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Con wedding planners on the rise, leaving brides without their perfect wedding and thousands out of pocket
Due to increasing wedding costs, more and more couples are looking for a cheaper alternative to create their dream wedding, however hopeful brides are now turning up to their wedding to find a reception that was nothing like the one they had dreamed of. This was the reality for devastated brides Cher-Victoria Austin, Becky Copsey and Kelly Dickens.
Cher, 32 had surprisingly found her wedding reception in Manchester looking nothing like the one she had planned and paid for. Her venue dresser Michelle Hargreaves, 51, who owns company Forever Occasions left her reception looking less than perfect, only providing two chair ribbons and cheap table toppings. Cher believes she has fallen for a scam, leaving her and her husband Robert £330 out of pocket but they are not the only newlyweds who feel this way.
Another victim of Hargreaves scam is Becky Copsey, 38 a nurse from Kent and her war veteran husband Rob, 46 who were left devastated when Michelle failed to turn up. Becky hired Michelle to decorate her wedding reception venue for Â£247 and states that Michelle claimed that her assistant was unable to fulfil her duties due to her daughter being rushed to hospital with an epileptic fit, however this was revealed to be all lies. Becky and Rob’s friends and family were forced to take it upon themselves to decorate the reception with flowers, balloons and ribbons from a local supermarket.
Becky made a complaint to Michelle but did not receive a refund and it has since been revealed that during that time Michelle was on holiday in Greece. In speaking to The Sun, Becky states Michelle was such a convincing liar; she strung me along from the beginning. It was my wedding day, it should have been the happiest day of my life but instead I was in floods of tears.
In 2014 Michelle was jailed for 12 months for stealing over £15K from Asda after making 18 fraudulent transactions over the course of 4 months and now over 20 couples have further fallen for Michelle’s tricks. Her company Forever Occasions which boasts that it will create dreams and create forever memories for you, your friends and your family has now gone bust leading to couples hundreds if not thousands of pounds out of pocket. Hargreaves was contacted by The Mail on Sunday and commented “Apart from the fact my company has gone bankrupt, there is not a lot I can say.”
Forever Occasions is not the only company misleading couples, JLS Entertainment charges up to Â£1,500 for its services in wedding catering, decoration and DJ services. Ran by Jason Lee Davidson, JLS Entertainment has upset many newlyweds with his appalling services. A Facebook page has been set up to connect couples that have fallen victim to his tricks; some claim Davidson did not show up, many claim the catering services are a joke and some ordered a full buffet for 150 but were left with plates of Asda custard cream biscuits and doughnuts still in the packaging.
Kelly Dickens, 33 from Nottingham hired JSL Entertainment for a hot and cold buffet, room decoration and a DJ for £1,000. She states that Davidson turned up an hour late, stinking of alcohol, and claimed the decorations were on their way. The food was cold because his hot plate wasn’t working so no one could eat it. Dickens further revealed that Davidson provided Asda Coleslaw still in its packaging, forcing guests to eat at McDonald’s, leaving Kelly in floods of tears.
Davidson’s company is now closed and has since denied any wrongdoing, he states â€˜every business has a bad day and every business has a bad function. I’ve had to close my business because of these vile people.
Experts are stating that couples are falling prey to wedding con artists and that in the past six months more than 600 wedding related frauds from venues, photographers, dresses to catering are reported to the police. The National Fraud Intelligence claim that cases of wedding fraud has doubled since last Christmas and Chris Felton, a Detective inspector states â€˜we urge people to thoroughly research their providers and to pay by credit card for extra protection.


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Chef Greg and Subrina Collier to open Leah & Louise at Camp North End
Chef Greg and Subrina Collier, the husband-and-wife team behind Uptown Yolk, will open Leah & Louise, a Memphis-inspired juke joint […]
Alpha Kappa Alpha Cash Mob targets four Black-owned restaurants
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Slutty Vegan seduces local residents, hints at Charlotte opening
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The Black-owned beer distributor includes Harlem Brewing Company, a craft beer brand created by Shaw University graduate Celeste Beatty.
Food Security & Justice for All: Carolina Farm Trust and others unite to address one of Charlotte’s most critical needs
Carolina Farm Trust board member says, “Food is something that should be an equalizing issue, but it’s a new form of segregation.”
Get to know Chef Whitney Thomas, from grandma’s kitchen to 5Church’s Executive Chef
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Loft & Cellar releases new spring menu full of culture, passion and flair
Executive chef Greg Collier pulls from his Southern roots to reveal a menu that is culturally relevant, rooted in history, but accessible to all.

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It was more adversity for the vapor industry as many companies are still waiting on PMTA results.
By VV Staff
The year 2022 was tough on the vaping industry. While several countries banned or began heavily regulating vaping products, the United States banning most premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) probably had the greatest impact on the industry. Industry analysts estimate that 50 percent to 60 percent of vaping-related businesses in the U.S. had closed by late 2022 after the Food and Drug Administration began issuing mass marketing denial orders (MDOs) for nearly all the 6.5 million PMTAs submitted by 500 companies in 2021.
Companies had until May 14 to submit a PMTA to the FDA to keep their synthetic nicotine products on the market. Companies that failed to secure authorization were supposed to pull their products from the market by July 13. However, the regulatory agency has been using some discretion in its enforcement of synthetic nicotine products as it continues to review both tobacco and nontobacco PMTAs.
One of the biggest stories of the year is the rise of R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co.’s Vuse e-cigarettes, which took over as U.S. market leader from Juul in 2022. Juul’s fall came after the FDA issued an MDO for Juul Labs’ PMTAs on June 23. On July 5, the FDA stayed the MDO, announcing that it would review the decision after determining “there are scientific issues unique to this application that warrant additional review.” By October, Vuse had expanded its market share lead over Juul to 12 percent in the Nielsen analysis of convenience store data.
Thirty U.S. states plus the District of Columbia kick off the new year on Jan. 1 with taxes on vaping products. Filipino vapers appeal to Duterte to sign a bill that would legalize vaping. The U.S. Congress begins review the Clarifying Authority Over Nicotine Act of 2021—a bipartisan bill designed to give the FDA the authority to regulate synthetic nicotine products just as it regulates nicotine products made or derived from tobacco. South Africa begins considering taxes on hardware and e-liquids, with high-nicotine products getting higher rates. Malaysia postpones implementing a tax that would have more than doubled the retail prices of e-liquid bottles for open systems. FEELM Air launches in the U.K.
Triton Distribution makes opening arguments in its battle with the FDA over how the regulatory agency conducted its PMTA reviews. A court of appeals stays Bidi Vapor’s MDO. Judges grant stays to Diamond Vapor, Johnny Copper and Vapor Unlimited in MDO lawsuits. The U.S. Senate confirms FDA Commissioner Robert Califf. Philip Morris International announces its plans to bypass an import ban by manufacturing IQOS in U.S. The FDA posts its first warning letter for vaping hardware products. The letter is issued to China-based Sigelei Vapor for two coil brands. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) issues a general exclusion order that bans the importation of any unauthorized cartridges compatible with the Juul vaping system that infringe Juul Labs’ patents. The FDA submits its proposal to ban menthol to the Office of Management and Budget for review.
The Swedish government proposes a ban on nontobacco-flavored vaping devices, including menthol. The National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) 2021 finds youth cigarette smoking rates in the U.S. at historically low levels, with just 1.9 percent of high school students reporting current use of cigarettes. U.S. President Joe Biden signs a bill giving the FDA power over synthetic nicotine. Companies have 60 days to file PMTAs. China announces e-cigarette regulations, including flavor bans and compliance of all products produced for export with the regulations and laws in the destination country. If a country does not regulate e-cigarettes, China’s rules for vaping products would apply to those exports, including bans on flavors and synthetic nicotine. Myth of a gateway from vaping to smoking is debunked … again. FDA issues marketing orders to eight Logic brand vaping products.
Mitch Zeller retires as director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP). Vuse surpassed Juul to become the No. 1 e-cigarette brand in the U.S., according to Nielsen. Smoore International, the largest vaping company in the world, reports 2021 annual revenue of $2.16 billion. Canada proposes the first federal nicotine-only vape tax. China releases its rules listing the requirements for design, chemical compounds and the mechanics for manufacturing e-cigarettes. New York Stock Exchange rules force RLX Technology co-founder Kate Wang to resign from RLX committees. Fontem Ventures, a subsidiary of Imperial Brands, receives an MDO for its MyBlu products. Judge orders the FDA to give PMTA updates every 90 days for products with at least a 2 percent market share. Juul begins settling marketing lawsuits with several states. Hong Kong’s ban on vaping products makes it illegal to use or carry an activated vaping device in no-smoking areas. The FDA publishes rules for the menthol ban. Several Njoy vaping products receive marketing orders.
For the first time, the FDA issues warning letters for marketing products containing delta-8 THC. Several R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. Vuse branded e-cigarette products receive marketing orders, including six new tobacco products, through the PMTA pathway. The San Diego City Council passes an ordinance for the second time banning vape flavors, and it’s effective Jan. 1, 2023. In its first status report, the FDA states that it expects to have resolved 63 percent of PMTAs set out in its original priority by June 30. Altria Client Services pays $100.5 million for assets and properties used in Poda Holdings’ business of developing, manufacturing and marketing multi-substrate heated capsule technology. FEELM wins four Red Dot Awards, an international competition for product, communication and concept design. Longtime Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alumnus Brian King succeeds Mitch Zeller at the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP).
Mexico bans all vaping and heated-tobacco products. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador signs a decree that outlaws the sale of e-cigarettes in line with continuing the government’s ongoing anti-vaping policy. Heated-tobacco products are not exempt from the ban as previously reported that they would. Njoy Daily disposables get marketing orders; however, the FDA issued MDOs to Njoy for multiple other flavored Daily e-cigarette products. A study finds e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) and Covid-19 boosted misinformation on vaping. A federal court jury finds R.J. Reynolds’ Vuse Solo and Alto devices infringe two Philip Morris patents. Zinwi is among the first to get a green light to produce e-liquids under China’s new regulatory framework. Juul receives an MDO, which is subsequently stayed in court. The FDA places Juul’s application back under review. EU lawmakers propose a flavor ban for heated-tobacco products.
PMI opens its flagship IQOS store in South Africa. Confronted with rising prices for batteries, engineers in Ukraine begin using power cells from vapes to power drones. A U.S. administrative tribunal invalidates two claims in an R.J. Reynolds vaping patent. Panama bans the sale and import of vapes, joining more than a dozen Latin American and Caribbean countries with such restrictions. Brazil also maintains its ban on vaping products. The FDA issues first warning letters for synthetic products. Juul Labs begins exploring financing options to avoid bankruptcy. Juul quarterly revenues drop 23 percent. FDA Commissioner Robert Califf says the nonprofit Reagan-Udall Foundation—a nongovernmental research group created by Congress to support the FDA’s work—will convene experts to evaluate the CTP within 60 business days. Matt Holman, the director of the CTP’s Office of Science, announces he is stepping down. Altria reduces the value of its investment in Juul Labs to $1.3 billion, a nearly 70 percent loss of its original $12.8 billion evaluation. The Philippine president allows a bill that legalizes e-cigarettes to lapse into law.
CTP Director Brian King states that the agency is “making significant progress” in reviewing synthetic nicotine applications. Chinese car maker BYD gets a vape production permit and its stock price soars. Monroe County becomes the first in New York state to accept e-cigarettes and e-liquids for safe disposal. VPR Brands receives an FDA warning letter for its nicotine gummies. FEELM, one of the largest and most influential e-cigarette brands, earns its production license in China. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit grants petitions for review filed by Bidi Vapor, Diamond Vapor and four other companies challenging the FDA’s rejection of their e-cigarette applications in a 2-1 decision. Great Britain reports record levels of vaping in a report that found 2.4 million vapers are ex-smokers. Vuse’s market grows from 37.4 percent to 39 percent, with Juul declining from 30.7 percent to 29.4 percent. A U.S. appeals court denies a petition to review the FDA’s marketing denial order to Illinois-based e-liquid manufacturer Gripum.
Juul Labs agrees to pay nearly $440 million to settle a two-year investigation by 33 U.S. states into the marketing of its vaping products, which critics have blamed for sparking a surge in underage vaping. A jury in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina awards Altria Client Services more than $95 million after finding that Reynolds Vapor Co.’s Vuse Alto e-vapor product infringes three Altria patents. The FDA states it sent more than 44 warning letters to manufacturers and over 300 warning letters to retailers for violations relating to nontobacco nicotine. Alaska’s governor vetoes an age-to-vape bill because it also included the implementation of a tax on e-cigarettes. Nicaragua bans the import of e-cigarette products. Altria Group exercises its option to be released from its noncompete deal with Juul Labs. Maine backs out of a Juul settlement claiming it would cancel out school district suits.
The Colorado Supreme Court rules that the Colorado attorney general’s office’s lawsuit against electronic cigarette manufacturer Juul Labs cannot include four of the company’s executives. The FDA announces that as of Oct. 7, it has issued refuse to accept (RTA) letters for more than 889,000 synthetic nicotine product applications that did not meet the criteria for acceptance. Magellan CEO Jon Glauser says the FDA acknowledged in writing that it had “erred in failing to inform the company” about its MDOs before announcing the move publicly. An analysis suggests that over 90 percent of FDA warning letters were sent to small online retailers. For the first time, the U.S. Department of Justice files requests for permanent injunctions in federal district courts against six e-cigarette manufacturers on behalf of the FDA. Charlotte’s Web signs the first CBD licensing deal with Major League Baseball. A health regulatory body for Mexico’s government says its scientists have developed a new methodology to analyze the aerosols in electronic nicotine-delivery systems because “no one else has come up with one.” PMI reaches a deal with Altria Group to pay nearly $2.7 billion for exclusive U.S. commercialization rights to IQOS. FDA staff comments for the Reagan-Udall assessment of the performance of the CTP suggest the regulatory agency is in a state of disarray and being influenced by outside forces not scientific research. The FDA issues its first menthol MDOs for the Logic Pro Menthol E-Liquid Package and the Logic Power Menthol E-Liquid Package.
China’s Ministry of Finance imposes a consumption tax on e-cigarettes sold in China from Nov. 1. China bans celebrities from endorsing vaping products. Logic is granted a temporary stay of the FDA’s menthol MDO. The EU publishes a directive officially banning flavors in heated-tobacco products throughout the union. Magellan sues the FDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, claiming the agencies violated the Administrative Procedure Act in the PMTA reviews. Maryland and Missouri become the 20th and 21st states to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use, but cannabis reform efforts meet defeat in Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota. Vuse’s market share rises from 40 percent in the previous report to 40.4 percent compared with Juul declining from 28 percent to 27.6 percent in Nielson’s four-week period ending Nov. 5. The European Union proposes a bloc-wide vaping tax policy as part of a shake-up of levies on the tobacco industry.
Macau’s blanket ban on vaping products goes into effect. The rules prevent people from carrying e-cigarettes across the border with fines up to mop20,000 ($2,505). The Netherlands bans all e-cigarette flavors except tobacco effective Oct. 1, 2023. U.S. President Joe Biden officially signs the first piece of standalone federal cannabis reform. The Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act is aimed at providing federal support to facilitate research of cannabis and its potential health benefits. Juul Labs settles more than 5,000 lawsuits covering more than 10,000 individual plaintiffs. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Costa Rica for the first time gives a company authorization to grow and process hemp. Canada’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health released a report finding that vaping products offer the 3.8 million Canadians who smoke a less harmful source of nicotine than tobacco products, and do help people to stop smoking. The Reagan-Udall Foundation submitted its recommendations to the commissioner of the FDA. The report concludes that vaping industry stakeholders observed a lack of “consistent implementation” of what the industry understood to be the policies of the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), particularly with respect to tobacco harm reduction and the requirements needed to navigate the PMTA process. A separate investigation, conducted by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) after a whistleblower complaint, found the CTP had relaxed its standards of review for certain tobacco products and stifled attempts by its scientists to raise concerns.
It’s impossible to predict what the vaping industry will look like by the end of 2023. The U.S. will probably see a decline in product variety because the FDA is unlikely to approve many devices. However, globally, especially in the EU and the U.K., the industry should continue to thrive and expand, according to industry analysts. More importantly, innovation should continue to thrive outside the U.S.
Gregory Conley, director of legislative and external affairs for the American Vapor Manufacturers Association, said the global fight for fair and sensible regulation of vaping products will continue throughout 2023. “Regrettably, just like years prior, some battles will be lost, and the end result will be fewer adults who smoke fully switching to vaping,” he said. “However, the silver lining is that—as we see today in Australia and Thailand—even prohibitions with criminal sanctions are not enough to stop illicit markets from popping up. This industry will never be able to stop every attempt at prohibition, but it can continue to document and expose how black markets follow whenever these bans are implemented.”
On the U.S. state level, Conley said his major concern is PMTA registry bills being put forth by the tobacco industry. He explained that these bills would devastate law-abiding vape shops and smoke shops by banning any vaping product that does not have a PMTA granted or explicit enforcement discretion from the FDA. “This means that synthetic nicotine, nicotine-free [products] and CBD/delta products would all become illegal to sell,” said Conley.
Nationally in the U.S., Conley said the FDA’s policy on vaping products in 2023 is likely to still be characterized by regulatory paralysis and the eternal search for the least politically controversial regulatory option. “Despite declines in youth vaping and the admonishment of federal judges, leadership at FDA remains steadfastly committed to having more combustible cigarettes on the market than vaping products,” he said. “On the plus side, the pace of FDA review has been slow to say the least, so we won’t hear rulings on many applications until 2024 or later.”


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Nintendo's NX Will Surprise and Innovate, Iwata Says
"If you only expand upon existing hardware, it's dull," Satoru Iwata says about the upcoming system.
Fortnite Week 8: Search Jigsaw Pieces Under Bridges And Caves All Locations (Season 8 Challenge) Last Of Us: Part 2 Hits Development Milestone - GS News Update Avengers: Endgame - Awesome TV Spot Pokemon Go Adds New Shiny Pokemon For A Limited Time - GS News Update Fortnite: Week 8 Secret Hidden Banner Location Guide (Season 8 Discovery Challenge) PS5 Price Will Be "Appealing" - GS News Update Fortnite Adds Dogfighting LTM Air Royale - GS News Update Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 3.0 Update Adds Joker, Stage Builder, And More - GS News Update Xbox One E3 2019 Press Conference Date And Time Announced - GS News Update PS5 First Details: Specs, Backwards Compatibility, 8K, And More - GS News Update God Of War Celebrates Anniversary With Free Stuff - GS News Update "All Digital" Xbox One Leaks - GS News Update
Although he did not offer specifics, Iwata suggested that the NX aims to catch gamers by surprise and offer meaningful innovation.
"If you only expand upon existing hardware, it's dull," Iwata said in the report, as translated by Kotaku. "In some shape or form, we're always thinking about how we want to surprise players as well as our desire to change each person's video gaming life."
Iwata officially announced the NX during a presentation in Japan last week, where the company also revealed plans to finally enter the smartphone market. Revealing the NX project was a means to demonstrate that Nintendo remains committed to gaming hardware.
"As proof that Nintendo maintains strong enthusiasm for the dedicated game system business, let me confirm that Nintendo is currently developing a dedicated game platform with a brand-new concept under the development codename 'NX,'" Iwata said at the time.
More details about NX are set to be revealed in 2016. GameSpot's full report about the NX is available here.
Though concrete information about Nintendo's NX is extremely light at the moment, one retailer is already accepting preorders for the device.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email email@example.com


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|Articles - May 2014|
|Monday, April 28, 2014|
BY BRIAN LIBBY | PHOTO BY ANTHONY PIDGEON
Thirty-five years ago, Dave Allen participated in one of rock music’s biggest transformations, playing bass for the seminal British band Gang of Four as the punk and post-punk genres burst into the mainstream with a youthful, in-your-face attitude. Today Allen has become part of another music revolution, this time on the business side. In February he was named director of artist and music industry advocacy for Los Angeles-based Beats Music (a subsidiary of headphone manufacturer Beats Electronics), acting as spokesperson for one of the biggest emerging players in the business of subscription-based digital-music streaming.
If his journey from 24-year-old rocker to 59-year-old industry executive seems surprising, Allen sees a connecting thread. Success in creativity and commerce alike, he believes, comes from listening to and channeling the desires and passions of an incoming generation. “It’s about what springs from the bottom up,” says Allen, still thin and fit with a rocker’s gravity-defying hair, if a bit grayer now. In the past few years, Allen has written extensively about artists and new music business models — but his position on streaming puts him at odds with many musicians, who are critical of the so-far meager royalties being paid as listeners pay small monthly fees for unlimited access to songs. Fortunately, being a rock star has given him the confidence to thrive on confrontation; his vision of technology as enabling force has powered his ascension behind the scenes.
In 1989 Allen gave up playing in bands to found an indie music label, World Domination. The Internet was in its infancy at the time, yet Allen saw possibility. One of his label’s signed bands, Sky Cries Mary, was credited with performing the first live online concert broadcast. “I thought, ‘This is the future of music,’” he remembers. “Back then it was still a gamble. But you’ve got to take risks sometimes.” Next Allen became general manager of eMusic, one of the web’s first digital music retailers, before moving to Portland in 1999 to join Intel’s Consumer Digital Audio Services division. Over the next decade, he learned the marketing and advertising side of the equation at Portland firms such as the Overland Agency and North, often recruiting popular local bands to populate ads for clients like Deschutes Brewery and Cover Oregon.
Times have changed since Allen — who will remain in Portland while working for Beats — left the music business two decades ago. Since its peak in 1999, recorded-music revenue in the United States has dropped by over 60%, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. For much of that time, digital-music sales (the MP3 files we load to our iPods and smartphones) were seen as a savior, but last year they too declined for the first time since Apple launched its iTunes store in 2003. Meanwhile, digital-streaming services such as Spotify and Pandora, which provide listeners with access to thousands of songs for a monthly fee — they resemble a kind of customizable Internet radio — have experienced double-digit growth, which Allen believes will only rise.
“It’s not hyperbole to suggest that this generation’s music fans want to rent their music, not own it,” Allen wrote in a recent op-ed for London’s Guardian newspaper. “We can only look to what Internet and mobile users are doing or want to do, and then note how their actions drive technologists to provide platforms for them.” Not everyone is so enthusiastic. “You’re inventing this false economy,” says Portland’s Rebecca Gates, whose band The Spinanes gained international notoriety in the 1990s. “Streaming is benefiting the fans, which is great, but it’s not sustainable,” Gates says. “My music is a small business, and I like to be compensated for my work.”
The label that owns rights to her Spinanes albums, Sub Pop, makes them available to streaming companies, but Gates hasn’t allowed her solo work (which she alone controls) to be accessed. Reform is also needed in other parts of the music business besides streaming, Gates admits. In the United States, for example, unlike other countries, only songwriters and publishers earn royalties from their music being played on radio — not performers.
Allen’s counterargument is that artists need to make a leap of faith, and that today’s streaming royalties will grow exponentially if companies like Beats Music are given time to grow audiences. It’s a far cry from Gang of Four’s strongly left-leaning social commentary, declaring “blood war on the bourgeois state,” as one of its early songs goes. But his dual experience on music’s creative and business sides gives him credibility, industry watchers say.
“There’s an understandable tendency for musicians involved in the streaming debate to respond defensively, worried primarily about protecting their revenue streams,” says writer Kevin Dettmar, whose book-length treatise on Gang of Four’s landmark 1979 album, Entertainment!, was released in March. “But Dave can combine his experience as an artist with his smarts as a policy maker. It’s a killer combo.” Time will tell how lucrative streaming will become, either for record companies betting millions or musicians making pennies. Driven by the chance to be part of the conversation and to crusade for change, Allen sees his move into streaming advocacy as a natural intersection between his music, marketing and tech experience.
As recently as two years ago, Allen admits, he was still skeptical about the format. His students at the University of Oregon, where he teaches digital brand strategy, changed his mind. “I start off every term asking them to give me their top five ways of accessing music. And it’s the same every time,” he explains: Students overwhelmingly listen for free on YouTube, which acts an introduction to new music. But streaming has become their second choice, and the first they’ll pay for, affirming Allen’s belief that within 10 years, it will reverse the recorded music industry’s multi-decade decline.
“Plenty of consumers will continue to buy MP3s, vinyl records and CDs,” he says, “but I also believe we’ve reached a tipping point.” In the next decade, a new generation of users will come into the system who never knew anything but digital music, Allen says. “We’ve got to get growth and scale to make streaming profitable.”
The former rock star turned industry executive concludes on a more fatalistic note. “Ultimately, it’s up to the users. What do the users want?”
Thursday, July 03, 2014
BY TED AUSTIN & MIKE BAELE | GUEST CONTRIBUTORS
The Office of Economic Analysis announced that Oregon is currently enjoying the strongest job growth since 2006. While this resurgence has been welcome, the lingering effects of the 2008 “Great Recession” continues to affect Oregon businesses, especially with regard to estate planning and business succession.
Monday, July 07, 2014
BY TOM COX | OB BLOGGER
Named after the 2010 experiment by Thomas Ryan, "Robin Sages" are fake social media profiles designed to encourage linking and divulging valuable information.
Wednesday, July 02, 2014
BY JESSICA RIDGWAY | OB WEB EDITOR
Dress for Success Oregon promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and career development tools.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
BY CLIFF HOCKLEY | OB GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
With the increasing retirements of Baby Boomers, a massive real estate shift has created a significant increase in demand for NNN properties. The result? Increased demand has triggered higher prices and lower yields.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Oregon Business magazine won two silver awards for excellence in writing in the National American Society of Business Publication Editors Western region competition.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
By Kim Moore | OB Editor
The 2015 survey launched this week. It is open to for-profit private and public companies that have at least 15 full- or part-time employees in Oregon.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
BY TOM COX | OB BLOGGER
Tom Cox interviews Steve Balzac, author of "Organizational Psychology for Managers."
|The Private 150: Bigger But Leaner|
|The Perfect Food|
|Powerlist: Staffing Firms|
|Taxis Uber Alles?|
|WHO: Ban e-cigarette use indoors|
|Burger King to acquire Tim Hortons for $11.5B|
|Burger King in talks to buy Tim Hortons|
|Damage from Northern California quake could reach $1B|
|Yellen says job market hampered|
|Gap goes to India|
|Federal directive threatens Oregon health reforms|
Vigilant enters a New Year with a new president.
How George Fox has become one of Oregon's largest private universities.
Forest Grove sees growth in the burgeoning food and beverage scene.
Lane Powell Shareholder William T. Patton has been appointed to the board of directors for Cascade AIDS Project, an organization that provides educational services and outreach to thousands of Oregonians living with HIV/AIDS.
Fifty-one Lane Powell lawyers were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® (Best Lawyers) 2015; of those selected, 23 lawyers are from the Firm’s office in Portland, Oregon.
Barran Liebman is proud to announce that Andrew Schpak, a Partner of the firm, has been named Chair of the American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division for the 2014-2015 bar year.


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Twitter has announced it supports “Do Not Track,” a privacy preference users can set in their Web browsers that informs Web services they don’t want certain information collected about their visits across websites.
DNT “will not require the government to compile a list, unlike the ‘Do Not Call Registry,’ which allows consumers to opt out of receiving telemarketing calls,” CNN reported last week.
The new feature “is good news for Twitter users and a meaningful step toward broader adoption of a strong ‘Do Not Track’ system that will give consumers simple, comprehensive control over online tracking,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz told CNN. “Hopefully other companies will follow suit.”
shows that collaboration amongst business, privacy advocates, technical experts, academics, standards organizations and government can lead to development of technologies that make the Internet more responsive to privacy needs.”
Although Twitter will honour requests from users who do not want online behaviour recorded, Google and Facebook, whose business models rely heavily on collecting user data, have no intention to adopt DNT, according to CNN.
Facebook’s business model relies on advertising revenue generated when users run games and other apps on the site. Facebook will track users’ activities to pick targeted advertisers, CNN noted.


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Since words just aren’t enough at times to express something on Facebook, photos can now be added in comments to deliver visually rich messages. Facebook is making continuous efforts to improve its services and the latest abilities which have been introduced over the past few months have been very much welcoming.
The ideal goal behind photo comments on Facebook is to make conversing with others more expressive and engaging. Unlike first where only a link to an image would appear, users will now be able to attach the picture directly into their post. The tool was announced by Bob Baldwin who’s a product engineer at the SNS, on his personal account.
According to him, the feature was designed at a hackathon along with a group of coders. Those using Google’s Chrome browser will be able to copy-paste a picture straight from the clipboard. The ability to embed images on Facebook isn’t accessible by everyone. The only way to know if the feature is available is by looking out for a camera button on right side on the text field, which is similar to the one seen in the status update interface.
The option seems to be currently limited to profile streams and not pages. While popular image formats are supported, GIF animations aren’t on the list. The ability to tag people in comments and even make replies was incorporated back in March and in April, the SNS took things to a new level by allowing users to edit their posts. Just last week, we’ve seen hashtags go official as well.
As we’ve mentioned earlier, adding photos to comments isn’t available to everyone just yet. However, Baldwin does assert that it will be rolling out to everyone soon. In other news, the social network is expected to announce a couple of new products at an event today, which could be an RSS reader and video support for Instagram.


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DELIVERY ROBOTS, FIRST IN NATION
Last Friday, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, signed a law that effective July 1, 2017 will allow for the use of autonomous delivery robots in the State of Virginia.
This first in the nation law limits the delivery vehicle or robot to 50 lbs and a speed of 10 MPH per hour and it must be in full control by the delivery company via remote monitoring.
The robots will be able the use the State’s sidewalks and crosswalks to make deliveries from their origin to a customer’s address, potentially making for an interesting commute…
The law was supported by eCommerce heavy weights such as Amazon and Grubhub with technical advise by Estonian robotics company Starship Technologies. Other players in the autonomous delivery system are looking to enter the Virginia market as well.
No word yet if Virginia will follow up with specialized license plates that say “First in Nation for Robot Delivery”, a spin-off on North Carolina’s “First in Flight” plates or Ohio’s “Birthplace of Aviation” plates.
UPS Testing Drone Delivery From Their Delivery Trucks
UPS is testing drones to use from their delivery trucks in a departure of other drone testing such as Amazon that experiment with delivery from warehouses. A first proof of concept test was conducted a few weeks ago in Florida.
UPS already famous for its minimize left turn policy when designing delivery routes hopes to add drones to portions of their fleet to minimize driving time.
According to UPS, saving only 1 mile per delivery truck per year will save the company up to $50 million. This is especially important in rural delivery areas where stops can be miles apart.
The test system works as imagined, a UPS driver inside the truck loads a package into the cage and presses a button on a touch screen, sending the drone on a preset autonomous route to an address.
The battery-powered drone recharges while it’s docked. It has a 30-minute flight time and can carry a package weighing up to 10 pounds.
UPS sees this as a development to complement driver’s routes, in essence the driver can dispatch drone deliveries to more remote addresses while continuing to make standard deliveries in more populated areas.
Drones are not new to UPS, but this is the first real test for them of non-urgent type delivery aimed at providing more capacity for residential eCommerce deliveries.
AMAZON PRIME TO THE MOON?
Maybe not Prime yet, but Jeff Bezos who founded Blue Origin space technology company, and is working in cooperation with NASA to develop the privately funded New Glenn reusable rocket for space station and long range flight, is aiming for the moon.
The rockets could one day become part of a mission to the Moon to reestablish a small lunar colony of scientists or space tourists.
Bezos envisions that in the future it might lead to an Amazon style delivery service for lunar visitors to get a new Fire tablet or one of the other millions of products sold on Amazon.
He proposes that sending gear and cargo for establishing a lunar colony could start as early as 2020 with humans arriving sometime later.
Now we need to be careful not to dismiss him for such ideas as it was only in December of 2013 that he unveiled on CBS’s 60 Minutes program his future of Amazon delivery using drones.
While it might still be a while before small eCommerce businesses could take advantage of moon deliveries, this type of out of the box thinking is what has made Amazon such a pioneer in eCommerce.
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October is a great time of the year. Those of us who live in certain climates are treated to a beautiful show from nature as the leaves on trees turn vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows. Kids of all ages rejoice in Halloween festivities, dressing up in costumes and stuffing their faces with candy. It's a life-affirming month, assuming that you can avoid what has come to be the tyranny of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
By no means do I take breast cancer lightly. Almost 30 years ago, when my mom was only 33 years old, she discovered pus oozing out of one of her nipples. She saw a doctor, had a biopsy, and learned that she had cancer. In those days, there were few choices and a lot of stigma, particularly for a woman so young. Immediately following the biopsy results, she was rushed into surgery, had a mastectomy, and at the same time, received a breast implant so she would be "normal." I was only four and my sister was not even a year old at the time, and we know how lucky we are to still have our mom in our lives, even if the implant leaked and caused other long-term health issues.
Last year, Dr. Samantha King wrote a groundbreaking book, Pink Ribbons, Inc. about the travesty of the mockery of a sham that is the pink ribbon campaign. Misty McCormick Chisum's review of the book at Feminist Review sums up exactly how I felt when I learned about what the pink ribbons were really about:
Who hasn’t done it? Who hasn’t bought that extra cup of yogurt or that pink scarf that matches nothing in the closet just to show support for the breast cancer cause? Most women have seen what breast cancer can do in the lives of real women, whether we have endured it first-hand or watched a loved one struggle to survive. I have always felt that sweet inner glow after making a purchase if I knew that a small percentage of the proceeds would go to support breast cancer research. As a consumer, I felt that I was doing my part. I never questioned why my philanthropy needed to be tied directly to my consumerism. I never questioned it, that is, until I read Pink Ribbons, Inc.
What do big corporations and politicians have in common? According to Samantha King, an Associate Professor of Women’s Studies and Physical and Health Education, both groups have profited from our society’s fascination with breast cancer. King offers a searing discussion of the push toward “strategic philanthropy” in the last two decades of the 20th Century. With the current stress on cause-related marketing, corporations exploit the public’s civic goodwill as they fight “to gain ownership over the issue.”
Reading King’s analysis of the issue made me for the first time question who really benefits when I “think pink” at the cash register.
Corporations push breast cancer in October because it works to sell more products. Women worry that some day they will face breast cancer or already know someone who has. They want to help. And what way is better than to buy something that promises to do good? The reality is that very little of the amount women spend on the pink products wind up at charitable institutions. An ABC News Report from last October pointed out that Campbell's donated a whopping 3.5 cents for every can of soup it sold. To raise a mere $36 to fight breast cancer from the Yoplait campaign, a person needs to eat three cups of yogurt a day for four months.
Not only is this not especially helpful, but it can be counterproductive. Ironically, "Breast Cancer Awareness Month" came about from AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical company (see Amanda's BlogHer post from yesterday on how drug companies profit from disease marketing) that also manufactures an herbicide known to cause cancer. As other companies jumped on the bandwagon, eager to sell their wares to women who want to do something they can feel good about, the number of products that have links to cancer that are being sold in the name of cancer awareness or even "cures" are concerning. Two prime examples are Revlon, which sponsors a run/walk for breast cancer research and contains high levels of toxic chemicals in some of its products, and Yoplait, whose ubiquitous pink lids must be sent in order for the company to make a donation and who may use dairy products with potentially cancer-causing hormones in them. If you think about it, the logic of buying a bag of pink M&Ms to help prevent breast cancer makes little sense given that obesity increases the risk of breast cancer. (See Breast Cancer Awareness's Think Before You Pink information for more details on cosmetic companies and breast cancer, as well as lists of products that do not use cancer-causing ingredients.)
Because they know that this is as much about selling a variety of consumer goods as it is about breast cancer, many women who are living with the effects of breast cancer feel exploited by the pink ribbon push. Laurie at Not Just About Cancer, who has a "don't buy pink crap" label for her blog posts, wrote:
My bag now sports a button, courtesy of Jeanne Sather of the Assertive Cancer Patient. It's text reads "Boycott October! Don't buy PINK products. Don't EXPLOIT women with breast cancer."
Speaking of Jeanne Sather of the Assertive Cancer Patient, she writes that in October:
I'll be writing letters to companies that market pink ribbon products--and expect to be rewarded for it with increased sales and profits. I'll post those letters on my blog for those of you who want to copy them.
I'll also be offering suggestions for ways, other than retail therapy, to help women with breast cancer. Meanwhile, DON'T "shop for the cure." It's a lie.
Jeanne's September post seeking a Canadian husband (universal health care) brings up another important point about the fallacy of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Making women aware of the disease is one step. Many pink ribbon donations are used to provide free mammograms to women with no health insurance because early detection is helpful to surviving the disease. See the problem? If women don't have health insurance and can't afford a mammogram, how the hell are women going to have their cancer treated? This type of program thus effectively saves no lives. My mom was lucky – she detected her cancer early and had the ability to have it treated. That is why she is alive today, and none of these pink ribbon campaigns address that issue, which is a much broader policy issue. Instead, they make money off of women who think that they are helping others.
It's not that there is nothing that the average woman can do to assist in the fight against breast cancer. Check out the amazing resources from the non-profit advocacy group Breast Cancer Awareness's Think Before You Pink counter-campaign. Don't buy products you didn't plan on buying anyway. If M&Ms were on your shopping list, then it can't hurt to buy a pink bag instead of a regular one. That's an extra 14 cents (or however the math works out) that will now go to breast cancer causes that you would have spent anyway. But if M&Ms were not on your list, why not just donate the bag's purchase price directly to a cause you support? Not only will the organization get the full benefit of the $3.25 (or however much a big bag of M&Ms cost), you can also write the amount off of your taxes, fattening your own bottom line (and this was NOT meant to be a pun, although it is certainly applicable in my own life) instead of some corporation's.
More from health


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Israeli business Medivie signs $110M deal with European investor to export medical cannabis
Israel-based Medivie Therapeutic announced so it joined into a $110-million contract by having a European investor that is financial grow, produce, and export cannabis that are medical. Here is the deal that is biggest of its sort yet for an Israeli business.
In its statement, nevertheless, Medivie failed to recognize the worldwide investor.
Underneath the deal, Medivie Therapeutic, as well as its subsidiary High Pharma, is certainly going to earmark around 25 acres of land to develop and create as much as 50 a lot of medical cannabis then export it towards the buyer each Over a period of five years year. Medivie said that this cannabis that are 25-acre farm and center will either be in Israel of in a country that is different.
Worldwide CBD Exchange
In exchange, the investor that is unnamed spend Medivie $30 million inside the Year first. This can go directly to the conclusion of due diligence investigations And to the preparation and rental associated with lot. Medivie stated that at that time, it will expose the identification of its key investor.
Medivie will get $20 million per year when it comes to second to year that is fourth.
Israel’s cannabis export plan
The offer is based on whether Israel will let the exportation of medical cannabis. It could be recalled that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made a decision to freeze Israel’s cannabis export program in a work to appease united states of america President Donald Trump.
Israel is really a pioneer in neuro-scientific cannabis biotechnology and research. As well as in February a year ago, the nation’s ministers endorsed a proposed bill to legalize medical cannabis export. Under this prepared cannabis export system, Israel planned to export cannabis for approved purposes that are medical other countries, such as the U.S.
The stated export system is projected to come up with $1.14 billion yearly for the country’s economy.
“Medivie won’t hesitate to move its knowledge and task with other nations in the event that Israeli federal government fails to legalize the exportation of medical cannabis soon.” – Medivie CEO Menachem Cohen
Final month, after Netanyahu announced the freeze in the export plan, Knesset Economics Committee Head Eitan Cabel held a meeting that is special the matter. Government, agriculture and industry representatives had expressed concern yourself with A israeli medical cannabis collapse when they usually do not take instant actions to start the country’s gates for export.
Cabel guaranteed he would call on Netanyahu to provide a conclusion about the freeze if the export issue is certainly not remedied quickly.
Medivie threatens to move knowledge if export is certainly not permitted quickly
Medivie warns that when the government that is israeli to place its export plans on hold, the business would just offer its expertise and knowledge with respect to its cannabis operations.
In accordance with Medivie CEO Menachem Cohen, the ongoing company won’t hesitate to Transfer its activity and knowledge to many other nations in the event that Israeli federal government does not legalize the exportation of medical cannabis soon.
A clause into the contract states that the offer could be terminated in the event that nation will not approve exports or if what is cbd perhaps Medivie struggles to develop cannabis Crops in another national nation as an alternative.
More investors needed
The business stated so it presently holds the liberties to 50 acres in agricultural land in Israel for the following 2 decades or more and it’s also Seeking investors that are additional. Medivie stated its in talks along with other companies whom could be prepared to come right into comparable discounts regarding the staying acreage.
Midivie stated that it’s additionally in speaks to develop cannabis in European countries.
Medivie Therapeutic Ltd develops and markets dental support products for different medical uses. It presently markets a DSD this is certainly made to help women handle childbirth discomfort also to reduce steadily the period of time they invest in work. Medivie also earnestly develops a solution that is dsd pain connected with migraine and for improved activity that is cognitive concentration.


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Apple has begun testing new Retina panels for its upcoming iPad mini 2, according to new reports.
In an interviewed with the Shanghai Evening News, Apple's Phil Schiller stated that Apple would: "Not develop cheap smartphones in order to grab market share".
PCs were upstaged by tablets, smartphones and TVs at this year's International CES show, with some companies maintaining a smaller presence or holding back product announcements for a later date.
ASUS today confirmed that its Taichi 21 hybrid Ultrabook is expected to be in Australian stores by 21 January. It has been a long time coming for this 11.6in hybrid product, which we initially reviewed back in November 2012, and it's sure to get a fa...
Apple has updated its App Store rules to prevent scammers from being able to change the screenshots displayed with their app descriptions after Apple has approved it.
Here are 10 innovative technologies designed to the transformative Qi wireless charging standard that were on display at CES.
New images of a potential iPhone 6 design have been created based on an alleged test prototype, sporting a similar shape to the latest iPod nano.
Intel expects to see more innovation in PC design in the next year than there has been since the mid-1990s.
One Laptop Per Child is back in the tablet race, announcing a new 7-inch tablet with the Android OS that will be sold commercially and include its learning software.
Panasonic on Tuesday showed off a 20-inch tablet with a 4K screen that can display images at a resolution of 3840-by-2160 pixels and is designed to improve multimedia tasks such as photo editing.
Advanced Micro Devices showed off a Windows 8 tablet running the company's upcoming tablet chip code-named Temash, which the company hopes will reverse a string of past failures and provide enough ammunition to compete with tablet chip leaders ARM an...
A prototype flexible tablet with edges that can be bent to switch between pages is expected to be shown at the International CES this week.
An Android tablet that can receive both conventional and mobile digital TV transmissions will be among the gadgets unveiled at next week's International CES in Las Vegas.
Enterprises buying new mobile devices and investing in security and storage management will give IT spending a boost in 2013.
More Americans read e-books in the last year, with 23 percent of those ages 16 and over going digital, compared to 16 percent in the previous survey for the Pew Internet & American Life Project, which released its latest results on e-book readership ...
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Venture Catalysts has launched a new incubation center in New Delhi, the country’s first global hub for start-ups, to be known as the “Venture Catalysts Let’sWork Global Startup Incubation Centre”.
The launch of the incubation center is aimed at further bolstering its position as a leading platform for innovative start-ups to grow and access funds. For this, Venture Catalysts has partnered with China Accelerator, the first start-up accelerator to launch in China. Besides this, Venture Catalysts has also joined hands with India-Israel Innovation Centre in Israel and in the UK with Relam Investments, a USD 50 million accelerator fund.
The launch of the Global Startup Incubation Center in New Delhi will be followed by the establishment of other centers in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Pune. With New Delhi and Mumbai envisioned as its key, global incubation hubs in India, Venture Catalysts seeks to provide an ecosystem to foster entrepreneurship and build a strong global community of start-ups to help boost their growth, scale up their technology and teams, along with the chance to be funded by investors from around the world.
Chinaccelerator, the world’s 4th largest, early-stage investor with 600 start-up investments will collaborate with Venture Catalysts to organize cross-border incubation programs and activities with start-ups from India and other countries. The programs will have a special focus on investing in promising Indian start-ups. There are already 21 global funds which co-invest in Venture Catalysts’ portfolio start-ups and with these partnerships, this number is likely to be bolstered further in the days to come.
Venture Catalysts has also joined hands with the India-Israel Innovation Centre. The India-Israel Innovation Centre was founded by Moshe Porat, Founder & CEO Mesh Labs, and Varad Krishna, Founding Partner, IIIC. It was launched by Ramanan Ramanathan, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, Moshe Porat, Ariel Seidman, Deputy Consul General of Israel and Varad Krishna, Founding Partner, IIIC. The partnership with IIIC will be further leveraged to help start-ups and entrepreneurs grow their businesses, with both countries working in collaboration to share technology, entrepreneurial knowledge and resources. The India-Israel Innovation Centre is a significant step towards facilitating access to the Indian market and tech ecosystem for Israeli companies.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr. Apoorv Ranjan Sharma, Co-Founder and President, Venture Catalysts said, “With major tailwinds from the global technology space, several Indian ventures are emerging, be it early or growth-stage ventures that can turn India into a hub of some of the most innovative start-ups in the world. We are delighted to collaborate with a firm like Chinaccelerator which boasts an impressive record of incubating many high-potential start-ups and propelling them to the next level of growth. Moreover, Venture Catalysts’ dedicated investor network will support these partners and start-ups. With Venture Catalysts, we have India’s largest dedicated investor networks – one of the largest in Asia – to provide support to these partners and start-ups in the form of knowledge, networking, and market-oriented opportunities, besides funding.”
Neeraj Tyagi, Managing Partner, Venture Catalysts, commented, “New Delhi/NCR is among the fastest growing start-up hubs in Indian at present, and presents a huge opportunity for innovative ventures to access a vast network of investors and knowledge providers. As India’s number one integrated incubator, Venture Catalysts is committed to providing extensive support to growing ventures by connecting them to the best resources and help them leverage market opportunities. The creation of India’s first global incubation center with LetsWork , we have found a right incubation partner in Kushargh Awasthi and together we are set for making a big impact at Delhi’s startup ecosystem.”
Venture Catalysts has hosted multiple start-ups across incubation centers in Dubai, London, and Hong Kong, as part of its ongoing strategy and programs aimed at creating a global ecosystem of companies and investors. Including the hubs in New Delhi and Mumbai, the firm plans to launch a total of 10 incubation centers in India by March 2019, thus connecting entrepreneurs from various regions of the country to its global network.
Fyool App Launches New User Interface
FYOOL, a unique cashback app that hit the android market last year, offering up to 50% cashback on petrol, diesel, CNG, LPG, restaurant along with all types of wine and beer now once again makes a buzz. It now boasts of a new user interface in which school fee, groceries, travel, hospital, pharmacy, saloon, apparel, online bill payments and a lot more has been included in 50% cashback offerings.
Looking at the growing user base the App is all set to kick off with its dedicated ‘Rupay card’ which will be used for all the shopping and cashback. The card can be easily booked by a request made through the application itself. The card will work like a prepaid debit card and valid for all online shopping and swipe machines. It will give added comfort to the users as they no longer have to upload bills in the new version. All the transaction and shopping will be made through the card.
The card needs to be recharged like any prepaid card. Users can recharge cards from the application. The app will be setting limitations on the monthly cash back and the Cashback can be redeemed by claiming any product from the app without paying any cash by the user.Fyool Rupay prepaid Card was recently launched by TV Celebrities Delanz Irani & Pankit Thakkar.
Commenting on the new development, Raunak Sharma, Founder FYOOL said, “We have upgraded to the new version as we are getting a very good user response and felt that the time is apt to move to the next level of offering. Our intention is in sync with our core philosophy of reducing the financial stress of the common man that this difficult time has pressed upon us. We want to ease the financial drain on the middle-class people who have been severely hit by the pandemic situation hence we have now added the grocery category too. We all know in the current scenario; the lower income group continue to feel thepinch while buying daily household items. We want the housewives also to benefit by using the cashback for grocery items.
So, keep yourself-updated with the new trend of saving money by downloading FYOOL app from play store or app store. Register yourself with name, mobile no. and email id and book FYOOL prepaid card today!
Once you receive the card, set your card pin from the FYOOL app. Load money in your card by selecting top-up in FYOOL app. Use your card anywhere offline or online like petrol, diesel, CNG, LPG, groceries, medical bills, school fees, online bill payments etc. Get 50% cashback on every transaction. And you can redeem your cashback by claiming the products like air conditioners, air purifiers, home theatres, and laptops, LED TV, mobile phones, refrigerators, scooty,
bikes and many more from the shopping cart of FYOOL app. It’s that simple!
FYOOL was created with the intention to uplift the lives of overburdened customers with the price hike owing to the unexpected pandemic and lockdown in 2020. The FYOOL cashback app is one of its kind in the market and instrumental in creating an additional income for the lower-income groups and housewives.
This creative venture is the brainchild of Mr. Raunak Sharma and the app is completely ‘make in India’, thus promoting the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme started by the Government of India.
Fyool App, Fyool App Interface, User Interface, Cashback, IT News, Technology News, Telecom Today
Tech Startup Xencov Software Venturing to Advanced Technologies- AI, ML & IoT
Xencov Software announced that it is venturing to new-age technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning & IoT. This initiative is a result of several enterprises taking steps in incorporating new-age technologies in business operations as a result of Covid-19 pandemic. This helps enterprises to save money, boost efficiency, generate insights, and create new markets. With a focus on product development based on Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, IoT & intuitive Design, Xencov Software aims to scale up the business to 2x.
Today, it is imperative for enterprises to tap opportunities in data analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine learning, IoT, etc. to remain relevant & stay ahead.
The sector has a more prominent role in the future with the increased dependency on these technologies & will have a greater impact on the businesses.
According to Suroor Wijdan, Founder of Xencov Software, “In the near future given the current pandemic situation, there will be an increased dependency on digital tools. Moreover, technology companies and start-ups have realized the need for AI, Machine Learning & other new technologies in solving the business needs. “
He further added that with changing trends, Xencov started working on these technologies which is a growth opportunity for us.
According to a report, the global artificial intelligence (AI) market size will grow by US$ 75.54 billion during 2019-2023. McKinsey predicts that AI will boost productivity way more than the steam engine was able to in the 1800s. AI’s impact on the global economy is that it will have generated US$13 trillion in economic activity across the world by 2030, says McKinsey. It also expects that AI will add about 1.2 per cent of additional GDP growth per year through to 2030.
Retail Startup Perpule Announces the Expansion of Its Footprints in Southeast Asian Market
Following the massive rise in demand of ecommerce enablement solutions globally, Perpule expanding its footprint to the Southeast Asian market with its ecommerce enablement product Perpule E-Commerce+. Through this expansion, the company is targeting modern retailers – spanning across categories like fashion, grocery, electronics, food & others – operating in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore & Philippines.
The retail market in Southeast Asia is over $700 billion but is yet to adopt modern technologies and become heavy on ecommerce. COVID-19 has further exacerbated the situation by disrupting the businesses of several offline retailers who are now facing a slowdown in sales and operations. Perpule E-Commerce+ strives to address these challenges by driving ecommerce readiness and thereby helping the retailer community restart their operations afresh in the post-COVID world. The company aims to secure around 20% of the ecommerce market share and help offline retailers switch to an online model in minimum time.
Perpule Ecommerce+ is truly built with a next gen approach to facilitate ecommerce smoothly from offline stores and has all the necessary integration with leading payment gateways, logistics players, ERP, POS, Loyalty etc. to make ecommerce enablement much easier for retailers. Perpule’s homegrown Progressive Web Apps (PWA) technology is a game-changer in ecommerce for retailers. It offers users a superior browsing experience even on poor internet connections and works completely offline thereby improving conversion rates by over 40%.
Commenting on the expansion, Abhinav Pathak, CEO & Cofounder, Perpule said, “While the entire world stands disrupted by the unprecedented impact of COVID-19, the retailer community has been impacted the most. At Perpule, we aim to equip retailers with an advanced, new-age online platform and provide them with a major fillip to effectively and profitably run their businesses, even during a crisis like this. We are delighted to foray into the Southeast Asian market and will endeavor to serve customers in the best possible manner through our tech-driven platform.”
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It’s harvest day for the citizens of Mineral Town
[Update: XSEED has confirmed that Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town will launch on PS4 and Xbox One in Europe October 15, with North America to follow on October 26.]
Publisher XSEED and developer Marvelous! released a wagonful of news related to its cutesy farming franchise Story of Seasons. The news was revealed in part to celebrate the series’ 25th anniversary, which dates all the way back to the series birth in 1996, as the genre-defining SNES release Harvest Moon. A cute video recalls every title in this beloved series.
First up, Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town has been given a Japanese release date. This remaster of the 2003 Game Boy Advance classic — already available on Nintendo Switch and PC platforms — will launch in the east on Xbox One on October 27, with a PS4 port to follow on November 25. While a localization date was not confirmed, Marvelous Europe intends to see Friends of Mineral Town arrive on western shores within a similar time frame.
The next crop of news refers to another Nintendo Switch release, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, which will finally see a PC port in just a fortnight’s time. The colorful title will hit the Steam platform on September 15, priced at around $40, though pre-order customers can save themselves a few bucks by picking up the title early. Additionally, a special “Expansion Pass Set” includes a copy of the base game and all incoming DLC for $51. Pre-orders are now live.
And speaking of DLC, Marvelous also revealed that Pioneers of Olive Town is getting a cute crossover with another digital farming adventure, Sakuna: Of Rice & Ruin. As of September 15, players will be able to purchase new skin styled after the adorable harvest goddess herself. Princess Sakuna’s Heavenly Garb will be available to purchase until March 2022, when it will be removed from the Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town store.
You can check out the full Japanese Story of Seasons anniversary presentation right here. It seems that regardless of your chosen platform, there will be some chilled-out Story of Seasons action heading your way soon. After all, a farmer’s work is never done. Just remember to keep those fences built high… Those foxes can be pretty darn sneaky.


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The practice of making one’s living by producing or buying and selling products or services for profit.
Business news is a form of journalism that reports on economic events, trends and figures. Business news articles provide information that can help make investment decisions, assess the financial health of a company or organization and track industry trends.
A news story that focuses on the success or failure of a particular business can be an important source of information for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Business news articles can also be an effective marketing tool for companies and organizations. A successful business story can increase a company’s profile, improve its reputation and attract new customers.
In addition to covering corporate news, business journalists are often called upon to cover business stories in areas that impact the economy, the stock market and other forms of capital investment. For example, a major news story may focus on the impact of a foreign policy decision or a natural disaster on the global economy. Business news articles can also report on changes in tax laws that may impact how businesses are regulated.
The earliest examples of business news can be traced back to around 1700 when Daniel Defoe, best known for his novel Robinson Crusoe, began publishing reports on stocks and other financial investments. Then in 1882 Charles Dow, Edward Jones and Charles Bergstresser founded a wire service that delivered business news to investment houses on Wall Street. The famous muckraker Ida Tarbell became renowned for her investigative reporting and writing on Standard Oil in 1902.
Today, there are many different types of business news sources. Business news is available in print, online and on television. In the United States, there are a number of business news publications, including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Additionally, there are numerous television and radio networks that provide business news.
In the digital realm, there are many business news websites and apps that offer breaking business news and analysis. There are also social media networks that provide business news and commentary. Some of these are dedicated to specific industries, such as retail, finance, technology and healthcare. In addition to delivering business news, these platforms often provide social networking features that allow users to connect with other professionals in their field. Finally, there are search engines that allow users to find business news and articles.


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The forthcoming Windows 10, the latest version of Microsoft's desktop operating system, is being designed with heightened security in mind. This is part of the company's efforts to increase its value in the enterprise world. Although Microsoft has always held an edge over traditional consumer-based tech companies like Apple in the enterprise market, there is talk that its hold is slipping. Windows 8 adoption numbers did not meet Microsoft's expectations, and now the company is bypassing Windows 9 and going straight to Windows 10, where it hopes to re-establish its place in the enterprise. One way it is doing this is by focusing on security.
Microsoft's thought process is that security is a growing concern in the enterprise, as evidenced by a slew of major breaches that have dominated headlines over the past year. Retailers like Target and Home Depot, as well as banks like JP Morgan Chase, have all been impacted by security flaws. While some consumers are not as concerned by these issues, the organizations themselves understand the magnitude of their respective incidents and Microsoft intends to focus its efforts on solving what it perceives to be a growing problem.
Jim Alkove, a representative from the Microsoft Windows enterprise program management team, wrote a blog post where he discussed the need for stronger enterprise security systems.
"In a couple of recent cases, hackers infiltrated Fortune 500 companies using stolen usernames and passwords, which gave them access to point-of-sale systems and the credit card data being processed with them," Alkove wrote.
Microsoft's increased focus on security should benefit its users, but enterprises will have to know how to wield it if they want to capitalize on its features. Doing so will require the help of IT solutions providers with knowledge on Microsoft's enterprise solutions and IT security. VAR Staffing can help these organizations find the talent they need to ensure they can help their customers.


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Proving more than just a hot topic at CES a few weeks ago, 3D printing is panning out to be the preeminent battleground for enterprise hardware this year.
The latest piece of evidence for that forecast is the new deal between Dell and an emerging leader in the 3D-printing space, MakerBot.
The PC maker has announced a deal in which it will resell MakerBot's Replicator 3D printers and scanners to small and medium-sized businesses.
Andy Rhodes, executive director for Dell's Precision workstation brand, noted in the announcement that these advanced printers will be lined up with its machines typically targeted at professionals in architecture, engineering, and digital entertainment production.
But aside from just targeting the SMB market overall, Rhodes also hinted at a particular interested in serving startups as well.
Some of the benefits to 3D printing (especially for companies with limited resources and manpower) are the immediate time and cost savings of being able to manufacture (a.k.a. 3D print) prototypes to finished goods in-house.
Dell will commence reselling MakerBot's 3D printing solutions and services on February 20, starting with six models ranging in price from $949 to $6,499 a pop.
This story originally appeared as "Dell to start reselling MakerBot Replicator 3D printers, scanners" on ZDNet.


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Globe stops issuing 3G SIMs
Industry giant Globe Telecom wants to accelerate the migration of subscribers to LTE or 4G as it stopped issuing 3G SIM cards across all stores and distribution chains, a statement on Tuesday showed.
The shift from 3G to 4G allows subscribers to experience faster mobile internet speeds. But in many cases, it will also require customers to spend more by purchasing a 4G-capable smartphone.
Globe’s head of communications Yoly Crisanto said in a text message the company was offering free SIM card upgrades.
For those who need a new 4G device, she said they were providing “free device changes or a really low price on 4G/LTE devices.”
In its statement, Globe said 3G had brought important breakthroughs in internet access over the past two decades.
“However, new and better technologies like 4G LTE have been introduced since then, prompting many telecom companies across the world to stop offering 3G services while others are already in the process of doing the same,” Globe said in its statement.
Globe has yet to disclose how many of its 80 million subscribers are on 3G. It continues to support the 3G service and has not set any shut down date.
Mobile operators in the United States, for example, have announced the gradual shutdown of 3G over the next two to three years. The shut down will also allow the telcos to free up frequencies for 5G, which incumbents Globe and PLDT Inc. are currently rolling out on a limited basis.
For now, Globe and PLDT are urging their 3G customers to shift to 4G, the prevailing mobile standard in the Philippines.
They also continue to support 2G, which is mainly used by subscribers using phones for basic call and text messaging features especially in areas with poor internet coverage. INQ
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text: MySpace gained popularity when businesses and bands began using it for advertising. Since the launch of Facebook, both have made social networking part of daily life for millions of people worldwide. Internet relationships have become more popular and face-to-face interactions have become more rare. Though these websites allow friends to stay in touch more easily, they also raise safety concerns. Predators have found ways to gain access to innocent bystanders. The age of account users on these sites has become an issue. Parents’ main priority for their children when it comes to the internet is their safety. The safety risk has caused many parents to ban social networking sites in their home. The question on everyone’s mind is, is it worth risking personal safety to communicate more easily? While staying in touch with friends is essential to adolescent development, there are less risky ways to do so. An article by Jennifer Sexton and Marlanda English states that online sites put young people at risk for online predators when they believe they are socializing with friends. Cyber relationships can delay the growth of real relationships according to Sylvia Engdahl in Online Social Networking. Anne Whittaker and Geraldine Wagner wrote that these websites can stimulate the economy by creating advertising opportunities. Advertising and socializing can be combined with these sites, and as Craig Belanger and Laura Finley wrote in an online article, they allow even the shyest of people to express themselves freely. MySpace is a great place to advertise businesses, while Facebook can create the virtual interaction that everyone seeks. Safety precautions can be implemented to ensure only those of suitable age can have access to these sites. Each year there are more advances in technology that allow the world to connect on more personal levels. The new-found popularity of social networking sites accompanies advancements in technology. Social sites allow people around the world to connect with one another in an instant without much hassle. With many great achievements or advancements comes a controversy. The controversy over the popularity and use of social networking sites has alarmed groups of people around the globe. Each group seems to have its own opinion on each miniscule detail of the ever popular sites such as MySpace and Facebook, and they state their opinion in every way possible. While advancements in technology have allowed social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook to connect people around the world, they may be releasing too much information and therefore making innocent people vulnerable to dangerous situations.


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WALNUT CREEK — Popular retailer Anthropologie is getting into the “wellness” space with new shops that are set to land inside the company’s existing clothing stores.
After debuting its Wellness by Anthropologie shop inside the Palo Alto Anthropologie store earlier this year, Anthropologie plans to open 12 new Wellness shops this June, including in Walnut Creek and Berkeley.
The 1,000 square-foot shops inside existing Anthropologie outlets will open in Walnut Creek and Berkeley on June 25 and feature fitness products, hair and skin care items, aromatherapy and essential oils, supplements, coffee and teas, crystals, and books and stationery. he brands sold in the shops will include Longemity, Revelry, Wicks & Stones, Bondi Wash, Organic Pharmacy, Vitruvi and WelleCo, among others, according to a news release from Anthropologie.
In addition to the East Bay stores, Anthropologie, which has been popular for its clothing but also sells home decor, gifts and garden products, will launch its Wellness shops in southern California, Texas, Washington, D.C., Oregon, Connecticut, Arizona and New York this summer and plans to open more shops this fall.
The “store within a store” concept has expanded across retailers in recent years as the competitive industry prompts companies to find interesting uses for the large amount of brick-and-mortar retail space in the U.S.
Macy’s, for instance, has opened specialty shops for Finish Line sneakers inside its stores and the beauty company it acquired, Bluemercury. Sephora shops have landed inside JCPenney stores, and Best Buy has found success y partnering with electronics companies, including Apple, Samsung, Verizon and others, to set up areas within its stores to show off their products.
While “wellness” has come to be a rather amorphous term in the marketing world encompassing everything from fitness and food to environment and beauty, depending on who is using the label. But it could help Anthropologie attract customers, if recent research is any indicator.
Data from The NPD Group shows that the top-growing retail sectors have largely been health-related, such as fitness products and active wear. Beauty is a growing sector as well, and one shoppers increasingly associate with “wellness.” Prestige skincare brands with a focus on promoting wellness or natural ingredients grew by 13 percent in the 12 months ending August 2017, according to the data, outdoing the overall market’s 6 percent growth over that time.


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'The Elder Scrolls Online' from ZeniMax Online Studios.
Those looking forward to Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls Online MMORPG will only have to way a few more months before obtaining the latest chapter of the The Elder Scrolls franchise.
Bringing the series online for the very first time, The Elder Scrolls Online will be launching worldwide for PC and Mac on April 4, 2014, with versions for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to follow in June.
Furthermore, Bethesda has released a new trailer (seen in the player above) called "War in Cyrodiil". The video highlights The Elder Scrolls Online's PvP system. It allows hundreds of players to fight together and against one another in a quest to claim the Ruby Throne.


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Apple and Microsoft have gone head to head in the tablet market this month with the launch of the iPad Pro and Surface Pro 4. V3 readers were keen to find out which of the touted laptop replacements is best for business, and whether a larger tablet can really replace a desktop or laptop.
We also got our hands on BlackBerry's latest attempt to get a foothold back in the smartphone market, and were impressed with the Priv.
V3 was also in Barcelona last week attending the Gartner CIO summit, where we heard from the Ministry of Defence's CIO on how the department is looking to be more agile with its IT service delivery. Mark Daniels, head of IT at MTR Crossrail, also explained how the organisation is using iPads, iPhones and Bluetooth beacons to help connect staff at the network.
iPad Pro vs MacBook Air
Can Apple's laptop replacement really replace a laptop?
Surface Pro 4 and iPad Pro compete for enterprise attention
Microsoft and Apple's business tablets launch within hours of each other
Microsoft fixes security issues on all Windows and IE platforms with Patch Tuesday update
Total updates for year pass 120
Toshiba Tecra A40-C review: Hands-on with the Intel Skylake laptop
14in model added to business notebook range
BlackBerry Priv review
Android device with slide-out keyboard and excellent battery life aims to stand out from the smartphone crowd
UK government and GCHQ launch £6.5m CyberInvest scheme to pool security expertise
Eighteen companies signed up to CyberInvest, including IBM, BT and HP
iPad Pro on sale from £679 but delays for Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard add-ons
Apple Pencil will cost £79 while the Smart Keyboard is £139 but shipping time of one to two weeks
Ministry of Defence CIO introduces Defence-as-a-Platform with the help of Microsoft
UK MoD looks to be more agile with its IT service delivery, and Microsoft is playing a big part
iPads, iPhones and Bluetooth beacons help connect MTR Crossrail staff
MTR Crossrail uses Bluetooth beacons to locate, track and inform its staff in areas GPS cannot reach
The next CIO: Digital leadership, IoT strategy, algorithms and the two-tier IT balancing act
Gartner advises that enterprises looking to embrace the digital world need visionary yet strategic IT leaders
HP and Centrica are the first industry partners to sign up to the government's new Code
New ice grows faster but is also more vulnerable to weather and wind
With a crackdown on cheats is coming in November, PUBG rushes to fix matchmaking problems introduced in Update #22
New material uses carbon dioxide from the air to repair and reinforce itself


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Hyundai Motor Group is enabling drivers to access their car and start the engine using a smartphone app and NFC instead of a physical key. The technology is set to be available on new Hyundai and Kia cars which go into production later this year.
The digital key is downloaded to an app on the owner’s mobile phone. The phone is then recognised as an authorised device by NFC readers installed in the driver and passenger doors of the car. A further NFC antenna is installed within a wireless charging pad in the centre console of the car and this identifies the digital key when an authorised phone is placed upon it. This enables the car to be started when a start/stop button is pressed.
Each digital key can be used by up to four users. The vehicle settings, such as the position of the seat, mirrors and steering wheel along with radio and satellite navigation preferences, are all stored and adjusted automatically.
Different levels of access can be set for users, too, paving the way for car sharing, rentals and autonomous vehicles. In these cases, the digital key can be transferred to users via the smartphone app so there is no need for the owner and driver to meet in person.
“The digital key will benefit a very wide range of future Hyundai customers, as well as enabling innovative new schemes for vehicle sharing,” says Ho Yoo, group leader of Hyundai Motor Group’s Electronics Development Group. “We are studying other ways to harness this type of connected-car technology to greatly enhance the driving and ownership experience.”
Next: Visit the NFCW Expo to find new suppliers and solutions


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Google Bard, the company's AI chatbot, has once again been delayed in Europe due to privacy issues. The model, which was unveiled in March 2023, is now expected to be available in late 2023 or early 2024. According to Politico EU, Google told the Irish Data Protection Commission that it was planning to launch Bard this week.
However, this is not happening because Google has “not had any detailed briefing nor sight of a data protection impact assessment or any supporting documentation at this point.”
Bard is a language model that can produce content based on the user's input and feedback. Google says that Bard uses artificial intelligence and natural language processing to create personalized and immersive experiences for users.
However, Bard has also encountered some problems from privacy regulators and advocates in Europe. The model requires access to the user's Google account, web history, location, and voice data. It also collects data on the user's behavior, preferences, and emotions. Google says this data is used to improve Bard's service and offer relevant suggestions and recommendations.
Trying to Meet Europe's GDPR Rules
Some critics say that Bard is a privacy threat and could expose users to unwanted tracking, profiling, and advertising. They also question the quality and originality of the content generated by Bard, and whether they respect the intellectual property rights of content creators and publishers.
Google has been working with the European Commission and other authorities to address these concerns and to comply with GDPR. The company says that it respects the user's privacy and choice, and that it gives clear and transparent controls over the data collected and used by Bard. It also says that it does not use the data for any other purposes than providing Bard service, and that it does not share it with third parties.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a law that protects the privacy and personal data of EU citizens. It requires companies to obtain consent from users before collecting and processing their data, and to provide them with the right to access, correct, delete, or transfer their data.
Bard, and other chatbots powered by large language models such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Bing Chat, rely on massive amounts of data to generate responses. Some of this data may contain personal or sensitive information that could violate the GDPR if not handled properly.
Bing Chat and ChatGPT are still accessible in the EU, except for Italy where ChatGPT is prohibited due to privacy issues. The Italian Data Protection Authority has instructed OpenAI to cease offering the chatbot in the country.
The data regulator claims that ChatGPT does not follow GDPR, but ChatGPT has not faced a wider ban in the European Union. However, Germany is reportedly thinking about imposing a similar restriction on the popular chatbot.


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Last updated: January 14, 2024 at 07:48 UTC+01:00
CES 2024, which was held a few days ago, was full of giant TVs. Samsung showed off some of its largest and most impressive TVs. Aside from its new QLED and Neo QLED TV lineups that feature sizes up to 98 inches, Samsung also had some giant 140-inch TVs at its booth, which we had the chance to check out.
Samsung's giant 140-inch Micro LED TV hands-on at CES 2024
Samsung showcased its new Micro LED TV lineup consisting of five ready-to-use sizes: 76 inches, 89 inches, 101 inches, 114 inches, and 140 inches. Of course, it is a modular TV that can be custom made. This means you can use multiple Micro LED panels to create a display/TV screen of any size and shape. Of course, driving it is a completely different thing. Samsung hasn't revealed its pricing, but if the past is anything to go by, even the smallest of these TVs will cost thousands of dollars. Watch our hands-on video of Samsung's latest Micro LED TV in the video below.
Micro LED is a self-emitting display technology, like OLED and QD-OLED. This means that each pixel on this TV can produce its own backlight and colors, as explained in this article. So, there's no need for a separate backlight, which means you can improve blacks without all the drawbacks of OLED TVs (such as burn-in and low sustained brightness). Moreover, these TVs are very bright, which means you can get excellent HDR results. It features 4K resolution and will be available in 120Hz and 240Hz variants. Samsung also said that these TVs now use a more robust and reliable manufacturing process, which the company calls “Laser Lift Off.”
The sound on these TVs comes from built-in speakers behind the display panel, so the sound sounds like it's coming from the scene itself. The ready-to-use TV models in the new collection use Samsung's Infinity Air Design, which makes the TV appear to be hovering in the air above its stand. For some reason, Samsung didn't show off the 50-inch and 63-inch Micro LED TVs it showed off at CES 2023 last year.
Samsung also showed off a prototype of its transparent Micro LED TV
Samsung also showcased its Transparent Micro LED TV panel at CES 2024. It is a transparent Micro LED panel that is manufactured using a different process. It is not ready for sale yet and may be released in the future. However, it is aimed at B2B (business-to-business) sectors, such as retail stores and advertising. You can see Samsung's Transparent Micro LED TV in the hands-on video below.
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GOAT prices have continued their upward trajectory, hitting a new high of $7.50 a kilogram carcaseweight at Thomas Foods International.
TFI national livestock manager Paul Leonard said strong demand from export markets was pushing prices up to previously unforeseen prices.
“We’ve had an upward trajectory for the past four years but, like anything, there will be a point when they level out,” he said.
TFI has just begun processing goats at a second facility in Tamworth, NSW, to add to its facility at Lobethal, which re-started in goats six years ago while prices were $1.60/kgcwt.
On average, they process between 8000 and 10,000 goats a week, rising to 18,000 at its peak, with all product exported to the United States.
While winter months are traditionally characterised by shorter supply, with goats kidding and more difficult to muster, Mr Leonard does not believe this will lead to a spike in the price.
“Every grower in Australia is happy at that price, so I don’t think it will get a lot dearer,” he said.
“We’re delighted growers do receive good returns, which are probably well-overdue, but whether the price is sustainable will be decided by the end consumer.”
Figures from Meat & Livestock Australia showed the on-the-hook goat indicators eased slightly in April, down to $6.43/kgcwt, from $6.55/kgcwt in March, before it returned to a new high of $6.58/kgcwt. In part this was driven by lifting supply, with the average weekly slaughter rate across Australia 9 per cent higher year-on-year.
Exports in April also lifted 15pc year-on-year, but were still down on February and March figures, totalling 2950 tonnes, with exports to the US up 24pc compared to this time last year.
Goatmeat prices have steadily climbed in the past four years, from $2.88/kgcwt in May 2014, to $4.23/kgcwt in 2015 and $5.52/kgcwt last year.


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Glasgow has lost 3,000 jobs in the manufacturing industry between 2010 and 2015, according to official figures from the Office of National Statistics.
The total number of jobs in the sector slumped from 20,000 in 2010 to just 17,000 in 2015 - the tied fourth biggest drop of any local authority in Great Britain.
That is the equivalent of 600 jobs getting cut every year.
Among the jobs lost, 1000 jobs went in the manufacture of transport equipment, 750 in the printing and the reproduction of recorded media and 450 in the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products.
The manufacturing sector used to make up 5.2% of all workforce jobs in Glasgow. That figure is now down to just 4.3%.
Across Great Britain, the number of manufacturing jobs actually increased by around 28,000 from 2.32m to 2.35m between 2010 and 2015.
The increase was largely driven by the manufacture of fabricated metal products and the manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers.
Between them the two sectors added 61,000 jobs over the five-year period - more than twice the total number jobs added by the manufacturing industry as a whole.
The biggest losers were the printing and reproduction of recorded media and the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products, which lost 24,000 and 21,000 jobs respectively across Great Britain.
However, the share of manufacturing jobs has gone down over the same period, as the sector used to account for 8.8% of the workforce jobs and is now down to 8.3% nationally.