text:
By Larine Urbina, Vice President of Communications for the Carton Council
For those hoping to get a recycling boost this America Recycles Day, new research reinforces the power of the package. According to recent research, commissioned by the Carton Council of North America, the vast majority of consumers (75%) said they would assume a package is NOT recyclable if it does not contain a recycling logo or recycling information on it.
In addition to product packaging, local community websites are the most relied upon source for consumers getting recyclability information, reinforcing the importance of keeping local websites updated accepted materials easy to find. The research also shows that other areas are gaining importance, including social media, news, influencers and advocacy groups, reinforcing the importance of recycling education information for all audiences.
Good news! The Carton Council efforts seem to be making an impact. Confidence that food and beverage cartons are definitely accepted for curbside recycling programs increased from 48% in 2020, to 55% in 2022. And the percentage of consumers who report they always recycle their food and beverage cartons increased from 45% in 2020 to 51% in 2022. Of the respondents who said they do not recycle their cartons, 42% said it is because they aren’t certain they are accepted in their local program. This tells us that we can’t let up on our education initiatives and we have to work diligently with other recycling stakeholders to ensure cartons are accurately represented in their education communications as well.
To help with this, the Carton Council has tools and resources for companies and brands as well as communities. We also launched our new address locator to easily check and see if carton recycling is avalaible at your home address. While the Carton Council continues our work to grow the infrastructure so food and beverage cartons are accepted in more communities across the country, it’s important to provide consumers with a tool so they can easily check to see if cartons are accepted in their local program. We encourage others to link and direct people to the address locator to check local carton recycling availability.
Thank you to everyone for your support of recycling this America Recycles Day and every day!


text:
Just days ahead of a scheduled post-discovery conference, Barnes & Noble and former CEO Demos Parneros have ended their litigation over Parneros's 2018 firing.
In a short October 26 stipulation and order, both parties have agreed to drop their claims against the other—with prejudice—and have agreed to cover their own costs. Attorneys for Parneros declined to comment and a Barnes & Noble spokesperson said the retailer had no comment.
A joint statement from Parneros and Barnes & Noble reads: “Former CEO Demos Parneros and Barnes & Noble have amicably settled all claims regarding his termination in 2018. This matter has been resolved with no judicial determination of wrongdoing. The terms of the settlement are confidential.”
The abrupt end to the case comes after Barnes & Noble attorneys in September succeeded in knocking out Parneros's claim of defamation—the most serious and potentially costly claim against the company—via summary judgment. But in her mixed decision, judge Mary Kay Vyskocil ruled that Parneros's claim for a breach of the covenant of good faith could go to trial, along with a claim for breach of contract.
In a surprise move, Parneros was fired on July 3, 2018, with a short B&N press release alluding only to violations of company policy. In response, Parneros filed a bombshell breach of contract and defamation lawsuit on August 28, which alleged that B&N founder Len Riggio, irate over the collapse of a potential sale of the company, engineered Parneros’ firing on false pretenses so he could retake control of the company.
B&N responded with a countersuit, which accused Parneros of harassing a female employee, bullying a fellow executive, and alleged that the former CEO intentionally sabotaged a potential sale in June of 2018. A year later, in 2019, B&N was eventually sold to Elliot Management.
While many observers expected the litigation to be settled ahead of a trial, the sudden—and quiet—end to the litigation leaves Parneros's future employment prospects in question. In previous filings, Parneros had suggested that the sexual harassment accusation against him (which he strongly denies) has left the longtime executive virtually unemployable.
This story has been updated with further information.

domain: news


text:
FDA lays out plan for improving its regulatory processes
As digital health tools rapidly evolve, the Food and Drug Administration is acknowledging it must modernize its approach to regulation.
The agency, via a new Digital Health Precertification Program, or Pre-Cert, is taking a new look at its oversight of new health tools and policies to become more efficient and promote patient safety throughout the product lifecycle.
“We’ve seen the promise of innovation in products like artificial intelligence software that can help alert physicians to a potential stroke, and smart watches that can help identify atrial fibrillation,” says FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, in a statement to the industry.
Access to robust and timely data, including more extensive and informative post-market data and real-world evidence helps the FDA identify, communicate and act on new or increased medical device safety concerns, he adds.
“Such data serves as the foundation of our commitment to improving our nation’s post-market medical device surveillance. Today, we’re announcing that based on the Pre-Cert pilot, we’ve drafted a regulatory framework to test new approaches for the review of digital health device applications.”
Consequently, FDA has unveiled a program under which developers with a track record of a culture of quality and organization excellence, under Pre-Cert can have a more tailored premarket submission process appropriate for their specific device for which they seek FDA approval.
FDA already has its De Novo pathway program to streamline marketing approval for low and moderate risk devices. In the Pre-Cert program, quality requirements would be satisfied by information the FDA collects through the Excellence Appraisal process.
“By collecting this information early, the Excellence Appraisal could be leveraged to streamline a developer’s De Novo pathway since the information would already have been demonstrated and documented during the Excellence Appraisal,” Gottlieb explains. “This allows the FDA to tailor the premarket submission content to the unique considerations related to each particular digital health device and enables more efficient evaluation of low-risk digital health devices.”
During 2019, the agency will test the pilot program to see how well Pre-Cert can maintain standards for safe and effective products by comparing the traditional reviews against the De Novo process.
Already, however, the FDA appears to already have decided it is on the right track. “At the conclusion of the testing and refinement, we expect to have confirmed that the evidence collected through the proposed Excellence Appraisal and streamlined De Novo submission meets the statutory requirements for granting marketing authorization.”
The complete statement from Gottlieb is available here.


text:
The iconic work of art titled ‘Lady with a Fan’, created by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt, was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in London on Tuesday for a staggering £85.3 million (equivalent to $108.4 million), AP reported. The price set a new record in Europe, surpassing the mark set in 2010 by Alberto Giacometti’s ‘Walking Man I’ sculpture, which sold for $104.3 million.
Klimt’s painting was acquired after a brief auction process that lasted approximately 10 minutes and fetched £74 million (equivalent to $94.35 million). It should be noted that this final amount includes a buyer’s premium, which is an additional charge applied at auctions.
Previously, the work was estimated to be worth around $80 million, but demand and collector interest drove the price to an even higher figure at auction.
Klimt’s painting, which portrays an enigmatic woman with a fan, is considered one of his most iconic works and represents his signature style, characterized by the use of ornate patterns and intricate details. The sale of this masterpiece not only sets a new record in Europe but also highlights the continued relevance and value of Klimt’s art in the international market.
The auction of “Lady with a Fan” has captured the attention of the art world and demonstrates the enduring appeal of classic masterpieces as well as the willingness of collectors to invest large sums of money to secure these unique and valuable pieces of artistic history.


text:
The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) has been running quite a few stories on the release of Halo 3, all of which seem to be extremely positive with titles like “Microsoft’s ‘Halo 3′ Game Meets Approval of Critics” and “Casual Gamer Takes a Turn At Halo 3 to Judge the Hype.” One of the articles cites Halo 3′s high score on Metacritic (an aggregator of reviews) and then speculates that the critics’ acclaim caused the boost to Microsoft’s shares yesterday (which rose 43 cents or 1.5%) and explained the nearly doubled volume of stock trading.
* You are viewing the archive for September, 2007
So everyone and their dog is talking about Amazon’s announcement today to offer MP3 downloads. In brief, Amazon MP3 songs are DRM-free and start at $0.89/track with the top 100 best-selling albums priced no higher than $8.99. The store opened with 2 million songs from 80,000 artists. EMI and Universal are the two big labels on board. Song quality is even very high – 256 kbps. All of this, of course, is available via iTunes for $1.29/track or $9.99/album.
I have a standard rule of thumb: any product that sells with a warranty usually becomes a product I have specific questions about before I’m willing to make the purchase (especially technology/electronics). But what are my options for getting these questions answered? If I want answers now, I have to check out an FAQ. (Has anyone else noticed that FAQs answer your questions less often than not?)
The big computer companies seem to have one thing in common right now: bring computer gaming to the masses. Last week HP launched the Blackbird 002 desktop PC, the company’s first HP-branded gaming PC. The starting price is $2,500, roughly half the cost of much of the high-end gaming competition.
Then there’s Gateway (soon to be purchased by Acer), which plans to introduce a gaming PC in November called FX540 with a gaming-oriented notebook line planned for release in January. And let’s not forget that both Toshiba and Dell released new, more affordable gaming computers this summer. Toshiba, with its Satellite x205 series of gaming notebooks which start at around $2,000, and Dell with its XPS 720 gaming desktop, which starts at roughly $1,700.
The Economist (subscription required) dives into what it thinks is the next generation of the Internet: the Geoweb. Interestingly enough, it formalizes the thoughts of TechConsumer author Marion Jensen who received attention when he wrote on this subject two months ago. While Marion stopped short of calling the location-based Internet Web 3.0, it’s good to know he is not alone in his concept of the “next big thing.”
Apparently, the geoweb already has an emerging architecture: traffic jams, seismic tremors, crime rates, and melanoma stats are just a few areas where data is being collected and tied to location. A new discipline of “geographic information systems” (GIS) is on the rise, which includes fancy software used mostly by governments and companies to analyze spatial data. And the data “tend to be of impeccable quality.”
Purdue University plans to test a text messaging system in late September. So far, about 6,000 students, faculty, and staff have signed up, according to Scott Ksander, executive director of information technology networks and security. In order for the test to be valid, however, the university claims it needs three times that number.
Registration is a simple process. Users go to http://www.purdue.edu/securepurdue and click on “Change My Password.” They then enter their account name and password, and then select the “Emergency Contact Information” link.
Results from the test will be used to determine what works, what can be improved, and how best to evaluate a system for the campus. The university explained that it will use the system only for this test and emergencies involving public safety. Here are some more details (which you can only get to after logging into the system as a student or staff member):
The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) has an article out quoting the usual mix of analysts, speculators, and “people privy to Sony’s plans.” I must say that the article’s title of “Sony to Challenge Apple In TV, Movie Downloads” makes the news sound more exciting than it really is.
Perhaps I should give Sony a chance rather than point out the obvious that the company has a very long way to go. Meaning, it’s a bit of a late comer in an already crowded space (Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Netflix all compete here just to name the big boys). I suppose it’s true that first movers don’t always win, and there isn’t a clear leader yet. But good luck to Sony on this one…


text:
France’s prime minister has announced a crackdown on the destruction of unsold or returned consumer products, a move that will affect luxury goods brands and online retailers such as Amazon.
Edouard Philippe said a ban on destroying non-food goods – including clothes, electrical items, hygiene products and cosmetics – would come into force within the next four years.
The announcement came after the success of green parties in last month’s European parliamentary elections, not least in France where the EELV party came third with 13.5% of the vote.
More than €650m (£576m) worth of new consumer products were thrown away or destroyed every year in France, according to the prime minister’s office.
“It is a waste that shocks, that is shocking to common sense. It’s a scandal,” said Philippe, as he launched the measure at a discount store in Paris.
The measure would make it compulsory to hand in the products to be re-used or recycled, and is part of a draft bill on the economy which is due to be discussed by the cabinet in July. It would come into law sometime between 2021-23.
Brune Poirson, a junior environment minister, promised a law to tackle waste in January after the broadcast of a TV documentary that showed containers of unsold or returned products at an Amazon warehouse being sent for destruction under agreements signed between the online firm and third-party retailers.
The British fashion brand Burberry caused a furore last year by acknowledging it had burned unsold clothes, accessories and perfume worth £28.6m annually to prevent them being sold off cheaply.
The aim was to maintain the exclusivity and luxury element of the brand, and it later became clear the practice was relatively common in the industry.
Philippe’s office said special arrangements were anticipated for the luxury sector. Products which were not usable after a certain date would have exceptions.


text:
An exclusive look at how JimFielding is taking this upstart, multi-channel YouTube network and
its most popular content creators into the world of brand building, licensing and beyond.
Sesame Workshop has appointed Mag Brands to produce a range of Sesame Street outerwear for the U.S.
Warner Bros. Consumer Products has teamed with its licensing partners to support the third and final film in The Hobbit trilogy.
The joint venture between 21st Century Fox's Shine Group and Apollo Global Management's Endemol and Core Media Group has launched.
Nickelodeon is celebrating the holidays with activations at shopping malls and recreation parks in Asia, South Africa and at Russia’s Domodedovo Airport.
Norman Bridwell, the author/illustrator of the Clifford the Big Red Dog children’s books died on Dec. 12 at the age of 86.
Sprint is ending its title sponsorship for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series after the 2016 season.
BBC One and BBC Drama have commissioned an exclusive adaptation of J.K. Rowling's first adult novel, The Casual Vacancy.
Animated preschool series “Kate & Mim-Mim” is slated to premiere Friday on Disney Junior in the U.S.
Scripps Networks Interactive has appointed Phillip Luff to head its U.K., Europe, Middle East and Africa business.
Hopster, an interactive TV and preschool learning platform out of the U.K., is launching in Ireland, a move that marks its plan to expand internationally.
Kratt Brothers Company and 9 Story Media Group have seen a flurry of activity for their animated adventure series, "Wild Kratts," including new broadcast and licensing deals.
Outfit7 has appointed Dream Theatre to represent its digital brand Talking Tom and Friends in India.
Imports Dragon is helping DHX Media celebrate the 25th anniversary of "Caillou” and has been named master toy licensee for another DHX property, Johnny Test.
Cartoon Network has collaborated with Dr. Martens on a limited edition range of boots for adults and children inspired by the animated comedy series "Adventure Time."
Fuhu, the creator of the Nabi kids' tablet, has launched Nabi Pass, a subscription service specifically for kids.
Telltale Games and HBO Global Licensing have released the first of six episodes in "Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series."
OobEdoO, a new digital subscription-video-on-demand service for preschool children has received new funding from Finance Wales and a Xénos business angel.
The National Basketball Association and Brazil’s Liga Nacional de Basquete are teaming up in a multi-year partnership to grow basketball in Brazil.
Bandai has launched the new toy line for the Australian koala character Smiling Bear at Discover Australia stores in airports across Australia.
Entertainer Rihanna has been named as a global ambassador and women’s creative director for Puma.
©2014 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


text:
France is not Cutting off Food to its Citizens
There have been a lot of social media posts about the new restrictions in France cutting people off from buying food. That isn’t true according the the French Health Minister Olivier Véran.
Health Minister Olivier Véran told BFMTV on July 13: “We are talking about [asking for health passes in] big shopping centres… not supermarkets.”
France’s COVID health pass or EU Digital Certificate further accommodates those who are unvaccinated by also accepting proof of a recent negative COVID test or proof that a person has recovered from an earlier infection. These qualities are also valid for accessing public spaces.
“Vaccination is not immediately obligatory for everyone, but we’re going to extend the health pass to the maximum, in order to push a maximum of you to go and get vaccinated,” President Macron said in an announcement. The new requirements are intended to help contain the spread of the Delta variant, which has caused a surge of new infections in the EU. They are not intended to punish or restrict those who are unvaccinated but to make public spaces safer for the general public.
Read the rest of the story HERE.


text:
Tech companies are facing powerful headwinds. Microsoft Corp verified plans on Wednesday to lay off some 1,000 employees, equivalent to around five percent of the company’s international workforce. Before that latest announcement, more than 25,000 global tech sector workers have been laid off in the first week of 2023.
On the other hand, Google is laying off 12,000 workers, or approximately 6% of its workforce. There will be job cuts in America, and in other unspecified countries, according to Pichai letters.
Amazon said earlier this month that it plans to lay off 18,000 employees, and started laying off people last November, it employed 1.54 million people at the end of 3rd quarter. Other recent layoffs in the tech sector include Peloton Interactive Inc, Shopify Inc. and Coinbase Global Inc.
Last November, Tesla Founder Elon Musk fired nearly fifty percent of its 7,500 strong global workforce just days after taking over the social-media firm in a $44 billion deal. The following week, Facebook Parent Meta (Meta) announced it would lay off 11,000 workers, equivalent to 13 percent of the social-media company’s worker base.
Annual inflation hit 6.6 percent in December – cooling from 7% in November – but the high rate of inflation over the past twelve months has made it increasingly difficult for consumers, mainly those who have lost jobs, to make ends meet.
Consider alternative sectors
The American economy gained 223,000 jobs in December on a seasonal basis. There are jobs out there, so keep your expertise fresh and think about developing new ones.
Healthcare has a big need for people who can develop applications and implement telehealth services. Governments are forever hungry for tech-savvy employees but have traditionally had difficulty competing with the private sector. Schools, too, need better digital resources for students.
Salary is not everything
It is not forever about salary, mainly during such an uncertain time. Health insurance, paid time off, work-life balance and 401(K) plans problems such as hybrid or remote work may also play a role in your decision making.
In December, twenty-six percent of job seekers said they were recently laid off, but just 29 percent of those who were let go reported having received any severance pay.
Start your own side business
Remote work makes beginning a business a lot more affordable than the coronavirus pandemic. Now, founders do not forever need to rent offices, and it is very easy to find remote workers and affordable online services.
You don’t need a flashy office. You don’t need a big number of staff. You can hire someone to make your site and set up your online store to sell your products or services.
But you don’t need a big life-changing idea. Even a personal trainer or coach can help when you are between engagements.
Foreign workers should move fast
If you are working in America, on a visa, timing is everything. U.S immigration law provides people with H-1B visas a sixty day grace period to stay in the U.S if they lose their work.
Apply for as many roles as possible, lean into your network and begin interviewing now.
Now is the time to buy your business and apply your skills as a business owner. That is why you need to open a Franchise. If you buy into a franchise, you can never be laid off again. Take the skills you learned at your last job and apply them to operating a team that works for you.
Scan the link and get a free information pdf booklet on New Franchise opportunities near you. https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/159478/78326023843742913/share


text:
FedEx has announced the following peak season rate changes which will go into effect June 8, 2020.
From the FedEx website:
FedEx is an essential business keeping commerce moving and delivering critical shipments to homes during the COVID-19 crisis.
As the impact of the virus continues to generate a surge in residential deliveries and has also generated a surge in oversize, hard-to-handle packages, we have experienced increased operating costs across our network.
To continue providing FedEx customers with strong levels of service during this time, we are implementing the following temporary peak season surcharges.
||FedEx SmartPost® packages||$0.40 per package||June 8, 2020, until further notice|
|Peak — Oversize Charge
||Oversize U.S. domestic FedEx Express® and FedEx Ground® packages||$30.00 per package||June 8, 2020, until further notice|
|Peak — Residential Delivery Charge
||U.S. domestic residential FedEx Express and FedEx Ground packages||$0.30 per package||June 8, 2020, until further notice|
Also, you can read FedEx’s complete announcement on how this will affect your peak season, here: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/current-rates/surcharges-and-fees.html#peak-surcharge
Contact us at email@example.com to receive a custom analysis of what the GRI, and all the recent Peak Season Surcharges, will mean to your company. Your personalized report will detail the cost impact TO YOU. It will include all of the current fees and surcharges from both UPS and FedEx.


text:
Alongside a booming economy comes a huge demand for office and retail spaces. In this article, we look at the current state of office and retail space in Vietnam.
Vietnam’s baby formula market is experiencing remarkable growth, backed by compelling consumer evidence. We discuss the Vietnam market in this F&B segment and the country’s importing procedures.
A transfer pricing review provides details on the Vietnam firm’s transactions with associated enterprises and compliance with OECD norms.
Vietnam Briefing profiles Ho Chi Minh City—a booming metropolis in the heart of Southeast Asia.
On September 1, new amendments to Circular 39/2016/TT-NHNN with regard to lending money for both domestic and international firms will come into force. Here’s what those changes are.
Two years of COVID-19 outbreaks, have accelerated digital disruption in medtech in Vietnam. Here’s what that might mean for foreign firms.
Vietnam’s legislature recently issued a draft amendment to the country’s Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights. Here’s what it says.
Using a local distributor can be a low-cost, low-risk, very quick way to enter the Vietnamese market. Finding the right distributor, however, can be tricky. Here’s what you should be aware of when embarking on a distributor-dependent market entry.
Starting August 15, 2023, Vietnam has implemented the new e-visa system for all nationalities, in a major boost to the country’s tourism and allied sectors.
Here’s what foreign firms may need to know about the State Bank of Vietnam’s most recent circular guiding the implementation of the Anti-Money Laundering Law.


text:
Attendees headed home after two fantastic days at Alltech’s flagship beef and dairy event, Global 500. The event broke numerous records this year, during its European debut, with more countries present than ever, a massive five million cattle represented, and a whopping 760 attendees. With the global dairy and beef industries facing numerous challenges recently, talks focused on increasing production efficiency, becoming more profitable and ensuring long-term sustainability; strategies to guarantee the industry’s bright future.
“Agriculture has many powerful positive stories to tell,” said Catherine Keogh, vice president and chief marketing officer at Alltech. She urged dairy farmers to use social media to tell their own stories.
“Many of today’s farmers are online, and they need to see how social media can be the game changer for the industry,” Keogh said. “This has become one of the most important channels for both consumers and producers to share thoughts and opinions within a matter of seconds. We must ensure our voices are heard.”
Damien McLoughlin, professor of marketing and associate dean at the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, shared the incredible story of Chobani, a private Greek yogurt company, which has risen from zero to hero in the space of three years. The company was kick-started with an investment of $1 million in 2010, and by 2013, Chobani sales reached $2.68 billion within a competitive market dominated by global giants such as Danone and Nestlé. By creating a new product called Chobani Greek Yogurt, focusing on selling exclusively through major retailers, building brand purely by word-of-mouth and finding the right pricing strategy, Chobani owner Hamdi Ulukaya has managed to avoid competition and has generated phenomenal growth in a very short time.
“The dairy sector has many good cards to play,” said Dr. Patrick Wall, associate professor of public health in University College Dublin's School of Public Health and Population Sciences. “Farm to fork, however, is not a straight line anymore and finding the weak link in today’s highly complex food chain is a challenge for both regulators and producers.” Wall strongly believes that dairy farmers are, in fact in the human health business and advanced animal nutrition is key for a better human health.
“The dairy and beef farmers will have a bright future if they focus on three key words: efficiency, profitability and sustainability,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech founder and president, who encouraged the attendees to “dream, dare, desire, decide and dedicate,” for efficient, profitable and sustainable (EPS) farming.


text:
After multiple quarters of falling profit and slowing mobile device sales, Samsung appears to be in cost-cutting mode: The company will reportedly cut 10 percent of its Korea headquarters staff.
So says the Korea Economic Daily, which also reports that Samsung will reduce general expensive by a massive 50 percent next year. Bloomberg notes that more that Samsung's market value has declined by $40 billion in the past five months alone.
Both are bad signs that follow a peak and then decline in Samsung's smartphone stature.
The company started its Galaxy handset effort slowly in 2010 only to watch sales in the product line top nearly all competitors. Over the next several years Samsung came largely from behind to eventually become the top seller of handsets around the world.
Samsung's momentum has reversed course of late, however.
Last year's Galaxy S5 phones didn't meet expectations and, while it's early yet, this year's Galaxy S6 products aren't helping Samsung regain its leadership role. Indeed, the company reported an 8 percent profit drop from the prior year in the second quarter of 2015. Samsung's only growth areas during the quarter were in its chip and UHD television lines of business.
While Samsung's rise to the top was well earned, the handset landscape has changed.
Apple has always been a competitor at the high-end -- and still is -- but now there are very solid mid-range smartphones with flagship features available at half the cost of a Galaxy S6. That's good enough for a large population so not even the new Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ can completely save Samsung.


text:
Recently the video entertainment market in the U.S. which includes pay-TV, box office profits, packaged home video, video-on-demand, and online paid video has had a hard go of it. After a 2 percent decrease in 2012, the market has made slow movement in terms of growth, but nevertheless looks on track to reach a peak of $123 billion next year– the biggest year yet.
What this means is that an average of $1,000 is being spent by each and every household in the U.S. on video entertainment. Quite a high number when you put it like that.
“Diving into the detail, Pay-TV is dominating the overall video market at more than $90 billion, around 75 percent of total consumer spend,” says David Sidebottom, Senior Market Analyst at Futuresource Consulting, “and although cord-cutting is generally over-hyped, the minority of snippers and shavers is having an impact on the bottom line.
Sidebottom says that the digital video marketing is seeing solid growth, making up for those cordcutters. That segment was up 25 perccent last year due in major part to Netflix.


text:
The question many television ad sales execs are asking about this year’s upfront is: Where did the money go?
A few weeks ago, before negotiations began in earnest, most network sales executives conceded that they weren’t expecting this year’s market to be particularly robust. In fact, they mostly saw it coming in a tick below 2013, with lower volume taking some air out of price increases.
As agencies have turned in their budgets to the networks, they’ve been even lighter than expected. Instead of broadcast being down 2% in volume, it could be closer to five, buyers and sellers say. Cable, expected to be up 5% in volume, now is seen up less than 3%. Price increases are also a point or two smaller than last year, buyers say.
Some network sales executives believe that the agencies are holding money back, hoping to portray demand as weaker than it actually is to restrain price growth. One senior sales exec says he’s already gotten the impression that the agencies want to negotiate a price for volume lower than last year, than seek further price concessions in return for some of the held back money.
But sales execs don’t seem to be panicking. They’re going to make the deals they can now and hope that they can pick up the balance in scatter.
Buyers say they aren’t hiding money, though it is possible that their clients have decided that putting money down in the upfront is less important than retaining financial flexibility. The softness of the scatter market in the first and second quarter meant that this year, there was little penalty for not locking up ad inventory ahead of time.
Some fairly significant ad spenders have made sizable cutbacks, agency execs say. Packaged good giant P&G is spending less on TV. After two year of revving up spending, the automakers appear to be throttling back. And the movie studios seem to be spending less than in the past.
Buyers also note that there’s a shift from spending on entertainment programming to spending on sports programming. CBS’ new Thursday Night Football package appears to be selling well. Some of the money is new, some of the dollars had previously been earmarked for other football inventory, and some comes from marketers looking for big exposure during the weeks CBS is airing games, sources said. At the same time ESPN is looking for big bucks for its new college football championship playoff.
Finally some agency executives say some TV money is being siphoned off by the big online players who have jumped into video.
NBC, which jumped from last to first in the ratings, may be an exception. Sources close to the negotiations say NBC is about half done with its deals and that volume is up. Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst Jessica Reif Cohen, speaking at the NewBay Media Business of Multiplatform TV Summit on Wednesday said she believed NBC would achieve some of its goal of increasing its ad prices and getting them closer to parity with the other broadcasters.
In addition to primetime, sources say sales of late night, where viewers are younger, is showing signs of strength. This year Jimmy Fallon successfully succeeded Jay Leno at NBC, Jimmy Kimmel is performing well at ABC and David Letterman announced plans to retire next year and CBS will replace him with Stephen Colbert.
“As we near the finish line, we are very confident that CBS has once again achieved the highest pricing and most total dollars in the Upfront marketplace," said CBS in a statement. "Agencies and clients continue to value the strength, stability and delivery that we provide as a pure-play broadcaster, and we are very pleased that in addition to C3, C7 is now playing a meaningful part in our negotiations.”
The smarter way to stay on top of broadcasting and cable industry. Sign up below.
Thank you for signing up to Broadcasting & Cable. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.


text:
Economic Survey 2020-21: India's gig economy now among largest in the world
The increasing role of the gig economy was evidenced in the significant e-commerce growth seen during the pandemic-induced lockdown, Economic Survey 2020-21 said.
Bharat is doing better than India in entry-level white-collar gig jobs
Work-from-home, reverse migration and startups turning their focus to ...
Instamojo onboards more than 50% new recruits from Tier 2 and 3 towns
The Bengaluru-based startup also introduced a permanent work from home ...
Instamojo ramps up hiring, introduces permanent work from home option
With an employee strength of 140 people across the country, the recent hiring cycle saw new hires from tier 2 and 3 towns such as Krishnagiri, Kolar, Dehradun and Sitapur.
Flexi-staffing body members question global cos' conduct in Wistron case
"Payment delays are serious allegations against these large companies. Some of the members want to know that even if there was a delay from Wistron's end, why was the payment not processed from the recruitment companies’ side," asked a member of the ISF.
IT-BPM sector is likely to recruit more than double staff on contract this year
India’s major IT services firms and BPM companies have witnessed a significant rise in the number of digital transformation projects during the past six months as businesses across markets are pivoting online in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Niti Aayog plans to hire chief economist
The post will attract remuneration of up to Rs 3,30,000 a month. The appointment would initially be for three years, and can be extended up to five years, depending on the requirements or till the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier.
Festive season hiring continues amid muted job growth
According to Indian Staffing Federation, flexi hiring is expected to witness 10-15 per cent rise over last year's volumes this festive season.
Tech turns to flexi staffing to keep its bench from idling
The $177 billion tech services industry is expected to employ 7,20,000 flexi staff in 3 years.
IT companies' customers seek ‘flexi over fixed’ price
Though Indian IT companies don’t record a metric like “pseudo FP”, a large part of the FP contracts are said to be pseudo FP.
Foodpanda to take 2 lakh sq ft in Delhi in largest flexi deal
Opts for co-working space to cut realty & tech costs and get personalised area
GST boon for flexi staffing industry
The input tax credit benefit under GST prompted companies to increase their hiring of temp employees such as sales and support staff.
Get a grip! The world of jobs is changing faster than you can think
If work trends are changing, so are the trends in hiring. Many companies now rely less on search firms and build their own in-house recruitment channels.
'Indian IT flexi staffing industry to see significant growth'
Staffing - an established form of outsourcing globally - is yet to be recognised and adopted as an effective means of running a business in India.
NITI Aayog struggles with hiring experts for flexi pool
As part of the restructuring proposed by the task force, the Aayog has slashed its workforce inherited from the erstwhile Planning Commission up to 60%.


text:
Construction in the Fast Mode
Imagine your company’s revenues growing at an average rate of 197 percent each year for five years. Even if you started off with sales of only $250,000 in the first year, you’d be running a $19.5 million enterprise by the end of year five – not to mention the corollary rise in company assets and equity value.
That scenario represents the real-world trajectory of RCG Construction, the top firm on the 2001 HISPANIC BUSINESS Fastest-Growing 100 directory. On average, these 100 companies increased their revenues 46 percent per year between 1996 and 2000. Total revenues jumped from $995.8 million to $4.6 billion in the same time frame.
These companies prove the value of growth momentum, even during a general economic slowdown. From 1996 to 1998, with the economy at full steam, total revenue for the 100 grew by 118.3 percent. During the 1998–2000 interval, particularly when the economy quickly cooled in 2000, the rate fell only slightly to 111.7 percent.
Resilience during a downturn reflects both internal and external factors of the Fastest-Growing 100. Hector Orci, CEO of Los Angeles–based advertising agency La Agencia de Orci, believes that even in the current economy, Hispanic consumers continue to increase their income and spending. This increase stems from the Hispanic population’s higher-than-average work-force participation, flexibility in taking available jobs to remain employed, and a concentration of Hispanics in the services that tend to weather economic storms best. These same criteria apply to much of the Fastest-Growing 100, with 45 of the companies in the service sector.
Certainly CEOs of these companies see the current economic slowdown in relative terms – a momentary hesitation in their gung-ho growth. “At the first of the year, there was not an abundance of work to bid on,” admits Rolando Hernandez, CEO of the number 1 company, RGC Construction in Las Vegas. “It dropped off in February and March. Once [Federal Reserve Chairman Alan] Greenspan dropped the rates a few times, people had more money and it has picked up. This might not be a banner year, but it will be a growth year.”
“This year I won’t do 50 percent [revenue growth], but maybe 30 percent,” says Carlo M. Pinto, CEO of Pinnacle Energy in Newark, Delaware. “In a sense, the downturn has affected us in a positive way. Our volume has increased every month compared to last year.” Pinnacle grew an average of 56.5 percent per year between 1996 and 2000.
Both RCG and Pinnacle illustrate the dominance of the construction industry in this year’s Fastest-Growing 100 directory. In all, 32 companies on the list work directly in the building trades. Another seven sell support services or peripheral products to construction.
“The growth is tremendous in Las Vegas – we get between 4,000 and 5,000 new permanent residents every month,” says Mr. Hernandez, who specializes in warehouse and retail construction. “Our projects are $4 million to $5 million jobs, so you don’t need too many to double your [revenue] volume.”
The late 1990s provided near-perfect conditions for fast-growing construction firms. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the number of residential construction permits increased during this period to a peak of 1.66 million in 1999. By the following year, the number had fallen to 1.57 million, a level the NAHB expects will be maintained for the next few years.
Most Popular Stories
- SpaceX's Satellite Launch Is 'Game-Changer'
- Reid Confident Congress to Pass Immigration Bill
- Maui Visitor Killed in Shark Attack
- Donors Abandon GOP Over Gun Stance
- Mexico: 'Extremely Dangerous' Radioactive Material Stolen
- CEOs More Optimistic About Economy, Hiring
- Climate Change Early Warning System Urged
- Private Sector Employment Surges by 215,000 Jobs
- Newtown 911 Tapes Being Released Today
- Wisconsin Gov. Campaign Aide Fired Over Tweets


text:
The Google Assistant finished tops among the digital brains that power smart speakers in an extensive Q&A test, answering nearly 88 percent of queries correctly.
The test by Minnesota venture capital firm Loup Ventures asked digital assistants made by Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Apple 800 questions in five categories: local facts, general information, navigation, commerce and commands. Google finished well ahead of the pack with Apple’s Siri on the HomePod coming in second at 74.6 percent of questions answered correctly, followed by the Amazon Alexa-powered Echo at 72.5 percent and the Harman Kardon Invoke with Cortana at 63.4 percent.
Each digital assistant showed improvement over a year ago, when Google Assistant finished with 81 percent correct answers, followed by Alexa at 64 percent, Cortana at 56 percent and Siri at 52 percent. The study attributed the HomePod’s jump to “the enabling of more domains in the past year.”
“With scores nearing 80-90 percent, it begs the question, will these assistants eventually be able to answer everything you ask? The answer is probably not, but continued improvement will come from allowing more and more functions to be controlled by your voice,” according to the report. “This often means more inter-device connectivity (e.g., controlling your TV or smart home devices) along with more versatile control of functions like email, messaging, or calendars.”
Aside from HomePod, the Echo made the biggest jump over last year. The largest improvement came in the general information area, which Loup says could be tied to the new Alexa Answers information crowd-sourcing program. One surprising finding is that Amazon did not have the best score in the commerce section, that too went to Google.
Google Home and Apple HomePod scored highest on navigation questions, which is no surprise given their in-house mapping functions. Google Home finished tops in four out of five categories, with Apple coming in first in commands. That’s because, according to Loup, the HomePod passes most commands on to the iOS device paired with the speaker, which has much deeper integrations in areas like calendar and email.


text:
Cantaloupe Inc. (Nasdaq: CTLP), a digital payments and software services company serving the unattended retail market, announced that its management will host a webcast and conference call to discuss its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2022 on Nov. 4 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
A press release highlighting the financial results will be issued at approximately 4 p.m. ET the same day.
To participate in the conference call, dial (866) 393-1608, approximately 10 minutes prior to the call. International callers should dial +1 (224) 357-2194. Reference conference ID #4518039.
A live webcast of the conference call will be available at: https://usatechnologiesinc.gcs-web.com/events-and-presentations. Please access the website 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to download and install any necessary audio software.
A telephone replay of the conference call will be available from 7:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 4, until 7:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 7. It can be accessed by calling (855) 859-2056 (domestic dial-in) or +1 (404) 537-3406 (international dial-in) and reference conference ID #4518039.
An archived replay of the conference call will also be available in the investor relations section of the company's website.


text:
Here’s a promo trailer for the new Top Gear India special, where Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have a bog plan to boost the British economy by embarking on a trade mission to India.
Check out the video above for a 30 second preview teasing the upcoming episode. You may even be amused to see what looks like a Cobra Snake attempting to attack Jeremy Clarkson.
The special airs on BBC Two on December 28
See the teaser video of Top Gear India Special released –


text:
After working her way up to the top by walking numerous runway shows for the luxury brand, Karlie Kloss has finally scored the honor of being the face of Chanel’s Coco Noir fragrance. The print advertisement for Coco Noir features the supermodel’s silhouette, holding the perfume bottle next to her face. While her face is only noticeable to those who are familiar with Kloss, the mystery behind the ad is so on target for Coco Noir.
A well known and loved face is nothing new for Chanel’s brand. Cara Delevingne has been seen in numerous ad campaigns for the power fashion house, and she’s also featured in the fall 2014 ads. Joining the likes of Kristen Stewart, Keira Knightley, and Blake Lively as the face of Chanel, Kloss is in good company.
Although this is Kloss’s first ad campaign with Chanel, the American model has already nabbed other major deals with fashion’s biggest names including Hermes, Dior, and Oscar de la Renta. Aside from luxury brands, she’s also added commercial brands to her resume, such as Victoria’s Secret, Nike, and Free People. One thing is for sure: There’s nothing Karlie Kloss can’t do.


text:
Featuring a 48-megapixel triple camera setup.
HMD Global has just announced the availability of the Nokia 7.2 in the UAE. This smartphone is the first in Nokia’s line that has a 48-megapixel triple camera with ZEISS Optics. The Nokia 7.2 is able to capture portrait shots along with improved low-light images thanks to AI.
“With the Nokia 7.2, we aim to push the limits on what fans can get from one of our popular Nokia 7 series smartphones. The Nokia 7.2 offers fans advanced tools to express their creativity. Everything from the ZEISS Optics, exclusive ZEISS bokeh modes, and powerful AI imaging, to its breath-taking PureDisplay technology, makes the Nokia 7.2 a device that truly stands out. In combination with the beautifully patterned satin glass back, Nokia 7.2 packs design innovation and stunning imaging performance, with two-day battery life, into a smartphone for aspiring creators across the world at a truly incredible price,” said Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer, HMD Global in a statement.
The Nokia 7.2 features a Snapdragon 660 processor and is made of polycarbonate materials, making the smartphone strong and rigid. It’s also part of the Android One program, meaning that it will get the latest patches and software updates straight from Google. There’s even a dedicated Google Assistant button.
Additionally, the Nokia 7.2 will have a 3-month membership trial to Google One, the company’s online storage service. This cloud storage space can be used across your entire Google services including Gmail, Photos, and Drive.
The Nokia 7.2 comes in Cyan Green, Charcoal and Ice and will be available starting at 999 AED.


text:
A fast fashion copycat and an alleged copyright troll walk into a court room: That is the start of the trial that kicked off on Tuesday between Swedish fast fashion giant H&M and Unicolors, Inc., a Vernon, California-based company in the business of creating, purchasing and/or obtaining exclusive rights to unique graphic artworks that are printed on fabrics and sold to fashion brands. The two parties first faced off over a year after Unicolors first filed suit against H&M for copyright infringement.
According to Unicolors’ suit, which was filed in April 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, H&M copied one of its patterns for two styles of garments, a jacket and a skirt. This is exactly what Unicolors told the court on Tuesday, while H&M denied ever seeing the design in the first place, let alone copying it.
(Note: In order to make a case for copyright infringement, it must be established that the two parties’ designs are substantially similar, and also, that the defendant – H&M in this case – had access to design at issue, or a reasonable opportunity to observe the design).
Interestingly enough, both parties come to court with less than stellar reputations. In addition to coming under fire recently for allegedly burning unworn, recyclable clothing (despite its widespread vows to close the loop as part of its highly-publicized recycling programs), H&M has been slapped with no shortage of intellectual property-related lawsuits in connection with its practice of copying. As recently as last month, H&M was sued for trademark infringement over its collection of Justin Bieber merch.
Unicolors, on the other hand, has been a topic of conversation, albeit for a different reason, since Fortune published an article in October 2015, lumping the textile company into a group of so-called “copyright trolls” said to be terrorizing the fashion industry.
According to Fortune’s Noah Smith, “[Los Angeles-based law firm] Doniger/Burroughs has filed more than 700 copyright infringement cases over the past five years … Their suits have targeted garments which feature designs [attorneys Stephen Doniger and Scott Alan Burroughs] claim are purloined from their clients, who are mostly large textile converters and importers, such as Unicolors.”
As for whether these 700 cases represent merited copyright infringement suits, Doniger and Burroughs are adamant that they do; others, however, are less convinced. For instance, Doug Lipstone, a partner at Los Angeles-based firm Weinberg Gonser LLP, whose clients have been targets of Doniger/Burroughs, told Fortune that he “is skeptical” about the nature of the lawsuits, in large part because the prints that are being sued over are “the most basic patterns imaginable.”
Mark Brutzkus, founding partner at Ezra Brutzkus Gubner LLP, whose clients have also been targets of Doniger/Burroughs’ clients, agreed, saying: “There are only so may ways you can make a floral design.”
According to Lipstone, the pattern of litigation that centers on these companies’ prints “is not about copyright.” Instead, he says, “this is about legalized extortion, it is shakedowns under the presumption of validity you can get from a copyright registration. It is an absolute tax.”
And Unicolors is very much at the center of this. The company filed nearly 100 copyright infringement lawsuits in 2016, and as of this year, there are over 30 new cases in play. On the receiving end of some of these suits are big names, such as Ivanka Trump, Urban Outfitters, Zara, and Nordstrom (the latter of which Department store Nordstrom Inc. filed what Law360 called “a scathing motion” in New York federal court Tuesday demanding the dismissal of the copyright infringement lawsuit that Unicolors filed against it over lace fabric designs, blasting the action as a “copyright troll case.”), among others.
An additional commonality among these 130+ lawsuits: Very few of them have gone to trial. With the exception of Urban Outfitters, which went to trial and lost, and a few others, these cases have mostly settled out of court, ahead of trial, largely because it tends to be much cheaper and more expeditious to settle a case than it is to finance and fight through a trial.
With the pattern of settlements in mind, the outcome of the Unicolor, H&M case – one of the few to actually make it this far – should prove interesting.
UPDATED (DECEMBER 10, 2017): A California federal jury has ordered H&M to pay Unicolors $845,000 in connection with its finding that the Swedish fast fashion giant willfully infringed a copyright on a Unicolors fabric pattern.


text:
THE BIG BLUE: Following the announcement that LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton will be a premium partner of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Louis Vuitton said Monday that it has signed French swimmer Léon Marchand as its latest brand ambassador.
Marchand was named last week as the first athlete to be sponsored by LVMH, the parent company of Vuitton, Dior and other brands, ahead of the Games. It expects to partner with another four or five athletes who will benefit from financial support and privileged introductions to the group’s houses.
Given the champion swimmer’s streak of winning performances, Vuitton wasted no time in snapping him up.
Hot off the World Aquatics Championships in Japan, where he broke Michael Phelps’ last individual world record, Marchand joins a list of Vuitton ambassadors from the world of sports who include tennis players Carlos Alcaraz and Naomi Osaka; skier Eileen Gu, and soccer player Sam Li Sirong, among others.
“Driven by the same spirit of perseverance and excellence held dear to Louis Vuitton, Léon Marchand continues to set the bar ever higher within his discipline,” the brand said in a statement.
“At only 21 years old, the Olympic swimmer who first participated in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 has shown unprecedented achievement and is one of the best chances of victory and medals for the French team in several events,” it added.
LVMH will reveal more details of its Olympic partnerships in the runup to the opening ceremony, scheduled to take place on July 26, 2024.
Antoine Arnault, head of communication, image and environment at LVMH, said several of its houses will play a special role during the Games, with jeweler Chaumet designing the medals, and Vuitton, Dior, Berluti, Sephora and the Moët Hennessy wines and spirits division also taking part.
While Arnault declined to comment on the role of Vuitton, the world’s biggest luxury brand has a history of sports collaborations, producing trophy cases for partners including the NBA, America’s Cup, the FIFA World Cup and the Rugby World Cup.
The brand is likely to have some involvement with the Olympic medal ceremonies, sources said. — JOELLE DIDERICH
CALIFORNIA DREAMING: Balenciaga is the latest European brand to succumb to the lure of California.
The Paris-based fashion house plans to unveil its fall 2024 men’s and women’s collections with a fashion show in Los Angeles on Dec. 2. The venue and other details are still under wraps.
Balenciaga operates a flagship boutique with an industrial warehouse decor at 338 North Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
This marks the second time Balenciaga’s creative director Demna has chosen an American city to unveil a new collection: In May 2022 during the resort 2023 season, the brand staged a runway show on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, memorable for its models in full latex suits with only their ponytails, braids and thick fake eyelashes poking through slits.
Balenciaga will also stage a fashion show during Paris Fashion Week, which is scheduled from Sept. 25 to Oct. 3. Demna will unveil the brand’s summer 2024 collection in the French capital.
It looks like the Kering-owned fashion house might be the first to kick off the sprawling pre-fall collection season, which usually encompasses destination shows.
Chanel is to show its next Métiers d’Art collection in Manchester, England, on Dec. 7.
California has become a hot spot for destination shows the last few years, with Versace, Ralph Lauren, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Celine and Saint Laurent among brands that have mounted runway events there. — MILES SOCHA
JUDGE PARKER: Etsy called in a special set of style eyes for its annual design competition.
“And Just Like That” star Sarah Jessica Parker joined Etsy’s trend team, led by Dayna Isom Johnson, to handpick 150 finalists and category winners from thousands of entries around the world. The winners of the fifth annual Etsy design awards included grand prize winner and Venezuelan-born designer Maria Gabriela Duque. A former electrical engineering student, Duque’s passions led her to create modern, sustainable handbags from vegan cactus leather.
Parker didn’t hesitate when asked about how she’d incorporate the winning design. “I’m obviously quite impressed with Maria Duque’s grand prize-winning convertible cactus leather bag and all of the creative ways you can style it. It could be worn as a crossbody with a pair of jeans, or by the wooden bangle as a clutch to a more formal event. No matter how the bag is worn, all of the intricate handcrafted details can add a lovely pop of color and personality to an outfit,” she said. Parker will not be part of the mentorship for the awards.
Duque takes home $25,000 and a suite of perks, including an Etsy gift card, listing credits, ad credits, a winner shop badge and the like. The two other award winners received $1,500 and the marketing perks. Winners included the cotton and hemp sweatshirt from Object Apparel in men’s design, and embroidered sailor pants by Sweet Allene in women’s design. Additional finalists included Lauren Winter Co.’s knot jumpsuit, Justin Duance’s gold signet ring made using a sandstone mold for a more natural look, and a botanical dyed wool beret from ElizaDotDesign, among others.
Though a robust prize package, Etsy design awards winners and finalists don’t receive any boost in search placements under Etsy Ads. Etsy said it will promote the winning sellers on-site and across marketing. Today, Etsy counts 5.9 million active sellers. — KALEY ROSHITSH
MOSES’ TECHNICOLOR WORLD: “It’s celebration of women living in Technicolor with ironic humor, grand style and a big tablespoon of hope.”
That’s how Rebecca Moses characterized her exhibit, titled “Bubblegum, Lipstick and Hope,” coming to Donna and Gabby Karan’s Urban Zen store and Tutto Il Giorno restaurant in Sag Harbor on Long Island’s East End, in conjunction with Ralph Pucci International. “It’s creative portraiture inspired by real women who will remain anonymous,” Moses said.
Her exhibit of female portraiture, said the artist, reflects hope, passion, determination and the desire to stay true to one’s own voice even in the most challenging of times. “How do we hold on to our sanity, aspirations, and dreams when life challenges become unbearable?” said Moses, explaining her vision. “In a sense, when I lifted my pens and brushes, it was like Alice falling into the rabbit hole, a chance to dream. It was an escape to a world I wanted to envision. Sometimes you just need to pop a bubble and put on some red lipstick to restore your hope in life and belief in one’s self.”
The body of work expands Moses’ signature style — connecting art with fashion – and pays tribute to women. She also said the exhibit “speaks to the state of mind that has emerged from the struggles and silver linings of the last few years.”
Donna Karan said she’s known Moses for many years and has watched her grow as a designer, mother, world traveler and artist. “She is able to capture the art of a woman in all her power, strength, style and individuality,” Karan said. “Each and every painting captures the unique style of every woman, from their environment and their fashion to their expression and lifestyle. What an honor it is to know Rebecca and see the expression of her soul.”
Karan’s daughter Gabby added, “Rebecca’s style and her passion for fashion is so apparent in her work and has enlightened the walls of Tutto and connected the elements of food, culture, individuality and style into one colorful story.”
The exhibit features 100 of Moses’ works and opens Aug. 6. This is the New York-based artist’s seventh solo exhibit. She has shown in the U.S, Italy and Japan and is represented by Ralph Pucci International in the U.S. and Nilufar Gallery in Italy. She also is member emeritus of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. — DAVID MOIN
FIRST TIME AT NYFW: Retrofete, cofounded by Ohad Seroya and Aviad Klin, will stage its first runway show on Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. at an undisclosed Manhattan location.
They are showing off CFDA’s “American Fashion Collections” calendar. The show goes up against Gypsy Sport, which is on the CFDA calendar.
Founded in 2018, Retrofete is sold at such retailers as Net-a-porter, Neiman Marcus, Fwrd and Revolve, among others. The brand opened its first store at 99 Spring Street in SoHo last December.
“This year marks our five-year anniversary so it’s only fitting that we celebrate with our debut runway show,” Seroya said. “The process of watching this collection come to life at such a large scale is truly inspiring, and something I’ve always dreamt of. This season we unveil a new era for the brand showcasing an expansion of categories and collaborations. We are forever proud of how far Retrofete has come.”
Retrofete manufactures such categories as dresses, tops, bottoms, jumpsuits, outerwear, swim, accessories and handbags. The brand has been worn by celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Gwyneth Paltrow, Taylor Swift, former First Lady Michelle Obama, Paris Hilton and Jennifer Lopez.
As reported, other brands showing off the calendar are Coach, which is staging a fashion show Sept. 7 at 7:30 p.m., and Kate Spade New York, which is showing the morning of Sept. 8. The official American Collection calendar runs from Sept. 8 through Sept. 13. — LISA LOCKWOOD
ALL ABOUT HARRY: Barbie isn’t the only pop culture figure making noise. Harry Potter is stepping out this summer with a fresh delivery of merchandise.
Harry Potter-themed backpacks, crossbody bags and top-handle bags, 16 styles in all, launch Aug. 15 at Fred Segal, macys.com, BoxLunch and a slew of other specialty stores through a collaboration between Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products and Concept One Accessories. That’s well ahead of the next Harry Potter movie expected to come out next year, and the HBO “Harry Potter” series expected in 2025.
“It’s a huge fan base,” said Sam Hafif, chief executive officer of Concept One Accessories, a global licensed accessories company with a track record of partnering with major studios on merchandise themed around pop culture and action hero figures, as well as recent tie-ups with FUBU, Brooks Brothers and Smoke Rise.
Hafif said the combination of the Harry Potter-themed elements, together with the Hollywood aesthetic of the Fred Segal brand, has “opened our minds to create unique products” for Harry Potter fans, and that the August drop “is the springboard for future exciting collaborations we have planned over the next year.” Harry Potter and Warner Bros. “has been one of the most fun collaborations we’ve ever had the opportunity to work on,” Hafif said.
The offering, given its price range of $80 to $100, is geared for adults, 18 to 35 years old, who grew up with Harry Potter, or just like the look. The first Harry Potter book was released in 1996, and the first Harry Potter movie was released in 2001.
Separately, last year, Concept One signed a licensing agreement with Fred Segal to produce merchandise, which begins with leather bags expected to launch in October.
Segal, who founded his business in 1961, passed away in 2021. He was a retail innovator who designed his own collection, collaborated with designers, artists and emerging brands to create unique capsules, and elevated the retail experience with denim bars, shops-in-shop and immersive experiences. Fred Segal opened its Sunset Boulevard flagship in 2018, and expanded to Studio City and Malibu, California; Las Vegas, and Asia. — D.M.
NEW ROLE: Paul Rosengard, former executive vice president, head of wholesale and global licensing at True Religion, has lined up a new gig as a senior adviser to WHP Global.
WHP Global owns and manages a portfolio of brands approaching $7 billion in global retail sales including Anne Klein, Joseph Abboud, Joe’s Jeans, Bonobos, Isaac Mizrahi, Toys ‘R’ Us and Babies ‘R’ Us, and has a 60 percent interest in Express. The company was ranked number 10 top global licensor by License Global.
Rosengard had been with True Religion for four years and left in March. He was succeeded in May by Jim Kushner as executive vice president, North America wholesale sales, as reported.
Earlier in Rosengard’s career he was president, North America at Anatwine, a division of Zalando SE, and before that was chief executive officer and owner of Boston Traders, and president, men’s apparel at Li & Fung USA. He has also held top posts at Perry Ellis America and Randa Accessories.
Rosengard, who couldn’t be reached for comment, reports to Effy Zinkin, chief operating officer of WHP Global.
“We are pleased to welcome Paul Rosengard to WHP Global as a senior adviser for our fashion vertical. Paul’s extensive industry knowledge and relationships will help drive growth and create opportunities for our fashion brands as we continue to expand their reach around the world,” Zinkin told WWD.
In addition to his apparel role, Rosengard is an adjunct professor and board member of Parsons School of Design, and earlier spent 16 years as an adjunct professor at Fashion Institute of Technology. — L.L.


text:
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has sued FTX founder and former chief executive Sam Bankman-Fried, accusing him and his companies of fraud that affected markets the agency polices.
In a lawsuit Tuesday, the regulator outlined a series of events that began with the creation of FTX, through its bankruptcy filing last month. The CFTC accused Mr. Bankman-Fried or his companies of using customer money to fund FTX’s sister trading firm Alameda Research and of making misleading statements on the firms’ financial health.
Continue reading your article with
a WSJ subscription
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Save up to $15 with TurboTax coupon March 2023
- The Motley Fool:
Sign up to Stock Advisor for $79 for 1 year
- H&R Block Tax:
15% Off DIY Online Tax Filing Services | H&R Block Coupon Code
- Top Resume:
10% TopResume Discount Code for expert resume-writing services
30% off eBay coupon
Groupon Promo Code - 30% Off


text:
The City Hall Investment and Tender Commission gave the company permission on March 5 to start development of a plot of land in the Primorsky District. Two locations are to be opened in 2003. Constructions of the two stores will begin in August and they will take one year to build. Metro is aiming at rapid implementation of its plans in St. Petersburg and, according to City Hall representatives, has already begun negotiations with local suppliers including Nevskaya Kosmetika, Khlebny Dom and Pekar, which already supply Metro’s Moscow stores. The areas selected by Metro have already drawn their share of retail competition, with two stores on the same scale as Metro, Megamart and Lenta Cash & Carry already operating in the Primorsky District and an O’key store to open soon. The chains that already are operating in St. Petersburg do not seem to be worried by the entrance of a new competitor as they see the city’s retail market as under-served. Metro Cash & Carry also plans to build four new stores in Moscow by the end of the year. The retailer’s total investment in Russia, including the two outlets already built, would total $150 million when the project is completed.
News source: Business Petersburg
Print this news
Business news archive for 13 March' 2002.
Business news archive for March' 2002.
Business news archive for 2002 year.


text:
Microsoft has gained the upper hand in by getting its patent battle with Motorola Mobility moved to its preferred federal court in its hometown of Seattle.
The patent fight between Microsoft Corp. and Motorola Mobility Inc. reached new heights this week with Google deciding to buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion in a move to protect the patent of its Android phone software.
A federal judge in Florida Wednesday decided to move the case, which could delay proceedings on Motorola's suit. The move may also cast doubt on Motorola and its Android phone service, which Microsoft says infringed its patents, according to Reuters.
Microsoft, as part of its claims against Motorola, is looking to ban the sale of Motorola's Android-based phones, which could come as a huge blow for Google’s deal, if successful.
Both Microsoft and Motorola are involved in an extensive patent dispute that is spread over several cases before the International Trade Commission and in federal courts in Washington and Wisconsin. Claims and counterclaims now cover dozens of patents and a number of products and software made by both the companies.
The Florida court has found no valid reason to handle the case and has declared that it would be suitable for witnesses for any trial to be held in Seattle, where other disputes between the two companies are due to be tried.
No date has yet been set for a trial, according to Reuters.


text:
–Ryan Reynolds and Aviation Gin are at it again with a new spot featuring the gin’s famous owner alongside a different Rob. As Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney was unable to participate, Reynolds enlisted the help of Matchbox Twenty lead singer, Rob Thomas. In the video Reynolds jokes, “Wrexham fans have grown used to seeing me and other Rob together, but he’s not legally allowed to be in Aviation Gin commercials” before requesting Thomas to sing songs about Aviation Gin, preferably in Welsh. Reynolds and Thomas exchange banter behind the bar and clink glasses filled with an Aviation Gin cocktail.
-In the first work from its recently appointed global agency Ogilvy, the Jameson whiskey brand hopes the phrase “Must Be a Jameson” will catch on.
-HubSpot CMO Kipp Bodnar is marrying B2B technology with TikTok and the NFL Sunday Ticket as the brand makes advances.
-Once valued at a mighty $47 billion, WeWork has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New Jersey.
-On the latest episode of the Everything Is Better With Creators podcast, Forbes CMO Network managing director Seth Matlins shares his insights on the importance of empathy and collaboration.
-Chispa, the Match Group-owned dating platform targeting U.S. Latines, and Diageo Scotch whisky brand Buchanan’s are speaking the same language—Spanglish.
-Ahead of National Fried Chicken Sandwich Day on November 9, Church’s Texas Chicken has launched the Chicken Emoji Project, advocating for the expansion of chicken emoji representation through the creation of an official chicken sandwich emoji. Church’s is calling on chicken sandwich enthusiasts nationwide to send a resounding message that the introduction of a chicken sandwich emoji is long overdue. At participating locations, boneless chicken lovers can scan a QR code that will direct them to a special Church’s web page where they can show their support for the project. Fans can also show their love for the chicken sandwich emoji on Church’s social pages.
View this post on Instagram


text:
Royal Enfield Bullet gets the ultimate makeover as a delicious food bike, courtesy BBQ Ride India
Sunday January 15, 2017,
7 min Read
The legendary Royal Enfield motorcycle is getting a makeover into a more delicious model, complete with a sidecar that fits a grill, luggage boxes, and the shiniest weapons of a chef, not to mention an umbrella stand.
Two brothers have stolen the thunder from Royal Enfield, India’s most-loved motorcycle, by fitting on a sidecar and converting it into a mobile barbeque grill for their street food idea, which is expected to take the country by storm.
After fabricating two bikes – a 500 cc Royal Enfield and a Royal Enfield Classic 350 cc Bullet - into mobile barbeque food stands, they settled for the 350 cc model, with lesser thump, for taking their business all over India.
“Our target is to fabricate 150 such new Bullet motorcycles in the next six months. BBQ Ride India is India’s first food bike chain company,” Arun Varma tells YourStory.
The food truck craze
The 22-year-old already owns a food truck business along with his brother Krishna, a year younger. They operate three trucks and a Nano converted into an ice cream car, and can easily qualify as the youngest food truck owners in India with their large stable. The spark for the two-wheeler idea came up as they faced several issues parking their three Tempo Travellers every evening.
The food truck fad started in Bengaluru two years ago, and their numbers reached more than a hundred in a matter of months. But many soon faced several accompanying headaches, such as the lack of guaranteed parking spaces on the city’s roads and the trucks being branded in the mobile hawkers’ category. While they have a licence to run the business, issued by the civic body, there are always issues with the authorities.
“As space was at a premium on the city’s streets, Arun hit upon the idea of fabricating a two-wheeler with a sidecar that would have a grill and a tava. We saw the movie Sholay and realised that if a sidecar (in the movie) could carry a 90 kg person, it could easily be converted into a grill,” says Krishna.
So, what started as an idea to solve the space crunch resulted in a modified bike that could be ridden to the place of business and operated by a single rider-cum-chef. A month and a half ago, their first fabricated Bullet 500 cc hit the road. It not only grabbed eyeballs but also offers of investment and for the use of the vehicle as a film prop too.
In startup capital Bengaluru, venture capitalists and angel investors keep an eye out for the next big idea, and some of them got wind of this crazy bike doing the rounds and fell in love with it. That’s when the brothers, both final year degree students of Sindhi College in Hebbal-Kempapura fitted a second bullet with a sidecar, this time opting for a 350 cc motorcycle. They chose the Bullet as it is sturdy and stable when fitted with a sidecar.
The bikes are parked every evening at Coffee Board Layout, “Food Street” as the location is popularly called, and at Kammanahalli, an area that is emerging as the next Koramangala or Indiranagar as far as the gastro experience is concerned.
The brothers have grabbed the eyeballs of everyone from movie producers to investors. A third brand new Bullet is already parked in front of their modest accommodation in Amrut Nagar, ready for a retrofit. That’s when it hit home. “Don’t Bullet motorcycles have a six-month-plus waiting period?” I ask Krishna.
Apparently, Royal Enfield was so taken up with their fabrication that the company promised to deliver each of the 150 bikes that they promised to order the very next day. “The company has liked our idea very much, and has even promised to showcase some of the models that we fabricate at their showrooms,” he said.
Arun, a dropout from a medical school in China, started a food truck business along with Krishna 18 months ago. But they soon faced labour issues, apart from the other associated business problems.
Ten minutes to start
Once parked, the chef can get the grill going in ten minutes. All he has to do is open the sidecar top and presto - a grill comes into view! Next to it is a tava attached to a five kg LPG cylinder. The chef reaches into the front of the sidecar for charcoal, which he spreads evenly on the grill to barbeque mouth-watering dishes. A counter, too, opens out to help serve customers.
Once fanned, he reaches into the back of the sidecar for the chef’s weapons – assorted skewers, knives and kitchen instruments to grill the meat and veggies on offer. In case it rains, the chef stands prepared; he reaches into the sidecar to pull out a garden umbrella.
Drawing the curious
At Food Street, the waft from the grill is unmistakable. As it travels down the road, it draws the curious and the hungry. Many of them, like Shankar Prasad, are left drooling – not for the chicken stewing on the BBQ, but at the sight of the modified bike.
“This is the first time I have seen a Bullet put to such a test. This is awesome,” he says as he bites into the food offered, which includes chicken legs, boneless chicken strips, wraps, burgers, rolls and pineapple veggies, all barbequed within minutes, on the spot. The brothers are looking to add more culinary flavours as their idea takes wing. One immediate addition will be nitrogen-dipped cookies. Once consumed, smoke comes out of the mouth, and these are safe for children too.
For an evening on the road, they can serve up to 200 customers, as the sidecar can carry that amount of marinated chicken, veggies, buns and wraps.
“As we offer only continental food, we cannot afford to have separate non-veg and veg bikes at the same spot. It’s like Anglo-Indian cuisine – all versions of it will come from the same BBQ spit and tava,” says Krishna, acutely aware of customers’ sensibilities for “strictly vegetarian food” grilled on veg-only BBQs and tavas.
The brothers want to take their model all over India, as they have been getting franchisee enquiries from as far as Pathankot, Gurgaon and Visakhapatnam, and investment calls even from Dubai.
They have started a company called BBQ Ride India, and have lined up investments. Each new 350 cc Bullet and its fabrication costs close to Rs 3.5 lakh. To reduce the burden on their brother-in-law’s unit, Arun is in talks with a company that manufactures sidecars. “Once we get a ready sidecar, we can fabricate it within a week.”
To help add marketing muscle, they have brought in Nijish Nair as a cofounder. He was formerly with Oyo and now operates a food truck. Once they get going, they plan to employ as many unemployed young hands as possible. Now, they are paying attention to the product line, quality of food, and standardisation; they use expensive Mexican red chilli oil, cinnamon paprika, and other quality foodstuffs available only in expensive supermarkets.
Arun has already signed up with a hotelier in Goa to station four Bullets on the fun state’s beaches. One can only say, “Keep Calm and Grill On!”


text:
Two days ago, Honor officially announced the name of its first foldable phone. Honor Magic Vs.. Thus, although the launch date has not been revealed yet, the company has confirmed its existence through the official teaser. However, it seems that the manufacturer will soon officially introduce this model, and a photo confirming the CPU inside it appeared on the web today. Details below.
The photo above is part of a live presentation already made in China for a small group of journalists. Thus, the Honor Magic V will debut in 2022 and mark a premiere, making it the first foldable smartphone with a processor. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Inside. This will definitely not be the only model with this chip next year, but it will be the first as Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold4 will make its debut next summer.
It is worth noting that we do not have much left now about the Honor Magic V. But we know it’s like opening a book in Z Fold3 or Huawei Mate X2 format. It has a 6.5-inch diagonal display on the outside and an 8-inch foldable display on the inside. Both panels are said to be BOE manufactured.
Last but not least, the Honor works on a so-called flip-flop phone Magic Wing. It is rumored that Magic V will be launched in January 2022 in a few days. However, the vertical folds will start later.
Problem solver. Incurable bacon specialist. Falls down a lot. Coffee maven. Communicator.


text:
A hyper-stylish FPS, Severed Steel has a great core but lacks the coherence of a great shooter.
Assembling the structure.
Making Crescent Moons.
Lucasarts has announced that it will be bringing it's entire back catalogue of games to Steam, including some previously unreleased versions.
Lucasarts could be looking at reviving the adventure game genre if only the hardware wasn't a problem. Wait, what?
Super-Ego games has just announced that it will be developing a series of new episodic adventure games for the PlayStation 3 to be sold over PSN.
Simon the Sorcerer, Guybrush Threepwood wanna-be, may soon be heading to the US after a recent announcement about the adventure game series.
A new Secret of Monkey Island game is rumoured to be in pre-production. Staff members faint in anticipation.
American McGee has announced he will be creating a new, massive episodic action game based on the fairy stories of The Brothers Grimm.
Ron Gilbert has now been officially attached to the upcoming episodic Penny Arcade game.
The detective duo return in another crazy adventure - and it's about time, too. Can Culture Shock recapture the original awesomeness of the 1993 Lucas Arts title Hit the Road? Yes!
The furry duo, it seems, really are poised for a comeback. The developers of the new title have the first part of a webcomic online.
September 23 2021 | 09:05
Copyright © 2000 - 2021, bit-tech.net. All rights reserved.


text:
Halls Crown Center is starting its transition to Halls on Grand.
The upscale department store, which has operated in Crown Center since 1973, is having a consolidation sale and will close temporarily Sunday. It will re-open in September in a new 60,000-square-foot space on Level 3 of the Crown Center Shops at 2450 Grand Blvd.
Sign Up and Save
Get six months of free digital access to The Kansas City Star
In June 2013, Halls said it no longer made economic sense to operate two Halls stores within about 20 blocks. The Plaza store, at 211 Nichols Road, is scheduled to close Aug. 3.
The new Halls on Grand will take over much of the third floor of Crown Center Shops. It will have an expanded beauty department (5,000 square feet), a new contemporary men’s and women’s department called “The Bridge,” an in-store cafe and bar, spacious new fitting rooms with custom furniture and designer wall coverings, and valet parking.
Its children’s department, Kid Oh, is moving to its own storefront on Level 2. A March 13 soft opening is scheduled with grand opening events in April. The 1,760-square-foot shop will feature “distinctive, on-trend casual and dress-up apparel” for fashion-forward children.
Several third floor retailers have moved to Level 2 to make way. Others, like Victoria’s Secret, have closed, and some shops are in the process of closing.
• Function Junction, a locally owned kitchen and housewares retailer, will take an expanded space on Level 2. It will continue to operate on Level 3 until the day before the new location opens, sometime in late March. A grand opening is planned for April 4 and 5. Items are 30 to 70 percent off during its moving sale.
Function Junction, an exclusive tenant to the Crown Center Shops, also plans to enhance its culinary studio at the new location with more product demonstrations and other events.
• Wilderness Reflections, which sells wildlife gifts, Native American jewelry, minerals and children’s science toys, has moved to Level 2.
• Russian European Giftware, which sells nesting dolls, Baltic amber, Polish pottery, and more, has temporarily closed. It will reopen as European Accents on Level 2 in March.
• The Missing Piece, hats and caps for men, women and children, is still operating on Level 3. It plans to move to Level 2 in March.
• Sister stores, Shang Tea Co. and Quen Stone Jewelry, jewelry, art and tea from the Far East, are both still operating on Level 3 and plan to open on Level 1 by early April.
• Off Center Theatre and Screenland Crown Center will remain on the north end of Level 3 and will be open during the Halls construction.
Several stores and food operations also will be upgrading, including the Best of Kansas City, Pen Place, Topsy’s Popcorn, and Pak Ling Express.
But there wasn’t enough space for every shop to relocate.
• After five years in Crown Center, Sportibles plans to close on March 23. Most items are now discounted 50 percent.
“We have had a huge amount of disappointed customers. They can find things here that they can’t find anywhere else,” said David Walby, owner of the pro and college sports apparel, memorabilia and collectibles shop. “We are a family owned business so we kind of depended on the income from that location. We would like to stay but we were never given the opportunity.”
Sportibles also has three other area locations and hopes to replace its Crown Center store in another “tourist” draw.
• Vivone’s, a locally owned women’s clothing store, plans to close March 9 after 28 years in Crown Center and 33 years in operation. It also is having a clearance sale.
Owner Nancy Paulson considered relocating in Crown Center but needed a large space, and that just wasn’t available.
“My customers are still upset. Many of them don’t know where they will shop,” Paulson said. “It was sort of a forced retirement but sometimes you have to be pragmatic and realize you can’t work forever.”
• Bacara Designs, unique jewelry and artifacts from around the world, closed in Crown Center Shops in late 2013. It opened a store in Oak Park Mall in Overland Park in May 2013 and will continue to operate that store.
As for the 55,000-square- foot Halls store on the Country Club Plaza, it will continue to operate until Aug. 3.
Several possible tenants have been rumored among consumers, but maybe one category can now be taken off the list.
Glenn Stephenson, vice president and division manager for Highwoods Properties, the Plaza’s landlord, said in a statement:
“We are working on some opportunities for Halls’ replacement that we think Kansas Citians will be pleased with. We have heard the rumors about a large discount retailer moving into Halls, and I can tell you that category is not in consideration for taking over that space.”
To reach Joyce Smith, call 816-234-4692 or send email to firstname.lastname@example.org. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter at JoyceKC


text:
All In MicroLED
Despite a smaller turnout, CEDIA Expo 2021 was a welcome return to in-person events as industry vets reconnected after a long absence.
CE Pro Editors · October 06, 2021
Planar targets resi market with unique program that includes physical installation and strong warranty for Luxe MicroLED and Luxe TVs.
Jason Knott · September 27, 2021
Spurred by a home entertainment demand surge during the pandemic, the average integrator installed 5 dedicated cinema rooms at $28,227 apiece, and 6 multipurpose home theater areas at $17,312 each over the past 12 months.
Jason Knott · June 16, 2021
Research indicates that revenue from TV displays is expected to grow from $33.2B in 2020 to $47.4B in 2025, with high-end TV helping drive the market.
CE Pro Editors · March 29, 2021
Featuring an industrial design influenced by Porsche Design Studio, the new M1 foldable 165-inch MicroLED TV offers 4K and HDR compatibility.
Robert Archer · March 02, 2021
Samsung plans to use Digital CES 2021 as a platform to showcase the latest and greatest in the company’s tech lineup this year, including new environmentally friendly remotes, robot vacuums and more.
Andrew Nichols · January 06, 2021
DP will highlight its Radiance LED, now with outdoor models, and its Satellite Modular Laser System projection solution, which separates the light engine for remote installation.
Arlen Schweiger · September 02, 2020
Integrator DES installed a 165″ Radiance LED Wall from Digital Projection at the 906 Cocktail and Cigar Lounge for eye-popping multiview enjoyment.
CE Pro Editors · May 06, 2020
With its modular microLEDs providing multiple benefits, Samsung was pitching The Wall Luxury for a unique, stylish and practical solution to integrators’ residential video applications. Watch the whole CEDIA Expo 2019 TechTalk.
Arlen Schweiger · September 25, 2019
TV features making their Samsung debut include HDMI 2.1 capabilities, sound that automatically compensates for room acoustics and viewing distance, the Apple TV app, and more.
Joe Palenchar · March 29, 2019


text:
Possessing the right blend of features and design, the G3 finally gives LG the right phone with which to challenge Korean rival Samsung.
The Motorola Moto X hits all the right notes, delivering stock Android inside a powerful high-end handset that you can customize yourself.
The 5.7-inch, metal-rimmed Android powerhouse is still the only large-screen phone that also comes with its own stylus.
The company cut prices on previous-generation models Thursday, but you can get them even cheaper.
The BMW X6 gathers strong opinions wherever it goes. Is its rep justified or is it misunderstood? XCAR take the latest X6 out for a spin to find out.
It's the first auction of new wireless spectrum in six years. CNET gets you up to speed on how this will affect your wireless service in the future.
Apple's Beats reaches for profundity as it shows LeBron James losing weight and gaining soul in a new campaign.
The famed VC says too many tech firms spend their money unwisely. CNET News Editor-in-Chief Connie Guglielmo talks with Andreessen about where Silicon Valley goes from here.
Apple announced a pair of new iPads, new iMacs and Mac Minis, but here's a quick look at what we didn't hear from Apple today.
Though it doesn't have LTE and takes unimpressive photos, the LG Optimus L90 remains a worthy midrange contender that you should look at if you're on a budget.


text:
Uber Technologies Inc. said Jan. 8 that it has made changes to its mobile ride-hailing platform in California, effective today, to adhere to a new state law that requires gig economy companies to categorize workers as employees.
Under the new law, previously dubbed Assembly Bill 5, Uber and other gig-economy companies like Lyft Inc. and food-delivery service DoorDash Inc. are no longer allowed to classify their workers as independent contractors.
San Francisco-based Uber said that as part of the changes to its app, drivers in California will now see estimated earnings and trip destinations prior to accepting a booking. It also said that the service fee that drivers are charged per trip will no longer exceed 25%, except for premium services like UberXL, Comfort, SUV and Lux trips.
In addition, trips with surge will now be calculated as multiples of the trip fare instead of fixed dollar amounts. Drivers can also now see the exact amount they will earn for every completed pickup on Uber Pool trips.
In participating cities where Quest promotions are available, Uber said drivers can pay a lower service fee for trips they take after they complete a certain number of Quest rides. The ride-hailing company said it is also replacing its Consecutive Trips promotion with a new campaign called Boost, which gives drivers a chance to lower their service fee by completing trips in certain locations during busy times of day.
Boost, unlike Consecutive Trips, will not have a minimum trip requirement, Uber said. It added that it plans to roll out similar features in its food delivery service Uber Eats.
Uber first announced changes to its app in California in December 2019.
The company, along with Lyft and DoorDash, has pledged $90 million to contest the new gig work law with a ballot measure this year. Uber and Postmates Inc. have also sued the state of California over the bill.


text:
Guinness celebrated International Stout Day on Thursday by announcing its Baltimore brewery will be releasing two new seasonal stouts: Guinness Imperial Stout and Guinness Imperial Gingerbread Spiced Stout. Both are aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels and expand on Guinness’s tradition of barrel-aging brews.
The new Imperial Stout was originally designed as part of Guinness’s Stock Ale blend last year, with a robust body that showcases the barrel-aging process. Described in a press release as having a “velvety mouthfeel, notes of chocolate, bourbon, […] and an oak finish,” fans of the brand should prepare themselves for a carefully crafted winter brew.
Meanwhile, the Gingerbread Spiced Stout evokes classic holiday flavors and arrives at a warming 11 percent ABV. Brewed with allspice, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, each spice was chosen to complement the barrel-aging process and create a gingerbread brew that’s anything but cookie-cutter.
Both the Imperial Stout and Imperial Gingerbread Spiced Stout are available across the U.S. Fans have from now through the holidays to get their hands on a four-pack, so start shopping.


text:
Marathon Petroleum posted earnings of $891 million, or $3.24 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2015, up from $199 million. or 67- cents per share, in the first quarter of 2014.
Marathon Petroleum posted earnings of $891 million, or $3.24 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2015, up from $199 million in the first quarter of 2014.
The Findlay-based company, which operates a refinery in Canton Township, cited its integrated refining systems as making a significant contribution to the quarter’s earnings.
"Our record first-quarter earnings highlight Marathon Petroleum's ability to take full advantage of favorable market conditions," said Gary R. Heminger, president and chief executive officer, in a statement.
The company saw a $934 million increase in its refining and marketing segments — $1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2015 compared to $362 million in the same time last year, said Timothy T. Griffith, senior vice president and chief financial officer, in the call.
Marathon is pleased with the start-up of its condensate splitter in Canton Township, which is already operating above capacity, Heminger said in an earnings call.
Marathon also saw higher income in its retail division, Speedway. The company acquired Hess Retail last year and has rebranded 400 of its stores — 260 of them during the first quarter. Speedway had $168 million in income during the first quarter, up from $58 million last year,
The company had some labor disagreements, with work stoppages at its Catlettsburg, Ky., and Galveston Bay, Texas, refineries. While the Catlettsburg stoppage has been resolved, the Galveston Bay one continues, Heminger said.
Marathon finalized labor agreements at several of its plants, including Canton Township, according to an earnings release.
Earlier this year, the company announced its subsidiary-owned Cornerstone Pipeline project was increasing to 16 inches, and completed a binding open season.
The company repurchased $209 million shares in the first quarter, on top of $136 million in dividends.
Yesterday, Marathon announced a two-for-one stock split in the form of a dividend to be distributed to shareholders June 10. Shares are expected to begin trading on a split basis June 11.
Marathon is the country’s fourth-largest refiner with seven refineries and crude oil refining capacity of approximately $1.7 million barrels a day. The company also operates 2,750 Speedway stores in 22 states, and sells its Marathon brand gasoline at about 5,500 retailers across 19 states.
Marathon stock was trading at $103.50 Thursday morning, up 97-cents.


text:
Editor's Note: Denver7 360 stories explore multiple sides of the topics that matter most to Coloradans, bringing in different perspectives so you can make up your own mind about the issues. To comment on this or other 360 stories, email us at firstname.lastname@example.org. See more 360 stories here.
We love our pets in Colorado and the tech boom doesn't discriminate. There are tons of gadgets out there that promise a happier life and a happier pet. But is all pet tech a good thing?
The Furbo is one of the more popular pet tech gadgets out there. It's an automatic treat dispenser equipped with a camera. Owners can watch their pets from their cell phone and dispense treats just by pushing a button.
Suzie Johnston said she uses it because she can see what her pets are doing and she an interact with them from afar. In addition, one of her three pets, Bubba, is getting older.
"It gives me huge peace of mind that I know he hasn’t fallen down," she said.
But not everyone thinks pet tech is a good idea. Retired University of Colorado professor Marc Beckoff said pet owners need to use machines sparingly. Dogs especially need lots of human interaction.
"My biggest fear is that people who don't have the capacity to own a dog will get one because they think they can take care of them with robots," Beckoff said. "A robot should not be a substitute for you."
Pet trackers are also a hot item these days. The Pawscout helps track down your dog or cat if it runs away. It uses Bluetooth through your cell phone. Pawscout CEO Andrea Chavez said it's about time pet tags got an upgrade.
"It's been the same for 200 years," she said. "It was very important to us to maintain a price point that is very affordable."
Some smart collars can even track your pet's movements and health. This is where veterinarian Sarah Grier weighs in. She owns Indian Peaks Veterinary Hospital in Boulder.
"I think it makes since in some cases," she said. "Say a dog has heart disease. A smart collar would be a way to track their heart rate, energy level and activity level."
In the long run, Grier said it's best not to rely on new technology alone.
"Looking at your dog and taking it to the vet and having it evaluated with a hands-on type of experience is way more valuable than looking at numbers," she said.
The moral of the story: No matter what new technology is out there, our cuddle bugs still need some tender loving care.