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Piyush Goyal, Indian Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, claimed that India’s objectives for trade with the US go further, establishing a free trade agreement.
He delivered these remarks during the 13th gathering of the US-India Trade Policy Forum in Washington with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai.
Goyal stressed on Wednesday, January 11, a broader footprint for trade and investment between the two nations and easier access to markets.
He stated, “Due to their political guidelines, the US is not now looking for a free trade agreement with any country. Thus, in my opinion, that is not an option. We are concentrating on making it easier for businesses to operate between the two nations rather than on more market access”.
The Union Commerce Minister further explained that as small military deals are no longer suitable in the modern world, India seeks bilateral trade, investment, and economic relationships with a much wider impact.
In addition, Minister Goyal also responded to a question about the potential restoration of India’s GSP status, which was withdrawn by the Trump administration.
He said, “I don’t think in terms of GSP I have heard any significant noise from Indian enterprise to concentrate our energies on the GSP issue I have continued today with my companions.”
Goyal noted that despite the GSP issue not being a top priority, trade between the two nations is still growing quickly. He said, “I have officially requested that the GSP be restored on our request. But I can guarantee you that trade between the two nations is still developing quickly”.
The essential GSP trade program’s classification of India as a beneficiary developing country was discontinued in March 2019 by former US President Donald Trump.
The meeting between the Indian Union Minister and US Trade Representative Tai gave both ministers a chance to evaluate the work done by the TPF’s working groups since the Forum’s relaunch in November 2021 and to offer their recommendations on objectives to pursue as part of the TPF’s work.
Both Ministers ultimately released a joint statement summarising the conversation’s outcomes. The US Commerce Department also mentioned in a statement that TPF is directly strengthening bilateral ties between the US and India by offering a framework for fruitful discussion of trade issues.
Ambassador Tai also emphasised the potential for economic growth between the two countries and the equal possibility to ensure that bilateral commerce benefits the working people in both nations.
She also emphasised her commitment and that of US Vice President Joe Biden to ensuring that bilateral trade discussions directly assist the US and India in addressing common concerns in the global economy.
Ambassador Tai also emphasised the fresh TPF Working Group on Resilient Trade and expressed her appreciation to Minister Goyal for their contributions to TPF in general and today’s ministerial meeting.


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The Paramount logo is displayed at Columbia Square along Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, California on March 9, 2023.
Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty Images
Paramount Global’s stock rose in extended trading Thursday after reporting strong revenue and subscription trends in its third-quarter earnings report.
The out-of-hours move adds to an already busy day for the media giant. The stock closed up more than 10% during Thursday’s regular trading session.
Paramount – home to brands including CBS, Showtime, BET, Nickelodeon and its eponymous film studio – saw a 38% year-over-year increase in revenue. In the third quarter, streaming service Paramount+ saw 2.7 million net adds to its total subscriber base of 63 million. The company also narrowed its losses in its streaming segment to $238 million, from $343 million a year ago.
Here’s Paramount’s third-quarter performance compared to Wall Street estimates:
- Earnings per share: 30 cents versus 10 cents per share expected, according to LSEG, formerly known as Refinitiv
- Income: $7.13 billion versus $7.099 billion expected, according to LSEG
For the period ending Sept. 30, Paramount reported profit of $295 million, or 43 cents per share, compared with $231 million, or 33 cents per share, a year earlier. Adjusted for non-recurring items, earnings per share amounted to 30 cents over the period.
“We continue to execute on our strategy and prioritize prudent investments in streaming while maximizing profits from our traditional business,” CEO Bob Bakish said in the release. “Looking ahead, we remain on track to achieve significant growth in total company earnings in 2024.”
Paramount and other media stocks closed higher Thursday as streaming device maker Roku jumped 30% following its own stellar earnings report.
The company said theatrical revenues increased 63% year over year, citing films such as “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.” .
Paramount also expects streaming losses for all of 2023 to be lower than last year. The segment’s overall revenue jumped 38% to $1.69 billion from the previous year.
The television advertising market, however, posed a challenge for the company, with advertising revenue down 14% year-on-year. The company cited “continued weakness in the global advertising market and declines in political advertising.”
“While we remain focused on executing on our strategy to create world-class content with mass popular appeal, delivered across all platforms and monetizing it through multiple revenue streams, there is no “There has never been a more important time for us to remain nimble and adaptive as the industry continues to evolve,” Bakish said during the company’s earnings conference call.
Licensing and other revenues also fell 7%, with the company citing the effects of strikes.
Although the company suffered additional expenses during the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, company executives said during the earnings conference call that they were confident in the strength of Paramount’s content.
While Netflix instituted a crackdown on password sharing – and Disney the first plan – limiting access to accounts, CFO Naveen Chopra said Paramount+ has no current plans to follow in those footsteps.
“At this time, we do not view this as a major impediment to our growth efforts,” Chopra said during the earnings conference call. “This is obviously something that we will continue to monitor, and the good news is that I think there is a model for how we could approach this problem in a useful and creative way. But right now, we we have very powerful growth engines.”
Leaders dodged questions about potential merger and acquisition activity, in the meantime. The earnings report came days after Paramount reached a deal with sells book publisher Simon & Schuster to private equity firm KKR for $1.62 billion.
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Even though Jeff Clark grew up watching his dad and stepmom operate what would become Steel Transportation Services (STS) from their Grand Blanc home, he never gave much thought to joining the family trucking business — even while he was attending the University of Michigan-Flint.
“It wasn’t a very big company at that time,” said Clark, now STS vice president, who earned a business degree at UM-Flint in 1995. “It was just a couple of trucks and a couple of trailers, and like any kid, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do when I graduated.”
But Clark’s father, Richard, and stepmother, Bev — who originally ran the trucking operation as a sideline business while they were each working a full-time job — convinced him to join the company after finishing college.
“They said, ‘See what you can do with this,’” Clark recalled.
At the same time, the federal government was finishing its deregulation of the trucking industry, which among other measures allowed motor carriers to carry goods to wherever they wanted to serve.
The new environment served Steel Transportation Services well, allowing it to steadily grow its customer base.
“By the time we were done with that, we were kind of rolling a little bit,” Clark said. “It’s been slowly growing ever since.”
Today, the company, which since 2003 has had offices at 2115 Branch Road in Flint, employs 65 people and has a varied customer base that includes shippers of auto parts, steel tubing, machinery and landscape supplies primarily throughout the Midwest.
Both Richard and Bev Clark eventually made STS their full-time focus, with Richard serving as president until he died in 2021 and Bev still holding the controller’s position.
Jeff Clark is quick to share credit for the company’s success over the past 25 years.
“I’d like to say I did something right, but I definitely had a lot of support. I was surrounded by great businesspeople in my family,” he said, adding that a former STS mechanic also taught him a lot about trucks themselves.
The company’s maintenance staff remains integral to the company’s operations, particularly at a time when supply chain disruptions are making it difficult to secure new equipment, Clark said.
“Fortunately we have an excellent maintenance staff who can keep our older trucks going longer, and that might give us a competitive advantage,” he said.
While Clark expects the supply chain to correct itself within the next couple of years, a shortage of truck drivers is likely more of a long-term issue, he said.
“That’s really our biggest challenge to growth right now, and it’s only going to get worse,” he said, adding that recruitment is more important now than ever. “That means we just have to be the most competitive and friendly place a driver can work.”
Flexibility and adaptability also are key to success, Clark said, noting that — supply chain woes or not — there are always plenty of products that require shipping.
“There are tons of challenges in the trucking industry, but one advantage we have is within a week I can be hauling something different,” he said. “If all of a sudden there’s a big demand for Christmas trees but no demand for automotive, then we can go haul Christmas trees. A plant can’t switch their tooling around like that, but we do have some flexibility in what we haul.”
But whatever Steel Transportation Services is hauling, one thing will remain constant — Flint will be its base.
“It’s been a great home,” Clark said. “There’s great highway access and a lot of suppliers in the area. There is definitely unlimited opportunity as long as you can come up with the drivers and the staff to support it.”


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By Eric Savitz
Apple (AAPL) shares are coming under early selling pressure this morning after Goldman Sachs analyst David Bailey cut his rating on the stock to Neutral from Buy, citing concerns about consumer spending and “Apple’s valuation premium.”
Bailey says checks in Asia for the December quarter found Apple faring better than other PC and smartphone vendors, but that “some nicks have started to emerge.” He says shipments of Macs, iPod Nanos and iPhones were all slightly below what was expected going into the quarter – and he says the company will likely face a tougher environment in the March and June quarters “as consumer demand takes another leg down.”
Bailey notes that since he went to a Buy rating on the stock in July 2006, Apple shares were up 62%, while the S&P 500 was down 30%.
Longer term, Bailey writes, “Apple’s ability to innovate will keep it ahead of the competition and drive shares gains in its existing product categories allow it to be first to market in newer categories like Mobile Internet Devices,” he writes. But Bailey adds that “the nearer-term outlook is less positive, “as it now looks unlikely that Apple will launch a new product category at MacWorld in early January, taking away a potential catalyst for the shares and causing Apple to try to generate demand in a touch environment without the benefit of a new offering in the first part of 2009.”
Bailey cut his EPS estimate for the September 2009 fiscal year to $4.54, from $4.86; for FY 2010 he goes to $5.45, from $5.80; and for FY 2011 he now sees $6.25, down from $6.47. Bailey cut his target price on the stock today to $115, from $125.
Bailey notes that his 2009 EPS estimate if you assume current-quarter iPhone revenue recognition would be $6.70, which gives you a multiple of 14.7x, or about 1.5x its peer group. Bailey notes that this method “should see earnings growth decelerate dramatically starting this quarter and growth turn negative for calendar 2009.” Writes Bailey: “This suggests that Apple’s biggest risk is its multiple premium coming down if iPhone sales fall short of expectations” in the first half of calendar 2009.
In pre-market trading, Apple is down $1.87, or 1.9%, to $96.40.


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The highly-sought but short-lived BMW 1M Coupe will get a replacement via the BMW M2, since the Coupe derivative of the 1-Series is now sold as the 2-Series. According to Dackelone, a member of the 2Addicts.com forum, the BMW M2 will sport the Bavarian automaker’s N55 twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six engine dishing out 370 PS (365 hp) and 465 Nm of torque.
The twin-turbo engine will also feature an “over boost” of +35 Nm in low to mid engine speeds. The engine can be expected to be offered with two transmission options – a 6-speed manual transmission and a 7-speed Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT). The tradition of a rear-wheel drive setup will most likely carry over.
The forum member also reveals some details on the exterior and the interior of the 2016 BMW M2. Four body paint choices will be available at the launch – Alpine White, Black Sapphire Metallic, Long Beach Blue metallic and Mineral Grey Metallic. The interior will be available only in Black scheme with Blue accent stitching.
The BMW M2 is expected to launch at the IAA 2015 in September.


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Fifteen people went on trial on Monday for stealing almost 4,000 bottles of grands crus wines worth €1 million (£720,000) from a string of top Bordeaux chateaux, in an elaborate scheme in which some were stolen to order.
The alleged wine thieves were arrested last year in a vast sting operation involving 300 gendarmes in four regions of southwestern France and Paris, called Cassevin – or Winebreak.
The men are accused of mounting a “highly organised and professional” operation to swipe some of the world’s most expensive and inaccessible bottles from merchants and 13 renowned chateaux, including Cheval-Blanc, Margaux, Lafite Rothschild, Yquem, Haut-Bailly, Léoville Las Cases, Lascombes and Palmer.
The most expensive French wines can be worth thousans of Euros (Getty)
These are “among the most prestigious wines from the [Bordeaux] 1855 ranking or the Saint-Emilion classification,” said SudOuest, the regional newspaper.
Prosecutors say they then sold their booty at cut prices to well-heeled wine lovers and restaurants desperate to get their hands on rare vintages.
The defendants include an uncle and nephew alleged to be the masterminds of the scheme, along with a company boss from Biarritz and one of his employees, two teachers from the Tarn area of southwestern France and a political sciences professor from a Paris university. The alleged ringleader has spent 28 years behind bars, including 15 years for jewellery heists.
In all, investigators concluded that the gang stole 3,771 bottles and made a profit of €350,000 (£250,000).
The thefts took place over a nine-month period from June 2013 to February last year, and spread fear and suspicion among the top chateaux, with owners wondering who would be next on the burglars’ list.
Investigators said the thieves were very well informed and that the thefts were carried out every two weeks or so, each of them in a matter of minutes.
After removing the cases from the targeted chateau's cellars and escaping, the thieves cleaned their fingerprints from the getaway vehicle with bleach and then set fire to it.
After their arrest, Colonel Ghislain Réty, gendarmerie commander, said: "It was a highly organised group. In each case they would steal a van and then head to the vineyards they had already chosen and load up several dozen cases of wine."
“The criminals were well versed in the methods of surveillance and armed robbery,” said Eric Baille, head gendarme of Mérignac.
Police found hundreds of bottles of wine and tens of thousands of euros in cash, as well as stolen vehicles and weapons during the raids.
The sting operation was shrouded in secrecy, with detectives tight-lipped over how the thieves managed to break into so many vineyards. SudOuest, the regional newspaper, said that “the latest high-end investigation techniques” were employed to ensnare the gang.
“We were able to ascertain the modus operandi of the group, which was always identical, to conduct the robberies,” Col Réty told SudOuest, without providing more details.
Concerned about their reputations and security, the winemakers have also kept a low profile, with some of the chateaux involved only now being named.
Arnaud Dupin, lawyer for three defendants, said the cost and rarity of the bottles had created a “parallel market”.
“If the wines were accessible to anyone we wouldn’t end up with such cases. Everyone wants to acquire and taste grands crus when they have a passion for them but the prices are naturally rather off-putting. We’re not talking about bottles that you see everywhere, these are bottles that are difficult to obtain.”
Speaking to France Bleu radio, he added: “Rarity creates inevitably parallel markets to cater to individuals looking for such wines, so well-organised fraud emerges like this.”
The trial comes two years after gendarmes broke up a separate network of thieves who had stolen some 500 bottles worth €300,000, including wines from the top chateaux of Yquem, Petrus, Ausone and Cheval Blanc, worth €700-€1,000 each.
In this case, the robbers risk a maximum prison term of 15 years. The trial continues.


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The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo won’t be the last iteration of the brand's EV.
Porsche’s product boss, Stefan Weckbach, told Autocar that there could be other variants of the Taycan, including a two-door coupe, convertible, and a low-riding wagon.
Porsche just revealed the Taycan Cross Turismo, a slightly raised electric wagon. But apparently, it won’t be the last Taycan. It makes sense that the next one would be a sleek wagon because there wouldn’t as much development since the Cross Turismo is already a wagon. If it happens, it would be the all-electric alternative of the Panamera Sport Turismo, the brand’s gas and hybrid wagon. Taycan Sport Turismo would likely be the name.
“I can't tell you today if we are really going for something like that,” Weckbach said. “The platform is perfect for future additional product ideas, and we are thinking in different directions.”
The product boss also said a convertible version of the EV is possible but doesn’t know if there would be enough demand for it. Another possibility is a two-door coupe version of the Taycan, something that never happened with the Panamera even though it's possible. So it likely won’t happen with the Taycan.
Sedan, wagon, convertible, and coupe body styles are possible thanks to the Taycan’s flexible J1 platform. However, the platform will not accommodate SUVs including the next-generation electric Macan.
Lastly, there will be an electric Porsche Cayenne, but Wechback couldn’t comment on it yet:
“...there will be a day when we talk about an electric Cayenne”.
What should Porsche do with the Taycan next? Wagon, coupe, convertible? Please comment below.


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Digital-rights management (DRM) drags down economic growth, and countries that back the technology are doomed to lag behind, a top
Linden Research executive said Thursday.
DRM refers to any technology that restricts how a digital file or software can be used and shared. The technology is meant to protect the interests of copyright holders by limiting how digital content is used and insuring they get paid. But critics charge DRM is clumsy, infringes on fair-use rights, and restricts competition.
DRM makes education and learning more expensive, which results in less innovation and a lower gross domestic product, said Cory Ondrejka, chief technology officer at Linden, the company behind the Second Life virtual world.
“DRM makes you less competitive,” Ondrejka told attendees at the iX Conference alongside the CommunicAsia show in Singapore.
Countries that want to close the gap with more advanced nations should avoid DRM or they will continue to lag behind, he said.
While Ondrejka’s comments addressed the issue of DRM in the real world, Linden has wrestled with copyright infringement in the virtual world.
Last year, some Second Life users began using CopyBot, a program capable of replicating items that other users had created and sold in Second Life. Faced with a growing chorus of complaints from users who saw their products being copied, Linden ruled in November that CopyBot violated the virtual world’s terms of service and threatened to ban any user found using the program for copyright infringement.
But Linden stopped short of using DRM to protect against copies in Second Life.
“While Linden Lab could get into an arms race with residents in an attempt to stop this copying, those attempts would surely fail and could harm legitimate projects within Second Life,” Ondrejka wrote in a blog post at that time.
In that same post, Ondrejka noted Linden isn’t in the business of fighting copyright infringement. “The communities within Second Life should have the tools and the freedoms to decide how and when they deal with potentially infringing content,” he said.


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Company ordered to stop using wheel clamp to immobilize cars
State authorities have ordered a company operating in parking lots across Seattle to stop using a wheel clamp, known as a "boot," to punish drivers for trespassing on business parking lots.
After a series of investigations, licensing officials said they have determined that "booting" vehicles on private property is illegal in Washington, although no specific regulations exist about wheel-clamping devices.
The company, Bellevue-based Clampdown Washington, used the boot to immobilize vehicles that were unauthorized to park in private parking lots. Vehicles typically become unauthorized to park in lots when their occupants do not patronize the businesses that own or lease the lots.
Clampdown owner Jason Rasaian said yesterday that he will comply with the order and request a hearing with the department. He said that he has spoken to his attorney and may take the issue to court.
His business offers property owners an alternative to calling a tow truck to enforce their parking lot rules.
Booting cars, Rasaian said, is faster and more effective for catching trespassers, on one hand, and carries a less expensive penalty for drivers on the other.
Clampdown's general clamping fee was $95. The company also offered to collect an additional $20 fee, which would be kicked back to the parking lot owner. The fees have varied from lot to lot.
According to investigations by state licensing officials, Clampdown charged people between $95 and $125 to regain their vehicles. The company has been in business for two years and has contracts for 18 lots.
The state began investigating Clampdown's practices after receiving consumer complaints last summer.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported in July that Clampdown Washington had been using three different types of wheel clamps to immobilize vehicles and telling angry customers that the company was duly licensed to provide immobilizing services.
The report, however, explained that the state offers no such licenses, and that Clampdown was operating with a general business license.
Since the P-I report, Rasaian said, his clamping business has increased.
There are no laws regarding the use of wheel clamps, but attorneys for the Licensing Department said that using them to immobilize someone else's vehicle is illegal for anyone but an authorized government agent, such as a police officer.
The state's position stems from its regulation of vehicle impounds, which are allowed only by the government or a licensed tow truck operator.
The law states that " 'impound' means to take and hold a vehicle in legal custody."
"Using a clamp to immobilize a vehicle is to deprive the owner of the vehicle of the use of his property. That vehicle is being held for ransom, basically, until the owner pays the money to release it," Benfield said. "That's an impound."
Tow truck operators, as the only ones allowed to impound, are additionally required to move the vehicle they impound to a secure location.
Because booting a car impounds the vehicle in place, tow truck operators are not allowed to do it.
This was explained to Rasaian's lawyer in a letter from an assistant state attorney general in March 2003. But Clampdown's practices went unchallenged until now.
The main problem with wheel clamping, officials found, was "the lack of due process that is afforded to people who are impounded by tow trucks," Benfield said.
"I think it would be unfair to link us to tow truck companies," Rasaian said. He added that he would never try to become a tow truck operator.
Consumers have the right to contest an impound in District Court, but there was no recourse to contest the boot. Even police officers said that they felt powerless to do anything when people called about being booted.
Last year, state Rep. Al O'Brien, a retired Seattle police officer, introduced legislation that would regulate wheel clamping and require businesses that do it to be licensed for it.
But opposition from the state's towing industry, which would likely lose business to clamping companies, delayed the measure to this session, he said.
"We thought this would be a slam dunk last year, but the towing industry came unglued," O'Brien said. The legislation, diluted by concerns from the towing industry, now gives businesses the authority to ticket unauthorized vehicles and go after their owners for collection.
One of Clampdown's main competitors in Seattle, Parking Control Systems, already has been ticketing cars, as well as clamping them. A contract between Parking Control Systems and the state allows it to get current addresses for vehicle owners through license plate numbers, which the company then uses to make collection attempts.


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MARGAO: The Margao Municipal Council (MMC), South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA), and the traffic police today implemented strict measures to ensure the market’s cleanliness and cleared vendors selling fish at the market in accordance with the High Court of Bombay at Goa.
“As of today, retail fish sales at the SGPDA wholesale fish market are prohibited. We have cleared the area and requested that retail fish vendors write to SGPDA and MMC for space allocation; the authorities will respond, according to an MMC officer.
The retail fish vendors insisted they had been given this location and were not prepared to go.
A fish dealer lamented, “We are poor; we survive by selling fish. Where will we go? What about the fish? It will spoil, therefore we must sell it.
The president of the wholesale fish market traders association, M Ibrahim, attempted to lay the blame for the entire issue in the wholesale fish market on the SGPDA, claiming that 90% of the business there is unlawful.
In reality, he said that extortion is common in the wholesale fish market and emphasized the fact that illegal trade dominates there.
SGPDA said that they should be contacted by traditional fishermen to obtain permission to sell their catch, but only inside the wholesale fish market.
“Outside of the wholesale fish market, there cannot be any retail sales of fish. However, if the vendors assert that they are ramponkars selling fish in wholesale, allow them to do so with PDA approval, SGPDA officer added, adding that the MMC will never permit any vendors to sell fish outside the wholesale fish market.
He claimed that the traffic police have been instructed to ticket any parked cars along the route leading to the wholesale fish market.
“We are working in accordance with the High Court’s orders, which have made it very plain that vehicles cannot be parked on either side of the wholesale.


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Kevin Bell, managing principal at law firm Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, was speaking to us after the Wall Street Journal reported that Peatos' brand owner Snack it Forward had been contacted by attorneys at Frito-Lay alleging that the branding of Peatos (which feature a tiger on pack) is “confusingly similar” to Cheetos (featuring Chester the cheetah).
“Those of us who litigate patent and trademark disputes refer to it as the highest form of flattery,” said Bell.
“Snack it Forward [which owns the Peatos brand] is now ‘worth’ being sued.”
Dropping the tag line and putting a peacock or panda on the front, would potentially have gone a long way to avoiding this dispute
He added: “The biggest problem such companies face is they often are not the direct target until they demonstrate success. PepsiCo did not oppose the PEATOS mark in 2017 [The mark was published for opposition in March 2017 and no objections were filed], assuming it monitors diligently… It chose to send a cease and desist letter when PEATOS demonstrated success with consumers in grocery stores.
“I think the tag line, ‘Tigers live longer than cheetahs,’ [contested by PepsiCo] combined with the face of a tiger on the front of PEATOS favors PepsiCo's position and is probably what bothers them more than the word PEATOS. In this case, if the company was wed to using the word PEATOS, dropping the tag line and putting a peacock or panda on the front, would potentially have gone a long way to avoiding this dispute.”
We ask clients a simple question: How do you and your investors want to spend your money?
He added: "My guess is that PepsiCo has not filed a formal lawsuit because they are in settlement negotiations to have Snack It Forward make changes sufficient to satisfy PepsiCo.
"Tigers may live longer than Cheetahs, but not all tigers, especially if they are hunting in the same herd... I would expect them [PepsiCo] to want the tagline changed or removed. There are other statements on the website insinuating that Cheetos are 'junk food,' comparing Peatos' protein and fiber content to that 'corny cheetah' and 'flashy feline.' I'm not saying companies cannot use product comparisons, but here it appears that Peatos is wrapping its arms around Cheetos to gain brand awareness among consumers and then pushing the differences.
"If PepsiCo does file a lawsuit in federal district court, my guess they will also have a couple other claims they will allege."
In cases such as this, he said, “We ask clients a simple question: How do you and your investors want to spend your money? If the PEATOS mark is significant to the future success of the company and you have good defenses, then spend money on attorneys and fight, but be prepared for contract manufacturers and retail customers to be cautious in doing business with you until the fight is resolved.
“Alternatively, if you can avoid a costly-dispute without losing your entire brand recognition and related value, then pick another name or tagline and move on. Litigation and business are both investments, so choose wisely.”
There were people saying, we’re in the right, but if these guys try to sue us, how will it play out?
Pepsi has not responded to requests for comment, while Snack it Forward CEO Nick Desai acknowledged that there had been a “healthy debate” internally upon receipt of the letter, although he remained confident in the branding having consulted multiple attorneys ahead of the launch.
“Frito-Lay had a particular issue with the tagline, but it was a case of throwing a bunch of stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks.”
But he added: “Whether we win in court is almost irrelevant because they know we might not have the budget to go the distance. There were people saying, we’re in the right, but if these guys try to sue us how will it play out? But in the end, we said we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. The board, the management team and our investors were all aligned, so we fired back and said hey you know what, we’re not going away guys."
That said, there is no active litigation at present, he said: “Our [respective] lawyers have been talking but you know if we were to end up calling this product Tiger Puffs or whatever, you can’t stifle innovation. The product, the formulation, is completely different [to Cheetos], and people love it.”
Peatos is not a niche natural brand
Made from pea and lentil flour, fava bean protein, pea fiber, high-oleic safflower oil, rice, and seasonings, Peatos target consumers that want the taste and texture of Cheetos (which are denser and crunchier than puffs), without the empty calories, said Desai.
And it's squarely targeting mainstream consumers and retailers, he said: “Right now there is one behemoth with brands like Doritos and Cheetos with pretty universal appeal and they market their snacks based on taste and fun, and then you have hundreds of smaller guys out there with more niche products on the better for you side, where the branding is all about nutritional value, or doing good.
“We want to bridge the gap between the two. This is not a niche natural brand and we didn’t want to be a goody two shoes brand. That’s not fun, it’s not exciting.”
Our business is exploding right now
And so far, the strategy is paying off big time, he said: “We’ll hit $4-5m this year and we only launched in May. And based on current projections, we’re looking at $20m in 2019.”
Currently, Peatos are in the produce aisle in leading retailers including Kroger (nationwide), Safeway (Northern California), Albertsons (Southern California), and Walmart (northeast), with multiple new accounts coming online shortly, said Desai, who said the brand is also growing strongly on Amazon and gaining traction at big tech companies where Millennial staff expect free snacks, but are bored of legacy brands and seeking something new.
The brand - which is backed by some high profile food industry veterans including Lenny & Larry's CEO Apu Mody (a former president of Mars Food North America) - plans to raise $20-30m in the next few months to fuel its ambitious growth plans, added Desai.
“We’ve just participated in Kroger’s free Friday downloads program [whereby loyalty card members can download coupons for free items on Fridays] and 1.7m people downloaded a coupon to get a free bag of Peatos and 600,000 people have already redeemed that coupon since August 31. Our business is exploding right now.”
The factors courts use to decide trademark infringement cases are often referred to as 'Polaroid factors' because they come from a case involving the Polaroid company (Polaroid Corp. v. Polarad Electronics, Corp., 287 F.2d 492 (2d Cir. 1961), and include:
(1) strength of the trademark;
(2) similarity of the marks;
(3) proximity of the products and their competitiveness with one another;
(4) evidence that the senior user may 'bridge the gap' by developing a product for sale in the market of the alleged infringer’s product;
(5) evidence of actual consumer confusion;
(6) evidence that the imitative mark was adopted in bad faith;
(7) respective quality of the products; and
(8) sophistication of consumers in the relevant market.


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Study: 100% face mask use could crush second, third COVID-19 wave
Wearing a face mask can reduce coronavirus transmission by up to 75%, study says
CDC considering recommending general public wear face coverings in public
President Trump says he could see recommending all Americans wear masks
Would everyone wearing face masks help us slow the pandemic?
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Sony has announced that their less-lardy version of its PSP handheld gaming device has been eagerly scooped up by over one million gamers in Japan, notching up one million sales in September.
The slimmer, lighter version managed to fly past the one million mark in just eight weeks – a big improvement on the original PSP which took two and half months to notch up the milestone sales figure.
The ‘PSP 2’ is 19 per cent slimmer and 33 per cent lighter than its predecessor, offers a slightly better battery life and comes in a range of colours including rose pink and felicia blue (whatever that is).
A contentment video-out port has been added, so gamers can admire their gaming prowess and watch UMD movies by plugging their PSP into a larger screen.
Sony were prompted to start chiseling some lard off their handheld gaming device in the face of buoyant Nintendo DS Lite sales, which continues to outsell the PSP; in the week to 18 November, 76,069 DS Lites were bought compared to 65,609 PSP sales.
The new slimmer look and groovy colour schemes were also designed to appeal to a wider segment of the market, including the laydees, apparently.
Sony has stated that it’s aiming to shift 10 million PSP units worldwide in the year ending in March 2008, substantially less than Nintendo’s goal of selling 28 million DS handhelds.
Elsewhere rumours persist that Sony is developing a PSP phone with Sony Ericsson, despite official denials.


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The urgent need to transform the current food system in times of crisis instead of just fixing it
Resilient food supply chains are at the core of the urgent need to shift towards sustainable and healthy food systems. Yet, this transformation is disrupted by global crises, driving up global food prices, increasing the number of people living in poverty, and leading to the double burden of malnutrition. The COVID-19 pandemic already inflated prices for food and other basic staples. The environmental crisis with climate-related weather extremes has affected the productivity of all agricultural and fishery sectors, with negative consequences for food security and livelihoods, as stated by the latest IPCC report with high confidence.
The world is now facing a new, tragic crisis – a war being fought in the country that is one of the breadbaskets of the world. When Russia´s president decided to invade Ukraine, he directly put global food security at risk. In view of the current humanitarian crisis and daily war crimes that are happening in the Ukraine, restoring the safety and health of the people should be the primary focus. However, it is also important to address the negative long-term consequences the conflict induces on the global food supply chain, threatening food availability in other countries. This threat has even prompted the neighboring country of Moldova to ban exports of wheat and maize, reflecting the concern over these consequences. However, it is important to be aware of the essential role that Ukraine and Russia in particular are playing as global food suppliers. They are major producers and exporters of sunflower oil, wheat, corn, and barley. As such, they are an essential exporter to low- and middle-income countries, particularly Egypt, Lebanon and Yemen- countries where millions already face poverty and malnutrition due to the pandemic, other conflicts and climate crisis induced weather extremes.
The current geopolitical environment drastically alters the supply of key commodities on the global market with numerous downstream consequences. In Sweden, food supply does not directly depend on importing grains from Ukraine and Russia, either for food or animal feed – Sweden is importing less than 0.01% of all their commodities trade from Ukraine and only 2.9% from Russia (mostly fossil fuels). However, the interconnectedness of the food system and its dependency on energy prices means that Sweden will be impacted. This led the Federation of Swedish Farmers (LRF) to set up a strategic crisis group to monitor the developments and analyze the impact of the war in Ukraine on the Swedish food supply chain. According to their analysis, Swedish farmers rely on Russia for about 20% of their fertilizer, but this will have minimal impact on this growing season, although there could be more dramatic impacts on next year’s crops. While Sweden is not dependent on Russian or Ukrainian grains for animal feed, reduced global supply of fodder has already led to record high feed prices. In addition, Russia and Ukraine export raw materials such as oil and gas to other European countries (especially Germany), which process them into products that are then imported to Sweden. According to the analysis by LRF, the Swedish food market will be most directly impacted by the rising energy prices.
Seeing the connectedness of our food system in this crisis, we must prepare for increasing disruptions to our usual patterns of buying and eating, whether due to pandemics, war, or increasing extreme weather. A group of scientists published a statement outlining the need to transform the global food system as a response to the Ukrainian crisis- now more than ever. Signed by more than 500 highly recognized food system researchers in just four days, the authors proposed three key strategies: i) accelerate the shift towards healthier diets with less animal production, ii) increase the production of legumes, and iii) reduce the amount of food waste.
But how can we in Sweden prepare ourselves to feed our communities and contribute to future disaster relief in other places in the face of such uncertainty? One promising possibility to build resilience, that was also pointed out in the aforementioned statement, is to domestically produce more grain legumes for humans to eat.
All of our food futures require us, as a population, to eat less red meat. Just over two percent of arable land in Sweden is currently used for grain legume production, most of which are fava beans and yellow peas used as animal feed. Swedish farmers currently producing grain legumes for feed can transition to producing them for food as they are generally suitable for human consumption, too. Indeed, food systems organized around pulse production can improve human and ecosystem health, and recent European research has called for actors from governments to farmers to work together on a transition to increased legume consumption and production. But why focus on pulses?
- Pulses are rich in nutrients. Increasing bean consumption is associated with improved cardiovascular health and diabetes management, and most of us consume only ¼ of optimal daily intake. Faced with a reduced supply of imported foods – including animal products – pulses can provide a critical, low-fat source of protein, fiber, and micronutrients.
- Growing pulses reduces the need for synthetic fertilizer. Because legumes can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, increased production avoids some or all synthetic fertilizer use for those plants and reduces or avoids use for subsequent crop plantings in a rotational system as well. Not only does this have numerous environmental benefits, it also reduces dependence on imported fertilizer, many of whose components have historically come from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. In addition, fertilizer prices are closely linked to energy prices, which are volatile in times of crisis.
- Low environmental impact. Pulse production has a small carbon footprint, and the plants can increase biodiversity by providing habitats for small mammals and birds, as well as flowering plants for pollinators.
- Due to warming temperatures, pulses for food are increasingly being grown in many parts of Sweden, including as far north as Dalarna and Gävleborg. They are easily dried or canned and stored for several years, providing a reserve of nutritious food that can be donated or used domestically in the face of future disasters.
Researchers at SLU are actively exploring these pathways in Sweden, including modeling land use for food production, exploring environmental impacts of domestic production, and developing legume-based products in partnership with Nordic companies. Their research shows that a transition to increased production in Sweden is possible if we focus on the following: aid farmers in transitioning their crop systems; establish domestic processing of legumes to lessen environmental impact and decrease production costs; and develop new products to appeal to consumer demands for healthy, tasty, and convenient plant-based products.
Few countries can sustain the nutrition requirements and economic health of their populations without global trade, and we are not arguing for Swedish isolation from the global food market. Rather, we think shifting domestic production toward a system that focuses on human food production can further strengthen the resiliency of the food system, preparing for an uncertain future. Facing increasing risk of severe climate events that disrupt food production and trade, we must act now to prepare our food system to weather the type of unexpected changes we see happening now due to the war being waged in Ukraine. We address these future risks recognizing the immediate needs for health and safety in Ukraine. If we can increase grain legume production in Sweden, we will be poised to provide safe and nutritious food supplies in future times of urgent need.
Text: Mary Scheuermann, A. Charlotte Bunge, Line J. Gordon


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January 23, 2012 |
Does a six-figure salary guarantee a satisfying career? Not for me. In fact, I found my job with a private equity firm to be so mundane that I quit within a year. I had found employment with the Chatterjee Group Real Estate in Mumbai through campus placement at the Indian School of Business in 2004. After quitting, I wanted to explore my creative side through the start-up route, but wasn't interested in a large, capital-intensive set-up. After toying with several business ideas, I finally zeroed in on fashion.
May 4, 2002 |
NEW DELHI: Encouraged by India's swelling rice exports, the world's leading producer of optical sorting machines, Sortex, is introducing its state-of-the-art 'Z' series for large mills. This will be Sortex's first significantly new product just for rice in eight years. However, as the Z series is designed for mills having at least a 4-tonne-per hour capacity, it's market may be confined mainly to the large miller exporters located in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. The average size of a rice mill in India, particularly in the South and western states, is still not more 2-tonnes-per-hour.
August 22, 2013 |
Chetan Dube, 44, the founder of IPsoft, is a passionate mathematician who thinks that God used mathematics to create this Universe. His company earns its keep from technology services, but Dube's interests are in making it possible for individuals to live better lives by letting machines do the repetitive, mundane chores. While IPsoft disrupts the outsourcing industry with its selfhealing, self-learning technology that manages large corporate computer networks , Dube is convinced that more intelligent machines are on their way. "In the next decade, you are going to walk past somebody in the corridor and you would not know if it is a human or an android ," he told ET in an interview.
August 2, 2012 |
MUMBAI: In a blow to leading consumer durable maker Videocon Industries , the Bombay High Court held that the company has deceptively imitated a washing machine design registered by Whirlpool and restrained it from manufacturing the same. Whirlpool of India, a leading manufacturer of home appliances, had approached the high court seeking an injunction against Videocon's manufacturing of a washing machine that was launched in June this year stating that it had a striking similarity with a washing machine designed and registered by it in July 2009.
July 8, 2005 |
CHANDIGARH: Hats off to the Ludhianvi hotelier who pioneered a lassi assembly line out of the genteel washing machine. Now, his counterpart in Punjab farmlands is turning the concept of earth-moving on its head. For, the originality of the following idea can move both heaven and earth. Faced with diminishing yields from the 'green revolutionised' farmlands of Punjab, the humble kisan is looking at excavators, earth movers and loader backhoes as a new alternative to tractors.
November 25, 2013 |
SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government is getting ready to purchase snow making machines that would be deployed in Kashmir's famed ski resort of Gulmarg , an hour's drive from Srinagar, which will remain crowded for most of the winter. However, some nature experts say that this could be counter-productive and is unsuitable for a place like Gulmarg. Fed by huge reservoirs located at high altitudes, the machines can produce snow by forcing water and pressured air through cannons.
May 6, 2008 |
JALANDHAR: To cut the cost of manual grading of the potato crop, Jalandhar Potato Growers Association was all set to install grading machines of International standard and for the purpose approached Holland based company Allround Nu-Tech. "Presently the potatoes are graded roughly by hand on the field by collecting into jute bags and brought on lorries to the cold store, but the grading machines will not only the cut the cost, which is Rs one per kilogram, it will also enable us for accurate grading", Jaswinder Singh Sangha, General Secretary of the Association said after having demonstration of the machine by the company.
July 14, 2003 |
Kitchen Appliances India Ltd. plans to adopt a new marketing initiative to promote its Kenstar top-load tumble wash range of washing machines. The company plans to use various media vehicles besides roadshows. According to a news paper report, the company will be conducting demonstrations at societies in all metros, apart from those at dealer counters. By conducting demonstrations in societies, Kenstar will be able to upgrade consumer habits from buying semi-automatic washing machines to fully automatic ones, company officials said Kitchen Appliances recently appointed more than 750 trained demonstrators and placed them at key dealer counters from July 2003 onwards.
January 22, 2014 |
As if manic machines transforming everyday appliances into monsters, courtesy Hollywood , is not enough for people to switch off gadgets, it now seems truth is indeed scarier than fiction. The news that innocuous "smart" devices in homes may now indeed be the source of hundreds of thousands of spam mails points to a very real and present danger. The latest series of incidents have been engineered by evil hackers out to wreck inboxes and email legacies, so it means there is still a human angle to the mischief.
January 14, 2013 |
Slang is a peculiarly human oddity, common to no other living creatures on this planet, if not the entire universe. Every language has its version of slang, which adds a totally different dimension â€" almost an alternate universe â€" to the classical form, and often conveys emotion far more evocatively as well. In that respect, slang is surely one of our species' defining traits. As a consequence, its adroit use is probably the ultimate test of humanness too. Slang is the ideal test to gauge the efficiency of various models of artificial intelligence.


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According to the Hebrew-language publication, Apple representatives recently began a round of meetings with banks and credit card companies to formulate agreements to bring Apple Pay to the country.
The report notes that many Israeli businesses recently adopted the Europay, MasterCard, and Visa (EMV) standard for mobiles, allowing customer account credentials to be loaded directly onto NFC-enabled smartphones and used in contactless transactions.
Unlike Android devices, Apple's devices don't allow access to the NFC chip through apps other than Apple's own Wallet app, which means financial bodies must sign an Apple Pay agreement that allows the card to be registered in the Wallet. However, it appears that Apple's fee demands could be a sticking point in discussions. The report reads (English machine translation):
Recently, representatives of the Israeli financial system met with Apple representatives to reach cooperation agreements, but some players were surprised to find that Apple requires a fairly high fee estimated at 0.15% - 0.25% of any transaction made through Apple Pay. This is between a quarter and a third of the credit card issuer's revenue from the transaction (bank or credit card company), which should only be paid for the right to pass through Apple Pay.
"It is disproportionate, and constitutes an exploitation of its status and power," said a source close to the talks between the parties.
Apple routinely takes commission from national banking institutions in return for access to Apple Pay, although Germany has passed legislation that could force Apple to open up the NFC chip in iPhones to competing mobile payment providers. Australia's big banks have also sought open access to the NFC chip on the iPhone in recent years.


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The latest Earth Defense Force game has released in the form of EDF: Iron Rain. Currently available for the PlayStation 4, gamers keen on other hardware are left wondering whether or not the latest Yuke's release will be dropping onto the PC or Xbox One.
Is EDF: Iron Rain on PC or Xbox One?
Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is not currently available for Xbox One or PC. Developed by the team at Yuke's, the latest Earth Defense Force game was released exclusively for the PlayStation 4 on April 11, 2019.
Of course, that's not to say that the game will never make its way to other consoles. Two past games in the series, Earth Defense Force 2017 and Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon, were released for Xbox consoles. However, past series entries Global Defense Force, Global Defense Force Tactics, and Earth Defense Force 5 were all released as PlayStation exclusives.
Of those aforementioned titles, only Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon and a remake of Earth Defense Force 2025 ever made their way to the PC. So while players may be holding out for a PC port of Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain, such a release is unlikely to happen. An Xbox One port of EDF: Iron Rain is more likely to release than a PC port, but considering the series' history of releasing EDF games as PlayStation exclusives, both are still relatively unlikely.
Sorry folks: Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is not currently available on the Xbox One or PC. It's certainly possible that EDF: Iron Rain will release for the PC or Xbox One in the future, but going by the series' history, we're not inclined to hold our breaths. Until D3 Publisher or developer Yuke's speak up on the matter, Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is likely to remain a PlayStation 4 exclusive game.


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Aydin Senkut started his venture capital firm Felicis Ventures in San Francisco a decade ago. Five funds and more than $430 million later, Senkut is ready to open an office on Sand Hill Road, alongside such Silicon Valley institutions as Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital. But he’s going to have to pay up.
Located in Facebook Inc.’s hometown of Menlo Park, California, Sand Hill Road has the most expensive office space in the U.S., even as the startup market moderates, according to data from commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield. At an average of $129.91 per square foot annually, it’s up about $6 from last year and exceeds the cost of renting high-end offices in Greenwich, Connecticut, and on New York’s Park Avenue. It is also far more than the $75.39 for comparable space in San Francisco’s south Financial District, which saw a price increase over the last year similar to its neighbor in the Valley, said Robert Sammons, a regional director at Cushman & Wakefield.
While many VC firms are opening offices in San Francisco, Senkut’s move underscores that tech investors are willing to pay a premium for close proximity to other big firms, the companies that might buy or do business with their startups, and the suburban homes of investing partners. What Sand Hill Road lacks is vibrant street life, restaurants, shops or access to major public transportation routes. On either side of the roughly two-mile strip between Interstate 280 and Junipero Serra Boulevard, where many of the world’s top VCs hang their shingles, sit low-slung “woody walk-ups,” nestled among trees, rosemary plants and parking lots.
Felicis Ventures, a backer of clothing startup Bonobos Inc. and satellite maker Planet Labs Inc., is in the process of relocating from its office in downtown Palo Alto, California, the second-most-expensive market in the U.S., according to Cushman & Wakefield. The high prices stem, in part, from the growth of Palantir Technologies Inc., a venture-backed company that has become a major tenant in the area, along with the increasing number of venture firms and startups there, including Wealthfront Inc. and Houzz Inc. The San Francisco Business Times reported this month that Cloudera, a data analytics startup,leased 225,000 square feet in the area.
Rent on Sand Hill Road is generally costlier, but it can be easier to find larger spaces. Felicis Ventures recently signed the lease on a 10,000-square-foot office at 2460 Sand Hill Road, where Senkut plans to host big events for his startups and investment prospects. He declined to discuss how much he’s paying for the space. “Let’s be honest: It’s still a high rent,” he said.
While the startup world has sobered up a bit this year, with wavering valuations afflicting some unicorns and fewer investments to go around, it hasn’t much affected the economics of venture firms. VCs raised $22.9 billion in the first half of the year, according to the National Venture Capital Association, a trade group. That puts the industry on track for the best fundraising year since 2000. In April, Felicis Ventures said it raised a $200 million fund, almost double the size of its last one.
Today’s rents are still nowhere near what landlords demanded in early 2008 before the financial crisis. Back then, asking prices topped an average of $170 a square foot on Sand Hill Road, said Cushman & Wakefield.
For architecture lovers, Sand Hill Road doesn’t offer much to look at. But the area’s blandness is precisely its appeal, providing a brick-and-mortar equivalent to the understated dress code of a blazer and jeans favored by many VCs. “There’s a little bit more of a low-profile thing going on,” said Jeff Cushman, executive managing director for Silicon Valley at Cushman & Wakefield.
Crucially, an address on Sand Hill Road establishes cachet, said Brad Van Linge, senior managing director at real estate firm Newmark Cornish & Carey. “The entire world looks at that and says, ‘OK, we know you’re somebody,’” he said.
The new digs for Felicis Ventures sit in a complex owned by DivcoWest that currently boasts Sand Hill Road’s highest asking prices on the market, according to two brokers, who asked not to be named for fear of jeopardizing rental negotiations and relationships. This newly constructed building is listed at $132 a square foot annually, driven by such amenities as unusually large decks and, in a rare feature for the area, underground parking. Rent for an office of about 5,000 square feet, typical in the area, would cost as much as $55,000 a month.
Tenants on the other side of the street—at the Stanford University-owned complex next to the clubby Rosewood hotel—are currently paying the most in rent, with prices above $140 a square foot annually, the brokers said. That location, home to Andreessen Horowitz and Coatue Management, has no space available, according to Stanford’s property management group.More from Bloomberg.com


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The UK car industry staged a slight recovery last month when sales of new vehicles increased for the first time in six months.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) stated 81,969 new cars were registered in February, increasing 1.4% from a year previously. February is conventionally one of the quietest months of the year, as customers hold off purchases prior the numberplate change in March.
Samuel Tombs, the chief UK economist at the consultancy Pantheon Macroeconomics, stated the boost in sales was good news for the wider economy.
“February’s rise in car sales is another reminder that households’ spending likely will keep increasing in the first quarter, ensuring that a retrenchment of business spending due to Brexit risks won’t tip the economy into a recession,” he stated.
Tombs alerted, however, that the latest pick-up could reflect some customers bringing forward purchases, fearing a further decline of the pound in the event of a no-deal Brexit would boost the cost of cars later this year.
Demand for diesel cars still continued to drop in February, with the number sold down by 14% at 24,284 vehicles, where as petrol car sales boosted by 8% to 53,164. The strongest growth was in sales of alternative-fuelled vehicles, which boosted 34% last month to 4,521, as cutting-edge models attracted consumers into showrooms – marking almost two years of continued growth.
Registrations of zero-emission electric cars more than doubled to 731 units, although they still represented for a fraction of the market at 0.9%.
The SMMT chief executive, Mike Hawes, stated: “It’s encouraging to see market growth in February, albeit marginal, particularly for electrified models.”


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Cameron Diaz is officially in the wine business. The Charlie’s Angels star teamed up with her longtime pal Katherine Power to release a line of clean, organic wines made without additives or animal products.
Diaz, 47, and Power, 40, were inspired to create their own collection of wines, called Avaline, after realizing that many varieties on the market today are loaded with undesirable ingredients. “It starts in the vineyard, with the land, with how the grapes are cared for from the moment they come onto the vine,” Diaz explained to InStyle on Thursday, July 9. “If you’re not drinking wine with organically grown grapes, you’re drinking pesticides — it’s nothing you want inside of you.”
Despite thinking wine was “just fermented grapes,” the California native soon learned that the popular drink can actually be manipulated with over 70 additives. “When your mouth turns purple from drinking red wine? That’s not natural. That’s a coloring called Mega Purple,” she said, noting that many wines aren’t vegan-friendly. “People just assume the wine they’re drinking is vegan. Most wines are not — they’re filtered through either egg whites or fish bladder lining.”
After switching to organic, naturally produced wine, the duo, who met through Diaz’s sister-in-law, Nicole Richie, several years ago, saw “life-changing” results and knew they had to take matters into their own hands.
To create their own wine, which is clean, vegan-friendly, made with organic grapes and free of unnecessary add-ins like sugars, colors, and concentrates, the pair traveled all over Europe to sample as many varieties as they could. “This is definitely not a licensing deal; we’re not just putting our name or face on a product,” Power explained. “It’s been a long journey around the world to find the best winemakers for the taste profiles that we wanted, that met our health criteria. We literally knocked on doors in France and Spain and Italy.”
The line took about two years to create. Currently, it consists of a white blend and a rosé.
Diaz, who announced the arrival of daughter Raddix with husband Benji Madden in January, and Power used a baby name generator to select a “strong but feminine” moniker for their brand. “We had so many sessions searching for the name, it was crazy. There are literally hundreds of thousands of wines out there, so all the names were taken,” the Holiday star recalled. “I have pages and pages of baby names that we went through and this one was the one where we were both like, ‘Yeah, that’s it.'”
While the coronavirus pandemic has prevented the twosome from having a launch party for Avaline, they have been able to safely get samples to some friends, who are seriously impressed. As Diaz put it: “The response has been just as we had expected: ‘It’s the perfect rosé!'”
During an Instagram Live in April, the Body Book author opened up about how food and cooking have helped her get through the pandemic thus far. “My favorite thing in the world to do is cook … that’s my happy place,” she said at the time. “Cooking is everything.”
Diaz also shared that whipping up dishes in the kitchen and having a glass of wine at the end of the day helped “make it through” the current health crisis. “I want to cook,” she said. “I just cook every day, like it doesn’t matter, like I cook at least one meal, sometimes two, sometimes three. It’s just what I do.”
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Artesian Venture Partners has partnered with the Grains Research and Development Corporation to launch GrainInnovate, a $50 million agtech fund.
Schultz will work with cofounders Andrew Grant and Remo Carbone to develop and commercialise technology for the food, wine, and agriculture industries.
Agtech startup Ceres Tag has successfully trialled its so-called ‘FitBit for cows’ at the CSIRO’s Lansdown Research Station in Queensland.
The Digital Vineyard Guidance System is a platform to filter data collected from a suite of remote sensors to improve vineyard efficiency.
Bridge Hub, an agrifood tech innovation hub launched in Wagga Wagga by Blue River Group, has received a $500,000 grant from the government’s Incubator Support Initiative.
There is significant growth forecasted for Australian agriculture, particularly if the sector takes advantage of the opportunities provided by technology.
Adelaide agtech startup MEQ Probe has received $500,000 in funding from industry to run a commercial trial of its technology, which looks to measure the eating quality of meat.
AgriFutures is calling for young innovators passionate about the future of Australian agriculture to apply for the evokeAG Future Young Leaders Program.
Wagga Wagga is set to boost its agtech chops further, with impact investment services firm Blue River Group launching Bridge Hub, an innovation hub to test and commercialise new ideas in the agrifood sector.
AgriWebb, which has created a farm and livestock management solution, has secured a $14 million investment from UK outfit Wheatsheaf Group for a minority stake in the business.
Almost $850 million (US$630 million) of venture capital was invested in Australian startups in the 2017-18 financial year, a new record for the local ecosystem.
Byron Bay agtech Munch Crunch Organics is building a sustainable model to meet demand for fresh produce
The vision for Munch Crunch Organics is not to compete with the big retailers but to provide a sustainable and affordable model to meet demand for produce.
Australian agtech startup OneCrop was this week named the winner of the first prize at the Future Food Asia Awards, taking home US$100,000 in prize money.
T-Provenance will look at the applications of its blockchain tech to ensure food safety, traceability, and authenticity throughout the supply chain.
With almost two years in Melbourne under its belt, agtech-focused innovation hub SproutX has partnered with Mildura Regional Development (MRD) to open a coworking space at Mildura hub The Mill.


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Jul 25, 2017 Medical Comments Off on NT$20 uniform invoice wins May-June NT$10 million special prize
Taipei--One customer who won the special uniform invoice lottery prize of NT$10 million (US$329,380) in the May-June period did so by spending just NT$20 on a bottle of water, according to FamilyMart convenience store chain (??????).
The announcement made by FamilyMart came after the Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced the winning May-June uniform invoice lottery numbers following a draw on Tuesday. The winning number for the special prize is 99768846.
FamilyMart said that two of the uniform invoices it issued during the two month period won the special prize. One of the two winners purchased a bottle of water priced NT$20 at its Fuxiang store in the Zhonghe District of New Taipei.
The other winning uniform invoice was issued at its Fushun store, also located in Zhonghe, to a customer who bought noodles and tea eggs for NT$148, FamilyMart said.
Meanwhile, 7-Eleven (????), the largest convenience store chain in Taiwan, said that two of its uniform invoices also won the special prize.
One of the two was issued at its Jimei store in Sanchung District in New Taipei, on a purchase of NT$76, 7-Eleven said.
The other was issued by its Ankuan store in the Sammin District of Kaohsiung to a customer who spent NT$35, 7-Eleven added.
The MOF announced the winning number for the grand prize of NT$2 million as 83660478, while the winning numbers for the first prize of NT$200,000 were 70628612, 87596250 and 97294175.
According to FamilyMart, one of the two uniform invoices winning the NT$2 million grand prize was issued by its Dongfang store in Taipei for the purchase of two bottles of carbonated water worth NT$87 and the other for six packs of chewing gum at its Longshan store in Hsinchu for NT$57.
For 7-Eleven, one uniform invoice was issued by an outlet in the Fengshan District of Kaohsiung, winning the grand prize for a purchase costing NT$28.
The MOF said that the deadline to claim the prizes is Nov. 6.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel


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Westpac will implement Oracle's Customer Hub data integration solution as the basis for its new technology architecture, in an effort to create a single view of the customer across its vast portfolio of systems.
The bank, under CIO Dave Curran, first signalled its intention to restructure its IT architecture around a so-called customer service hub, sitting in the middle of its operations, in 2014.
The platform is intended to centralise all the business logic sitting in separate product and customer-facing systems to give Westpac staff a holistic view of the customer.
At the time Curran hinted that the Oracle customer master database implemented prior to his arrival at Westpac would serve as a foundational element of the new hub.
Westpac introduced the Oracle customer master database under former CIO Bob McKinnon, primarily to support its Fiserv-based front-end for online banking.
The bank today confirmed that after several years assessing options in the market, it would extend its existing Oracle Customer Hub to become its new central customer identifier across the group.
A standard set of APIs will allow the hub to interact with any application, and the new Celeriti core banking platform (which has just gone live in St George) will serve as the system of record for accounts. Celeriti will be extended to Westpac's own operations down the track.
The bank started preliminary build work on the customer service hub around six months ago, and has already linked it to the St George Celeriti platform to "prove we can do it", Curran told iTnews.
Implementing the customer service hub first means the bank can isolate its product systems and choose what to do with them on a case by case basis.
"It's got three big advantages: it puts the customer at the centre of what you're doing in an application sense; it isolates the other systems so I can choose strategically when to address them; and third, the data is all kept around the customer, not around the product," Curran told iTnews.
"Everyting we know about you is linked to you, rather than products or channels."
The implementation of the customer service hub will begin with Westpac's home ownership channels. The project is expected to take three years in total.
The hub is one of four streams of work responsible for a 20 percent boost in Westpac's annual investment spend to $1.3 billion. The program includes a long-term technology standardisation and simplification drive.
More to come


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Bentley secures uk production of first electric car – commits to £2.5 billion sustainability investment in a decade.
Bentley’s first-ever Battery-Powered Electric Vehicle (BEV) will be developed and built in the UK with the company committing to investing £2.5 billion in sustainability over the next ten years. The announcement is a major boost for the UK economy and also helps secure Bentley’s first step into electrification at the production plant, where all Bentley models are built and 4,000 colleagues work.
The significant investment programme will also result in a complete transformation of Bentley’s entire product portfolio, and the historic Crewe Campus by embedding an industry-leading greenfield facility into a worldleading, next generation digital, low environmental impact, high-value advanced manufacturing facility.
Adrian Hallmark, Chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors, said: “Beyond100 is the boldest plan in Bentley’s illustrious history, and in the luxury segment. It’s an ambitious and credible roadmap to carbon neutrality of our total business system, including the shift to 100 per cent BEV in just eight years.
“Our aim is to become the benchmark not just for luxury cars or sustainable credentials but the entire scope of our operations. Securing production of our first BEV in Crewe is a milestone moment for Bentley, and the UK, as we plan for a long-term sustainable future in Crewe.”


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The domestic automotive industry is projected to recover in the fourth quarter of 2021 and pick up momentum well into 2022, according to investments and banking executives.
House of Investments (HI) Senior Vice-President and Car Business Operations head Johnny Fetalvero said several factors will work in favor of improved auto sales. These include the speed of the Coronavirus 2019 (Covid19) vaccination roll-out, reinvigorated cash remittances, steady lifting of restrictions, and election spending.
In turn, increased economic activities and consumer spending would sustain the momentum the following year.
Fetalvero explained that the auto purchases may have shifted to low gear with the record levels of active virus cases in March this year, and the subsequent reimposition of the expanded community quarantine (ECQ).
“But the Filipino spending and revelry culture in the Christmas season is expected to shift auto sales to fourth gear,” he enthusiast.
Inquiries with car dealers last year only slipped by 20 percent. But inquiries through their social media platforms shot up, proof that the appetite for auto purchases remained warm.
Filipinos also feel safer using their own a car rather than commute to get where they need to be during the pandemic.
Ramil M. De Villa, head of the Consumer Lending Group of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) effective May 15, pointed out that there was an increase in the purchase of refinanced cars during the first few months after the lockdown back in 2020, while the purchase of new cars gained momentum in the fourth quarter of the same year.
De Villa echoed Fetalvero’s insights regarding the recovery of auto sales late this year. In fact, RCBC put in place its upgraded version of the Covid19 Assistance Recovery Enhancement Program (CARE) with a six-month moratorium for those who have car loans.
This resulted in a little over 20 percent of the bank’s clients with auto loans availing of payment holidays last year, with majority of customers opting to continue their regular payment modes.
“I’m confident the normal uptick in Q4 will again be observed,” De Villa said.
RCBC and the House of Investments (HI) are part of the Yuchengco Group of Companies.


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Technology has transformed how businesses and individuals connect, from wearables that capture information about our bodies to smart buildings that communicate with the power grid, and more. As connected devices become the new norm, companies and individuals have the opportunity to explore how sharing data can generate insight, action and value.
To explore the risks and benefits of this new reality, AIG partnered with independent research agency RTI to study attitudes toward data sharing. We surveyed about 400 employees and 250 executives from the U.S., the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Singapore, Japan and China. Our findings reflect the rise of a new ‘digital trust,’ built on relationships that enable data sharing, transparency and privacy to unlock business value. Here are four central insights from our study:
1. People need to know the benefits before providing their data.
The majority of businesses and consumers (75%) worldwide are willing to share data if they perceive some benefit. While there’s variation among the countries we studied, more than two thirds of employers and employees were open to sharing their data.
This willingness to provide data in return for benefits spans all industries. Businesses that are more labor-intensive and focus on safety rank among those most open to data sharing. These safety-minded industries, including manufacturing (77%) and transportation/warehousing (79%), are also areas where early adopters are starting to see results. One might consider, for example, commercial trucking companies’ use of computer vision data to trigger automatic braking systems that protect drivers on the road.
Data sharing is also more prevalent among larger, high-growth companies. Companies that proactively share data report a growth rate nearly twice that of those that share data on a limited basis or not at all.
2. Safety concerns play a role.
In our survey, 59% of respondents said improving worker safety would motivate them to share data. More than half of employers in most countries we surveyed said they are willing to ask employees to wear devices to ensure safety at work. Higher still was interest in monitoring data from company cars to ensure employees are driving safely.
3. Cultural difference matter.
Despite the global interest in sharing data, strong contrasts exist in different countries. For example, in the U.S. and Australia, the strongest motivation for data sharing is improving financial performance. In China, Singapore and Italy, the strongest driver was the opportunity to be viewed as an innovator. While in the UK and France, improving employee wellness and reducing payroll costs are top concerns. In Germany, it’s all about enhancing customer relationships, productivity and managing inventory.
These results indicate that value in the connected economy is not one size fits all. When data collection devices catch on quickly in one country and fall flat in another, different attitudes about sharing data may be in play.
In our survey, China ranked highest among employees and employers for their willingness to share data. China also ranked highest of all countries in trust of institutions, including government, business, media, and non-governmental organizations, according to a 2016 Trust Barometer study from Edelman, a global public relations company. We observed this correlation between trust and data sharing worldwide in our survey. Employers and employees said they are significantly more open to sharing data with companies that they perceive as ‘trusted.’
4. Create a culture of trust.
In our survey, more than half of companies said they believe an employer has a right to collect and share data about how employees do their jobs. However, the vast majority of employees are unwilling to share data unless they know that their data will be properly handled and their privacy protected. In our survey, 81% percent of employees felt that their data must be kept private. Additionally, 76% of employees said companies must clearly articulate policies governing the monitoring and sharing of employee data in the workplace. Employers should notify employees when they are gathering their data and offer employees the opportunity to “opt in” rather than “opt out” of data sharing.
Ultimately, by highlighting the benefits of data sharing, we hope to help inventors, investors, consumers and senior business decision makers, including risk managers and chief risk officers, implement new business models and capabilities that can support their business as the connected economy grows.


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This year the 20-some craftspeople and artisans that make up the annual Vineyard Holiday Gift Shop have a new place to display all their holiday wares — at Island Copper Gallery off State Road in Vineyard Haven. The shop will be open from now through Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, from 10 am to 6 pm, except on Thanksgiving, when it will be closed. They also plan to raffle a terrific holiday basket that will feature an item from each artist. The proceeds from this year’s raffle benefit the Island’s homeless shelter initiative, Houses of Grace. The winner will be drawn by noon on Christmas Eve.
These artists take “shop local” to a whole new level with their jewelry, visual arts and photography, leather goods, and fabric works, pillows, blankets, and more. This is the 25th year for the holiday shop, and it promises to offer a diverse selection. Some new artists participating include M.C. LaMarre, Jennifer Burkin, and John Jordan. They’ll also welcome back Stephanie Rossi, Gwen Nichols, Juli Vanderhoop, and Phoenix Russell Rogers.
The organizer, and an artist herself, Rachel Baumrin said that the shop is a great way to find unique gifts for everyone on your list.
“It’s a great community experience, and a way to get to know other artists’ work and meet their customers,” she said. “The physical location, open seven days a week, gives you a sampling of each artist in an intimate setting.” And there are lots of gifts available for under $20, Ms. Baumrin said.
Wampum artists and jewelry makers, holiday ornaments, knit and fabric gifts, balsam sachets, metalworks, stained glass, and more await your shopping bag. The artists say to look out for special events during the nearly five weeks that the shop will be open.
For more information, contact facebook.com/vineyardholidaygiftshop.
This article originally appeared at mvtimes.com.


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As shoppers hunt for Black Friday deals, inflation means bogus bargains are everywhere
Consumers holding out for big deals — and some much-needed relief from soaring costs on just about everything — may be disappointed as they head into the busiest shopping season of the year.
Although retailers are advertising sales of up to 70% off clothing, TVs and other products, many items will still cost more than they did last year because of inflation, meaning that finding a true bargain may prove to be a challenge.
In September and October, shoppers paid roughly 18% more for furniture and appliances than they did a year earlier, according to analytics company DataWeave, which tracks prices for hundreds of thousands of items across roughly three dozen retailers including Amazon and Target. For toys, they paid approximately 2% more.
Things looked a bit better for consumers shopping for clothing — they paid nearly 5% less compared with last fall, according to DataWeave. Meanwhile, prices held steady for footwear.
“It’s just a weird time for everybody to figure out what is the right price, and what is the real price,” said Nikki Baird, vice president of strategy at Aptos, a retail technology firm. “Consumers are really bad at discount math, and retailers are fully aware of it and do everything they can to take advantage of it.”
Drugstores are locking up more products, frustrating shoppers. The Times surveyed stores and found vastly different approaches to preventing theft.
William Wang, 24, who teaches high school math, said he’s more likely to notice price increases on everyday items — such as a quesadilla that now costs $8 at his local deli — than for gifts he’s going to spend money on once a year.
“I do feel like everything’s more expensive,” the Brooklyn resident said. “But I mainly keep track of it with small items, like food.”
The latest government retail sales report shows sales rose last month even when adjusting for inflation. That underscores some resiliency among shoppers heading into the Black Friday weekend, the kickoff to the season.
But cracks are forming.
Third-quarter earnings results from major retailers show shoppers aren’t willing to pay full price and are waiting for deals. Kohl’s, Target and Macy’s all noted that Americans have also slowed their spending in the last few weeks.
From the vital to the whimsical, this unique gift guide features tech-enhanced products to help you unplug or stay connected in your busy life.
It’s a dramatic change from last year’s holiday period, when shoppers began their quests for holiday items as early as October for fear that they wouldn’t get what they needed amid supply chain problems. They were also flush with cash from government stimulus money. In addition, retailers were struggling to bring in items, so they didn’t need to discount as much.
Michael Liersch, head of advice and planning at Wells Fargo, said that this holiday shopping season, it’s more likely that things will “appear discounted or feel discounted, or it will seem like there are big offers” but that between inflation and “shrinkflation” — when manufacturers quietly shrink package sizes without lowering the price — it’s often not the case.
That trend played out in a recent spot check by DataWeave of different items. For example, a Cuisinart two-speed blender, listed at $59.99 but discounted 25%, was available for $44.99 at grocery chain Fred Meyer. But it was still more expensive than last year’s blender, available for $39.99, after a 20% discount off a lower list price of $49.99.
At Kohl’s, shoppers paid more for Nunn Bush Baker Street men’s dressy shoes this fall than a year earlier when discounts were actually bigger and the list price was lower. The shoes were available for $79.99 after a nearly 16% price cut from the $95 suggested price; last year, the shoes were available for $59.99 after a 29% discount on a lower list price of $85.
Kevin Brasler, executive editor of Consumers’ Checkbook, a nonprofit consumer organization, said its researchers spent 33 weeks starting Feb. 9 tracking sale prices at 25 major retailers.
Inflation hasn’t been this high in decades. We compiled a snapshot of prices at ten grocery chains in the L.A. area. How does your local store stack up?
They found most stores’ sale prices — even those that promote big savings — are bogus discounts, with retailers offering the same “sale price” more than half the time. In fact, at many retailers, the “regular price” or “list” price is seldom, if ever, what shoppers pay, Brasler said.
Still, inflation-battered shoppers such as Yoki Hanley are willing to take their chances and hold out for a bargain. So far, she doesn’t feel like she’s getting good deals for her eight grandchildren and plans to delay her buying until the week before Christmas.
“Everything went up so my little nest egg disappeared a whole lot quicker than I expected,” said the St. Croix resident. “I will wait until the last minute. They’ll get it, but it’s coming late.”
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Apple and Motorola have been at it in Germany, much like Samsung before them, and while Motorola might have appeared to have the upper hand for a while, it looks like things took a 180 degree turn. It turns out that Apple has been granted an injunction against Motorola Android smartphones that utilize the “slide-to-unlock” patent, a patent which caused quite a bit of uproar when it was revealed that it had been granted to Apple.
This slide-to-unlock feature is commonplace as far as iOS and Android devices are concerned, and naturally Motorola will be appealing this injunction. Should they fail their appeal, there is a good chance that this injunction will be a permanent one against an array of Motorola Android smartphones in Germany, not to mention that losing the appeal will also set a precedent that Apple can then use against other Android handset manufacturers whose devices use this feature as well.
OnePlus Has iPhone 6S Case Now
Now here’s an iPhone 6S case that will certainly turn heads, especially when you take into consideration its name which is known as the OnePlus iPhone 6S case. That’s rather weird, don’t you think so? It will certainly take some getting used to before the name rolls off your tongue naturally. Well, we do know that The OnePlus iPhone 6S case can now be purchased for $19.99 a pop, and no, you do not need any kind of invite before you can snag one for yourself.
Each purchase will also be accompanied by an invitation to purchase a OnePlus X, just in case, you know, you would like to tread the Android waters. All in all, it comes in the kind of material as found on the OnePlus One and OnePlus X, which makes it a whole lot harder to lose grip of when you hold it – which is good!
iPhone 6S Prepares For September 18th Release Date
If you are on the lookout for either the iPhone 6S or the iPhone 6S Plus, then here is news for you – chances are pretty high that you can pick up either one, or perhaps even both if you are feeling fat in the pocket, this coming September 18th. First of all, there was a leaked internal memo from Vodafone alongside Japanese site ITHome and German tech experts Macerkopf claiming that the new iPhones 6S models will roll out this coming September 18th in their respective countries
With Japan, Germany and the UK being tier one Apple launch countries, this means that those living in the mentioned countries will receive the iPhones at the same time as folks living over in the US – traditionally speaking, of course. There really isn’t that much time left to wait, as it is less than a month away, and I am quite sure that the time will pass by sooner than you think.
iPad Air 3 Not Coming This Year According To Rumors
It looks like the folks over at Digitimes have come up with their own interpretation of things to come – that there will be no iPad Air 3 released, at least for this year. Digitimes has had their fair share of hits and misses in the past, so it would be best to take this rumor concerning the non-release of the iPad Air 3 in 2015 with a pinch of salt.
Digitimes also laid claim that the iPad mini 4 will not be as supercharged as some of the rumors that had been going around, as it will bring with it only small and incremental upgrades when compared to its predecessor, the iPad mini 3. This does not seem to bode well for fans of the compact tablet, taking into consideration how the iPad mini 3 itself was improved over its predecessor with a new Touch ID fingerprint reader.
Since Apple tends to roll out a new iPad in October, we will just have to sit tight and see whether this particular rumor has enough “legs” to run.


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On Friday, PAO Group, Inc., a biopharmaceutical technology company that offers medicinal cannabis solutions, announced they would “aggressively pursue international research partnerships” – with their eye specifically set on Israel. Officials commented they believe the research partnership will advance the development of their respiratory cannabis treatment RespRx. The company cited an ongoing in vivo study, currently being carried out by Israeli cannabis research and development firms Eybna and CannaSoul. The Vivo study is testing the benefits of using cannabis terpenes to treat inflammatory infections, such as COVID-19, and quell the cytokine storms that accompany the novel infection.
– Mmp News Author, Medical Marijuana Program Connection, 08/16/2020 3:55:11 AM
Open article: https://mmpconnect.com/us-biopharm-tech-company-specializing-in-cannabis-seeks-partnership-in-israel/


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20% Off Cathay Pacific Awards to the U.S. and Europe
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Cathay Pacific is offering a 20% discount on awards to select destinations in the U.S. and Europe from Hong Kong.
Increased Signup Bonus For Cathay Pacific Credit Card
An increased signup bonus of up to 60,000 miles has been announced on the Cathay Pacific Visa Signature® card through June 30, 2018. The Cathay Pacific card is the only Asia Miles credit card available in the US and carries a $95 annual fee.
Asia-Pacific Airline Award Ticket Change and Cancellation Policies
The Asia Pacific region includes some of our favorite carriers. Airlines such as Qantas, Singapore, ANA, Korean, Asiana, and Cathay Pacific offer a hard product and level of service well above the legacy carriers in the US. There’s also differences in the change and cancellation fees when comparing US and Asia Pacific programs, which tend to be priced in miles rather than cash.


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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex visit the finals of wheelchair basketball during the Invictus Games at Zuiderpark on April 22, 2022 in The Hague, Netherlands. Photo: P van Katwijk/Getty Images
Prince Harry’s ‘Spare’ Continues to Break Worldwide Records
The book also seems to have put a dent in the popularity of members of the Royal Family — including the Prince and Princess of Wales. / BY Mike Crisolago / January 19th, 2023
It may be called Spare, but Prince Harry’s memoir is poised to be the heir to a number of literary sales milestones.
Since its release on Jan. 10, Spare has broken numerous records, including entering the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest-selling non-fiction book in history with 1.4 million copies sold across Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. on its first day, as well as setting a first-week sales record in the U.K. with 750,000 copies flying off the shelves (this includes e-books and audio books).
And now, according to the Guardian, which consulted Nielsen BookData, the memoir is also the fastest-selling non-fiction book in the U.K. since record-keeping on the subject began. The publication noted that the previous record-holder, the 2019 Pinch of Nom: 100 Slimming, Home-style Recipes cookbook by Kate Allinson and Kay Featherstone, sold more than 200,000 copies in its first week.
Along the way, Spare also bested former U.S. president Barack Obama’s memoir, A Promised Land, which previously held the first-day sales record for a non-fiction book.
Meanwhile, Harry’s memoir, which takes aim at the Royal Family — and, in particular, his brother, Prince William — may have also chipped away at their popularity.
The Telegraph noted this week that, since the release of Spare, William and Kate’s U.K. popularity dropped eight and seven points respectively. Though it also seems like that the book may have served as an own goal of sorts, causing the popularity of Harry himself, and his wife, Meghan Markle, to dip seven and five points respectively.
The polling of royal popularity was carried out by London-based market research company Ipsos MORI.
Still, the story notes, across the pond the Royal Family holds a favourability rating of 53 per cent, while King Charles received a 51 per cent favourability rating and both William and Kate stand at 61 and 60 per cent respectively — the most popular royals according to the numbers.
Harry, meanwhile, holds a 23 per cent favourability rating. Though it doesn’t seem to be hurting his book sales.


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Omnicom Media Group has announced Darren Stein as the new CEO of Annalect Australia and New Zealand.
Annalect is Omnicom’ s global data and technology business responsible for delivering data-driven marketing strategies through a connected system of data, technology and consultants.
Stein joins Annalect with over 18 years’ experience across analytics, research, data and tech and marketing strategy.
As the CEO of Annalect, Stein will oversee the Australian and New Zealand businesses.
His focus will be on further aligning and leveraging existing products, services and resources as well as growth, specifically in the data and technology consulting space.
OMG Australia and New Zealand CEO Peter Horgan said of the appointment: “Bringing Darren on board continues our investment into Annalect, and underscores our commitment to provide tech and data solutions, that are seamlessly linked to executional capabilities.
“His wealth of experience across analytics, data and technology as well as working within global organisations on both the corporate (Optus and News Corp) and media (IPG) side make him a great fit for the team and an asset for our clients”.
Stein said of his new role: “With more data, comes more noise and that can lead to distraction.
“With unbelievable technology that finally permits us to properly understand, target and personalise, there is an enticement to be unnecessarily complex.
“The continued and increased investment across data, analytical skill sets, marketing and advertising technology coupled with the growing need for marketers to do more with less and prove direct, positive bottom line contribution means getting everything right significantly more often than your competitors is paramount.
“This is far and away the most exciting time to be in any of these areas, and I am very much looking forward to working with a new set of experts on both the agency and client side who want to achieve even more for their brands and customers”.
Stein starts with Annaelect on 1 May 2019.
Prior, Stein held the position of CEO of Cadreon, the data, tech, analytics and programmatic arm of IPG Mediabrands.
Former Cadreon managing director Patrick Darcy will be taking on the role.
Zoetropes, a praxinoscope, early projectors, and a phenakistoscope have all been used to channel what is considered a monumental moment for carmaker Volkswagen in a new short by Johannes Leonardo. Directed by Sam Brown, the 90-second film ‘The Wheel’ uses some of the oldest devices of motion in film—the Zoetrope (praxinoscope, early projectors, and phenakistoscope)—as […]


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Google has confirmed that it will soon start blocking VPN apps available on its Android Play Store marketplace from stopping or interfering with advertising.
The company’s Developer Program Policy, announced in July 2022, specifies that from November 1, only VPN apps that use VPNService, whose primary function is to provide a virtual private network, shall be granted permission to create a secure device-level tunnel to a remote server.
Permissible VPN apps should not, according to Google, collect personal or sensitive data without prominent disclosure and, more importantly, user consent. Furthermore, they should not redirect or manipulate traffic, nor manipulate ads, that can have an impact on other services’ monetization.
Are Android VPN apps allowed?
Earlier this year, it was revealed Google would be making some changes to its Play Store, including imposing some pretty hefty restrictions on VPN apps that are available to download on Android smartphones.
Now, The Register (opens in new tab) has uncovered potential concerns from Swedish ad-blocking VPN app Blokada, which worries that the rule “will hinder at least the previous iteration of its software.” This refers to v5, which post author and blog moderator Reda Labdaoui says (opens in new tab) has had “several takedowns in the past.”
The same Blokada blog post suggests that v6 is not expected to have the same issues, because it uses cloud filtering. Not only does this not break Google policies, but Blokada says it should have fewer battery life, device speed, and network speed implications compared with local VPN filtering.
In an email to The Register, a DuckDuckGo spokesperson explained: “We don’t believe we’ll be impacted by the policy but our team is continuing to review it.”
Are iOS VPN apps allowed?
Thinking of moving to iOS? Google isn’t the only company tightening restrictions on apps that offer VPN services.
Apple’s policy requires that VPN apps use its NEVPNManager API, and that developers should also be affiliated to a company – not individuals.