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Amazon duped people into signing up for Prime subscriptions, and also thwarted subscribers' attempts to cancel, the Federal Trade Commission alleged Wednesday in a lawsuit against the company
“Amazon used manipulative, coercive, or deceptive user-interface designs known as 'dark patterns' to trick consumers into enrolling in automatically-renewing Prime subscriptions,” the FTC alleged in a complaint brought in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
Many of the specific details regarding Amazon's allegedly deceptive interfaces were blacked out of the 159-page complaint.
But one public portion alleges that Amazon has known for years about “nonconsensual enrollments,” and that company executives “slowed, avoided, and even undid user experience changes that they knew would reduce” those enrollments.
The FTC also publicly alleges that Amazon's tactics include using an interface that requires shoppers to say whether they will enroll in Prime before completing a purchase. While Amazon gives consumers the option of declining a Prime membership, that choice is “less prominent” than the enrollment option, the FTC says.
“Since at least 2018, Amazon has known that some consumers cannot find the less prominent 'No Thank You' link to decline enrollment,” the complaint alleges.
The agency also says Amazon "knowingly complicated the cancellation process for Prime subscribers who sought to end their membership."
Amazon revised its cancellation procedures shortly before the complaint was filed, but the FTC says that in the past, the “primary purpose of the Prime cancellation process was not to enable subscribers to cancel, but rather to thwart them.”
“Fittingly, Amazon named that process 'Iliad,' which refers to Homer’s epic about the long, arduous Trojan War,” the complaint alleges. “Amazon and its leadership ... slowed or rejected user experience changes that would have made Iliad simpler for consumers because those changes adversely affected Amazon’s bottom line.”
The FTC adds that Amazon's current cancellation procedure “still contains problematic elements.”
“Amazon still requires five clicks on desktop and six on mobile for consumers to cancel from Amazon.com,” the company says. “And both flows still require consumers to proceed through extraneous information unnecessary to the cancellation process.”
An Amazon spokesperson called the FTC's claims “false on the facts and the law.”
The spokesperson said the company makes it “clear and simple for customers to both sign up for or cancel their Prime membership.”
The spokesperson added: “We also find it concerning that the FTC announced this lawsuit without notice to us, in the midst of our discussions with FTC staff members to ensure they understand the facts, context, and legal issues, and before we were able to have a dialog with the Commissioners themselves before they filed a lawsuit. While the absence of that normal course engagement is extremely disappointing, we look forward to proving our case in court.”
Subscribers to the $139 a year Amazon Prime service receive discounts, free delivery of many purchases, access to streaming movies and television shows through Prime Video, and other benefits.
The complaint includes claims that Amazon violated the federal Restore Online Shoppers Confidence Act, which imposes several restrictions on companies that automatically renew consumers' subscriptions. Among other requirements, that law mandates that companies disclose all terms of the subscriptions in advance, and offer simple cancellation mechanisms.
The complaint comes two years after consumer advocacy groups including Public Citizen, Fairplay, Center for Digital Democracy and others asked the FTC to investigate Amazon's cancellation practices, as well as whether they violate the federal Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act.
Those groups drew on a report issued by the Norwegian Consumer Council (a watchdog funded by the Norwegian government), which said that subscribers who wish to cancel Prime memberships “are faced with a large number of hurdles, including complicated navigation menus, skewed wording, confusing choices, and repeated nudging.”


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How a summer of ‘yes’ ends in a cloud of uncertainty for the economy
It started as the summer of possibilities. Earlier this year, the lines outside the restaurants were long and the bars filled with revelers. People have started shopping for clothes to look presentable again after more than a year of pandemic isolation.
And why not? Things seemed safer: by the end of April, around 100 million people had been vaccinated. The worst days are behind us, said a leading public health expert. Soon after, the relatively risk-averse Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Americans they could get rid of their masks even for indoor gatherings as long as they were fully immunized.
There was a feeling of dizziness in the air.
How quickly the roles have turned. Masks have been put back on in many places as the latest variant of the coronavirus has surged in the United States. Shoppers are scared again, travelers are staying at home – and that means the economy is once again on shaky ground.
“The increase in infections and hospitalizations this summer has been disconcerting,” Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, said this week in a research note. “Worried households suddenly became more cautious when flying and going to restaurants.”
Wednesday, the supermarket chain Harris rocking announced that it would close earlier, in part in response to the latest wave of the Delta variant. Another regional grocery chain, Publix, has done the same in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. As fewer customers showed up, the store decided it was time to call back.
This type of decline is repeated in different types of companies in the US economy.
After spike in travel in early summer, people recall plans to fly
Southwest Airlines recently warned that bookings were starting to drop and cancellations had started to increase.
It came just weeks after Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said demand from leisure travelers was so high that traffic in July is expected to exceed levels of the same month in 2019, ahead of the pandemic. of coronavirus.
In fact, the airline was even predicting bigger and better days to come.
“Next year, we plan to resume deliveries of new aircraft, with the desire to restore our route network if necessary to pre-pandemic levels,” Kelly said in a statement. conference call in the same month.
This optimism is now clouded by uncertainty for so many companies. This is evident in the series of decisions made by different companies to postpone their plans to return to the office, despite preparations for the big reopens in September and October. Microsoft even refrained from providing a new date last week when it postponed its October reopening plans.
All of this has led to a dramatic slowdown in hiring. After creating around 1 million jobs in June and July, the United States added just 235,000 jobs in August, less than a quarter of each of the previous two months.
Airbnb’s revenue skyrocketed, but soon after, things slowed down.
The uncertain trajectory of the coronavirus has caused a whiplash in many sectors of the economy. The most affected are restaurants and bars, which had seen a wave of hiring earlier. In July, they added nearly 300,000 jobs. But in August, they cut 42,000 jobs.
Nowhere is this more visible than in businesses that rely on people to leave the safety and comfort of their homes and go to new places.
In the early summer, when airline bookings skyrocketed and rental cars ran out in many parts of the country, vacation homes for rent were hard to come by.
“It was Vrbo’s best start to the year in the US,” said Melanie Fish, travel expert at vacation home rental site Vrbo.
Rival Airbnb’s revenue for the months of April, May and June combined increased 300% from last year and exceeded the same period by 10% in 2019. But even as Airbnb’s CFO , David Stephenson, announced these results, he warned that the company had already started to see a “decline in demand”.
This is the path of the unpredictable, ruthless and relentless virus.
Seeing the writing on the wall, economist Zandi sharply lowered his forecast for economic growth this year. Zandi now believes the economy will grow 6%, down 14% from his earlier, more optimistic estimate.

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There was mad rush yesterday at the Accra Central Business District (CBD) when parents, guardians and their wards trooped to various bookshops to procure textbooks and other stationery for their wards in preparation for the new academic year for basic and Junior High schools.
The rush by these parents and guardians was to get their wards their enlisted textbooks, exercise books, note books, and other stationery like pens, pencils, Mathematical sets and drawing boards.
When the Ghanaian Times visited Tudu and the Okaishie-Bicycle Lane at the CBD yesterday, it observed that traders were busily seeing to the demands of these parents and guardians.
While some traders indicated that the reopening of schools had sparked their sales and were therefore recording booming sales, others said they had so far had low patronage blaming it on the bulk purchase of books by private schools.
Admitting there were increments, parents said they had no option than to get their wards the stationery they needed for the academic year.
Mrs. Lovelace Lawson, a vendor at the Okaishie-Bicycle Lane admitted that “things are going well” adding that “it is our season.”
She stressed that the festive season normally brought them very low sales, but they always picked up in the early months of the New Year (January to March) due to the reopening of schools.
Likewise, Mr Kwame OseiYeboah, a wholesaler, also underscored the booming sales, adding that “these are the times we also make our money. We have schools, parents and other individuals coming in for their stationery.”
However, Mrs Efua Obil, a vendor at Tudu, who had no buyer at the time Ghanaian Times visited her shop said her sales had declined unlike previous years when people relied solely on bookshops for their stationery.
She indicated that private schools, particularly those that had partnerships with other bookshops and had printing presses sold out stationery, thereby reducing their clients.
As such, Mrs. Obil appealed to these schools to leave the sales of the stationery to book vendors and focus on other areas.
Mrs. Victoria Amoakowaa, a parent who spoke with Ghanaian Times said she quickly had to rush to the Accra business centre to get her daughter who was with her at the market all her enlisted book items.
She said the festivities could not allow her to purchase the items as there were lots of people in town.
Admitting that there had been a hike in the prices of the items, Mrs Amoakowaa said “the difference is not much and even if it was we will still end up buying for the kids because they need them.”
Alice Adobea, also a parent noted that her wards were going back to school tomorrow for which reason she was there to purchase their stationery.
However, Ms Adobea said she should have purchased these books before the festivities due to the increment of prices and not in the New Year, adding that she could not procure all the items and would therefore have to come later to get the remaining.
BY ABIGAIL ARTHUR AND ANITA ANKRAH


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The Gap’s departure to leave void in Wellesley Square
The Gap in Wellesley Square has survived rumors of its departure over the years —”The Gap’s plan to close dozens of stores puts future of Wellesley Square shop into question (2015)” and “Wellesley Square Gap: We’re sticking around (2011)”.
But since it opened in 1991, it kept sticking around through good and bad times. This time, however, it looks as though the clothing and apparel shop at 74 Central St. is closing for good. Shoppers bittersweetly are gobbling up merchandise marked 30% to 50% off.
The Gap, which opened its first store in 1969, has nearby stores at Natick Mall and Legacy Place in Dedham.
What used to be at 74 Central St., in Wellesley Square before the Gap? Scrolling through Wellesley Townsman archives, we learned that a women’s clothing store called C. Crawford Hollidge operated at the address in the 1950s and 1960s. Department store R.H. Stearns occupied the space as well in the past, as did a Filene’s Men’s store, according to current and past residents contacted via a Facebook memories group.
Here’s why Gap says the store closed: “As part of our company strategy to adapt to the changing needs of our customer and growth of our online business, we are looking thoughtfully at our real estate to support the best path forward. As a result, we are closing a number of stores across the Gap Inc. fleet, including our Gap brand store in Wellesley, MA at the end of January 2021. We remain committed to making appropriate and timely decisions on stores that don’t fit our vision for the future of Gap Inc. We are confident these closures will help strengthen the health of our company moving forward.”
Gap, Inc., reported flat sales this past quarter, but strong online sales. It also named a new chief growth officer…never a good sign.
Property manager Linear Retail lists 16K-plus sq. ft. of space available at 74 Central Street. We sent an inquiry to them to get their reaction to The Gap’s departure and any word on incoming tenants.
The end of the year is often a time of sudden store closings as leases expire. Wellesley has had its fair share of business closings this year, some hastened by the pandemic. But on the bright side, new shops such as Laurel Grove and Salt have opened.


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EU agrees to remove import control restrictions on Egyptian grapes
The European Union has agreed to remove Egyptian table grapes from a list of foods that are subject to an increased level of official import controls, Agriculture Minister Abdel-Moneim El-Banna announced Monday, Ahramís Arabic website reported.
The European Commissionís Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed voted in favour of removing the Egyptian grapes from the list during meetings held in Brussels on 8-10 November.
The reduction of the level of official controls comes after the Agriculture Ministry implemented a new policy under which only registered Egyptian farms are allowed to export grapes.
The decision is yet to be made official, as the standing committee only ďdelivers opinions on draft measures that the Commission intends to adopt,Ē according to its official page.
The current inspection protocol requires an additional 20% inspection rate over other imports, which means that two out of every 10 containers in each shipment are inspected, Agriculture Export Council Executive Director Hani Hussein told Al-Ahramís Arabic website.
Since 2012 Egyptian grapes have been on the list of food ďsubject to an increased level of official controls for certain pesticides at the point of entrance into the EU territory,Ē according to the EUís official document.
Last month, Jordan lifted a ban on imports of Egyptian potatoes imposed in June 2016.
Also last month, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates agreed to lift a ban on imports of Egyptian agricultural products.
Publication date: 11/28/2017
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WTO Issues New Report On How COVID-19 Crisis May Push Up Trade Costs
The WTO Secretariat has published a new information note warning of possible increases to trade costs due to COVID-19 disruptions. The note examines the pandemic’s impact on key components of trade costs, particularly those relating to travel and transport, trade policy, uncertainty, and identifies areas where higher costs may persist even after the pandemic is contained.
The note estimates that travel and transport costs account for as much as a third of trade costs depending on the sector. Pandemic-related travel restrictions are therefore likely to affect trade costs for as long as they remain in place. For example, global air cargo capacity shrank by 24.6 per cent in March 2020, as passenger flights account for around half of air cargo volumes.
The resulting increase in air freight prices is likely to subside only with a rebound in passenger transport, according to the report. While sea and land transport have not faced comparable shocks, maritime transport has seen a decrease in numbers of sailings, while international land transport has been affected by border closures, sanitary measures and detours.
Moreover, business travel, which is important for maintaining trading relationships and managing global value chains, in addition to being a significant economic activity in its own right, is being disrupted. The quality of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and digital preparedness will be important in determining how well economies can cope.
Trade policy barriers and regulatory differences are estimated to account for at least 10 per cent of trade costs in all sectors. They include tariff and non-tariff measures, temporary trade barriers, regulatory differences and the costs of crossing borders, as well as other policies that impact trade, such as a lack of investment facilitation or of intellectual property protection.
The report notes that while COVID-19 has motivated both trade-restricting and import-facilitating changes in tariffs and regulatory practices, these measures have so far affected only a small subset of products. A crisis-induced shift towards the digitalization of customs and regulatory procedures to reduce physical contact could potentially lower the associated trade costs in the long-term.
The report also points to uncertainty as a factor that magnifies the impact of existing trade-related costs, weighing on trade finance flows and dampening the appetite of businesses to invest in researching new markets, acquiring language skills and prospective partners, and conforming with foreign standards. It notes that in the first quarter of 2020, a widely used measure for the global level of uncertainty registered levels 60 per cent higher than those triggered by the Iraq War and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003. In mid-March, a separate index of financial market volatility came close to highs last seen in 2008 after the failure of Lehman Brothers.
Looking ahead, the report notes that many governments have implemented measures to mitigate pandemic-related disruptions to economic activity, for instance by exempting certain transport crew from travel restrictions, or by enhancing the quality of and the access to ICT. While many of the changes in trade costs can be expected to revert once the pandemic is brought under control, the report observes that some effects may persist. For example, aviation industry consolidation and shifts in passenger appetite for air travel could lead to higher air transport costs. In addition, government policy choices – which could either reduce or increase trade policy uncertainty – will be important in shaping uncertainty-related trade costs in the future.
The report can be found here.


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Nylon 6/6 leader Ascend Performance Materials has acquired a pair of materials firms in Italy.
Houston-based Ascend purchased Poliblend and Esseti Plast GD from D’Ottavio Group. The deal includes a manufacturing facility in Mozzate, Italy. No purchase price was disclosed.
Esseti Plast is a producer of masterbatch concentrates. Poliblend makes compounds and concentrates based on of virgin and recycled grades of nylon 6 and 6/6, PBT and acetal.
“This strategic acquisition marks an important transformation for our company as we grow our European manufacturing and distribution footprint,” Ascend President and CEO Phil McDivitt said in a news release.
“More importantly, it helps us provide our customers with a broader portfolio of high-performance, sustainable products to meet increasing demand,” he added.
Poliblend was founded in 1999. Its products enhance the appeal and end-use performance of plastics products, packaging and fibers, officials said. “The ability to offer our sustainable products in an ever-changing global business environment is a game-changer for Ascend,” European leader John Saunders said.
Giancarlo D’Ottavio, Poliblend’s president, will continue to run Poliblend’s operations and join Ascend’s European management team. “Combining the shared expertise of our companies creates opportunities to expand our reach while continuing to provide the high-quality products and service that our customers have come to trust,” he said.
The deal marks the second European acquisition in two years for Ascend. In 2019, it bought a compounding business in Netherlands. Ascend now operates seven plants in the U.S. and Europe and employs more than 3,200.
Ascend ranks as one of the world’s largest makers of nylon 6/6. At the K 2019 trade show in late 2019, the firm introduced several new grades of nylon 6/6, including a copolymer series for films, a Vydyne ECO-brand series for electrical and electronic uses and a Vydyne ThermaPlus grade for cable ties and fasteners.
Ascend also continues to work on increasing capacity for key raw materials as well as for nylon 6/6. Officials said late last year that the firm is making progress with an expansion that will add almost 200 million pounds of annual production capacity for adiponitrile (ADN) feedstock at its plant in Decatur, Ala.
This post appeared first on Plastics News.


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By Paul Armentano, NORML Strains of cannabis sativa or cannabis indica possess relatively few significant genetic differences and are often mislabeled by breeders, according to an evaluation of marijuana taxonomy published online last week in the journal PLOS ONE. Investigators from the University of Manitoba, the University of British Columbia, and Dalhousie University in Nova …
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Lahore : Punjab Food Authority has imposed completely ban on the sale of “Lactalis” brand products in Punjab after revealing “Salmonella” bacteria in a leading milk brand till completing survey report and coming its outcomes.
In this wake, PFA has launched vigorous crackdown and limited Lactalis into warehouses during checked dozens of shops throughout the Punjab including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Jehlum, Sialkot, Sargodha and other districts here on Tuesday. Over two thousands tins of milk have been removed so far from different stores, tells provincial watchdog.
Director General PFA Noor ul Amin Mengal has said that Lactalis sale will be completely banned till not submit report from officers. He said that further action will be taken about strategy and future of brand under the light of recommendation in the report. He said that several cases have been reported about effects of this product on children in France. Salmonella virus is a result of virus infections spread in the result of tripe diseases of animals. This bacteria may cause severe diseases including diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps in children.
Mengal has appealed parents please do not use Lactalis’s products till coming report.


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The Mazda CX-5 may not be the freshest entrant in the hotly competitive mainstream compact crossover segment, but that still hasn't kept it from being one of the best. Not only did Mazda do the hard work of engineering an excellent vehicle from the get-go, but the brand has kept the energy up by revamping the vehicle with new, upscale versions (the high-end Signature trim) and new engines (a potent turbocharged inline-four and a fuel-sipping turbodiesel), constantly giving buyers new reasons to consider the CX-5 above the likes of the CR-V and RAV4.
But as impressive as the current CX-5 is, it might pale in comparison to the next one, if a new rumor is to be believed. According to one report, the next version of Mazda's compact SUV could be an inline-six-powered, rear-wheel-drive-based near-luxury crossover — in essence, a more affordable BMW X3.
That's the word from Japan's BestCarWeb, as surfaced by outlets like Motor1 and Autoblog. According to the Japanese report, Mazda's next CX-5 should arrive in 2023, built on a new "Large Architecture" platform that's designed to compete with — or at least be comparable to — luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
That rumor might sound crazy...were it not for the fact that it's been widely reported that the Mazda6 will also be moving to a new rear-wheel-drive-based platform and packing six-cylinder power under its hood. The new CX-5, according to the BestCarWeb report, will share the Mazda6's architecture, enabling it to take advantage of the technology and advances being created for the new flagship sedan.
Assuming the news about the next Mazda6 is true — and given how many reports we've read about it, we buy it — spreading the love to the CX-5 would be an eminently logical move. After all, sedans may be fancy and sexy these days, but SUVs are where the buyers are; a new CX-5 would do a far better job of putting proof of Mazda's premium strategy into owners' hands than a new Mazda6 alone. (For the record: Mazda sold 21,524 Mazda6s in the U.S. last year...versus 154,545 CX-5s.)
Still, at the very least, we'll have to wait to see if the Mazda6 rumors indeed come to pass before we can make our best guess about this super-CX-5 of tomorrow. Fingers crossed, though. A budget BMW crossover with Mazda build quality and sportiness could be one hell of a daily driver.


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TOLEDO -- Jackson-based Alro Steel has completed a warehouse expansion project at its Toledo, Ohio facility.
The expansion of its facility at 3003 Airport Highway in Toledo increased the building to 123,000 square feet, according to a company news release. The project doubled the storage capacity for sheet product inventory, added more metal processing capabilities, increased storage for plates and long products and remodeled office space.
Expansion efforts at Alro facilities are focused on increasing abilities for next-day processing and fast delivery within the state, company officials said.
The project follows another Midwest facility’s expansion. In November, Alro officials completed renovations and warehouse expansion on a historic building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Alro Steel was founded in 1948 by brothers Al and Robert Glick, sons of Louis Glick – a Jackson-area business mogul. Alro Steel distributes metal, industrial supplies and plastics and has grown to 70 locations in 12 states since its founding.
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Casa Yangoe helps satisfy Cuenca’s growing demand for organic food and offers space for artisans too
By Stephen Vargha
The global organic food market was valued at $227.5 billion in 2023. And it is expected to reach $785.5 billion in ten years, according to a research report published by Spherical Insights & Consulting.
Casa Yangoe, on Benigno Malo near Calle Larga in El Centro, is doing its part for the organic food market.
“We started our family farm, Finca La Clem, in Pichincha province eight years ago,” said José Arias Ochoa. “It started with organic lemons and avocados, which we sold at a mercado in Quito.”
Arias, 33, is the youngest of three brothers. He manages Casa Yangoe, the family store and restaurant.
“Because people were hesitant to pay the price for organic food, my oldest brother, Juan, told me to start our own local market in front of the family furniture store in Quito,” said Arias. “It was a temporary thing as it was set up under a tent.”
The family decided to set up a permanent market in Cuenca. It was an easy decision where to put it as the family owned a patrimonial building on Benigno Malo.
“This is my mother’s house,” said Arias. “We used to sell furniture here before it was Casa Yangoe.”
Arias did not set out to run a place with organic foods and artisan products. The Quito native got a degree in automotive mechanics at Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial, in Quito.
Before opening the business, it took two years to refurbish the building. They found an architect to preserve the beauty of the patrimonial house.
“The involvement by the whole family made it a lot easier to renovate,” said Arias. “That is because we are a family business.”
Casa Yangoe opened for business in 2021, right in the middle of the Covid pandemic. The name, Yangoe, means “Hug.” It comes from the Huaorani people, who have lived as forest hunters and gatherers in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon for hundreds of years.
“It was a bold choice. It was rough at first,” said Arias. “In the last year, business has really picked up because the tourists have returned. There has been a huge change in just one year.”
The tourists have really helped, but Arias says their most loyal customers are the foreigners who live in Cuenca.
“Americans in Cuenca are very willing to pay the price for our organic foods,” said Arias.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are several standards food products must meet in order to receive an organic label. They must be produced without conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, bioengineering, sewage byproducts, or ionizing radiation. Conventional foods aren’t held to any of these standards.
Each year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a U.S. nonprofit organization, releases a shopper’s guide to pesticides in fruits and vegetables with the highest and lowest pesticide residues. The produce is tested after it’s bought at the grocery store and washed.
Last year, EWG found the following conventional food items in the United States to have a high concentration of pesticides:
Bell Peppers and Hot Peppers
Collards, Kale, and Mustard Greens
More than 90 percent of the apples, cherries, grapes, nectarines, spinach, and strawberries tested positive for residues of two or more pesticides. EWG found a total of 210 pesticides on those dozen items.
A growing number of people worldwide feel organic food is purer and has higher nutritional value.
Because of that, research from BlueWeave Consulting, an Indian market research company, predicts the organic food market will grow at an annual rate of 8.7 percent. At this rate, the market will be worth more than $95 billion by 2027.
By comparison, the overall food industry is expected to grow by 3.8 percent annually through 2027.
Organic food typically costs more than conventional food. It is generally more expensive due to the higher cost of production, certification, and smaller scale of farming.
“It costs $2,500 for each of our farm’s food products to get the organic certification every year,” said Arias.
CNET did a study of food prices last year in the U.S. and it found organic groceries were about 21 percent more expensive than nonorganic, but only about 10 percent higher if meat was excluded from the list.
“Our markup is very small said,” Arias. “Our live performances help keep the prices down.”
Live performances are Friday nights in the eating area of Casa Yangoe. There are tables in the back of the building as well as outside overlooking a small garden area.
Groups that have recently played or are scheduled to play very soon at Casa Yangoe include Los Criollos Band, Trio Don Añejos, Giro Rot Band, Dulce Cacao, and Enigma Blues Band.
Everything on their menu is organic.
“The aim is to have local farmers provide us organic foods,” said Arias.
Casa Yangoe wants to bring in a chef, so everything is made fresh there. Currently, one can enjoy a Chicken Burrito, Lomo Saltado, Chicken Teriyaki, or a Caesar Salad.
Sandwiches include Pork, Chicken, House Avocado, and Beef Tenderloin in a Mushroom Sauce. There are some good vegetarian and dairy options, too.
Their unique ice cream is made by them. By far the favorite at Casa Yangoe is an avocado ice cream with a cacao syrup. The avocados come from the family farm.
“We also have rose ice cream,” said Arias. “It is made here.”
His brother, David, came up with the ice cream ideas as well as their favorite non-alcoholic drink.
“Kids love our Limonada with basil. Adults do, too,” said Arias. “David thought it would be a great to add some basil for a different version of the drink.”
The restaurant does not use any plastics or chemicals. The environment is perfect for a place to relax.
Up front is the store. It is broken up into two distinct areas. The portion in the middle of the store is dedicated to organic foods, wines, and beers.
Casa Yangoe has organic wines from Chile and Argentina, including a highly rated Malbec from Zuccardi. In the 2020 World’s Best Vineyards Awards, the top spot went to this winery in Mendoza.
Sitting in the coolers are several types of craft beer from Loop Brewing Project, in Cununyacu-Quito. That includes an IPA (7% ABV) that Arias says Americans love.
One of the goals of Casa Yangoe is to sell Ecuadorian products. That includes Puruná Gin, made by infusing juniper berries and a blend of natural local botanicals. It is produced by hand, in small batches in Quito. The Ecuadorian gin is 100 percent natural because no chemicals have been added.
With every purchase of Puruná Gin, the Quito company donates money to support the conservation of the natural habitat of the Spectacled Bear (also known as the Andean Bear).
Artisans from across the country are well-represented at Casa Yangoe.
“We want to make artisans visible at Casa Yangoe,” said Arias.
Beautiful clothing, hats, pottery, and artwork from around the country are for sale.
You will find products from places such as Textiles Comunidad la Esperanza (Imbabura province), Artesanias de Tagu Familia Quishpe (Esmeraldas province), and Ollas de Barro Familia Loor (Manabí province). The list keeps expanding.
With so much being offered, Arias hopes his casa can be your home away from home.
“Un abrazo a la vida,” said Arias. “A hug to life.”
Casa Yangoe, Benigno Malo 508 y Calle Larga, Cuenca, 096-832-4006 (WhatsApp), https://www.casayangoe.com/, https://www.facebook.com/CasaYangoe/?locale=es_LA, Hours: Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Photos by Stephen Vargha
Stephen Vargha’s book about Cuenca, “Una Nueva Vida – A New Life” is available at Amazon in digital and paperback formats. His award-winning blog, “Becoming Cuenca,” supplements his book with the latest information and hundreds of professional photos by him.


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July 25, 2014 -- Directed by Andrew Johner and distributed by House of Film, “Electronic Awakening,” the ethnographic documentary film about the spirituality of Electronic music, is now available on VOD at Cineqliq.
July 25, 2014 -- Easy ways for Moms to be organized and simple concoctions for kids have been published on Kids Activities Blog. Keep the household safe and sane with these simple tips from seasoned Moms.
July 25, 2014 -- Direct mail is still a reliable way to deliver compelling messages on an individual level. Here is how Synergy Direct Response uses direct mail to maximize ROI.
July 25, 2014 -- Jimmy Buffett tickets for a concert At The Moda Center at the Rose...
July 25, 2014 -- Ticketability.com is delighting customers with affordable Garth Brooks tickets for the Rosemont, IL concert happening at Allstate Arena on September 4, 2014. This trusted secondary market provider is...
July 25, 2014 -- Based in Pittsburgh, InventHelp is attempting to submit the Picture Tree to applicable companies for their consideration and possible feedback.
July 25, 2014 -- The Annunciation is a love story that connects to an assassination plot on Pope John Paul II where religious students are studying frescos at the San Marco convent in Florence, Italy.
July 25, 2014 -- Collection of short, encouraging vignettes, "Food for Thought" gives readers strength and insight.
July 25, 2014 -- Six cute stories of the interactive book app Funny Yummy are answering the natural interest of small children to feed pets and animals.
July 25, 2014 -- The Third Annual St. Jude 5K benefiting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital on Aug 2nd starts at 8am Baker Park, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick, MD.
July 25, 2014 -- Leading US Sports Figures Help Break Stereotypes by Showcasing Their Original Artwork at the W-Hotel in Hollywood
July 25, 2014 -- GuitarControl.com released a new video guitar lesson from GuitarControl.com instructor and creator Claude Johnson. In this guitar lesson, now available on YouTube.com, Claude Johnson teaches how to...
July 25, 2014 -- GuitarControl.com has recently made public a video guitar lesson from master instructor Jon MacLennan. In this guitar lesson, now available on YouTube.com, Jon MacLennan teaches jazz piano style...
July 25, 2014 -- A Pittsburgh-based inventor service firm, InventHelp is attempting to submit The Organizer to applicable companies for their review.
July 25, 2014 -- Top 10 Classic Children’s Stories from Foundry Works Pty Ltd. contains 10 timeless fairy tales with beautiful, original illustrations. The new no-cost app also features a “Read to Me” function that...
July 25, 2014 -- Traffic Monitor 6.0 from RadioOpt lets Android users analyze, evaluate and optimize their smartphone’s performance and usage through a suite of integrated features that include a Speed Test, Coverage...
July 25, 2014 -- Launched by TerraPages, Pty Ltd MokBee Maps is a feature rich geospatial mapping application that allows android users to view and pinpoint their exact location. An alternative to Google Maps, MokBee...
July 25, 2014 -- Awards Showcase High Quality of Journalism from U-T San Diego
July 25, 2014 -- Trusted ticket provider BuyCheapTicketsToEvents.com is featuring cheap International Champions Cup tickets for upcoming soccer matches. Participating teams include Manchester United FC, Manchester...
July 25, 2014 -- Reliable ticket provider BuyCheapTicketsToEvents.com is featuring cheap Liverpool FC tickets for upcoming International Champions Cup games. Liverpool FC will compete for the Champions Cup against the...
July 25, 2014 -- Justin and Terry L Raimey are currently developing their latest Black Streak comic book title and products featuring characters of color to bring minority representation to the forefront of...
July 25, 2014 -- Dylan Queen, a distinguished dress manufacturer and retailer, has recently launched its new collection of ball gown prom dresses. What’s more, all the new arrival gorgeous ball gown prom gowns are...
July 25, 2014 -- An exciting new video streaming service designed for those with an appreciation for uplifting entertainment.
July 25, 2014 -- ‘Together Forever’ chronicles more than 50 years of author’s love life.
July 25, 2014 -- A new paper for PLOS ONE on the Antikythera Mechanism transforms our understanding of eclipse prediction on this amazing geared calculating machine from ancient Greece:...


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Bold predictions about the future of humanity are often made - we'll live on the moon, we'll control items telepathically, we'll live forever. Well, living forever may not be possible, but the rise of wearable technology could add another six months to your life.
This is according to crystal-ball gazers at Gartner who believe that the rise in wearable devices able to track body signals such as heartbeats, temperature and other environmental factors could add half a year to people's life spans, in a few years' time.
"By 2020, developed world life expectancy will increase by 0.5 years due to widespread adoption of wireless health monitoring technology," the company states.
It says that a rise in new types of wearables technology - such as wireless heart monitoring patches, smart shirts and sensors in accessories - will give people more control and comfort over how health information is gathered, with data transferred over wireless networks.
Complementing this is the rise in cloud storage and big data platforms that will enable this information to be gathered and analysed, helping provide faster, more accurate insights into the wearer's physical well being.
"Data can be correlated against large cloud-based information repositories for sanctioned actions and through social networks for anecdotal advice. Gartner expects data from remote monitoring devices to provide continued access from patients to medical practitioners," the report says.
Of course such benefits come hand-in-hand with questions and concerns around privacy and data protection. How can you be sure only trusted health professionals will see your data? What happens if the company gathering it is hacked, or the cloud system storing it breached?
Humanity faces many such questions as the future rapidly approaches.
Microsoft seizes control of phishing sites linked with Russian state hackers
Fitness trackers over-estimate the number of steps their users take, analysis of 67 research reports suggests
Everything we think we know about the imminent Apple iPhone 9, iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Plus launches
All the latest rumours about Apple iPhone Displays, CPUs, launch dates and even prices
Nvidia brings Turing microarchitecture into the high-end gaming segment


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When Denmark implemented its tax on saturated fat last year, the world listened. Expressing an interest in this country not since the Mohammed cartoons were published, media outlets from around the world turned their eyes to Copenhagen to ask whether their countries could also implement a similar measure to combat obesity.
The jury remains out on whether people actually reduced their fat consumption – businesses say we didn’t, while the only academic study so far says we might have. The evidence of the fat tax’s negative impact on the economy, meanwhile, is incontrovertible: it increased border trade and saddled businesses with a burdensome administrative procedure.
Add to that the nearly two billion kroner the tax sucked out of consumers’ pockets over the past 12 months, and there’s no wonder it had little popular support. We wrote in our editorial just after it was implemented last year that the fat tax had the deck stacked against it: businesses were pre-disposed to hate it, nutrition experts questioned its effects and consumers correctly predicted that prices would rise beyond the actual amount of the tax. Despite its good intentions, the fat tax, it seems, was unable to overcome these defects.
Although we remain in favour of public measures to nudge people into acting healthier, the government did the right thing by eliminating fat tax. The government has yet to air new measures aimed at encouraging people reduce their consumption of unhealthy fat and sugar, but when it does, it should keep the lessons of the fat tax’s failure in mind.
Firstly, any measure should encourage people to eat right by reducing the cost of healthy foods. Not only would this potentially increase revenue through higher sales, it would also keep consumers at home, rather than sending them abroad to buy less expensive butter and chocolate. If Denmark is lucky, it could possibly even beat the Germans at their own game by attracting their consumers into Danish stores for a change.
Secondly, any measure the government passes should cast a narrower net. Taxing an entire nutrient group makes it all but impossible for consumers, no matter how health conscious they are, to avoid getting caught in a tax dragnet. Narrowly targeted measures, such as New York’s ban on over-size portions of soda, would seem better suited to swaying consumption, rather than just punishing it.
Given the potential for success for measures like the fat tax, we should be asking what went wrong, but, more importantly, we should be asking what comes next.


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HTCs next phone will be squeezable
HTC has confirmed rumorsthat its upcoming new smartphone the U willbe squeezable. That doesnt mean the Taiwanese firm is about to ship a rubber device. Rather, the phones metal frame will includeembedded sensors that enable its owner to control settings and make gestures by squeezing its sides or swiping up and down on them, according to a VentureBeat reportfrom prolific smartphone insiderEvan Blass.
In other words, smartphone controls will no longer be limited to the screen.
Its an intriguing prospect, and well know more when the device is unveiled on May 16, according to todays HTC teaser. You can expect the company to shed more light on the squeeze mechanics and other features before that date.


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Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER)
Historical Stock Chart
2 Months : From Jan 2020 to Mar 2020
By Sarah E. Needleman
This article is being republished as part of our daily reproduction of WSJ.com articles that also appeared in the U.S. print edition of The Wall Street Journal (February 27, 2020).
The head of Uber Technologies Inc.'s food-delivery business is leaving the company, a departure that comes as the unit works to exit markets where it isn't a dominant player in a bid to boost profits.
Uber on Tuesday said the departing executive, Jason Droege, will be succeeded at Uber Eats by the head of its international rides business, Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty. Mr. Gore-Coty joined the company in 2012.
Uber didn't say why Mr. Droege, who came on board the San Francisco company in 2014 to spearhead new ventures, was leaving. Mr. Droege will be available until June to help with the transition, Uber said. Uber couldn't immediately be reached for additional comment.
Eats has helped Uber boost its revenue, but has weighed on its bottom line. The unit posted an adjusted loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $461 million for the three months ended Dec. 31.
To stem such losses, Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi has been pulling Eats out of markets where it isn't among the top two food-delivery services. Last month Uber agreed to sell its Indian food-delivery unit to a local rival. Last year the company also discontinued food-delivery operations in Vienna and pulled out of South Korea.
Uber has also been seeking to shore up its finances possibly by merging with a competitor such as DoorDash Inc. or Postmates Inc. So far, though, discussions haven't resulted in any deals.
Mr. Khosrowshahi has said the Uber Eats exits are helping put the company on a faster path to profitability. On an earnings call earlier this month, he said he now sees the company being profitable on an adjusted Ebitda basis by the end of this year. Previously he said the company hoped to reach that mark by the end of 2021.
Uber has said it expects pricing in food delivery, its second-biggest business after ride-hailing, will become more reasonable and the discounts and promotions will begin to fade. The company is already starting to keep more money from each meal-delivery transaction. Adjusted net revenue, which excludes driver incentives and referral bonuses for Eats, was $1.38 billion in 2019, up 82% from a year earlier.
Uber still faces challenges ahead. Its core ride-sharing business is under regulatory scrutiny in some of its most lucrative markets. In California, which accounts for about 9% of Uber's gross bookings, a new law known as AB5 may require the company to reclassify its drivers as employees, which would dramatically raise costs. And in London, which makes up about 5% of its ride bookings, the company was stripped of its license to operate in November, a ruling by local authorities it is appealing.
--Preetika Rana contributed to this article.
Write to Sarah E. Needleman at email@example.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 27, 2020 02:47 ET (07:47 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.


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Los Angeles, CA (PressExposure) June 10, 2008 -- Lawsuit Funding has been serving the legal industry since 1999, specializing in lawsuit settlement loans and financing within numerous industries. The company is proud to announce the recent launch of a user friendly website for their clients.
In addition to lawsuit financing, the company also works with law firms to help finance various client needs. From auto accident funding to wrongful death settlements they have proven themselves as the leaders in legal financing.
Lawsuit Fundingâs extensive history and experience in the legal financing industry has allowed them to approve cases almost instantly. If customers are looking for experience coupled with quick results, Lawsuit Funding is the leading provider.
If you are interested in more information about this company, visit their website at www.lawsuitfunding.com


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What is Facebook Inc. (Nasdaq: FB) up to?
The social networking leader is slated to buy long-endurance, solar-powered drone maker Titan Aerospace in a $60 million deal.
As crazy as it sounds, it's not that crazy at all.
Apparently, Facebook is interested in privately owned Titan to further its undertaking of connecting the world through global Internet access.
Why Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) Wants Titan
You see, in 2013, Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg became the leader and primary backer of the Internet.org initiative, aimed at bringing affordable Internet access to the planet's 5 billion people who live where connectivity is lacking. The Menlo Park, Calif.-based company plans to use New Mexico-based Titan's high-flying drones, called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as bouncing stations to bring Internet, Wi-Fi, and broadband access to remote worldwide areas.
Titan's UAVs are actually atmospheric satellites that can conduct most of the operations of an orbital satellite. Making them especially attractive is that they're cheaper and multipurpose and can remain airborne for five years without needing to land.
The company says its UAVs can be used for weather monitoring, maritime traffic observing, disaster recovery, anti-piracy operations, agricultural observations, Earth imaging, and communications.
Without question, it's the communication capabilities that Facebook likes.
Titan would begin its collaboration with Facebook by building 11,000 UAVs, according to TechCrunch, which broke the story early Tuesday.
Two-year-old, venture-backed Titan unveiled its Solara 50 and Solara 60 UAVs in 2013, billing them as extremely cheap alternatives to satellites.
The crafts can be launched during the day or night and are powered by an internal battery. Once airborne, they're powered by solar panels embedded into their 160-foot-long wingspan. The aircrafts operate at an altitude of 65,000 feet and have a mission range of more than 4 million kilometers (2,485,482 miles).
This positions them comfortably above commercial airlines flying around 30,000 feet, as well as above regulated U.S. air space - the Federal Aviation Administration's jurisdiction goes up to 60,000 feet.
Additionally, the sky-high altitude means they're out of reach of turbulence, resting in calm atmosphere known as the tropopause, which permits optimal operation. Moreover, these unmanned devices need little oversight.
In an interview with Fortune in August 2013, Titan CEO Dustin Sanders said launching a traditional satellite is an expensive endeavor, costing billions of dollars.
Sanders explained the beauty and benefits of Titan UAVs: "We're trying to do a single-million-dollar-per aircraft platform. And the operating cost is almost nothing - you're paying some dude to watch the payload and make sure the aircraft doesn't do anything stupid."
Drones Come Out in Droves
Drones have recently surfaced as the next "smart" technology.
Amazon's aim is to make same-day service possible. FedEx wants its giant FedEx planes replaced with unmanned aircraft, which would allow for more cargo space. UPS's goal is about trimming headcount. Big Brown envisions a self-driving UPS truck that rolls onto a block, cracks open, and spews out a small fleet of drones that fly about dropping off packages.
Currently, the commercial use of drones is not permitted by the Federal Aviation Administration. But amid growing interest, the federal agency is scheduled to unveil new guidelines by the end of 2015.
Meanwhile, California, Nevada, Florida, and the District of Columbia allow the testing of self-driving vehicles on private roads.
And as cutting edge as the Facebook/Titan tie-up sounds, it's not the first experiment testing floating devices for global Internet connectivity. Last year, Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG) launched Project Loon. It's the Internet search giant's pilot program testing Internet access via solar-powered helium balloons.
Facebook's (Nasdaq: FB) Acquisitions Make Sense
Facebook's acquisition of Titan would nicely complement last month's purchase of messaging app WhatsApp.
Zuckerberg explained the WhatsApp deal as a means of providing Internet service to new parts of the world. Titan would further that mission.
And while a $60 million price tag would be windfall for tiny Titan, it pales in comparison to the $19 billion Zuckerberg plunked down for WhatsApp, or the $1 billion to buy Instagram in April 2012.
Hyped as the hottest stock two years ago amid a highly anticipated initial public offering, FB lost a lot of its swagger following the botched IPO.
But now, thanks to strategic acquisitions, Facebook is looking much healthier.
In late afternoon trading, shares of FB were trading up 1.3% at $68.30.


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What's going on in the cycling industry this month? Industry Digest is a peek behind the curtain and showcases articles from our sister site, Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. In each installment, you might find patents, mergers, financial reports and industry gossip.
RP Designs acquires Ellsworth brandBy: Bicycle Retailer and Industry News
New cycling component company RP Designs has acquired mountain bike brand Ellsworth from the ASG Group. RP Designs and Ellsworth will offer a complete bike lineup, components, and accessories. Ellsworth will continue to focus on designing and manufacturing mountain bikes and operate separately from RP Designs.
RP Designs, which was started this year by CEO Rudi Pienaar to develop cycling smart technology, has four patents pending, including the Smart-Cockpit, which has a crowdfunding campaign under way at StartEngine with 20 investors and $49,772 raised as of Wednesday afternoon. The Smart-Cockpit is an integrated touch screen built into the handlebar that features wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto technology. RP Designs said the Ellsworth Truth will be the first mountain bike offered with the Smart-Cockpit. Truth pre-orders will begin in March with the deliveries expected in June.
"RP Designs' core mission is to drive rapid and targeted innovation in products designed for the broader cycling sector, and the Ellsworth brand is a great fit," Pienaar said. "Not only will we instill the company's core mission into every Ellsworth product, but products will have RP Designs technology either as standard or as an option, which we expect will drive tremendous value for riders and stakeholders alike."
Vosper: Five things that might happen in 2022. Or not.By: Rick Vosper
It's the time of year when people ask what happens next for the bike business. And business has been booming for two years now, but nothing lasts forever. So, what's next?
Lots of things, doubtlessly, ranging from the tantalizing to the disastrous. Here are five of the most interesting possibilities that might (or might not) actually happen to our industry in the next twelve months, together with an estimate of their likelihood.
Bianchi plans carbon frame factory and headquarters in ItalyBy: Bicycle Retailer and Industry News
Bianchi has unveiled plans to build a new headquarters building and factory in Trevilglio, Italy. The 30,000 square meter (325,000 square foot) facility will have about 17,000 square meters devoted to bike production. Production is expected to begin in 2023. At full capacity, the factory will be able to make 1,000 bikes per day.
Bianchi CEO Fabrizio Scalzotto went over the plans Thursday at the company's current headquarters in Via delle Battaglie – which has been home to the company for over 50 years.
Shimano gets fake clearance website taken downBy: Bicycle Retailer and Industry News
Shimano says it successfully petitioned the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to have an e-commerce website taken down because it was posing as a Shimano company site.
Shimano warned the public about the site in October
"After discovering the site in question, we promptly sent a petition for its closure to the relevant agencies and organizations, including sending a warning letter, and we have confirmed that the site was closed in early December," Shimano announced Wednesday. "We will continue to take resolute action against any suspicious websites posing as our company or our group."
Industry still struggles to grasp impact of e-bikesBy: Marc Sani
As PeopleForBikes' Electric Bicycle Summit—a one-day affair—got underway late last week, a key takeaway was this: The industry is struggling to understand the impact of a fast-growing e-bike boom.
Whether it's unit sales, average selling price, inventory, supply chain snafus, rider usage, safety training, reporting e-bike injuries and deaths, supplier and seller liability, battery recycling, new trends in advocacy or the impact of internet sales, the industry lacks accurate baselines to measure the future potential of the e-bike industry.
MIPS unveils Virtual Test Lab that can shorten helmet development timesBy: Bicycle Retailer and Industry News
Helmet technology company MIPS continues to refine concept testing with the introduction of its Virtual Test Lab, helping brands develop new designs without physical prototype production.
According to MIPS, VTL will enable brands to understand early how a helmet performs in linear and rotational testing, reducing development time. It will be more environmentally friendly, with less re-tooling and material consumed, while also being more cost-effective.


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New North Inc. Wins the Mid-America EDC Marketing Award for Developing a Supply Chain Marketplace
Thursday, October 17, 2019
New North Inc. has won the Mid-America EDC Marketing Program award for its role in establishing the Wisconsin Supply Chain Marketplace. The Marketplace was a creative solution to solving a challenge faced by many Wisconsin suppliers – the cyclical nature of the defense industry. As the Department of Defense reduced their contracts, Wisconsin manufacturers needed to diversify their customer base to prevent layoffs. New North came up with a two-part solution. First, identify industries Wisconsin manufacturers could sell to based on their current capabilities. Second, develop a supply chain marketplace where Wisconsin manufacturers could connect with buyers through an RFP system.
“We wanted to protect Wisconsin manufacturers from the ups and downs that occur in the defense industry. While building the website, we looked at ways to map out the supply chain and how to get suppliers into new markets,” said Connie Coley Loden, Sr. Project Manager with New North, Inc.
From a technical standpoint, building the website was the first step. With help from a DOD grant, New North secured the funding to do so. The build took nine months, but that was just the beginning of the project. Building awareness and getting businesses to use the platform was the real mountain to climb. During the first year, they registered 500 companies and at the two-year mark had registered over 2,000. In 2019, over 20,000 people visited the website, many of them for the first time.
Validating the Program
One of the initial challenges they faced was getting the business community to view the Marketplace as a helpful tool. Some were fearful that the site was a for-profit business directory and did not want to register because of it. Those fears were alleviated, in part, by the governor speaking about the Marketplace during a press conference and encouraging businesses to use the platform to bid for contracts. “Businesses needed to hear from an authoritative source that the Marketplace was designed to help them. After the governor spoke, we saw a rapid uptick in businesses registering,” said Loden.
Regional Partnerships Played a Vital Role
“The partnerships we have established have been extremely important in the success of the project. As we looked at how we would match up defense contractors into other industry sectors, we had key partners like The Water Council and the Midwest Energy Research Consortium who helped us to make those connections. We partnered with them in taking the supplier network to events, and for help mapping out value chain information to show where opportunities might be the strongest for companies included in the marketplace. Working with them gave us immediate inroads into new markets that we could introduce current defense suppliers to,” said Loden.
New North also worked with the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP). By speaking at each other’s events, they were able to bring greater awareness and validity to the Marketplace. WMEP also helped to educate businesses on how to shift manufacturing into new markets and new product lines – a key driver behind the Marketplace.
Wisconsin Economic Development Organization (WEDC) and regional EDCs were also strong partners and helped to expand the platform to a statewide basis. They were so successful in doing so that WEDC is now managing the Marketplace, changing its name to the Wisconsin Supplier Network, as part of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. “This occurred because of the value the state felt that the Marketplace had in organizing suppliers from across the state and creating a platform that was dynamically useful in helping businesses to find them,” said Loden.
By July of 2019, over 20,000 people visited the Wisconsin Supply Chain Marketplace. They haven’t tracked all the RFPs that have come through the Marketplace, but at least 38 have been issued from organizations that include Foxconn, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, local municipalities, non-profit organizations, manufacturers seeking suppliers and venture funds/incubators seeking projects. The diversity of the RFPs has enabled a wide variety of businesses to gain exposure and bid for new business.
In addition, registering with the Marketplace gave Wisconsin businesses the opportunity to work on the Foxconn project. Foxconn has relied heavily on the Marketplace and made registering the first step in the process for suppliers. As a result, the state has put programming in place to help suppliers become Industry 4.0 ready – something that is necessary for the Foxconn project and a competitive advantage when going after other contracts.
Implications for Other Regions and States
Other regions and states may benefit from developing a similar marketplace as a tool for connecting local suppliers with buyers. During the planning phase, Connie Coley Loden encourages organizations to view the Marketplace as one part of a greater strategy. “The supply chain marketplace is a tool that was designed for marketing and developing markets. It is a dynamic online platform and tool to help make those B2B connections. Companies will still need to do due diligence, but it offers a way to source locally, expand their awareness of local companies and serves as an outreach platform through the RFP posting tool. That being said, it takes a lot of additional marketing efforts and a team approach to raise awareness of the tool and to get people to adopt and utilize it,” said Loden.
When it comes to awareness and adoption, New North’s partnership with WEDC played a critical role. WEDC gave funds to assist with their “Go-To Market” campaign that included attending events, creating Wayfinding-type signage to be used by suppliers at trade shows, and ongoing trade show support that helped to raise the profile of the program and Wisconsin manufacturers in general. As with most economic development projects, a team approach is likely to produce the best results, especially when launching something statewide.
The Wisconsin Supply Chain Marketplace Has Made a Statewide Impact
For their creativity and holistic approach to helping Wisconsin manufacturers diversify, New North Inc. is well deserving of this year’s Mid-America EDC Marketing Award.


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CANADA: Toyota boosting RAV4 output at Woodstock
The Woodstock RAV4 line
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) will increase RAV4 compact SUV production at its Woodstock, Ontario assembly plant from 150,000 annual capacity to 200,000 vehicles, the automaker announced on Wednesday.
Ultimately, this CAN$80m investment will result in about 400 new jobs between now and implementation in early 2013.
TMMC chairman Ray Tanguay said, “We are optimistic that the market is coming back and we’re grateful for the strong sales of the RAV4 in the North American market, which has created this increase in production and jobs.”
The North American RAV4 is larger than the version sold in other markets and engine options include a petrol V6.
TMMC also currently manufactures the Corolla, Matrix and Lexus RX350 in its plants in Cambridge, ON and one plant in Woodstock, ON. It is the only Toyota unit outside Japan to build Lexus.
The operation employs 6,500 workers.
The media preview day for this year's Australian International Motor Show was 18 October. There were global debuts for the Holden, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota brands....
An updated list of world premiere concepts and production models which appeared at the Paris motor show's 27 & 28 September press preview days....
General Motors and Ford plan a series of launches in volume segments and to improve their reach and service to make a dent in the Indian car market where leader Maruti Suzuki and runner-up Hyundai Mot...
Toyota Motor wants to triple its car production in Indonesia to 300,000 vehicles as it plans to introduce four or more new car models there over the next four years, a senior official said....
The 20th Indonesian International Motor Show is taking place in Jakarta. There have been some significant global debuts at the event, including Toyota and Daihatsu's new low-cost cars designed specifi...
Toyota president Akio Toyoda said he regrets that some of the company's dealerships in China have been vandalised during anti-Japan protests....
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Video game Maker is an entry-level video game development tool which has actually been utilized to create numerous indie megahits, including Undertale, Hyperlight Drifter, Heat Signature and Katana Zero. Given that 2015, its designers YoYo Games have been owned by gambling software creator Playtech. Theres been no main statement that this has actually changed, but a report on Reuters mentions that Playtech have offered YoYo Games for “about $10 million”.
The report does not mention who they sold YoYo Games to, however some investigative folks on the Game Maker online forums noticed that workers at Opera, developers of fairly popular browser software, have actually been selected as YoYo Games directors. Companies House has filings which confirm that.
This kind of acquisition is nervy stuff for video game developers. Game Maker and its different versions is a popular, crucial tool for creating games, especially 2D games, and fairly low-cost when compared to some of its peers. A new owner might mean changes which impact a great deal of video game developers, a number of whom might be years-in on a task with years of work still to go. Heck, Im a number of years into a Game Maker job, even if its been a number of years considering that I last dealt with it.
There were similar fears when Playtech purchased YoYo Games in 2015, but the gambling firm didnt alter the core software application. Over the previous numerous years, YoYo have tried to diversify their company, including announcing a game publishing department in 2018 which shut down the list below year. The last major model of the Game Maker software application, Game Maker: Studio 2, released in 2017.
Ive reached out to YoYo Games and to Opera for comment and will upgrade this story needs to they respond.


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Thai market leader AIS has signed cooperation agreements with several international vendors for joint research and testing of 5G technology.
Together with China’s Huawei and ZTE and Finland’s Nokia, AIS will seek to establish the most appropriate use cases for 5G technology across various sectors. It did not mention a timeframe for forthcoming trials.
In particular, the operator’s CTO Kriengsak Wanichnatee noted that AIS is mindful of boosting its service offering to meet Thailand’s digital industry targets. The operator’s choice to partner with Chinese vendors echoes that of the Philippines’ Globe Telecom, which announced in June that it would not be deterred from using Huawei’s 5G network equipment or from selling its devices – despite mounting pressure on the vendor from the US and other markets.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s second-placed operator True Move has sold off THB15.7 billion ($512 million) of infrastructure to the Digital Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund. This includes 788 towers, 1795km of fibre optic cable suitable for mobile access, and 3700km of FTTx fibre.
The operator is planning to lease back around 80% of the fibre along with a number of spaces on the towers up to September 2033. In May last year, True sold 2589 towers and 27,368km of fibre to the fund – in which the operator holds an interest of around 30%, having acquired newly issued shares to maintain this holding.


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Money Box Live: Is the High Street Finished?
Financial phone-in. Shops that do not sell anything and immersive spaces on the High Street that make you spend. Big retailers are trying everything to get your business.
Join Adam Shaw and guests as they discuss what the High Street is for in 2018.
If you type 'uk high streets' into an internet search engine, you'll find no end of headlines - and they make grim reading. Crisis, struggling, gloom and decline... just some of the cheerful words that will jump out at you. But with 10% of national income coming from retail and more jobs in retail than any other sector of the economy, can we afford to kill off the High Street? We'll be looking at how the High Street is responding to one of the most challenging times in its history.
Traditional High Street names like Debenhams have reported profits collapsing and debt going up. Marks & Spencer announced a five-year transformation plan earlier this year, committing to shutting underperforming shops and downsizing other stores. And just this week we've heard about a merger between Sainsburys and Asda, that they say will help them lower prices for customers.
Adam is joined by Matthew Hopkinson, retail expert, visiting professor at University College London and part of a task force looking at the future of the High Street.
Catherine Shuttleworth, who's the founder of Savvy Marketing, and has spent more than 20 years working in retail.
Howard Saunders, a retail futurist, keeping us informed of the latest retail innovations and shifts in customer expectations.
Presenter: Adam Shaw
Producer: Amanda Dellor.


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Diwali, the festival of lights is a symbol of a new beginning. Apart from the diyas, sweets, and crackers, an important part of the celebration involves offering prayers to the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi. While finance chiefs will pray for personal health, wealth, and prosperity, their list of prayers will also include blessings from God for robust economic growth, relaxations from regulators and government in compliance, and a strong outlook for their industry so that their professional life gets a good going.
Certainly, the journey is not going to be very easy. Of course, the economy has bounced back from the pandemic effects but new challenges like global recession, inflation, rate hikes, and geopolitical disturbances are on the doorstep.
Here are some blessings which finance leaders want this Diwali to make their businesses grow.
The CFO of Wipro Enterprises wishes for strong demand this Diwali. He believes that the economy is more opened up this year compared to FY22. Robust demand will help the company to maintain double-digit growth in FY23.
"Good demand will always make a CFO happy," said Raghav Swaminathan CFO of Wipro Enterprises. He is praying for an increase in demand this year in both the industrial and FMCG business.
Srikanth Kandikonda CFO of ManipalCigna Health Insurance Company this Diwali prays to Mahalakshmi for reduction in GST rate on health insurance. The CFO said on a very hard note that reduction in GST rates will make his professional Diwali happy.
"Current rate of 18% GST on health Insurance is quite high, if the GST rate can be reduced to 5% this will help in increasing the number of customers, and will boost the growth of industry" Kandikonda told ETCFO
Kishore Nuthalapati Director - Finance, BEKEM Infra Projects Pvt. Ltd believes that India deserves a few more pushes from the government this Diwali to make it even happier.
His wish list includes interest rate rebates for infra projects under implementation; further simplification of compliances in GST; big-time promotion of data centers in India; further decriminalization and simplification of business laws including Companies Act, GST, and Income Tax; advancing the Government expenditure on critical infra projects; bringing fuel prices within GST purview; expedite policy decision and implementation on CBDC, cryptocurrencies, bilateral trades, FTAs, etc.
"The resilience demonstrated by India is mainly because of timely regulatory measures of the Indian Govt", Nuthalapati said. He wishes that the government continues to do so.
Ankur Maheshwari, CFO of Bengaluru-based fintech startup Freo said he wishes that the government continues on the path of safeguarding and protecting customers' interests.
"Bringing the right set of policies and regulations promptly will encourage + empower start-ups to play a larger role in the journey of financial inclusion and improving overall customers lives", Maheshwari Wishes this Diwali.
He also added that may Fintechs keep serving and empowering consumers with more and more innovative solutions to suit their needs is his wish.
How is the CFO Leadership different from when she climbs the ladder to becoming a CEO, or the MD, or a board member? What are the challenges and what lessons should be unlearned while climbing the corporate ladder?


text: A new year has come. And with it, a new Nintendo Direct, the first of the year being Pokémon-based. Much has been said about Pokémon Sword and Shield since it released last year, and to say opinions have been divisive would be the understatement of the decade. \n \nThings, however, are coming to a bit of a head with the new Direct. \n \n \n \nThe biggest complaint from fans was the removal of the National Pokédex. There are those who believed it to be a natural progression of the series given the sheer volume of Pokémon in existence, and those who feel it goes against the iconic mission statement of “Gotta Catch ‘em All”, and deprives players of their favorites. \n \nQuestions and concerns rose up about the removal of the National Dex, whether the removed Pokémon would be included again, and how. After a long period of silence, we finally have an answer, though not one anyone could’ve expected. \n \nExpansion passes are becoming more common in games, but one appearing in Pokémon surprised many. Two are arriving later in the year; The Isle of Armor, in June, and The Crown Tundra in fall 2020. Players will be able to use the same data from the base game to carry over into the new areas. Along with new locales come new Gigantamax forms, new character customization options, and the return of 200 old Pokémon. \n \nAs appealing as all that sounds, there are, of course, caveats. The DLC differs between versions, and comes with a 30$ price tag. Meaning those who have both versions will have to pay an additional 60$, for further content. Content that was initially removed. And only one expansion pass per game, to again clarify. \n \nSo far, there is no other word on what’s to be expected for Pokémon Sword and Shield. Pokémon Home remains a relative mystery, as well as how it would work with the returning Pokémon. And given that Masuda claimed immediately following the removal of the National Dex that Pokémon from past generations wouldn’t be patched in, only to double-back on it now with the expansion passes, to say that we’re left in the dark is also an understatement. \n \nAs with the major decisions before, fans are divisive, but 30$ for content that isn’t even the full roster of old Pokémon isn’t sitting well with much of the fanbase, considering more will have to follow to bring it back to full. That money will pile up, and we might end up seeing a final price tag of something in the realm of 120$+ for Pokémon Sword and Shield, when the generations that came before it never even skimmed that price tag. Time will tell who, and what, is coming next.


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ITIF Panel Debates Government Intervention in Broadband Networks
June 2nd, 2011
WASHINGTON, June 2, 2011 – The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation assembled a panel Wednesday to debate the merits and minuses of government support of broadband networks.
The Oxford-style debate, “Governments Should Neither Subsidize nor Operate Broadband Networks to Compete with Commercial Ones,” included four panelists. Rob Atkinson, President of ITIF and Jeff Eisenach, Managing Director and Principal of Navigant Economics argued against government intervention; Jim Baller, President of Baller Herbst Law Group, and Chris Mitchell, Director of Telecommunications at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance argued in favor.
ITIF Panel: FCC Needs to Address Spectrum Needs
FCC, Mobile Broadband, Spectrum, Wireless
May 18th, 2011
WASHINGTON May 18, 2011 – The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation assembled a unique group of economists, legislative aides and engineers on Tuesday to explore how best to allocate this scarce resource.
Sallet: Broadband Changes Traditional Value Chain
Broadband's Impact, The Innovation Economy
May 11th, 2011
WASHINGTON May 11, 2011 – Former Director of the Office of Policy & Strategic Planning of the Department of Commerce under President Clinton, Jonathan Sallet, presented a new way to look at the traditional value chain with respect to broadband Tuesday at a congressional briefing presented by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation.
Sallet presented the value chain not as a chain at all, but rather as a circle.
Economists Say Network Neutrality Regulation Would Harm Consumers
Broadband Updates, Broadband's Impact, FCC, Net Neutrality
April 12th, 2010
WASHINGTON, April 12, 2010 – A group of well-known economists has determined that the Federal Communications Commission’s proposed network neutrality regulations would harm consumer welfare.


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Trends disrupting the technological transformations – Times of India
With the advent of digitalization, technology is advancing at a rapid pace. Since the pandemic, more companies have realized that technology adoption is now more critical than ever. With the adoption of new-age technologies, digital transformation is creating a buzz and paving the way for the future. In this scenario, every business is turning the page as new trends disrupt and have a significant impact on their business.
Trends of Technological Transformation in 2022
Consequently, numerous organizations have already made decisions about the technological change that has already taken center stage in response to the diverse demands. However, as we all know, digital transformation strategy and execution is not only about technology; it is also about organizations and individuals. Other variables linked to intermediary industries play a part in overall digital transformation. These include new innovations, accomplishments, predictions about future trends and their impact on ongoing activities, and so on. Let’s have a look at the most notable ones that are likely to have the greatest influence.
By delivering faster speeds, 5G is expected to eliminate latency. With favorable 5G testing and a pressing business need to launch it throughout the area, a new age of connection appears to be on the horizon. Businesses will experience new levels of speed, innovation, and productivity when combined with IoT and edge computing. Furthermore, customer experience transformation, as well as cloud and data technology adoption, will continue to be dominating trends this year. Cloud-native technologies will reduce enterprises’ reliance on infrastructure while also preventing a cyber pandemic.
Work Models for Hybrid and Multi-Cloud
As predicted across the world, remote work continues even in areas where the pandemic is virtually over. Companies in every field are providing permanent, flexible, and hybrid employment options. And, because such methods of working provide their own set of obstacles, such as inefficient communication and teamwork, we should expect greater technological breakthroughs to address these issues.
Cloud technology, a key enabler, is undergoing a deployment overhaul. The hybrid cloud is a hot new trend. It is a hybrid cloud environment composed of on-premises infrastructure, private cloud services, and a public cloud, with orchestration across multiple platforms. Companies want to overcome compute and storage concerns, such as security and data access, by employing an ideal combination of public and private clouds. The multi-cloud model will also be observed in 2022, with organizations adopting more than one public cloud to solve business difficulties, and it will become widespread ultimately owing to the necessity of deploying it.
Privacy and Security
There has never been a period when IT security technology was not crucial to enterprises, but it has grown much more in the revolutionary age. Customers have been more than willing to provide their data since the introduction of digital life. However, they are now emphasizing privacy.
The quantity of data is continuously increasing, as is the expertise of threat actors, resulting in a perfect storm of security challenges. Meanwhile, governance is tightening, putting the stakes even higher for businesses. Because of the rapid pace of development, new risks emerge at the same rate as new technology. This means that businesses must enhance their customer experience strategy in order to keep up with the competition with minimal information. The organization also needs to be open about how it gathers data, employs it, responds to data breaches, and implements cybersecurity. As we approach the next decade, they must seek new data sources and learn how to use them while keeping the same level of customer experience with developing and future technology.
Investment in ML and AI
The digital consumer is generating more data than ever before, and this data is spread across several digital touchpoints. From one to another, organizations rely on data and the potential of AI to extract, manage, regulate, and calculate this data. AI enables the rapid generation of data insights, allowing for speedier choices to pivot enterprises in the face of change. While ML allows many firms to automate procedures and operations, subsequently, hyper-automation will be a prominent digital transformation concept in 2022.
Metaverse and NFT
The metaverse will allow businesses to enjoy immersive experiences with other people even when they can’t be together, and firms are becoming quite optimistic about their future growth. While it is certain that we will not be living in the envisioned metaverse anytime soon, we may anticipate other firms following the same path. In this scenario, companies are increasing their metaverse positioning over the next decade.
NFTs have grown in popularity this year. In the NFT space, we are witnessing a number of investments as well as notable advances. While it may appear from a distance that NFT applications have been limited to art and game tokens. However, in the coming year, we’ll see more NFT use cases in business, given its desirable characteristics such as traceability, security, indivisibility, and standardization, in addition to scarcity.
We’ve seen how capital expenditures for software and infrastructure have given way to the OpEx model, in which technologies are purchased on a consumption basis. Users prefer to pay for services as they use them and when they want them, whether they are enterprises or consumers in general.
Everything-as-a-service is predicted to reach its own peak by the end of 2022, thanks to the rising popularity of the convenient and economical model. This trend will tremendously benefit businesses across sectors. This trend has enabled and will continue to facilitate quicker digital transformation since organizations can easily embrace new technologies without worrying about one-time capital expenditures or investments being lost if the technology becomes obsolete.
Technological progress is paving the way
Undoubtedly, technology and innovation are the future of business, and the momentum generated by the outbreak of digital adoption will go a long way. Companies that were previously opposed to adoption for a variety of reasons, were forced to take the step in order to remain in business. Today and in the near future, digital transformation is not about simply survival, it is also about remaining profitable, productive, competitive, innovative, and consumer-centric.
On the one hand, organizations are quickly transforming at the same level, but on the other hand, it is yet to see how each trend affects the broader digital transformation landscape. In a nutshell, digital transformation is becoming the new norm for most businesses throughout the world, with developing patterns by 2022.
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
END OF ARTICLE


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European discount retail giants Aldi and Lidl are taking on the US market. Lidl opens its US stores this week. Aldi plans to open 900 stores within 5 years.
American discount retail stores which are already in the thick of a market war with their online counterparts are in for another shock.
Two of the biggest low-cost shops from Europe.who happen to be each other’s most relentless competitors, are expanding their respective territories in the U.S. According to Bloomberg, German supermarket Aldi will be launching 900 branches across the country over the next five years. Meanwhile, its main rival on the continent, Lidl, will be entering U.S. shores with a plan to establish 600 stores during the same time frame.
Aldi does seem to have the advantage in this particular contest. By the year 2022, it will have built about 2,500 stores in almost every state, to the sum of $3.4 billion. Another $1.6 billion will be used to remodel about half of them. Lidl will not be holding back either and will ride on its momentum as it opens its first shops this year. In just about a year, that number will have reached up to 100.
Analysts have predicted that the deep-discount chain, which includes both Aldi and Lidl, will be experiencing 10 percent growth every year, outpacing the more traditional shops which are expected to grow only by two percent up to 2022.
What bears watching is the impact that burgeoning competition will have on homegrown U.S. retail chains such as favorites like Walmart. The inevitable price war between Aldi and Lidl cannot help but trigger another drop among their inventories. The cost of food has already been declining without stopping the past 17 months. Not many can survive the continuous free fall. As reported by
As reported by Star Tribune, former formidable competitors who had dotted the U.S. landscape for years had exited the race by recently filing for bankruptcy. These include American Apparel, BCBG Gordmans, HHGregg, Limited, Rue 21, Payless ShoeSource, and Wet Seal.


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Russia must take efficient measures to prevent sales of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at a meeting of a presidium of the Presidential Council for Strategic Development and Priority Projects.
“Moreover, we should prevent our people from buying counterfeit pharmaceuticals. This is a real threat to life. We need efficient measures to control medicines’ movement from producers to customers”, Medvedev said.
He also said that pharmacy chains were currently offering analogues of foreign branded pharmaceuticals at lower prices. (Prime/Business World Magazine)


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The growth in Q4 was heavily concentrated in the U.S.; sales were down 24% in Europe and 7% in other non-U.S. regions, the company said. The Pop! brand was up 12% in the U.S. and 1% over-all. Non-figure revenue was up a more robust 30%.
The Q4 results were a big improvement over Q3, when sales were down 14%, and Q2, when sales were down 49% (see "Funko Sales Down 14% in Q3").
Q4 earnings were improved over a year ago; net earnings were $8.9 million in Q4 2020, vs. a loss of $4.2 million in Q4 2019.
For the year, Funko sales were $652.5 million, down 18% from $795.1 million in 2019. Despite the decline, Funko was profitable, albeit at lower levels: 2020 earnings were $3.96 million, down 66% from $11,725 million in 2019.
Key takeaways from the conference call:
- As we saw in every other category, evergreens grew in importance to Funko’s sales in 2020, growing to represent 66% of the company’s business in 2020, from 51% in 2019.
- Funko spent a lot on growing its ecomm business in 2020, increasing the number of SKUs on its direct-to-consumer site from a few hundred to over 2000.
- Although Funko sold more product and achieved more social media presence with some virtual events compared to the same live events the previous year, the company does not plan to abandon shows, but does expect conventions to have both live and virtual elements, and for some virtual events to continue.
- Funko retailers are taking more preorders, even for products six to nine months out.
- While port congestion is a problem, it’s not materially affecting the business.
Funko is expecting 25 to 30% growth in 2021 vs. 2020, with 30% growth in Q1.


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Reposted from the Huffington Post For most working women and men in America today, finding a healthy work-life balance can be challenging to say the least. Studies show that we are more overworked than ever before in this country, which means there aren’t enough hours in the day for some of the most important things […]
Macy’s commemorated 10 years of its Rwanda Path to Peace initiative with a special customer event at Macy’s Herald Square in New York City on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015. The festive in-store celebration featured live musical performances, traditional Rwandan food and a ceremony honoring the women who made this project possible.
Thank You Lucy N. Mbabazi for sharing such a great piece on Gahaya Links. This evening I attended the Macy’s Rwanda Path to Peace (#Path2Peace) 10th anniversary celebration in New York City and all I could think about was the impact this partnership has had on our family and over 3000 others in Rwanda. Simply put Path […]
For ten years, Macy’s has been committed to this trade-not-aid program. Basket weaving is a traditional craft in Rwanda and these women create baskets for a living. Macy’s Rwanda Path to Peace provides a platform for economic empowerment.
Christina.HIV positive tells of feeling abandoned and despised. Making baskets for Macy’s Rwanda Path to Peace changed her life. She says, “Weaving baskets gave me confidence because I’m not a beggar anymore.”
There are many steps that go into weaving baskets. Weavers who create beautiful baskets for Macy’s Rwanda Path to Peace show the steps. Janet Nkubana of Gahaya Links narrates & explains, “Making baskets is intricate because every thread you see is a stitch.” Weavers build the base with sisal, tie intricate knots and add sweet grass as they progess.
Gahaya Links in Rwanda is recognised with Artisan Hero Award 2015 by the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise and The Aspen Institute.
Inside the Gahaya Links workshop on the outskirts of Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, a group of women sit side by side against a brightly-painted wall. Using natural fibers and grasses, they pool their weaving skills to create exquisite hand-made baskets, inspired by the eastern African country’s art and tradition. Seeing these women talking, laughing and working […]
The vision of Gahaya Links is to “empower rural communities to become entrepreneurs and earn better incomes to live with dignity among their communities.” Besides creating jobs for thousands of rural artisans, Gahaya has 16 full-time staff and annual revenues of more than $400,000.