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A Black entrepreneur from North Carolina is creating coloring books for the culture. In celebration of #BlackExcellence, Latoya Nicole launched a coloring book series that visually highlights African-American history and culture, the Charleston Chronicle reported.
The coloring book—dubbed 24 Shades of Business—is an ode to Black entrepreneurship, the news outlet writes. Nicole says that in addition to celebrating Black trailblazers who fought for justice during Black history month, she wanted to see the accomplishments of Black business owners celebrated as well; especially Black women entrepreneurs. The 24 Shades of Business coloring book features imagery of Black women in a variety of different occupations, highlighting a women who leads in the boardroom, a photographer, a blogger, a yoga instructor, and other professions. The coloring book also features inspirational quotes.
Coloring books have become therapeutic for adults. Nicole says she wanted to use her project as an avenue to celebrate Black women and encourage them to practice self-care. Nicole holds a master’s degree in counseling and psychology. “Women can be so self-sufficient and self-sacrificing that sometimes we can forget the importance of self-care,” she told the Daytona Times. “I knew I wanted to create something that I could relate to because representation matters, plus coloring was like therapy for me. Coloring allows us to switch our brains off from other thoughts and focus and concentrate only on the moment which can help decrease stress.”
She also has another book in her Entrepreneurs Color Too series called 80’s Ladies which includes popular fashion trends from the 80s and 90s. Nicole has taken her mission to inspire and empower women beyond her coloring books. She has also created e-courses, books and journals to help women entrepreneurs grow their business.
18-Year-Old Beauty Entrepreneur Lands Major Deal With Target
Entrepreneur Aims To Open Only Black-Owned Bookstore In Orlando


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The largest beauty industry exhibition in the Caucasus region and the only event in its field in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan International Beauty Industry Exhibition, Beauty Azerbaijan, will be held at JW MARRIOTT Absheron Baku from the 6th to the 7th of November. The exhibition will feature sectors such as cosmetology equipment, decorative (colour) cosmetics and much more. As part of the Beauty Azerbaijan Exhibition, a Master Class Area will operate. It is an ideal platform for presenting new products to its target audience, a place where you can share your unique skills, and present new products or services to an audience that is directly interested in this.
Thus, Beauty Azerbaijan exhibition will be an excellent opportunity to bring together the industry professionals and enhance business relationships, as well as increase sales geography.
The exhibition is supported by Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation, National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers`) Organizations of Azerbaijan Republic, and Small and Medium Business Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The exhibition is organised by Caspian Event Organisers.
Organisations interested in participating in the Beauty Azerbaijan exhibition can contact the organisers for detailed information.

domain: news


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New Delhi: FAU-G (Fearless and United Guards) was recently launched in the Indian market on January 26 ie, on Republic Day. The game has met with great success and has topped the charts on Google Play Store. The company has now launched the game for global markets.
The game is an alternative developed in house by nCore games to PUBG, which is an extremely popular Battle Royale game, got banned along with 118 Chinese apps by the Indian government in the wake of Nation Security Concerns. Tencent owned PUBG was banned in September last year as part of the government’s strikes on apps and games on Chinese origin.
FAU-G goes global # 1 free game FAU-G, proudly made in India, is now available worldwide.
Download now: https://t.co/4TXd1F7g7J#FAUG #atmanirbharbharat@vishalgondal @akshaykumar @dayanidhimg @BharatKeVeer pic.twitter.com/d0VRG4DynY
– nCORE Games (@nCore_games) February 3, 2021
The nCore games tweeted the global launch of the game. The game is available on Google Play Store for free. However, the game is not offered on Apple App Store. Android users all over the world will now be able to play this Indian game.
FAU-G received a great appreciation as it crossed five million downloads within 24 hours of its launch. The reviews of the game have not been up to the mark as a lot of gamers have poorly described the game’s features, graphics, and other specifications.
Currently, FAU-G has a rating of 3.3 stars on the Google Play Store and it seems like the game is seeing a continuous slide in rating, considering the hype it created after the announcement of its launch.


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The Cold War and the nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union had generated a considerable body of research on the dynamics of all such competitions between two agents. It was argued that the rapid accumulation and diversification of the respective nuclear arsenals by both nations, whose only logical climax could have been a form of mutually assured destruction (MAD), was intended to keep each other in check.
This is exactly what Robert X Cringely appears to think of the battle between Microsoft and Google over various computer and internet applications.
Cringely feels that the competition by Microsoft and Google to release their own versions of applications to compete against established products of their competitor is aimed more at keeping their competitor on its toes than at capturing the market. He sees such salvos as attempts to remind each other of their respective prowess.
He writes, "Microsoft makes most of its money from two products, Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office. Nearly everything else it makes loses money, sometimes deliberately. Google makes most of its money from selling Internet ads next to search results. Nearly everything else it does loses money, too."
After having unleashed its Chrome web browser against Microsoft's Windows Internet Explorer and its Android smart-phone operating system against Microsoft’s Windows Mobile, Google has now unveiled its Chrome Operating System (initially for use in low-cost portable computers called net books) against Microsoft's Windows OS. Microsoft has not been far too behind, having already released its new search technology, Bing, against Google's world beating search engine.
Admittedly Google claims that its Chrome browser and OS are a step towards moving from the age of PC-computing to web-based "cloud computing". There is a strong belief among some obaservers of computing that Chrome moves us further away from running code and storing our information on our own PCs toward doing everything online — in the cloud — using whatever device is at hand.


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Of course, you can continue to add bricks and tiles to this independent self-built website, such as adding google analytics statistics code, f acebook pixel tracking code . You can also install a series of third-party plug-ins, such as product data import and export plug-ins connected to Amazon and eBay platforms, social login and third-party login plug-ins, plug-ins, etc. If you are a paying member of Chenfei Blog, you can log in to the member area to watch the complete operation explanation video, which is currently the most efficient and cheapest way to build a magento self-built website.Facebook Ads: A Beginner’s Guide to the Facebook Pixel Updated.
April 12, 2018 Please rate the content quality of this article. Facebook Ads: A Beginner's Guide to the Facebook Pixel 3 A group of lawyers from the United Kingdom and the United States mobile number list recently filed a class action in a court in Delaware, accusing four companies including Facebook and Cambridge Analytica of abusing the personal data of more than 71 million users. In the past few days, the Facebook leak scandal has become one of the hottest topics in North America and the world. Facebook is the world's largest social media. Facebook CEO Zuckerberg made it clear that although his own platform creates and owns a lot of content, Facebook is essentially a technology company, not a media company.
Facebook Ads: A Beginner's Guide to the Facebook Pixel 4 From the perspective of similarwebs , Facebook's current global traffic ranking is second only to Google. Facebook's marketing power and influence are huge enough to even affect the US election and Brexit. Of course, as a cross-border e-commerce seller, Facebook means a steady stream of traffic to us, and it is the most important traffic source channel for platform sellers and independent self-built website sellers. It is no exaggeration to say that Facebook has made wish.


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Friday October 13 might have been unlucky for some, but in California it was a day of victory after the state decided to ban the sale of animals from so-called puppy mills.California's governor, Jerry Brown, announced last Friday that he had signed a bill which will require pet shops to get their animals from shelters and rescues, rather than mass breeding companies, also known as puppy mills.
These massive establishments churn out animal after animal of all sorts of breeds, purely for profit and with little regard for the health of each puppy or kitten.Female dogs, cats and rabbits, confined in small cages and given little care and attention, are made to give birth to hundreds of babies, one after the other. The young creatures are then often sent to pet shops, sometimes when they themselves are very ill, to be sold for hundreds of dollars to unsuspecting families.
Matt Bershadker, president and CEO of the ASPCA, told Business Insider:
This landmark law breaks the puppy mill supply chain that pushes puppies into California pet stores and has allowed unscrupulous breeders to profit from abusive practices. We're proud to be part of the coalition that worked alongside Assembly member Patrick O'Donnell to pass this critical animal protection bill, and thank the California legislature and Governor Brown for sending the clear message that industries supporting animal cruelty will not be tolerated in our society.
The ban would not apply to professional, ethical breeders, who generally do not sell their dogs through pet shops in favor of raising their animals in their own home.Several cities in California, such as Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles had already banned pet stores from getting their animals from mass breeding facilities. This will now be law across the whole state, hopefully leading others to follow.
Puppy mills have proven to be damaging to young animals, the mothers who are forced to have litter after litter with no regard for their health, and also to breeds as a whole, as mill owners and backyard breeders often don’t care about how healthy an animal is as long as they can make a profit.There are, of course, many ethical breeders, who truly care for the happiness and well-being of their animals. Many will not sell to people who they don’t think can care properly for a pet, even if it means losing out on a buyer because they do not want to see any animal abandoned or abused.
Source: Rescue Me Ohio/Facebook
People looking for a purebred should always visit the home of their new family member, where they can see where they have been brought up, see the mom and ask questions to the breeder.As more and more people become aware of the conditions inside these ‘breeding factories’, it is hoped by activists that they will be more thoughtful about where they get their pets from. It is always a wonderful thing to give a home to a cat or dog from a shelter, rather than buying from a breeder.If you are thinking of getting a pet, please consider adopting through one of your local shelters, such as theASPCAif you are from the U.S. or theRSPCAif you live in the U.K.


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The chip is intended for laptops that are thin and lightweight but powerful enough to run high-end videogames—attributes that lately have been driving sales in an otherwise waning market for personal computers.
It will be the competitors’ first collaboration since the 1980s, said analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy, and reflects complex shifting dynamics in the semiconductor industry.
Chipping away at Nvidia
For decades, Intel and AMD have scrapped for market share in PC chips. Intel has been dominant for much of that time, lately holding a nearly 100% share, according to Mercury Research. But AMD recently launched chips that represent the first real competition for Intel in that market for years.
AMD also recently revamped its graphics-chip designs, looking to take share away from Nvidia, which has nearly 80% of the market for stand-alone graphics chips by revenue.
Intel competes head-on with Nvidia in driving artificial-intelligence calculations for large internet companies. For several quarters, Nvidia’s business selling chips to data centers has been up by triple digits from the previous year, presumably displacing sales of Intel processors. Intel last year acquired technology to compete for that business with the purchase of Nervana Systems, and it expects those chips to start shipping by the end of the year.


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Forbes Magazine posted an article appearing in the April 15, 2013 issue about how Milwaukee has become a “water technology mecca.” The article described how Milwaukee has made a name for itself in the estimated $483 billion global water industry by creating connections between industry and academia.
In an era where many municipalities are struggling financially, Milwaukee’s success is obviously attracting interest. Data are hard to come by, but so far there’s been an $80 million investment in buildings and infrastructure from a variety of sources, including $22 million in private money for the business accelerator.
Writer Joann Muller interviewed Rich Meeusen, CEO of Badger Meter, about how Milwaukee solidified itself as a global leader in the water technology industry. As Meeusen points out, it started with skilled manufacturers who used to build parts for breweries, tanneries, and paper mills during the late 19th and early 20th century. The skilled manufactures saw their business expand dramatically even while the breweries, tanneries and paper mills relocated. Instead of going out of business, the manufacturers that supplied parts for these factories evolved and started marketing their pumps, valves, and meters for global sale. As a result, Meeusen says, most of the world’s meters, heaters, filters, fixtures and pumps come out of Milwaukee.
Meeusen noted that Water Council members have streamlined the process of creating a network of private water technology companies, research institutions, colleges & universities, and start up entrepreneurs. “If you’re an expert in water,” Meeusen says, “You belong in Milwaukee.”
Click here to read more: The Capitol of Water–Forbes Magazine
UPDATE 4/23/13: Forbes India is also carrying the story here: Milwaukee: An Emerging Water Technology Hub


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State-based solar incentives that require local solar products be used may be driving up solar costs considerably. Of course, this sort of issue is not exclusive to solar power and it is not exclusive to the United States, but there does seem to be fairly good evidence that it is keeping the price of solar artificially high in some places.
Let’s take a look at Minnesota, which has Made in Minnesota solar photovoltaic legislation. A solar expert I’ve been in communication with is convinced that this policy creates higher installed prices, gives fewer options to customers, and creates fewer jobs for Minnesota. The legislation is reportedly starting via the lobbying efforts of one company, and then later modified a bit as a second company came in and wanted the legislation to benefit it as well. The result? Legislation that benefits two companies to the detriment of essentially all the others and solar customers.
The Minnesota statute in question is 116C.7791. The main clauses are:
1. Solar photovoltaic modules must be manufactured in Minnesota to be Rebate Eligible;
2. “Manufactured” means:
a. the material production of solar photovoltaic modules, including the tabbing, stringing, and lamination processes; or
b. the production of interconnections of low-voltage photoactive elements that produce the final useful photovoltaic output by a manufacturer operating in this state on May 18, 2010.
3. Solar photovoltaic modules must be certified by Underwriters Laboratory, must have received the ETL listed mark from Intertek, or an equivalent certification from an independent testing agency;
4. Rebate amount and payment:
(a) to the applicant of $5 per watt of installed generating capacity.
(b) rebate paid, (net) must not exceed 60 percent of the total installed cost.
5. Rebate program funding:
(1) $2,000,000 in fiscal year 2011;
(2) $4,000,000 in fiscal year 2012;
(3) $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2013;
(4) $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2014; and
(5) $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2015.
Can you guess which parts were critical pieces stuck in by one company to deter helpful, free-market competition?
That would be this one: “manufactured means solar photovoltaic modules, including the tabbing, stringing, and lamination processes.”
Can you guess the obscure requirement that benefits the second solar company to the detriment of helpful, free-market competition?
That would be this one: “the production of interconnections of low-voltage photoactive elements that produce the final useful photovoltaic output by a manufacturer operating in this state on May 18, 2010.”
Oddly, a rather important piece of the legislation — UL certification — was reportedly overlooked for these two companies in May 2010, as they didn’t have it.
Now, I’m not particularly interested in picking on specific companies that used political maneuvering to compete, but I’m interested in pointing out harmful policies that result in a net harm to society. So, let’s get to the rather clear results of this policy.
Important to note is that there’s also an incentive for solar projects that don’t meet the very specific local content requirements. It’s just much smaller. In the table below regarding solar projects installed in 2013 and 2013, obtained from the Minnesota Department of Commerce, you can see (highlighted by me) that the two companies benefiting from the local content incentive are installing solar power projects for a considerably higher cost than other installers in the state.
That’s a big difference. Actually, if you do the math, 1,941 kW x ($8.3/W – $5.02/W) = a $6,366,000 premium. Somehow, I have a hard time believing that results in a net benefit to the state. And remember that installers working for the companies that don’t qualify for the Minnesota Made bonus are still installing solar projects using Minnesota residents. They aren’t importing installers from Tibet.
2013 Brings Even More Exclusive Policies
Sorry to bring more bad news to the story, but in 2013 the Minnesota legislature passed another solar-related bill, HF 729, that provides $15 million per year (starting in 2014) for 10 years for companies that qualify for the “Made in Minnesota” program.
Let’s put this another way: that’s $150 million for companies installing solar power for a price about 62% more than their competitors in the state.
Furthermore, where’s the incentive for these solar companies to cut their prices? There isn’t a reduction in available bonuses each year. There’s $15 million a year from 2014 to 2023.
Here’s an example of a 2010 “Minnesota Made” solar project:
Where’s the incentive to cut costs when a $167,000 solar project comes in at $3,900, or about 97.66% less than the actual installation cost?
And how can other Minnesota-based companies compete? How can they cut $55,000 off the cost of a 20 kW solar system?
Ironically, one of the Minnesota companies locked out of this incentive uses solar panels which are completely “Made in America,” while one of the two companies benefiting uses panels with components imported from China and the other isn’t actually based in Minnesota.
Here’s a Thought
What if that $6,366,000 mentioned above was used more broadly to bring down the costs of more competitive solar companies? how much more competitive could that make solar in the state? How many more people and companies would then think it made sense for them to go solar? How many solar installation jobs would that create?
I have plenty more info on the matters above that could be shared. I could go on. But I think the case has been made: this “Made in Minnesota” policy looks like unhelpful protectionism and cronyism, and it hurts Minnesota.
Unfortunately, there are probably similarly harmful policies in other states as well.
If you have info to share that counters any of the above, or critical information to further support it, I’d be happy to see it. If you live in Minnesota and would like to see a more inclusive solar incentive that will make solar more competitive, push for it politically.
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Our increasing reliance on the digital world is leaving its mark on the planet
The digital revolution has fundamentally transformed society and will be crucial in the battle against climate change. However, from the energy used by the vast, hidden infrastructure networks that power the internet to the finite natural resources required to manufacture hardware, our increased use of digital technologies also comes with a high environmental impact.
Investors, governments, clients and employees expect the tech industry to take action and improve environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. From tech titans to emerging scale ups, momentum is growing across the sector, with ESG increasingly being incorporated into strategic planning. Accurate, transparent impact reporting anchored by credible climate commitments are fast becoming a business imperative.
Latest Sustainabilty News For
Digital, tech and media
Tech has a key role to play but emissions growth must be decoupled from business growth
Tech businesses have a dual role to play within the societal transition to net zero. Firstly, the industry itself must minimise its own impact on the environment by drastically cutting GHG emissions across the entire value chain and investing in the nature-based solutions required to neutralise hard-to-abate emissions and tackle biodiversity issues.
Secondly, the industry can become an enabler of net zero for individuals and other businesses through technological innovation. Achieving net zero will require a fundamental shift in everything we do – from electric vehicles to carbon removal technologies, the industry is uniquely positioned to revolutionise other industries and solve global problems.
Tech giants such as Microsoft and Google are already making great strides on both of these fronts by putting ESG performance at the heart of their corporate strategies – the wider industry must now follow suit.
Client success Stories
Bunzl, the leading FTSE 100 company and global distributor defines its strategic sustainability framework for action.
The Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting framework – SECR is a package of regulations published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy that came into effect from 1st April 2019. The first public disclosure will emerge in 2020, allowing companies a full year to collect the required data. Over 10,000 businesses will now have to comply with additional (or modified) energy and carbon reporting obligations from FY 2019/20 onwards.
Download our guide for expert insights on SECR.
Digital, tech and media
With a digital, technology and media sustainability team, Avieco is well placed to support your business, your impact, and your sustainability challenges, to help you identify what really matters to you in your journey to becoming sustainable.
more than a word.


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Apple has released iOS 16.6.1, an update that addresses security vulnerabilities actively exploited by attackers. The vulnerabilities are found in the ImageIO framework and Wallet, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code. It is recommended to install the update to protect iPhones from these risks. Citizen Lab, a research group, discovered a zero-click vulnerability used by nso Group's Pegasus spyware. Apple acknowledges the researchers and their assistance in identifying security flaws. iOS 17 is expected to be announced on September 12 at Apple's special event. No new features are included in iOS 16.6.1.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday that taming inflation is a key priority for sustaining economic growth and asserted that the first quarter GDP numbers, which would be released in a few days, should be good. Addressing the B20 India summit in the national capital, the FM also said that green shoots of private capital expenditure were visible and the Centre’s massive push on capital expenditure was crowding the private sector.
Assam had the country's one of the lowest retail inflation rates in July at 3.91%, improving hugely from 8.3% recorded in November 2021.
The cost of living in Haryana rose the sharpest among all states in the country in May, breaching the RBI upper limit, when inflation has moderated to nearly a 25-month low in India.
The unemployment rate during the January-March quarter of 2023 eased to at least a five-quarter low. The rate had accelerated sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic as curbs were imposed to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. The rate for workers above 15 years has been slowing since the lifting of the curbs. In the October-December 2022 quarter, the rate was 7.2% similar to the rate in July-September 2022.
Wholesale price-based inflation declined for the first time in nearly three years in April due to a high base and moderating prices of commodities. The development prompted economists to say that the RBI is likely to continue with its pause on interest rates.
Retail inflation moderated to an 18-month low in April on the back of a favourable base effect and softening in some food prices, bringing much-needed relief from stubborn price pressures, but industrial output growth slowed to a 5-month low in March as manufacturing growth eased and the electricity segment contracted.
The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned that the use of surveillance software and hackers-for-hire is posing an increasingly unpredictable threat. In a report, the NCSC said that the growing mercenary hacking market is offering products on par with those used by government hacking groups.
Retail inflation eased sharply in March on the back of moderating food prices and a favourable base effect and dipped below the 6% mark, while industrial output growth remained healthy in February, bringing much-needed cheer against the backdrop of a gloomy global economic outlook.
The year 2019-22 saw India’s fastest ever phase of employment growth, with women being the main beneficiaries
India's industrial production rose 5.2 per cent in January this fiscal, according to official data released on Friday. Factory output measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) grew 2 per cent in January 2022. The data released by the National Statistical Office (nso) showed that the manufacturing sector's output increased 3.7 per cent in January 2023.
The National Statistical Office has released data that India's per capita income has doubled to Rs 1,72,000 in nominal terms since the Modi-led NDA government came to power in 2014-15. This growth is significant, as India has seen improvements in outcome related to health, education, and economic and social mobility. However, inequality remains a challenge, with most of the increase benefiting the top 10% of the population.
The Pegasus software was used to spy on media persons and activists, including at least 40 journalists from India, via WhatsApp As per a report by news agency Reuters, US President Joe Biden's administration had urged the justices to reject nso's appeal. Meta sought an injunction and damages from nso.
The regional unit of the National Statistical Office here has implemented a three-phased cleanliness drive across Assam as part of the Swachhta Special Campaign 2.0 being implemented in all government offices across the country.
Data released by the National Statistical Office (nso) on Monday showed retail inflation, as measured by the consumer price index, rose an annual 6.5% in January, higher than December's 5.7% and above the 6% recorded in January last year. The food price index rose nearly 6% in January, higher than the 4.2% in December. Rural inflation outpaced urban inflation rising 6.9%. Urban inflation was at 6%.


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CPH’s US listing is happening tonight - trading as OTC: COPHF
Jun 11, 2021
Creso Pharma (ASX:CPH) today announced its listing in the US, and the market is opening in around 12 hours - the US pool of investors is huge and they have a big appetite for psychedelics and cannabis stocks.
SURPRISE: We are Now Psychedelics Investors
Mar 15, 2021
Once again, medicinal cannabis company Creso Pharma (ASX: CPH) keeps pleasantly surprising us. Today they have REALLY surprised us by announcing they have acquired a Psychedelics company.
CPH deliver Financials and Confirms US Cannabis Market Entry
Mar 1, 2021
Creso Pharma (ASX: CPH) just released its preliminary financial reports for the year, which as expected show a bunch of impairments, debt clean ups and other scary looking one off costs that come with a balance sheet clean up - these are all out of the way now.
CPH Secures Two Execs from the World’s Largest Cannabis Company
Mar 11, 2020
ASX Junior Creso Pharma (ASX: CPH) has appointed two former Canopy executives to the senior management team of its wholly-owned Mernova Medical Inc. in Nova Scotia, Canada.


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Welcome to the Year in Eater 2023 — our annual tradition that looks back at the highs, lows, and in-betweens of Los Angeles’s restaurant scene. Today, LA’s finest food writers, editors, reporters, and a few select others with strong opinions discuss trends they’d like to see in 2024.
Farley Elliott, SoCal Bureau, Chief/SFGate
Suá Superette is a great model for many more casual places, and I’m hoping that people continue to embrace alternative revenue streams and smaller spaces as a way to deliver the most interest for consumers while still meeting cost demands.
Kristie Hang, contributor, Eater LA
Not innovative per se, but I’ve really been enjoying the creations of talented home bakers and chefs who pivoted to working and selling goods from their homes. It’s been a pleasure supporting them with their seasonal menus that vary week to week and being able to truly know the person behind your food. Personally, I’ve loved supporting SoySweet LA, Lucy Wang, Malayasian Foodlovers LA, and Los Boludos.
Alison Herman, TV Critic, Variety
The pop-up (or Smorgasburg booth) to brick-and-mortar pipeline continues to bear fruit. Budonoki feels fully formed right out the gate, and I’m thrilled for Saucy Chick Rotisserie’s partnership with the Goat Mafia getting a more permanent home in Pasadena. More, please!
Mona Holmes, Reporter, Eater LA
Am grateful for the recent efforts by LA Mayor Karen Bass and the City of Los Angeles, who recently made it easier for restaurant owners to expand outdoor dining. Also love seeing collaborations front and center at various restaurants. Operators like Saucy Chick Goat Mafia and Lei’d Cookies sell each other’s food products/dishes in their stores. At the Lei’d storefront, they sell products from Smorgasburg vendors, making it possible for them to spread the word and availability about other LA businesses.
Matthew Kang, Lead Editor, Eater LA
I’m curious to see if reimagined service situations, from online or phone ordering and technology, can actually improve the customer experience. I’ve already accepted order kiosks and QR codes, but I hope that we can preserve human interactions and see the value added from that. I recently went to a boba shop with digital kiosks, which most places offer in San Gabriel Valley, but that system coupled with delightful servers who give advice on their favorite flavors makes me see and experience value that a machine could never provide.
Evan Lovett, founder, L.A. in a Minute
The continuation of al fresco dining. I am gobsmacked that this wasn’t an ingrained part of Los Angeles culture before COVID, and I love seeing neighborhoods become vibrant & alive due to the proliferation of more restaurants offering the option of al fresco dining.
Joshua Lurie, founder, FoodGPS.com
Boxy slow-rolling robots delivering food is not the answer. An army of double-parking delivery drivers that inevitably get stuck in traffic isn’t ideal either. Hopefully, a truly innovative food delivery company can find a better solution for restaurants and customers that strikes the right balance. Is the world ready for dogfighting food delivery drones?
Jean Trinh, freelance reporter
I went to a Regarding: Her panel at the LA Chef Conference in October that discussed ways folks in the restaurant industry could balance work and family. I found it enlightening and hope to see more restaurant owners build infrastructure into their businesses to allow for flexibility and a work-life balance.


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released: 2 Mar 2021 at 04:00
Excellent news for enthusiasts of browse skates, skateboards, rollerblades and longboards! CentralWorld and CentralPlaza Lardprao are amongst the 19 shopping center under Central Pattana that have actually turned their front area into short-lived skateparks, totally free of charge.
Now, the 1,000 m location in front of CentralWorld has actually ended up being the biggest skating landmark in the heart of Bangkok where anybody can concern practice and have a good time with these severe sports, daily from 4pm to 9pm, till March 31.
Every Saturday, there will be a complimentary workshop performed by nationwide downhill skateboarding and Tokyo Olympic 2021 professional athletes and other expert athletes from Thailand Extreme Sports Association. They will reveal browse skate strategies and abilities from 5pm to 7pm.
Likewise, delight in activities and unique promos from getting involved brand names such as Pavement, Supersports and Rip Curl.
On The Other Hand, CentralPlaza Lardprao, has actually likewise scheduled the area in front of its shopping center for everybody to flaunt and exchange their skating abilities from 4pm to 10pm, till completion of this month.
Every Thursday, there will be a complimentary workshop on fundamental browse skate thanks to the brand name Nomorewalk, totally free devices leasing, check-in image areas, and totally free photo-shoot services by expert photographers.
The other 17 branches of Central Pattana likewise inviting skaters to utilize the location in front of their shopping center each night till more notification consist of CentralPlaza WestGate, Bangna, Salaya, Nakhon Ratchasima, Rayong, Lampang, Chiangrai, Phitsanulok, Chonburi, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, CentralFestival Chiangmai, Hat Yai, Samui, Pattaya Beach, Central Marina, Central Phuket and Central Town.


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Epic fantasy and sci-fi games are coming out left and right this year. Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of releases? Don’t worry, we have your back. Read on for our recap of some of the most highly anticipated game releases of 2022.
“World of Warcraft: Dragonflight” – a Beast of an Expansion
It was recently announced that the decades-old MMORPG would be coming out with a new expansion soon – although Blizzard Entertainment have yet to let us know exactly how soon with a specific release date. But nevertheless, what we’ve seen of World of Warcraft’s new expansion: Dragonflight so far is looking very exciting.
With this expansion, WoW will be focusing on – you guessed it from the title – dragons. Shapeshifting ones, specifically, and their fight to regain power. Furthermore, the expansion will introduce a new continent, the Dragon Isles, with plenty of zones to explore. WoW has been losing subscribers to similar games in recent years – so, if previous expansion releases are anything to go by and Dragonflight lives up to the hype, this will do Blizzard good.
And speaking of MMO expansions…
“The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle” – All Eyes on the Bretons
With this newest addition to the Elder Scrolls universe, players get to really explore High Rock and its High Isles, hence the name. For the first time, players will also be able to explore a never-before-seen area called Amenos. The new expansion also offers insight into the Bretons as a race and their homeland, letting them take center stage in a way that the focus of previous releases hasn’t yet allowed them to.
Role players have loved the non-elf, magic-using Breton race for a long time, so it’s frankly about time they get to steal the spotlight. If you love a good, old-fashioned medieval fantasy story with noble houses, knights, and politics, this will be your kind of thing. Make sure to check out High Isles when it comes out in June.
“Warhammer 40,000: Darktide” – Gritty Battles with a Killer Story
Boy, have fans been waiting for this one. After originally being announced way back in 2020, the release of Darktide was first delayed because of development issues during the pandemic. While “spring 2022” has come, we now have an even later release date on September 13 – but honestly, with the snippets we’ve been seeing, it may very well be worth the extra wait.
Straying off the fantasy path, “Warhammer 40,000: Darktide” will have you battling in the gritty 41st millenium – with none other than author Dan Abnett, of both Marvel and DC Comics fame, co-writing the story. Like we said, it’ll be well worth the wait.
“Hogwarts Legacy” – Go Back to Hogwarts in a Historical Setting
2022 is truly the year of late releases. Just like with Warhammer, Harry Potter fans have also been through several pushed back release dates for the upcoming “Hogwarts Legacy” game – and for now, the open world adventure game is set to come out around “holiday 2022”. When the game does come out, players will start as a fifth-year student at the famous school of witchcraft and wizardry in the 1800s, allowing us an insight into a very different time period than we’re used to experiencing the magical world in.
Although J.K. Rowling isn’t directly involved in the creation of the game according to Bloomberg, there’s still been much debate about whether that separation of author and game can truly be made. It should, however, be noted that the game will allow users to customize their characters’ gender identity in ways that many would argue contradict Rowling’s stances on trans rights.


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Enrico Drago, IGT’s CEO digital and betting, underlined that the latest offering of Yggdrasil can bring something new to the table for US players and act as a perfect complement to IGT’s offering.
In a conversation led by Steve Schrier, Chief Executive of Sales Tribe, Drago was joined by Yggdrasil CEO Fredrik Elmqvist to lay out the collaboration’s joint vision,as they explained how they seek to maximise growth opportunities in the growing US igaming market.
It’s a partnership that Drago and Elmqvist highlighted will give IGT exclusive access to a select number of Yggdrasil’s online slots which can then be rolled out to its network of operators in the US and Canada.
Both CEOs agreed that slot games are more universal than sometimes portrayed, but it is the mechanics which truly help a supplier to stand out from the crowd. For Elmqvist, something which game developers must prioritise is the overall player experience, ensuring that the math and UX for each title is a main focus.
“We have lots of experience in creating high game quality,” said the Yggdrasil CEO. “The games that we produce, however, are more universal. We haven’t developed any games that target a certain market.
“I would say that certain mechanics are tailored towards certain markets, for example LatAm players, Japanese players and so forth. But from the slots development perspective, it is much more similar than people actually believe.
“Everything is much more about the quality and overall experience for the player. It’s all about creating a sense of excitement which can be distributed cross multiple territorial markets. We are very keen on bringing that excitement to the partnership with Enrico and the IGT team.
“We know it’s going to work because we have friends also in the US market who have provided some stats and feedback. We know what works. There are certain discrepancies and differences between the US and Europe.
“It’s more like mechanics – certain things that work in Japan might not work in the US. But besides that, it’s a lot of similarities. It is always about the UX. The UX and the math behind the game – that’s what it is all about.”
Drago agreed about the importance of the game mechanics and said the agreement will see a variety of Yggdrasil games launched on the IGT platform during 2022, as well as an additional set of games planned for the following year.
He told listeners: “The type of digital content that IGT has developed and launched so far, is mostly from games that were developed for the retail and land-based sector. We have created a formula to transport those retail games into the digital space. This is where we really shine as a business. But clearly, this is not enough as player bases are changing. Players want and need to play different games.
“So Yggdrasil’s games, their style, richness and mechanics are something which are not known in the United States and the Canadian markets. We both strongly believe that this content can be successful. Yggdrasil’s content complements our offering. There is a very powerful rationale and proposition underneath this partnership.
Making an entry into the North American market is no easy feat, and so securing a strong partnership with IGT appeared to be a natural step for Yggdrasil, Elmqvist told Schrier.
He said: “I see the developments happening now across the US and North America as a whole, including some provinces in Canada. The European markets have developed, and we have been part of the regulatory transformation that have taken place over the years. I think that as more states open up, the US and Canada will quickly catch up to where we are in Europe.
“North America is going to be much trickier from a financial and regulatory standpoint, without a doubt. There are pitfalls, but there are also huge opportunities. That’s why I find it so interesting to go forward with the partnership with IGT.
“I would say that in the same way as IGT has, we have developed multiple games using our own intellectual property. We develop mechanical frameworks and license them to our studios, we also run a third party to develop a network. If you look at our strategy in the United States, it was a very, very deliberate decision to find the best strategy partnership for North America.
“We were contemplating going into North America on our own for various reasons, which we at the end decided not to do. Instead, we wanted to enter the market with a well-recognised and established regional partner. Of course, we spent time evaluating our prospective partners. We decided that if we can enter into a partnership with IGT, there’s going to be a good scale of opportunities for both companies.”


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2 sought in theft of $1,800 worth of Gucci sunglasses
EGG HARBOR TWP., N.J. - February 5, 2013 (WPVI) -- Police are searching for two suspects who stole $1,800 worth of designer sunglasses from an Atlantic County store.
The theft occurred at approximately 10:00 a.m. on January 30th at the All About Eyes store located at 3007 Ocean Heights Avenue in Egg Harbor Township.
Police say while one of the suspects distracted store employees, the other stole 15 pairs of Gucci sunglasses from a display case.
Both suspects left the scene in a yellow pickup truck.
Anyone with information regarding the theft, or the identity of the suspects is asked to contact the Egg Harbor Township Detective Bureau at 609-926-4051 or Atlantic County Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-TIPS (8477).
new jersey, atlantic county, theft, local/state
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The two-day-long 2020 Showmasters Gun Show had a variety of guns, ammunition, and knives on sale or simply to be viewed on its first day.
The vendors, many of who came from out of state, had automatic, semis, old and new guns alike for sale. Joe Watson who owns Country Store gun shop said he attends three gun shows every year in Morgantown because it is an amazing opportunity.
“It opens up that opportunity for an individual with all the different vendors coming in,” Watson said. “I may have something that they can’t find in their local region or area and they can come in and find it. Or if they’re a collector there may be one piece that they can’t find or even a part that they can’t find it gives them that opportunity.”
Watson said people had been very receptive to his products and estimated that he had sold at least 20 items.
One of the attendees was Joe Putnam who bought a 22-250 Remington model 744 hunting rifle. Putnam said he likes to hunt and that he also likes to shoot for sport.
He said he bought the rifle after roughly 20 minutes of negotiating and that he was happy with the price that he and the vendor agreed upon.
“It’s been very impressive, very nice situation, nice facilities, I would come again, first time here at this one,” Putnam said.
Watson, like many other vendors, said that gun sales are up and that they were happy about that. The vendors were right, gun sales have been up for the last two years and don’t show signs of slowing down.
Putnam said it is good that people have the right to buy guns and that they are exercising that right.
“They should have that option, everyday people should have the right to carry if they wish,” Putnam said. “They should be trained, they should know what they’re doing but they should have that right.”


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By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A coalition of retailers, newspapers, printers, greeting card companies and others oppose the U.S. Postal Service plan to hike postage prices for most mail by 7% and called on Congress to direct a new review before the increases take effect.
The group includes the National Retail Federation, Amazon.com Inc, eBay Inc, the National Newspaper Association, Envelope Manufacturers Association, Greeting Card Association and the American Forest & Paper Association.
The price increases to be implemented on Aug. 29 “will impose new and substantial costs to the detriment of the American public and businesses, especially small businesses, nonprofits and charities, consumers generally … and, of course, the millions of jobs postal-reliant businesses support,” the Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service said in a letter on Friday.
USPS said in response on Friday that for the last 14 years it “has not had sufficient pricing authority to respond to changing market realities.”
USPS said the price hikes are needed because over the past 10 years, mail volume has declined by 46 billion pieces, or 28%, and is continuing to decline. “While we may have experienced an increase in revenue over the last year, it is not enough to offset the more than decade worth of losses,” a USPS spokesman said.
The agency says it will still have some of the lowest letter-mail postage rates in the industrialized world.
USPS has proposed a plan to cut $160 billion in forecasted red ink over the next decade. The plan would increase the cost of a stamp for first-class mail by 3 cents, to 58 cents.
The group noted USPS wants to generate an additional $35 billion-to-$52 billion from mail over 10 years.
“Increases of this magnitude are fundamentally unaffordable. Businesses reliant on USPS jointly generate $1.6 trillion in commerce and employ more than 7 million Americans … Small businesses and others will cut back on mail, with some not able to survive, and larger businesses will simply move more paper communications online.”
Other members include the News Media Association, Pitney Bowes, Quad Graphics, R.R. Donnelly, Major Mailers Association and Bank of America.
(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Matthew Lewis)


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Finally, the 64 gb variant of the much awaited Mi4 from Xiaomi is here. Coming via the Facebook page of the Indian arm of the Chinese smartphone giant just one day before the first flash sale of the 16 GB Mi4 commenced, the announcement said that sales of the 64 GB variant will begin on February 24 which in keeping with Xiaomi’s tradition, happens to be a Tuesday.
Xiaomi had launched Mi4 in India just last month with the promise of a 64 GB variant but had not outlined a schedule.
The Mi4 is a clear model of Xiaomi’s policy of top end but affordable smartphones. There’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core CPU clocked at 2.5GHz and an Adreno 330 GPU. There is also 3GB of RAM along with 13MP and 8MP Sony sensors for the front and rear spaces respectively.
The 64 GB version has been priced at INR 23,999 which means that buyers are to pay about 4000 than the 16GB version which is priced INR 19,999. This is fine when compared to the likes of major Smartphone manufacturers out there, but the Mi 4 fails to conquer OnePlus One which sells for INR 21,999 for the 64GB variant.
Xiaomi became one of the top smartphone vendors in the world almost overnight with its feature rich, pocket friendly smartphones despite the fact that the company — apart from a few select countries — has a very small overseas presence. Although, with consumer rich markets like China and India, the company has enjoyed rapid growth.
However, this time it may not have things all its way as OnePlus — another startup from China — seems all set to take on the Mi 4 with its OnePlus One phone. The OnePlus One which until now was available on an invitation only basis is scheduled for an open sale in India tomorrow, the same day as the Mi4. While it may just be a co-incidence, it certainly seems like OnePlus is not willing to let go of its share of the Indian consumer market without a fight.
Though both the phones offer top-end features, OnePlus One is considered to enjoy a slight edge due to the fact that it is priced a tad lower than the Mi4 while possessing a larger screen size. More importantly, it raises a question mark over Xiaomi’s values for money philosophy as well as its claim of offering the most sophisticated gadgetry at pocket friendly prices.


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The rise of the cashless movement by the government has brought about a positive impact on Indonesian society.
Fast, efficient, and safe are the exact words to describe the development of the digital era. Walepay is an application that has been established by millennials. By promoting the cashless movement, Walepay is also supporting the government in educating Indonesian society in how to maximise the usage of digital money in order to achieve a cashless society.
This soft launch event coincided with Walepay’s second anniversary and was held on Saturday, 25th May 2019 at Pullman Hotel, West Jakarta. The event was attended by the CEO and the Board of Directors of Walepay. “I want Indonesian society to acknowledge and implement the concept of the cashless movement. Also, for the people who live in rural areas, I want them to be able to save and withdraw their money easily, without having to go to the ATM. Withdrawal is Walepay’s primary feature; to withdraw money from the nearest merchant with Walepay’s logo. This feature simplifies the withdrawal process for people who live in rural areas.”
Not only for withdrawals, Walepay also has many other features, such as mobile top-up, electricity bill payment, water bill payment, and BPJS bill payment. Moreover, even a split bill can be managed easier by using the Split Bill feature. Walepay also has many promotions, discounts, and cashback offers for Indonesian people. Currently, people can download the Walepay application in Apple Store or Google Play.
“I believe that the existence of Walepay in the country will minimise the amount of criminality. It can also be a good solution to be able to conduct online transactions,” stated William Japari, the CEO of Walepay, during the night of the soft launching. Walepay will also support and help the GNNT (Gerakan Nasional Non Tunai / The National Cashless Movement) that is planned by the government for the welfare of the people of Indonesia.


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If you want to write a thriller novel there are better settings to base it around than the boardroom of a 21st-century car company. Car companies of today are some of the most tightly regulated and highly scrutinised industries in the world today, with razor-thin margins and huge liabilities that pose little reward for rule benders – unless your name is Elon. However, circumstances surrounding the recent arrest of Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi’s chairman, Carlos Ghosn, certainly boasts the ingredients of a Machiavellian coup with a Shakespearean betrayal.
According to reports from The Asahi Shimbun, Ghosn was arrested on suspicion of “under-reporting his remuneration”, and was picked up by Japanese authorities at Haneda airport, where they were waiting for his private jet to land. Prosecutors alleged that between 2010 and 2014, Ghosn had under-reported his income as Nissan’s chairman to the Tokyo Stock Exchange securities, when in fact Nissan had been paying him double that – a total of USD88.4 million. The report goes on to mention that authorities had been working with “the cooperation of a Nissan official” since June this year.
Ghosn arrest was a shock to the whole industry, given his reputation as a titan amongst giants in the industry. For those who don’t know how significant Ghosn’s arrest in Japan is, consider this; Ghosn not only runs the world’s largest car maker, but he brought them together and built them into the powerhouse that it is today on his leadership.
Nicknamed “Le Cost Killer”, Ghosn was key in turning around Renault’s fortunes with his “20 Billion Franc Cost-Reduction Plan” in 1996. In 1999, he joined Nissan as part of Renault’s newly formed partnership with the Japanese car maker where he restructured the ailing car maker, turning it into a global powerhouse and even earning the widespread adoration of the Japanese people. Most recently, Ghosn stepped in to save the scandalised Mitsubishi in 2015, acquiring the company for USD2.2 billion. More than just the man who pulled these companies together, Ghosn is widely regarded as the man who is holding the alliance together, and his arrest could see those ties coming loose.
Despite this, his distinguished track record, his contract with Nissan that was recently extended to 2022, and investigations ongoing, the Nissan’s CEO, Hiroto Saikawa was quick to propose to the board for the prompt removal of Ghosn from his positions as chairman and representative director, along with representative director Greg Kelly who was also implicated in the scandal. Renault’s board of directors on the other hand had elected to keep Ghosn’s position as the company’s chairman and CEO, and have requested for Nissan to provide all of their information in regards to their internal investigations on Ghosn.
On the surface, the scandal looks nothing more than another high-powered executive that flew too close to the sun, a narrative that is not uncommon for nearly every white-collar crime. However, despite the harmonious image Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi fosters, there have been reports of tensions between the two main players in the alliance, Renault and Nissan, that elevates this story beyond it being just a straightforward case of fraud, particularly one recent report from the Financial Times.
Key to this growing tension is the lopsided arrangement between Renault and Nissan. When Renault entered into a partnership with Nissan back in 1998, it bought a 36.8 per cent share of the latter. This gave the French company voting rights over Nissan, which allowed Renault to appoint Ghosn as Nissan’s new CEO.
Over time Renault had increased their share of Nissan to 43 per cent, though Nissan’s own stake in Renault has remained at 15 per cent since 2002. This means that while Renault still has voting rights to make executive changes in Nissan, Nissan still has no say in Renault.
This relationship is further complicated by the presence of the French government, who themselves, have a 15 per cent stake in Renault, making them the company’s largest shareholder. According to reports from Bloomberg, the French government’s plan on buying Renault shares to secure special voting rights in 2015 was spearheaded by its then-economy minister, Emmanuel Macron, the current-president of France.
Earlier this year, rumours were abound that the alliance between Renault and Nissan was set to become a merger, with news reports putting a positive spin on the affair – that it would create a new, unified automaker giant. It has since been revealed that behind the scenes, things weren’t so rosy in the relationship.
Nissan wasn’t too happy with Renault’s control over Nissan’s affairs, considering that Nissan is 60 per cent bigger than the French carmaker in terms of sales. Not only that, Nissan is present in the crucial North American market, which Renault had recently refused to return to, they also have a whole range of market-ready SUVs just as Renault is struggling to get their off the ground, a 34 per cent stake in Mitsubishi, and not to mention billions more in profit. Nissan being controlled by a much smaller entity like Renault is like Volkswagen being taken over by Porsche, and look at how that turned out.
Nissan had expressed interest to buy over Paris’ stake in the company in a bid to increase their own stake in Renault from 15 per cent to 25 per cent and wrestle some of its autonomy back to Yokohama, but things were about to turn ugly.
The Nikkei Asian Review reported back in April that Ghosn had been fending off the French government’s involvement in the French car maker’s affairs for several years since acquiring a stake in Renault. However recent developments saw the French government pressuring Ghosn into forcing a merger with the two companies, as Macron sought to prop his failing popularity with France’s economy floundering.
It was alleged that Paris started imposing a “number of conditions” on Ghosn in order for him to keep his position at Renault. It was said that after that Ghosn started cozying up to the French’s point of view for a merger, which set alarm bells off at Nissan.
While the non-Japanese news outlets were continuing its narrative of cordial cooperation, reports from both the Nikkei Asian Review and the Financial Times paint a picture of defiance amongst Nissan executives as they were not going to accept any proposals for a merger or reorganisation that would entrench their second-tier status.
The Financial Times report says that the proposal of a full merger, Nissan’s underperformance in China and a vehicle inspection scandal, drove a wedge between Ghosn and one of his most trusted lieutenants, Nissan’s CEO Hiroto Saikawa, the man who quickly proposed the sacking of Ghosn to the board shortly after his arrest. If this indeed was an orchestrated coup, Saikawa is Ghosn’s Brutus.
At this point there is no solid evidence that Saikawa, or Nissan as a whole, was themselves complicit in Ghosn’s arrest, and it could all have been a curious set of coincidences that sees one of the world’s most influential and powerful industry leaders being taken down in the midst of a highly unpopular power play by allegations that many fellow executives might have been, to a certain degree, aware of. However, if you are one that doesn’t believe in coincidences…


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Seraph Launches the 2023 Operational Excellence Awards, Elevating Automotive Manufacturing in North America
Winners will receive recognition from a judging panel of industry luminaries
DETROIT, Jan. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Seraph, a global enterprise supply chain, operations and manufacturing consultancy with a prominent presence in the automotive sector, today announced the launch of the 2023 Operational Excellence Awards. The Awards will recognize automotive manufacturing facilities in North America at the top of their game across five categories. Nominations are open until March 17, followed by a June 15 event celebrating the finalists, at Chroma in Detroit.
"This award will bring the automotive industry together to reward and celebrate manufacturing excellence. We are developing an esteemed panel of judges who will award five manufacturing categories: Quality Excellence; HR Excellence; Logistics Excellence; Operational Excellence; and Overall Best Supplier," said Thomas Kowal, president, Seraph.
Seraph Operational Excellence Award winners will receive recognition from a highly regarded panel of judges consisting of automotive experts who are at the top of their field, including:
The awards assessment process consists of three application phases:
"The Seraph Operational Excellence Awards provide an opportunity for top automotive suppliers to stand out, receive well-deserved recognition, set industry model standards, and ultimately distinguish themselves as a high-quality operation. After three years of adapting to overcome substantial global challenges, it's the right time to celebrate high achievers in such a vital industry," said Ambrose Conroy, founder and CEO, Seraph.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/seraph-launches-the-2023-operational-excellence-awards-elevating-automotive-manufacturing-in-north-america-301728975.html
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Union Bankshares Corp cut its stake in shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 0.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 51,595 shares of the payment services company’s stock after selling 108 shares during the quarter. American Express accounts for approximately 1.5% of Union Bankshares Corp’s holdings, making the stock its 29th biggest position. Union Bankshares Corp’s holdings in American Express were worth $4,347,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Bank of The West acquired a new stake in shares of American Express during the second quarter worth $279,000. NN Investment Partners Holdings N.V. lifted its holdings in shares of American Express by 3.9% during the second quarter. NN Investment Partners Holdings N.V. now owns 74,447 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $6,272,000 after purchasing an additional 2,777 shares during the period. Pennsylvania Trust Co lifted its holdings in shares of American Express by 60.9% during the second quarter. Pennsylvania Trust Co now owns 89,578 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $7,553,000 after purchasing an additional 33,910 shares during the period. Narwhal Capital Management lifted its holdings in shares of American Express by 30.5% during the second quarter. Narwhal Capital Management now owns 37,950 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $3,197,000 after purchasing an additional 8,860 shares during the period. Finally, Gateway Investment Advisers LLC lifted its holdings in shares of American Express by 8.6% during the second quarter. Gateway Investment Advisers LLC now owns 556,421 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $46,873,000 after purchasing an additional 43,877 shares during the period. 82.77% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
In other American Express news, CEO Kenneth I. Chenault sold 789,503 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $84.62, for a total value of $66,807,743.86. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 889,836 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $75,297,922.32. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Susan Sobbott sold 6,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $84.39, for a total value of $506,340.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 949,387 shares of company stock worth $80,451,099. Insiders own 0.67% of the company’s stock.
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American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) traded down 0.37% during trading on Thursday, hitting $88.10. The stock had a trading volume of 1,279,308 shares. The company has a market cap of $77.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.07 and a beta of 1.18. The company has a 50 day moving average of $85.80 and a 200-day moving average of $81.62. American Express Company has a 12-month low of $59.50 and a 12-month high of $89.23.
American Express (NYSE:AXP) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 19th. The payment services company reported $1.47 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.44 by $0.03. American Express had a return on equity of 21.90% and a net margin of 14.11%. The company had revenue of $8.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.20 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.10 EPS. The business’s revenue was up .9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that American Express Company will post $5.74 EPS for the current year.
American Express declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback plan on Wednesday, June 28th that authorizes the company to buyback $4.40 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the payment services company to buy up to 5.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are often an indication that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.
A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. BidaskClub raised American Express from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 8th. Zacks Investment Research raised American Express from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $96.00 target price for the company in a report on Tuesday, August 29th. Instinet reissued an “underperform” rating and issued a $80.00 target price on shares of American Express in a report on Thursday, June 29th. Barclays PLC reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $83.00 target price on shares of American Express in a report on Thursday, July 20th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $84.00 target price on shares of American Express in a report on Thursday, June 1st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, sixteen have assigned a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company. The company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $86.29.
American Express Company Profile
American Express Company, together with its subsidiaries, is a global services company. The Company’s principal products and services are charge and credit card products, and travel-related services, which are offered to consumers and businesses around the world. Its segments include the U.S. Consumer Services (USCS), International Consumer and Network Services (ICNS), Global Commercial Services (GCS) and Global Merchant Services (GMS).
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20,000 AT&T workers strike; company says customers ‘a priority’
About 20,000 AT&T Inc. workers in the East and West started striking Tuesday even as the telecommunications giant reached tentative deals with unions in the Southeast.
The company’s contracts with two major branches of the Communications Workers of America expired in early April, leading to months of acrimonious negotiations. Now, 17,000 wireline employees in California and Nevada and 3,000 employees in Connecticut have decided to strike, AT&T said in a statement.
Wireline businesses have slumped in recent years as use of land-based phones falls off amid the rise of mobile devices.
Tuesday’s walkout “is not in anyone’s best interest,” according to AT&T, the largest phone business in the nation. In a statement, the company said the workers already have “high quality middle class careers with wages and health care benefits that are among the best in the country.”
“These employees are very well compensated, and they will continue to be,” AT&T said.
The strike is especially “unfortunate,” AT&T said, considering that the company had just completed handshake agreements with other union workers over similar issues.
Paperwork is being finalized on three-year deals with the CWA and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in the Southeast that involve wage boosts and “modest pension increases,” AT&T said.
The deals, affecting 22,000 employees in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and North and South Carolina, must be ratified by union votes before taking effect.
As for the striking workers in the East and West, AT&T said it’s ready to rumble.
“AT&T places a priority on customer service,” the company said. “AT&T has been planning for more than two years to handle a work stoppage like this, and has a substantial contingency workforce of well-trained managers and vendors in place.”
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A deaf man, Brandon Washburn, tried to order at a Taco Bell using his cell phone, which led to the Taco Bell employees denying him service and calling the police on Jan. 2 in Kettering, Ohio.
Washburn’s girlfriend filmed the incident, and his mother Becky Rosemont Burch posted the video on Facebook where it was viewed more than 400,000 times in 24 hours.
Washburn usually drives straight to the payment window to show his order on his phone, but a Taco Bell worker refused him service by falsely claiming it was against company policy, notes WKEF.
Washburn recalled the incident as his mom interpreted:
It was like they were mocking me, making fun of me. And there was even a gentleman in the back giving peace signs.
Taco Bell released a statement in which it laughingly referred to its employees as “team members”:
Taco Bell has a fundamental policy to respect all of our customers and employees, and we are committed to maintaining an environment free of discrimination or harassment. The franchise owner and operator of this location has investigated this situation and the team member no longer works for their organization. All team members at this restaurant are being retrained by the franchise owner on their policies.


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NFTs developed for Veterans by Veterans, HAVE NFTs connect the Veteran community to support, opportunity and funding through the HAVE ecosystem
Denver, Colorado – February, 2022 — HAVE NFT, is a US-based NFT (non-fungible token) project led by former US Combat Veterans who started the Humble Alpha Veteran Empowerment (HAVE) movement in April, 2021. HAVE NFTs bring together Veterans, their supporters, and NFT enthusiasts to empower them to thrive through blockchain technology. Designed for Veterans by Veterans, HAVE is raising funds through NFT sales to build an online/offline ecosystem that heals Veterans, re-establishes camaraderie, and develops purpose-driven missions.
From the sales of the NFT coins, based on the challenge coins which have been recognized and valued throughout the military, dating back to Roman times the HAVE organization has committed to donating over $800,000 over the course of multiple launches which will represent the Marines, Army, Navy and Air Force. The launches are scheduled to take place beginning the 21st of February with a private sales and complete these initial branches by the end of 2022.
The donations will be shared between the 100+ not-for-profit organizations that have aligned with the HAVE movement. HAVE has partnered with Ekta blockchain to mint their coins. The synergy between HAVE and Ekta stems from their shared aim to create a positive impact in the physical world through blockchain technology. The HAVE NFT project is designed to bring value and benefit to the Veteran community through the use of NFTs. The whitelist for the first HAVE NFT, the Marine Bulldog, is currently open and set for mint during the last week of Feb. More details are available on their website – https://have-nft.com.
What will the funds raised by HAVE NFTs be used for?
- Launching the full HAVE ecosystem, connecting Veterans to the decentralized finance economy for access to capital, opportunities, and empowerment programs like Humble Alpha’s Vetpreneur program
- Continual development of HAVE Events, online and offline, that promote networking, education, and entrepreneurial development
- HAVE NFT will donate 5% of the funds raised to Veteran nonprofits – 25 nonprofit organizations per NFT Drop until we support 100 nonprofits over 4 mints (launches)
- HAVE Fund Veteran gatherings, retreats, and healing work, virtual and in-person, in collaboration with Veteran nonprofit partners
“HAVE NFT is the digital arm of the Humble Alpha Veteran Empowerment movement. We connect the real world with the digital world while maintaining the authentic connections and work we’ve been doing in person for years now,” explained Steven Kuhn, HAVE co-founder. “By donating a portion of our funds from the HAVE NFT sales, we not only help the organizations that heal and support Veterans, we aim to bring them under the HAVE ecosystem and more effectively connect Veterans to the help they seek. If you want to empower Veterans and get into the NFT space and profit with purpose, there is no other project out there like HAVE NFT.”
Logos, Executive Bios, and NFT images shared here:
About HAVE NFT: Established in 2021, HAVE NFT is the digital wing of the Humble Alpha Empowerment movement. HAVE NFT is launching a series of Challenge Coin-inspired NFTs through which the company aims to support Veterans. HAVE NFT partnered with Asia Based Pitch House Group which helps entrepreneurs grow and scale their business rapidly by catering access to capital, connections and expertise, and Ekta, a blockchain that bridges with the physical world to improve people’s lives. HAVE NFT’s mission is to integrate digital and real-world empowerment for Veterans.
For more information, visit https://have-nft.com.


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Blog: Craft still small beer compared to Coors Light
Andy Morton | 15 June 2013
Here's a quick reality check to anyone who thinks craft beer in the US is catching up with the industry's big guns.
During Molson Coors' investors day on Wednesday, CEO Peter Swinburn said last year's volume growth for the group's Coors Light brand was greater than that "of the top-ten craft brewers combined”.
Craft has about 6% of the US beer market, and is growing well ahead of the rest of the category. But judging from the above stat there is still a long way to go.
Could it happen? According to this report, a section of the beer community wants to ditch the word craft. They prefer instead the term “Indie” for brewers they believe follow the enlightened path of t...
The global elite were in Switzerland last week for the World Economic Forum in Davos, the annual corporate huddle for the rich and powerful. The CEO of The Coca-Cola Co, Muhtar Kent, was there too, de...
With The Coca-Cola Co stealing yesterday's limelight with its new united marketing strategy for brand Coke yesterday, a Forbes interview with PepsiCo North America Beverages' new CMO, Seth Kaufman, sl...
It is a bold attempt to regain a measure of control in the ever-spiraling debate about sugar. But will The Coca-Cola Co's new marketing strategy - which for the first time ties all of the Coke family ...
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A San Diego-based start-up has created what it calls “the world’s most energy efficient light bulb.”
The NanoLight is an LED light bulb that generates over 1600 lumens, equivalent to a 100W incandescent light bulb – all while using only 12 watts of electricity.
“There are plenty of 20-60W Equivalent LED light bulbs in the market today, but the selection for 75-100W equivalents is still quite rare,” says the company on its website.
Perhaps the most striking feature of the NanoLight is its eye-catching, origami design. The bulb is made up of several circuit boards that are cut to fit together, emulating the look and feel of a traditional incandescent light bulb.
The NanoLight’s unique design helps dissipate the heat from the LEDs, which means the bulb won’t overheat or burn your hand. It is also designed to direct light in all directions and, unlike CFL bulbs, the NanoLight promises to achieve full brightness the instant it is turned on.
“Within its lifetime, the NanoLight will pay for itself, cut electricity bills and save CO2 emissions, all while providing bright beautiful lighting for all your needs,” the company says on its successful Kickstarter project page, which has already far surpassed its stated funding goals.
Currently there are three NanoLight models to choose from, all with a projected life of 25-30 years, based on three hours of use a day.
Learn more about the NanoLight on the company’s website and Kickstarter project page.


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Executives around the world are wary of an array of risks that pose obstacles to their business’s success, with just 59% expressing confidence in their company’s ability to grow and prosper, according to the first ever global Risk and Confidence Survey released by CNA Hardy. The highest level of confidence among business leaders was seen in Continental Europe (70%), followed by 64% of North American executives, 53% of Asia-Pacific leaders, and just 39% of those in the UK currently confident in future growth.
“Economic risk is top of the leader board in every region bar Continental Europe and it hits business confidence hardest where businesses feel they have the most to lose – namely in the UK where Brexit is paralyzing decision-making, and Asia where trade wars are distorting trade patterns,” explained Nick Creatura, president and CEO of CNA Canada. “In North America and Continental Europe, by contrast, comparatively strong economic growth means business leaders are far more confident, despite the overall sense that they are operating in a moderate to high risk environment.”
In the US, reduced regulation, tax cuts and higher employment numbers were positive signs to business executives, while those in Canada have seen the economy grow at a fast rate as exports surged in the second quarter of 2018.
Yet despite the uplifting economic backdrop, the report points out that executives’ confidence is local and linked to trade and economic concerns, while risk is global. No matter their confidence level, Creatura highlighted that executives in every region surveyed are prioritizing international expansion to fuel growth while pulling back focus on domestic markets. This in itself brings its own risks since the wave of protectionist economic policies seen in several regions has the potential to undercut companies’ global growth ambitions.
“Global growth tempts North American firms. While local markets remain top priority, over a third of business leaders are looking outwards to Continental Europe for future growth in spite of concerns over Brexit and trade wars,” Creatura told Corporate Risk and Insurance. “Of course, confidence in the growth opportunities of overseas markets does not come without risk. While the majority were confident they could deal with any fallout from potential trade wars, a sizeable minority, almost four in 10 (37%) stated that these risks were hitting their growth plans and were worried by the potential associated risks of customer attrition, rising costs, margin pressure and supply chain disruption.”
Another top concern for business leaders surveyed in the report was cyber risk, which became even more evident in 2018 and early 2019 as hackers threatened to leak files related to 9/11, the Marriott breach affected up to 500 million Starwood property guests over four years, and social media behemoth Facebook proved that it’s not impervious to cyber criminals.
“Almost half of executives globally (49%) say cyber risk is set to increase, making it the top risk globally in six months’ time. Interestingly, 50% of large companies, with turnover in excess of US$1.3 billion, said the risk was likely to increase compared with only 36% of small and 45% of mid-size companies,” commented Creatura.
Meanwhile, investments in technology that are leading companies to become more dependent on their digital capabilities and connect more devices to the internet are increasing the scope for disruption from a cyberattack or data breach.
“Technology ranks third on the risk radar for North American companies, the highest for any region globally,” said Creatura. “Technology is often one of the highest cost items on the balance sheet. Executives are acutely conscious of the downside in making the wrong investment decision, the difficulty of keeping pace with technological change and the dangers inherent in reliance on technology to keep the business efficient, competitive and resilient in the face of rising cyber threats. These are becoming increasingly global in nature and adding layers of complexity for businesses with international operations.”
As businesses face risks that are more interconnected than ever before, CNA outlines three priorities for leaders to focus on in this shifting landscape: leadership, culture, and strategy.
“Companies need more than the traditional financial and legal skills. They also need a broader, more diverse range of skills at the board and senior management levels who can help identify and manage the threats to brand reputation posed, for example, by failure to prepare adequately for Brexit or a cyber hit to the supply chain,” explained Creatura, adding that on the culture front, “Organizations also need to think about embedding a more proactive approach to loss and risk prevention. Large losses today are caused by the same drivers as 20 years ago – fire and flood. If businesses cannot master these obvious and tangible risks, inevitably they will struggle in the face of more complex, global, interconnected and intangible risks.”
In terms of strategy, leadership teams that operate within a more proactive risk culture will be better placed to invest in the technology, people and processes that will in turn facilitate growth. Accordingly, risk management will also see an evolution in this interconnected risk environment.
“Risk management is increasingly about service and support as much as balance sheet risk transfer. For that to work effectively there has to be better dialogue. Insurance is a partnership, not a panacea,” said Creatura.


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The response from the US garden product distributor Arett Sales Corporation was that the company potentially could start business with five of the British companies that attended, and a similar view came from the Danish pet product wholesaler Meldgaard Engros, which expressed interest in three or four of the product ranges it saw during the visit.
The Stewart Co said it was expecting follow-up discussions with the Danish and US buyers and stated that both markets were new to Stewart.
Touchwood Too, a recent recruit to Gardenex membership, presented its new plant support systems to the US buyer and was so encouraged that it plans to attend the other two meet the buyer events planned during 2011.
Pet product suppliers also reported on potentially positive outcomes, with Group 55 hoping to continue its run of successes from previous federation events.
Gardenex arranged a tour of UK garden centres, DIY stores and pet retailers for the buyers before the main event meetings.
Companies who wish to take part in the next Meet the Buyer meeting to be held on 8 June 2011 at the federation’s headquarters in Brasted, Kent, or other events organised by Gardenex should contact The Federation of Garden and Leisure Manufacturers.


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The US firm second quarter figures showed sales and revenues were up one fifth to $13.624 billion (£6.82 billion) on the same period last year. Profit per share for the three months between April and June were up 40 per cent to $1.74 (£0.87)
The news has meant Caterpillar has raised its full-year outlook for sales and revenues to around $50 billion – up from previous estimates of $47.2 billion (£23.6 billion) to $49.5 billion (£24.8 billion). Profit per share has been hiked from $5.64 (£2.82) to $6.18 (£3.09).
Cat said its traditionally key markets in North America, western Europe and Japan had suffered because of global economic conditions.
But chief executive Jim Owens said key markets such as the Middle East, Africa and a string of countries in South America including Brazil and Chile were helping offset the problems.
The firm added that growth in the former Soviet Union countries such as Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan was the biggest contributor to sales volume. It said a building boom plus increased mining and oil production in these areas meant more of its machines were in demand.
The firm is also pushing ahead with expansion plans in China and India with Cat recently announcing plans to increase capacity at its plants in both countries.
Mr Owens added: “Never in my 35 years with the company have I seen Caterpillar do so well in the face of such a difficult economic climate in the US. Supply is very tight and we are producing as much as we can.”


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Toyota’s venerable Camry lineup, which has been the best-selling mid-size sedan in the United States for years, gets a minor face-lift for 2010. The current seventh-generation Toyota Camry debuted in 2007.
While the current Toyota Camry is rather aged, Toyota endeavors to breathe some styling pizzazz into the Camry with a slew of exterior changes. Chief among these changes, according to Edmunds reviewers, are “a restyled grille and taillights,” which come standard on each of the “four trim levels—base, LE, SE and XLE.” Despite the changes, TheCarConnection.com’s editors find that the 2010 Toyota Camry remains one of the most conservative-looking sedans around.
As the most popular mid-size sedan on the market today, the 2010 Toyota Camry isn’t for those who want to stand out. In fact, Left Lane News predicts that “wallflowers will delight in the Camry’s rather anonymous looks,” which blend in to just about any urban or suburban driving environment you can imagine. It’s not that the Toyota Camry is unattractive—it simply fails to stand out. Autoblog does characterize the Camry as “half-pretty,” while those seeking a more pronounced Camry can shop around for the Camry SE, which Cars.com says benefits from appearance changes that bestow the car with “sporting good looks.” Other reviewers, however, remain unconvinced, and Left Lane News hopes that Toyota will “get a little more daring with the next-generation model.”
Although the exterior won’t draw anything more than a passing glance, the Toyota Camry’s interior is much more noteworthy. Edmunds raves that “Toyota’s decades of experience in ergonomics shine through here—the main controls are large and logically placed,” and Automobile Magazine characterizes the interior as “intelligently designed.” ConsumerGuide further points out that the “gauges are large and legible,” and “the control layout is logical after [a] brief acclimation.”


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Inflation has unexpectedly fallen to 2.8% in May from 3% in April which is the lowest level that it has been in 27 months. The fall could open the door for the Bank of England to inject more money into the economy with quantitative easing. The monetary policy committee could now recommend the injection of up to £50million in the coming months to try to stimulate growth in the economy.
The fall in the consumer price index (CPI) rate of inflation was expected to remain unchanged by city analysts, but is being attributed partly to the sharp fall in fuel prices at the petrol pumps according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Average petrol prices fell by 4.5% to 137.1p.
Rob Carnell, of ING, said: ‘Weaker inflation, alongside a string of weak activity data recently, will help the Bank of England to make the case for further QE at their July 5 meeting. We expect eventually, the Bank’s asset purchase scheme to be expanded to £450billion – it is currently £325billion. As well as helping to push gilt yields lower, today’s numbers, in conjunction with increasing expectations of more BoE QE, will help keep sterling soft, providing further support for the UK’s manufacturing sector, which has struggled in recent months in response to floundering euro zone demand.’
The UK economy is in a fragile state, especially in light of the deepen Eurozone crisis making QE look much more likely, further supported by comments by Sir Mervyn King, who said on Thursday night: ‘the case for further monetary easing is growing’.
The report by the ONS said that the decline illustrates that conditions for consumers remain tough, largely due to weak income growth.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said the drop was “good news for the British economy” and “a welcome respite”.


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We have talked about the so-called ‘Tablet Market’ as really being the ‘iPad Market’, with some marginal players scraping for scraps. Some of us have bought or spent considerable time with one or more of the various tablets that have come out over the last year – the Samsung Galaxy Tab, Motorola Xoom, BlackBerry Playbook, HP TouchPad, HTC Flyer, Acer Iconia, and on and on. Yet in all of these cases there have been some serious flaws that have derailed the tablets and ultimately resulted in the failure of the tablets to gain market penetration.
Last week the IDC released some tablet market share numbers, and although everyone is selling more units than last year, for most people the news isn’t very good as we are seeing more and more players dividing up the ‘iPad leftovers’.
Worse still – those leftovers have actually SHRUNK in the last couple of quarters instead of growing as predicted. In other words, the iPad market share has incredibly GONE UP even as a litany of ‘iPad Killers’ like the EEE Transformer and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 have come … and already seen either price cuts of sales of $150 off!
There is even worse news … but let’s get to the data first! The title of the IDC Report is “The worldwide tablet market grew 303.8% year over year, and it’s mostly Apple’s”, with the following table showing how market share has evolved:
Here is the breakdown of the report:
The worldwide tablet market is growing like gangbusters, with shipments up 88.9% from Q1 to Q2 and 303.8% year over year. IDC is now forecasting shipments of 62.5 million units in 2011, up from an earlier projection of 53.5 million
Apple’s (AAPL) share, while down from Q3 2010, when it was nearly 87.4%, actually grew to 68.3% in Q2 (up from 65% in Q1) despite increased competition
Research in Motion’s (RIMM) entered the market in Q2 with its PlayBook and grabbed a 4.9% share — at least in terms of units shipped
The tablets running various versions of Google’s (GOOG) Android lost share, falling to 26.8% in Q2 (from 34% in Q1), and the news is likely to get worse before it gets better
Hewlett-Packard’s (HPQ) probably bought a 4.7% share in Q3 with its firesale of $99 TouchPads, but given that HP has officially abandoned the TouchPad, that success is necessarily short-lived. By Q4 HP’s share will have fallen to zero
Before I discuss those results, it is worth looking at the IDC projections late last year factoring in the estimated Samsung Galaxy Tab and other early Android Tablets:
So … this pegs Apple’s iPad at owning ~87.% of the tablet market just about a year ago, with projections that by the end of the year that share dropped to ~73%. Of course, we now know THAT number was wrong (too low) because the Android market share numbers were science fiction based on ‘shipments’ and ‘sell-in’ and other obfuscation.
There is a huge problem with all of this – only ONE tablet manufacturer reports REAL numbers: Apple. We know how many iPhones, iPads and iPods have been sold (and also total iOS devices so we can break out iPod Touch estimates from total iPods). Everyone else … we get estimates.
So looking at the last couple of quarters, we see that Android was supposedly up to 34%, BlackBerry had almost 5%, and HP might get almost 5% for their fire sale. But as I said … there is a problem.
So let me lay it all out:
- Blackberry’s 5% is fiction based on early estimates that would have pegged the PlayBook near 900,000 sales total. We know that in Q1 they SHIPPED less than 500k, and in Q2 they ended shipping only 200k … and now
- HP’s numbers are based on production estimates and on a ‘sold out status’. Considering there was up to 50% disagreement on production numbers and the firesale was a SNAFU … I would call those numbers into question.
- Android tablet numbers are pure fantasy – especially from Samsung.
Since HP is a dead issue and RIM just has to realize that THEY are a dead issue, that leaves Android. The report from Lenovo contains some rather important insight:
An executive at Android tablet maker Lenovo claims that Samsung sold only 20,000 of the 1m tablets that it shipped last year as it tried to “buy share” from market leader Apple.
The dramatically low figure suggests that Samsung’s efforts with its first 7-inch tablet, launched exactly a year ago, fell far short of targets.
Andrew Barrow, director of consumer products and pricing for Lenovo Western Europe, told the Guardian that the problem with trying to substantially undercut the price of the Apple iPad, of which around 30m have so far been sold, was that “any [manufacturer] would be giving money away.”
What does this mean? Well, for starters ‘shipping’ product into the channel without reasonable chance of sale is very expensive for a hardware maker, since most retailers have clauses that ensure they aren’t left ‘holding the bag’ if a product doesn’t sell. Yet simply holding the inventory is very costly to a retailer and makes them reluctant to do so again – unless you have the massive leverage of someone like Samsung.
What Samsung was doing is ‘buying share’ – in other words, by falsely shipping 50 times as many units as they could sell, they were able to give the appearance of much greater success than was actually going on. Did it work? Well…name a non-iPad Tablet! A few folks know the Playbook, more people know the TouchPad from the firesale than anything else, very few have a clue about my Iconia … but aside from Apple, Samsung is the one getting press – and a de facto #2 position A position they earned by dumping unsellable product into the channel at a massive cost to them, and then using those numbers in statements as if they were sales.
So where does that leave the market? We have Apple, Samsung, HP and RIM as leaders, with Sony, Lenovo, Acer, HTC and ASUS making plays to join that pile.
And of the top players: as we noted HP is out, RIM is failing miserably, and Samsung has misrepresented sales atrociously to date and is therefore totally unreliable. That leaves Apple … selling millions of iPads, reporting actual sales, and absolutely owning the market in every possible way.