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YKK AP America Adds New Director of Marketing and Product Management
Jamilla Walcott joins growing marketing team in Austell, Ga.
YKK AP America, Inc. (YKK AP) is excited to announce the hiring of Jamilla Walcott as Director, Marketing and Product Management. In her role, Walcott will oversee all marketing team members and functional areas including marketing, communications, brand and product management, and architectural services/ national accounts.
“We’re thrilled to add Jamilla to our team, and she will play a key role in our marketing and communications efforts as we continue to grow and expand across the country,” said Oliver Stepe, senior vice president, YKK AP America. “Her marketing proficiencies and building products’ expertise brings a strong dynamic to the team as we aim to build the most trusted architectural products company in the U.S.”
Walcott earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing management from Syracuse University and holds an MBA from Wichita State University. After serving honorably in the U.S. Air Force as a logistics support officer, Walcott held roles of increasing responsibility in marketing and product management. She has experience in consumer and B-to-B marketing, as well as a familiarity in building products and manufacturing.
For more information about YKK AP career opportunities, please visit ykkap.com/careers.
News and Events
YKK AP America Announces Ramsey Fadel as Vice President of Manufacturing for Erie Architectural Products Group
Fadel will oversee YKK AP subsidiary Erie AP’s manufacturing operations with a focus on delivering the highest levels of safety, efficiency and customer satisfaction AUSTELL, Ga. (June 1, 2020) – YKK AP America today announces Ramsey Fadel as vice president of manufacturing of recently acquired subsidiary, Erie Architectural Products Group (Erie AP). Fadel is now […]
YKK AP America Hires Peter Martin as Residential Sales Representative for South Carolina
Martin’s more than 20 years of sales experience will contribute to the company’s commitment to service excellence in Southeast region AUSTELL, Ga. (May 12, 2020) – YKK AP America today named Peter Martin as residential sales representative for the South Carolina market. Martin will play an integral role in expanding the brand’s efforts in the […]
YKK AP America Appoints Yassir Chbouki to Controller
Expertise in financial management in the manufacturing industry will ensure the highest level of internal efficiencies and integrity AUSTELL, Ga. (April 27, 2020) – YKK AP America has appointed Yassir Chbouki to the position of controller. He will be responsible for ensuring the highest quality of internal efficiencies and integrity in YKK AP’s financial reporting. […]


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CG Restaurants & Bars has announced a 16.4% increase in like-for-like sales across its expanding bar group Dirty Martini.
The company, which operates seven Dirty Martini bars around London, said the result was driven by an “outstanding” 35% increase in pre-booked business across December, representing 61% of overall sales.
It puts CG Restaurants & Bars in a good position for future expansion, with plans for new Dirty Martinis in London and other parts of the country. Last year, it opened bars in Islington and Clapham (pictured).
Chief executive Scott Matthews said: “We’re delighted to announce an outstanding performance for Dirty Martini over the December period.
“Our new sites are outperforming expectations and our original Dirty Martini in Covent Garden continues to deliver excellent growth every year with its strongest-ever New Year’s Eve performance in 2015.
“Our successful expansion in 2015 with two new sites opening in Clapham and Islington has proved there is a continued appetite for the Dirty Martini brand and early discussions are under way on new acquisitions for 2016, both in London and regionally.”

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Andrew Mayeda, Bill Allison
The trade talks on steel imports were dragging on, and Robert Lighthizer didn’t care for the Japanese offer. So he folded it into a paper airplane and launched it across his desk at Japan’s lead negotiator.
Within days, the Japanese agreed to cut their nation’s share of the U.S. steel market, a key piece of then-President Ronald Reagan’s plan to curb foreign steel imports. The 1985 deal capped weeks of negotiations in which Lighthizer, then the deputy U.S. Trade Representative, shocked his Japanese counterparts with rough-hewn jokes and wore them out with his disdain for their proposals, former colleagues recalled. During one Japanese presentation, he devoted his attention to playfully disassembling his microphone.
Now, Lighthizer, 69, has been handed a megaphone. He’s preparing to take over as top trade negotiator for a president who argues that the true roots of Republicanism lie in the protectionist bent of such early leaders as Abraham Lincoln.
Donald Trump has promised a tough new approach to trade that will shield American workers and companies, even if that means slapping tariffs on foreign goods and ignoring decisions made by the World Trade Organization.
“He’ll be the hammer,” said Bill Perry, a partner at law firm Harris Bricken who was hired by Lighthizer at the USTR office in the 1980s. “He’ll be an extremely tough negotiator. And for free traders, he’ll be their best hope, because he understands the limits of the law.”
NAFTA and China
At the top of Lighthizer’s agenda will be renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement. The original talks for that 1993 pact took two years; the Trump administration wants a new deal in half that time. Regarding China, which accounts for more than half of America’s $500-billion trade deficit, Lighthizer has
urged a harder-nosed approach and more trade complaints from the U.S. More fundamentally, he’ll be
tasked with overhauling the way the U.S. manages its trade with the world, based on Trump’s assertion that while free trade is good, the current system hasn’t delivered it.
Matthew Nolan, an attorney with Arent Fox LLP, calls Lighthizer “an aggressive lawyer” who may believe Trump’s election gives him fresh license for taking tough positions. “I don’t think he will feel constrained by any current or past limitations,” said Nolan, who has represented the governments of Canada and Mexico in trade disputes. “I think everything’s going to be on the table.”
Some economists worry about the potential results. “Consumers buy a lot of things from China, and the immediate impact of a higher tariff on Chinese goods would be increased prices,” said Chad Bown, senior fellow at Peterson Institute for International Economics. Aggressive U.S. policies risk igniting international trade wars, Bown said. “China will retaliate,” he said. “And if you’re a worker or a farmer whose livelihood is tied up in your ability to sell your product to China, you’re also going to be hurt.”


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The Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council might be assembly subsequent week to overview the assorted sponsorship offers related to the event. The IPL Governing Council will overview the yearly Rs 440 crore title sponsorship take care of Vivo, that ends in 2022. “Being attentive to the border skirmish that resulted within the martyrdom of our courageous jawans, the IPL Governing Council has convened a gathering subsequent week to overview IPL’s varied sponsorship offers,” the official IPL deal with tweeted late on Friday evening.
Being attentive to the border skirmish that resulted within the martyrdom of our courageous jawans, the IPL Governing Council has convened a gathering subsequent week to overview IPL’s varied sponsorship offers ????????
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) June 19, 2020
On Thursday, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal stated that the board is open to reviewing its sponsorship coverage for the following cycle however has no plans to finish its affiliation with present IPL title sponsor Vivo as the cash coming in from the Chinese language firm helps India’s trigger and never the opposite manner spherical.
Anti-China sentiments are operating excessive in India following the border conflict between the 2 nations at Galwan valley earlier this week. The primary skirmish on the India-China border in additional than 4 many years left not less than 20 Indian troopers lifeless. Since then, calls have been made to boycott Chinese language merchandise.
However Dhumal stated Chinese language firms sponsoring an Indian occasion just like the IPL solely serve his nation’s pursuits.
“While you speak emotionally, you have a tendency to depart the rationale behind. We have now to grasp the distinction between supporting a Chinese language firm for a Chinese language trigger or taking assist from a Chinese language firm to assist India’s trigger,” Dhumal informed PTI.
“After we are permitting Chinese language firms to promote their merchandise in India, no matter cash they’re taking from Indian client, they’re paying a part of it to the BCCI (as model promotion) and the board is paying 42 per cent tax on that cash to the Indian authorities. So, that’s supporting India’s trigger and never China’s,” he argued.
Oppo, a cell phone model like Vivo, was sponsoring the Indian cricket group till September final yr when Bengaluru-based instructional know-how Byju’s start-up changed the Chinese language firm.
Dhumal stated he’s all for decreasing dependence on Chinese language merchandise however so long as its firms are allowed to do enterprise in India, there isn’t a hurt in them sponsoring an Indian model just like the IPL.
(With PTI Inputs)
Matters talked about on this article


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Search for dating surpass matrimony queries in India: Google
Bengaluru: Search for dating is growing faster than matrimony queries in India, said a report by global search engine Google on Thursday.
"Dating related searches in India are growing much faster than matrimony queries and non-metros were overtaking metros in online search across categories," said the report on "Insights for Brands".
It also revealed a 75 per cent increase in the "Near Me" queries and a 100 per cent growth in queries for co-working spaces.
The report is a deep dive into what Indian users are searching for online and opportunities these trends can unlock for brands.


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Despite lower store inventories, basics and replenishment items such as underwear, T-shirts, camis and everyday bras have generated demand as buyers get their first look at spring merchandise.
There’s been a depletion of fashion innerwear on retail selling floors, especially sleepwear, robes, loungewear, corsetry and embellished bra and coordinating undies. As a result, several Madison Avenue vendors said they will play it safe by offering a smattering of fashion merchandise topped by a large assortment of classic, everyday goods.
Faced with consumers who are cutting back, as well as reduced open-to-buy and travel budgets, retailers are expected to exercise extreme caution as they consider which products will entice shoppers. Manufacturers anticipate there will be many discussions with buyers and senior management over which brands, items and programs will be ordered, eliminated or pared down for immediate, back-to-school and spring deliveries. Markdown money, margin goals and financing that supports on-time production and shipments also will be issues, executives said.
If merchants want fashion to spruce up departments, they’ll find choices at the CurveNY lingerie trade fair that started Sunday at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, where more than 250 fashion brands are being featured, including many French labels, while Canadian designer Patricia Fieldwalker is going solo at the Kimberly Hotel in Manhattan.
Executives at Madison Avenue showrooms such as the Natori Co., Hanro USA, the Komar Co., the Carole Hochman Design Group and Richard Leeds International said they are prepared with spring assortments that offer a variety of fashion and lifestyle options such as new fabrics, textures, silhouettes, colors and prints. A majority of merchandise also has the added punch of dual-purpose function that offer consumers enhanced value, vendors said.
Bob Nolan, president of Jockey International North America wholesale and licensing operations, said August “will give us a chance to recalibrate business with all of our customers based on the current environment.”
“For Jockey, this market is in between the spring 2010 and fall 2010 seasons, since we’ve already worked the spring lines with our major retailers,” Nolan said. “We will work with all of our customers. Our inventories at retail are in line with our revenues, and retailers will be anxious to buy into new…programs that give them new revenue opportunities for spring 2010.”
Regarding price sensitivity, Nolan said: “Retailers and consumers are looking for a value proposition, not necessarily lower prices, and that value may be found in a new waistband, a softer fabric or other product upgrades. One key program is our new SuperSoft line, which we’re offering in our Classic and Elance collections. This is a luxurious microfiber fabric that makes a truly great wearing experience, and in addition, offers a great value while speaking to a current trend that we’re seeing — going back to basics.”
Jan Snodgrass, president of Hanro USA, said there have been some positive signs since March and April. “Customers are making good use of our reorderable basic assortments, which helps them improve their margins and manage inventories,” he said. “Our expectations for market are positive. We have been working closely with retailers to manage inventories this past season. This has allowed them to take advantage of reorderable basics, which are the basis for healthy margins, as well, and to ensure they have enough innovation and color to keep their floors interesting.”
Michael Herman, senior vice president of sales, merchandising and production at Natori Co., said, “While we anticipate retailers…to continue to be cautious, our expectations for market are very positive. Now that the shock of the economic climate has seemed to pass, we are working very closely with our retail partners to develop future strategies so we both come out stronger on the other end. The retailers overall have been reducing inventories significantly in the last six to 12 months, but also in certain cases capitalizing on opportunities when appropriate with new merchandise. We have been working with them daily on this.”
Greg Holland, vice president of sales at Komar Co. and president of the licensed Donna Karan sleepwear brand, expressed strong optimism about spring business.
“Sales at retail have been surprisingly good considering the state of the economy, and we are expecting a very busy market week,” Holland said. “All major stores will be in and this market is also an important one for specialty stores. Retailers have been conservative in their placements, but, based on the positive sales results, they will be looking for fresh merchandise. There has been a call out from all retailers who are definitely looking at…perceived value. Newness is imperative, and we have new knit fabrics, silhouettes, trims and colors in all of our brands.”
Victor Lee, president of Viceroy Collections, the U.S. distributor for British brands Myla and Shock Absorber, also is hopeful for spring.
“The inventory levels for basic items are at good levels to service repeat customers,” Lee said. “I also think retailers are still cautious about fashion items, but they know they have to have it to appeal to customers. Customers are price conscious for sure, but if the fashion appeal is there, they will buy. We have a lot of appointments for New York. All of the majors are coming, as well as the vast majority of boutiques. The West Coast boutiques are scattered among New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.”
Joe Franco, vice president of Dreamwear Inc., which is launching the XOXO intimates brand, agreed that value is uppermost. “We’ve seen a move by retailers to consolidate their vendor base, and are focusing on those vendors that can deliver on time and provide the consumer with a sensible value equation.”
EXCLUSIVE: @tomford is opening its first-ever beauty store. The boutique, which opens November 20 in London’s Covent Gardens, was designed with the over-the-top glam Ford is known for. Read the full story on WWD.com, link in bio. #wwdbeauty #wwdnews (📷: Simon Wagner) #TomFordBeauty
New York-based DJ @harleyvnewton threw a party to celebrate the holiday collection of her dress and pajama line @hvn at the Ladurée Beverly Hills. It Girls @katebosworth, @rashidajones and more joined in on the fun, which included cocktails, croque monsieur sandwiches and a photo booth. #wwdfashion (📷: Owen Kolasinski/BFA.com)
For the holidays, @Burberry partnered with 20-year-old artist @blondeymccoy on a series of three outdoor murals in downtown Manhattan. The murals are McCoy’s interpretation of a Christmas eve party, the idea of charity and the spirit of family. His third mural, pictured here, is the most personal. The image depicts McCoy’s grandparents and father in London’s Trafalgar Square in the Seventies. “My work often features lots of sentimental objects.” #wwdeye
For spring 2018, designers applied bold colors and cartoonish motifs on everything from sneakers and belts to key chains. See all the top men’s accessories trends on WWD.com. #wwdtrends (📷: George Chinsee; Prop Styling by @rnasti; Market Editor: @luiscampuzano)
The @dior-sponsored @guggenheim international gala pre-party has a history of drawing cool-girl musical acts to serenade the crowd –– and last night was no exception. @haimtheband performed songs both new and old, and lured a star-studded audience with the likes of Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Mamoudou Athie and more. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)
In a partnership between the @metopera and the @englishnationalopera, “Marnie” was born. The opera, with costumes sponsored by @mrporterlive, is an adaptation of the 1961 thriller by Winston Graham. Arianne Phillips, who created the costumes, is no rookie: She’s styled Madonna for her tours and created costumes for a myriad of films in the past. Read WWD’s interview with Phillips, where she talks about her inspiration for the opera’s costumes on WWD.com #wwdfashion
@barneysnyc took a different approach to their holiday windows this year. Instead of Christmas decor, Barneys tapped @thehaasbrothers to tell a story of positivity, gratitude and inclusivity via heartwarming silliness and humor. “It’s about kids and it’s about coming together and being family and loving each other,” said Simon Haas. #wwdfashion (📷: @joshuascottphoto)
Beauty influencer @kandeejohnson makes her foray into hair care with a collaboration with @ogx_beauty — making it the first time that OGX has teamed up for a product creation. The collab includes shampoos and conditioners in three scents. At 39 and a mom, Johnson is a different profile than the emerging social media stars, but is considered one of the pioneers of the digital beauty influencer world. Read WWD’s interview with her on wwd.com, including the strangest beauty product she’s ever tried #wwdbeauty


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In our October 2019 issue of SNIPS Magazine, we are pleased to announce the launch of our Industry Icons series beginning with Bill Bradford Sr. of Ductmate Industries, Inc.
Although Bradford has been retired from Ductmate for quite some time, he is still a legend on the factory floor. And his years of work and leadership forever live on as part of Ductmate's history on its way to becoming a successful company. Do you know an Industry Icon or someone who should be considered for our series? Submit your nominations directly to the SNIPS Editor-in-Chief at email@example.com.
Sign up now to get your free digital copy of our October 2019 issue of SNIPS magazine delivered directly to your inbox.
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The gaming industry may be looking to the next generation of PlayStation but that doesn't mean the current generation is totally dead. Sony this week announced plans to launch a snow white PS3 in the United Kingdom. Unlike previous plans for red and white consoles, users won't be able to buy just the console. Instead they'll have to settle for getting the pearly white PS3 as part of a bundle.
No pricing has been announced as of yet, but the bundle will come with a 500GB PS3, one special gold controller and God of War Ascension when it does launch on March 15. Pocket-Lint reports that the The copy of God of War Ascension included is the special edition, which comes with the audio soundtrack, multiplayer double XP unlock, and an exclusive theme and avatar.
As usual, there isn't really any different between this PS3 and the regular black model bar the color. Still, we're crossing our fingers that this white console will make its way to the United States eventually, so we'll keep you posted. If not, at least we have the next generation of PlayStation event is scheduled February 20 to look forward to.


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Toyota Motors is pondering an end to production at the NUMMI automobile plant in Fremont by March 2010, according to a published report in a major Japan-based newspaper.
The termination of Toyota production at the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. factory will be announced by the end of this month, Asahi Shimbun reported in its Saturday editions.
Asahi Shimbun cited no sources in its report. The report was distributed by Dow Jones Newswires.
NUMMI produces the Toyota Corolla compact car, the Toyota Tacoma truck and the Pontiac Vibe hatchback.
About 4,700 people work at the Fremont automotive plant. For a quarter-century, NUMMI has been a 50-50 joint venture between General Motors Corp. and Toyota.
General Motors will halt production of the Vibe this month. That was part of GM’s decision to stop making the Pontiac brand.
When GM emerged from its bankruptcy a few weeks ago, it decided to withdraw from the NUMMI joint venture, leaving Toyota as the sole manufacturer at the plant.
After GM’s disclosure, Toyota indicated in multiple instances that it might also exit the NUMMI venture. Toyota officials have repeatedly said they would disclose a decision by Aug. 31 about Toyota’s future plans for NUMMI.
Toyota intends to shift production of the Tacoma trucks to a factory in Texas, the newspaper said, without naming a source.
Dow Jones Newswires contributed to this report.


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What value can a business hope to extract from a $4 million investment in a single 30-second Super Bowl ad? OK, the ad will be seen be around 100 million people, but as a way of buying eyeballs, it’s pretty much the most expensive way you can do it.
In 2008 it looked like demand was on the wane, as Pepsi publicly walking away to fund its ambitious ‘Refresh Project’. But no, the Super Bowl ad is back with a vengeance.
The Super Bowl opportunity has been redefined by social media. Brand conversations are now visible, reminding marketers that conversations build brands.
Social enables brands to stir the pot, if they dare
Moments of cultural synchronicity are disproportionately valuable for marketers in a fragmented world, because they change behaviour of large groups, en masse. Social media has enabled us to watch the conversation build, and to stir the pot if we dare.
So little wonder marketers are jumping at the opportunity to come face to face with their advocates and detractors, and to spark flares of engagement by joining the debate.
The Super Bowl used to be simply the battle of the advertising budgets – with the main weapons being A-List directors and outlandish time lengths. Now it’s about the battle of the social newsrooms.
The biggest American brands created social newsrooms packed with data miners, brand ambassadors, and nervous corporate PRs frantically scanning compliance documents. All wanted to be able to capture, create, turn around and distribute this year's equivalent of Oreo's award winning 'You Can Still Dunk in the Dark' campaign of 2013; if only those blasted lights would go out.
Senior marketers manned the TweetDecks, just as top retailers join the shop floor to stock the shelves at Christmas. In 24 hours of prime conversation, there can only be a few winners, so it’s all hands to the pump.
New opportunities for the challenger brand
Over the next decade, global brands will use their evolving newsrooms to vie for esteem, particularly around unique cultural moments like the Super Bowl or indeed the impending World Cup. But the intensity of this battle means that people become increasingly aware of the fact that they are being marketed to in real time – and for the challenger brand, this creates a fascinating opportunity.
An unlikely winner of the social Super Bowl was Newcastle Brown Ale. Newcastle is like one of those people you know who move to another country and then totally change their personality.
In America it is not, in fact, the favoured brand of weather-proof, football-mad Geordies, but the brand of witty, Anglophile sophisticates. They managed to join the conversation by building a campaign that poked fun at their wealthier rivals, and also the aggressive management of trademarks that meant they couldn’t even use the word ‘Super Bowl’ at all.
As people become more aware of marketing, subverting marketing itself is a great opportunity for the challenger brand. It’s the same strategy that drove Bodyform to take aim at its own heritage to such great effect, and it’s ready made for the age of social media.
Big esteem brands will continue to lean on the more predictable effects of a big ad and a well-staffed newsroom. But as the media redefines itself around people, rather than channels, there is clearly more than one way to get into the conversation.
Matthew Hook is managing director of Aegis Media's Carat.Follow @MatthewAdamHook


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Germany is embracing plant-based foods as part of its planned National Nutrition Strategy. Federal Minister Cem Özdemir recently presented “Towards the Federal Government’s Nutrition Strategy,” a paper that outlines the government’s proposed cornerstones of the national strategy.
The German government aims to create an inclusive nutrition strategy that sparks a transformation of the food system with initiatives that focus on early education and accessibility, informed by the German Nutrition Society (DGE) and the Planetary Health Diet.
“I want to ensure that it is possible for everyone in Germany to eat well and healthily—regardless of income, education, or origin,” Özdemir said in discussing the key points of the paper.
The paper acknowledges that Germans consume far more meat than is nutritionally recommended and emphasizes the need to set an example for healthy, sustainable eating at government-run facilities such as schools, nursing homes, and hospitals.
“Whoever experiences how good fruit, vegetables, or legumes taste will maybe not go for Germans’ well-loved canteen food, ‘Currywurst’ with fries, as often,” Özdemir said.
Betting on plant-based food to boost health, fight climate crisis
“Nutrition can be a means of self-realization or part of a culture and attitude towards life,” the paper reads. “How and what we eat also has far-reaching effects: on the environment, biodiversity, and climate in Germany and worldwide, on animals as our fellow beings, on the agricultural and food industry and not ultimately on our health and well-being.”
Germany’s agricultural and food systems are responsible for approximately one quarter of its greenhouse gas emissions and the country is reexamining how food is produced to help meet its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2045.
By 2030, the country wants 30 percent of its agricultural goods to come from organic farming and to halve food waste in every sector. The paper emphasizes that building strategies to meet these goals must focus greatly on promoting its seasonal, regionally-grown, plant-based foods and using all available resources, such as social media, to make these foods accessible and attractive to all, including the country’s most vulnerable populations.
“The transformation of the entire food system towards a plant-based diet is the most important adjusting screw in the nutrition sector to achieve our national and international climate, biodiversity, and sustainability goals,” the paper states.
“How and what we eat affects the climate and living conditions of all living things on our planet,” the paper states. “We have to work and live within the planetary limits, so that we and those following us generations can continue to live a healthy and high-quality life on earth.”
Germany’s National Nutrition Strategy is expected to be finalized by the end of 2023 with implementation to begin in 2025.
Germany’s plant-based progress
While the national strategy would help to further normalize a plant-based diet in Germany, the country has already made progress on that front in several ways. The country’s capital, Berlin, has been a plant-based wonderland for years and in 2022, the city hit a milestone with 100 vegan restaurants within 10km of the city center according to vegan resource HappyCow.
When it comes to fast food, Germany has been a testing ground for notable plant-based innovations. In 2019, McDonald’s launched The Big Vegan TS, a vegan burger made with a patty by Nestlé-owned Garden Gourmet, at participating locations across Germany. Since then, the fast-food chain has experimented with plant-based offerings around the world.
Burger King Germany
Burger King also chose Germany as its first test market for a meatless pop-up, which it launched in the summer of 2021 at one location in Cologne. After testing meatless chicken nuggets and burgers made together with its European supplier The Vegetarian Butcher at this location, Burger King has expanded the pop-up concept and availability of plant-based options across Europe.
Also in 2021, four major universities in Berlin made a major commitment to remove approximately 96 percent of all meat served at their combined 34 cafeterias across the city in a joint effort to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. This followed a student-supported action to open the city’s first all-vegan cafeteria—Veggie 2.0—on campus at the Technical University of Berlin in 2019.
Overall, the vegan population in Germany is higher than average with most recent estimates putting it at approximately 3.2 percent of the population (or 2.6 million Germans)—a number that has doubled since 2016.


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The retail planning guidelines in the Irish Republic, which effectively outlaw the development of large UK-style superstores, may be lifted in a bid to encourage competition and curb rising prices.
Enterprise and employment minister Mary Harney signalled a rethink when she cited the planning curbs as one of the factors inhibiting competition in the grocery sector and contributing to high inflation.
She also mentioned the Groceries Order, which bans below-cost selling, though that is unlikely to be changed as it was renewed just over a year ago.
Harney was responding to a call for action against what Richard Bruton, spokesman for the opposition Fine Gael party, termed "the massive rip-off" of consumers by supermarkets and other shops. Figures from the Central Statistics Office, he said, showed wholesale food prices at factory level had fallen 4.7% over the past 12 months. But retailers' prices in the same period had increased 2.7%.
"Who is pocketing these bloated margins?" he asked. "On food alone, the extra cost to the average household is E500."
Consumer affairs director Carmel Foley said it was time for retailers "to offer an explanation, if they have one".
However, the rip-off claim was disputed by RGDATA, the independent grocers' group, which said food price inflation at 2.7% was around half the general inflation rate. Director general Ailish Forde said "removing the Groceries Order or tinkering with the retail planning guidelines will merely increase the dominance of the large multiples".


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Windsor, Ont. shop breaks new ground with aluminum molds
Canadian PlasticsMoldmaking Plastics Processes Moldmaking: Materials
Did you hear the one about the Windsor, Ont. toolmaker that has automakers and their Tier 1 suppliers knocking...
Did you hear the one about the Windsor, Ont. toolmaker that has automakers and their Tier 1 suppliers knocking on its door at the height of a recession?
No? That’s probably because it’s not a joke – it’s a description of day-to-day business at Unique Tool & Gauge Inc., a company that’s making its mark by building aluminum injection molds to more cheaply produce plastic vehicle parts.
According to Darcy King, president of the family-owned, 65-employee strong Unique Tool, the company began developing aluminum molds six years ago as part of project with Japanese automaker Honda. “Honda was looking to lower tooling and production costs while maintaining part quality,” King said. “We presented them with the concept of using aluminum molds for high volume applications, which they liked, and we’re now involved in a co-management arrangement with them.”
At present, Unique Tool has made over 30 aluminum injection molds for Honda, including a mold to produce the cover that sits behind the back seats of the Honda Accord. Since 2007, more than 350,000 of the polypropylene “rear trays” have been made with the mold by Nissen Chemitec America at its London, Ohio plant.
In total, parts made with Unique Tool’s aluminum molds are in five Honda models and will be in two more by the end of 2009. Clearly, Honda seems pleased with the results. “We do see competitive advantages with aluminum tooling,” said Richard Spears, manager of the Tooling Engineering Group at Honda North American Purchasing. “We’re going to continue to make measured investments, assess our risks, and move forward. Thus far, we’d judge our involvement in aluminum tooling as a success.”
And despite the fact that King and his staff find it hard to keep up with business some days, they aren’t stopping with Honda; they’ve made presentations to executives from General Motors, Ford and Nissan, and have contacted major auto suppliers such as Magna, Toyota’s Boshuko division, Johnson Controls, NYX and International Automotive Components. The result so far has been a contract to supply aluminum molds to make a rear door pocket on the Chevy Volt, the electric car that GM is hoping will mark its resurgence.
But why use aluminum molds in the first place? Two reasons, King said: molds can be made in less time; and, because aluminum conducts heat better than steel, they can produce parts faster. “Tools that have more mechanisms and have more depth require more machining, spotting, drilling and benching, which will save time in aluminum versus, for example, P-20 steel,” King explained. “Honda is currently realizing molding cycle time savings of approximately 20 per cent on the rear tray tool.”
Aluminum molds aren’t as strong as those made from traditional steel, King conceded, and aluminum tooling isn’t for every auto part application. “It depends on the material, the part being produced, the volumes involved, and the number and kind of secondary operations being performed,” he said.
But with more auto parts being molded from softer materials – like PE, TPO or PP – and with newer, harder aluminum becoming available that can stand up to the pressure and wear of producing high volume part runs, the argument can certainly be made that, long term, the scales might be tipping against steel.
“With help from Honda’s backing, the moldmaking industry is definitely beginning to consider aluminum as a potential new ‘it’ material, and a lot of competing shops are trying to catch up to us by experimenting with the technology,” King said.
His company prides itself, though, on having gotten there first. “Aluminum molds are one of the biggest things happening in the industry today,” he said. “It’s a huge opportunity, and we’re excited to be at the forefront of it.”
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Foodies rose up in arms when the news broke that there was plan to replace the sugar cane in Mexican Coke (or 'Mexicoke') with American style corn syrup. The Mexican government recently imposed a new tax of $0.08 per liter of soda in response to the country's growing obesity epidemic (Mexico is now the most obese country in the world), prompting bottling company Arca Continental to float the idea.
According to the LA Times, "The outcry began when news outlets such as Quartz reported that executives from Arca Continental, the Mexican bottler, suggested in an earnings call that it would move to use cheaper sweeteners after the Mexican government imposed a new tax on soda."
Fear not though American Foodies, your beloved 'natural' coke won't be changing in Mexicoke sold outside of Mexico. The Times report continues: "Arca Continental, however, clarified and said changes to how its pop is sweetened would occur only to soda sold in Mexico."
It is worth bearing in mind that back in the 1970's and 80's, sugar was seen as the bad guy, and high fructose corn syrup the 'natural' way to sweeten your food (fructose, of course, comes from fruit). A sustained PR and lobbying effort from the sugar industry managed to turn it all around, obscuring mountains of evidence of the awful health effects excessive amounts of sugar were having on the general public, and have become the underdog in the fight against the corn syrup industry.
There is serious scientific evidence however, that shows High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is more dangerous from a health perspective. A report in Mother Jones states:
Unlike glucose, which the body stores in various tissues for use as fuel, fructose is sent to the liver for processing. Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of California-San Francisco, has shown that it causes a buildup of fats there, triggering a host of health problems including diabetes, gout, and heart disease. Most worrisome, Lustig says, it can lead to insulin resistance, a hormonal snafu that makes you feel hungry even when you're full. "The way fructose is metabolized leads you to want to eat more," he explains.
Regardless, both cane sugar and HFCS are contributing to the global obesity epidemic. As the WaPo reports, "Overall, Americans consume too much added sugars from all sources. Estimates reveal added sugars represent 16 percent of calories (that’s an average of 300 to 400 calories) or 21 teaspoons of added sugars per day. These calories offer no nutritional value."
But don't worry America, you have the right to get fat from Coca Cola any way you want.


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Update: The latest rumors suggest Apple will be teaming up with Samsung to hide Face ID sensors under the display — but not until the iPhone 15 Pro
The iPhone 14 is rumored to be getting a wide range of upgrades, and some of them are more exciting than others. So far we've heard about a faster and more efficient new A16 Bionic chip, a sharper main 48MP camera (up from 12MP) and the possible removal of the notch in favor of a punch hole display, at least on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Apple may also be retiring the iPhone mini to make room for a new 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max. And we've seen rumors that the back of the iPhone 14 design could minimize or possibly even eliminate the camera bump. But all of the above will be pointless without one big upgrade: Touch ID.
Back in September display analyst Ross Young predicted that the iPhone 14 could have under-display Face ID. That's nice, but unless Apple figures out a way to unlock the iPhone while wearing a mask with Face ID, which the company has allegedly been testing, it won't matter.
Over the past couple of months I've been commuting back and forth between New Jersey and New York, and I need to wear a mask on the bus and while in the office. That's just the way it is right now, and I don't think this is going to change anytime soon as unfortunately we now have the Omicron variant to deal with.
The number of times I need to unlock my phone in a given day add up quickly, whether I need to open my digital bus pass, turn on my iPhone's mobile hotspot or confirm my identity for Google's two-factor authentication in order to use Gmail. Each and every time I need to enter a passcode, which of course is a first-world problem but is still quite annoying.
This is why I really want the iPhone 14 to feature Touch ID, whether Apple adds an under-display Touch ID sensor or simply adds a fingerprint sensor to the power button.
Is Touch ID coming to iPhone 14?
We've heard rumors both for and against Touch ID coming to the iPhone 14, so at this point its seems very much in the air.
In a new Q&A with iDropNews, tipster LeaksApplePro said that Touch ID could be coming to the iPhone 14 Pro models:
“I can tell you that this feature has been dropped from the regular 14 series. However, it’s still being tested to be included in the Pro lineup next year under the display, though it’s unclear if we will end up seeing it.”
However, an earlier tip by leaker @PandaIsBald on Chinese site Weibo (via MacRumors) said that Touch ID will not be coming under the display on the iPhone 14. That would mean Face ID would continue to be the only biometric authentication option.
As Samsung has proven with the Galaxy S21 and other models, an in-display fingerprint sensor can be executed well so that unlocking is both secure and fast. Google's Pixel 6 also have an in-display fingerprint reader, though it has proven slower than we'd like. Still, I'd rather have a slightly sluggish experience than no fingerprint sensor at all.
Of course, I'd love for things on the Covid front to improve to the point where we don't need to wear masks in public. But right now it appears that Apple really needs to adapt for the iPhone 14.


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Skincare proved a winner for the Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) in its second quarter with a global sales jump of 28 per cent to US$2.8 billion. The core Estée Lauder and La Mer brands enjoyed double-digit growth over the period, stoking an overall sales increase of 5 per cent to US$4.85 billion.
The multinational’s six-month sales performance reached US$8.42 billion – almost the same as the 2019 figure for the same period.
The Asia/Pacific region was the epicentre of growth, experiencing a sales surge of 35 per cent in Q2, notably in mainland China and travel retail.
The launch of the new Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex springboarded Estée Lauder to become the top-selling beauty brand on Alibaba’s Tmall during the 2020 Singles’ Day shopping festival.
La Mer was the top-selling luxury beauty brand during the Singles’ Day frenzy, driven by strong demand for The Concentrate and The Treatment Lotion.
Global makeup sales dipped 25 per cent in Q2. Fragrance lifted 6 per cent, led by double-digit and strong growth from the Le Labo, Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle, Jo Malone, Tom Ford Beauty and Clinique brands.
We are proud to have returned to growth in our second quarter, earlier than we anticipated, demonstrating the enduring success of our multiple engines of growth strategy, said President and CEO, Fabrizio Freda.
“The powerful engines of skincare, fragrance, Asia-Pacific, travel retail and global online fuelled our performance despite the increasing complexity of the pandemic. Ten of our brands grew, signifying the broad-based strength of our portfolio, hero products and innovation, led by double-digit growth from the Estée Lauder and La Mer brands.”


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In preparation for tomorrow's PlayStation VR release, Sony reveals a new update coming to the PlayStation 4 Media Player with additional virtual reality features.
As PlayStation 4 owners gear up for the PlayStation VR release tomorrow, Sony continues to prepare the console for players’ upcoming experience. One important enhancement coming tomorrow along with the PlayStation VR release is an update to the PlayStation 4 Media Player that will give players a more immersive visual and audio experience.
According to a new post on the PlayStation Blog, the PS4 Media Player will allow PlayStation VR owners to view 360-degree equirectangular photos and videos. It will also allow PS4 owners to listen to FLAC high-resolution audio files, and will upscale traditional audio files, such as MP3s, to higher resolution quality.
Once the update – version 2.50 of the PS4 Media Player – is live, PlayStation VR owners will be able to see photos and videos in all their 360-degree glory. However, to do so, the files will need to be captured using an equirectangular camera. The blog post offers some additional information about the video formats that will be supported:
Note, to enjoy 360-degree media on PlayStation VR, any supported video – MKV, AVI, MP4, MPEG2 PS , MPEG2 TS, AVCHD – or photo – JPEG, BMP, PNG – files must be captured in equirectangular format by a 360-degree omnidirectional camera.
In addition to the update to 360-degree photos and video, tomorrow’s update will also introduce audio improvements to the PS4 Media Player. The Media Player will now support high-resolution FLAC audio files. Lossless audio fans will undoubtedly be happy with the support, and will offer VR developers a new audio format when creating VR experiences for gamers.
Additionally, the Media Player update will upscale non-FLAC audio to higher resolutions. This will be possible thanks to Sony’s DSEE HX technology. Formats such as MP3s and AACs, whose compression techniques strip out some of a song’s subtleties, will be upscaled to provide a richer audio experience for PlayStation 4 owners.
While not every PlayStation 4 owner is planning to pick up the PlayStation VR headset, the changes should provide a better media experience for all PlayStation 4 gamers. With the improved audio capabilities, games can be more immersive, especially alongside the 4K visuals coming with the PlayStation 4 Pro when it releases next month.
What do you think about the PlayStation 4 Media Player update? Are you excited for the improvement to both visuals and audio? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: PlayStation Blog


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Here's more evidence that small business owners are turning sour about the direction of the economy. “U.S. small business owners' net capital spending intentions for the next 12 months plunged to -14 in November, the lowest level in more than two years,” according to the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index. The -14 score in November comes from 20% of small business owners saying they expect to increase their capital spending over the next 12 months but 34% forecasting a decrease. The 34% "decrease" reading is the highest since July 2010. In the current survey, 45% of owners expect no change in their capital spending. As recently as summer, net capital spending intentions were level. The decline “suggests the nation's small-business owners are likely to pull back on their business investments even more, given their negative expectations for the next 12 months,” according to the Wells Fargo/Gallup quarterly survey, conducted Nov. 12-16 of 607 small business owners. Small business owners' capital spending expectations were slightly positive during the first two quarters of 2012, before turning neutral in July, and then plunging in November. The last time net capital spending intentions were lower than they are today was in July 2010, at -20.
Small business owners pull back on capital spending plans
A good Washington Post op-ed piece looks at why small business owners tend not to take advantage of a valuable tool — the federal Research and Development Tax Credit. Although the fiscal cliff negotiations put many tax credits in peril, Dean Zerbe, national managing director of AlliantGroup, a tax consulting firm based in Washington, D.C., and former senior counsel to the Senate Finance Committee, writes that the R&D credit “enjoys broad bipartisan support and is expected to be extended as part of any resolution” of the country's fiscal problems. “However, in working with thousands of CPA firms and businesses across the nation, I've found that only one out of 20 small businesses that are eligible for the R&D tax credit are taking this enormous tax benefit – the other 19 are leaving money on the table,” Mr. Zerbe writes. Indeed, a Government Accountability Office study found that 75% of the benefit of the R&D tax credit “was going to businesses with receipts of more than $250 million,” according to Mr. Zerbe. Businesses with less than $5 million in receipts only received about 7% of the benefit of the credit. So why is this happening? “The No. 1 reason is self-censoring, “ he writes. Business owners and their tax advisors have a fundamental misunderstanding of what is required to qualify for the R&D tax credit (not a problem for the Fortune 500 firms that have a thousand tax lawyers on staff). The R&D tax credit is not just about test tubes and lab coats (although those certainly count) – but rather, it's about an enormous range of activities, like improving an existing product, making a building greener, and reducing the costs to make a product.” He urges Congress to take steps to give the R&D credit an even bigger bang for small businesses: “That would entail allowing the credit to count against the alternative minimum tax as championed by Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa); that is, change the Treasury regulations to ensure that the business-friendly version of the credit — the Alternative Simplified Credit — can be taken on amended returns (as recommended by the U.S. Government Accountability Office) and allow the credit to be used by startups as suggested by Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.).
Outgoing U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich's Lakewood office won't be vacant for long. Lakewood Patch reports that David Stein, the owner of home furnishings store Plantation Home on Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, plans to sign a lease to move into the nearby Kucinich office, also on Detroit Avenue. Rep. Kucinich will leave his post at the end of the year. In the office, Mr. Stein will start a venture called Cotton, which Patch.com says will offer high-end linens and tableware. He expects to open the new store in April after redesigning the space. “We have really outgrown this space,” Mr. Stein tells the website. “I need competition, so I am really going to give myself competition. If Crate and Barrel or the Pottery Barn opened across the street, I'd be very happy." Patch.com notes that the building at 14400 Detroit Ave. was built in the early 1920s as Bailey Buick and has housed Rep. Kucinich's Lakewood office for nearly 20 years.
Cleveland is one of the cities in which a mobile cab-hailing app called Flywheel is opening its platform to allow rides from cars other than taxis, such as licensed black cars. Forbes.com reports that the startup, formerly known as Cabulous, “is still focusing primarily on taxis, but is adding other types of rides in case there are no taxis available or in case people want a different type of ride. Flywheel CEO Steve Humphreys says those other types of cars, which will all be licensed, are not yet on the system but will come soon. Flywheel now has more than 2,000 taxis nationwide; one-third of the taxis, though, are in San Francisco. Flywheel “works with taxi fleets, integrating to their dispatch systems,” according to Forbes.com. “Taxis can therefore accept rides via their central dispatch or through the mobile app that drivers use on Android devices in the taxis.” You also can follow me on Twitter for more news about business and Northeast Ohio.


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Under EMBARGO until 9th of December 2019, 0.00 GMT
Download full press release here
Global Council for Blockchain Application and Governance with Magna Carta Blockchain Forum launch in London today by the award-winning innovation think-tank Big Innovation Centre in collaboration with Magna Carta International Innovation Centre of the historical Magna Carta Island.
Combining Blockchain Technology and Sustainability on one Global Platform that aligns National Plans and Business Strategies.
Big Innovation Centre and Magna Carta International Innovation Centre will co-lead a curated international peer-group of business leaders, executives, entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, and renowned academics with policymakers focused on blockchain applications and governance, as a response to combat urgent global sustainability issues.
The group will come together in a Global Council for Blockchain Application and Governance. The flagship activity which will inform the Council through extensive crowdsourcing of knowledge and evidence for betterment through blockchain is Magna Carta Blockchain Forum.
The purpose of the Council is to address global governance issues of blockchain innovation and implementation. The Council, in particular, seeks to:
- Think forward about and align Blockchain innovation, national plans, business strategies, investment, research, regulation and governance.
- Ensure societal and environmental opportunities are unlocked from purposeful Blockchain adoption.
- Address urgent global topics where Blockchain can make a positive difference. They are sustainability & climate change, combatting poverty, health care systems, smart contracts, investment, sports games, food, influence & voting systems, data governance, security and fraud, crime-tech, purposeful crypto economy, payment-systems, digital finance, education, happiness, smart cities, and culture.
The co-chairs of the Council are:
- Professor Birgitte Andersen, CEO of Big Innovation Centre
- Professor Yu Xiong, President of Magna Carta International Innovation Centre
Professor Birgitte Andersen said:
“Blockchain technology is becoming ripe, and the opportunity is urgent. Through Blockchain, we will combine data silos of the environment and plastics, security and fraud to digital finance and elite sport management, and so forth. This will provide a single version of the truth of what is happening and how we can co-create a more sustainable future”.
Professor Yu Xiong said:
“Historically, the Magna Carta as a long-standing movement toward broader applicability of rule-of-law opened a new era for people’s rights. Symbolically and similarly, Blockchain as a strong assurance in decentralised context created a frontier of economic activity. Though 800 years apart, they both have been enforced consistently and objectively. Now we are delighted to let you know today, the two will be put on one plate in this new joint initiative, Global Council for Blockchain Application and Governance with Magna Carta Blockchain Forum.”
Global Council for Blockchain Application and Governance with Magna Carta Blockchain Forum is an initiative of:
Big Innovation Centre which was appointed by UK Parliament as Secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Blockchain (APPG Blockchain), and All-Party Parliamentary Group on Artificial Intelligence (APPG AI), since 2017, until the current pause of such initiatives due to the General Election.
Big Innovation Centre is an award-winning innovation think-tank and innovation hub providing professional services for businesses and public bodies, and which won Think-Tank of the Year, December 2018 and December 2019 (PRCA Public Affairs awards). Big Innovation Centre is based in London and with offices in the Middle East. Registered in England and Wales No. 8613849
Magna Carta International Innovation Centre, under Magna Carta Island, which is a contender for being the place where, in 1215, King John sealed the Magna Carta distributing the power to the people. Magna Carta is soften cited by politicians and campaigners as an important symbol of liberty today.
Magna Carta Island International Innovation Centre (MCIC) is establishing itself as a respectable think tank with a global remit, beyond the UK. Operating from headquarters both in on the Island and in the centre of London (4 Christopher Street, London), MCIC seeks to serve as a forerunner of cutting-edge technological innovation, market transformation and cross-cultural collaboration
For information regarding this press release or for contact:
Professor Birgitte Andersen, CEO of Big Innovation Centre, firstname.lastname@example.org, +44 (0)7944783648
Professor Yu Xiong, President of Magna Carta International Innovation Centre, 07901520040
Big Innovation Centre | 20 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0NF
Telephone +44 (0)20 3713 4036 | Web www.biginnovationcentre.com | Twitter @BigInnovCentre


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A federal pass judgement on has licensed a $650m agreement of a privateness lawsuit in opposition to Fb for allegedly the use of picture face-tagging and different biometric information with out the permission of its customers.
US district pass judgement on James Donato licensed the deal in a class-action lawsuit that was once filed in Illinois in 2015. Just about 1.6 million Fb customers in Illinois who submitted claims will probably be affected.
Donato referred to as it one of the crucial greatest settlements ever for a privateness violation.
“It’s going to put no less than $345 into the arms of each and every category member inquisitive about being compensated,” he wrote, calling it “a big win for shoppers within the hotly contested house of virtual privateness.”
Jay Edelson, a Chicago lawyer who filed the lawsuit, informed the Chicago Tribune that the exams might be within the mail inside of two months until the ruling is appealed.
“We’re happy to have reached a agreement so we will be able to transfer previous this topic, which is in the most efficient hobby of our neighborhood and our shareholders,” Fb, which is headquartered within the San Francisco Bay Space, mentioned in a observation.
The lawsuit accused the social media large of violating an Illinois privateness regulation through failing to get consent prior to the use of facial-recognition generation to scan footage uploaded through customers to create and retailer faces digitally.
The state’s Biometric Knowledge Privateness Act allowed shoppers to sue corporations that didn’t get permission prior to harvesting information reminiscent of faces and fingerprints.
The case ultimately wound up as a class-action lawsuit in California.
Fb has since modified its photo-tagging gadget.


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Displaying items 25-36 of 585 » View wsbtradio.com items only< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11-49 Next >
ReutersMay 15 (Reuters) - Blackstone Group LP : * Reports 282,500 share stake in J C Penney Co as of March 31 valued at $4.27 million -- SEC filing
Tags: Blackstone Group, L.P.
The death toll from the April 24 collapsed garment factory building in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka has now exceeded 1,100, making it one of the worst manufacturing disasters in history. Young female seamstresses accounted for the overwhelming...
Reuters(Reuters) - North American retailers on Tuesday discussed forging their own Bangladesh safety agreement, an alternative to a legally binding accord that many European retailers have signed on to, though details of any alternative accord were still...
ReutersMay 14 (Reuters) - J.C. Penney Co Inc's stores, distribution centers and headquarters are worth a total of $4.06 billion, according to an appraisal conducted for the department store chain and disclosed on Tuesday in a presentation to potential lenders...
J.C. Penney Co. real estate holdings -- stores, distribution centers and headquarters -- are worth a total of $4.06 billion. The appraisal was disclosed on Tuesday in a presentation to potential lenders that was also filed with U.S. regulators. The 306...
Anyone who shops at J.C. Penney Co. this month can donate some spare change that will help create homes for those in need. Here's how it works: At checkout, people will be invited to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar and give their...
Sun SentinelIt's a countdown to Mother's Day on Sunday as Freebie Friday morphs into Shopping Saturday! Our fabulous freebie free-for-all goes coupon crazy so you can save save at your all fave stores. We have offers on cards, gifts, fun things to do so you can show...
Tags: Target, Redbox, The Home Depot, Williams-Sonoma Inc., Kohl's
For a while, J.C. Penney and Best Buy seemed to be doppelgangers. The two retailers struggled with intensifying competition after years of comfortable stagnation. Beset by Wall Street skepticism and shaky consumer loyalty, each made sweeping attempts at...
Thanks to a new study, Aberdeen businesses now know how likely area residents are to buy Huggies Little Swimmers disposable diapers with training pants, belong to an automotive club or drink Irish whiskey. Those facts and thousands of others are...
Say there’s a concert scheduled at a major Los Angeles venue, but that managers smell gas in the air before the show goes on. Chances are that they will cancel the event and take a loss out of an abundance of caution, said Dov Charney, chief...
ReutersBy Ryan Vlastelica NEW YORK, May 9 (Reuters) - Three long-time favorites of the short-selling crowd are making those investors eat crow, as Tesla, Barnes & Noble and Green Mountain Coffee are racking up big gains, making an already painful year for...
ReutersMay 8 (Reuters) - Wall Street securities analysts revised their ratings and price targets on several U.S. companies, including Walt Disney and Electronic Arts, on Wednesday. HIGHLIGHTS * Comerica Inc : Baird cuts to underperform * Electronic Arts :...
May 15, 2013 |Story| Reuters
May 14, 2013 |Story| Allentown Morning Call
May 14, 2013 |Story| Reuters
May 14, 2013 |Story| Reuters
May 14, 2013 |Story| Chicago Tribune
May 11, 2013 |Story| Aberdeen News
May 11, 2013 |Story| South Florida Sun-Sentinel
May 10, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times
May 10, 2013 |Story| Aberdeen News
May 6, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times
May 9, 2013 |Story| Reuters
May 8, 2013 |Story| Reuters
Original site for JC Penney Company Inc. topic gallery.


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Topic: Sikh militancy
The release of 5 convicted policemen comes soon after Modi govt commuted the death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana, one of Beant Singh’s assassins.
Sikh groups in Canada, USA and UK openly support a separate Sikh nation, and Indian security agencies believe they are trying to revive militancy in Punjab.
Asim Ali -
A refusal to call the wrong by its name is more a sin of omission than commission. Look at the police flogging of Muslim men in Gujarat’s Kheda.
Falguni Nayar, the online retailer founder and CEO, said the two companies would together build a multi-brand beauty retail business with Nykaa holding a 55% stake of the entity.
An Indian Army Aviation Cheetah helicopter crashed Wednesday. Several such crashes over past few yrs have jolted the military. Non-military sphere, too, has encountered many crashes.
In a highly polarised time, cornered minorities tend to lean back and protect the roots and fundamentals of what is so dear to them. Politically, it can often be a bad trap.


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Honey Maid has always been ahead of many brands when it comes to featuring diverse families in their ads, so it’s no surprise that their newest ad features two gay dads and their children. However, this particular commercial focuses more on just gay parents and their children, but rather focuses on the acceptance of a father of his gay son and his family.
The ad features a Hispanic father narrating in Spanish about how he came to accept his gay son and his partner, eventually realizing that he gained another son when his own son fell in love.
At the end, the father says, “I think any child would be lucky to have dads like you.”
According to Gay Star News, the couple featured in the commercial is a real-life couple. Furthermore, the ad will appear on TV and social media.
Katrina Plummer, Equity Brand Manager at Honey Maid, Mondelēz International sai in a statement, “Our new campaign creative taps into a cultural insight that is rooted in the change of the American family dynamic”
“In 2016, we’re encouraging Americans to view the world through the eyes of acceptance – and remember that no matter how families might change, just like our products, what makes them wholesome remains the same.”
Great job, Honey Maid.
Check out the video below.


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KEENE, N.H. — VIP Tires & Service has opened a retail store in Keene, its 20th store in the Granite State and 63rd throughout New England.
The new store, which features nine service bays, is housed in a 9,000-sq.-ft. former heavy-duty truck repair facility that VIP has been renovating since last May.
"This was a unique store opening for us that required a lot of planning and preparation to get renovations of the existing facility under way," VIP Tires President and CEO Tim Winkeler said. "We love the idea of renovating buildings that are no longer used, so with the official remodeling starting in spring 2020, we're thrilled to now open this new store to kick off 2021.
"Keene has been a target market for us for a long time, and with our other stores just far enough away to be challenging for customers in this neck of the woods to get to, we're excited to provide our unique tires and service offerings to Keene residents."
VIP did not disclose its investment in the renovation project. Keene is a city in southwest New Hampshire with a population of about 23,000. VIP's next closest store is in Hillsborough, N.H., about 24 miles northeast of Keene.
The new stores has storage capacity on-site for up to 2,000 tires, VIP said, and features an open-plan customer waiting area that holds 40 tires on display so customers can see and touch different models before making their purchase decision.
The Keene opening is VIP Tire's fourth in the past year. In December it opened a store in Worcester, Mass., and earlier in the fourth quarter it opened stores in Brookline, Mass., and Rutland, Vt., and relocated a store in Windham, Maine.
With 63 stores, VIP Tires is considered the 21st largest independent retail tire dealership in the U.S., according to Tire Business data.


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LAHORE: Collaboration between private sectors of Pakistan and Italy can be equally beneficial for the both countries, as Pakistan would have the opportunity to learn from Italian expertise while Italy can avail huge untapped potential of Pakistan.
Sub-committee on Mines and Marble (Lahore Chapter) of Italian Development Committee of Pakistan’s Chairperson Chaudhry Khadim Hussain expressed these views in a message to Italian Ambassador in Pakistan, Stefano Pontecorvo, according to spokesman of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) here Sunday.
Chaudhry Khadim Hussain, who is also former LCCI board member, said that Italy is the 8th largest economy in the world and 3rd in Eurozone, and it has been a relatively stable economy, and it recently surpassed in economic size by Brazil, an emerging giant over three times bigger in population and 28 times larger in geographic area.
At present, he added, Pakistan struggling to give a considerable boost to its exports, which can be passible by focusing also on the non-traditional partners, adding that imposition of Regulatory Duty 731 import-items is not a solution to bring down trade deficit.
Khadim Hussain said that Italy also has a sizable underground economy, which by some estimates accounts for as much as 15 per cent of GDP, and these activities are most common within the agriculture, construction, and service sectors. Italy, he added, has moved slowly on implementing structural reforms, such as reducing graft, overhauling costly entitlement programmes, and increasing employment opportunities for young workers, particularly women.
“Historical economic stability allows Italy today to rank as one of the highest economies in terms of net wealth per capita and per household, confirmed by its low level of private debt and average financial liabilities,” he maintained.
Pakistan needed to maintain strong relations with Italy, he said and suggested active engagement of the businessmen and diplomatic mission of the two countries, frequent exchange of economic and trade delegations to identify the areas of mutual interest and joint trade shows to achieve the required goals.
Keeping in view the market potential of the two countries a lot of progress could be made on trade front through boosting up the existing trade and identification of new tradable items between the two countries.
“To cater to the requirements of Pakistani market, marble, chemicals, dairy products, electronic equipments, machinery, automobiles can be exported by Italy, whereas Pakistan has a competitive advantage in textile, surgical instruments, leather products, sports goods, some fruits & vegetables, rice etc., which can be exported to Italy on a larger scale,” he suggested.
He also lauded the efforts of Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan Stefano Pontecorvo and Pakistani Ambassador to Italy Nadeem Riaz, who are leaving no stone unturned to boost trade and economic ties between the two countries. “Their passion and sincere efforts are already giving good results and I hope that efforts of these personalities would add a new chapter in the history of relations between Pakistan and Italy,” he concluded.


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Residential loans are off to a weak start in the first quarter, with real estate loans down a full $10.2 billion for the week ending Feb. 19, according to the latest weekly report from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods.
The large drop in residential loans was offset by gains in commercial lending, which saw $15.3 billion gains for the week. Net loans increased $5.6 billion.
Overall consumer lending was up a modest $500 million, with small increases in both credit card receivables and other consumer loans.
Trends KBW is seeing for the first quarter include mid-single-digit growth in commercial lending, continued declining residential mortgage loans, strong CRE growth at both the large and small banks; and an increase in consumers paying down credit card debt.
After a 5.6% annualized decline in January, commercial loans have rebounded and are now up $27.3 billion for the quarter to date.
On a related note, consumer spending rose a seasonally adjusted 0.4% for January while personal income gained 0.3%, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The personal savings rate remains flat at 4.3%.


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Dovel & Luner Files Lawsuit against Olly over Deceptive Advertising of Melatonin Supplements
SANTA MONICA – Dovel & Luner, a litigation boutique law firm, on Friday filed a federal class action lawsuit against Olly Public Benefit Corporation on behalf of consumers nationwide who purchased Olly melatonin supplements. The lawsuit alleges that Olly misled millions of consumers by inaccurately dosing and labeling its over-the-counter melatonin supplements.
The Complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that Olly violated the consumer protection laws of numerous states, including California Unfair Competition Law and California False Advertising Law.
Olly’s supplement labels claim that its melatonin products, like Olly Sleep and Olly Extra Strength, contain specific amounts of melatonin per serving, e.g., 3 mg or 5 mg. According to the lawsuit, lab testing revealed that the melatonin products “were substantially (and seemingly randomly) overdosed” and that “the true amount of melatonin was 165% to 274% of the amount claimed”.
The complaint states: “Olly’s labeling is false and misleading to consumers in multiple respects. The dosage of Olly Melatonin is not well-controlled and consistent with the dosages for which Olly designed the recommended servings. Olly Melatonin does not have the amount of melatonin claimed on the label. And Olly does not even mention that the actual dosage may vary.”
“No reasonable consumer expects that a melatonin supplement has a random and substantial overdose of melatonin, compared to what it is supposed to have,” the complaint asserts.
“Consumers need to be able to rely on the labels for melatonin supplements,” said Jonas Jacobson of Dovel & Luner. “Plaintiffs brought this case to protect the millions of U.S. consumers that buy Olly melatonin.”
SOURCE Dovel & Luner, LLP


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Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) today announced its intention to acquire Bai Brands, LLC, which markets a range of low-calorie, antioxidant-infused beverages, for $1.7 billion. The blockbuster deal was rumored for weeks and comes approximately 19 months after DPS, Bai’s primary distribution partner since 2013, purchased a 3 percent minority stake in the company for $15 million, based on a $500 million valuation.
DPS expects sales of Bai products, which include multiple lines of still and sparkling beverages infused with coffee fruit extract, to double in 2017, with the portfolio generating approximately $425 million in net sales. DPS also anticipates the brand to add an incremental $132 million to its current net sales expectation for next year.
In an investor call held this morning, DPS president and CEO Larry Young said that the company is “excited to see this team continue the breakthrough and disruptive innovation providing consumers with great-tasting and low-calorie beverages” and hailed the acquisition of Bai as one that “makes a tremendous amount of sense for us.”
“First and foremost, it solidifies our position in the enhanced water category with the fastest growing premium brand,” he said. “And it also provides us with attractive growth and investment returns. Bai also provides a strong platform for further innovation.”
The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2017.
Bai will operate within DPS’ Packaged Beverages segment and continue to be led by Ben Weiss, the brand’s founder and CEO, according to a press release.
Weiss praised DPS as “an ally who embraced our mission to change the way the world drinks,” and that he and his team “are thrilled to join the DPS family and create a new path forward with infinite possibilities.”
Still, the deal would appear to contrast with some of Weiss’ recent statements: during an interview with Bloomberg Markets earlier this month, he alluded to ongoing challenges with DPS as a distributor, saying it had outgrown the system and that “there’s barriers there.”
Weiss also said in a separate interview that Bai wasn’t for sale, telling Yahoo News that “the name is Bai, not sell.”
At the time of that interview, however, a J.P. Morgan investment banker had already collected bids for the company, with other potential purchasers including Nestle Waters.
On the surface the deal appears to be somewhat of a capitulation by DPS; Young and CFO Marty Ellen have consistently balked at the prospect of paying huge sums to acquire fast-growing brands, including those in its Allied Brands portfolio, which includes Bai, Vita Coco, BodyArmor, Core and High Brew Coffee.
However, Ellen explained that DPS’ assessment of Bai’s valuation was based on a highly positive outlook for future sales and distribution opportunities, particularly for some of the brand’s newer product lines, including Bubbles, Supertea, Cocofusion and Black.
Moreover, DPS’ analysis “started with a really deep inspection of where the different products in the portfolio are today in terms of distribution, what they’re velocities look like by channel, and in some cases, by major customer and across all channels, we built up our expectation of the future very carefully.”
“We spent a lot of time… thinking carefully about where ACV is and where it could grow and where velocities today and where velocities could grow,” Ellen said. “The [flagship] product has lot of distribution opportunity particularly in [convenience stores] where the ACVs are low. We see this for the first couple years as an extremely good distribution play with increasing velocities so we’re really excited about that.”
Although no synergies were included in the valuation, Ellen said that based on discounted cash flow analysis associated with its current distribution of Bai, DPS “probably paid about $180 million, in that sense, to value the profits we already had.” He called the number “a pretty low price to secure in perpetuity the distribution profits we already have.”
“We think we’ve been very disciplined on this,” Ellen said. “This is actually not a change in our strategy, it’s an evolution. We like the idea of partnering with these brands when they are nascent and getting a chance to see the performance of the brand as their major distributors. This one has clearly proven itself.”
Meanwhile, Young said that there will be “no significant change in the way we operate” with regard to its Allied Brands portfolio strategy, which he said “works very well.” He noted that “when these opportunities arise it’s because an owner wants to sell” and that DPS has to examine each on a “one-on-one” basis.
DPS is expected to support the acquisition with a huge increase in marketing spend for Bai. Bai’s marketing budget will increase by $25 million next year, an amount that will put the brand behind only in Dr Pepper in terms of 2017 brand spend. Ellen stated that next year’s marketing dollars will represent approximately 15-20 percent of total sales for Bai.
The surge in marketing spend is a key piece in DPS’ strategy to “foster an environment where we can capture this doubling of growth,” Ellen said. For DPS, that means potential synergies with Bai in warehousing, distribution, procurement and back office consolidation, are “not on our mind immediately at all.”
“This is about the top line in growth,” Ellen said. “We will capture good profitability from this.”
BevNET Editor-in-Chief Jeff Klineman contributed to this story.


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|By Business Wire||
|January 14, 2013 08:02 AM EST||
Today at the NRF (National Retail Federation) 102nd Annual Convention & EXPO, Epson America, Inc., a leading supplier of value-added Point of Service (POS) solutions, and SmartReceipt, Inc. a marketing solutions company focused on transforming POS receipts, announced the availability of its SmartReceipt offering on Epson’s OmniLink™ smart solutions family. OmniLink combines an Epson industry-leading POS printer with PC functionality to deliver cloud-based services, open platform mobility and flexible web-based printing from any mobile device. Paired with Epson’s OmniLink, SmartReceipt allows retailers to transform ordinary receipts into targeted, revenue generating marketing medium by increasing frequency and influencing buying behavior. With plug and play compatibility to virtually any existing POS system or electronic cash register, the SmartReceipt solution with OmniLink allows retailers to gain access to a number of dynamic receipt functionalities without any upgrades to existing software.
Epson’s OmniLink solutions provide the data gateway that enables delivery of cloud-based services via Ethernet or WiFi connectivity. Since the SmartReceipt application resides on the OmniLink printer outside the POS system, retailers gain the benefits of rapid deployment with no need to install additional applications. SmartReceipt provides retailers with real-time, behavior-driven marketing that allows for unprecedented in-store point-of-purchase decision-making, proven to generate revenue and influence customer behavior. SmartReceipt’s technology platform includes targeted marketing, location-based advertising, nutrition education, employee messaging capability and consumer purchasing analytics.
“We saw immediate effects,” commented Bob Grewal, development agent at Subway, a current SmartReceipt customer. “In as little as a week, people were bringing back the coupons and repeat customers started coming in at a faster rate. It’s been a big help for us to see an increase in business right away and sales are up overall.”
“Today’s retailers are using receipts to engage customers like never before,” commented Gregg Brunnick, Director of Marketing for Epson’s Business Systems Division. “The SmartReceipt platform brings added value to receipts, while increasing the retailer’s bottom line.”
“SmartReceipt is already being used by many large QSRs and retailers,” commented Jon Cassell, Vice President of Business Development for SmartReceipt. “With the added advantage of Epson’s OmniLink, we can quickly and easily bring the solution to clients in other markets, including restaurant and specialty retail, using legacy POS systems and ECRs that are currently unable to support software-based solutions.”
The SmartReceipt solution with OmniLink will be available in the first quarter of 2013 through SmartReceipt designated partners. SmartReceipt is also excited to announce a new focus on expanding their business partner reseller network. Coming on the heels of the recent partnership announcement by Wireless Ronin and the signing of Trinity Resources US to market SmartReceipt solutions, the company has embarked on an aggressive campaign to recruit a limited number of high quality value added resellers across North America. To watch Epson’s NRF 2013 video, please click here. To see a short video on SmartReceipt, please click here. For more information about the Epson OmniLink, please visit pos.epson.com/OmniLink.
SmartReceipt was founded in 2004 in Santa Barbara, Calif. as Nutricate Corporation, with a mission of providing personalized nutrition and marketing messages that enable consumers to make better food decisions. The company changed its name to SmartReceipt in 2010 and continues to provide innovative marketing solutions that enable retailers to generate incremental revenue and influence consumer purchasing decisions. For more information, please visit www.receipt.com.
About Epson America, Inc.
Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Long Beach, CA, Epson America, Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. For over 40 years, Epson’s advanced technology has been at work in millions of POS systems around the world. Today Epson’s Business Systems Division continues to bring industry-leading, open architecture, smart technologies to the point of service. To learn more about Epson America Business Systems Division, please visit: pos.epson.com, or connect with us on Facebook (http://tinyurl.com/EpsonFacebook-BizSys), Twitter (http://twitter.com/EpsonB2B_PR) and YouTube (http://tinyURL.com/EpsonYouTube).
Epson is a registered trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. OmniLink is a trademark of Epson America, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
The Internet of Things is clearly many things: data collection and analytics, wearables, Smart Grids and Smart Cities, the Industrial Internet, and more. Cool platforms like Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Intel's Galileo and Edison, and a diverse world of sensors are making the IoT a great toy box for developers in all these areas. In this Power Panel at @ThingsExpo, moderated by Conference Chair Roger Strukhoff, panelists discussed what things are the most important, which will have the most profound...
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We round up the Sunday newspaper share tips. This week Midas looks at Severfield and Gem Diamonds, while Questor looks at ConvaTec.
Jewellery is more than just a luxury accessory. It is a fabulous fashion statement which can be looked upon as an investment. We explain what you need to look out for.
Inflation is picking up. It rose to 1.6 per cent last month and most experts now believe it will break through two per cent by the summer. We look at what rising prices mean for savers and borrowers.
Even at a time when we are stretching our finances further to afford a home, moving less, and pushing mortgages beyond 30 years, we still remain captivated by two-year fixed rate deals.
A clever table put together by HSBC in a report called 'Is Brexit Getting Harder?' cleaves some clarity from the murk.
The proportion of existing landlords in the North East looking to add to their property portfolio in the region over the next three months has doubled to 19 per cent since last year, the NLA said.
The founder of Playbrush, a gadget that ‘makes a game’ out of using a toothbrush, has signed a deal with consumer goods giant Unilever.
Frontier markets are small, risky and can be incredibly volatile – the companies which make up the FTSE 100 are worth almost £2trillion, compared to just £25billion for the Romanian stock market.
Like most insurance, travel cover is fraught with pitfalls. We explain what you need to look out for when searching for the best cover.
Adults are advised by the National Health Service to do 150 minutes of weekly physical activity to keep healthy. Try our 14-step guide to keeping down the cost of workouts and gym membership.
John Browett, chief executive at Dunelm - one of the UK's biggest homewares groups, worth £1.4billion - imports most of his stock and expects prices to rise on more than two-thirds of his products.
The car industry will unveil its best manufacturing figures for 44 years this week but news of the boom may be overshadowed by fresh warnings of the threat from Brexit.
Severfield is the UK’s largest structural steel group, renowned for its fabrication and on-site construction work and can benefit from new stadiums, such as Tottenham's.
Victims of nuisance phone calls have a new weapon in their armoury – but a security expert believes it still does not go far enough and says householders must deploy maximum security tactics.
I sold an investment and asked for the proceeds to be sent to me by cheque. I never received the money. Someone then paid the cheque into their own bank account and withdrew the proceeds.
Energy giants look set to defy Ofgem’s demand not to raise prices after accusing the regulator of getting its sums wrong on their costs.
The influential EY Item Club is predicting that growth will slow to just 1.3 per cent this year and 1 per cent in 2018, remaining below 2 per cent until 2020.
MPs said there should be comprehensive pilots before the system is made mandatory for all firms.
Seedrs has partnered with China’s InteBridge Venture Capital to co-host the UK division of a start-up competition supported by the Shenzhen Government.
Wittington Investments paid out £109million according to its latest accounts, with another payment of £47million coming after the end of the financial year.
- Gogitidze and Others v. Georgia - Administrative confiscation procedure of wrongfully acquired property
- Gogitidzé et autres c. Géorgie - Confiscation administrative de biens irrégulièrement acquis
- Arrêts du 12.05.15
- Judgments of 12.05.15
- Judgment Identoba and Others v. Georgia - march against homophobia violently disrupted


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Off The Grill
In the News
Always got something to say. And the media listens. As a spokesperson for both food corporations and leadership in volunteerism, I am often asked to be on influencer panels, serve as an expert opinion, and featured in the media. Here are a few select highlights.


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It seems that Savannah Guthrie‘s red coat is overshadowing the 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and not in a good way.
The 96th annual holiday tradition is currently strolling down the streets of New York City, and the Today Show host is helming the event with Hoda Kobt.
The duo is festively dressed in red, white, and black attire as they commentate, which sounds like a fitting look as we kick off the holiday season. But unfortunately, something about Guthrie’s coat is taking the attention for this year’s floats. And viewers are airing their frustrations on social media.
Pictures posted by Today earlier this morning show that Savannah Guthrie chose a cherry thigh-length pea coat for today’s celebration. Her counterpart also wore a red coat, but hers is a deeper, more subdued tone.
Some fans, however, appear to like the punch of color on their TV screens. One person added that her coat is “literally fire,” which is a clever play on words. And another person wrote that she looks “terrific” in bright red.
Savannah Guthrie Kicks off the 96th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kobt arrived to work bright and early today, as usual. But with the holiday upon us, they veered away from their normal desk duties to host the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade pre-show. And at 9 am, they will kick off the main event.
Ahead of the parade, the hosts shared that this year’s show will be more magical than ever. The “beautiful spectacle” will still include “great floats, awesome music, high school bands,” and Santa, of course. But we have some “extra goodies” in store this year, according to Kotb.
“Things you may not have seen in parades past…will be there,” she said. “You have to have an eagle eye ’cause we want you to spot them.”
Those of you watching will also get a chance to see a list of celebrities take the stage. Performers include Mariah Carey, Paula Abdul, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots, Big Time Rush, and Jordin Sparks. The parade also added some new floats in the form of the Minions, Baby Shark, and more.