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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Thieves have upped their game with new ways to steal your money from credit and debit cards, as well as by wireless payment methods. Experts warn we have to be more vigilant about protecting ourselves.
We’ve traded convenience for security.
We can get cash on demand and we can pay for things without ever having to open our wallets, but all that convenience is fertile ground for criminals.
“The explosion of technology allows thieves to steal more in a more efficient manner,” says certified identify theft risk management specialist Heather Wagenhals.
The most recent study conducted last year by FICO looked at criminal activity on credit cards and found a 10% increase in the numbers of payment cards that were compromised in 2017. That’s on top a 70% increase in 2016.
A lot of it happens at the gas pump or at the point of sale in a store.
And it’s not just credit cards scammers are targeting.
“We need to be paying attention to wireless technologies we are using,” says Wagenhals. “Near field communicating devices like Apple Pay/Google Pay and other wireless wallets are a bigger challenge because they can walk by you, bump into you and steal your data.
To protect yourself she suggests turning off the near field communication and other wireless access to our devices except when we are using them to buy something.
To steal your card data, criminals make exact copies of card readers that fit over the card reading devices used at self-checkout points of sale or they simply drop new tops on card readers at the check-out line.
They then use Bluetooth to send your stolen card info back to them from those devices which have intercepted your card info.
In some stores now on the swiping unit, they have a device that sticks up on the cover to block a fake top. Or they’ll have a hologram on the top of the swiper to identify it as the actual cover.
However, Wagenhals says the problem is that simple anti-crime technology isn’t being used everywhere.
“It’s being deployed haphazardly,” she said.
She says Mom and Pop stores are more likely to use that anti-theft technique rather than major retailers.
Because those techniques are not used uniformly, Wagenhals says don’t count on them to protect you from a skimmer at point of sale.
When credit card companies began abandoning the magnetic strip and moving toward the chip it was supposed to cut down on theft, but it hasn’t worked so well in this country.
“We didn’t do it the way the Europeans did when they adopted the technology,” said Wagenhals. It was supposed to be chip and Pin number, but we’re doing chip and sign in the United States..
Thus, in this country, we are defeating the second layer of security the chip offers by not using pin numbers.
Skimmers can be placed inside of gas pumps. Now, more sophisticated technology allows thieves to slide a small sleeve-like unit right into the card reader at the pump in a matter of seconds.
There’s a simple way to protect yourself from the skimmers in the gas pump.
“I wouldn’t even use a gas pump reader,” says Wagenhals. Instead she says, you need to walk into the store and pay in person.
You also need to be aware of tiny pinhole cameras imbedded in card readers and ATMS or cameras near-by gas pumps or ATMS that criminals may have installed to capture your keystrokes.
“Look around you and see if there is a small, miniscule little camera, maybe the size of a button capturing data,” she said.
They’ll be no wires because the scammers are using cameras that transmit stolen data wirelessly.
You should also try and avoid using your card for every purchase to avoid exposure of your data.
For example, don’t use the card to make small purchases like buying a bottle of water and a pack of gum at the convenience store. Pay with cash instead.
Also, avoid using your card in debit mode, because that gives criminals access to all the money in your accounts. And If you do have a debit card, check your bank statements often.


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Sepac makes 135,000 tons toilet paper and 175 million diapers a year.
Chile’s CMPC tissue paper subsidiary Softys announced on Tuesday that it has reached an agreement to buy Paraná, Brazil-based Sepac for a little over $300 million. The deal will create the largest company in this segment in Brazil.
Sepac was founded in 1974 and owns tissue brands such as Duetto, Paloma, Stylus and Maxim as well as a self-named diaper brand. The company has an annual production capacity of 135,000 tons of tissue paper and 175 million diapers per year. Sales in 2019 are expected to total $200 million.
“The merger of the two companies will consolidate Softys as the largest operator of the tissue industry in Brazil, highlighting Sepac’s presence in the south of the country that is complemented by Softys’ current relevance in the central states,” CMPC said in a statement. “This is an operation consistent with our goal to grow in markets with high development potential for the tissue business, such as Brazil,” said CMPC Group Chairman Francisco Ruiz-Tagle in the statement.
Softys has been in Brazil since 2009 and has operations in São Paulo, with a capacity to produce 145,000 tons of tissue paper. The company diversified into diapers in 2017 with a Sepac brand.

domain: news


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The Consumer Electronics Association has a new ad today promoting the "Elect Innovation" campaign, which calls on voters to support candidates who back innovation friendly policies.
The National Association of Manufacturers' new ad today touting the organization as the leading group lobbying on behalf of U.S. manufacturers.
And Washington ABC affiliate WJLA released a new ad today promoting their election coverage in the coming months.
Those with continuing ads, per Kantar Media's Washington Eye, include: American Petroleum Institute, McDonald's, Ogilvy and WTOP-Radio.
Get us in your feed.


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WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) applauds the member companies of the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) for today’s groundbreaking agreement to update and strengthen the CFBAI initiative with the adoption of uniform nutrition criteria for foods advertised to children.
America’s food and beverage companies share First Lady Michelle Obama’s goal of solving obesity within a generation, and in recent years have developed and introduced innovative products, tools and information to help consumers achieve and maintain a healthy diet.
They have also implemented robust, voluntary changes to child-directed marketing that have dramatically changed the marketing landscape in recent years. Due in large part to the work of CFBAI, children see more ads for cereals and dairy products than any other categories. Ads for fruit juices have almost tripled, while ads for cookies, candy and soda have declined dramatically on children's programming.
The uniform standards announced today strengthen CFBAI by establishing specific limits for calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and total sugars. These changes are part of our industry’s constant effort to review our products and programs in an effort to keep pace with constantly changing consumer trends and nutrition science.
Food and beverage industry self regulation is working, and the changes announced today will further advance an already strong program that ensures that only healthy product choices and healthy lifestyle messages are seen by children.
Based in Washington, D.C., the Grocery Manufacturers Association is the voice of more than 300 leading food, beverage and consumer product companies that sustain and enhance the quality of life for hundreds of millions of people in the United States and around the globe.
Founded in 1908, GMA is an active, vocal advocate for its member companies and a trusted source of information about the industry and the products consumers rely on and enjoy every day. The association and its member companies are committed to meeting the needs of consumers through product innovation, responsible business practices and effective public policy solutions developed through a genuine partnership with policymakers and other stakeholders.
In keeping with its founding principles, GMA helps its members produce safe products through a strong and ongoing commitment to scientific research, testing and evaluation and to providing consumers with the products, tools and information they need to achieve a healthy diet and an active lifestyle. The food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry in the United States generates sales of $2.1 trillion annually, employs 14 million workers and contributes $1 trillion in added value to the economy every year. For more information visit www.gmaonline.org.


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ALAMEDA, Calif. - Alameda police arrested three people for allegedly stealing close to $3,000 worth of goods at a shopping center, police announced.
An employee at a Southshore Center business called the police Monday morning around 10:20 a.m. about a theft, police said. The caller provided the police with a detailed description of the group's vehicle and the direction they were headed.
Alameda County Sheriff's deputies and Alameda police caught up with the thieves. Officers recovered nearly $3,000 worth of merchandise during the traffic stop, police said.
All three occupants, including a woman from Berkeley and two men from Oakland, were arrested on suspicion of grand theft.


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A limited number of tickets to four Georgia football games will go on sale to the general public beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, the athletic association announced today. Tickets for two road games and two home games will be available for purchase online.
The games available and ticket prices are: Oklahoma State Saturday in Stillwater ($100), Arkansas on Sept. 19 in Fayetteville ($45), Arizona State on Sept. 26 in Athens ($60) and Tennessee Tech on Nov. 7 in Athens ($45).
All Oklahoma State tickets ordered can be picked up at the Gate N-12 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater starting at 1 p.m. Central Time on the day of the game. When picking up Oklahoma State tickets at will-call, you’ll have to present a photo ID. All other single game tickets ordered will be mailed out next week.
UPDATE: A limited number of tickets to the South Carolina game on Sept. 12 in Athens will go on sale exclusively to Hartman Fund donors, also at 9 a.m. Tuesday. These tickets, priced at $55, will


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SANTA’S lap could soon be off limits, breaking decades of tradition after it has been reported that child protection advocates are arguing for increased levels of regulation during the festive season.
The traditional Santa photo souvenir is in danger with a debate among Queensland parents on social media prompting updated shopping centre protection regulations during Christmas time.
Child protection activist Hetty Johnston this week backed the concerns of Queensland parents who thought the time had come to stop children sitting on the lap of Santa for Christmas photos, instead giving them a choice.
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“The directive would be for children to stand beside Santa, unless parents or children request to sit on his knee. Shopping centres have a duty of care to protect children on premises,” Ms Johnston said.
Whilst many parents are for the strengthened protection laws others are disgusted stating that it’s political correctness taken too far – What’s next? Will Mrs Claus be slammed for her weight after eating one too many Christmas Puddings…


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Samsung is set to make a big splash Thursday evening with the launch of its next Galaxy smartphone, which the company has dropped heavy hints will be called the Galaxy S4. Here’s a catchup for those wondering what rumors are out about Samsung’s new flagship so far, before the event starts at 7 p.m. tonight.
Big screen, plastic body: Samsung is expected to continue its trend toward bigger screens with the Galaxy S4, with Bloomberg reporting that the phone will measure 5 inches on the diagonal, as opposed to the 4.8-inch display on the Galaxy S III. That’s still smaller than the company’s pen-toting 5.5-inch Galaxy Note 2, but is considerably bigger than the recently enlarged 4-inch iPhone. With data, rather than voice services, becoming a more important part of users’ everyday smartphone experiences, some customers are happy to have screens that are better for browsing even if it comes at the expense of comfort while talking. Samsung has been delivering to that data-focused market of users — no surprise if it’s going after iPhone customers, who are known for gobbling up more data than other users.
The rumor mill also seems fairly certain that Samsung will stick with the plastic body it has used on previous versions of the Galaxy smartphone line, rather than opt for an iPhone-like aluminum body for a more premium feel. Reviewers have long said that the plastic panels on the Galaxy S4 are one of its weakest features, since it can make the phone feel cheap.
There also has been speculation that Samsung may put an eight-core processor in the new phone but, Bloomberg reports, that may only come in versions of the phone outside of the United States.
There’s also the long-shot rumor that Samsung will put the flexible screen technology it showed off at the Consumer Electronics Show in January into the new phone — though even the most optimistic analysts admit it’s an outside chance at best.
Software rumors are fuzzier: Bloomberg also noted that one of the biggest software features rumored to be in the new phone, eye-scrolling software reported by The New York Times, may not come in the launch versions of the phone. Instead, the report said, those features may show up in later versions of the phone. Some eye-tracking software is expected, however, such as the ability to pause videos when users look away from the screen, the report said.
Major marketing campaign: Samsung has been going all out on this gadget launch, commissioning everything from traditional TV commercials to a flash mob in Times Square. The company is clearly setting up the phone to be a serious competitor to the iPhone — not just the Android phone you buy because you don’t like Apple for some reason.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Samsung spent $401 million in U.S. advertising on its phones compared to Apple’s $333 million, citing research from Kantar Media. The company has been quick to act on doubts investors have had that Apple will continue to deliver innovative products and put itself forward as “The Next Big Thing” while also poking fun at Apple’s products and its fans.
Apple speaks up: In a sign that the Galaxy launch may have its biggest competitor, Apple, a bit hot under the collar, Apple’s chief marketing executive Phil Schiller made a rare public comment on the launch in interviews with Reuters and the Wall Street Journal Wednesday, saying that “fragmentation” — the fancy way to say that a lot of phones are using different versions of Google’s operating system out there — is an obvious Android weakness.
“[We] are hearing this week that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is being rumored to ship with an OS that is nearly a year old," he told Reuters. "Customers will have to wait to get an update."
Sign up today to receive #thecircuit, a daily roundup of the latest tech policy news from Washington and how it is shaping business, entertainment and science.


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Google surprised the internet by revealing the official design of the upcoming Google Pixel 4 smartphone which was then followed by several leaks on its design, specs, and features. It’s safe to say that the next Pixel device is the most discussed smartphone of this year and it will continue to be until its official unveiling. Well, now one more thing is outed to discuss on – the smartphone’s transparent casing has been tipped.
The new leak shows the Google Pixel 4 smartphone in the transparent case. The case is pretty bland and simple, there is a power button and a volume controller at the sides. The case also manages to create a hump with thick edges for extra protection. Also at the edges, there is good protection around the corners. There is also a cutout at the top but it’s unclear whether it’s for the audio jack or for the secondary mic.
At the bottom of the case, we get to see three cutouts, two for the speakers and one for the USB Type-C port. Other than this, there isn’t much to talk about but we’ll surely see a new leak in the coming weeks.
Stay Tuned for more updates on the upcoming Google Pixel 4 and also Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel Gadget Gig For Latest News, Reviews, Unboxing and Tips/Tricks.


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Gionee to launch Gionee S9 With Dual Camera Next Week
A couple of days ago, new Gioneesmartphones dubbed S9, and S9T were spotted on TENAA. Gionee has now confirmed that the Gionee S9 will be launched on November 15th. However, Gionee has not mentioned anything about the S9T whose pictures were also spotted alongside the S9. Presumably, the Gionee S9T will also be revealed in the same launched event being introduced as the more expensive and faster version of the S9.
The Gionee S9 will come with dual rear cameras, a 5MP, and a 13MP sensor at the rear. It will feature a 13MP front camera for people who fancy taking selfies. It will have a 5.5’’ display, 1920X1080 pixels resolution, 4GB LPDDR3 RAM, 64GB internal storage expandable via MicroSD card up to 128GB.
As with any decent smartphone nowadays it will offer a fingerprint sensor located at the back and will run on android version 6.0 (Marshmallow).
Other features of the phone include a 3000mAh battery, 154.2 × 76.4 × 7.4mm dimensions, and 166.5g of weight. An Antutu screenshot that has recently surfaced confirms most of the phone’s specs and also shows that it is powered by Mediatek’s Helio P10 octa-core processor. The S9 is clocked at 1.8 GHz while the S9T which has yet to be confirmed is clocked at 2.0GHz. Specs-wise that is the only difference between the two phones.
We will know more details like the phone’s pricing and availability when Gionee launches these phones on November 15. These phones are expected to be available in three color variants: Black, Gold, and Silver.
What do you think about the Gionee S9? Let us know in the comments below. For more tech news like us on Facebook and follow us on twitter.


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Bartle Bogle Hegarty has parted company with the New Covent Garden Soup
Company after three years following unresolved remuneration talks and
the client’s decision to take its advertising in-house.
The company, which produces fresh soup in a carton, is also moving much
of its adspend below the line.
The advertiser’s marketing manager, Kate Raison, said the split was no
reflection on BBH’s work.
The company spent only pounds 450,000 last year, although BBH’s launch
campaign was backed by a pounds 750,000 spend.
BBH, which was the client’s first ad agency, produced its debut press
campaign in November 1993. The three executions featured stories
recounted by the marketing director, Caroline Jeremy, and the managing
director, William Kendall, about their experiences of working for the
company. The ads ran in newspaper weekend supplements and the women’s
BBH’s work for the company picked up a gold award at the Account
Planners Group Awards in 1995.
BBH’s last press work ended in March 1996. The business, which employed
the account director, Rebecca Morgan, and one account planner, was
handled at board level by the BBH joint chief executive, John Bartle.
Morgan commented: ‘This was our smallest piece of business, but it had
the spirit and ethic we love dealing with. If the client decided to
increase its advertising budget, there would be nothing to preclude it
from coming back.’
No decision has yet been made on whether media buying will remain with


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Investors Digg Kevin Rose
Venture capitalists would love to do business with Web entrepreneur Kevin Rose, who has yet to cash in on his first two ventures, the popular Digg news site and the Web video production house, Revision3. But since neither company is accepting any more venture funding, investors angling for a piece of Rose's stardust will have to settle for Pownce.
This third endeavor, which went live on June 26, is a hybrid site that seeks to combine social networking, instant messaging, and file sharing. Users assemble a list of buddies, then swap messages, invitations, photos, music, and other files with one another. Created by Rose merely to distract himself in his spare time—with heftier input from three associates—Pownce is a classic next-generation Internet company: built on the cheap, reliant on users for much of its content, and launched with a low profile. Yet investors are already clamoring for a share.
"I probably would invest in Pownce if he's going out for funding," says high-tech angel investor Ron Conway, who's invested in Digg and Revision3. "I like to invest in great entrepreneurs, and he's a great entrepreneur." Conway cites the potential size of the social networking market and the "pedigree" of Rose's team as reasons to invest.
Another Silicon Valley investor says he plans to quiz Rose at an upcoming meeting on how Pownce will differ from Twitter, a cell-phone-oriented social network, and other services within the increasingly crowded field. But Rose's history of creating sites that draw "a lot of excited users" could trump those concerns, this investor says, on condition of anonymity. "Kevin has been a source of much joy the last couple of years," he says. "Whatever he decides to do, I'll pay attention."
Launched in 2004, Digg has become one of the Web's most popular sites—recently ranking 95th among the top 100 online destinations, according to audience measurement company Alexa.com—by letting users vote for their favorite online news stories about technology and other topics. The ad-supported site attracts about 20 million unique visitors a month, according to Jay Adelson, chairman and CEO of both Digg and Revision3.
Digg, Revision3: Fully Funded
Digg has raised $11.3 million from Greylock Partners, the Omidyar Network, and angel investors (see BusinessWeek.com, 8/14/06, "Valley Boys "). If Rose and his backers decide to sell Digg, the site could draw interest from major technology companies such as Microsoft (MSFT) and Google (GOOG) as well as from media concerns like Time Warner (TWX) or News Corp. (NWS).
Revision3—think Internet video with better production value—was launched last year and closed an $8 million financing round from Greylock and others on June 25, adding to $1 million in startup financing. Each month, users download 2 million episodes of the site's homemade shows. The most popular, Diggnation, draws 250,000 unique viewers a week to watch Rose and sidekick Alex Albrecht sit on a couch with beers and laptops, riffing on Digg's most popular stories. The company plans to quadruple its advertising sales staff of two in an effort to generate more revenue from its shows, says Adelson.
There's no question Rose, 30, has learned to generate industry buzz and that he is quickly becoming a serial entrepreneur of the new, user-driven Web. "Kevin has become a really savvy businessman in the last few years," absorbing lessons in product development, fund-raising, and public relations, says Adelson. "He's learned a lot about starting companies." Given Revision3's recent capital infusion, Rose's first two ventures are "fully funded to profitability," Adelson says—meaning they have enough money to eventually turn a profit without needing to raise more.
Pownce: In-Crowd Appeal
That leaves Pownce, which also looks to generate profit from ads as well as premium subscriptions. Available by invitation only for its test phase, the service is accessible through either a Web browser or desktop software built with technology from Adobe Systems (ADBE) that can speed performance. Sponsors can buy text ads that appear on users' profile and message pages. A version with no ads and support for large file transfers costs $20 a year.
While Pownce could struggle to find a mass market, it may appeal to the roughly 20% of Web users who are early adopters of new online media, says JupiterResearch media analyst Barry Parr. "This definitely feels like a product for that 20% and their friends," he says. "That's not necessarily a bad thing. You're talking about a pretty elite audience—they're the social backbone of the Internet."
So far, Rose is keeping a low profile with Pownce. He didn't respond to an interview request, and a spokeswoman says he isn't talking about the new venture. Adelson also declined to comment, other than to say he uses the site, and that Rose "doesn't work on it when he's at Digg."
That awareness level could change, though. Megatechtronium, the company behind Pownce, has begun talking to potential investors. Likewise, the public relations firm for both Digg and Revision3, Karbo/Fonkalsrud Communications, has started handling some Pownce work. Notably, invitations to join Pownce (free if you know someone in the network) have been showing up on eBay (EBAY) auctions with asking prices of up to $10.
An Increasingly Crowded Field
But the site clearly faces headwinds, from industry heavyweights such as News Corp.'s MySpace to the professional networking site LinkedIn and newer entrants like Twitter, which has soared in popularity by letting users broadcast text messages about what they're doing from moment to moment (see BusinessWeek.com, 4/2/07, "Twitter: All Trivia, All the Time ").
Pownce's launch also comes as Web companies wrestle with the knottier implications of user-generated content. When the audience supplies the reading matter, a site risks losing control of what's posted. Case in point: Digg in May sparked a user revolt after it removed links to articles containing a code to bypass the copy protection on high-definition DVDs (see BusinessWeek.com, 5/3/07, "Digg's Mob Rules"). Users then flooded Digg's site with even more links to the code, overwhelming Diggs attempts to remove them.
Then there's the relative obscurity of Pownce's other principals, including 24-year-old programmer Leah Culver and Digg designer Daniel Burka. While they have street credentials in San Francisco Web circles, they aren't known quantities when it comes to launching companies, according to investors.
Adelson says his compact with Rose allows each to try side projects to see if they stick. "One of the greatest things about our relationship is we're very free about letting each other experiment and try things," he says. "There are probably going to be many more."


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Crowdfunding is coming to online crafts marketplace Etsy, which says it will now allow some sellers to raise money from shoppers on its e-commerce site.
The move is bound to be a boon for the small-bit sellers who often struggle to pay upfront for the materials and equipment needed to manufacture new products, but it’s a riskier endeavor for buyers of Etsy products who could end up paying for a product that they never receive.
The romantic notion of crowdfunding, which began as a way to tap the online masses for startup capital to fund idealistic music and art projects, has since evolved into a $16.2 billion global industry offering a risky combination of retail and investment. Many projects have turned out to be fraudulent ploys for cash or amateur flops that don’t deliver on promises to the consumers that funded them. Funders are often left unsure of what they’re entitled to once they pledge their money.
Just this month, the US Federal Trade Commission settled its first case involving crowdfunding, in which a project creator raised $122,000 through crowdfunding website Kickstarter to produce a board game but instead used the funds on rent and other personal expenses.
The FTC case comes after a raft of other lawsuits and public complaints over deceptive practices involved in failed crowdfunding projects, as well as a stark warning from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority, which has warned consumers involved in crowdfunding that “it is very likely that you will lose all your money.”
The model embraced by Etsy will only make the concept of crowdfunding murkier, since the craft marketplace will be listing the crowd-funded campaigns alongside its traditional e-commerce offerings. Already the site is teeming with sellers who can’t hold together a business. Just 32% of the sellers Etsy deemed “active” in 2011 remained as such by December 2014, according to the company.
Fund on Etsy, as the crowdfunding initiative is called, would tempt shoppers to invest in products that had yet to be produced, based on the idea that once the seller met its funding goal, buyers would eventually receive their products.
Etsy says it will ensure that consumers’ credit and debit cards are never charged for campaigns that don’t raise enough money to fulfill their initial advertised goal. But it doesn’t guarantee that buyers will end up receiving what they pay for once the funding goal is met.
Nikki Summer, a spokeswoman for Etsy, says the company will initially run crowdfunding as a pilot program this summer with 100 carefully selected sellers. The company has worked with the sellers to “set reasonable and realistic goals and expectations,” Summer tells Quartz.
But the caution comes with a caveat, says Summer: “With crowdfunding, the buyer does bear the risk when choosing to fund.”


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News hotlines: 08111813019, 08025868561
President of the Nigerian Importers Integrity Association (NIIA), Godwin Onyekazi has given more reasons why the campaign to transfer long-standing (overtime) containers to off-dock facilities especially the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal (IKLT) in Lagos is counterproductive considering the high level lull in port business.
Analysts had maintained that port business started to drop since the federal government handed down the ban on forex access for the importation of selected 41 items.
According to him, calling on the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to transfer containers from the main port to IKLT is a negative thinking as there is “ample space in the main ports”.
“Congestion in the terminals has always been cited as the reason for the transfer of containers but the present economic downturn has resulted in less than 40 per cent yard occupancy for most terminal operators; effectively undermining the reason to transfer overtime cargoes to Ikorodu,” he said.
He added that due to massive shock that hit the maritime sector last year traced to forex crisis and government’s policy inconsistency, there has been a sharp decline in cargo volume and the scenario caused banks and business services providers surrounding the ports to close down at the ports.
“In fact, today, driving round Apapa, one is tempted to describe the town as ghost city as several buildings are in keys and quiet due to relocation to other areas or business collapse.
He said “A recent statement by the Senate in November 2016 highlighted the fact that the containers that have already been transferred to the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal have been abandoned with goods worth billions of naira rotting away daily; alluding to the fact that inadequate maintenance measures exist for the containers there. Therefore, moving even more containers will result in a sharper decline in the condition of containers and cargoes, and lead to wastage.”
NIIA President also noted that moving overtime containers can also be seen as a means to boycott terminal operational procedures, as container owners will look to avoid paying accrued charges but rather intercept or obtain their cargoes at reduced or no cost at all .
He argued further that the bid to transfer overtime cargoes to Ikorodu will only result in huge additional cost burden to government given that the logistics cost of moving the containers from various terminals will be borne by the NPA.
“This move will result in additional handling of containers, which come with increased cost of doing business for terminal operators; as well as likely claims from damages from handling during such transfers.
“There exists also the risk of loss of cargo to the consignee/importer due to allegations of diversion of cargo in transit from previous transfers and pilfering due to insecurity at Ikorodu terminal. The extra cost to be incurred to carry out the transfer can be avoided, especially in times like these when all sectors should be focused on saving, and not wasting public funds.
“Combined with the recession, this move will only serve to compound the woes of the already suffering maritime sector; it will not bring additional business or progress whatsoever,” Onyekazi said.


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Our favorite blow-dry bar, Blowtique Salon, is partnering with Park Hyatt Chicago to give you a Top KNOTch bar for the holidays! Both Park Hyatt Chicago’s NoMI Spa, and Blowtique Salon, were mentioned recently in Vogue’s Best Dressed issue!
It’s the perfect little pop-up shop for your seasonal style services! What look will you be going for this season?
Headquarters Beercade is on a mission this winter: to ensure everyone in Chicago has a very merry and bright holiday season, especiallyfamilies in need. How do they plan on doing that, you ask? The IndusTree Christmas Tree Drive – and you can help!
Sunday December 16 through Wednesday December 19, Headquarters will be accepting artificial trees, canned goods, toys and winter essentials to be donated to over 1,000 Chicago families. Donations big or small are appreciated and can be dropped off at 950 W. Wolfram, inside Headquarters.Sunday December 16 through Wednesday December 19
To celebrate those who participate in the drive, Headquarters will host a Wrap-Up Party on Wednesday December 19. In the spirit of giving, complimentary drinks will be provided.
If you have any questions about the IndusTree Christmas Tree Drive, tweet @HQ_Chicago.


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300 brand-new Karmas were destroyed in the storm, as were a total of around 16,000 vehicles from various makers, including a couple of Prii.
It seems there’s good news and bad news about the Fisker Karmas that were swamped by Sandy. The good news is, Fisker has determined that the vehicles’ Li-ion batteries were not at fault for the 16 Karmas that went up in flames. The bad news is, according to the Wall Street Journal, 300 brand-new Karmas were destroyed in the storm (as were a total of around 16,000 vehicles from various makers, including a couple of Prii). The loss of roughly $30 million will be covered by insurance, but losing that many cars on their way to inventory will surely be a huge disruption for the company.
On Monday, Fisker said in a statement:
On October 30, following Superstorm Sandy, several electric hybrid and non-hybrid cars from a variety of manufacturers caught fire and were damaged in separate incidents after flood waters receded at Port Newark (NJ), including 16…Fisker Karmas. Port Newark is one of the largest vehicle handling facilities in the U.S., and many thousands of vehicles of many makes and models were severely damaged as a result of the unprecedented flooding.After a thorough inspection witnessed by NHTSA representatives, Fisker engineers determined that the damage to the Karmas was the result of the cars being submerged under five to eight feet of seawater for several hours that left corrosive salt in a low-voltage Vehicle Control Unit in one Karma. The Vehicle Control Unit is a standard component found in many types of vehicles and is powered by a typical 12 V car battery. This residual salt damage caused a short circuit, which led to a fire that heavy winds then spread to other Karmas parked nearby. There were no explosions as had been inaccurately reported. The Karma’s lithium-ion batteries were ruled out as a cause or contributing factor.
Of course, this probably won’t silence the anti-EV crowd, who are doubtless now crowing that your plug-in car is going to burst into flames every single time it gets wet.
Source: Fisker, Wall Street


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Top 5 Reasons Why Customers Deploy Microsoft Exchange Server On EMC Unified Storage
Read this whitepaper and find a storage solution that can help improve Microsoft Exchange service levels and lower Exchange costs by 40 percent.
Please supply your email address to access the content.
- Intel appoints new director of Cloud policy and government affairs
- EXCLUSIVE: Dave Rosenberg appointed new Westcon A/NZ managing director
- Citrix and Fujitsu eye A/NZ mobility market together
- Achieva promises it won’t step on resellers’ heels in becoming a value-added distributor
- Express Data's Siobhan Delaney Miller joins Westcon
- Metrics a must for making the most of content marketing, says Forrester
- Ticketek: Modern marketing strategy is about treating people as people
- Salesforce.com launches Sales Reach for real-time selling and marketing
- A new kind of solicitude: Co-creation with customers
- Facebook reports a big sales jump, helped by mobile ads


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Bomb Threat Shuts Down QT
TULSA, Oklahoma - A QuikTrip store is back open after a bomb threat.
Officers arrested Jasmine Taye early Saturday morning at the QT on 15th and Denver.
They said she told a customer that she had a bomb and said she planned to blow up that store as well as all other QuikTrip locations in Tulsa.
The store was briefly closed while the situation was investigated.


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Fashion Week San Diego 2020 to present virtual exhibition with Sotheby’s New York
Fashion Week San Diego (FWSD), California’s largest traditional fashion week, announced recently its highly-anticipated New York runway show, “The Art and Beauty Behind Fashion,” is going virtual with a first-of-its-kind experience. In partnership with Sotheby’s and Art Renewal Center (ARC), the online salon exhibition will feature a digital catalog of the 99 ARC Salon exhibiting works, a virtual walk through space of the show, videos and exclusive interviews with the artists and executives from FWSD and ARC. The virtual exhibition will be presented worldwide at Sotheby’s.com from July 13 to July 31, and viewers at home may vote for the top fashion designer during that time.
To learn more about Fashion Week San Diego, visit fashionweeksd.com or connect on Facebook @FashionWeekSD, Instagram @fashionweeksd or Twitter @fashionweeksd.
In “The Art and Beauty Behind Fashion,” eight FWSD designers will debut their original couture outfits paired with and inspired by premier pieces from the 14th ARC Salon Competition, presented on socially distant models. The distinguished ARC Salon Competition is the largest in the world for representational art, receiving over 4,300 entries from 73 countries during the last cycle and spanning six continents. The eight winning paintings, paired with FWSD designers’ original looks, allows the artists to promote Contemporary Realism to a wider audience and expose the Representational Art Movement to top fashion designers around the world. In addition, this will allow FWSD designers to gain exposure to top art collectors and influencers globally, creating an ideal partnership.
The digital exhibition will capture the stories behind each pairing, featuring footage from both the fashion designer and artist on their creative process from conception to final presentation. The winning designer and painting pairing of the virtual show will be announced at FWSD’s signature runway event this October in San Diego, where each of the eight modern looks will be presented on live models. –News release


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Save a Frontline Worker Today with Blockchain-Verified Authentic Masks
As of July 2020, around 600,000 people have died from COVID-19— the ones in most danger being the frontline workers. With this danger comes the need for quality masks by the bulk. While plenty of companies are mass-producing essential physical protective equipment (PPE), many counterfeit manufacturers are taking advantage of the pandemic by selling fake face masks.
Counterfeit masks do not have the proper filtration that genuine face masks have. They are manufactured in unsanitary environments where workers do not even wear appropriate equipment. What makes the problem worse is that it’s hard to differentiate between authentic and counterfeit masks as there are no tools or universal processes to verify.
With the lack of PPE and fake masks, more and more frontline workers are becoming COVID-19 positive.
And the sad part is that these frontline workers go out so we can stay safe at home.
Seeing this problem, we at Real Items Company have worked to incorporate our specialty— blockchain technology— into medical-grade masks to ensure that they are authentic and safe to use.
How it works
Real Items Company has checked with the CDC and FDA regarding claims or filings for KN95 masks sold in the United States. Tricol Clean is a company that manufactures KN95 masks and has adopted Real Items verification technology in their factories in China. Once produced, the company places a unique 2FA-QR code on each of the face mask’s packaging. These can be scanned using a smartphone’s stock camera or a WeChat QR code reader.
After scanning the QR code, users type a one-time access pin, which gives them a digital certificate of authenticity. This two-part process proves authenticity with a tamper-proof record of origin. It’s no secret that any credential can be duplicated, but this method and system are something that no vendor can counterfeit.
All our verifiable masks come complete with the product’s origin, safety warnings, and recycling instructions.
Furthermore, the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) international respirator assessment results showed that each mask has a maximum and minimum filter efficiency of 99.57% and 98.71%, respectively.
Tricol has labeled about 600,000 masks with Real Items verification, and 300,000 of the masks have been shipped internationally to the Netherlands, England, Canada, USA, Japan, and Singapore.
Our mission is to bring authentic masks to every frontline worker, every family, and all those fighting for survival across the globe.
And now, you can also take part in actively supporting our frontline workers by sending a care package of authentic, verifiable masks even from the comforts of your home.
Click here to donate masks to our frontline workers.


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Investors can subscribe to the issue in the price band of Rs 1,490-1,500 per unit in a bid lot of 10 equity shares.
Backed by China’s Fosun Pharma, the company is a manufacturer of generic injectables with market share in over 60 countries, including the US, Europe, Canada, Australia, India and the rest of the world.
Gland Pharma’s initial public offering (IPO) opens for subscription today. The Rs 6,480 crore IPO will be the biggest public issue by a pharmaceutical company in India. Backed by China’s Fosun Pharma, the company is a manufacturer of generic injectables with market share in over 60 countries, including the US, Europe, Canada, Australia, India and the rest of the world. Gland Pharma’s IPO, consists of a fresh issue aggregating Rs 1,250 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) by existing shareholders and promoter of up to 3.49 crore equity shares. Investors can subscribe to the issue in the price band of Rs 1,490-1,500 per unit in a bid lot of 10 equity shares.
“At the higher price band of Rs 1,500 per share, Gland Pharma’s share is valued at a TTM P/E multiple of 31.7x, which is in-line with pharma industry P/E of 32.3x,” said brokerage and research firm Choice Broking in a note while advising investor to subscribe to the issue but with caution. The brokerage feels that the demanded valuations are stretched. Through the OFS, 19.3 million shares will be sold by the promoter Fosun Pharma, while 10.04 million shares will be sold by Gland Celsus Bio Chemicals, 3.5 million shares by Empower Discretionary Trust and 1.8million equity shares by Nilay Trust. Post issue the promoter shareholding will fall to 58.36% while public shareholding will increase to 41.64%.
Last Friday, the company allocated 1.29 crore equity shares at the upper price band of Rs 1500 per equity share to 70 anchor investors to raise Rs 1943.86 crore. Analysts at Sharekhan believe that Gland Pharma has the potential to clock healthy growth in the near future. “The global formulations market grew at a CAGR of ~ 5.8% from 2014 to reach $1,096 billion in 2019, as per the IQVIA. The market is estimated to clock a CAGR of 4.4% to reach $1,359 billion by 2024,” they said.
Gland Pharma follows a vertical integration pattern and has displayed its potential throughout the world with a vide market and a B2B business model. This model helps Gland Pharma to grow market share in key markets such as the United States, Europe, Canada and Australia, particularly the United States, while reducing the marketing investments they need to make.
Strong product pipeline aids Gland Pharma’s future growth prospects. “The offer is Priced at P/E of ~18.52x on annualized EPS of the quarter ended June 2020. Gland Pharma is one of the biggest pharma IPOs. The company has a focus on complex injectables which has high entry barriers and strategic partnerships to penetrate new markets like China which can prove to be a lucrative opportunity for the company,” said GEPL Capital while recommending to subscribe the offer.
Geopolitical tensions, unfavourable regulatory changes, revenue and geography concentration risk, and higher competition are some of the risks that are aligned with Gland Pharma. In the B2B model that Gland Pharma follows, it is expected that the competition will rise in the coming years. Gland Pharma has made significant investments towards its manufacturing infrastructure to support the product portfolio needs and reach. Currently, Gland Pharma has 7 manufacturing facilities in India, comprising 4 finished formulations facilities with a total of 22 production lines and 3 API facilities.


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Genting Hong Kong, the parent company of Star Cruises, has placed a major ship order that includes the line’s first ever ‘Global Class’ vessels, which will become among the largest cruise ships in the world.
In total, the Asian company has ordered 10 new vessels from Lloyd Werft, the German shipyard it recently acquired. These include six river cruisers for Crystal River Cruises, a new expedition yacht for Crystal Yacht Cruises, a new ‘Exclusive Class’ vessel for Crystal Cruises, and the two new mega-ships for Hong Kong-based Star Cruises.
Star Cruises’ two Global Class ships will each total 201,000 gross tonnes and feature 5,000 guest rooms. Designed for “worldwide cruising” and featuring “Chinese characteristics”, the new ships will be delivered to Star Cruises between 2019 and 2020.
“Passengers on our Global Class ships will enjoy an international class cruise experience to all parts of the world, yet in an environment where they will feel at home, whether it is food, culture, shows, enrichment programmes or excursions,” explained KT Lim, chairman of Genting Hong Kong.
“With the first two ships, we are focused on delivering a world-class vacation experience for Chinese cruise passengers at an affordable price.”
And this new order is just the start of the company’s explosion plans; Genting has purchased four shipyards in Germany, which will eventually be able to produce two mega-ships in excess of 200,000 gross tonnes and one 50,000-gross tonne mid-sized ship per year. This will allow Genting to rapidly build the fleets of Star Cruises, Crystal Cruises and its newest brand, Dream Cruises, as well as Crystal’s new river and yacht ventures.
The company is also buying Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft for its Crystal Luxury Air venture.
“Now it is time to come home and rebuild Star Cruises with a fleet of brand-new vessels which will transform Star Cruises to be the youngest, largest and most innovative cruise line in Asia and reclaim our leadership position,” KT Lim added.


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Intel narrows Q1 revenue estimates
Intel narrowed its first-quarter revenue estimate, announcing that it now expects revenue between $6.6bn (£4.6bn) and $6.9bn (£4.8bn) for the quarter ending 30 March.
Intel previously forecast revenue of $6.4bn to $7bn. The company said its microprocessor business is following traditional seasonal patterns, while its communications businesses remain weak.
Intel reported revenue of $6.7bn in its first quarter last year, a 16% drop from the previous year.
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From The Intercept:
By targeting essential security keys used to encrypt data stored on Apple’s devices, the researchers have sought to thwart the company’s attempts to provide mobile security to hundreds of millions of Apple customers across the globe. Studying both “physical” and “non-invasive” techniques, U.S. government-sponsored research has been aimed at discovering ways to decrypt and ultimately penetrate Apple’s encrypted firmware. This could enable spies to plant malicious code on Apple devices and seek out potential vulnerabilities in other parts of the iPhone and iPad currently masked by encryption.
Very disappointing to see this happen, but glad to see Cook stand firm to the extent he can. Ultimately the problem with any backdoor is that if it works for one person than others can exploit it. There is not some kind of middle ground where we can know for certain our devices are secure but also that the government can snoop on them. We deserve secure systems, and our privacy. These things were embedded in our fourth amendment and I think the interest of law enforcement in snooping on our communications should not override it.


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According to Mashable, Samsung’s newest Android phone, Galaxy Note 9, is expected to cost around $1,000 when it comes out.
This latest price announcement comes just days after Samsung issued a press release, claiming, “Samsung will seek to expand sales by introducing a new Galaxy Note earlier than usual, which offers exceptional performance for a reasonable price.”
The new smartphone is scheduled to be revealed on August 9 during Samsung’s Unpacked event in New York City and will officially go on sale on August 24.
When Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 was announced last year, the smartphone ranged anywhere between $900 and$960, depending on the carrier.
According to unconfirmed Malaysian price listings, the new Android could cost either $1,055 for 128 gigabytes of storage or $1,250 for 512 gigabytes. Samsung’s smartphones have been on a steady price increase for some time now.
The smartphone, which is now available to pre-order, will also come in 54- and 256-gigabyte versions, but their specific prices have yet to be released.
Samsung also revealed that the Galaxy Note 9 will likely be the last smartphone in the Note series, unless, of course, sales go exceptionally well.
While other companies carry smartphones that are under $1,000, their prices are either also increasing or not far behind.
Apple’s iPhone 9 is rumored to cost around $700 to $800, although the iPhone X Plus is expected to surpass the $1,000 mark.
According to Gadgets 360, the Galaxy Note 9 will feature minimal bezels and a slightly large display panel area and will most likely come with the more traditional fingerprint and iris scanners used to unlocked the phone. The Note 9 will also be able to be unlocked remotely using Bluetooth connectivity and maintain a significantly longer battery lifespan than its iPhone counterpart.
More specifically, the Note 9 is expected to feature “a curved Super AMOLED-backed ‘Infinity Display’ panel and a larger, 4,000mAh battery than the 3000mAh battery available on last year’s Galaxy Note 8” and is expected to come with “an upgraded dual rear camera setup and include basics such as a 3.5mm headphone jack.”
In addition, the new Android is expected to come with an Exynos SoC for global markets and “an improved S Pen that is reportedly getting a Gold paint-job for the first time.”
Furthermore, the newest Samsung addition is reported to have an “improved optical image stabilization (OIS) offered on the new model over its predecessor and various video enhancements,” and will also come with a wireless charger box called the Wireless Charger Duo.
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The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has urged the government to take a resolute stance and not be intimidated into signing the controversial Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU). The call comes ahead of the country's national consultation forum on the EPA, which takes place today, at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Though there are strong indications within the government that it would sign the deal, but the President of AGI, James Asare-Adjei, said Ghana should, once again, show leadership by not signing the deal.
The ECOWAS Heads of State, at the last summit in Yamoussoukro, Cote d'Ivoire, took a decision to resolve some outstanding technical aspects of the EPA within the next two months. The EPA, which is a free trade and development pact negotiated between the EU and the African Caribbean Pacific (ACP), when signed, will compel Ghana and other ECOWAS countries, excluding Nigeria, to open their markets for goods and services from Europe duty-free.
The ECOWAS-EPA involves an agreement to liberalise 75% of all imports of good into West African countries from the EU. On the face of it, this is better than the 80% liberalisation contained in Ghana's Interim EPA.
While this agreement may allow Ghana's exports to the EU 100% exempt from customs and other duties, Ghana will, in turn, have to eliminate tariffs on 75% of its imports from the EU, amounting to $300 million losses in government revenue, Mr. Asare-Adjei emphasised.
Tariffs constitute an important development tool, but Ghana stands to lose its right to leverage such tariffs as soon as it ratifies the EPA, he added. However, Nigeria has decided not to sign the agreement.
The Business Chronicle learned that the decision was reached at a meeting to collate the views of all interested parties in Nigeria. This means that Nigeria would not accept the decision of ECOWAS to fully sign the agreement.
Nigeria's stance would not influence Ghana and other West African countries to reject the exploitative EPA. If ECOWAS goes ahead to sign the trade agreement with the EU, it will break up economic and political relations with Nigeria, which is the largest economy in Africa, according to economists.
The opponents to the diabolic EPA deal, which are mainly civil society organisations (CSOs), include the AGI, Trades Union Congress of Ghana (TUC), Christian Council of Ghana, Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Socialist Forum, and the Economic Justice Network of Ghana, urged President John Dramani Mahama to reconsider his position, contained in his recent State of the Nation Address, on the EPA, and direct Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the meeting, not to sign on to the agreement recently concluded between West Africa and the European Union (ECOWAS-EPA).
Unfortunately, the EPA is being pursued by the EU at a time most ACP states, including Ghana, are beginning to transform from mere suppliers of raw materials to emerging multi-sector manufacturing economies.
The AGI President and opponents of the diabolic trade deal stated: "The EPA is more than just a trade agreement. As a legally binding international treaty, with elaborate implementation and enforceable provisions, it impacts significantly on our economic fortunes and development agenda".
After a thorough examination of the EPA, including the ensuing debates and an assessment of its pros and cons, the AGI has resolved that the conditions and prescriptions of the EPA, as they stand, will not be beneficial to Ghana for a number of reasons.
It totally derails our national agenda of Ghana becoming a truly industrialised country with the potential to create employment, equitable wealth, and sustainable growth of the Ghanaian economy.
Signing the EPA contradicts H.E. President John Dramani Mahama's commitment to change the structure of the economy, through primary, secondary, and tertiary processing, and to make the economy export-driven as indicated in the recent State of the Nation Address.
Mr. Asare-Adjei added: "EPA obligations are legally binding, and are into perpetuity. Clearly, this is not the time to lock Ghana and ECOWAS' long-term trade and development prospects into an irreversible agreement that gives the EU trade preferences over every other trade partner, as evident it its Most Favoured Nation Treatment (MFN) and standstill clauses."
The AGI noted that the EPA, when signed, would further fragment and eventually derail the harmonisation of West Africa's regional position and the process of regional integration.
The EU has also negotiated separate accords with different regions, and this approach weakens the ACP states, thereby denying us a collective bargaining power.
According to the AGI, investment and development assistance are not guaranteed under the EPA, and even if they are not forthcoming, there are no provisions within the EPA for the beneficiary country to be released from its obligations.
Ghana is faced with the challenge of tracking goods from outside the EU, coming into the country, which would have attracted import duty, but rerouted through the EU corridor.
This is quite complex to ascertain under the Rules of Origin clause, and our capacity, as a country, to verify these is limited.
Today, the spotlight is on Ghana, and with the ECOWAS Chair now in Ghana, it gives us an opportunity to establish, once again, leadership in the transformation of our economies from the wholesale raw resources export to one of industrilisation and value added, and also build consensus from member states to negotiate for better options in the interest of the entire ECOWAS.


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- Table from Content
The installment loans Connecticut state simply enacted high laws so you’re able to reform new nation’s small-dollars mortgage field and you may ban balloon-payment payday loans. Domestic Statement 1192 gained unanimous service in the Condition Legislature, and you can Gov. David Ige (D) finalized it with the law June 16.
The newest level gets into impression , and can save yourself consumers when you look at the Their state huge amount of money yearly because of the ensuring accessibility sensible borrowing from the bank away from authorized loan providers. Under the the newest legislation, brief cost fund will cost consumers a lot of money reduced. (Look for Desk step 1.) It will make such quick finance provided by suitable protections and you may utilize shown formula which have earned bipartisan assistance various other states. (Pick Dining table 2.)
Prior to such reforms, The state law enabled expensive balloon-commission funds which were typically due into one lump sum towards borrower’s next pay day. To acquire $five hundred more five months, a buyers perform shell out $700 when you look at the loans charges, as well as the swelling-sum fee tend to perform consume you to definitely-3rd or maybe more of the borrower’s next income. Such as for instance high repayments designed of a lot borrowers had a need to easily grab another financing to meet up almost every other bills.
H.B. 1192 commonly exchange this type of solitary-percentage fund that have payment funds for number to $1,five-hundred that are repayable in two in order to one year. They are able to provides yearly interest rates of up to 36% and a fee every month up to $thirty-five, dependent on mortgage dimensions, nevertheless law hats total financing costs at 1 / 2 of the fresh new amount borrowed. Additionally lets consumers to repay early instead of penalty, and you will deems money created by lenders instead a state licenses emptiness and you will uncollectable to eliminate jobs so you’re able to circumvent the new law’s consumer protections.
Exactly how Credit Costs Will change With Hawaii’s Reforms
Since chairs of your committees out-of legislation, condition Senator Rosalyn Baker (D) and you can Affiliate Aaron Ling Johanson (D) believed research off their states-such as for example Colorado (2010), Ohio (2018), and Virginia (2020)-you to definitely enacted successful cash advance reforms. Hawaii’s method decorative mirrors reforms in those claims, and that included good user security and you may lead to common the means to access credit.
Exactly how Hawaii’s Strategy Compares With other States
Sources: Pew’s study out-of Colorado House Bill 1351 (2010), Kansas Family Expenses 123 (2018), Virginia Senate Expenses 421 (2020), and you can Their state Family Expenses 1192 (2021).
Backers come across essential step forward
Sen. Baker, chair of the Senate Commerce, Individual Coverage, and Fitness Panel and a longtime recommend regarding payday loan change, emphasized the need for alter, detailing that specific loan providers when you look at the Their state energized pricing that have been “three times greater than precisely what the same bank is actually battery charging consumers various other says. We had a really, most impaired industry.”
Agent. Johanson, chairman of the property Consumer Defense and you can Business Panel, said the new reforms are specially extremely important now. “We realize that there exists a lot of people that stressed when you look at the Their state, way of living off salary in order to paycheck,” the guy said. “Brand new cost loan is much better on consumer with far smaller accumulated personal debt and you will focus over time.”
The fresh lawmakers paid Iris Ikeda, this new state’s administrator out-of loan providers, for her work with writing the balance. Brand new commissioner attained comprehensive enter in of stakeholders in training and you may testified to get brand new level.
Hawaii’s enactment out of H.B. 1192 demonstrates went on assistance to possess reining in the balloon-percentage pay day loan and shows exactly how federal and state policymakers is reform individual loans markets, promoting usage of borrowing from the bank while also protecting consumers.
“For me,” Rep. Johanson told you, “this will be probably going to be one of the biggest financial fairness wins using this concept.”
Nick Bourke is the manager, Gabe Kravitz are an officer, and Linlin Liang are an older connect with The brand new Pew Charity Trusts’ individual money project.


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With its vibrant health food scene, robust organic farming sector and tradition of self-sufficiency, Maine can easily be viewed as an oasis of natural eats.
However, the wider world does creep into our local affairs, meaning it never hurts to occasionally take a peek at the latest national and international food happenings. So, in the spirit of “think globally, act locally,” today I examine three recent food-related news items and explore what, if any, effect they’ll have in the Pine Tree State.
THE GOOD: LATEST DIETARY GUIDELINES
Every five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services release a set of dietary guidelines. The latest document (clocking in at a hefty 112 pages) came out in January and talks bluntly about the toll a poor diet is taking on the country in the form of obesity and its associated diseases.
“Americans currently consume too much sodium and too many calories from solid fats, added sugars, and refined grains,” the report says.
It goes on to encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetables (particularly leafy greens, red and orange vegetables, beans and peas), more whole grains, fewer sugar-sweetened beverages and fewer trans fats.
Somewhat surprisingly, the new guidelines also take a few jabs at processed foods. The guidelines never advise people to avoid these foods, but they do say things such as “consume more fresh foods and fewer processed foods that are high in sodium.”
“I’m definitely impressed overall,” said Kendall Scott of Kendall Scott Wellness, a health and nutrition coaching business in Durham. “It’s a little bit more holistic (than past guidelines).”
For the first time, the guidelines include vegetarian and vegan versions of its recommendations and state clearly that people who follow plant-based diets tend to have better health.
Scott said the guidelines are likely to have little impact on professionals in the health and nutrition fields. But she said we may see school lunch programs adding more whole grains and reducing the amount of meat they serve.
“I think the focus should really be on whole foods no matter what,” Scott said. “Stay away from the foods that come in a box, and get most of your food from plants. And the guidelines are doing a good job at that.”
THE BAD: BAYER PESTICIDES AND COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER
Roughly one-third of the foods we eat depend on bee pollination, which makes the news of colony collapse disorder devastating bees around the world a serious concern for farmers and beekeepers.
The disappearance of bees has spawned many theories to explain the mystery, including viruses, parasitic mites and lack of food. But the most prevalent theory has centered on pesticide exposure.
In recent months, the pesticide theory received added credence. First, a leaked Environmental Protection Agency memo turned up in December expressing concerns about the affects of Bayer CropScience’s pesticide clothianidin on bees.
The next month, the United Kingdom’s Independent newspaper reported on a soon-to-be-published report from Jeffrey Pettis, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s lead bee researcher, linking another Bayer pesticide, this time imidacloprid, to colony collapse disorder. His research shows that bees’ immune systems are weakened and they become more susceptible to disease when exposed to even miniscule amounts of imidacloprid.
Both imidacloprid and clothianidin are part of the neonicotinoid class of chemicals, which are neurotoxins with a structure similar to nicotine.
“While there haven’t been any documented cases of colony collapse disorder in Maine, we’ve definitely been experiencing higher-than-expected losses,” said Erin MacGregor-Forbes, president of the Maine State Beekeepers Association.
MacGregor-Forbes said that in Maine, the threat from these pesticides comes from homeowners rather than large-scale agricultural operations.
“A lot of people in Maine use them in the form of Japanese beetle killers, grub killers and weed and feed products,” she said. “Spraying flowering plants with any kind of chemical is going to kill bees, it’s going to kill moths and many other beneficial insects.
“Last year, it was impossible to go to Home Depot and buy a lawn fertilizer that didn’t contain these chemicals. From the Maine Beekeepers Association point of view, the message is that people need to move toward organics.”
THE UGLY: ROUNDUP READY ALFALFA
Despite ongoing issues with genetically modified crops contaminating neighboring fields, a variety of bans on GMOs around the world, a lack of independent research on the safety of GMO crops and a sharp decline in GMO crop cultivation in Europe, the Obama administration bowed to well-heeled special interests and recently approved Monsanto’s Roundup Ready alfalfa for unrestricted use.
This transgenic version of alfalfa allows it to survive being sprayed with Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup, which has been linked to reproductive disorders in independent studies. Other previously approved Roundup Ready crops (such as corn, soybeans and cotton) have caused a huge jump in the amount of this herbicide applied to U.S. crop land.
Alfalfa is the third-largest commodity crop cultivated across the nation, and is most commonly used as feed for dairy cows.
The cross-contamination issue is sure to affect organic dairy farmers, because alfalfa is pollinated by bees who don’t discriminate between normal alfalfa plants and those that have been genetically modified. This means that many organic alfalfa fields and seed crops will likely become contaminated with GMO strains.
Organic certifications prohibit the use of GMO crops as feed, and so such contamination has the potential to adversely affect these farmers.
“If you’re buying seed and you want a non-GE seed, it’s going to be harder and harder to find that,” said Russell Libby, executive director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.
However, Libby pointed out that alfalfa doesn’t grow well in Maine, so most dairy farmers – both organic and conventional – grow red clover mixes instead.
Libby said people who produce their own organic alfalfa sprouts or purchase them in the grocery store will be the first to be affected by Roundup Ready alfalfa.
“That’s where the biggest impact in Maine is going to be in the short term,” he said.
Staff Writer Avery Yale Kamila can be contacted at 791-6297 or at: email@example.com
Follow her on Twitter at: Twitter.com/AveryYaleKamila


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Several hundred Yahoo employees received the opposite of a Christmas present this week, learning the company is letting them go to ease its payroll burden. In addition to shedding 4 percent of its workforce, the shrinking web giant is shutting down AltaVista, Buzz and Delicious — according to an internal company slide.
The Wall Street Journal quotes a Yahoo spokesperson who verified the information on the slide and said the company is “evaluating its options” for the seemingly doomed sites. The spokesperson continues:
“Part of our organizational streamlining involves cutting our investment in underperforming or off-strategy products to put better focus on our core strengths and fund new innovation in the next year and beyond.
“We continuously evaluate and prioritize our portfolio of products and services, and do plan to shut down some products in the coming months,” she added. “We will communicate specific plans when appropriate.”
I’ll miss Buzz, which I found to be a handy and powerful news aggregator, capable of, say, picking up a story about an obscure personal finance book and launching it to a top-300 Amazon ranking for a couple days.
What role do the soon-to-be-shuttered Yahoo products play in your online expeditions?
Yahoo Plans to Shut AltaVista, Other Sites [The Wall Street Journal]


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Friday, May 04, 2012
Saying "NO" to Starbucks
Starbucks also used its resources to participate in a legal case seeking to overturn a federal law declaring marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
In many areas of the world where Starbucks does business, the concept of 'gay marriage' is unheard of and deeply offensive to cultural, moral and religious values.
In taking these actions, Starbucks has declared a culture war on all people of faith (and millions of others) who believe that the institution of marriage as one man and one woman is worth preserving.
A portion of every cup of coffee purchased at a Starbucks anywhere in the world goes to fund this corporate assault on marriage.
We urge consumers across the globe to join the 'Dump Starbucks' campaign.
Okay, that's the "why" to oppose Starbucks as described at the Dump Starbucks website. What about the "how" of the matter? Well, besides the obvious (namely, no longer patronizing the coffee shops or Starbucks products), I suggest that you fully utilize the range of actions outlined at the Dump Starbucks site. For example, at the site you can sign an e-petition and get contact info for letters and calls to the company headquarters and individual Starbucks stores.
As I've pointed out before, I have been boycotting Starbucks since 2005. And it's not merely because of the company promoting a culturally corrosive homosexual agenda. I'm also bothered, as I underscored back in 2007, "by the company's exorbitant product markups, their very poor record regarding free trade, and the ongoing matter of underpaying their employees."
That's why I'm very pleased at the development of the Dump Starbucks campaign which I've been touting since March ("Eliminating Starbucks Is Good for Your (Moral) Health").
I'm asking you to join us and to pass the word along to others. And the Dump Starbucks site is definitely the place to begin.


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- Parents are recapping the “delulu” (or delusional) Christmas lists compiled by their Gen Alpha children.
- They’re asking for designer clothing and luxury skincare products. One 10-year-old requested a car.
- Some defended the hope and boundless optimism of kids, saying it’s their job to be delusional.
This holiday season, amid a fraught US economy and inflation concerns, wearied parents are turning to TikTok to vent about the “delulu” — or internet speak for delusional — Christmas wishlists compiled by their young kids.
“I just found out that my nine-year-old thinks we live in a different tax bracket,” Annabel Havill said in a November 29 clip with 1.7 million views. On her daughter’s list this year? Lululemon leggings, an Apple Watch, and multiple luxury skincare sets.
“I don’t think she’s gotten the memo about inflation,” Havill quipped.
The mom’s 12-year-old son also had high hopes, she recounted in a second video. He pointed to the online resale site StockX to request Yeezy and streetwear brand A Bathing Ape items. “Get a job,” Havill deadpanned.
While Havill, 41, told Business Insider her TikToks were intended to be humorous — and she even plans to get her kids most of the presents they requested, with a $600 budget in mind for each — the larger message she wanted to impart was one of sensitivity and humility in the face of those who are less fortunate.
“In this economy, it is not glamorous and it is not OK to flaunt your wealth, and that’s something that I tell my kids,” she said, adding that her parents were factory workers (though she and her husband are now middle class). “There’s people that are struggling to buy groceries right now.”
Havill is not the only parent sharing and venting about the high-cost items their Gen Alpha children are putting on their Christmas wish lists.
One 10-year-old requested a car in a viral PowerPoint presentation
Amanda Elias told Business Insider her 10-year-old son, Kellen, usually uses the Apple Notes app to communicate his Christmas wishes to family members who live out of town. This year, he decided to outline them in a full-fledged PowerPoint presentation.
In a video with 12 million views, Kellen begins with a bang, requesting a $122,000 Dodge Challenger, but then moves on to (relatively) more reasonable asks, including $25 Spider-Man pajamas, as well as a litany of designer clothing, shoes, and electronics. His presentation apparently included 30 slides.
“If I knew how to laugh without smiling right now, I would do it,” Elias, 32, huffs behind the camera. “You literally think I’m an ATM.” (Nevertheless, she confirmed to BI that Kellen’s getting some of the items on his list, including a Fear of God Essentials hoodie, Crocs, jewelry, gift cards, and the pajamas.)
Keya James went similarly viral last week, recapping her 10-year-old daughter’s “bougie” Christmas list, which included a new iPhone, Uggs, Lululemon and Sephora gift cards, Dior sneakers, and a permanently welded bracelet.
“She thinks I’m rich,” James wrote.
As for Kellen, many viewers admired his endearing moxie, and even cheered the strategic nature of the presentation. “I wanna be this delulu,” one viewer wrote. Another added: “This is actually smart. He started w/ the most expensive so the other things seemed cheap.”
Commenters argued it’s a child’s job to be delusional
While Havill said her commentary was intended to be tongue-in-cheek, others defended the delusions of children, swinging back against commenters who called them privileged or labeled them “iPad kids.”
“If you really think that it’s a child’s role to be worried about finances, that’s weird,” the TikToker Alanna Hill retorted last week, addressing parents who she said were putting their kids on blast. “It’s a child’s job to be delusional … They still have hope in this world.”
For her part, Elias told BI she has mixed feelings about this assessment. “While I do agree kids shouldn’t worry about finances, I’ve always raised my son to be realistic with his expectations so that he doesn’t get disappointed,” she said.
Havill also agreed, in part. “They definitely should have optimism, and they definitely should want more than we can give,” she said. But Havill also noted that ambition and innovation are often born of a sense of need.
“I want my kids to have everything that I didn’t have, but I also want to keep them very well grounded.”


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PS2-based EverQuest spin-off Champions of Norrath will include USB headset support for its PS2 Online features, publisher Ubisoft announced this week. "Voice chat is the final piece of the puzzle with Champions," said Michael Lustenberger, EverQuest overlords Sony Online Entertainment's director of marketing. "It's the one feature that has been most requested in the game and we are pleased to announce its inclusion." In the US, CoN's headset support has led to it being classified broadband-only, but of course here in Europe PS2 Online is broadband-only anyway.
Set several hundred years prior to the existing timeline of MMORPG EverQuest, Champions of Norrath sends players on a cross-country quest to save the land from a gathering army of orcs and goblins in the wilds of Norrath. Setting off from the city of Faydwer, players will get to play as any of five playable characters - a Barbarian Warrior, a Dark Elf Shadow Knight, a High Elf Cleric, an Erudite Wizard or a Wood Elf Ranger - and the developer is promising up to 70 hours of gameplay per adventure, with randomly generated dungeons helping to pad things out and a 3D engine capable of displaying between 30 and 40 characters and enemies on-screen at once.
Champions of Norrath is due out on PS2 here in Europe on March 19th.


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Vinsakplans to bring innovative and business-oriented packaging solutions to PrintPack India 2022. This year, PrintPack is scheduled to take place from 26-30 May in India Expo Center, Greater Noida. It will also share information from Lombardi, AB Graphic International and Iwasaki.
At Printpack, Vinsakwill display its new range of label finishing equipment that prints out QR codes, high build varnish, and digital cold foiling in Hall 5, Stand C 22&23. It will also show Vinsak Usar, tabletop rewinder, Vinsak roll lifter, high build system, and brand protection solutions.
Vinsak is looking to connect with the audience at Printpack 2022
The company being a regular participant at PrintPack India will exhibit to offer more label embellishment solutions and VDP solutions to its existing client base. The company is looking for new technical solutions that it can bring to its convertor customers, and then with its excellent design team, it can execute and manufacture the same.
Ajit Bhardwaj, graphic designer at the company, speaking about their expectations for the event, said, “Networking is the masterstroke when it comes to marketing your business, and nothing can beat connecting with your audience personally. As Covid hit the Indian market, life has become a true hybrid, although Vinsak is thrilled to learn that most events are now held in person. Our team exhibiting at PrintPack 2022 would be a huge step forward in reconnecting with our clients and customers outside the virtual zone.”
“In-mould labels, sustainable packaging will grow in double digits. We all need to put our energies and R & D Efforts into growing the same. To continue to serve our customers by offering cutting-edge technology has been our strategy for the last 25 years, and we will continue on the same. The rest is confidential. Our focus is on offering more label embellishment solutions and VDP solutions to our existing client base. Convertors and printers can look at adding value to their offerings to brands and hence shore up their bottom lines without major investments,” he concluded.
2023 promises an interesting ride for print in India
Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and
multi-channel IPPGroup. While the print and packaging industries have been resilient in the past 33 months since the pandemic lockdown of 25 March 2020, the commercial printing and newspaper industries have yet to recover their pre-Covid trajectory.
The fragmented commercial printing industry faces substantial challenges as does the newspaper industry.
While digital short-run printing and the signage industry seem to be recovering a bit faster, ultimately
their growth will also be moderated by the progress of the overall economy. On the other hand book
printing exports are doing well but they too face several supply-chain and logistics challenges.
The price of publication papers including newsprint has been high in the past year while availability is diminished by several mills shutting down their publication paper and newsprint machines in the past four years. Indian paper mills are also exporting many types of paper and have raised prices for Indian printers. To some extent, this has helped in the recovery of the digital printing industry with its on-demand short-run and low-wastage paradigm.
Ultimately digital print and other digital channels will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future. For instance, there is no alternative to a rise in textbook consumption but this segment will only reach normality in the next financial year beginning on 1 April 2023.
Thus while the new normal is a moving target and many commercial printers look to diversification, we believe that our target audiences may shift and change. Like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.
Our 2023 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock and reconnect with your potential markets and customers. Print is the glue for the growth of liberal education, new industry, and an emerging economy. We seek your participation in what promises to be an interesting ride.


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Zim: Industry protectionist policy may backfire on government
The government has restricted the importation of poultry and sugar in a bid to protect the local manufacturing sector, which has been unable to cope with the competition from the influx of goods from South Africa.
Last week the agriculture ministry banned the importation of maize into the country and, in the process, gave the state-owned Grain Marketing Board a monopoly in maize procurement.
The utilisation of factory capacity in the manufacturing sector is just under 39%, according to the latest statistics from the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries.
Under-capitalisation, liquidity constraints, high interest rates on short-term loans and high operational costs have been highlighted by the confederation as the main factors contributing to the continued decline in productivity of the manufacturing sector.
Abigail Shonhiwa, the industry and commerce department's permanent secretary, said new legislation was designed to manage imports.
"Import licencing is not banning imports, but we would like to manage them so that we [only] bring into the country what is necessary," she said.
Vince Musewe, an independent economist in Harare, said the government's move was muddled by policy inconsistency. He criticised it for not consulting key stakeholders on the consequences of its actions.
"The banning of imports may be fine and many countries in the world do so to protect themselves, but first there must be capacity in the local industry," he said.
"People are not necessarily buying sugar from South Africa because the local product is expensive; it is because the local industry cannot meet demand."
A better option, Musewe said, would be for the government to increase duty on the imports, as opposed to outright bans. This would allow consumers to make their own choices.
"If the situation is not managed properly, we will see the creation of a black market mushrooming in the near future," Musewe warned.
Allen Hungwe, a political commentator, said protectionist policies would not work and could backfire on the government.
Increase in corruption tendencies
"Given the state of the economy and dwindling disposable incomes, the current price-pegging in Zimbabwe is unaffordable for the ordinary person. What we are likely to see is more illicit trade in those commodities and an increase in corruption tendencies to bring them into the country."
Busisa Moyo, the chief executive of United Refineries, applauded the government for protecting local industry.
"I believe in protection. [It will] allow for competitiveness to return to industry, as we have not been able to retool ourselves," said Moyo.
"Some degree of protection, say of between five to eight years, would give industries a chance to re-emerge. But we need to get the balance right in other areas as well, such as power supply, labour costs and utility bills – if we are to see tangible results."
Industry and Commerce Minister Michael Bimha did not return calls.


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If men want to avoid ending up in the doghouse this Valentines, it’s worth taking advantage of voucher codes & going the extra mile at Valentine’s Day
With Valentine’s Day now less than one month away, it’s likely that millions of people will spend the next few weeks hunting for the perfect present. However, My Favourite Voucher Codes has found that it doesn’t look like women will be getting what they want.
A poll by George at Asda found that a whopping 83% of women would like to receive lingerie from their partner on Valentine’s Day. Yet, with over half of men not knowing their partner’s bra size, they could be on the road to nowhere, rather than the road to romance.
It might be easy for the ladies to criticise their other halves’ judgement, but a fifth (20%) of women also admitted that they thought they were wearing the wrong bra size.
A spokesperson for George said, “Men need to do their homework” and “that women of similar sizes can have totally different bust sizes”.
My Favourite Voucher Codes, the voucher code website that raises money for good causes by donating 20% of their net profits to charity and helps consumers to save money with exclusive voucher codes, has found that the results of other surveys also suggest that men are off the mark when it comes to buying gifts for Valentines Day.
One found that blokes believe a bouquet of flowers is the most wanted gift on February 14th, whereas the ladies would rather have a gift certificate to do something together.
Statistics suggest that couples are two and a half times more likely to break up around Valentine’s Day. So, while a bunch of carnations from the petrol station might be the cheaper option, it’s worth putting thought into Valentine’s gifts if people want their relationship to last.
My Favourite Voucher Codes has got a great range of deals and discounts that can keep the cost of Valentine’s Day to a minimum, without turning down the heat.
For example, they could get 14% off with Virgin Experience Day voucher codes; get things steamy with half price off sexy lingerie with this La Senza voucher code, or 5% off with this Serenta Chocolates voucher code and a huge 15% off all purchases at with this Thorntons voucher code!
Julian House, founder of My Favourite Voucher Codes, said: “If men want to avoid ending up in the doghouse this Valentines, it’s worth taking advantage of voucher codes & going the extra mile at Valentine’s Day.”
T: 01225 313647
This press release was distributed by ResponseSource Press Release Wire on behalf of Futureproof Digital Media Ltd in the following categories: Men's Interest, Women's Interest & Beauty, Retail & Fashion, for more information visit https://pressreleasewire.responsesource.com/about.


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Favilli cigars announced today that it is ending operations in the cigar industry. The company was formerly known as Mombacho Cigars when it hit purchased the Favilli Mansion in Granada, Nicaragua and hit the cigar scene in the US in 2014. The company saw the resignation of their president and master blender, Claudio Sgroi, in 2021 and has had trouble recovering in the market ever since.
Fabien Ziegler has returned to the cigar industry. After spending 19 years with Drew Estate and departing form the company in 2019, Ziegler has been quiet in the cigar industry. Now, Favilli (formerly Mombacho) has announced a collaboration on a specialty series of brands with him. The project started as a result of the friendship between Ziegler and Jared Michaeli, President/Co-founder of Favilli.
Favilli S.A. (formerly Mombacho Cigars) has introduced the most recent edition of their limited Cosecha line, Cosecha 2016. Like previous installments, the box comes with 10 cigars in a Toro vitola, measuring 6 x 52. As the name suggests, the blend was creating using tobaccos harvested in the year 2016. The blend is, as always, a Nicaraguan puro.
Mombacho Cigars S.A. has announced a new German exclusive cigar, Botucal by Mombacho. This cigar is a collaboration with Diplomático Rum. This cigar uses the same branding as the Mombacho Diplomático line, and will come in three sizes: Toro 6”x52, Robusto 5”x50, and Petite Corona 4.5”x44. The cigars and boxes will also feature the Botucal name and logo come in 20 count cedar boxes.
Claudio Sgroi has been the Master Blender of Mombacho Cigars for ten years. He had been president of the company since 2016 until earlier this year where he stepped down from that role and was replaced by Cam Heaps but had retained the role of Master Blender. Now, as of April 1, he will no longer have an active role in the company. The company has not announced a replacement.
Favilli (formerly Mombacho) and Fabien Ziegler have announced a new bundle of products called "Coffee & Cigars." As the name would suggest it comes with both coffee and cigars meant to be paired together. Ziegler spend 19 years with Drew Estate and departed form the company in 2019. He was quiet in the cigar industry until last month when the collaboration was announced.
Favilli (formerly Mombacho) has announced the release of "The Granada Line" in the U.S. This line includes three blends: Tierra, Isletas, and Lava. The line launched in Canada earlier this month. The newly created line includes Tierra, which is a rebranded version of the company's Tierra Volcan that has been in the U.S. market since 2014. There will be a total of 9 cigars in the new collection, with each of the three wrapper variations getting three sizes options.
Favilli S.A., the company behind Mombacho Cigars, has announced new packaging for its Diplomático Rum Cigars. They will new be available in 10 count bundles in addition to the original boxes. The brand is a collaboration that was released in 2019 with the rum brand Ron Diplomático.
Mombacho Cigars S.A. has brought on Indiana Ortez as General Manager to handle the company’s Nicaraguan operations. As the company comes into its 15th year, Indiana brings years of tobacco knowledge and a fresh energy to Mombacho’s production team. Indiana is of course the daughter of Omar Ortez, patriarch of one of Nicaragua's oldest tobacco families.
Mombacho Cigars S.A. has hired Jared Ingrisano as its New Director of Global Sales. Ingrisano has seven years of industry experience ranging from Territory Manager to Brand Entrepreneur, with a strong foundation in both U.S. and International cigar markets, as well as tobacco and experiential-based business in Cuba and across the globe.


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Memory Lane Inc. recently announced its record-setting sale of what is considered the most iconic baseball card in the hobby, the T206 Honus Wagner.
The professionally authenticated card graded a 40 (very good) by Sportscard Guaranty sold for $925,000. It is the highest price paid for a Wagner in this condition and the third-highest recorded price ever paid. The top two are also Wagners; a near-mint version that sold for $2.8 million in 2007 and an excellent condition copy that brought $1.62 million at auction last year.
Memory Lane brokered the sale between two east coast collectors. The owner had kept it in his personal collection for about 10 years.
“The sales price is just another indicator that the demand for Wagner cards is still much greater than the supply,” said Memory Lane Inc.’s J.P. Cohen in a news release. “When one does come up for sale, there are usually collectors standing two or three deep waiting to buy it.”
Memory Lane is giving collectors a chance to see the card in person at the National Sports Collectors Convention beginning on Wednesday.


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In the battle for mindshare among automakers that make alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles, it’s no longer enough to simply target the eco-conscious. If they hope to capture consumer interest—and market share—as the clean energy movement evolves, today’s auto brands need to grow the green consumer market, too, and make a case for sustainable lifestyle purchases to new demographics.
Toyota did just that with its Toyota Green Initiative tour, a program it created to make deeper connections with African-American college students and increase reach and awareness for its hybrid vehicles among that demographic. The tour is an extension of Toyota’s philanthropic efforts in the two principal areas of environmental education and environmental stewardship.
The multi-prong, six-month initiative that started last October incorporated an online component, on-campus activations at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and a mobile tour with three levels of activation. It culminated on March 5 at the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s (CIAA) basketball tournament Toyota Men’s Final Game, where the brand set up its Toyota Fan Experience.
“The HBCU setting was a prime platform to simultaneously increase our commitment to the African-American community while communicating the benefits of adopting a greener lifestyle,” says Zoe Zeigler, marketing communications strategist at Toyota, who handled the program. “The primary objective was to make the Toyota brand message relevant to African-American audiences in a way that creates an emotional connection by leveraging Toyota’s commitment to education and the environment.”
The tour footprint welcomed students with an 18-foot TGI Green Future Tree made of recycled Toyota car parts created by artist Keith Greco, powered by a TGI branded solar generator. Toyota’s hybrid vehicles—Prius, Camry Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid—were peppered throughout the experience to educate consumers on the benefits of Hybrid Synergy Drive. The experience included a Toyota Hybrid Seek & Find Quiz, which encouraged folks to explore the vehicles on display and find answers to trivia questions to win prizes. The data capture consisted of signing up on the initiative’s website; all who did received branded seed-cards made of biodegradable materials and wildflower seedlings. The cards also had a link with a unique code redeemable for download of one song from a library of music. Consumers could also play a tossing game by throwing recyclable materials like plastic bottles, newspapers and aluminum cans into recycle bins. Winners received branded reusable totes or bottles.
The Green Initiative tour visited the National Urban League Conference, BET HBCU College Tour, CIAA Mobile Spring and Fall Tour and CIAA Homecoming/Rival Football games at Bowie State University and Virginia Union University. At each stop, students were encouraged to register on toyotagreen.com where they could enter an electronic “Promise to Go Green” and sign up for the Toyota Green Initiative Contest open to CIAA students that wished to submit a plan for a green community activity for their college campus. One student per campus, 13 in total, was selected to activate his or her plan. The top four and their guests were flown to the CIAA tournament where the winner was announced and awarded a Prius Hybrid one-year lease and a Toyota Tree Park for their campus. All participants received a digital camera and a $500 stipend towards their green campus plan.
In conjunction with the tour, Toyota formed a TGI coalition of eco-conscious thought leaders, influencers and celebrities like actor Lance Gross from TBS’s sitcom “House of Payne” and a HBCU college grad. These folks shared their message at Bowie State University and Virginia Union University on how African-Americans can adopt and benefit from a green lifestyle. This included a lecture series and a clean-up of the campus. At the CIAA basketball tourney, the message went mainstream as Toyota saw more than 200,000 people go through its on-site experience.
“We wanted to reinforce Toyota’s core equities—quality, dependability, reliability and safety, innovation and technology—raising the perceptions of Toyota Hybrids as youthful and fun, and generating hand raisers and qualified leads to help support annual sales goals,” Zeigler says (Agencies: Burrell Communications, Chicago; NCompass, West Hollywood, CA). EM


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Southern Glazer’s Proof E-Commerce Platform Tops $3 Billion In SalesJanuary 9, 2023
As the wholesale tier continues its digital transformation, Southern Glazer’s says its SGProof e-commerce platform surpassed sales of $3 billion last year. According to the company, more than 82,000 hospitality customers placed orders on SGProof.com in 2022, purchasing more than 61,000 products and resulting in more than 17 million cases delivered. It added that sales consultants generated more than one million proposals through the platform last year, leading to millions of dollars in incremental sales and 70,000 new points of distribution.
Southern Glazer’s also touted a number of enhancements to the Proof platform, including a new mobile experience with barcode scanning for easy ordering, recommendations helping customers with quick alternatives when items are out of stock, and improved order history, cart features, and search filters.
“We will continue to invest in industry-leading functionality to equip our sales team and enhance the Proof platform as we aim to strengthen the bond between Southern Glazer’s, our customers and suppliers in 2023 and beyond,” said Southern Glazer’s chief commercial officer John Wittig. Southern Glazer’s total revenues reached $24 billion last year, according to Shanken’s Impact Newsletter.—Daniel MarstellerSubscribe to Shanken News Daily’s Email Newsletter, delivered to your inbox each morning.