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GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – As Independence Day fast approaches, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is adjusting its hours of operation in observance of the special holiday.
USPS announced on Wednesday that Post Offices will be closed on Monday, July 5, in observance of Independence Day. Postal service officials say that no mail delivery, caller service, or Post Office Box services will be available on Monday, instead, customers will have to wait until all services resume on Tuesday, July 6, to complete their mailing needs.
However, officials note that customers who need to purchase stamps, mail packages, or ship urgent letters or packages on July 4, may use the 24-hour Self-Service Kiosks that are available at select post offices seven days a week. The ATM-like Kiosks are said to accept credit or debit cards only.
These Kiosks are reported to be able to handle around 80 percent of typical postal transactions including weighing packages and dispensing postage for Priority Express, Priority, First-Class, and Parcel Post mail. Officials note that Post offices will still be open for services during their regularly scheduled hours on July 3, so if you need to mail anything, you are encouraged to do so soon.


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Market pressures, such as inflation, an aging workforce, falling freight rates and an evolving, dynamic marketplace, are impacting the cost and availability of trucking insurance.
The trucking industry serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, transporting over 70% of goods carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods in the U.S., according to the American Trucking Association. Yet, the industry that plays a prevalent role in the economy—accounting for nearly 6% of all U.S. full-time employment, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and valued at close to $800 billion—faces challenges.
Pressures including inflation, an aging workforce, falling freight rates and an evolving, dynamic marketplace impact the cost and availability of trucking insurance.
The probability of a recession being declared in 2023 is a looming challenge for every business. While economists forecast a 61% chance of a recession in 2023, according to a January Wall Street Journal survey, the trucking industry is preparing for any resultant drop in consumer spending that would negatively impact the overall demand for transportation services.
For now, the demand for trucking services remains strong, according to the 2022 U.S. Transportation Market Outlook report by Risk Placement Services. But the report noted that if consumer demand for goods declines, lower freight rates will follow.
For now, inflationary challenges persist. “The inflationary environment for parts and labor contributed to a sharp rise in the cost of repairing vehicles," says Peter Niro, truck product development manager III, Progressive Insurance. “Additionally, the truck insurance market continues to undergo a hard market cycle, with carriers filing rate increases to keep up with steep severity trends."
As supply chain delays continue, it is leading to significant cost increases. “Used vehicle costs doubled what they used to cost in some cases," says Nick Saeger, assistant vice president of products & pricing for transportation, Sentry Insurance. “And likewise, parts decreased in availability, which only increased the costs of those that were available."
Additionally, litigation continues to apply pressure. The trucking industry is “facing challenges created by large jury awards, which have been increasing in frequency and dollar amounts," says Donato Monaco, president of Northland Transportation. Efforts continue with “trade organizations, such as the American Trucking Association, advocating on behalf of the industry for legal and regulatory reform to help address this issue," Monaco says.
But one of the biggest concerns within the industry today is a driver shortage. Unemployment in the transportation sector in January 2023 was 4.7%, 0.8 percentage points above the U.S. unemployment level of 3.9%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, despite vacancies being plentiful, job seekers with relevant skills and experience are not. And with the average age of drivers at 46 years old in the for-hire, over-the-road truckload industry, according to a survey by American Trucking Association, the industry is being forced to turn to inexperienced, younger drivers.
However, risk management solutions may help alleviate the cost of insurance when hiring new, younger drivers. One approach is to offer “driver training programs and safety incentives that encourage safe driving practices," says Mike Yonka, corporate safety services specialist, Sentry Insurance. “Carriers can provide incentives for trucking companies that invest in comprehensive driver training programs or demonstrate a commitment to safety by investing in safety technology or equipment."
Further, “working with an insurance carrier that has a broad underwriting appetite for drivers can help a trucking client navigate changes in their operation—like expanding to long-haul or hiring drivers with less experience during tight labor markets," Niro says.
“Agents can also add value to the client relationship by highlighting insurance carriers that allow trucking clients to control their insurance costs more directly by sharing telematics and dash cam data, which can help offset the rate impact of hiring inexperienced drivers," Niro continues.
“The data collected by Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) technology is vast, and companies are just now starting to ingest that data and build tools to help truckers," Saeger says. “For insurance companies, beyond pricing, value can be provided back to truckers through easier claims reporting or quicker claims resolution through camera data. The data could also be visualized and summarized, helping coach and correct driver behavior, leading to better outcomes on the road."
The adoption and use of artificial intelligence and technology such as ELDs within the industry “has enabled carriers to reward safe drivers with lower and more accurate rates," Niro says. Additionally, “safety technology like dash cams can help business owners monitor and promote safe driving habits and can help establish facts of loss in the event of an accident."
Olivia Overman is IA content editor.

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Outsource Australia believes that the ceremony has filled their firm with new motivation to push sales and drive results.
Melbourne, Australia (PRWEB) March 04, 2015
Outsource Australia travelled from their offices across Australia to attend an exciting awards ceremony for the outsourced sales industry in Sydney. The 2-day event included a conference and the awards ceremony.
About Outsource Australia: http://www.outsourceaus.com/about-us/
The conference part of the event took place on 27th February in the Ruth Cracknell Room at Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay. The Ruth Cracknell Room can hold up to 70 people and is a perfect location for business meetings and presentations, as it is stylish and equipped with all the latest technology. The day started at 11am when the meeting commenced and took a break at 2pm for lunch. The meeting re-commenced at 3pm and then finished at 6pm. The conference was very useful to business owners as it shared insightful advice, was extremely motivating and was a perfect place to network with other entrepreneurs within the same industry.
The second part of the event was the Australian Outsourced Sales Awards Rally and took place on the 28th February at The Sydney Theatre. The Sydney Theatre is perfect for performances, conferences and presentations as it boasts the latest in theatre design and technology. The theatre can accommodate up to 896 people with 578 in the stalls and 318 in the circle and boxes. This made the area the perfect place to host all of Australia’s leading sales firms.
The awards ceremony began at 10am where awards were given out in a number of areas including: Owner of the Year, Rookie Owner of the Year (start-up), Top Sales Company, Top Performance and many more. As well as the awards, the event saw international guest speakers from Canada, USA, and South Africa attend the event to share their motivating advice and positive experiences with the attendees.
Outsource Australia particularly enjoyed the awards ceremony and found it an excellent demonstration of all the talent in the Australian sales and marketing industry. Managing Director, Helen Poutakidis has taken lots of advice and inspiration away from the event and is extremely excited for the rest of the business year. Outsource Australia believes that the ceremony has filled their firm with new motivation to push sales and drive results. Helen Poutakidis believes that this new found excitement will do wonders for business growth and expansion.


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Dollar Loan Center is kicking off the holiday season by giving to people in need. The companies have partnered to sponsor a Holiday Food Drive benefiting Las Vegas food bank Three Square.
“With the holidays among us and numerous local families that do not have the luxury of a holiday meal, giving back to our community is extremely important to us,” said Charles Brennan, CEO of Dollar Loan Center. “We are pleased to be involved with this important event that we hope will feed thousands of people in our community.”
The Holiday Food Drive kicks off this week and runs through December 15, 2010. During that time, the public can drop off non-perishable food items to any Dollar Loan Center store in Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas. “We have 24 locations in Southern Nevada, so you are never far from a place to drop off your donations,” said Brennan. “Visit the Dollar Loan Center website at http://www.dontbebroke.com to find out which location is nearest you.”
“The holidays are a time when we remember the things that are most important in our lives,” said Brennan. “Now more than ever, we should help those who are not as fortunate in having food on the table every night. Three Square works so diligently to prevent hunger in our community and Dollar Loan Center is proud to be a partner in their efforts.”
“No one in our community should be hungry,” said Julie Murray, President and CEO of Three Square. “With passionate partners like Dollar Loan Center, we can make sure no one has to. When we work together, we don’t just serve food. We serve hope.” Three Square is a non-profit organization located in Las Vegas, Nevada that distributes food through a network of more than 300 non-profit agencies and faith-based organizations throughout the valley.
Visit any Southern Nevada Dollar Loan Center store now through December 15 to drop off non-perishable food items. For more information on drop-off locations, including store hours and directions, visit http://www.dontbebroke.com/.
Dollar Loan Center is a premier provider of short term loans in 49 locations throughout Nevada, South Dakota and Utah. Dollar Loan Center is the largest provider of short term credit services in South Dakota and Clark County (Las Vegas) Nevada. In 2007, Entrepreneur Magazine listed the company among its “Hot 500″ Fastest Growing Businesses and Entrepreneurs.” For more information, visit http://www.dontbebroke.com or https://www.dontbebroke.com.


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“Bamboo is a very, very renewable material; some species grow more than three feet in a day. When harvested, it will grow new shoots from its extensive roots, so there is no need for additional planting or cultivation, and it also absorbs 35 percent more carbon dioxide per hectare than trees,” says Ozcan. Bamboo can grow in a variety of climates without the use of fertilizer, pesticides or herbicides and, unlike carbon fiber, requires very little energy to produce.
The Flotsam & Jetsam pavilions, the largest “green” structures ever printed, attracted a lot of press attention when Design Miami opened. They were later moved to a more permanent location in the city, where ORNL researchers hope to observe how the material stands up to the hot, humid, salt-laden air. (The pavilion was disassembled and stored prior to Hurricane Irma.)
Ozcan says ORNL is also exploring a variety of other renewable materials, including those made from forest products, for use in additive manufacturing. “Nanocellulose – the next generation reinforcement – is extremely strong, highly stiff and we are trying to find a commercial way of using it for 3-D printing,” he adds.
Using additive manufacturing with locally grown, biocomposite, biodegradable materials opens up a range of possibilities and opportunities for creating local businesses and local jobs, says Ozcan. “I really believe that down the road there will be a rethinking of manufacturing and the growth of the sustainability portion of it.”
Advances in additive manufacturing impact the composites industry’s global supply chain. To learn more about the global footprint of hot topics like 3-D printing and other emerging technology trends, attend the Global Composites Conference, co-produced by ACMA and NetComposites, Jan. 31 – Feb. 1, 2018, at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Register today at http://globalcompositesconference.com/.


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For UK organic products to be sold as ‘organic’ in the EU, the EU had to grant an ‘equivalency agreement’ to the UK and up
NI will be able to send its organic goods to the EU as it does now. The EU has confirmed control bodies established in NI
The EU has equivalence arrangements with 13 countries. Some of these have been rolled over so that they will apply to the UK and trade
GB must use the following: UK Agriculture Non UK Agriculture UK/ Non UK Agriculture NI must use the following where the EU logo is used:
GB operators exporting to the EU can continue using their long term existing Control Body Codes (GB-ORG-XX).
All imports from third countries, except from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, must be accompanied by a GB Certificate of Inspection (CoI) from
Is it okay to use packaging with the EU organic logo on it for GB-produced foods sold in GB after transition?
GB organic businesses retain the option to use the EU organic logo.


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LONDON, Feb. 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Chaser, the global accounts receivables SaaS platform and credit control service provider, today released SMS invoice chasing functionality to allow users to send invoice payment reminders to their customers that are otherwise hard to reach by email.
On average, emails receive a 25% open rate, whilst SMS messages have an average open rate of 98% (Tyntec). With the average business owed $300,000 in late payments (QuickBooks), businesses need to do what they can to ensure that their payment reminders get noticed and customers can pay their invoices easily.
SMS chasing allows users to send invoice payment reminder messages to their customers instantly from one central cloud system. SMS messages can be sent using customisable templates that comprise editable and personalised fields like business name, due date, invoice amount, making the messages look like they were hand-typed. This allows users to edit with their usual style of communication with customers, giving each automated message a human touch.
These SMS payment reminders can be used alongside email reminders in automatic chasing schedules, which send at the days and times that users choose. Using a combination of both email and SMS chasing helps users increase their chances of reaching customers faster and getting paid faster. It is designed so that recipients can pay their invoice instantly via their SMS message, which links them directly to a payment portal gateway. View this fact sheet to see all features and capabilities of SMS payment chasing.
After recently reaching the milestone of helping users chase and recover 10 billion USD in late payments, this is the next step for Chaser in helping businesses worldwide to reduce late payments and improve their cash flow.
“The release of SMS chasing is another milestone in Chaser’s mission to help businesses get paid for their work. This will let users cut through the noise and reach customers on the go by sending personalised payment reminders directly to their phone. It lets businesses reach their customers more efficiently, and reduces payment friction with instant payment links for SMS recipients.” – Sonia Dorais, CEO of Chaser.
Chaser Technologies Limited helps businesses get paid sooner with its award-winning, all-in-one accounts receivables automation platform, debt collections agency and outsourced credit control services.
Users can credit check, monitor debtors, chase late invoices, collect payments, recover debt and reconcile accounts, all in the same unique platform.
By sending automatic and deeply personalised payment reminders, the software and service provider effectively gets invoices paid on time without losing the human touch. To date, Chaser has helped users chase over USD 10 billion in overdue invoices.
Chaser was named the Accounting Excellence ‘Cloud App of the Year’ three years in a row (2017, 2018, and 2019), Xero’s ‘App Partner of the Year’ (2016), and App Partner of the Month (August 2019).
This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.


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Palace Resorts and Le Blanc Spa Resorts have announced new hires and promotions within its in-house global sales and marketing teams – in Canada, too.
"Each team member brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to their new role, further strengthening the companies’ luxury and hospitality offerings and generating success amid an ever-changing market," the company said on March 9.
Gerardo Garcia has been promoted to senior vice-president of global sales and marketing, overseeing global leisure markets including e-commerce (web sales and online tour operators), traditional tour operator sales, and agency direct for all global markets, including U.S., Canada, Mexico, Latin America, United Kingdom, and other emerging markets.
Garcia, who has been with the Palace Resorts family for eight years, was previously the vice-president of sales and marketing for the U.S. as well as vice president of e-commerce. He was instrumental in developing the digital direct distribution for groups, ultimately making it the most important distribution channel for the company.
Under his leadership and expertise, the e-commerce strategy has been awarded numerous HSMI Adrian Awards. Prior to his time at Palace Resorts, Garcia worked with TravelCLICK Inc, where he focused on developing the Caribbean and Latin America markets.
Frank Corzo has been promoted to vice-president of U.S. and Canada field sales.
In his new role, Frank will add Canada to his responsibilities and oversee a team of business development managers strategically placed among the travel agency community in key markets throughout both countries.
With more than 24 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry, Corzo brings sales experience, a deep familiarization of the market, and great enthusiasm to his new position.
An eight-year veteran with Palace Resorts, Corzo is no stranger to the travel industry.
Before joining Palace Resorts in 2013, Corzo held the title of vice-president of sales for GOGO Worldwide Vacations/Flight Centre USA, where he developed and implemented strategic plans to move market share and drive business. Prior to that, Corzo held various positions at Sandals Resorts.
Natalie Rogers has been promoted to regional director of sales for the West Coast.
Rogers has been part of the Palace Resorts family for more than five years.
Previously a business development manager, she now leads the West Coast regional team of BDMs to increase production and enhance the travel agent’s overall booking experience. Prior to that, Rogers worked as an event planner.
Yoanka Rodriguez has been named account manager for the Canadian tour operator market.
Rodriguez, who came from the Iberostar Hotels and Resorts family, will concentrate on building and maintaining key relationships throughout the market.
A native to the travel and tourism industry, she is excited to bring her expertise to the Palace Resorts family.
Ivana Juarez has been named social media strategist.
With more than eight years of content development and social strategy experience, her creative nature and analytical expertise make her a powerhouse in the marketing world. In her new role, Ivana will develop social media strategies for all of the brands as well as oversee the development of ongoing social editorial calendars for our various brands, analyzing platform KPIs and providing actionable insights.
Previously, Ivana was the social media manager at Sandals Resorts.
Additionally, she has worked on dynamic social content and actionable strategies for brands like Viva Wyndham, Eden Roc, and NOBU Hotels.
Juan Zuluaga has been promoted to digital marketing and business development manager.
Juan will now be responsible for gathering and analyzing data for valuable opportunities and inefficiencies to improve operating models, marketing processes, and performance.
He will make full use of digital technologies such as big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, automation, and open-source software. Zuluaga will continue to lead the overall digital advertising strategy including the management of SEM, SEO, display, and inbound and outbound email marketing platforms for the meetings and incentives, destination weddings, and the travel agency markets.
Before joining the Palace Resorts team, Zuluaga was a key member of Lion Fuse Digital Media, where he helped more than 30 local brands increase ROI and brand presence.
Carolina Guerrero has been promoted to public relations manager.
Guerrero will work closely with the public relations team to manage and help execute the brand’s global communication strategies, including media and influencer outreach as well as celebrity and event activations.
Before joining the Palace Resorts family, Guerrero spent seven years worked in advertising at Viacom International. Prior to that, she worked for Karisma Hotels & Resorts.
“Palace Resorts is strong, not only because of the people who encompass this great company and not only because of the excellent quality and service in our operations, but also because of our strong sales and marketing commercial strategy,” said Gibran Chapur, executive vice president of Palace Resorts and Le Blanc Spa Resorts. “For many years we have worked to be a commercially solid company that creates its own paths, which are always innovative, bold, and full of challenges."
"This goal would not be attainable without our great sales team."
"I am confident that with this new structure, as well as the strong work we are doing, we will continue to be the leading all-inclusive company in each destination we operate."
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In 2016, Idrees Kickz flipped his first pair of Yeezy 350 V1s, reselling the sneakers for $900. Teens everywhere, including at his high school in Richmond Hill, Ont., were clamouring for a pair of the futuristic athletic shoes, which, at the time, retailed for $225.
They were the first pair released as part of a new collaboration between Adidas and rapper and fashion icon Kanye West, now known as Ye, and were impossible for anyone to get their hands on. Adding to the frenzy, the shoe was released in a “drop,” or limited-edition product run; if you missed it, you lost out on the style – and any chance of paying retail price.
As rare shoes became the hottest item to flaunt in the school cafeteria, a secondary market emerged, driven largely by sneaker-savvy teenagers who found a way to buy them at retail and wanted to make a buck. “A lot of people were like, ‘Oh, yo, this is so sick, where did you get that?’ and I’m like, I can show you,” Kickz remembers.
Within three years, Kickz, whose real name is Edris Hashimi, hit a million dollars in sales. So how did a teenager from suburban Ontario literally turn selling sneakers into a million dollar business? First, there’s the Instagram following he worked to build of a million users. Then, there’s Woiair, the online business he launched in 2016, where he works with a small team to ship coveted, rare pairs, as well as select streetwear, to eager buyers mostly in Canada and the U.S., but also as far as Asia.
“I remember my mom was telling me that every kid was playing with toys, but I was playing with shoes,” says Kickz, now 21. As a teenager, he became obsessed with streetwear, impressing his classmates with his hard-to-find Supreme T-shirts and Jordan sneakers.
In other words, Kickz was a self-proclaimed hypebeast, a fashion-obsessed kid who devotes his time and money to scoring the latest limited-edition drops of sneakers, T-shirts and hoodies from labels like Supreme, Palace and Off-White, brands built on their deep connections to an authentic scene, from hip-hop to skate culture to surfing.
This uniform lent Kickz credibility as a legitimate source for rare, authentic sneakers with his classmates. He realized that to convince people to buy from him, he had to show them he had the real goods – by wearing them. He became a walking billboard for rare sneakers and streetwear. “If I don’t promote it myself, then how is he going to trust me?” he says now of his hypothetical sales target back in school.
Kickz’s trained eye and business savvy catapulted his rise to the top of the sneaker and streetwear business as an independent reseller – and business is booming. The global market is estimated to hit US$30-billion in sales by 2030, up from $6-billion in 2020, according to the investment firm Cowen.
Flipping sneakers at scale can be lucrative business hinged on sellers’ authority, access and marketing savvy. But it’s not without its challenges: Your word is everything, snipers are swirling and your Jordans best be authentic. In an increasingly crowded market with skyrocketing demand and shark-like competition, how do top Canadian sellers stay in the game?
Reaching an audience that’s graduated high school is a strategy that’s working for Richard Chang and Shawn Alonto, the duo behind Sneaker Source Toronto. The friends, both in their early thirties, sell about 80 to 100 pairs of sneakers per month to everyone from women in their early twenties to dads in their forties. “We both have families. We’re older,” says Chang. “We can relate to a dad that comes asking for a shoe or a kid that comes asking for a shoe.”
Unlike Kickz, Chang and Alonto weren’t teenage sneakerheads or even particularly interested in fashion. “We never had any expensive shoes over like $200,” says Chang. “We just were regular Joes when it came to shoes and stuff like that.”
But after watching The Last Dance, the Michael Jordan documentary released by Netflix in 2020, a rush of nostalgia compelled them to seek out a pair of Jordan 6 DMP sneakers, the shoe His Airness wore before nabbing his first NBA championship. Chang fell short, but Alonto managed to score a pair on the Foot Locker website for $299.45.
Alonto was hoping to wear them himself, or at least keep the shoes as a memento. But after browsing Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji to see what the shoe was going for, they both decided to get in the reselling game. Alonto flipped them for $380 – a modest markup, but he could see he was sitting on a business opportunity. Others were flipping the Jordans for up to $150 above retail. “And we were like man, let’s start a business, this market is untapped right now in Canada,” says Chang.
They also understand that cultivating a loyal community and building brand trust takes time. “We speak to everyone with the same integrity,” says Chang. “The customer service is always there, and I think that keeps people coming back. Even if our sneakers are not the cheapest compared to other resellers, people will still come back to us just because they like the experience.”
The driving force – or necessary evil – behind the sneaker market is bots. The computer programs automate and expedite the online checkout process, allowing resellers to snap up all the stock on limited-edition sneakers before buyers can purchase the shoes at retail – driving buyers nuts, and keeping outfits like Sneaker Source and Woiair in business.
Vancouver-based SoleSavy, however, offers a way around such bots: for a monthly or annual fee, shoppers sign up to get alerts the moment a sneaker is made available. As SoleSavy puts it on their site: “These notifications are sent faster than any human can tweet or share, thus giving you a major advantage over the competition.”
The model also engenders loyalty among SoleSavy’s target consumer base of older, more affluent buyers by giving access to a messaging platform, facilitating connections between staff and other shoppers. In that way, customers are also buying into a community. “From a community perspective, it’s very simple,” says CEO and co-founder Dejan Pralica. “We’re just bringing people together who love something and we’re creating a place to do that online with a structure and an ecosystem that makes them feel like they belong and are part of something.”
For Canadian resellers, most deals happen on Facebook Marketplace or Instagram. But Pralica finds that social media platforms can be alienating rather than community building. “It’s not about creating relationships and friendships,” he says. Throwing subscriber events in Vancouver as well as other cities, offering 30 per cent off laces or giving away free sneakers keeps customers loyal.
There’s another problem plaguing the market: The resale business is dominated by men. For years, Brayden Kerr, 26, always brought along her boyfriend, Nav Marwah, 27, to sneaker meetups with other resellers in the Greater Toronto Area because she felt uncomfortable being the only woman. “I realized there’s not a lot of girls in the sneaker industry,” she says. “I have a lot of friends who are into sneakers, but they just don’t know where to buy them. So, I decided maybe this is a niche that’s untapped, especially in Toronto, because there’s so many guys, but I could count on one hand how many girls that I know who are really into sneaker reselling.”
About 10 months ago, she and Marwah decided to launch SneakHer, a reselling business that caters to women. And it’s taken off; SneakHer averages selling two to three pairs per day, and has built a thriving online community of nearly 40,000 followers between TikTok and Instagram. Kerr pegs her customers as 90 per cent women, “which is amazing because that was the goal, to create a space for girls who aren’t really into sneaker reselling but just like Jordans,” she says. SneakHer is popular among Toronto shoppers, but sells all over the country, including in the Yukon.
Like their competitors, Kerr and Marwah are fastidious about authenticity. But their edge is offering a hyper-personalized customer experience to an underserved market; they respond to every Instagram direct message and even include a handwritten note in each sale. “It’s the knowledge, the end-to-end experience,” says Marwah. “We always try to be customer focused.” The pair have noticed their followers forming genuine connections online through the SneakHer TikTok page.
And word-of-mouth goes a long way. Marwah and Kerr have observed women showing off their new sneakers to their friends – “and then their entire friend group is like, Oh, those are really nice, where did you get them?” says Marwah. “And now this friend group is now ingrained into that culture. That’s a byproduct of trying to fit a niche that wasn’t being served.”
The sneaker resale market may be exploding – as teenage hypebeasts grow up, new business models emerge and more women enter the game – but like any facet of fashion, it remains at the mercy of cultural whims.
Take Ye, who has swiftly destroyed his credibility and the Yeezy brand by espousing hateful antisemitic rhetoric and aligning with far-right figures like Alex Jones, costing him his billion-dollar deal with Adidas. And yet, the rarest shoes from his bygone collaborations with brands like Nike and Adidas still command up to nearly $20,000 on StockX, the premier online marketplace for sneakers.
Some like Pralica at SoleSavy, have vowed to stop sourcing Yeezys for their subscribers, deeming any association toxic and morally reprehensible. Others, like Kickz, anticipate skyrocketing demand for Yeezys thanks to market scarcity.
Ultimately, the reselling business is the fashion business; trends come and go, and culture shifts with the speed of a swipe. But no matter which celebrity is driving the market, a passionate community of sneaker enthusiasts – and the resellers who hook them up – will keep this culture alive.


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In the heady days of the Internet bubble, all you needed was an idea. You could then take that idea and launch a public company worth hundreds of millions of dollars. A sound business plan? Profits? Nah! That was all so last century.
Are the good old bubble days on their way back? It certainly was a throwback to those times when health-care information provider WebMD
In its prospectus, the company listed some competitors that also brought back memories of the bubble days: DrKoop.com and eMedicine.com. Most of these companies endured devastating blow-ups, and those that remain are just shells of their former selves.
The new company will be called WebMD Health and seeks to use the ticker symbol WBMD on the Nasdaq exchange. Emdeon will continue to use the WebMD brand and has two other subsidiaries -- WebMD Business Services and WebMD Practice Services -- through which it operates reimbursement and practice management services. A third subsidiary, Porex, manufactures porous plastic products for use in health-care procedures.
Though it will become a separate entity, WebMD Health will still be captive to its former parent. Emdeon will own 100% of the Class B shares that will be created as well as 87.5% of the Class A common shares, giving Emdeon more than 97% of the combined voting power. That's not exactly shareholder-friendly news to investors who may consider buying in.
But the reason an investor may want to buy shares in the new company is a different question. Fellow Foolish contributor W.D. Crotty noted that last year's numbers at WebMD, though appearing healthy on the surface, displayed some severe anemia when examined more closely. Acquisitions, not organic growth, fueled much of the company's revenue increases. The cash in the coffers may not have been all that it seemed, and the company was pricey based on earnings. It sports a P/E ratio of 69 on trailing earnings even today. Phil Wohl also questioned the company's performance last year, as did Roger Nusbaum, when he wrote about the company's search for "strategic alternatives" for its portals.
Considering the challenges WebMD Health faces from better financed companies such as McKesson
Get a pulse on these related bits of Foolishness:


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This generation, born between 1981 and 1996, aged 23-38 today, is not only the largest single consumer group in the US, but they’re also well-educated, highly skilled and very tech-savvy. Hence, in a digitally-booming world, it would make sense that advertisers aimed right at them.
Something, however, appears to be amiss. Millennials’ spending priorities have shifted to make ends meet in today’s economy. Their expenditure on housing, student loans and health care demand a majority of their paycheck, leaving hardly, if any, room for fun and personal spending.
A Charles Schwab survey published last month found that almost two-thirds of millennials, 59%, say they’re living paycheck to paycheck and only 38% feel financially stable.
One might wonder, what may’ve been the cause of that shift in spending?
A report published by the Deloitte’s Center for Consumer Insight surveyed a representative sample of more than 4,000 consumers from the United States to examine the current state of the consumer and to study their behaviour and underlying attributes to see if there were nuances and intricacies that were being missed.
Turns out, there were.
Kasey Lobaugh, Deloitte’s chief innovation officer for retail and distribution, told Adweek that when it comes to the narrative in the marketplace around the changing consumer and the millennial, there’s very little focus on the behaviours that are driven by economics.
“There’s a narrative driven by some kind of cultural change. One of the things that really shocked me is that the economics of the consumer are really the most singular driver of behaviour,” he said. In other words, “people behave more like their income than their age.”
According to the report, Millennials are in a much worse financial situation than previous generations were. Since 1996, the net worth of consumers under the age of 35 has fallen by 34%.
That drop, however, isn’t necessarily their fault. Majority of millennials entered the workforce just around the time the 2008 recession hit, and many would say they’re still playing catch-up.
The wage increases that were seen prior were much larger than those of today, so they have to work longer and harder for a promotion that their grandparents did.
Plus, higher paying jobs are often in bigger cities where housing is also more expensive. Considering that nearly nine in ten millennials live in metropolitan areas, according to a Pew Research, there’s a definite spike in rent spending. In 1997, according to the Deloitte study, Americans aged 25-34 spent an average of 8% of their income on rent, while that figure increased to 10% by 2017.
Deloitte also reported seeing a drop in home ownership. Mostly because of the bifurcating economy, it became harder to get a loan, so renting was the next best option.
Another big chunk of millennials’ income is spent paying back student loans. They may be the most educated generation in American history, but it placed them in such debt that many expect to be paying back for the next 20 years.
The study found that between 2004 and 2017, student debt rose 160%. The stagnant wages, however, don’t provide the ROI on education many might have been hoped for.
With the wallet of the Millennial being tight, advertisers should consider looking beyond the interest of their audience and look at how the consumer is changing because of the economic constraints they are operating under.
More about: millennials


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- 1 Fortnite Plastic Patroller Pores and skin
- 2 Fortnite June 7, 2020 Merchandise Store
Fortnite Plastic Patroller Pores and skin – Epic have determined to vary a latest facet of Fortnite, after discovering out that it was giving gamers an unfair benefit. The “Plastic Patroller” pores and skin was designed to resemble the inexperienced military males toys you could have performed with as a toddler or stepped on as an grownup. However the pale inexperienced made this explicit soldier too camouflaged, so the studio issued a change in replace 10.10.
In line with the ten.10 patch notes, the visible replace provides mud spots, put on, and a brighter define. Anybody wishing to refund the Plastic Patroller can achieve this with out a refund token inside 30 days of their subsequent login. The patch notes clarify: “These modifications had been added to stop this outfit from offering a camouflage impact in sure areas of the map, which made it very tough to see.”
Fortnite Plastic Patroller Pores and skin
That is the second Fortnite pores and skin controversy in latest days. Epic just lately got here below fireplace for promoting a redesigned model of a Battle Cross merchandise, a canine pet named Gunner. Quickly after, the studio withdrew the article and issued an apology. The studio additionally just lately toned down B.R.U.T.E. mech to be overpowered.
Fortnite is in the midst of Season 10 and gives quite a lot of new cosmetics to earn with the Battle Cross. For extra info on methods to full the most recent challenges, take a look at our Ongoing Fortnite Challenges Information.
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Plastic Patrolman is a uncommon outfit in: Battle Royale, which might be bought from the Merchandise Store for 800 V-Bucks. Plastic Patroller was first launched in Season 9 and is a part of the Toy Soldier Set.
Merchandise Store Appearances Appearances: 25.5 April 30, 2022 – 209 days in the past – Final seen March 24, 2022 – 246 days in the past September 30, 2021 – 421 days in the past August 29, 2021 – 453 days in the past July 10, 2021 – 503 days in the past June 10, 2021 – 533 days in the past April 28, 2021 – 576 days in the past March 28, 2021 – 607 days in the past February 26, 2021 – 637 days in the past January 25, 2021 – 669 days in the past October 24, 2020 – 762 days in the past September 22, 2020 – Half 2 – 794 days in the past September 22, 2020 – Half 1 – 794 days in the past August 20, 2020 – 827 days in the past July 16, 2020 – Half 2 – 862 days in the past July 16, 2020 – Half 1 – 862 days in the past June 7, 2020 – 901 days in the past Might 7, 2020 – 932 days in the past April 3, 2020 – Half 1 – 966 days in the past March 2, 2020 – 998 days in the past January 29, 2020 – 1031 days in the past January 9, 2020 – 1051 days in the past November 15, 2019 – Half 2 – 1106 days in the past November 15 November 2019 – Half 1 – 1106 days in the past October 15, 2019 – 1137 days in the past September 17, 2019 – 1165 days in the past August 19, 2019 – 1194 days in the past June 28, 2019 – 1246 days in the past June 27, 2019 – 1247 days in the past – Launch Date Primarily based in Liverpool, Connor is the UK information editor who joined the web site in 2018 with a level in Worldwide Journalism. You will discover him masking every little thing from CoD, GTA, FIFA, Apex Legends, and influencer boxing. Have to get in contact? Electronic mail Connor at [email protected]
Mcfarlane Toys Fortnite Plastic Patroller Motion Determine
Fortnite followers have been left confused by a brand new pores and skin that appears to present gamers a slight benefit, ought to the circle fall of their favor.
Epic Video games’ super-popular free-to-play title has dropped plenty of beauty objects since launch, together with the notorious John Wick, a Guardians of the Galaxy mash-up, and a sequence of FIFA World Cup-themed skins. FIFA.
Nevertheless, none of them gave gamers any sort of benefit within the recreation. Now a brand new spherical of skins can assist gamers so long as they profit from RNG luck.
Gamers had been lastly in a position to seem like John Wick within the recreation, however that did not assist them play any higher.
Ww2 German Troopers In Winter Uniforms 1944/45
In a publish on the FortniteBR subreddit, person camicam95 identified that the skins are supposed to be purely beauty and don’t grant any benefit to gamers. Nevertheless, the brand new Plastic Patroller pores and skin could permit gamers to mix into some areas far more simply than earlier than.
Whereas eagle-eyed gamers can inform the distinction between the pores and skin and a lighter-colored bush, it is exhausting to inform which is which when Plastic Patroller’s pores and skin is hiding in a equally coloured tree.
Gamers may fairly simply use a pickup or backup instrument that may give them away, however then the pores and skin grew to become out there together with the Inexperienced Toy wrap, which may additionally assist them mix in with a tree.
After this subject was observed by camicam95, another followers raised considerations about gamers sporting the pores and skin sooner or later. “That is such ridiculous pores and skin. Everybody goes to make use of it,” commented Velos85.
The Excellent Christmas Reward Combo ( Plastic Patroller + Fight Wreath + You Should not Have! ) 1300 V Bucks , Bp S 8
One other, Merkemas, added: “I just like the pores and skin, however what a silly transfer by Epic to launch it. Who does not need invisible pores and skin?
Nevertheless, not everybody had issues with its launch. Redditor HarvP posted: “It simply blends in rather well on timber. If folks need to sit within the timber the entire recreation, then good for them.
“The one drawback with the pores and skin is that it did not include a glider that was a kind of plastic parachutes just like the toy troopers you include.”
After all, these skins will not offer you any assist if the storm circle strikes into the snow or desert biomes.
Fortnite June 7, 2020 Merchandise Store
Nevertheless, contemplating they solely make up a small a part of the map, gamers can, and sure will, use the brand new look to their benefit.
Whether or not or not the brand new pores and skin impacts gameplay to the purpose the place Epic Video games has to step in and make any modifications stays to be seen, particularly with the Fortnite World Cup looming simply across the nook.
Till then, ensure you clear all of the corners earlier than you suppose you are secure in a progressing match. You by no means know, there could possibly be a toy soldier pores and skin spreading out on a tree.
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The word's first flexible computer made of paper has been unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The device comes from developers at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and a company called Plastic Logic who say it represents the future of desk-top computing.
Business Wire (Oct. 16, 2013) Thin Film Electronics ASA (Thinfilm) (OSE: THIN.OL) announced today that it has successfully demonstrated its first fully functional, stand-alone Smart Sensor Label. The temperature-tracking label, ... watch video
Popular Science (Jan. 7, 2015) Tablets are known for their thin and convenient portability, and Dell's taking that a step further with the Venue 8 7000 Series. It's a tiny 6 mm thin and has an 8.4-inch OLED screen. If you think ... watch video
Popular Science (Jan. 10, 2015) One of our favorite booths at CES was by Ecovacs Robotics, a company known for their innovative cleaning robots. They won a CES Innovation Award for RAYBOT, an automated bot that cleans solar panels, ... watch video
Deutsche Welle (May 14, 2012) Organic solar cells provide new hope for future energy generation, and researchers in Dresden now want to make this option commercially viable.
It’s a fascinating proposition: once the ... watch video
Reuters - Innovations Video Online (Dec. 7, 2015) The era of bulky, geeky-looking smartglasses might be over. Developers in Finland have created a thin display that fits into ordinary eyewear. Elly Park reports.
Video provided by ... watch video
AP (Nov. 1, 2012) Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has opened the Living Computer Museum, with displays of old machines _ all in working order _ along with wish list items he'd like to add, just in case anybody has an ... watch video
Sep. 27, 2016 In order to properly decide if an upgrade is worth the cost, consumers should compare the new product with what they already own. But new research shows there‘s a wide gap between what buyers ... read more
Sep. 27, 2016 Using laser light, a team of scientists has developed a precise, continuous control technology giving 60 times more success than previous efforts in sustaining the lifetime of “qubits,” the unit ... read more
Sep. 26, 2016 To determine how the universe's heavy elements -- gold, silver and many others -- came about, a team of international researchers is studying both the largest and smallest things known to us -- stars ... read more
Sep. 26, 2016 Researchers have found a way to boost the speed of computer applications by more than 9 percent. The improvement results from techniques that allow computer processors to retrieve data more ... read more
Sep. 21, 2016 Statisticians are developing new ways to interpret the unprecedented amounts of data being generated continuously all around us. Whether it is smart phones packed full of sensors measuring your ... read more
Sep. 23, 2016 For children with speech and language disorders, early-childhood intervention can make a great difference in their later academic and social success. But many such children ... read more
Nov. 25, 2014 Engineers have developed an easier methodology to make high performance flexible electronics by using the Inorganic-based Laser Lift-off (ILLO), which enables nanoscale processes for high density ... read more
Sep. 10, 2014 A flexible display incorporating graphene in its pixels’ electronics has been successfully demonstrated, the first time graphene has been used in a transistor-based flexible ... read more
Apr. 29, 2013 Researchers at Queen's University's Human Media Lab have developed a new smartphone -- called MorePhone -- which can morph its shape to give users a silent yet visual cue of an incoming ... read more


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Vehicles Affected: All model-year 2014-16 CX-5 compact crossovers are affected; that’s 264,463 vehicles.
The Problem: Mazda reports that the fuel filler pipe could rupture during a rear collision, creating potential for a fuel leak. This increases the risk of a fire. There have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to this recall, the automaker said in a statement.
The Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the affected parts for free.
What Owners Should Do: Mazda has not yet announced a recall notification schedule but has said that dealers will provide a free loaner vehicle if a customer has concerns about driving their vehicle before the repair is available. Owners can call Mazda at 800-222-5500, NHTSA’s vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236 or go to www.safercar.gov for more information.
Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.


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New store brings Italian style for children
A new children's clothing store has injected a dose of Italian style to young fashion.
And Blukids is already cutting a dash with parents and youngsters with its up-to-the-minute design.
Co-owner Francesca Cacace — who has been working in her family's retail businesses since she was a schoolgirl — said the store had been buzzing since it opened on Monday.
Ms Cacace, whose mother Yvonne runs Stefanel on Reid Street and nearby Mambo, added: “Most of the pieces are 100 per cent cotton and the prices are very reasonable.
“Everybody's very excited, blown away, by the prices.”
She added: “It's very trending stuff and people can find very classic basics to trendy outerwear. There's also more formal things if they're going to events or parties. It's definitely a big range.”
The Blukids range covers boys and girls from birth up to 14 years.
And she said: “We have a lot more stuff still to come in come in before Christmas so there will be fresh, new pieces.”
Ms Cacace, 25, said she started helping out in Stefanel when she was around 13 and had also worked in the Iana children's clothing store, also owned by the family, until it closed a few years ago.
She explained that Blukids had later taken over Iana.
Ms Cacace said: “That's how we found out about Blukids — we were in talks with them and decided it was time to bring back a children's shop.”
She added that the store, which has a staff of six, had a low-key opening in its location just inside the Reid Street entrance of the Washington Mall.
“People didn't realise it was coming so it was a nice surprise. We had people who were just going to get coffee coming in. The general consensus was that Bermuda needs another children's shop,” she said.
“I enjoy seeing that kind of reaction — it shows we've got it right. People love the style and they love the prices.
“There is definitely a market in Bermuda. Everyone is happy they don't have to go away to find children's clothes at a good price.
“We've had some people leave the store and come back with someone else.”
Store general manager Clinette Basden-Tucker, who worked in the upmarket lingerie chain Agent Provocateur in London and New York before returning to Bermuda, said: “I love the Blukids range.
“The quality is amazing and it's soft — I'm very tactile, so that's great.
“It's European and I feel it brings a different feel to the Island.
“And the price point is for everyone — it's definitely something Bermuda needs. People don't feel they have to justify the expense.
“The opening was good and a lot of people thought it was great that we had something for boys as well.
“We're shaking things up for children in Bermuda, put it that way.”


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Harley-Davidson is moving into the Indian market, but it is doing it on India’s terms. You see, due to different price sensitivity, road conditions, and consumer tastes Harley-Davidson’s current line-up can not currently make any inroads into India’s enormous motorcycle market. To combat this, HD is opening their second non-US factory and producing a bike that will be smaller and less expensive than any Harley for sale in the US. Coming in at only 400-500 cubic inches (at least half their normal engine size), the India-only bike will be aimed at the entry-level premium market.
While localizing content is nothing new, it will be interesting to see if HD takes this opportunity to try out some “reverse innovation.” Could Harley bring this smaller and cheaper bike back to our shores? That could be a major game changer in the North American market. Currently, the least expensive Harley is $8,099, and the thought of a $5,000-$6,000 bike from the storied manufacturer would have many a motorbike fan (myself included) foaming at the mouth. It is still early days to see how this will play out, but custom making a cheaper and feature-stripped version of a core product is the first step of creating a reverse innovation. If it comes true all I want for this prediction is a set of keys.


text: SPAR, a global retail chain with presence in 48 countries entered Pakistan in 2017 with two stores in Karachi. It has recently announced further expansion in Pakistan, with a third store launched in North Nazimabad on the 16th of September and a 4th store set to launch in DHA Phase 8 in November. Located in the upscale locality of North Nazimabad Block F, SPAR is a large departmental store with a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, grocery, imported foods, jewelry and baby accessories. Speaking to the guests at the opening ceremony, Mr. Naveed Sultan, CEO SPAR Pakistan elaborated SPAR’s plans to rapidly expand in the country, with its mission of bringing a high-quality international retail solution to local communities. Chief Guest for the opening ceremony of SPAR was Engr. Syed Salahuddin Ahmed – Project Director KWSSIP. Mr Salahuddin Ahmed praised the efforts of SPAR Pakistan to serve local communities with essential goods during the Covid-19 crisis. He also commented that the involvement of a responsible international retailer such as SPAR would ensure uplift of local industries and provide safe employment for hundreds throughout the city. The event was attended Mr. Sultan Chawla, Group chairman Burque Corporation, and other key industry leaders and local business community. The store received an overwhelming response on the opening day with many residents appreciating the new supermarket. Burque Corporation, one of Pakistan’s largest FMCG distributors, is the licensee of SPAR Pakistan.


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GET YOUR PASS
Come to cover one of the biggest fashion weeks in Louisiana
We are looking for Press to cover Acadiana Fashion Week 2024.
Editorial media includes writers, reporters, reviewers, producers, photographers, videographers, etc. who are attending specifically to write about the event and/or cover the event for newspapers, magazines, TV, blogs, podcasts, radio, etc.
Fashion Week press passes provide complimentary access to all Fashion Week Events.


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Zoivane Pets, a Gujarat-based pet training and grooming brand, has raised Rs 5 crore in a seed round led by GVFL, Ahmedabad. This brings the startup’s total funding to Rs 5.54 crore to date.
The startup is backed by We Founder Circle and notable angel investors including Hitesh Dhawan, Dhrumil Patel, Joy Gnanamony, and Abhishek Gupta.
Zoivane Pets will use the funds for product development, increasing quality work force and marketing its various product lines, it said in a press release.
Founded in 2019 by Nishma Singhal and Kshitij Singhal, Zoivane’s training range includes patent formulations such as potty training spray, stay away spray, pets stain and odor remover, and others. The brand’s grooming collection features shampoos for dandruff, itching, dryness, and hair fall, among other things.
The brand is selling through omnichannel (both offline and online channels) and claims to have sold over 50,000 units of its products till date. It has a presence in nearly 500 retail stores across more than 300 cities. . Its products are also available on online stores such as Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, Myntra, and Meesho.
In the pet care and grooming segment, Zoivane Pets competes with the likes of Wiggles, Pawfect.xyz, Just Dogs, Heads Up For Tails, Supertails and Canine Can Care among others.
Last month, tech-enabled pet-care startup Supertails raised $10 million in a Series A round led by Fireside Ventures.


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BY GODFREY OLUKYA
KAMPALA: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 02, 2021
Uganda national health users and consumers organisation has asked the government, ministry of health and Uganda national bureau of standards to make sure that companies eliminate the production of foods rich in Trans-fatty acids.
Speaking to the media at their headquarters in Bukoto, the legal counsel Moses Talibita noted that now days most of the companies processing products which are consumed by people do include trans-fat acids and yet they don’t put a warning message on the packet.
Talibita said if warning signs were put on the packets, people who don’t want fat acids could ignore taking them.
Industrially produced Trans fatty acids are used in fast foods both backed and fried, pre-packaged snacks like popcorn, pies French fries, cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, donuts and chips among others.
Because of the high amounts of fatty acids, such foods have often being blamed as the main risk factor for non communicable diseases associated with heart problems and premature deaths.
Talibita said the government needs to put in place a law which will prevent any company from adding trans- fat acids in their products and the law should be attached with punishment to any company found failing to comply.
Talibita noted that many companies include too much trans-fat acids in products as a way of making them to stay longer on the shelves but the products are deadly to health.
He explained that diets high in trans- fats increase heart disease risk by 21% and that the 28% of the deaths every year are attributed to trans- fat acids adding that globally over 500000 people die due to Trans fat acid related illnesses every year.


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AutoGuide News Blog
The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.
Recently unveiled for Europe, the Opel Cascada is headed to America suggest sources inside the company, likely badged as a Buick.
GM’s European Opel brand recently unveiled the new Astra GTC hatchback and according to the most recent reports this car will be sold in America, but under the Buick badge. The Buick brand has already had considerable success rebadging the Opel Insignia as the Regal on this side of the Atlantic.
This plan has been tried once before and failed miserably, when GM brought the Astra over as a Saturn. The new car is, however, larger and based on an all new platform is under the Buick brand is expected to offer a more premium interior with an overall improved build quality. The Buick ‘Astra’ (an official name has yet to be picked) will also receive more respectable powerplants, with the 177-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylinder and 220-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engines likely candidates.
In addition to the hatchback, Buick is also expected to gain a small convertible based on the same platform and which could compete alongside cars like the Volkswagen Eos.
GALLERY: Opel Astra GTC
Buick is considering adding both a coupe and a convertible to its lineup in the coming years says Buick marketing director Roger McCormack,. In a live webchat yesterday McCormack commented that a coupe was under “very strong consideration,” and sounded equally positive about a convertible model. “We are always looking for ways to excite our customers… I think a convertible would do just that. Nothing to announce today but know we will look hard at a convertible option,” he said. In addition, hints were dropped about a possible Regal wagon hitting U.S. shores.
No hints about what a Buick Coupe might entail were provided. While a new platform is a possibility, we’ve love to see a down-sized version of the RWD CTS Coupe – which could leave open the possibility of a true Grand National successor.
And speaking of high-powered Buicks, the first to come down the pipe will be the Regal GS, which is almost certain to use the same 255-hp turbocharged engine found in the show car.
In addition to these models, Buick will also introduce a new compact crossover, with different reports suggesting it could be based on either the new Chevy Cruze platform, or even the upcoming Chevy Aveo platform.


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Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT are undoubtedly amazing machines. That’s what their customers think, too, as these 650 twins are the best-selling motorcycles on the UK market in June.
The UK-based Motorcycle Industry Association has shared a word on sales data and says that motorcycle and power sports equipment sales are up in 2020, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The information disclosed by MIC goes like this:
- Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 beat BMW R1250 GS to the first place in the motorcycle category.
- Scooters were sold more than motorcycles, with Honda PCX 125 leading the pack. (double in sales compared to INT650)
Check out more news from the motorcycle world in our News section!
Source: Web Bike World


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Las Vegas, NV (July 29, 2014) — To celebrate the recent acquisition of the LVH- Las Vegas Hotel, Westgate Resorts along with Clark County Commissioners Chris Giunchigliani and Tom Collins, ceremonially lifted the first letter that will be added to its marquee at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino.
“This letter represents more than just the beginning of this property’s name, it’s the beginning of a new era in Las Vegas,” stated David Siegel, founder and CEO of Westgate Resorts. “Enhancements and renovations to this property have already started, and today we are prepping our first Westgate letter to be added to the marquee. This letter is the largest in Las Vegas-20 feet and one inch!”
Two Las Vegas showgirls and dozens of Westgate team members were on hand to celebrate the occasion. Siegel plans to invest more than $250 million to renovate every square inch of the property and chose to save the jobs of 2,200 team members when he took over the resort. Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino also created and is currently hiring for more than 200 positions in departments including engineering, maintenance and housekeeping to work on renovations and other new programs that are being developed.
For more information or to book accommodations at the new Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, call toll free at (800) 732-7117 or log on to www.westgateresorts.com/las-vegas-resort-and-casino.
ABOUT WESTGATE RESORTS
One of the largest privately-owned timeshare companies in the world, Westgate Resorts features luxury resorts in premier travel destinations such as Orlando, Florida; Park City, Utah; Las Vegas, Nevada; Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Branson, Missouri; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Williamsburg, Virginia; Miami, Florida; Mesa, Arizona; and Tunica, Mississippi. Founded in 1980 by David A. Siegel, Westgate Resorts develops and operates uniquely themed destination resorts that include luxurious accommodations, destination health spas, water parks, restaurants and retail shopping outlets. For more information about Westgate Resorts, visit www.westgateresorts.com.
PRESS RELEASE SOURCE: Westgate Resorts


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Over the past few years, China has emerged as a powerhouse in the increasingly digitized, e-commerce-driven world. Its digital economy accounted for 38.2% of its GDP growth in the first half of 2018,1 and it also happens to be home to 9 of the top 20 internet companies in the world, including the search engine Baidu, e-commerce behemoth Alibaba and internet services provider Tencent.2 China's success can serve as a lesson for companies and economies around the world that are pushing to remain relevant and keep a competitive edge.
One driver behind China's success is the government's focus on shifting to a digital economy. In 2015, China's State Council, the highest organ of state administration, issued a report called "Made in China 2025." The document outlines its strategy for transforming China's manufacturing base through digital innovation. Its strategic goals include greatly increasing manufacturing digitization and "informationization." For instance, within the category of integrating IT and industrialization, the report lists a goal of increasing broadband penetration from 37% in 2013 to 82% by 2025.4
That said, the initiatives outlined have also prompted concern among policymakers across the globe.5 Some fear that an industrial policy directed by the government will include financial assistance to Chinese companies, creating an uneven global playing field. Some also worry about China's investments in foreign technology firms. At the same time, the goals and strategies outlined in the report signal that China's leadership intends to focus on ensuring the country is prepared for an increasingly digital world.
To that end, investments in research and development from Chinese companies, research institutes and the government have skyrocketed. Since 2000, it's gone from about $40 billion to $443 billion, just shy of the $484 billion invested within the U.S., according to data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.6
China is also working to minimize any digital divide between citizens in its major cities and more remote areas. Several provinces have developed plans to digitize their economies. For example, the province of Guizhou plans to grow its digital economy by 20% annually.7 The World Economic Forum also explains that, in what are known as Taobao villages, at least 10% of households run online stores for Taobao, which is the shopping site for e-commerce behemoth Alibaba. Across one such village, this generates e-commerce revenues of at least $1.6 million, and more than 1,000 of these villages dot the Chinese countryside.8


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“It seems that gaming is infiltrating almost every aspect of ordinary life”
It’s with this in mind that US-based retailer GameStop opened up its first store on Facebook. Millions of people are already interacting with the company on the social networking site, according to Kelly Mulroney, GameStop’s vice president of e-commerce. “Social commerce on Facebook is a natural complement to our trusted store and online networks.”
The shop has everything, including product videos and reviews. Customers can preorder online and pick purchases up in store. The company’s loyalty programme also works with purchases made on Facebook.
Social networking has had a significant impact on the way we live our lives. Not only has it changed how we interact with people, it has also changed how we shop, how we stay informed, and how we how we play games. Product recommendations come through Twitter and Facebook. Friends pass on news of discounts and deals online.
Retailers are slowly realising the value of social networking. With relatively little investment, a company can spread its presence on the web. And with more than 500 million registered members using Facebook, it has an impressive reach.
Games companies are also being forced to expand. Online stores such as Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network have become popular. Recent figures show that sales of physical videogames are declining in the US, prompting fears that the games industry, seen as an area of potential growth, could be in trouble.
But those figures fail to take into account the more agile, download model that companies such as Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have adopted. And, with publishers building mobile versions of popular titles, it seems that gaming is infiltrating almost every aspect of ordinary life.
With so many content providers, retailers and businesses suffering from the effects of the economic downturn, businesses should be ready to take advantage of whatever opportunities come their way.


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Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF) confirmed that it received the letter from Democratic Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts who raised questions regarding the business practices of the multilevel marketing company (MLF) that sells nutritional and weight loss products.
In a e-mailed statement to the Wall Street Journal, Barb Henderson, senior vice president of corporate communications of Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF) said, “We received the letter from Senator Markey this morning and look forward to an opportunity to introduce the company to him and address his concerns at his earliest convenience.”
A few years ago, crypto hedge funds were all the rage. As cryptocurrencies rose in value, hundreds of hedge funds specializing in digital assets launched to try and capitalize on investor demand. Some of these funds recorded double-digit gains in 2020 and 2021 as cryptocurrencies surged in value. However, this year, cryptocurrencies have been under Read More
Pyramid scheme allegations
In his letter to Michael Johnson, CEO of Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF), Sen. Markey requested information regarding the company and his domestic subsidiary. He also emphasized that there have been suggestions that Herbalife is not organized as a multilevel marketing company, but a pyramid scheme based on its operations.
According to Sen. Markey, there have been reports in Massachusetts suggesting that Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF) is a pyramid scheme. He mentioned several reports from entities such as one family in Norton, MA who reported that they lost $130,000 including their 401(K) from investing in the company, causing them significant stress.
The senator emphasized that such allegations have been repeated by other groups such as the Hispanic Federation led by Jose Calderon who expressed concern whether Herbalife distributors are making money selling products or recruiting others to sell products.
Sen. Markey pointed out that he “take no position in the merits of the allegations” against Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF), but he requested the company answer questions about its business practices and its impact to his constituents in Massachusetts.
Senator calls for inquiry
Sen. Markey also sent letters to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) urging the agencies to investigate the business practices of Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF).
In a statement to The Hill, Sen. Markey said, “There is nothing nutritional about possible pyramid schemes that promise financial benefit but result in economic ruin for vulnerable families. Herbalife may be a purveyor of health and wellness products, but some of its distributors are suffering serious economic ill-health as a result of their involvement in the company.”


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Dell said today that it will become a private company with a $24.4 billion transaction led by founder and CEO Michael Dell. Private-equity firm Silver Lake Partners will provide about $1 billion in cash for the deal, and Microsoft will put up a $2 billion loan. Michael Dell, who owns about 14% of the company, is providing some cash through MSD Capital. The company has 45 days to find another buyer.
Published in Brief:


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Over the past 12 hours, the crypto market has sank more than $ 8 billion. The reason for this decline is the fall of several large digital assets, including Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Stellar (XLM), according to Crypto Market.
For the first time in the last ten days, the price of BCH has fallen below $ 500. Today it is only 480 US dollars. During the past week, after overcoming its monthly high of $ 630, BCH dropped sharply by more than 24.4 percent.
Many traders assume that the rapid decline was caused by the conflict between Bitcoin SV and Bitcoin Cash.
"It is possible that the conflict between the "camp" of Bitcoin SV fans and the "camp" of Bitcoin Cash has already become personal among the key figures. This is primarily due to the threats that have been expressed by CSW to the developers and miners of the original Bitcoin Cash network. The conflict situation led to a loss of investor confidence, and as a result, to a drop in the rate." – Crypto Market.
As you know, Bitcoin SV took over “Bitcoin cash” on the Poloniex cryptocurrency exchange. Recall that Poloniex is one of the few exchanges that allows for early margins and tradingTrading
– is an economic term that means the process of independent trade, independent analysis of the market and the conclusion of trade transactions.Details of not yet released SV.
In addition to the sharp collapse in the price of Bitcoin Cash (BCH), a drop is also observed in the case of AltcoinAltcoin
– are the common name for all cryptocurrencies (except Bitcoin).Details Stellar (XLM). Now, the rate of the popular Altcoin is only 0.25 dollars. With a total capitalization level of 4,729,956,431 US dollars.
According to the Minfin.com: XLM on November 14 fell by 3.24 percent.
Editor: Alyona Nabok


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Trendy & Fabulous: Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton Meet
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to Buckingham Palace in their first big meeting as royal husband and wife. The wives, both known for their fashion sense, showed up looking chic and smart.
Kate Middleton, fresh from her honeymoon in the Seychelles, glowing and tanned, wore a caramel cap-sleeve Reiss bandage dress paired with black heels and necklace. Michelle opted for bright, spring colors in an A-line Barbara Tfank dress with a cropped pink bolero jacket.


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GINCC fundraisers now online
NEGAUNEE — The Greater Ishpeming-Negaunee Area Chamber of Commerce and Negaunee Lions Club — in looking for new ways to encourage shopping local, supporting the community and small business in the wake of COVID-19 — have moved their current fundraiser to an online format.
This new online format ensures GINCC remains in compliance with CDC and social distancing guidelines, while still raising funds. There’s only 10 days left to buy tickets.
To support the GINCC and Negaunee Lions Club, consider purchasing a Teal Lake Meltdown Ticket online here: https://form.jotform.com/200639111490144.
Participants can try their luck to guess the exact time the structure (mining head frame) will drop out of sight through the ice on Teal Lake. The participant who has the closest guess, down to the minute, will win 50% of net ticket proceeds or $500 (whichever is larger). One guess per ticket is allowed. In the case of a tie, the winner will be the first date of ticket sale.
In 2017, the headframe sunk at April 9 at 3 a.m., and sunk in 2019 on April 26 at noon.
Ticket sales will end on April 1 AND the winning ticket must be purchased and submitted at least two full days prior to the sinking of the head frame.
Any questions? Contact Neil Lynch at 906-362-5555 or firstname.lastname@example.org or Bob Hendrickson at 906-204-0520 or email@example.com.


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GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Many of Eastern Carolinians are getting supplies together ahead of Hurricane Irma.
Demand for water and non-perishables is causing local grocery stores to work overtime to get shelves replenished.
In Greenville Thursday, many stores were busy with shoppers looking for the hurricane staples like water, bread and canned goods.
At the Food Lion on Turnbury Drive, water was scarce.
The store manager says their store brand packs of 24 bottles sells for less than $2 and has been flying off the shelves, but they expect to have more by Thursday night.
Harris Teeter off Evans Street and Publix say their stores have limited supplies of water and bread.
On the other hand, Greenville's Piggly Wiggly has a full supply of water and bread.
They continued to restock shelves ahead of what could be a busy weekend for grocery stores.
"We really look at water, cause we've probably quadrupled our water supply we would normally get in the next day or so, your canned meat items, batteries, there again, your tape, your lunch meat items, they'll stock up their coolers and make sandwiches," says Patrick Delaney, the supervisor of the Greeville Piggly Wiggly.
Store managers say they're communicating with their distributors to make sure batteries, water and other staples will be in stock before Irma can threaten our area.


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Yesterday’s NYC Mobile Venture & Angel Conference in Hell’s Kitchen was focused on mobile technology within venture capital. The takeaway was that there are lots of opportunities for early stage mobile companies to grow their business, raise capital, get customers and hopefully exit. There are tons of investors interested in the space and lots of action in a growing market. There was a feeling of excitement about the environment that NY is offering in regards to growth and technology.
The discussions also talked about the difficulties startups faced in investment for mobile. Mobile is tough because it’s such a crowded field in terms of startups. Entrepreneurs better be able to explain to investors how they differentiate themselves from the competition. There’s a huge difference between a mobile idea and a mobile business. Nobody is really funding ideas anymore.
“You obviously have to have the right stuff,” said Joe Rubin, FundingPost’s director. “It’s not just, ‘I have something mobile and it’s going to be a huge success’. At first mobile was a novelty, oh wow! Everyone loved it, but now it’s no longer a novelty and it’s about business. So you need to have customers, have a business model, a market, quality development a good team – a business. That’s what it’s all about. Most ideas just stay ideas.”
Panelist Howard Schwartz, HumanDemand.com and an angel investor, explained how entrepreneurs seeking investment need working prototypes. “Everything is so cost-effective to build right now there is really no excuse to talk to an investor with an idea. Now we need something we can touch. If it’s a game I want to play a level of it, if it’s an app I want to see the work flow, I want to see this working. It doesn’t have to be finished, or perfect or pretty, but I need to touch something.”
Key speaker Steve Schwartz, an independent angel investor recently retired from Tangoe concurred. “If investors have any doubt they will just move on to the next company. You need to have a sales and marketing strategy that clearly can be affective – so if you are going after consumers you have to find a way to reach your consumer target with the dollars you raise. For example, I’ve seen a lot of social networks that are going to have great data when they reach a critical mass of consumers. But they don’t have a very clear plan of how they are going to get consumers on the platforms. There’s a lot of talk about ‘It’s going to go viral’. It might, but it’s probably one in hundred or a thousand that is really going to go viral.”
Panelist Skyler Fernandes, Centripetal Capital Partners, was in the same mind. “The vast majority of apps are used 10 times and are never used again. If you are not in the top 100, no one learns about you.” To avoid that, his advice was that entrepreneurs need to understand the difference between being a mobile app and a mobile interface on a website. “That’s what people often struggle with. People building apps think it’s a quick exit – ‘if I make it in a year or two I can sell it to a company’ because it’s more of a latch-on to a company.”
NY was said to have become the place for international to launch their companies. Panelist Istvan Alpek, Primus Capital Venture, came from Hungary. “It is much more comfortable for us coming from Europe than going to Silicon Valley.”
Global mobile payments were also discussed as great opportunities, “But there are some ‘gotchas’ as well,” explained panelist William Davis, Gate Impact. “There is a culture difference between the growing markets around the world. That includes Asia at about $10B, Europe at about 3⅟2B and the U.S. is just approaching $2B in payments. The culture difference is that the infrastructure for payments specifically is strong here in the U.S. so there is no real incentive for an individual that is looking to pay to use any other methods that have historically been used like checks and credit cards.”
Summing it all up, Fernandes said, “We have a handful of great mobile apps in NYC – we have Foursquare, Twitter has an office here. What we have yet to see is if any of those can be monetized. So it’s yet to be seen – can NY companies in mobile space show that they are big winners just as like they are in Silicon Valley. I think the answer is yes.”


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The world's most trusted source in collecting
Posted on July 13, 2013 – 4:09 pm | Author: Susan Lulgjuraj
Hockey | game-used jersey cards, Hockey Hall of Fame, Jonathan Toews, Upper Deck | Comments (1)
This summer, Upper Deck has teamed with the Hockey Hall of Fame to create special game-used jersey cards to commemorate the NHL Team Fan Days.
Posted on March 28, 2011 – 3:43 pm | Author: tolentinotown
Beckett Updates, Hockey | Cyclone Taylor, Enshrined Hockey, featured, Hockey Hall of Fame, In The Game, Mark Messier | Comments (2)
In the Game recently announced that its ice homage — Enshrined Hockey — will hit shelves on April 29, 2011.


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In 2013, the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) honored Dorothy Lane Market CEO Norman Mayne with the Robert B. Wegman Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence. Upon accepting the award, Mayne, an independent grocer with three stores, said, “I want to thank The Kroger Co. for making me a better retailer every day.”
That is how IGA USA President Mark Batenic remembers it. In June at the Supermarket Management Class 2.0 in Chicago, Batenic explained that what Mayne was saying—in a nice way—is that he learns from the competition every day.
“I was talking to one of our larger operators in North Carolina…He has 24 stores in eastern North Carolina and he’s about ready to get hit by Lidl. He’s scared, as he should be,” Batenic said at the early May gathering, about a month before the first Lidls opened in the Carolinas and Virginia. “Because that German company has billions of dollars to spend. They’ve spent $32 billion in the U.S. already and haven’t turned one cash register on yet.”
The operator in North Carolina had done everything he knew to do to get ready for Lidl. He knows he cannot compete on price.
“But the one thing that he can do that Lidl can’t is he is involved in his communities. He is deeply involved in his communities,” Batenic said. “Not just from a charity standpoint, but deeply involved in Little Leagues, deeply involved in churches, deeply involved in the governments that are in some of the communities in that part of the state of North Carolina. He will thrive.”
A noble profession
Owning or working for an independent grocery store is noble and something to be proud of, Batenic told attendees of Supermarket Management Class 2.0, which veteran industry educator Harold Lloyd and Paulo Goelzer, president and CEO of the IGA Coca-Cola Institute, collaborated to produce after it was announced that FMI Connect would not be held this June.
The class is designed to develop food retail industry leaders.
“Because independent business is the backbone of business in this country and not just in this country but around the world,” he said. “Independents are really strong; I prefer to say they’re thriving not surviving.”
Batenic talked about the varying definition of an independent grocer. It can be a one- or two-store operation. Publix with 1,000 stores and Wegmans with more than 90 stores both are considered independents because of their ownership structure. Sam Walton, who in 1962 started with one store in northwest Arkansas, was first an independent grocer.
“So I get kind of agitated when people get mad at a chain store, because at the beginning that chain store was an independent grocer at one time, or an independent businessman at one time,” Batenic said.
Independent retailers are completely responsible for the business that they build from the ground up. They are committed financially.
“My point is that independent grocers have everything on the line every day,” Batenic said. “It’s all risk. You’re gigantic risk-takers. Hopefully smart risk-takers with a dream of not only being successful but a dream of providing for your family, providing for your communities, providing for your customers and also providing for your employees.”
He said there’s no question that some independent grocers have gone out of business over the last two decades.
Just 11 years ago, when Batenic joined IGA, there were nearly 30,000 independent stores (defined here as chains with 50 stores or less) in the U.S. Today, there are about 8,500 independents.
“Let that sink in for a second,” he said. “There has been massive consolidation and there have been massive closings, too. Last year, IGA here in the United States lost 90 stores from our membership. We picked up 85.”
Half of the stores IGA lost were closures. Many of the operators quit the business, Batenic said. One of the biggest challenges in the U.S. is succession planning. The average age of IGA retailers in the U.S. is 62; in Australia, it is 47 and in China, it is 38.
All retailers facing similar challenges
Even the most remote retailer isn’t safe from e-commerce, which is another worry. Batenic said independents don’t have a choice in this arena. They must go social and mobile.
“There is more power in (a smartphone) than what Alan Shepard went up in the first Mercury capsule; more power in these things today than what powered the first manned space flight,” Batenic said. “Artificial intelligence, they’re telling us that’s going to take over, and food production…these are things you have to worry about as operators today. And the big guys are worrying about them, too.”
Consumers want personalized service, ethical values, specialty products and an expanded value equation.
Batenic said an operator in Connecticut “is literally going to take away 10,000 s.f. of grocery and put it all into perishables and fresh because that’s what the shopper is looking for today.”
Meal kits are another competitive arena, and the notion that Millennials are the main consumers using them is wrong, he said.
“There are people in our offices who are in their 50s and 60s and their husbands and wives are buying that because it’s easy, it saves time, it’s nutritious and it’s reasonably priced when you figure out the cost per meal,” Batenic said. “You’re going to have to figure out how to get meal kits.”
Be famous for something, stay strong
“You guys have a lot of stuff facing you, but I’m here to tell you the independent grocer is still strong; independent businesspeople are strong. You continue to have the fortitude to risk everything every day to go into business, to try to make a better life for your family and for your communities,” Batenic said.
IGA is 91 years old and considers its stores “community centers” around the world. It continues to try to reinvent itself, just as independent grocers must.
“And we’re having to move at warp speed, literally. That’s how quickly it’s changing, and you guys have to stay on top of it, too,” Batenic said. “We would encourage you to hire the best and brightest people you can get your hands on, even if it costs you a little more. Because they will pay you dividends down the road.”
He implored attendees to keep their entrepreneurial spirit going because “it’s the backbone for commerce around the world.”
He suggested they learn from larger companies and the competition, “like Norman Mayne does every day from Kroger.”
Go see what the competition doing, then adapt it.
“Come up with something you’re famous for that no one else can touch,” Batenic said. “That’s what our Australian retailers do. Each one of them has to have something they’re famous for in their businesses. And that will change in six months because somebody will copy it. Think of something that is unique that is going to make that shopper drive past two other stores, three other stores, to arrive at your location and shop at your store and be a solid, loyal customer.”
What trait does Batenic most often see in top-echelon retailers across IGA?
“There’s always a deep passion for the business, and it never goes away,” Batenic said. “The independent movement—I think it’s still strong, it’s going to grow, and IGA hopes to be a part of that.”


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In February 2020, when the pandemic hit the world in full swing, the global economy took an inevitable jolt. As transport came to a halt and offices shut down, millions of people were forced to work from home. As a result, travel took a backseat, and the world entered...
Read on for the latest news from our shipping experts.
Don’t miss out, make sure you hear what valuable, actionable info our latest webinar revealed.
The pandemic has dramatically affected safety measures on shipping and the supply chain.
Since FedEx and UPS both suspended their service guarantees this week, our clients have been flooding us with questions about how to handle this unique situation. “Business as usual” is out the window, so shippers must quickly adjust to this new normal. Adapting...
Don’t panic. Attack the new reality of shipping and learn to adjust forecasting and budgeting.
Be proactive in protecting your bottom line from the pandemic with smart shipping decisions.


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Google introduced immediately it’s increasing the main target of its Google Traits service – the positioning that lets anybody monitor what the world’s internet searchers are in search of in each actual time and non-real time. The service now consists of information from extra Google merchandise past internet search, the corporate says, with the addition of search information from verticals like Google Information, Buying, Pictures and YouTube.
The growth is smart on condition that Google searches aren’t nearly folks typing in key phrases right into a browser to see a set of ordinary outcomes as a sequence of hyperlinks. Even Google’s search outcomes pages have lengthy mirrored the big variety of attainable search outcomes – combining issues like movies, photos and information gadgets alongside internet hyperlinks has been par for the course for a decade or so, because the launch of Common Search.
As Google explains in a weblog put up in regards to the adjustments to Google Traits, the added information will enable customers to discover search ends in other ways than was beforehand attainable.
For instance, a seek for the key phrases “Taylor Swift” through Google Traits would have allow you to drill down into search curiosity round that matter from internet searches, however now you may see issues like what associated movies persons are looking for on YouTube.
To make use of the function, you sort in your key phrases into the Google Traits search field as earlier than, then choose the suitable matter from the autocomplete strategies. (For instance, in Taylor Swift’s case, you’d decide the “singer-songwriter” matter on the prime of the checklist.)
From right here, you may dig into the tendencies from internet searches, together with filtering by geography or time-frame. However now you can additionally select from different choices through a brand new filter. Right here, you may decide to see information from different Google verticals like Picture Search, Information Search, Google Buying and YouTube Search.
This provides you extra angles right into a search pattern. To proceed the Taylor Swift instance, Google reveals how a current The Tonight Present look by the singer could result in spikes in folks looking for her efficiency on the present on YouTube, or photos from that present on Google Pictures. These are proven as associated matters and search curiosity is indicated with a share improve subsequent to every climbing merchandise.
As with internet searches, you need to use the brand new device to see the place, geographically, curiosity is strongest for the given matter throughout Google’s different verticals.
The Google Traits service is commonly utilized by researchers and journalists who use the info to report on main occasions occurring around the globe, and their affect on tradition. It’s additionally a extra in-depth and granular option to parse Google’s information than what’s offered to advertisers by means of issues like AdWords’ insights into search volumes.
The brand new filtering choices are dwell now on Google Traits’ web site.
Featured Picture: Robert Scoble/Flickr UNDER A CC BY 2.zero LICENSE


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Here’s a new digital rendering of the upcoming next-gen Fiat Punto. The all-new hatchback is expected to launch in the coming years.
Fiat Punto is one of the popularly known hatchbacks offered by the Italian carmaker around the world. The car was built from 1993 till 2018, spanning over the three generations. The automaker managed to retail around 9 million units of the hatchback globally, but the car was not able to have a successful run in the Indian market and got discontinued as soon as the new BS6 emission norms came into effect in April this year. Nevertheless, the carmaker has said that the Fiat Punto will soon make a comeback and we expect the new-gen model to hit the global market somewhere around 2022. As of now, there are no details available of the upcoming new-gen Punto, but here’s a digital rendering of the next-gen model by a French publication named as Auto Moto to give you an idea that how could the all-new Fiat Punto look like.
The upcoming Fiat Punto will be based on the Groupe PSA’s Common Modular Platform, as a part of the merger between FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) and PSA. The platform is also used by other carmakers like Peugeot, DS Automobiles and Opel/Vauxhall. Moreover, this platform will also help the automaker to launch fully-electric cars and is already being used by EVs like Citroen e-C4, Peugeot e-208 and Opel Crosa-e. The rendered Fiat Punto features a big black grille upfront with Fiat badging upfront. The front grille is flanked by aggressive-looking headlamps. The digitally rendered Punto also gets smart-looking precision-cut alloy wheels.
In terms of dimensions, the all-new Fiat Punto is likely to be slightly over 4-meters in length and will have 2.54-meters of wheelbase. Initially, the hatchback will be launched in the European markets. The new-gen Fiat Punto will be powered by a 1.2-litre turbo petrol mill. The car will also be offered in a fully-electric variant, which is powered by a 136bhp electric mill paired with a 50 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Once launched, it’ll compete with the likes of VW Polo, Peugeot 208 and Ford Fiesta. We do not expect the carmaker to introduce the all-new Punto in the Indian market anytime soon.


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HNA Group launches e-commerce network for general aviation
The HNA Group has launched a new online network for Chinese general aviation, Air Community.
Air Community is a complete e-commerce platform for general aviation connecting operators with customers. The beta version, number 1.0, is currently available in Chinese and also has online forums for real time discussions between industry experts.
The platform allows for convenient booking and online transactions, incorporating real-time flight information for flight-planning and air traffic monitoring.
This new platform is directed towards all aspects of general aviation including business jets and helicopters.
China is home to 364 general aviation companies with an average asset-profit ration of about 30%. Main reasons for this erratic profitability ratio are high operating costs and China’s air traffic restrictions.
For HNA General Aviation Group, it was evident that China urgently needed to develop a nationwide platform for the industry to integrate resources, and satisfy both supply and demand. The “Air Community” has the largest network of business jet and helicopter charters, industrial parks, and training centres among other services.
This highlights the strong commitment of the Group to further integrate the supply chain and improve services.
According to reports from the Chinese media, the “Air Community” stands as the leading e-commerce platform for general aviation in China. The website is already offering services from its premier network of operators including Deer Jet, Capital Helicopters, Xilin Fengteng General Aviation, Guanchen General Aviation, Hainan Aviation Academy, etc. The website will continue to integrate more services and products from its growing network of operators.
The “Air Community” has proved its potential with bookings of the newly launched helicopter taxi service between Haikou and Xuwen, operated by Capital Helicopters and supported by Hainan Harbour and Shipping Holdings.
The new service shortened travel time between the two cities to 10 minutes, and solves the need of alternative and more efficient transportation in the region.