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WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2016 - Short supply – the biggest issue facing the organic agriculture sector in 2015 – will undoubtedly hinder growth in the sector through 2016. But the CEO of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), Laura Batcha, says her group has a three-part plan that will help increase organic production in the coming year.
USDA’s most recent Census of Agriculture, released in 2012, showed demand for organic products far outpacing the adoption rate of organic acreage. Anecdotally, and through its own research, OTA knows the organic supply crunch has continued since then, but evidence on how the sector is performing is often hard to come by, Batcha told reporters at a recent briefing in Washington, D.C.
“It’s a very opaque marketplace,” Batcha said. “We did a lot of work in 2015 to pick apart that issue, to find out what the dynamics are, to bring some data to the table about long-term solutions” to the supply problem. After some soul searching, OTA developed the following three policy objectives for 2016:
Create a Process Verified Program. OTA is currently drafting a proposal for a Process Verified Program that it hopes to submit to USDA early this year, allowing producers to receive transitional certification for land that’s being shifted from conventional to organic production.
According to Batcha, organic suppliers are willing to enter into long-term contracts with farmers who are transitioning acreage to secure the organic product they need, in some cases, up to six years in advance from when the land could be used to grow certified organic crops. Under the contract, the supplier would be required to pay “a modest premium” to the farmer for the years the land is in certified transition.
“We know that the economics of the transition period is not a great formula for farmers – the payoff happens a few years into the (new) system,” Batcha said. This program certification would provide “some assistance to farmers (as) they get their organic systems up and running” and would ensure suppliers “have the product on the other side.” The accreditation program would also make it easier for farmers to establish eligibility for transition-support programs offered by USDA, Batcha noted.
Establish an organic checkoff. OTA submitted its organic checkoff program proposal in May to USDA after years of preparation and heated debate. Batcha says she thinks the public comment process on the proposal will be completed during 2016. But before the program is instituted, it will also have to be approved by a simple majority of organic certificate holders in a referendum vote.
Batcha said the latest version of the checkoff has sufficient support to pass. Over 500 organic businesses – 80 percent of which were producers – have signed on in support – and a series of OTA surveys have found that organic farmers and business owners support instituting an organic checkoff by a 2-to-1 margin. For years, most organic research and outreach has either gone unfunded, or was funded by a small group of the same people, and “that’s not fair,” Batcha said.
“Other industries fund (marketing, research, and education) in a coordinated way through their checkoff programs,” she said. “You have to have a vehicle to invest. Whether you like the (checkoff) vehicle or not – this is the vehicle that drives down the road for agriculture.”
Amend the Federal Milk Marketing Orders. OTA hopes to learn the fate of its request to amend the Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs) sometime in 2016, too. The group’s amendment would set up an alternative way for organic milk handlers to meet their minimum price obligations under the FMMOs.
The existing FMMO program requires milk handlers, organic as well as conventional, to pay a minimum price to farmers for the milk they purchase. In theory, those minimum prices – assigned by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) on a monthly basis according to milk class – help to stabilize fluid milk prices, facilitate orderly marketing nationwide, and ensure a sufficient quantity of milk is available to consumers at affordable prices.
“The benefits this program provides are important to conventional dairy farmers” Batcha, said, however, “it does not benefit organic.”
A minimum price for organic milk is secured through long-term contracts and the organic dairy sector’s distinct supply chain, Batcha argued. And the FMMOs do not distinguish between organic milk, which often commands a price premium, and conventional milk, which makes up the vast majority of milk marketed through FMMOs.
Milk handlers can, and do, pay milk prices above what AMS sets as minimums. The difference between the actual prices paid and the minimum prices for milk is pooled, and later redistributed out to milk producers. Batcha estimated organic handlers contribute around $40 million a year to that pool – money she says should be invested into “helping new dairy farmers convert to organic” instead of being “distributed out to conventional dairy farmers.”
For more news, go to: www.Agri-Pulse.com


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The trade show industry has come roaring back, and CES, which kicks off on January 5, 2023, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, will be no different. The Consumer Technology Association ( CTA) reports that CES 2023 will likely be the largest in-person, audited business event in the U.S. since early 2020. The show footprint is on track to grow more than 40% from CES 2022. “People are excited to head back to Las Vegas for CES 2023, and it will rock,” Gary Shapiro, President and CEO of CTA, said. “We are optimistic we can hit our attendance goal of 100,000, which would make it the largest independently audited post-pandemic tech event. This year’s show will feature keynotes from tech visionaries and the opportunity to see and touch the tech that’s shaking up industries and changing our lives for the better.”
For this 2023 CES Show, The Tradeshow Network Marketing Group announced that it will provide complimentary design renderings for trade show exhibits to qualified businesses and organizations looking to upgrade their 20 x 20+ trade show display. Each custom exhibit design is geared to the client’s specific needs, including their objectives for trade show marketing, brand image, budget, and booth space and location.
What is there to look forward to for CES 2023? A footprint growth of 40% indoors and out, with more than 200 sessions featuring over 750 speakers. CES takes over the 2.5 million-square-foot Las Vegas Convention Center and spills over to other venues throughout Las Vegas, including the Venetian Expo and C Space at Aria. This show sets the tone for the technology industry with news, product announcements and trends, and offers a glimpse of innovations to be rolled out. Attendees can expect to be wowed by new TVs, laptops, robots, electric, self-driving cars, digital health care, sustainability and the metaverse.
At this juncture, there are more than 1,300 confirmed exhibitors, a goal of 100,000 attendees, with one-third traveling internationally to attend, and four curated floor tours, including automotive, startup, health care, and new for 2023 the metaverse. Excitement for the show is building. In mid-October, over 100 exhibiting companies, more than 1,000 attendees, and global media gathered at CES Unveiled events in Paris and Amsterdam.
Health and safety will continue to be a focus of CES, and attendees are encouraged to get a flu shot as well as COVID vaccine and booster as well as a home self-test for COVID before arriving in Las Vegas. On-site, masks will be encouraged but not required on the show floor, and self-tests will be available. In addition, aisles will be widened, and some convention center doors will remain open to help with mitigation.
Global brands, including Abbott, Amazon, AMD, BMW, Google, John Deere, LG, Qualcomm, Roku, Samsung, Sony, Stellantis and Verizon have committed to CES. They will be launching new products and displaying innovative technologies.
Sessions will be cutting-edge and not limited to just the show floor. Advancements in transportation and mobility, digital health, metaverse and sustainability presented by the leading visionaries are sure to create a buzz. And new in 2023 will be sessions focused on the creator economy, including NFTs and Web3.
Coinciding with the important trend of being hybrid, a digital experience will also be offered. It will include more than 75 conference sessions and keynotes, digital activations, and a network of CES exhibitors, media and attendees.
The CES 2023 tracks include:
Transportation and Mobility
The automotive sector will be bigger than ever at CES 2023, with nearly 300 exhibitors in a sold-out West Hall. The exhibits in West Hall will cover almost 25% more floor space than 2022, featuring the latest in self-driving tech, electric vehicles and personal mobility devices.
Companies including Abbott, LOTTE Healthcare, MedWand Solutions and Omron Healthcare contribute to a larger and more diverse digital health category. Attendees will discover the tools and technologies lowering costs, improving health equity and saving lives as patients seek ways to empower themselves and take control of their care and well-being.
A new Web3 category will feature activations from SK and others, focusing on how associated technologies — including those for metaverse and cryptocurrency—can revolutionize how we live, work and play in an immersive, inclusive and distributed virtual universe.
Sustainability will be front and center for hundreds of exhibitors at CES. Global brands like John Deere and startups will demonstrate how tech innovation can conserve energy and increase power generation, address food shortages and create more sustainable agricultural systems, improve resilience and recovery from natural disasters, power smart cities, support access to clean water and more.
Human Security for All
Partnering with the World Academy of Art and Science, CES will spotlight how technology helps people tackle the world’s most pressing problems. Support of the United Nations efforts to advance Human Security for All will be a theme throughout the show, from conference programming to keynotes highlighting innovation and products improving the lives of people around the world.
Visit CES.tech for all CES 2023 updates and registration details. Reach the CES team at (703) 907-7600 or via the contact page. https://tradeshowexecutive.com/ces-2023-100000-in-attendance

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KEEPING UP WITH THE HAIRDO
Kim Kardashian undergoes a major makeover as she shows off new waist-length hair extensions
The reality TV beauty plumped for princess style hair extensions to transform her look
KIM Kardashian has revealed a set of Rapunzel-worthy locks with new hair extensions reaching all the way down to her bum.
The reality TV star swapped her trendy cropped style for a lengthier look.
Mum-of-two Kim, 36, was so excited to share her new look with fans she took a series of selfies while still in the salon chair.
She pouted up a storm as she swept her raven locks over one shoulder for a face-on shot before using a mirror to capture her look from side-on.
This showed the ends of her hair flowing down the back of the chair.
WE SALUTE YOU
Tributes for Scots AC/DC legend Malcolm Young who lost dementia battle
scares and graces
X Factor's Grace Davies is barely able to walk after suffering back pain
JUST GOOD FRIENDS?
Lembit Opik accidentally sent ex snaps of him with 'friend' Alex Best
Scots hunk Sam Heughan wins Sexiest Man Alive poll - and his reaction is adorable
X Factor stars reveal the entire house has come down with a bug
EastEnders fans convinced Emmerdale's Zak and Lisa Dingle appear in Walford
Last October, the curvy beauty dazzled as she stepped out with a long poker-straight style at the Givenchy fashion show in Paris.
Yet earlier this year, she chopped her locks to a shorter, sharper look, showing off her barnet at The Met Gala.
Kim Kardashian debuts pink hairstyle on sexy photoshoot
Meanwhile, Kim shared some behind-the-scenes throwback shots from her bridal shower.
In ]the series of snaps, the reality babe looks stunning in white next to mum Kris Jenner, and sisters Khloe and Kourtney.
Kim and Kanye tied the knot at the Forte di Belvedere in Florence, Italy, on May 24 2014.
Got a story? email email@example.com or call us direct on 02077824220


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Honda Amaze VX CVT launched in India at Rs 8.56 lakh, ex-showroom
Honda Car India Limited (HCIL) has added a new VX CVT trim on the Amaze sedan, priced at Rs 8.56 lakh, ex-showroom. Previously, the CVT (automatic) variant was available only in the S and V grades of Honda Amaze. The VX automatic trim is placed above these grades and is available in petrol and diesel. The Honda Amaze diesel VX CVT has been priced at Rs 9.56 lakh. The features list that will be offered on the VX CVT trim include 7-inch touchscreen infotainment with turn by turn navigation, Android Auto and Apple Carplay connectivity, steering mounted voice control switches and rear camera.
"The 2nd Generation Honda Amaze set a new benchmark in its segment with over 20 per cent of our customers opting for advanced CVT variants in both petrol and diesel. We are delighted to introduce the new VX CVT variant of Honda Amaze to complete the top spec VX range and offer increased choice to our customers." commented, Rajesh Goel, Sr. Vice President and Director, Sales and Marketing, Honda Cars India Ltd
The all-new Honda Amaze was launched in India in May 2018. Powering the new Honda Amaze are the same four-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine producing 90PS and 110Nm and four-cylinder 1.5-litre diesel engine producing 100PS and 200Nm. The new Honda Amaze benefits from an all-new automatic transmission though, which is a CVT and is being offered with the petrol and diesel versions both. This is the first time Honda is offering a CVT transmission with a diesel engine in India ? outputs for the diesel automatic are lower than that of the manual version at 80PS and 160Nm though. A major highlight on the new Amaze, apart from its all-new design, is the increased space inside the car, as Honda has increased the wheelbase to liberate more leg and kneeroom, particularly at the rear.
In terms of safety, front passenger seat belt reminder and high speed alarm are offered on the Amaze sedan as standard. Addition of these features were done to comply with the safety regulations that will be implemented from July 1, 2019. The Amaze was always equipped with standard rear parking sensors, ABS, dual airbags, Isofix child seat anchorage, impact sensing door unlock. The new gen Amaze contributed to 46 per cent of total HCIL sales in FY 2018-19. It registered a sales of over 85,000 units in 11 months since its launch in May 2018.
Starts Rs 6.32 Lakhs
Starts Rs 6.09 Lakhs
Starts Rs 5.96 Lakhs
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- Mahindra Scorpio-N Vs Mahindra XUV700: What's different?
- 2022 Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder officially unveiled
- Mahindra Scorpio N review - big daddy or a dad joke?


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If you see a sale that looks too good to be true then it probably is.
A warning for bargain shoppers: Is your favorite retailer misleading you with those big sales? We've reported on this before, and now we're back with a new development.
We all love a good sale, and when you see that sign — 20 percent off, 30 percent off, 50 percent off — you assume you're getting a deal. But we found that sale price may not be a deal at all.
We first told you about this last month. Well, right after that story aired on TODAY, store insiders emailed me, speaking out against one of the country's most popular retailers. And what they say may change the wayyou shop.
The allure of the sale: prices too good to pass up. And we eat it up. But now, two JC Penney employees say some of those amazing bargains aren't bargains at all.
A few months ago JC Penney changed its pricing model, from everyday low pricing to sales. The company says that's what customers wanted. But these employees say JC Penney was really just artificially inflating prices, then putting those same items on sale.
J.C. Penney is going to war against a former employee who outed the department store for its questionable discounting practices.
The department store was drastically hiking prices on items, cutting them back and then advertising huge "discounts," the former employee, Bob Blatchford, told the Today show last July. In one case, a "rack of $7 shorts became $14, and then they were 50 percent off," a separate J.C. Penney worker told the Today show.
"I saw a lot of pricing teams going through the store, raising the prices, mostly doubling -- towels and clothing," Blatchford told NBC's Jeff Rossen. "Then they would go on sale, and they wouldn't always go on sale for 50 percent off. Not only was it a fake sale, but they were actually paying more than they would have been previously."
Ominously, Blatchford told Today, "I don't think Penney's will survive if they keep doing this."
Now it's Blatchford who is fighting for survival. Two days after his appearance on the Today show, he was fired from J.C. Penney in St. Petersburg, Fla., where he was a custom decorating studio coordinator. When he filed for unemployment benefits, J.C. Penney contested his claim, he said. J.C. Penney also recently filed an arbitration petition to get Blatchford to give back any company documents that he might have. But Blatchford thinks the arbitration is really just an attempt to discourage him from speaking out about the company. J.C. Penney declined to comment on Blatchford's situation or its pricing strategy.


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I've been the first one to say in recent months that I've fallen hard for my new Blackberry . . . or "Crackberry" as I've taken to calling it.
What's not to love? You can do just about anything on a smart phone that you can on a laptop, save for writing long documents and a few other things I've stopped caring about, and you don't have to lug it around airports, train stations, and long walks across cities you happen to be doing business in that day. That's no small benefit. I once dropped my brand new G-4 Apple laptop. It spilled out of my laptop bag outside a cab at the Atlanta airport, denting the unit and causing portions my computer screen to turn a shade of blue reminiscent of the uniform of my favorite football team, the New England Patriots.
Now it seems the rest of the world is catching up to me, or me to them.
In a study by the technology firm QuickOffice, 70% of respondents surveyed say they "trust cellular devices over personal computers for reliable Web access to achieve maximum productivity." In plain English (you have to love the verbiage in technology industry press releases) mobile workers are increasingly hot for smart phones but not for laptops.
One bugaboo for employees on the go is reliability. In the QuickOffice survey, roughly 90 percent of the almost 300 mobile professionals surveyed need to check email daily while away from the office, but more than 70 percent have missed key documents while on-the-go due to faulty or non-existent Internet access on their laptops. Not being able to receive vital documents while away from the office decreases efficiency, potentially lowering revenue for an organization, the report states, and not incorrectly.
Call it a sign of the times. For mobile workers, laptops are no longer the only game in town. If you're constantly on the go and need to check in to the mother ship, smart phones and mobile applications are rapidly become a business must-have, often offering the most efficient, reliable way to connect to the Internet while on-the-go. The technology consulting firm Compass Intelligence estimates that companies will spend roughly $9 billion on mobile applications by 2011, including productivity and email solution software.
Does QuickOffice have an agenda in promoting a study that benefits its own bottom line (the company makes smart phone software)? By all means.
But I'm not questioning the study's conclusions. Walk around any airport today and count the number of business travelers peering eagerly into their Blackberries. You'll find at least a hundred before you get tired of looking. Then dial back in time five years or so and think about the amount of people using smart phones at airports. Maybe a handful.
It's like the line in that old country ballad, "Who you gonna believe? Me or your lyin' eyes?"
So, from a Wall Street point of view, look for the major laptop makers to follow the route Apple took with its iPhone and dial the mobile experience down to better, more sophisticated, handheld smart phone units. Right now, that's where the money is going.


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Qdoba Mexican Grill, Noodles & Co. plan to open for business at Shoppes on Six in mid-March
Elkhart residents will be able to get their fill of burritos at Shoppes on Six come March.
Qdoba Mexican Grill and Noodles & Company both plan to open their doors next month at Shoppes on Six, located at the corner of Cassopolis Street and C.R. 6. in Elkhart, company officials said. However, no official grand opening date has been set for either of the chain restaurants.
The opening of the restaurants was announced in June by developer Thompson Thrift, and construction started in July. “Hopefully, we’ll see them open in spring. We’re excited to have them there,” Ryan Menard, vice president of the developer, said. Exteriors of both the restaurants appear to be completed with outdoor eating areas.
Construction crews could be seen working on the inside of Qdoba on Monday, Feb. 8. Megan Prejzner, the brand manager for Qdoba, said they are aiming for a mid-March opening date. They hope to announce a finalized date for the public soon.
On the other side of the Shoppes on Six, it looks like most construction is done within the noodle restaurant. They also plan to open in March, Erin Murphy, the senior manager of communications, said. Owners have applied for a liquor license with the Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission.
Both restaurants are looking to hire 25 to 30 full-time and part-time employees.


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Electricity powers these green cars, helping them maintain their horsepower on the road
By Paul Krajewski | October 11, 2013
Other than the trademark front-end and fancy decals, the Mercedes-Benz F-Cell looks like your typical hybrid powered grocery getter. But the F-Cell is anything but. Under the hood of this compact four-door sedan is an electric motor, and the only difference between it and its hybrid counterparts is that it runs entirely on hydrogen.
In the F-Cell, hydrogen gas is passed through a fuel-cell stack, mixing with oxygen to generate an electric current to power the motor. The only by-product is water vapour.
The German automaker embarked the F-Cell on a 30,000-kilometre journey around the world to test its capabilities as an extended-range vehicle. One hundred and twenty-five days later, it got the proof needed to move ahead with the consumer-testing phase currently taking place in Europe and the United States, with mass-production slated to begin in 2014.
BMW, Toyota, Ford, Nissan, General Motors and Honda announced just this past year that they too will be working towards mass-producing hydrogen fuel-celled vehicles by 2015.
Is this the death of gas-powered vehicles? “No,” says Steven Bergens, chemistry professor at the University of Alberta, “but it will be.” Bergens specializes in fuel-cell technology and says the most important thing we need to do is to build hydrogen infrastructure because “our infrastructure right now only provides gasoline, diesel, natural gas and propane for vehicles.”
After the infrastructure is in place, finding a way to safely store the hydrogen gas and making the technology more economically obtainable will come in time, says Bergens. But he adds that the usual time for any renewable resource technology to mature and be accessible is estimated at around 10 years.
According to the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, hydrogen fuelling stations are now being tested in Surrey, Whistler and Vancouver, B.C. Until the hydrogen technology gains enough steam to become a viable replacement, car manufacturers are redefining the way we look at environmentally friendly vehicles by combining electric and hybrid capabilities into one package.
Service manager for Don Wheaton, Peter Wilson, is a proud owner of the 2013 Chevy Volt, the world’s first mass-produced extended-range electric vehicle. The plug-in electric car comes with a 1.4 L gasoline generator that runs only when the electricity runs out, or when traversing steep mountain roads. It can accelerate from zero to 60 km/h in under nine seconds, so Wilson can shed petroleum without shedding horsepower.
“A lot of people had said that this wouldn’t work; it’s too this, it’s too that, but now the (Toyota) Prius is doing the same thing,” says Wilson, adding that Honda, Volvo and Volkswagen have all adopted the hybrid plug-in technology.
Volvo released the elegant four-door station wagon the V60 D6 Hybrid plug-in this year in the United Kingdom, while the Honda Accord and Volkswagen Golf plug-in models will be available within the next few months.
If you’re looking for something a little more like what you’d see Will Smith driving in I, Robot, the Cadillac ELR extended range electric coupe will give you luxurious style and innovation long before the year 2035.
The Cadillac plug-in hybrid will be available towards the end of this year, and will come with a typical Cadillac price tag somewhere in the range of $70,000, unlike the modest pricing for the Volt, which starts at $31,645.
No matter the price tag, many consumers are attracted to the minimal price the planet will pay in exchange for operating these green cars.


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Apple Q1: Just Shy Of US$100 Billion Revenue
Apple has posted its first-quarter results for 2020, with the company posting revenues just shy of a massive US$100 billion ‘fueled by strong demand’ for the new suite of iPhone models.
In what is ‘Apple’s highest quarterly revenue ever’ of $US91.8 billion (A$136 billion) according to CEO Tim Cook, the quarterly results come as the Cupertino based company boasts of ‘all-time records for Services and Wearables’.
Net sales in the Asia Pacific market also saw an increase from US$6.9 billion to US$7.4 billion (A$10.9 billion).
A total of $8.1 billion came from hardware sales, with the rest from services.
With a net income of US$22.2 billion with an operating cash flow of US$30.5 billion, according to CFO, Luca Maestri, Apple also returned ‘nearly $25 billion to shareholders during the quarter, including $20 billion in share repurchases and $3.5 billion in dividends and equivalents’.
Despite the rise in wearables, Cook informed Reuters that Apple, could not make enough AirPods and Apple Watch Series 3 devices to meet demand during the fiscal first quarter and continues to be short on both.
Apple is now working hard to be able to fulfil the demand for both.
However, with a device reach of over 1.5 billion, Cook sees the installation base ‘as a powerful testament to the satisfaction, engagement and loyalty of our customers — and a great driver of our growth across the board’.
That reach is set to increase even further with Apple reportedly bumping up iPhone production by 10% according to reports by the Nikkei newspaper.
Picked up by Bloomberg, Apple has reportedly ordered upwards of 65 million units of current iPhone models plus 15 million units of the rumoured low-cost iPhone.
With the company expecting to unveil the new phone in March Apple is providing the following guidance for its second quarter:
- revenue between US$63.0 billion and US$67.0 billion
- gross margin between 38.0% and 39.0%
- operating expenses between US$9.6 billion and US$9.7 billion
- other income/(expense) of US$250 million
- tax rate of approximately 16.5%
According to Reuters, Apple is taking a wider approach to its financial guidance for Q2 as a result of the coronavirus in China.


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Celebrity News June 27, 2007
Liz Claiborne Dies at Age 78
Liz Claiborne, whose styles became an important influence for career women in the 1970s and 1980s, died Tuesday after a long battle with cancer. She was 78.
Claiborne leaves behind a multi-billion dollar enterprise after a long and successful career in the fashion business.
The company's website lizclairborneinc.com says, "A working woman herself, Liz understood how liberating it would be to mix and match separates rather than have to rely on the traditional dress or gray flannel suit. Thus, out of a small office on 40th street in Manhattan, Liz Claiborne the brand was born, transforming the way women dressed and ultimately, how they shopped."
Liz came to the United States from Belgium, where she worked to make her company the first founded by a woman to be listed in the Fortune 500.
Bill McComb, CEO of Liz Claiborne Inc., said in a statement on Wednesday: "In losing Liz Claiborne, we have not only lost the founder of our company, but an inspirational woman who revolutionized the fashion industry 30 years ago.
Her commitment to style and design is ever present in our thinking and the way we work. We will remember Liz for her vision, her entrepreneurial spirit and her enduring compassion and generosity."


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With the .CLUB Trademark Sunrise period having less than a week to go (Sunrise ends on March 29th) our focus has been heavily on informing brands and trademark holders about the benefits of registering their respective brand.club names. With that in mind the .CLUB team has been on the road again to meet with brands and brand marketers and invite them to join the .CLUB.
One of the most attended marketing events of the year is the annual South By Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, Texas. A massive event that literally consumes all of downtown Austin and it’s immediate environs, the “Interactive” portion of SXSW attracts every imaginable digital marketer from major brands to struggling startups. Heralded as “Spring Break for Geeks,” SXSW is non-stop marketing mayhem. So how could we resist?
At SXSW .CLUB was a sponsor of a one day “Brand Innovators” conference, which was a great chance to talk with marketers from brands including Lego, Hasbro, Mondelez International, MaryKay Cosmetics and many, many more. During one of the sessions there was a great discussion about new Top Level Domains and what it means to marketers. We think that new domain extensions like .CLUB present a tremendous opportunity for brands and their online presence and campaigns. Smart marketers can now brand all aspects of their business with meaningful domain names that are memorable, marketable and make it easier for their customers to find exactly what they are looking for online. (I’ll dive into this topic much deeper during my keynote speech at the upcoming DomainFest conference in Los Angeles next week.)
After SXSW, the .CLUB roadshow continued in Orlando Florida where the team exhibited at the LoyaltyExpo conference, a great gathering of brands focused on customer loyalty and rewards. Many brands have expressed interest in using a .CLUB name specifically for their loyalty and reward programs and at LoyaltyExpo we had the chance to meet many of them in person.
The .CLUB roadshow continues with meeting and events in Beijing, Macau, Singapore, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Stay tuned for more updates…


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Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. swung to a first-quarter profit, thanks in part to higher insurance investment income.
Still, Berkshire’s earnings excluded its share of earnings from its 27% stake in Kraft Heinz Inc. KHC, +1.40%, because Kraft Heinz hasn’t yet filed its earnings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Berkshire said in a press release. Write downs at Kraft Heinz weighed on Berkshire’s performance in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Berkshire BRK.B, +0.71% and private-equity firm 3G Capital formed Kraft Heinz when they merged their H.J. Heinz Co. with Kraft Foods Group Inc. in 2015. Buffett said earlier this year that he overpaid for Kraft in that deal but didn’t plan to sell.
Berkshire reported first-quarter net earnings of $21.66 billion, or $13,209 per Class A share BRK.A, +0.83% equivalent, from a loss of $1.14 billion, or $692 a share, in the year-earlier period. Last year’s first-quarter earnings swung to a loss due to unrealized investment losses.
Popular at WSJ.com


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Retro role-playing video games are all the rage — here's why
Developer Thierry Boulanger still lights up when you ask him about his favorite game from his childhood. "Chrono Trigger. This game is why I chose this career," says Boulanger, the creative director of the 2023 indie Sea of Stars. "I remember being 10 and entering Guardia Forest. The music hit me so hard, and it connected me with the notion that there was a guiding hand behind any game you play. From that point on, I started daydreaming about games I would want to make."
Decades later, after the industry chased higher fidelity graphics and approached the look of big-budget movies and TV, Boulanger and other international studios are spinning up new titles inspired by the golden era of 90s Japanese role-playing games — and audiences are responding to them. Sea of Stars sold over 100,000 copies during its first release day, despite being included for free in Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass and Sony's PlayStation Plus subscription services at launch.
Square Enix's retro-inspired Octopath Traveler II, which came out this past February, sold over one million copies as of June. A spiritual successor to the epic Suikoden series, Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes, became the most-funded video game Kickstarter of 2020 and is now set to release April 2024. All while many, many more smaller pixel RPGs continue to flood the market.
As games moved away from 2D-pixel graphics to increasingly realistic 3D environments, they also abandoned many tried-and-true mechanics. "One thing that we found recently is that as graphics get better and better, and as characters become more realistic and more photo-real, is that the combination of that realism with the very unreal sense of turn-based commands doesn't really fit together," said Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida in a past interview. "You have this kind of strange gap that emerges."
Rather than have realistic characters just stand around waiting for their turn to fight, Yoshida transformed the latest series title into a pure action experience, disappointing some Final Fantasy fans. While some new games like Baldur's Gate 3 buck the trend that's moved realistic graphics away from turn-based combat, old-school designs typically come paired with old-school aesthetics. But developers have still found room to innovate.
SacriFire, developed by Pixelated Milk and inspired by the HD-2D style popularized by Square Enix's Octopath Traveler series, combines retro character sprites and textures with polygonal environments and HD effects. SacriFire's environment is 3D, but all of the textures are hand painted pixel art.
"This allows us to create rich locations with plenty of depth. We can play with camera work and lighting, but everything still retains that chunky pixel feel that was very important to us," Pixelated Milk studio head Bartosz Łojewski explains. "Last but not least, the camera is positioned really low to the ground, which gives a nice expansive view of the horizon."
Reforging the past
"For the prime target audience who have played the classics and are older now but care to look back for a few hours, we wanted the game to feel like what they remember of those games," says Boulanger.
But that doesn't mean uncritically recycling old ideas. Boulanger wanted to capture the story beats that made games memorable without replicating what could make them frustrating. "If the audience were to go back and actually replay those games, they might think less fondly of them," he says. "The idea for Sea of Stars was to remove that tedium and get players to feel like they're moving forward, all the time."
"People tend to remember old games through rose-tinted glasses," says solo developer Matthias Linda, who debuted the criminally overlooked Chained Echoes last year. "They remember the epic boss fight they had, but they forget the hours of grind."
During Chained Echoes' development, he emphasized how players felt when playing those older games, not how they actually played out. He also didn't use a traditional leveling system, since that would prompt players to repeatedly beat enemies that gave them the most experience points.
"Instead, I wanted the player to do different things in order to get stronger," Linda explained. "Doing various tasks, fighting different mobs, exploring, crafting and so on. This is why there is no EXP system in place but systems like the Reward Board, the crystal crafting, class emblems, skill levels, weapon crafting and huge maps with a lot of treasures."
Cassette Beasts, developed by Bytten Studio, uses pixelated sprites to present its world, characters and creatures, which battle each other like Pokémon. But unlike Pokémon, you can fuse Beasts together rather than just evolve them. "We knew that if we wanted to enter the 'monster collecting RPG' space, we'd need a unique selling point, something that our game would have that no other game has," explains Bytten Studio art director Jay Baylis.
While Digimon and Persona allow you to fuse creatures, they don't go as far as Cassette Beasts, which procedurally models what any two fused creatures would look like as a new fully-animated critter – a task better suited for 2D pixel art. "With most RPG franchises moving into high fidelity 3D," says Baylis. "I think there's a part of that audience who still love pixel art games and would love new titles doing new things with it."
Other developers like Matthew Linda acknowledge that nostalgia alone can't entirely drive the retro RPG renaissance. "There are a lot of different people with different preferences and it's next to impossible for a developer to satisfy all of them," Linda says. "You will always have some people who don't want their series to change and people who do."
While it seems like Final Fantasy will continue to prioritize real-time action for the foreseeable future, publisher Square Enix also returned to older turn-based styles with recent franchises like the aforementioned Octopath Traveler. Interestingly, Sega went the opposite direction with the Yakuza series, transitioning from its real-time roots to a turn-based system starting with 2020's Yakuza: Like a Dragon and its upcoming sequel, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Even though the franchise boasts high-fidelity character models, turn-based combat fits because it underscores the series' goofy tone.
Other games, like Final Fantasy VII Remake and the upcoming Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak, try to have it both ways: blending real-time and turn-based combat to create their own distinctive styles. But even when such established games cast a long shadow, SacriFire developer Łojewski sees an opportunity for indie studios to stand out in a RPG tradition pioneered by Japanese titans.
"With the bigger companies pivoting towards the creation of huge, open-ended worlds, it creates a vacuum for games with a more 'standard' progression, smaller but tightly designed maps, and traditional approaches to combat," Łojewski explains. "The successes of Octopath Traveler, Wandering Sword, and now Star Ocean: The Second Story R prove that players old and new still have a lot of love for a more traditional era of JRPG-inspired games. The trick is adding some new ideas to the mix as well, and hopefully we've done that."
George Yang is a freelance writer specializing in video games and culture. Find him on X: @yinyangfooey
James Perkins Mastromarino contributed to this story. contributed to this story
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Among feature phone makers, the top brands are seeing the Jio Bharat platform as a threat to their business in the short term. 4G feature phones of brands like Itel and HMD Nokia are priced almost double that of the Jio Bharat phone, while the likes of Lava does not have any 4G feature phone offerings for the market.
Industry executives and market trackers said mobile phones under the Jio Bharat platform once commercially launched could end up pushing the market share of 4G feature phones from 1-4% presently to double digits of the total feature phone market, estimated to be at around 249 million by brokerage firm Jeffries.
“It will be an aggressive plank for Jio. Of these 250 million consumers who we want to migrate from 2G to 4G, a major chunk is finding it difficult to afford a smartphone. Those people then can buy the Jio Bharat phones,” an industry executive from the feature phone market said.
He added that brands will now work to get similar offerings to consumers, and if need be, they can also get onboard the Jio Bharat platform at a later stage.
The executive said the 1.77-inch display segment is crucial for feature phone brands like Itel, and a market response will need at least 90 days to fructify. In the meantime, the market share of 2G feature phone makers may go down by 15-20%.
The feature phone market is currently led by Itel with 37% market share, followed by Lava with 27% share and Nokia with 15% share, as per Counterpoint Research.
Feature phone shipments itself have been declining steadily from 100 million in 2020 to 80 million in 2021 and now at 50-60 million, as smartphones are catching up with a relatively young population, said Tarun Pathak, research director, Counterpoint Research.
He added that almost 60% of the 250 million feature phone users might be the ones who will never shift to a smartphone because of added costs, steep learning curve, and a different form factor.
Apart from Reliance Retail, a subsidiary of the Reliance group, home-grown brand Karbon has come onboard the Jio Bharat platform. Jio said it will be hosting beta trials for the first 1 million handsets beginning July 7, which will be carried out across 6,500 tehsils.
Industry experts said the Jio Bharat platform will provide original equipment makers (OEMs) the blueprint to make their own 4G feature phones along with providing them with Jio’s content library across movies, music and TV shows.
The screen-size, however, can be a deterrent to the experience, aside from the fact that it will be locked to one network.
Friday, 01 Dec, 2023
- Surprise Boost: Economy Grows 7.6% in Q2, Beating Estimates
India's economy expanded 7.6% in the September quarter from a year earlier, exceeding expectations as manufacturing posted strong growth and investments gathered pace. Private consumption was tepid while a patchy monsoon dented farm growth, according to government data released on Thursday.JSW, SAIC Ink JV to Run MG Motor Operations in India
The Sajjan Jindal-promoted JSW Group and SAIC Motor announced an India joint venture aimed at expanding the operations of MG Motor, owned by the Chinese company, in the country. JSW will hold a 35% stake in the joint venture, they announced on Thursday.UltraTech to Buy Kesoram’s Cement Unit
Aditya Birla Group’s UltraTech will acquire the cement business of the BK Birla Group’s Kesoram Industries in an all-stock deal at an estimated enterprise value of around ₹7,600 crore, which includes debt.
Read More News on
Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
- TCL gets NCLT Kolkata nod for merger with Tata Consumer Products, TCPL Beverages & Foods
- Adani Group plans $84 bln infra spend over next decade
- Centre pushes quality control on copper, nickel, and aluminium ahead by six months
- Maruti Suzuki production dips 3% in November
- Delhi HC upholds rejection of Wipro GE Healthcare's CT scan bid over Chinese manufacturer link
- Something BIG coming up, tweets Ola Electric CEO Bhavish Aggarwal
- GAIL seeks $1.8 bn from former Gazprom unit
- Adani to take call on Wilmar JV stake divestment in three months
- Balaji Wafers: How this Rajkot-based company is challenging the likes of Haldiram’s and PepsiCo
- HUL to partner Brookfield for Green Energy to meet Net Zero commitment


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Be part of a “New Group of Executives” that are using social media to attract customers, generate exposure for their companies and acquire new business.
According to research by Weber Shandwick, CEO social media engagement has doubled in one year. Conducted in partnership with KRC Research, over 600 senior executives from 10 markets worldwide were surveyed. The research found that 76% of global executives say they want their CEO to engage in social media. A few of the top benefits cited were:
- An improved ability to share company news and information
- A positive impact on company reputation and business results
- Ability to communicate more directly with employees, customers, and other key stakeholders
Executives at companies with social CEOs say that their leader’s participation makes them feel inspired (52%) and technologically advanced (46%).
Companies that are truly social and engage their employees and customers in genuine conversation will be recognized as the new corporate leaders. CEOs who are social will be the next new thing. Leslie Gaines-Ross Chief Reputation Strategist, Weber Shandwick
As consumers become more social savvy, so must company leaders. CEOs who are social are perceived as better leaders and better communicators.
The Weber Shandwick report reveals 7 Habits of Highly Social CEOs that I hope will be an inspiration to agency CEOs to become socially engaged:
- Highly social CEOs use a more expansive set of social tools. Hyper-social CEOs realize sociability goes beyond dropping messages into a Twitter or microblog feed. World class sociability requires a strategically-crafted plan for driving the company’s content across several channels.
- Highly social CEOs own a blog. These CEOs see the value in long-form, content creation as a way of giving their perspectives context, meaning and depth.
- Highly social CEOs leverage the company website. These leaders realize the website remains “digital ground zero” for company information-seekers and offers a platform for content to be delivered in multiple formats. The company website can now be a destination for corporate and leadership content.
- Highly social CEOs self-author. These CEOs are DIYers (Do It Yourself). Their frequent posting influences their determination to author everything themselves although most probably take input from their marketing and communications executives.
- Highly social CEOs are forward-looking. These CEOs intuitively understand that technology and social media are the future of content distribution and they want to be part of this communication revolution.
- Highly social CEOs are spontaneous, yet not too informal. These socially adept CEOs maintain the formality of their office but let stakeholders know they can react quickly and seize opportunity.
- Highly social CEOs engage a wider variety of external stakeholders. These CEOs see the value in sociability and use it to reach out to a wide portfolio of stakeholders.
Watch Weber Shandwick’s video discussing key themes in the study:
Read the full study here: The Social CEO: Executives Tell All
Check out their infographic:
Additional leadership articles that may be of interest:
- The Barkley Agency Finds A Niche in Marketing to Millennials
- Lee Clow’s Beard: Word’s of Advertising Wisdom
- How to Build A Platform for Ad Agency New Business
- 25 Ways to Be Found for Ad Agency New Business


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Dementia Linked to Heartburn Remedies
If you find yourself frequently taking heartburn medications, there’s some troubling news about some of those remedies. According to a recent study, those “harmless” little pills just might raise the chances of dementia especially in folks over 75.
There are lots of these products on the shelves and some of the better known names like Prilosec, Nexium and Prevacid are among the medications that can cause the problem. All these heartburn remedies are known as Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI’s) and basically, they simply lower the amount of acid produced by the stomach.
The German report says that, among people aged 75 or older could have a whopping 44% better chance of developing dementia than those not taking the meds. According to the report, they are not saying that the heartburn meds cause the dementia, but they feel they have found a definite link.
Earlier studies seem to back up the findings of the most recent report on the link between the meds and dementia. In that earlier study, a link was found between heartburn meds known as H2 blockers. One doctor connected with the study, is telling his patients to steer clear of H2 blockers of Tagamet, Pepcid and Zantac.
It’s estimated that more than 15 million Americans use the remedies for heartburn.
Read more about this story at WEB MD


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Get a sneak peek at Amazon's Black Friday sales, which includes hundreds of items, daily deals and local 2-hour delivery.
It's here! We made it! Soon we can expect the DeLorean to appear!
Wait! Before you fight the crowds to plunk down your hard-earned cash, make sure that a Black Friday deal is really a deal.
The day after Turkey Day tends to be mostly hype, but for a select few stores and tech items, Friday should be buy-day.
Stores want you to believe you can get a great deal on the day after Thanksgiving, but is it better to stay at home?
From the Cheapskate: On your marks, get set -- spend! These are my favorite deals, and not one of them requires a trip to a store.
This handy guide can help you figure out if you should upgrade to a new Ultra HD "4K" TV.
Technically Incorrect: For Thanksgiving, Disney releases another Star Wars TV spot that promises a lot of badness.
Here are the best Black Friday deals CNET has found -- and everything else you should know about the biggest shopping day of the year.
Leaked images reveal some great deals that might be in store from Sam's Club this Black Friday.
Target has announced the deals it will make available on Black Friday -- Take a look.


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Garden Furniture sales during Summer 2015
As we enter September it is fair to say this hasn’t exactly been a record breaking British summer. As you can imagine a company specialising in garden furniture really does hope for some excellent sunny spells. Things did look very promising earlier this year and we had an almost record breaking level of Spring sales.
Still, the promised warm, sunny summer never really seemed to happen this year. Yes we had some really lovely sunny weekends, and as we packaged and sent the orders on the Monday after we could tell people were gearing up to spending more time enjoying the sun in their gardens.
Yet we can’t complain here at GreenFern, we have seen steady sales and most importantly received some great feedback from customers on the quality of our products, such as our excellent bistro dining sets or our larger outdoor dining options.
So the question now is
What’s in stall for the UK weather in Autumn & Winter 2015?
This could be a telling factor for how our year ends here at GreenFern and whether garden furniture sales take a break until Spring 2016 or plough on for the rest of 2015.
What affect will a strong El Niño have on the UK weather this Autumn?
We are now looking forward to what Autumn may bring in terms of weather and extending the period you can enjoy your garden this year. Something you will probably start to hear more on is the El Niño weather phenomena which looks like being a lot stronger than normal this year. El Niño is basically judged by how much a region of tropical East Pacific Ocean heats up in terms of surface water temperature.
As a result of this increased warming in the Pacific there has already been a higher number of hurricanes (East Pacific) and typhoons (West Pacific) this season – you can read more detail about this on the very helpful met office blog page here.
So back to the question of what effect will the El Niño have on our Autumn and Winter – sadly there is no definitive answer to this! Previously a strong El Niño has led both to a colder snowier winter as well as a milder drier period! What we do know is El Niño does affect Atlantic weather patterns due to the change in the high level winds – this makes the creation of Atlantic hurricanes less likely, although a rather famous hurricane Andrew did occur during a particularly strong El Niño!
Currently it looks like we may have a high pressure forming to the West of the UK. This could lead to some very dry, sunny September days and hopefully a much better September for us in terms of garden tables and chairs – even if it is a bit too optimistic to expect sun lounger sales to remain strong…
One thing is for sure, if we do have an extremely cold and snowy winter you will be thankful for our superior quality garden products that can with stand the elements a lot better than cheaper alternatives!View our current Special Offers


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Ready For Takeoff: American Airlines Resumes Full Capacity Flights
(NBC News) After months of deserted terminals, airlines say they’re ready to fill flights again.
American Airlines expanded flights to full capacity beginning July 1st, joining United and Spirit Airlines. The move comes despite a rise in COVID-19 cases in dozens of states.
According to the Centers for Disease Control flying may increase your risk for exposure, but American has instituted new procedures aimed at minimizing that risk.
Between flights, cleaners will disinfect all surfaces, from tray tables to window shades.
It’s a big change from the once-a-day deep cleanings that took place before the pandemic.
At least once a week, planes will get treated with a virus-killing electrostatic spray.
American and most other major airlines will also require passengers to answer a health questionnaire and wear a face covering to board.
“If customers refuse to wear the mask we will limit their travel,” says American’s Ralph Lopez.
Delta and United also say they will ban travelers who refuse to comply.
Passengers can still remove the mask to eat or drink.
Whether it’s a full flight or not, there’s no way to completely mitigate contracting covid-19 and many health experts are still recommending against non-essential travel at this time.
Read more: https://on.today.com/3eUCjo4


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So the Indian government is trying a new, carrot-and-stick approach.
In October, it quietly began mandating that at least half of all laptops, computers, tablets and dot-matrix printers procured by government agencies come from domestic sources, according to Ajay Kumar, joint secretary of the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, which devised the policy.
At the same time, it is dangling as much as $2.75 billion in incentives in front of chip makers to entice them to build India's first semiconductor manufacturing plant, an important step in building a domestic hardware industry.
But like so much of India's economic policy, it's doubtful that either initiative will have the impact the government is intending.
"Nobody disputes India's need to build up manufacturing. Not doing so would be fiscally irresponsible," said Gaurav Verma, who heads the New York office of the U.S.-India Business Council. But Verma said India's efforts to force international companies to manufacture in the country are futile. "The government needs to not mandate this, but create an ecosystem."
The domestic purchasing mandate, known as the "preferential market access" policy, seeks to address a real problem: Imports of electronics are growing so fast that by 2020, they are projected to eclipse oil as the developing country's largest import expense.
India's import bill for semiconductors alone was $8.2 billion in 2012, according to Gartner, a research firm. And demand is growing at around 20 percent a year, according to the Department of Electronics and Information Technology.
For all electronics, India's foreign currency bill is projected to grow from around $70 billion in 2012 to $300 billion by 2020, according to a government task force.
"The problem we are facing is that the demand is growing so much that it is reaching nonsustainable levels," said Ajay Kumar, joint secretary of the agency.
Dot-matrix printers, outdated in most of the world, are one of the few electronic products India manufactures. Around 400,000 dot-matrix printers were sold in India in the year that ended March 31, an increase of 2 percent from the year before, according to the Manufacturers' Association for Information Technology, a computer industry trade group in India.
The government accounts for about 40 percent of the country's electronics purchases, according to PVG Menon, president of the Indian Electronics and Semiconductor Manufacturing Association.
Officials hope to use that purchasing power to jump-start manufacturing of other computer goods. However, the government has adopted a broad definition of what it considers locally made, since so few electronics are manufactured here.
If at least 30 percent of a computer's components are made in India, it would qualify. The policy also allows prospective suppliers to show "value addition" in lieu of actually manufacturing the goods in India, said Kumar. For example, India does not manufacture hard drives, but it assembles and tests them. Under the policy, a hard drive that is assembled in India would be considered to be made there.
Computer makers contacted for this article declined to discuss how the new policy would affect their sales.
The big fish the government would like to land is a factory to produce microprocessors for computers.
A computer processor typically accounts for 25 to 35 percent of the total cost of a PC or laptop. India hopes such a plant, which could cost as much as $5 billion to build, would help spur a bigger high-tech manufacturing industry, Kumar said.
According to Indian media reports, two consortiums have been in talks with the government to build microprocessor foundries.
The first is led by the Jaypee Group, one of India's largest construction companies, which built the country's Formula One track in Uttar Pradesh. It has partnered with IBM, which will provide the technology.
The second bid is from Hindustan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp., a U.S. company that, despite its name, does not manufacture any chips. It has partnered with the Geneva-based chip maker STMicroelectronics.
But Ron Somers, president of the U.S.-India Business Council, said he doubted that India could provide a new chip-making facility with the basic infrastructure it needed to even keep the lights on.
There have been several failed attempts to set up chip plants in the past. The most recent was in 2008 by SemIndia, a U.S. company run by Indian-American entrepreneurs. It ended acrimoniously when a dispute arose over the terms of the agreement between the company and the state of Andhra Pradesh where the plant was to be housed.
Critics warn that India's efforts to encourage a high-tech revolution may come to naught once again unless it reduces some of the barriers to doing business in the country.
In the case of some electronics, the import duty on a finished product is cheaper than on the component parts, said Menon. Costs are also higher because of a lack of reliable power and the extra time it takes to move goods on the country's poor roads.
Spurred by the new "Buy India" requirements, Dell, the largest PC retailer in India, explored the possibility of setting up manufacturing facilities there. Dell assembles computers in India, but does not manufacture any components.
"They flew in their suppliers from China and Taiwan to see if they could set up facilities. They said no," said an industry official, who requested anonymity since he was not authorized to speak on behalf of the Texas-based company. "The market is too small, and logistically it is a nightmare."
India has a model for success, said Verma of the business council: its automobile industry. In the 1980s, India opened its automotive industry to foreign companies, and in 1982, Suzuki Motor bought a majority stake in Maruti Udhyog. The joint venture produced the Maruti 800, India's first affordable car.
However, the real watershed moment came in 1991, when India dropped its local manufacturing requirements. The industry exploded, and there are now about 40 million cars on Indian roads.
"India now has the sixth-largest auto industry in the world because of the ecosystem the government created," Verma said.
© 2013, The New York Times News Service


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The Trudeau government’s proposal to legalize cannabis will no doubt generate heated debate. The question of how to legalize is likely to receive less attention. But it is no less important; the consequences of legalization will depend strongly on details that neither side of the larger debate has given much attention.
The potential benefits of legalization include: increasing personal liberty; gains to consumers in convenience and in product variety and safety (via chemical testing and accurate labelling); and substantially shrinking a multi-billion-dollar illicit market and the associated enforcement efforts and punishments. (Statistics Canada reports more than 20,000 cannabis-related convictions per year; about one-third of those lead to custodial sentences, with a median length of 30 days.)
The primary risk of legalization is increased problematic use (“cannabis use disorder,” in medical terminology) and the resulting damage to consumers, and their families, friends and co-workers. Leakage from the adult market may also increase use among adolescents—especially if prices fall dramatically—creating risks to academic performance and psychological and emotional development. The growing share of cannabis users who report smoking every day—now about one-quarter of Canadian past-month users—demonstrates the risk of developing problem use.
These can be thought of as the arguments for, and against, any legalization of cannabis. But they can also be thought of as design criteria for a new system of legal availability: how can we provide convenient access for adults who want to use in moderation while minimizing the harms from cannabis use disorder and from use by adolescents?
The commercial model of cannabis legalization adopted in Washington State, Colorado and Oregon performs well in terms of liberty, consumer satisfaction and shrinking the illicit trade, but is likely to be much less satisfactory when it comes to controlling problem use. After all, frequent high-dose users—those most at risk for cannabis use disorder—are the most valuable customers of the cannabis trade, whether licit or illicit. The marketing (and lobbying) strategies of a cannabis industry will therefore focus on attracting such customers and inducing them to consume more and more of the product, and on converting moderate users into problem users. In this respect cannabis is like alcohol, tobacco and gambling: all of those industries have commercial motives for getting their customers hooked.
Over the past two decades, the cannabis market has shifted increasingly toward material with very high concentrations of THC, the primary intoxicating agent. That raises the risk of acute bad experiences, and may also increase the prevalence of problem use. Since per-gram prices have been steady over that period, the price of getting stoned has been falling.
Even at today’s illicit price, cannabis is a remarkably cheap intoxicant: something like a dollar per hour of intoxication, which makes it cheaper than beer. The price is too low to matter much to most casual users. But very heavy users, for whom cannabis is a significant personal budget item, and younger users, who tend to have less available cash, are likely to use more cannabis as the price falls.
When cannabis growers and dealers are no longer forced to hide their activities and pay their workers premium wages to induce them to accept legal risk, the price of cannabis drops dramatically. This is already evident in falling wholesale prices in Washington and Colorado. Once the market is mature, generic, unbranded legal cannabis may very well sell for one-tenth the current price of the illegal product, making commercialized legalization an unattractive policy from a public-health viewpoint. Yes, there will be high-end product as well, but what matters is the price per hour of intoxication at the low end of the price spectrum.
A sensible cannabis-legalization plan would prevent the growth of substance use disorder as much as possible by: keeping prices high (through production controls, taxes, or public monopoly); banning persuasive advertising by restricting marketing communications to factual statements about the chemical content of the product; and offering consumers convenient ways of checking their own impulses when those impulses conflict with their judgment about their long-term interests, for example by allowing customers to set monthly purchase quotas for themselves. Of course any policy that really put a dent in problem use would also put a dent in industry revenues, so we should expect the industry to oppose such policies, as we have already seen in the United States.
That struggle between commercial logic and the public interest will define the new politics of legal cannabis. As the new government proceeds to draft a new system of laws, it should keep in mind the need to prevent the cannabis industry from acquiring excessive political influence.
One approach would be to make the sale of cannabis a state monopoly rather than relying on private-sector retailers; as Premier Kathleen Wynne has proposed for Ontario. The stores could easily administer user-set quotas, and contracts with growers could include a ban on advertising.
It is when the regime is first being designed that the public health interest has the best chance. Later, public attention will shift, but industry lobbying efforts will remain focused on dismantling effective controls.
Cannabis legalization doesn’t have to be bad for the public health. But if we’re not careful, it will be.
Mark Kleiman is Professor of Public Policy at New York University’s Marron Institute. Jonathan Caulkins is the Stever Professor of Operations Research and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz College. They are two of the authors of Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press).


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The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) recently conducted a survey of retailers regarding first-time gun buyers in 2021. However, I am sure that the findings will not be surprising, given the current rise in violent crime nationwide. With more and more Democrat-run cities seeing spikes in crime, many citizens are turning to their own personal protection.
According to an NSSF Survey 2021 Had 5.4 Million First-Time Gun Buyers
A recent survey shows that nearly 30 percent of all firearm purchases in 2021 were to new gun owners. Conducted by the NSSF, the poll is based on retailer surveys and adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) background checks. The 30 percent figure represents 5.4 million people, across all demographics.
Although the number is higher than usual, it is still a 10 percent decrease from the 40 percent in 2020. More than 21 million background checks were conducted in 2020 and 8.4 million of those purchases were to first-time buyers. However, 2020s 8.4 million combined with 2021s 5.4 million means 13.8 million Americans concerned for their safety over the past two years alone.
According to an NSSF report, nearly 47 percent of first-time gun buyers inquired about training, with 43 percent signing up. Additionally, 23 percent of first-time gun buyers in 2020 purchased another firearm in 2021. As mentioned, first-time gun owners in 2021 crossed all demographics, with the report also showing:
- Over 33 percent of first-time gun buyers in 2021 were women.
- 44 percent of retailers saw an increase of African-Americans purchasing firearms in 2021.
- Nearly 40 percent of retailers saw an increase of Hispanic-Americans purchasing firearms in 2021.
- Over 27 percent of retailers saw an increase of Asian-Americans purchasing firearms in 2021.
- Over 18 percent of retailers saw an increase of Native-Americans purchasing firearms in 2021.
- Nearly 14 percent of retailers saw an increase of Native-Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders purchasing firearms in 2021.
New Gun Owners are Welcome
“We welcome these new gun owners to the greater community of law-abiding Americans who choose to own a firearm for lawful purposes, including self-defense, recreational target shooting and hunting,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “The surveys revealed that new gun owners are continuing to embrace their Second Amendment rights and nearly half of them are seeking out professional training. These trends show that not only is there still a strong interest in gun ownership but also that these new gun owners are interested in learning more about the safe and responsible handling, use and storage of firearms.”


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Facebook becomes Google’s advertising ally
San Francisco: Google-owned online ad-placing service DoubleClick on Friday announced that the way has been cleared to include space at Facebook.
Google had previously been shut out of the social network`s advertising network, with no reasons given for the exclusion or the change of heart.
Word that the Internet titan`s online advertising reach would extend to Facebook came as Google shares breached $1,000 for the first time.
Google stock was priced at $1,011.41 at the close of the Nasdaq on Friday and continued to climb in after-market trades.
Facebook shares also hit a new all-time high on Friday and closed at $54.22 a share.
"Partnership has been key to Google`s success as a rising tide lifts all boats," DoubleClick senior product manager Payam Shodjai said in a blog post.
"So we`re excited to announce a new way to help our clients succeed by working with Facebook to participate in FBX, their real-time bidding exchange."
DoubleClick Bid Manager is a way for marketers to buy online ad space at websites across the Internet.
Prior to Friday, Facebook did not permit the Google-owned service to sell ad space at the world`s leading social network.
"Starting in a few months, clients will be able to buy inventory on FBX via DoubleClick Bid Manager," Shodjai said.
Shares of Internet search and advertising titan Google soared past the $1,000 mark after a quarterly earnings report showed that it was smoothly building its presence in the mobile area while advertising earnings rose all around, with particular help from Google`s YouTube website.
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It’s been a difficult experience for the crypto market in 2022. By November, the market had dipped by 70% from its previous peak in November 2021. And just when things were looking down after the FTX crash made them look worse. The question is, can the crypto market be able to recover by 2023?
Crypto Market Dips are Cyclical
The cryptocurrency market, specifically Bitcoin has had its fair share of dips in the past. Each time, it’s rebounded by a massive rise.
In 2013, for instance, Bitcoin reached a peak of $1,160. Then it fell for more than a year, reaching a low of $150. In 2017, it broke the record and hit a record record high of $19,600. In 2018, it was trading at $3,100. And in 2020, it broke through the resistance and hit a new peak of $68,000 in the month of November 2021. And just like that, we’ve had another dip. However, the past has proven that following each dip there’s a bull-run.
Every Dip is Followed by a Long Bull Run
Just like we’ve seen before, fall-offs are typically followed by a lengthy bull run, which eventually breaks through the resistance created by the previous market’s highest price. This is evident in more than Bitcoin but also in other cryptocurrencies.
Growing Use of Crypto and Blockchain
Crypto and blockchain technology have progressed a lot in the last few years. With more and more businesses and industries taking to it, its usage and acceptance is rising. From banking to gaming cryptocurrency is being utilized in many ways. This growing demand could lead to more people being involved in the market which could boost prices.
Increased institutional interest in crypto
In recent times we’ve noticed a growing demand from investors of institutional scale in cryptocurrency. From hedge funds to banks numerous large institutions are starting to explore the potential of crypto assets. This increased interest from institutions could bring more stability to the crypto market and could lead to higher prices.
Regulations from the Government
As the market for crypto is maturing as it matures, governments all over the world are beginning to develop more favorable rules for crypto. This could help attract more investors as well as increase the mainstream adoption of crypto.
More use cases for blockchain
The technology that is the basis of many cryptocurrency, blockchain, offers a variety of potential use cases beyond just financial transactions. From supply chain management to voting systems, more companies are starting to explore how they can benefit from blockchain technology. This could stimulate more investment and excitement in cryptocurrency.
Advancements in technology
Blockchain technology and cryptography are at the very beginning of development. As advances continue to be made in areas like scalability and security, the potential of crypto assets will increase. This could result in more use and increase in prices.
Global economic uncertainty is growing
In the current economic uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other factors increasing numbers of investors are starting to look for safe haven assets like gold and crypto. Since the economic outlook for the world is uncertain and uncertain, this could lead to increased demand for crypto and more expensive prices.
Interest from retail investors
Institutional investors aren’t the only one who’s showing an interest in cryptocurrency. Retail investors, or individual investors, are also starting to get involved in the crypto market. In the future, as more everyday people learn about crypto and the best ways to invest in it, this could lead to an increase in demand and consequently higher prices.
A growing number of people are becoming aware of and accepting crypto
As the crypto market is maturing increasing numbers of people are beginning to become aware about and understand it. As understanding and acceptance of crypto grows it could result in increasing numbers of people purchasing or holding cryptocurrency, and this could increase prices.
crypto sports betting dapp
Decentralized finance (DeFi) is a rapidly growing area of the crypto market that allows financial services to be created on top of blockchain technology. As DeFi continues to grow and more projects and platforms come online, this could lead to increased adoption and more expensive prices for crypto.
The development of crypto payment methods
As the market for crypto grows as more and more businesses are beginning accepting crypto payments as a means of payment. This could result in increased use of crypto in regular transactions and an increase in the cost of transactions.
More investment from sovereign wealth funds
The sovereign wealth fund, also known as state-owned instruments for investing, are beginning to show interest in crypto as a potential asset class. As more funds devote a percentage of their portfolio to crypto, it could lead to increased demand and increased prices.
Use of crypto for payment across borders
One of the major benefits of crypto is its ability to facilitate fast and cheap cross-border payments. As more and more people and businesses start to utilize crypto for international transactions, this could lead to increased the demand for it and a rise in prices.
Increasing numbers of crypto ATM’s
With the amount of ATMs that accept crypto increase, it will become easier for people to buy and hold crypto, which will drive up demand and prices.
Development of security tokens
Security tokens, or digital assets that represent ownership in an asset like stock or real estate are rapidly expanding segment of the cryptocurrency market. With the increasing number of security tokens being created and traded, this could result in a rise in demand and consequently higher costs for cryptocurrency.
More adoption by merchants
As more and more merchants start accepting cryptocurrency as a method of payment, this will make it more convenient for people to hold and use cryptocurrency, which will increase demand and price.
Will crypto be on the rise in 2023? It’s only time to find out. With these things in mind, it’s possible that the crypto market will see a recovery in 2023. For those committed to the long haul, being patient and disciplined is essential.


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Consumer spending is strong in the run up to the festive period but brands still need to work hard to ensure their products end up under the tree this Christmas, writes Angus Blackwood, account director ANZ at Adform
Despite gloomy predictions, Black Friday was a big success, with online retailer Kogan reporting sales were up 80 per cent on last year, while Amazon Australia enjoyed the biggest shopping day in its history. Yet the competition for consumers’ wallets isn’t over, especially as online sales are expected to surge around free shipping day on 14th December; the last day retailers will guarantee delivery. Last year, the two weeks prior to Christmas saw exceptional growth in online shopping, with the number of purchases increasing over 26 per cent year-on-year.
Competition for consumer attention – and cash – is fierce at this point in the year, with over two thirds of consumers across the APAC region feeling there is too much choice in many shopping categories. Brands must find creative ways to add sparkle and relevance to their festive campaigns to ensure they resonate and stay front of mind with last-minute shoppers, and dynamic creative optimisation (DCO) provides the key to both consumer attention and Christmas spending.
DCO has already reshaped the boundaries of tailored messaging, allowing brands to automatically combine creative elements such as headlines, descriptions, colours, calls to action and images to instantly generate almost limitless versions. The most relevant creative version is served depending on data points such as the users’ location, the time of day, previous browsing behaviour and even the weather, ensuring the message resonates with the individual. Campaign performance is measured and the resulting insights are used to continually optimise creative to drive sales and return on investment (ROI).
Initially seen as something of a novelty, DCO is now a mainstream commodity and expectations around what it can achieve are increasing. Despite the tech being widely available, 70% of marketers still struggle to create compelling DCO units to make better use of creative aesthetics. To meet brands’ heightened ambitions this Christmas, DCO is moving beyond the basic capabilities of creative production efficiency, moderate personalisation and general optimisation and giving brands three welcome gifts:
1. Enhanced decision-making capabilities
The latest DCO technologies extend creative decision-making beyond the standard options and provide powerful, flexible targeting capabilities. Using tools such as full decision trees, Boolean logic, negative targeting and integrated heatmaps, advanced DCO allows brands granular control over who sees their creative messages and enables sophisticated optimisation.
DCO can now be used with powerful mass versioning capabilities that automatically ingest and rank large volumes of product data to be used for recommendation and retargeting. This capability is particularly important over the festive season as it amplifies brand storytelling and takes the user on a journey of inspiration, similar to walking through a physical store, introducing and showcasing relevant products along the way based on browsing history and intention.
2. A bridge between creative and technical
One challenge with standard DCO strategies can be the disconnect between the audience the third party demand-side platform (DSP) buys against, and the audience that the DCO solution is looking to match through its logic. The result is incoherent, incorrectly targeted messaging. Understanding and connecting the two using external DSP signals or macros for instance can bridge this disconnect, aligning the correct messaging to the right audience and as a result avoiding situations where the DCO solution is forced to serve a default advertising message.
3. Data-driven multi-channel campaigns
As DCO technologies become more advanced they can leverage a wider variety of data points including real-time and historical campaign data, first and third party and trading data. These rich data sets enable the underlying machine learning mechanisms behind DCO to learn more effectively and perform better, resulting in better decisions, consistent communication and tangible campaign benefits.
The latest DCO solutions are also able to bridge the gaps that currently exist between technologies, formats, and media, enabling easier strategy execution across multi-dimensional activation points. By moving towards cross-channel, format and device support – for instance by introducing the mobile rich media ad interface definitions (MRAID) system and video ad serving template (VAST) format – DCO allows brands to execute personalised campaigns. It supports cross-device targeting across a range of different media and channels with a wide variety of creative forms.
With a rapidly dwindling number of shopping days to go before Christmas, brands need to ensure their festive campaigns stand out from the crowd to capture consumer attention, and the relevant, tailored ads enabled by DCO allow them to do just that. By embracing the latest advances in DCO, which promote advanced decision making, bridge the creative and technical sides, and enable data-driven multi-channel campaigns, brands can ensure they benefit from both consumer attention and spending this Christmas.
Twitter has just experienced its fastest growth in revenue since 2014, with the social media platform benefiting from increased interest from advertisers. Revenue was up 74 per cent YoY, according to the company’s Q2 results, reaching $US1.19 billion ($1.6 billion) from $US683.4 million ($925 million) 12 months ago. The strong results came in the same […]
Wild Turkey has announced the launch of its new global creative campaign and platform, ‘Trust Your Spirit’, featuring the brand’s creative director and spokesperson, Matthew McConaughey. The global campaign and platform ‘Trust Your Spirit’ is to encourage people to be bold, unapologetically themselves, and stay true to who they are. The global tagline and ethos […]
Telecommunications company Optus has announced it will launch the world’s first TikTok sign-language activated filter. Featuring Optus ambassador Ian Thorpe, Optus will unveil a branded effect that shows TikTok users how to say key phrases in Auslan sign language, including ‘How are you?’ and ‘It starts with Yes’, through the hashtag challenge #SignYes. Optus will […]
Podsights has revealed new insights into the effectiveness of advertising in podcasts, tracking global and Australian podcast advertising trends. This is the first Australian report to be published since ARN partnered with Podsights to set the standard for best-in-class podcast advertising measurement. The report includes additional analysis and follows a series of Measurement Masterclasses held for […]
NGEN’s 2021 charity cup has raised over $175,000 for UnLtd charity partner Gotcha4Life. Gotcha4Life is a not-for-profit foundation raising awareness and funding to provide educational workshops and innovative programs that build mental fitness in individuals and communities. While Sydney and Brisbane completed the Charity Cup in June, before Covid restrictions hit, the final leg in […]
Australian tech incubator Cicada Innovations and Biennale of Sydney are launching the ‘New & Sustainable Materials Challenge,’ in an effort to create a more sustainable future. The works of chosen material-makers will be showcased to millions of Biennale audiences, exhibition partners, and exhibition makers globally. The Challenge is open to any Australian and UK startups, […]


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An industry funded observational study of 196 infants has concluded an infant formula containing prebiotic and probiotic ingredients can decrease symptoms of gastro-intestinal disorders within three days.
All beta (β) glucans are not created equal, according to Kerry scientists, who reveal that structural differences in yeast β-glucans may influence health benefits associated with the fibre’s consumption.
A new investigation into 116 Magnesium (Mg) food supplements on the Polish market reveals that huge differences between the declared and the actual content mean users may consume up to 304% more or 98% less Mg per day than they realise.
Pharmactive has unveiled a novel, eco-friendly 'ABG Cool-Tech' technology that optimises the extraction process of its aged black garlic extract as well as launching a new, more concentrated formulation.
Dutch algae firm Duplaco are to ramp up production of the algae Chlorella in a move that looks to provide a viable alternative to Asian suppliers caught up in increasing transport costs and reliability issues.


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These profitable, time-tested businesses could be your ticket to success during periods of heightened volatility.
A plunging stock market is the perfect opportunity to put your money to work in these high-quality companies.
It’s a good idea to include these three companies in your portfolio to enjoy long-term growth, even in the face of the pandemic.
Although 2020 has failed to become the IPO-frenzy that was expected, one company — Lemonade — has shot up more than 180% since it went public earlier this month.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused mass economic uncertainty worldwide, and with millions unemployed, consumer and business spending has been hit hard.
With the stock markets taking a major beating recently, there are significant discounts on some popular Warren Buffet investments.
The payments disruptor is down 56% compared to the S&P’s loss of 29%. Why is Square faring twice as bad as the rest of the market in this sell-off?
Visa leads the world in the extremely lucrative payments processing market. But as consumer habits change, and financial technology develops, the company faces serious long-term threats from its rivals.
While Alphabet recently became the third U.S. member of the trillion-dollar valuation club, it may take some time yet to find the next candidate.
Facebook, Tesla, Microsoft, Paypal, and Align all announced their earnings yesterday. Let’s check out how their stocks have been doing


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We've got a wide variety of stories today, including a panel of experts discussing the future of battery technology, a new TDI turbodiesel engine from Volkswagen, and changes to the 2014 Tesla Model S electric-car lineup. All this and more on Green Car Reports.
In an effort to simplify its assembly process and boost production, Tesla has streamlined the 2014 Model S electric-car lineup, eliminating several variants.
Should the focus of improved fuel efficiency be on trucks, not hybrids and other already-efficient green cars?
In the latest of a series of aggressive ads, a Lexus CT 200h spot slams the BMW i3 electric car.
Coca-Cola tests service vans retrofitted with hybrid powertrains for improved gas mileage.
See what a panel of auto-industry experts have to say about the future of batteries in this discussion video.
Volkswagen unveils a new 2.0-liter TDI diesel four-cylinder engine with 268 horsepower and an electric turbocharger.
Mercedes-Benz overhauls its nomenclature, including the names for its diesel, electric, and other green powertrains.
Finally, see what it's like behind the wheel of the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG--a compact hot hatch masquerading as a crossover.


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Times-Herald staff report
The Vallejo Chamber of Commerce holds a “Good Morning, Vallejo” breakfast at 8 a.m. Monday, with speakers on topics impacting Vallejo business.
The event will be held at Courtyard by Marriott hotel on Fairgrounds Drive. Admission is $20 for members, $30 for others. For information,


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Seesmic is a social networking app that allows users to manage their Chatter, Facebook, Google Buzz, Salesforce, and Twitter accounts. Though Seesmic delivers on its promise to let users manage their various social media accounts, the application is ...
Inviting friends to Google+ is a lot more straightforward now. That's welcome news to users of the Internet search leader's growing social networking service.
One of Google's self-driving cars got into an accident earlier this week. But Google is claiming the auto-pilot-equipped Prius was actually flipped into manual mode when the accident happened, making this a case of user error.
Google's real-names policy for its social networking service has created a tempest that could have easily been avoided.
A 10-year-old California girl's presentation at a hacker conference in Las Vegas is getting a lot of attention.
This week's war of words over software patents and Android has seen both Microsoft and Google get off some pretty good shots about Android and software patents. No matter who's really right here though, one thing's for certain: We're bored.
What's new in the land of security fixes? Over the last couple weeks, Apple released a fix to iOS, Google updated Chrome, and Skype patched a nasty server-side bug. Read on to get caught up on the latest patches.
Oracle has asked an Illinois court to force Motorola to hand over information relevant to Oracle's lawsuit against Google.
In an escalation of Android patent battles, Microsoft said it urged Google's legal team to join Microsoft in buying up hundreds of Nortel patents, but Google refused.
Google+ is going great guns right out of the gate, with the site starting out far better than rivals Facebook, Twitter and Myspace did.
A potentially damning e-mail from a Google engineer will be permitted at trial in Oracle's lawsuit against the search giant, a judge ordered on Thursday.
Skype has released version 2.1 of its application for Android, which allows more smartphones and tablets based on Google's operating system to use its video calling feature, it said in a blog post on Thursday.
Google's chief legal officer today accused rivals Microsoft, Oracle and Apple of "a hostile, organized campaign against Android ... waged through bogus patents."
A report issued last week that claimed users of Microsoft's Internet Explorer have lower IQs than those who run rival browsers was a hoax.
Google's chief legal officer Wednesday issued a stinging rebuke of what he called "bogus patent" attacks on the Android operating system by major competitors like Apple, Oracle and Microsoft.
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The print quality also does not disappoint, it’s clear, bold, doesn’t smudge and the text is perfectly sized.
The Huddle Board’s built in program; Sharp Touch Viewing software allows us to easily manipulate and edit our documents (jpegs and PDFs) all at the same time on the dashboard.
The biggest perks for me would be that it comes with easy to use and comprehensive programs that make the collaboration process a whole lot more intuitive and organic
I rate the printer as a 5 out of 5 stars as it has been able to fit seamlessly into my busy and mobile lifestyle.
It’s perfect for mobile workers. Just take it out — it’s small enough to sit anywhere — turn it on, load a sheet of paper, and start printing.
The HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile Printer is a great device that fits perfectly into my fast paced and mobile lifestyle. My first impression of the printer itself was how incredibly compact and sleek the device was.
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To allow it to make the price cut without compromising on profits, the US electric carmaker is to close almost all of its showrooms over the next few months and switch to an online-only sales model.
Shutting physical stores, except for a handful of ‘galleries’, will allow the firm to cut its costs by around 6%, savings it will pass on to customers through lower prices across its range of vehicles.
“This is the only way to achieve the savings for this car and be financially sustainable,” said chief executive Musk.
“It is excruciatingly difficult to make this car for US$35,000 and be financially sustainable.”
In January, the price of a Model 3 was cut to US$42,900.
Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives said the price cut was a “potential game changer” for Tesla’s growth.
“While there are still questions that need to be answered around logistics and delivery... we believe this strategic shift was the right move at the right time for Tesla,” he said in a note to clients.
But investors in New York haven’t reacted too well to the news, with shares down 3.9% to US$307.45 in pre-market trading.
Over the past year, Tesla has shrunk the Model 3 battery, tweaked the manufacturing process and axed thousands of jobs in a bid to deliver the promised US$35,000 price tag.
Tesla needs Model 3 to be a success
More than 400,000 customers put a deposit down on the car when it was first announced, but production issues, higher prices and other delays have caused troubles following its launch.
Despite the teething troubles, Musk reckons there is still enough pent-up demand to sell around 500,000 Model 3s annually at the US$35,000 starting price. Last year it sold fewer than 140,000.
Tesla is trying to balance its books after years of – often hefty – losses. It scraped a profit in the final two quarters of 2018 but is expected to fall back into the red in the opening three months of 2019.
Model 3, which opens up a much bigger market for Tesla than its other, more expensive cars, is vital to that effort.