers have been paid to endorse a product or brand on their account.
Currently, this feature has only been rolled out to a few brand and influencers in order to gather feedback from the community. The next phase will be to create a policy that includes some sort of enforcement.
It will look a little something like this…
Facebook Introduces a GIF Button For Comments
To mark the 30th anniversary of the GIF, all Facebook users will be given the new GIF comment button which Facebook has been testing for three months.
Facebook added GIF support two years ago, but until now users had to enter the URL of a GIF hosted else. The GIF button cuts the hassle, especially on mobile. It’s currently only available for comments, but Facebook may eventually also make it available for News Feed posts.
Snapchat Opens Self-Serve Ad Platform
After first announcing a new self-serve ads platform last month, Snapchat’s parent company Snap Inc. has now officially launched the tool, while also announcing some additional ad options to help boost take-up of Snapchat ads.
Like most other social platforms, advertisers will now be able to create and purchase their own Snapchat ads via a new dashboard. Previously, you were only able to purchase Snapchat ads via partners or through Snapchat themselves.
Snapchat has also created audience tools which include lookalikes and Audience Match options (similar to other platforms) but also includes ‘Snap Lifestyle categories’, which it introduced late last year.
Facebook Launch An Era Of Advanced Chatbots
Facebook is discovering a new way to bridge the gap between tech and humans.
To do this, Facebook’s researchers are working on ways of training its bots to think beyond the norm by presenting them with conversations between real people as they’re in the midst of negotiating deals. Through doing this, super smart programs can be trained to learn from these experiences and even devise strategies of their own.
Facebook said: “Interestingly, in the [Facebook AI Research] experiments, people did not realize they were talking to a bot and not another person — showing that the bots had learned to hold fluent conversations in English in this domain.”


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“There are amazing games on that platform”.
The relationship between EA and fans of Nintendo’s platforms has been pretty bumpy in recent times; on the one hand, Nintendo fans are being forever brushed aside when it comes to the likes of FIFA, but on the other, EA does seem committed to bringing plenty of games to Switch in due time.
In a new interview with GamesIndustry.biz, EA SVP Mike Blank has discussed the company’s current stance on releasing its products on Switch. He refers to the fact that EA has already announced it will be bringing seven new games to Nintendo’s console over the next year, and also notes that EA Play – a subscription service which grants subscribers access to its biggest releases – is also being considered for the platform.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com


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The e-commerce subsidiary of Walmart, Jet.com, closed a deal to buy popular online retailer, ModCloth, on Friday. While the companies declined to confirm the price of the deal, some reported it to fall between $50 and $75 million.
As Mashable points out, the news has come as a surprise to many as ModCloth is known for its “alternative, indie vibe and size-inclusive philosophy” while Walmart, let’s just say, is not. Although the indie retailer is most popular with 18- to 35-year-old women, a group Walmart is likely looking to go after.
“Today marks the beginning of the next stage of ModCloth’s journey. I am excited to announce that we are joining the Jet.com and Walmart family,” ModCloth founder Susan Gregg Koger wrote in a blog post. “This will give us the necessary resources and support that we need as a business to grow. Growth allows us to reach more women, grow our community, and amplify our message. Our mission to help our customers feel like the best version of themselves continues. And our commitment to inclusivity continues. Our amazing team continues. And we can open more stores — in your hometown! I hope you will continue to join us as well on this next phase of our journey together.”
The vintage-inspired retailer will retain its own website, as well as its store in Austin, Texas while the smaller designers who sell their clothing on ModCloth.com will now also be able to sell their products on Jet.com. ModCloth staff will “bring their significant experience and unique talents to our U.S. e-commerce efforts,” Walmart said in an email on Friday.


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Royal Enfield, the iconic motorcycle manufacturer, has introduced a game-changing initiative named Royal Enfield Rental in India. This program offers motorcycle rentals in collaboration with over 40 rental operators across 25 prominent Indian cities. With a diverse fleet of over 300 motorcycles, enthusiasts can now easily rent a Royal Enfield bike for their adventures.
Cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Leh, Goa, and Chennai are among the 25 locations where Royal Enfield Rental is accessible. The company plans to expand its reach to more cities in the near future. To book a rental Royal Enfield bike, visit the Royal Enfield Rental website, select your city, pick-up and drop-off dates, and browse available models with their respective prices. This initiative aims to provide widespread access to Royal Enfield motorcycles and support rental operators, enhancing the motorcycling experience for enthusiasts across India.
Direct url to book: click here
Mohit Dhar Jayal, Chief Brand Officer, Royal Enfield, said, “Our extended family of motorcycle rental and tour operators and mechanics have played a critical role in shaping our culture and mission of pure motorcycling. Alongside our efforts, the people of this extended ecosystem have built wider access and aspiration for our motorcycles.”
“Our new Royal Enfield Rentals initiative will enable access for riders to rent a motorcycle anywhere in India, and it will also enhance the level of support we offer to all motorcycle rental operators who represent the backbone of our ecosystem across tourist and rider destinations everywhere,” he added.


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« Office of Naval Research awards UW-Madison ERC $2M grant to develop model to characterize performance of drop-in renewable fuels | Main | EIA: US housing stock has significant potential for plug-in vehicles »
GM Tonawanda Engine begins production for new 4-cylinder Ecotecs
22 June 2012
The General Motors Tonawanda Engine plant has begun production of the technology that will go into the next-generation Ecotec 4-cylinder engines (2.5L and 2.0L turbo) that will power the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu and 2013 Cadillac ATS. GM invested $425 million in the plant to add capacity for the new engines. (Earlier post.)
Tonawanda features flexible manufacturing systems that will enable high-quality production and quick changeovers from one engine product to another.
Tonawanda currently produces the Inline 4 (4-cyl.) – 2.9L and Inline 5 (5-cyl.) – 3.7L engines found in the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups and the Ecotec 2.4L (4-cyl.) engines found in the Chevrolet Malibu and for China and Korea applications. In February 2010 the plant was awarded a $425 million investment for the Ecotec 2.0L/2.5L (4-cyl.) engine that will be used in the next generation Chevrolet Malibu and the Cadillac ATS, and a $400 million investment awarded in April 2010 to build an all-new V8 engine for pickup trucks.
From 650 employees a year ago with 130 on permanent layoff, Tonawanda has brought back all laid-off workers and added 54 additional jobs, 21 from GM Components Holdings plants and 33 new-hires. More hiring is expected at Tonawanda with the addition of shifts for the Ecotec engines and the upcoming launch of the GEN V V8 engine line in Plant 1.
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Content tagged “idc”
By CT News Bureau |Feb 15, 2018 |In News
Addition of new channel partners and deep penetration in smaller cities saw the demand for ink tank printers outpacing that of some big cities and this helped them propel in Inkjet market.
By CT News Bureau |Nov 07, 2017 |In News
Systems Integration continued to lead the project-oriented services market in 1H 2017. The sustained demand was led by investments in core infrastructure upgrades...
By CT News Bureau |May 25, 2017 |In News
The next couple of months may prove challenging for channel partners owing to confusion in GST tax slab and this may impact sales of Inkjet, laser, SDM and line printers.
By CT News Bureau |Nov 09, 2016 |In Trends
By advancing partner relationships through digital means, organizations can gain a unique perspective into the future of business.
By CT News Bureau |Oct 27, 2016 |In News
Partners are evolving and adapting to the changing needs of the business, but they will keep an eye on the future to anticipate and capitalize on emerging shifts.
By Preeti |Aug 25, 2016 |In News
On a sequential basis, the shipments grew 7.2 per cent over the January-March quarter this year, HP retained top position.
By CT News Bureau |Jul 22, 2016 |In News
The market took a sharp downward turn in the second quarter with falling sales of the Apple watch
By CT News Bureau |Jul 20, 2016 |In News
The onset of digitization drives across multiple verticals drove server demand this quarter.
By Priyankap |Jul 11, 2016 |In News
Vivo Enters Top 5 Global Smartphone Brands On IDC Q1 2016 Report
By Priyankap |Jul 05, 2016 |In News
NetApp Ranks No 2 In Worldwide All Flash Array Market Share For Q1 2016, says IDC


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According to the alleged leaked form, the eight-generation 10.8-inch iPad will have thinner frames, Face ID sensors and no Touch ID. There will be two speakers, USB C connector, a single camera on the back and inductive charging.
Apple is said to be working on a new eighth-generation iPad model that can be launched as early as September. Prior to the rumored launch, 91mobiles has received the design forms for the upcoming iPad 2020 from a reliable source. The design shows that the next generation model will look like the iPad Pro 2020 – it will have thinner frames around the screen, Face ID sensors above the screen and no Touch ID fingerprint sensor. On the back there will be a single camera with LED flash; The forms also show that the iPad 2020 will have magnetic contacts on the back to support the Magic Keyboard.
MacDailyNews Take: Second week in September?
TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote in a research note from June that Apple plans to launch a new 10.8-inch iPad in the second half of this year.
Just a few days ago, pictures of what is described as a nice manual for a currently unreleased iPad Air were posted on social media this morning depicting Apple’s fourth generation iPad Air with screen display, no Home button, with Touch ID instead integrated into the device’s power button.


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New Crypto Trading Gem Developed in Barbados Crypto exchange now possible using popular messaging platforms – a world first
The world’s first system that allows you to trade cryptocurrency from WhatsApp, has been developed and launched in Barbados under the leadership of Gabriel Abed, serial entrepreneur and the Caribbean’s leading authority on digital currency.
“For the past two years, a small and talented tech team based in Barbados has been redefining the way we interact with instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger. Using these platforms we can now send and receive crypto and trade between different digital currencies from within these ‘chats’,” Abed explained.
Dubbed Gaby.ai, the bot interacts with group chats to offer members the ability to pull market data, reward each other and exchange tokens without the need for a third-party application.
“I’ve always been a champion for empowerment. The intent is for this bot to better serve the growing number of chat-based communities and the people across the world who use these platforms on a daily basis,” Abed added.
The bot currently runs in over 200 crypto chat communities, serving over 8,000 WhatsApp members with the most popular feature being the ability to tip members in cryptocurrency.
“It’s an excellent way to incentivize members to share and engage within the group and foster a better community,” said Abed.
The tokens available for reward purposes include Bitcoin, Ethereum or the Gaby Token. Group chat admins also have the ability to create their own token. To learn more, visit – www.gaby.ai/


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After a brief hiatus, the miniature collectable grocery craze that took the country by storm is back.
Coles has confirmed they’re bringing back Little Shop with a new lineup of festive collectables for Christmas.
A spokesperson for Coles said the new set will include bon bons, a pavlova slab, mince pies, a gingerbread biscuit and gingerbread ice-cream.
Like last time, a limited number of collector’s cases will be available for purchase and you’ll receive a Little Shop item with every $30 you spend in store.
The Christmas themed Little Shop will be available from Friday December 7th.


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Finland-based Swappie raised a 35.6 million euro ($40.6 million) Series B round of funding to expand its online refurbished smartphone marketplace to new markets in Europe, the company said Tuesday.
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Led by TESI, the round also included existing investors Lifeline Ventures, Reaktor Ventures and Inventure, all of which participated in Swappie’s $5.6 million Series A round in 2019. The new funding gives the 4-year-old company a total fundraising amount of 42.5 million euros, the company said in a written statement.
Since 2016, the company said, it has scaled its employee base to more than 260 employees and quadrupled its revenue in 2019 to more than $35 million. In addition, the company said it continued to grow during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing in five times its revenue growth in April and May compared with the same period last year.
“As consumers become more aware of the environmental impact that their purchasing decisions have, we expect to see far greater demand for high quality refurbished smartphones,” CEO Marttinen said in a written statement. “Because we refurbish every device ourselves, in our own factory, we control the whole value chain.”
Meanwhile, Tony Nysten, investment manager at TESI, said in a written statement that he sees growth potential for Swappie, due in part to the smartphone market in Europe being worth more than 100 billion euros, and the used or refurbished sector of the market making up just 10 percent.
“Through its rapid growth to date, Swappie has proven its ability to not just grow market share within the refurbished market, but to expand the size of the category overall,” Nysten said.
Photo courtesy of Swappie
Blogroll illustration: Li-Anne Dias
Stay up to date with recent funding rounds, acquisitions, and more with the Crunchbase Daily.


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Bruegger’s Bagels is thanking loyal customers and driving its social media strategy with an offer for three free bagels that can be redeemed by showing a coupon on their smartphones at checkout.
Mobile Marketer today – Mobile social advertising makes quantum leap forward; Dictionary.com exec: 65pc of users share location within in-app feature.
PALM DESERT, CA – An Urban Outfitters executive at eTail West last week said that mobile-only platforms such as Instagram and Vine play a big role in the company’s social media strategies by letting the brand highlight its personality and inspire consumers.
Mobile Marketer today – Facebook exec: Newsfeed advertising is only way to get into mobile; Android is target of 94pc of mobile malware threats – up from 65pc.
American Express has expanded its ongoing Sync program to let consumers buy products from a handful of retailers by tweeting at special hashtags.
Dunkin’ Donuts is running a new promotion for its bakery sandwiches and driving awareness for it by leveraging Instagram and Twitter.
Mobile Marketer today – Facebook to put mobile-first experiences at the core of its strategy; Mercedes-Benz exec: Customers expect to continue their digital lifestyle in the car.
Dunkin’ Donuts is continuing to make mobile a big priority by marrying the medium with social media in a new campaign that invites coffee lovers to guess the latest Dunkin’ K-Cup pack flavor.
Domino’s is bringing a one-day Facebook promotion to mobile for the first time, enabling customers in select countries to claim the 50 percent off discount when they order.
Mobile Marketer today – Facebook’s stock value rises on increased mobile advertising; Red Bull taps Nokia market for content curation.


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It looks like Sears wants to get in the online movie market. The retail company, which also owns Kmart, has just announced that it is launching a Netflix-like movie download service, called Alphaline Entertainment.
Powered by Sonic Solutions’ RoxioNow platform (Rovi just bought Sonic Solutions for $720 million), Alphaline allows Sears and Kmart customers to download movies and and TV shows online. The company says that it plans to make the platform available to users on a variety of devices, including mobile.
A number of Sears’ competitors including Walmart have already started to dabble in the online movies space. Walmart recently bought Vudu, a service that streams movies to internet-connected TVs. BestBuy teamed up with Sonic to put its movie library in all of the Web-connected devices the company sells at its stores.
But when it comes to actual movie rentals from the web, these companies haven’t been able to compete with giants like Netflix. It should be interesting to see how long Alphaline survives.


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Pizza by drone? Domino's tests new delivery
A franchise in the UK uses an unmanned aircraft to transport its pies, but that likely won't fly in the US.
If your answer is anything other than "duck and cover" or "launch a pre-emptive strike," congratulations: You're Domino's (DPZ) kind of customer. The pizza chain's United Kingdom branch recently made its way onto Mashable by posting a YouTube video showing a drone delivering pizza.
The DomiCopter -- created and operated by a drone company called AeroSight -- is shown flying a direct route over a long stretch of the UK and successfully delivering a pizza. It's apparently not a joke, either, as a company press release given the once-over by CNNMoney talks about launching a Domino's Flight Academy "should the DomiCopter delivery service take off."
That's great for the folks across the pond, but drones are a far touchier subject here in the States. Mounting criticism of drone strikes abroad, especially strikes targeting Americans, forced President Barack Obama to discuss the drone program at length and vow to reduce it. Understandably, critics aren't ready to take him or the military at their word, with Pakistan's new prime minister calling for an end to drone strikes altogether.
Even in the U.K.'s pizza drone territory, the BBC recently took American media to task for not applying more pressure to the U.S. government or digging for details about the drone program. In a country where fears about the abuse of drones and the drone program are so pervasive that entrepreneurs are selling drone blocking devices for the price of Audis, interest in pizza-delivering drones may be somewhat stifled.
The Federal Aviation Administration is already against it, with its rules on unmanned aircraft (UAS) stating that "currently, there are no means to obtain an authorization for commercial UAS operations in [North America]." But manufacturers may apply for an experimental certificate, the agency said, for research and training.
A Domino's spokesman in the U.S., meanwhile, says there's no chance of drone delivery service making its way across the pond. "This has nothing to do with us in the U.S. and we have no plans to pursue this idea," he said.
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Ahhh Technology................Now we really have a "Pie In The Sky" :)
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[BRIEFING.COM] S&P futures vs fair value: -6.60. Nasdaq futures vs fair value: -14.50. The S&P 500 futures trade seven points below fair value.
Markets across most of Asia ended on a lower note, while Japan's Nikkei was closed for Autumn Equinox.
- Economic data was limited:
- China's HSBC Manufacturing PMI ticked up to 50.5 from 50.2 (expected 50.0)
- Singapore's CPI eased to 0.9% year-over-year (expected 1.2%; previous ... More
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New study finds members of this global elite are stashing an average $600 million each in cash -- 10 times more than a year ago.
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New car sales were up by 23% in the first half of this year.
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry has said over 100,000 cars were sold between January and June, up from just over 80,000 on the same period in 2015.
The body said at the start of the year that it expected 150,000 vehicles would be sold this year.
It has said today's figures show the sector is on track to meet that target.
“At the start of the year we predicted that this year’s registration numbers should reach 150,000 for the first time since 2008 and these figurers keep us on track to deliver that,” said Alan Nolan SIMI Director General.
“From today of course the focus turns to the 162 registration period. This year promises to be the first normal year of registrations since the recession and with the range of attractive offers available across all brands we are confident that 162 will also deliver in the coming months.”
You can read the figures in full here.


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CW8888: Look like the fight in Singapore is between Grab and Comfortdelgro. Did Comfortdelgro got screwed by Uber?
Uber is preparing to sell its Southeast Asia business to Singapore’s Grab in exchange for a sizable stake in the company, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.
No deal has been reached yet, and the timing of any such deal is uncertain.
Grab provides private car, motorbike, taxi and carpooling services in more than 100 cities across Southeast Asia. The company claimed to have 95 percent market share in taxi ride-hailing when it announced plans to raise more than $2.5 billion from SoftBank and other investors in 2017.
The move would mimic Uber’s strategy in China, where the company sold its ride-hailing operation to Didi for 20 percent ownership, and Russia, where the company merged its local business with Yandex’s …


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In business, change is inevitable. But the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a level of change that businesses couldn’t foresee or plan for. Our #SmallBusinessRedefined series showcases small businesses that have found ways to reimagine their business through new opportunities – whether it’s through a new product, a new market, or a new way to fulfill. Learn how these Canadian businesses have pivoted to adapt, innovate and thrive in a changing and uncertain environment.
Like many Canadian retailers, Brimz Official felt the onset of COVID-19 acutely. Having recently moved to and renovated their shop in Kensington Market, they were barely in their new location before the shutdown. “We had been open only for a month and a half but had to deal with this onslaught where streets were empty, and we had a new place we were responsible for,” says Royes. “We had to figure out a way to do this.”
Fortunately, they had a successful web shop and had built rapport and trust with their audience online. “It almost became easier for us to sell to a different corner of the world than in our own backyard,” he says.
But the team wanted to stay relevant to their local base too, so they found a way to create interest, demand, and a few giggles along the way.
Thanks to an embroidery machine purchased about a year earlier (which Royes credits as being instrumental in their ability to stay in business), the creative minds at Brimz came up with fun, interactive designs that played with COVID memes and struck a chord with the Toronto market. “We put masks on our favourite characters, put designs on hats and struck up conversations,” says Royes. “People got involved, and we made them laugh.” Their toilet-paper themed “wipeout corona” hat was an especially big hit.
“If it wasn’t for us being able to pivot and create on the fly, we wouldn’t have been able to make it through,” says Royes.
Support For Other Businesses
The motto at Brimz is Learn, Earn and Return. “Life is a circle,” says Royes. “You receive and you give back. It’s fundamental and one of the pillars of our success.”
Brimz was able to re-open on May 19th, and felt fortunate and grateful that they were in a position to do so. When they opened their doors, a chance customer encounter brought about the opportunity for Royes and his team to expand on their motto, pay forward their success, and actively contribute to the well-being of Toronto businesses.
His customer, Jack Wilkinson of Shield Plex, brought in some of the hand sanitizing soap his company had pivoted to produce. Together, Royes and Wilkinson decided to give out the soap to other businesses in the Kensington area to help with their sanitizing efforts. “Businesses really appreciated the gesture,” Royes says.
Another great thing that came out of the encounter was that Royes was introduced to the Brick and Mortar Network, which was created by the team at Shield Plex. Offering services to small businesses, the network enables owners to come together and share best practices. Through the network, businesses also get access to legal and financial advice at no cost. Royes was so impressed by the organization that he joined the board.
“When you give service, it pays dividends. It gives back in so many ways. You find the energy to carry on, because when you’re assisting others, you’re not just thinking about yourself.”
Tips for Other Business Owners
The creative way in which Brimz was able to keep making hats and stay relevant is testament to the power and resilience of small business. Their flexibility enabled them to adjust.
Royes shares the following best practices to help other business owners get through tough times.
- Have a self-sustaining solution in place. When supply chains are disrupted and many businesses closed, reliance on outside suppliers and services can affect your ability to survive a crisis. Because Brimz purchased their own embroidery machine – and got thoroughly trained on how to use, service and repair it as needed – they could rely on their own staff to produce product.
- Maintain a robust web store. Being able to sell to anyone in the world helped Brimz keep sales going even when their doors were closed. By updating their site consistently with their most recently produced hats and goods enabled their customer base to acquire the latest styles.
- Find creative solutions to problems. During the pandemic, many businesses have had to pivot to survive. With Brimz’ new line of lighthearted COVID-related gear, they were able to stay relevant and make people laugh, which translated to new sales.
- Help out other businesses. When you step up to help others, your generosity will recognized and paid back. Maybe not immediately or tangibly, but in time your acts of kindness and service will be returned. Brimz’ motto of “Learn, Earn and Return” has contributed to their status as a beloved, local business that matters to the community.
- What’s more, their strong sense of purpose is helping to create a healthy, energized, connected community that customers will be drawn to as the country continues to re-open.
Learn how other Canadian businesses pivoted to adapt, innovate and thrive in our current changing and uncertain times.
This article is intended as general information only and is not to be relied upon as constituting legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the authors as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or any of its affiliates.


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Beef and lamb boost as Russia ends import ban
Russia, then the Soviet Union, imposed the ban in 1986 following the BSE outbreak.
Prime Minister David Cameron raised the issue during a visit to Russia. The worldwide ban was lifted in 2006 after sustained lobbying from Eblex and Defra.
It’s estimated that this change could be worth around £80million to £115 million to the British livestock industry over the next three years, but Russia kept the ban amid fears of the disease.
Beef exports are due to start from a small number of plants in the new year, while lamb exports are expected to start in April.
NFU livestock board chairman Charles Sercombe said: “This is great news and a massive boost for our industry, again demonstrating that British produce is in demand on both home and export markets.
"Russia is one of the largest global importers of beef and although there will still be a lot of work to do, the potential demand for our beef is huge."
"The work of our levy bodies and government departments in continuing to open up these export markets is vital and will go a long way towards ensuring a competitive and sustainable beef and lamb industry."
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GM crops are good for the economy and can reduce the amount of pesticides u...
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Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss is launching the National Pollinator ...
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New farm business income data from Defra, which focus on income from March ...
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Prime arable land in the UK has seen a substantial year-on-year growth in p...


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Back to the drawing board: Fintech firms review their business models
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$19 bn derivative bond trade in India at risk from Modi’s new tax
[Display_1] Derivatives deals that have boosted demand for India’s sovereign debt billions of times come under threat from the proposed tax, adding pressure to a market struggling with record sovereign debt. Plans to tax high-value insurance contracts in New Delhi will reduce demand and encourage the industry to cut bond investments, analysts […]
MeitY invites proposals to estimate the size of India’s digital economy
[Display_1] On Wednesday, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) called for proposals that face the challenge of estimating the size of India’s digital economy and ranking and measuring the state’s share in the sector. Stakeholders can work to create a measurement framework for the digital economy. It may also be […]


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Recent retail listings suggest fans won’t have to wait long for the much-anticipated Modern Warfare 3‘s release.
For those following the series closely over the years, this shouldn’t come as a shock. After all, the past three entries in the series were released the same week in November. Activision hasn’t confirmed the release date, but Amazon, leaked promotional materials and various retailers have listed the date and the game’s $59.99 price tag – you know, the price any big budget title has these days.
Not much is known about MW3 at this time. What we do know is that the game is being jointly developed by newcomer Sledgehamer Games, FPS veterans Raven Software and a post-layoffs Infinity Ward. The campaign will continue to follow Soap and Price, now on the run from Interpol, and will possibly feature shoots outs in a decimated New York City, if this controversial GameStop pre-order bonus is anything to go by.
At the rate that MW3 information leaks are coming in, perhaps we won’t have to wait until E3 for in-game footage.
Source: Game Informer


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A Henry County woman claims an Amazon driver dropped off a package and then tried to steal her dog. A video of the confrontation has now gone viral on social media.
Terrika Currence said Channel 2’s Larry Spruill that she owns her own skincare company called Beyond Skin Deep.
“As I open the door to put the package in the house and the dog food, my daughter screams and says, ‘The Amazon guy stole our puppy,'” she said.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Currence said she immediately dropped the products she ordered on the floor and rushed outside to confront the Amazon driver.
“[Expletive] Amazon took my [expletive] dog outside my [expletive] court,” he can be heard saying in the video.
In the video, Currence can be seen opening the rear doors of the Amazon truck and yelling at him.
“As soon as I opened the truck, he put the puppy in a trash can. I had to grab the puppy and get him out of the truck,” she described.
The driver has not been charged, but Currence said he was about to leave with his puppy.
“He was ready to go through with our dog,” she said.
Spruill asked Currence if the driver apologized or explained himself.
“No. He didn’t give any explanation,” she replied.
Currence said she called the police and filed a report with Amazon.
Channel 2 Action News also contacted Amazon about this incident. A spokesperson released a statement that said
“We have apologized to the customer and are pleased that their dog returned unharmed. The driver involved no longer delivers for Amazon and we have contacted law enforcement to assist with their investigation.
“It relieves me that he’s fired, but if he does things like that, I’m sure, you know it’s in his character. He’ll do it again,” Currence said.
Police are investigating and investigating this incident.
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IN OTHER NEWS:


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1. The C5: Sir Clive Sinclair’s battery-powered tricycle, launched in 1985. Few sold thanks to a lack of roadworthiness.
2. Dasani: Launched in Britain in 2004, Coca-Cola’s bottled water was swiftly recalled in the UK – it contained bromate, a chemical linked with cancer.
3. Decca Records: A&R executive Dick Rowe turned down the Beatles in 1962.
4. Persil Power: Unilever’s new cleaning product was withdrawn after tests by rivals Proctor & Gamble showed it rotted clothing away.
5. Xerox: Managers turned down an electronic typewriter capable of displaying, storing and sending text in 1977, unconvinced about its commercial potential.
6. British Rail: When, in 1984, the firm unveiled the slogan, “We’re getting there” it backfired, undoing a five-year, £35m campaign on the eighties being the “age of the train”.
7. Boo.com: The founders of this Swedish online clothes store spent around £65m in venture capital before collapsing in 2000, among other dot-coms.
8. Barings Bank: As chief trader in Singapore, Nick Leeson built up over £820m in debt for Barings, sinking England’s oldest merchant bank.
9. British Airways: In 1997, BA replaced its union flag tailfins with ethnic designs – a hugely unpopular move with the public. The familiar flag motif was soon restored.
10. DeLorean: The UK government invested £65m into John DeLorean’s stainless steel sports car – it sent him bust in 1999, a clinker with 75mph max speed.
Source: IBM publication: Now we are 100 in association with the CBI.


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If you were hoping that some new information about Halo 6 would be unearthed at this year's E3 during Microsoft's press conference. You'll have to settle for some bad news regarding the next entry in Master Chief's ongoing saga.
According to a post by 343 Industries community manager Brian Jarrard to a comment on Reddit, we won't be seeing any news about Halo 6 at this year's E3. However, Jarrard does mention that you might expect to see something else from the developers at E3 instead. So what can we expect? Jarrard doesn't say. Some speculate that it could be new DLC information for the Halo Wars 2 RTS that came out earlier this year for PC and the Xbox One. Others expect that there might be news about a possible Halo spin-off, which has also been one of Microsoft's go-to options for Xbox fans.
Some people are suspecting that the new game might be an anniversary edition of Halo 3. It's possible, even though Halo 3 was included in Halo: The Master Chief Collection. It would be a tough sell to get people to pay $60 for the same game again that just launched in the collection back in 2014.
Others believe that they may announce something akin to that canceled third-person Halo game that was in development a while back, which was designed for kiddies. The platforming and gunplay were well liked by the community and received a lot of praise. However, at the time franchise head Bonnie Ross mentioned that they could consider investigating something like that in the future.
While the possibility of more Halo could be exciting, some of the fans are getting a bit franchise fatigued. IGN notes that Ross and other heads at 343 have mentioned that all future Halo games would bring back split-screen play, something they received a lot of criticism for removing from Halo 5 back in 2015.


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Cryptocurrency company Circle has released its third audit attestation of the USD reserves backing its USDC stablecoin. Cryptocurrency finance company Circle has released the third audit attestation of the reserves of its fiat-backed stablecoin, USD Coin (USDC), according to an official statement Jan. 16. The third-party audit of Circle’s United States dollar reserves was issued by independent accounting firm, Grant Thornton LLP. According to the report, as of Dec. 31, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. UTC, 251,211,148 USDC tokens were issued and outstanding, while the firm holds $251,211,209 in custody accounts, a $61 surplus in USD reserves. Circle’s statement concludes: “As of the Report Date and Time, the issued and outstanding USDC tokens do not exceed the balance of the US Dollars held in custody accounts.” The USDC stablecoin is an Ethereum (ETH) based ERC20 token, first announced in May last year, shortly after the company raised $110 million in an investment round. Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire..
This is a submitted sponsored story. CCN urges readers to conduct their own research with due diligence into the company, product or service mentioned in the content below. The arrival of emerging technologies such as blockchain and cryptocurrencies brought a number of security, trust, usability and valuation issues for the industry. Platon Finance, a leading crypto-financial company on the Ethereum blockchain set out to solve many of these issues by offering insurance against cyber theft — and it was the first to do so. Based in Czechia with offices in Slovakia, the company is making strides in the marketplace by providing B2B and B2C solutions for the crypto world. Platon CEO, Daniel Tanner, announced, “We’re excited to partner with Lloyd’s,” the leading British insurance and risk syndicate that insures each Platon Finance wallet for up to 500,000 euros. The serial entrepreneur who co-founded the company with his wife, Julia, recently completed their new office launch in Pragu..
Crypto hardware company Ledger has exhibited its new Bluetooth-enabled wallet in Las Vegas. Cryptocurrency hardware wallet firm Ledger has unveiled a new Bluetooth-based wallet today, Jan. 7, according to a press release shared with Cointelegraph. The wallet, called the Ledger Nano X, was shown at the CES 2019 conference in Las Vegas. At the same time, the firm has announced mobile app set to go live on Jan. 16, allowing its users to manage their transactions and check their balances from a mobile device. The Ledger Nano X will have the capacity to store 100 crypto assets. At the end of November, Ledger Nano S had begun to support altcoin Monero (XMR). In October, major technology company Sony had announced that it had created a contactless crypto hardware wallet that utilized IC smart technology. While the product’s release date is not yet known, Sony noted that the device would be able to manage private keys for storing private information on the blockchain as well as managing crypt..
Bermuda’s financial watchdog BMA has released a draft code of practice for crypto custodial services. Bermuda’s financial regulator has released draft regulation for crypto custodial services, according to an official press release issued on Tuesday, Dec. 18. The Bermuda Monetary Authority’s (BMA) draft regulatory document, entitled “Digital Asset Custody Code of Practice,” seeks to clarify the regulator’s stance on crypto custodial services in Bermuda and to protect clients’ assets. The document provides a detailed regulatory basis for offering crypto custody services, including both business management and technology issues, such as transaction handling, incident reporting, keys generation and operating hot and cold storage. Aiming to deliver a high level of protection for crypto custody clients, the BMA has suggested that a Digital Asset Business (DAB) must ensure that “any assets belonging to clients are kept segregated” from their own assets. According to the document, a DAB is a..
Cryptocurrency holders in the U.K. can now consult with official guidance on what tax they should be paying on their assets. The United Kingdom tax collection service published its first detailed tax legislation for private cryptocurrency holders Dec. 19 following a lengthy consultation period. Its new policy paper, “Cryptoassets for Individuals,” sets out likely tax obligations for private investors who buy, sell, get paid in and even lose cryptocurrency. Capping months of uncertainty among U.K. taxpayers over what they need and need not report to authorities about their holdings, the latest information is officially endorsed by tax collection agency HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). Specifically, individuals will be liable to pay either Capital Gains Tax (CGT) or Income Tax (IT) depending on the type of cryptocurrency transactions they are involved in. In the case of receiving payment from an employer in cryptocurrency, employees would also have to pay social security contributions known..
Blockchain Labs has graduated its first blockchain projects from its Incubation Program. Binance Labs, the venture wing of the largest cryptocurrency exchange Binance, has released its first “batch” of blockchain projects from its Incubation Program, according to a press release shared with Cointelegraph on Dec. 14. Binance Labs is an initiative that seeks to help early-stage blockchain and digital assets projects and entrepreneurs through direct investments and technical assistance. The Binance Labs Incubation Program is an onsite program that was launched in August 2018. Following a try-out tour with over 500 applicants, Binance Labs selected only eight projects, each of which received $500,000 in seed funding and access to necessary resources and mentors. Over the course of the 10-week program, seven projects have shipped working products and signed on users, while three of those teams have paying customers. Among others, the eight projects selected by Binance Labs include hardware..
Opera has launched its “Web 3-ready” browser for Android, with crypto wallet integration, support for Ethereum and interactions with decentralized applications. Opera has launched its “Web 3-ready” browser for Android, with crypto wallet integration, support for Ethereum (ETH) and interactions with decentralized applications (DApps). The launch was announced at the Hard Fork Decentralized event in London Dec. 13, according to a press release shared with Cointelegraph. Charles Hamel, product manager of Opera Crypto, has outlined that the new product aims to remove the “friction” involved in “using cryptocurrencies online and accessing Web 3 via special apps or extensions,” in a bid to make the emerging technologies more “mainstream.” Hamel explained Opera’s choice to support Ethereum and the Ethereum Web3 API as being based on the perception that the protocol “has the largest community of developers building Dapps” and significant “momentum behind it.” Krystian Kolondra, executive vic..
Binance has shown how its upcoming decentralized wallet, order book and block explorer will work, vowing to make a testnet available “soon.” The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange Binance revealed a second preview of its forthcoming decentralized exchange (DEX) in a video Dec. 4. Binance, which regularly tops global charts for the largest volume of cryptocurrency traded daily, released an initial sneak peak in August. The project is part of the wider Binance Chain initiative, through which executives plan to support “millions” of crypto assets. The latest preview included the unveiling of a fresh user interface, wallet and block explorer for DEX, developers confirming a testnet version would become available for prospective users “soon.” Commenting on the update, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao confirmed additional features that are set to come with the final rollout. These include a one-second block time for transactions and the ability for users to control their own funds. Decentral..
Advertisement This is a paid-for submitted press release. CCN does not endorse, nor is responsible for any material included below and isn’t responsible for any damages or losses connected with any products or services mentioned in the press release. CCN urges readers to conduct their own research with due diligence into the company, product or service mentioned in the press release. Button Wallet, the multi-cryptocurrency exchange wallet offering a safe, user-friendly, and convenient option to store money on Telegram, has developed LightySig – the Swiss knife or a single library compatible with multiple blockchains – as a solution for developers working on blockchain technology and DApp development. As Kirill Kuznetcov, a Lead Developer at Button Wallet states, “LightySig combines multiple blockchains and allows you to work with them without getting under the hood. All you need is a basic knowledge of the architecture of distributed registries. We think that this tool will make it e..
The rules for operation of the cryptocurrency market in Belarus have been approved, after being released by the country’s High Tech Park. Belarus High-Technologies Park (HTP), a national special economic zone contributing to the IT business, has established the rules for the operation of the cryptocurrency market in the country, according to documents published by HTP Nov. 30. The regulatory documents define the requirements for various types of businesses related to cryptocurrencies and Initial Coin Offerings (ICO), as the general rules for industry regulations — Decree No. 8 “On the Development of the Digital Economy” — had already been signed last year. The HTP, commonly known as the Belarusian Silicon Valley, was responsible for establishing the rules under which the cryptocurrency industry would be regulated in the country. Today, the HTP has published five documents: “Requirements for Applicants,” “Requirements for Cryptoplatform Operators,” “Requirements for Cryptocurrency Exch..


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ORLANDO, Fla. – Walt Disney World is making another change to its face mask policy.
What You Need To Know
- Disney World updates face mask policy
- Guests will be allowed to remove masks when taking photos
- The change will take effect April 8
Starting April 8, guests will be allowed to remove their masks when taking an outdoor photo, with a few restrictions still in place.
“You may temporarily remove your face covering while actively eating, drinking or taking an outdoor photo, but you must be stationary and maintain appropriate physical distancing during this time,” the policy now reads.
The policy change was updated on the official Disney World website.
Previously guests would have to keep their masks on while taking photos at the parks. All guests ages 2 and up are still required to wear face masks during their visit.
The change comes as vaccine rollout continues in the United States.
Since reopening last summer with new health and safety measures, Disney has periodically updated its face mask policy. Earlier this year, Disney updated the policy to say that even visitors who have received the COVID-19 vaccine would still be required to wear a face mask.


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Andreessen Horowitz, a venture capital company focused on crypto innovation, brought several Washington regulators together to promote crypto adoption and discuss regulation. The May event includes representatives from the U.S. Treasury, SEC, and CFTC alongside some of the most influential blockchain companies, reported the Wall Street Journal.
Behind the scenes, a16z is quietly fighting for crypto
Andreessen Horowitz was one of the first to invest in tech giants such as Facebook, Airbnb, and GitHub. Now, the venture fund is leading the way in crypto innovation. Following its success in the traditional startups, the Silicon Valley firm launched a $300 million fund for crypto investments, spearheading the crypto revolution.
A report from The Wall Street Journal revealed that alongside its hefty investments, the company is quietly working on improving crypto regulations in the U.S. According to the Sept. 2 report, the company held a full-day, private conference in San Francisco in late May, where they brought together Washington regulators and heads of major crypto and blockchain projects.
The meeting was supposed to act as an ice-breaker and facilitate the much-needed discussion between those governing the financial sector and those set to disrupt it.
Marc Andreessen, the founder of a16z, held an optimistic speech at the beginning of the event and called for regulators to be more open-minded toward cryptocurrencies. The crypto industry today resembles the internet in its early days, he said, adding that it has the potential to disrupt the world in the same way.


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Gemma Collins' has turned her iconic blonde hair shades of vibrant burgundy and pink. The TOWIE star took the plunge as part of a campaign encouraging people to step out of their comfort zone and try something they never thought they would.
For Gemma, that was enlisting her friends Jedward to give her a bold new makeover. The campaign, Try More Weird, has been launched by Dr Pepper.
Gemma said: "Dr Pepper are encouraging people to get out of their comfort zone and Try More Weird. So this is me doing something that I never thought I’d do and turning my hair the colour of the new Dr Pepper Zerooo can.
"I’m so excited to be part of this campaign and encourage everyone to try something you never thought you would.”
The campaign celebrates individuality and the unconventional. Through the 'Try More Weird' movement, the brand urges people to break free from the norm and embrace the vibrant and unusual aspects of themselves and the world around them.
Charlotte Walsham, Dr Pepper’s Brand Manager in GB, said: "We’re thrilled to have The GC and Jedward on board for this exciting campaign. Gemma's individuality and Jedward's creative uniqueness perfectly align with the spirit of 'Try More Weird.' This campaign is not just about pushing boundaries; it's about celebrating what makes each of us a little bit weird and encouraging everyone to try something new like the weird taste of a Dr Pepper Zerooo."


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Chantilly, Va.—Spending on social advertising continues to grow, in particular for location-oriented campaigns, according to marketing consultancy BIA/Kelsey's “U.S. Local Media Forecast, 2012-2017: Social Local Media” report.
Social advertising revenue totaled $4.7 billion in 2012 and is expected to rise to $11.0 billion in 2017, a compound annual growth rate of 18.6%, the report said.
The study projected that social advertising expenditures will grow faster, at a 26.4% CAGR, to $3.6 billion in 2017 from $1.1 billion in 2012. Aiding this growth are improvements in how small-to-midsize businesses upload ads, target local audiences and manage social campaigns.


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BitPay, one of the leading providers of bitcoin and cryptocurrency payments services, integrated support for Apple Pay to facilitate easier transactions.
BitPay cardholders can now add Apple Pay to make secure purchases in stores, online, and in apps.
Crypto meets Apple
BitPay CEO Stephen Pair, who co-founded the company with Tony Gallippi in 2011, said the firm has thousands of users looking for new ways to spend their digital assets.
“We have thousands of BitPay Wallet app customers using the BitPay Card who are always looking for new places and ways to spend their crypto,” said Pair.
The CEO added that they will integrate Google and Samsung Pay. This will expose millions of people to crypto and accelerate its adoption.
“Adding Apple Pay and soon Google and Samsung Pay makes it easy and convenient to use the BitPay Card in more places from day-to-day items to luxury purchases,” he added.
Users need to have the latest version of the BitPay to be able to add their cards to Apple’s Wallet app.
The BitPay wallet app allows users to hold and spent bitcoin, and also convert it into fiat currency and spend it with the BitPay Card. It supports several cryptocurrencies that include the usual suspects: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Ether as well as dollar-pegged stablecoins, USDC, GUSD, PAX, and BUSD.
Apple Pay can expose millions of users to crypto
Released in 2014, Apple Pay is a mobile payment and wallet service offered by the tech giant Apple.
It allows users to make purchases in person, on iOS apps, and on the Safari browser.
As of September 2020, Apple had 507 million users globally, Statista data shows.
Apple getting into cryptocurrency
According to a recent research report by RBC Capital Markets, it is high time that Apple makes the jump to cryptocurrency.
The report said that the tech giant could generate $40 billion if it launches its own cryptocurrency exchange.
Several payments companies are making their moves into the nascent industry. PayPal, which has a crypto footprint in the U.S. since late last year, is expanding its digital asset business to the UK.
Mastercard is integrating cryptocurrencies into its financial network whilst its competitor Visa is still in the thinking phase.


text: It’s well established that increases in cycling modal share create a multiplier effect in population health improvements and reduced health care costs. Yet the economic effects don’t seem to be as well accepted, despite quinquennial study updates in places like Québec, published by MTQ and Vélo Québec. It’s good to see other studies from other regions add to that evidence. Here, BBC Research reports on Colorado, where cycling events and tourism add $1.6 billion annually to the state economy. That’s why Bike Friendly Business Areas and paved shoulders are so important in the larger economic picture. Read more here.


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Malaysian creative agency sets up Naga Behavioral Lab to help marketers influence consumers without the need for big marketing budgets.
Naga DDB Tribal is thrilled to announce the launch of Naga Behavioral Lab, a strategic consultancy within the agency that uses behavioral science, a tried and tested practice worldwide, to help clients solve some of their most complex and longstanding marketing problems.
“Marketers today are facing huge difficulties in influencing behavior change amongst customers... and we are coming to a realization that the dependency on campaigns alone isn’t going to be enough,” says Pi Wo Chia, Chief Strategy Officer of Naga DDB Tribal. “In light of this challenging landscape, what global brands have started doing is to use behavioral science to tackle these issues.”
Today, behavioral science is an integral part of marketing strategies in some of the biggest companies around the world, from Coca-Cola and Unilever to Uber and Netflix – and even governments. Advertising agencies however, have been slow to incorporate the practice in their offerings. Naga DDB Tribal is one of the first agencies in the world, and the only agency in Malaysia, to build a full-service behavioral science consultancy.
“When I speak to CMOs about their marketing problems, most of the time the solution points to behavioral science, but until now, agencies weren’t equipped with this capability,” Chia explains. “We thought it was high time for advertising agencies to adopt this practice.”
Chia is confident about Naga Behavioral Lab’s potential. “Malaysian consumers are so culturally diverse, and not to mention, technology today has made consumers incredibly fragmented. The notion of relying on traditional communications alone to influence behaviours in such a diverse and fragmented market is getting way harder than before,” says Chia. “That’s exactly what makes behavioral science so important.”
Leading the Naga Behavioral Lab is Josephine Phang, Behavioral Strategy Director. Phang, who holds eight years’ experience as a strategic planner and a master’s degree in behavioral science from the University of Warwick, explains that “unlike other agencies, what we do at the Naga Behavioral Lab is understand how people are fundamentally programed to behave, rather than looking at consumers purely from the traditional insights standpoint.”
“Once we have that understanding, we then come up with really simple solutions to hack consumer behaviour,” says Phang. “That’s how the Naga Behavioral Lab helps our clients solve complex marketing challenges without the need for big marketing budgets.”
Naga Behavioral Lab spent the last year building the practice and has already completed a number of successful projects. “What we do has received a lot of enthusiasm and interest from Malaysian marketers, which we’re very happy about,” says Phang. “We’ve already worked with innovative brands like Tiger and Teach For Malaysia to run some of the first behavioral science projects in Malaysia.”
Joyce Lim, Senior Brand Manager of Tiger, reveals that “the Naga Behavioral Lab came to us with a really interesting idea to drive beer consumption using behavioral science, and we thought it had a lot of potential. So we tried it out and the idea turned out to be really effective.” Lim adds, “We’re very interested to see what else behavioral science can solve.”
Caryl Heah, Head of Marketing at Teach For Malaysia, says, “We worked with the Naga Behavioral Lab to drive donations for our non-profit organization, and they came up with a simple solution based on behavioral science. We tried it out and got pretty good results. We’re excited to see how else behavioral science can help us in the future.”
Phang believes that the Naga Behavioral Lab has a great future in this market. “The great response we’ve gotten from clients shows us just how needed behavioral science is in the marketing mix,” says Phang. “I feel very fortunate to be able to spearhead such a necessary practice on behalf of Naga DDB Tribal. There’s actually very few agencies that would allow people the freehand to develop ideas like this.”
Chief Strategy Officer Chia agrees, “At Naga DDB Tribal, one of our key priorities is to constantly grow our skills and capabilities to meet our clients’ evolving needs. The Naga Behavioral Lab is part of a much larger push to reinvent our Planning offerings for the modern needs of marketers, and we’re extremely excited that they now have access to such a valuable practice.”
To find out more about Naga Behavioral Lab, head to www.nagaddbtribal.com.my/behavioral-lab


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Call 0845 485 1219
We love digital - Call and say hello - Mon - Fri, 9am - 5.30pm
by Mike Essex on 28th May 2010
Marketing managers are being told search engine marketing campaigns have helped to increase the number of phone calls made to businesses.
Writing for Search Engine Watch, Jason Tabeling – an expert in both paid search and online display advertising – said this has created a "larger importance" for two things to be considered and utilised by companies.
These are for firms to use unique campaign phone number call tracking and "click-to-call" placements, something that Google has been using for a number of years in mobile specific promotions.
What may interest marketing professionals, including those who employ professional SEO services, is his suggestion that potential consumers are more likely to get in touch over the phone as they combine devices for internet surfing and ring individuals or businesses.
However, Mr Tabeling told industry figures that there are still many questions about the role of modern mobile handsets in advertising and he indicated that many of those quandaries will be clearer over time.


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A University of Brighton graduate is one of two graduate designers chosen by luxury travel brand Belmond to bring their creative vision to life at its historic Cadogan Hotel in Chelsea when the property reopens later this year.
Antonia (Toni) Packham, was chosen from more than 3000 designers who displayed their work at the New Designers exhibition in Islington in July.
The judges found that Toni’s forward-thinking and environmentally conscious approach to design resulted in the highly innovative use of plastic found polluting our oceans to create unique, hand-finished and ultra-high-quality products, including kitchenware, using a highly skilled and zero-waste production process. Collecting discarded rubbish from the shores of beaches across the UK, Packham’s beautiful designs and intricate details captured the judge’s eye while the story of sustainability and craftmanship spoke to the spirit of the Belmond brand.
Toni will now have the opportunity to learn from Belmond’s in-house bench of design experts, as well as its wider network of leading creative professionals, craftsmen and women and will then be commissioned to design a bespoke design to be manufactured for and featured in the Belmond Hotel Cadogan – making it a central part of Belmond’s art and design-led portfolio.
“I feel excited and overwhelmed to have been chosen by Belmond,” Packham said. “I think it’s amazing that a luxury brand is supporting new designers like myself and championing creative innovation. My designs are all about taking a waste material of apparently no value and turning it into something functional, individual and aesthetically beautiful. It has been said that waste is the result of poor design – by working with Belmond, I am excited by the opportunity to address this and raise awareness of the value of waste material.”
Craftsmanship and design is central to the identity of Belmond’s family of 47 properties, trains and cruises across the globe. The company has worked with a host of renowned designers and craftspeople – including famed British designer Matthew Williamson who recently designed Suite ‘No. 67’ at Belmond La Residencia Hotel in Deià, Mallorca.
Elsewhere, Belmond has collaborated with other remarkable creative talents, including British Designer Tara Bernerd and French mosaicist Jérôme Clochard on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express.
The Cadogan has been closed since 2014 and is currently undergoing a £28 million pound refurbishment, designed to preserve the unique heritage of the Queen Anne Style property dating back to 1887, whilst updating the property to ensure its design retains a modern-day relevance. The iconic London hotel is steeped in history: it was famously the scene of Oscar Wilde’s arrest in 1895, as well as home to actress Lillie Langtry where she courted the future King of England.
The property is due to reopen in December, with London-based British talent and Head Chef of The Frog Adam Handling as Executive Chef, bringing his traditional yet modern British cuisine and zero waste philosophy to the Cadogan Hotel.


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Discord.io, a platform enabling users to generate personalized links for their Discord channels, is set to cease operations due to a significant data breach incident. As reported by TechRadar, an unauthorized individual managed to pilfer the information of around 760,000 users. This malefactor has subsequently showcased a portion of the stolen data on Breached Forums, presumably with intentions to sell it. Visitors to the discord.io website are now greeted with a message declaring the suspension of all activities for an indefinite period.
The compromised service provider has taken the initiative to delineate the specifics of the exfiltrated data, distinguishing between what is and isn’t part of the breach. Notably, the breach encompassed the termination of ongoing premium subscriptions. Furthermore, they reveal that the hacker has not yet made any communication attempts with them. To the best of their knowledge, the integrity of their database remains uncompromised beyond the breach incident. However, they remain vigilant for any potential developments.
In this breach, the exposed data entails:
- Information on terminated premium subscriptions
- Data items that were spared from the breach remain unspecified
The closure of discord.io stems from the grave security breach that left hundreds of thousands of users’ data exposed, prompting both a retraction of premium services and an acknowledgement of the need to temporarily halt their operations.


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Organisers of this year's protest for cannabis law reform are citing a wide range of supporters.
Events are planned today around New Zealand for J Day this Saturday. J Day is a worldwide protest against prohibition of cannabis and attendees often light up.
"For the first time there are multiple parties contesting the election who advocate for cannabis law reform," says national coordinator Chris Fowlie.
"The Greens have been joined by Labour and the Maori Party, as well as ACT, TOP and the Cannabis Party. Even United Future is on the side of reform!"
He says cannabis should be a health issue, not a crime, and there are too many cannabis users to arrest.
"One in 20 Kiwis use cannabis medicinally. They need safe and legal access to affordable natural cannabis and medical products, including the right to grow their own medicine," Mr Fowlie says.
NORML wants a regulated taxable market for the adult use of cannabis and says other countries already have it.
Treasury estimates this would save $300 million in policing costs while raising an additional $500 million in revenue, Mr Fowlie says.
All events are R18, free entry, and run from High Noon to 4:20pm (approx).
J Day confirmed locations for this Saturday 6 May 2017:
J Day is presented by NORML NZ Inc with local events organised by local groups including The Cannabis Party, Green Cross, Auckland Patient’s Group, Whangarei Daktory, CLEAR, Joint Action, Dads4Marijuana, Otago NORML, and Christchurch NORML.


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What began decades ago with an iconic messenger bag has grown into a heritage brand that lives at the intersection of movement and self-expression. Today, Chrome Industries is a collective of resourceful creators committed to building thoughtfully designed gear for the movers of today and tomorrow.
Chrome Industries made the decision that Shopify was going to be the future of their online business, making the switch from Sales Force Commerce Cloud. They were in need of a trusted partner to ensure their data would be flawlessly migrated into Shopify.
Electric Eye worked with Chrome Industries to extract the necessary data from Sales Force Commerce Cloud, converted the files and compiled it all to be properly migrated into Shopify utilizing Matrixify. Crucial to the aim of the project was ensuring the data imports were done procedurally and comprehensively without any lapses in data while strategically coinciding with their new site launch. Electric Eye was able to carry out the data imports according to plan, assisting in a successful new launch for Chrome Industries on Shopify.
"Thank you for your support on the data migration journey to Shopify. It has been very nice to work with the Electric Eye team."
- Sean Colin, Director D2C