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Toyota is diversifying its commitment to hydrogen and is now preparing to apply it to a prototype Hilux with a hydrogen fuel cell.
Toyota launches Hilux hybrid with hydrogen fuel cell
Toyota is one of the brands that has invested the most in developing alternative energy sources for its cars.
In addition to focusing heavily on developing HEV, PHEV and BEV solutions, it has now also begun to focus on fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV).
The focus on hydrogen began with the Mirai and has spread to some competing models such as the Toyota Corolla of the Super Taikyu series in Japan or the GR Yaris that recently raced in Europe.
Now, the brand intends to take the bet on hydrogen to other segments and it is Bring This technology arrives in your Hilux.
The project is funded by the UK’s Advanced Payments Center (APC) and will be supported by British firms Ricardo, ETL, D2H and Thatcham Research.
Initially, several prototypes will be developed to assess the applicability of hydrogen to this type of work vehicle, and it will be decided later if this is a concept to bet on.
Prototypes of the Toyota Hilux will go into production this year, and should feature the fuel cell used in the latest Mirai. The first units will leave the Toyota factory in Bernaston, UK.
Suggestions for reading: Hydrogen News
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Capcom has shared a video showing off Rose, Street Fighter’s glamorous and elegant fighter, ahead of her arrival in Street Fighter 5 tomorrow.
We may not be getting a new rival schools game any time soon, but at least Akira Kazama is making her debut in Street Fighter 5 soon.
On the back of the newly launched Season 5, Capcom is getting ready to announce more Street Fighter 5 news in a dedicated show in April.
Dan Hibiki arrives in Street Fighter 5 today and to celebrate, Capcom has released another trailer of the infamous joke character in action – and he actually looks quite good.
Dan is coming to Street Fighter 5 in February 2021, a little bit later than planned, Capcom has announced.
Capcom has shared a video showing off Dan, Street Fighter’s infamous joke character, ahead of his arrival in Street Fighter V later this year.

domain: news


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LAS VEGAS – Millennial women place importance on maintaining a home that is personalized to their preferences, more than the generation before them; 6 in 10 say having a home that is “a reflection of me” is more important to them than to their parents’ generation in a survey of 1,600 U.S. female homeowners living in single-family homes.
Better Homes and Gardens released findings from its eighth-annual survey revealing attitude and behavior trends of homeowners in the U.S. This year’s research focused on the millennial generation and its preferences on customization and smart technology in home design. Just over 1,600 U.S. female homeowners living in single-family homes shared their thoughts on home improvement spending, the importance of functional design, and value in home technology.
During a presentation at the National Association of Home Builders Show in Las Vegas, Jill Waage, brand executive editor for Better Homes and Gardens presented these findings and offered insight on the needs of today’s current and future home owners.
“Our research shows that women 35 and under feel strongly that their homes are a reflection of their own personalities,” Waage says. “Further, members of this generation view technology as a way to customize living spaces to fit their needs. Year over year, millennials are increasingly adopting a positive outlook on the incorporation of smart technology into their homes, and are using it to personalize the homeowner experience.”
Key findings from this year’s “Home Factor” survey include:
A focus on personalization:
Millennials place importance on maintaining a home that is more personalized to their preferences than the generation before them. Almost two-thirds (63 percent percent) of millennial respondents surveyed say that having a home customized to their tastes and needs is a top priority. Similarly, 6 in 10 millennial respondents say that having a home that is “a reflection of me” is more important to them than to their parents’ generation.
Integration of Smart home technology:
Smart technology is increasingly seen by U.S. women, particularly those under 35, as a feature that improves home safety, health, and connections with families. Millennials agree that smart technology is customizable to their needs (74 percent), makes their homes more energy efficient (70 percent), and saves them time (67 percent).
Today, 54 percent of homeowners under 35 use at least one of the 16 smart technology features measured in the study. On their wish list, 39 percent of millennials say that they would most like to use smart devices to operate appliance settings, while 36 percent say they would like quality sleep tracking and reporting.
Millennials are willing to pay more for high quality
Compared to older generations, millennials are willing to pay more for high quality products. However, while 44 percent say they are willing to spend top dollar to get exactly the features and quality they want, 60 percent also say they are willing to compromise on what they want in order to save money.
Of those surveyed, one in five homeowners is in the process of planning or working on an interior project, led by those ages 35 and younger.
Home offices in demand
While millennial homeowners are similar to older homeowners with regard to the many types of projects they are working on and planning, survey responses found a higher interest in creating office space and adding storage at home: 13 percent of millennial homeowners are creating a home office, work space, or family communication center; and 15 percent of millennial homeowners are adding storage space.
“The places where millennials choose to spend their money are very telling of the values within this generation,” Waage notes. “The addition of a home work space speaks to the mobile millennial who is less confined by a corporate office or job. The emphasis on outdoor living and entertaining testifies to the importance of togetherness. And with the addition of smart home technology, millennial attitudes toward the home incorporate connectivity in every sense.”
The quantitative online survey was fielded in October 2015 among 1,610 U.S. female homeowners living in single-family homes. Of those surveyed, 800 respondents (49.7 percent) are from the Better Homes and Gardens “Meredith Knows Women” consumer panel, while 810 respondents (50.3 percent) were secured through Survey Sampling Inc. to represent U.S. female homeowners.
Have something to say? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.


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Counterfeits and COVID19
How has/is COVID19 impacted counterfeits and contrabands?
A. The pandemic
The pandemic is an unfolding story right now and we are still in the early days here in Africa. I think the key to this is understanding that even though we can undertake scenario planning as companies, we don’t know what will happen in 2 weeks. Certainly, it’s the actions that we undertake now that will impact the next 10-20 days in terms of rates of new COVID19 infections. This has a far reaching and unprecedented implications on social and economic aspects of our lives.
Most companies have mostly had a 4 fold response:
Protection of the work force which has taken the form of: All,or some level of work from home; infrastructure improvements such as use of VPN, laptops, broadband increase, etc. There has also been an increase of engagement of companies with regulators and public health officials to beef up on protecting workers- either through information, protective gear and the right work arrangements that prevent infections
Supply chain stabilization: this has to do with ensuring that shocks to the supply chain–from ordering of raw materials to getting products to the consumer can absorb the shocks of restricted movements. This may include issues such as pre-booking at customs entry points, route optimization, etc. all which will ensure that there’s optimal production under prevailing market circumstances.
Customer engagement: Most companies by now have reached out to their customers to assure them of the preventive measures they are taking to protect both staff and customers.
Financials stress testing: Relevant scenarios are run, based on latest epidemiological and economic outlooks
We cannot plan for the coming days, weeks and months if we are not taking the requisite precautions today. The first point is what are we doing right NOW to stop the spread of the pandemic and to stay safe. B. The psychology of the counterfeiter
The counterfeiter will normally target products with very low barriers to replicate – particularly FMCGs. Their main motivations are to make money quickly; traditionally items such as electronics, beauty products, food products, automotive spares among others are easy targets.
In these times, it is probable that there is already a shift to production of cleaning products and agents. Some which are sub-standard and which might actually cause more health and safety risks. These will include refilling of bleaches, hand sanitizers, surgical spirit, substandard protective gear such as gloves and face masks, among others.
Some of the most outrageous stories right now are of particular medicine/drugs which people have been misled to think they can cure COVID19 – and hence a rush to purchase. Of course there is no cure or vaccine presently. But this misinformation leads to denying the people who actually need the medication their rightful therapy and treatment; because the misled individuals will simply hoard drugs they do not need. This causes shocks in the system. C. Disruption to the supply chain
This perhaps is the biggest issue that is facing manufacturing presently. It suffices to say that the disruption is not just impacting legitimate businesses but also illicit trade. The growing interconnectivity of markets (suppliers, logistics, financing, etc.) has resulted in complex supply chains spanning continents, countries and industries.
By now, manufacturers have mapped out where supply chain disruption is most likely to occur, how governments will react, and whether alternative suppliers can available at a moment’s notice. Even with China getting back to production mode, due diligence will help identify the potential risk of each vendor to operations with a view to mitigate this. This is indeed an opportunity that COVID19 has presented especially where complacency might have crept in, for manufacturers to review their business continuity plan for reasonable responses to shocks.
Some issues that might come up in this review include the robustness of the regulatory regime in the source jurisdiction, known fraud, corruption, bribery and regulatory breaches, as well as additional matters (IP violations, human rights and labor, social accountability). These are all issues that have played out in the recent weeks as COVID19 continued to ravage various parts of the globe.
Are counterfeiters also assessing their supply chains? Absolutely. Currently, ACA approximates that close to 20% of what is imported is counterfeit; I believe therefore with reduced traffic of imports, there are less counterfeits in the market, of course as old stock continues to be flashed out. But counterfeiting business is also restructuring to address its supply chain disruption as well. Of course, this might be more perverse and more
sinister – calling for the need for all stakeholders not to drop their guard.
2. Why is it important for consumers and manufacturers to remain vigilant of counterfeits?
Presently, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced the immediate implementation of Green Channel treatment.This is an efficient and expedited cargo clearance process for no/low-risk imported consignments imported by compliant manufacturers using non-intrusive inspection using cargo scanners at points of entry. The clearance shall be done without routine physical examination of the goods at the customs area. This shall reduce clearance bottlenecks and facilitate faster processing, leading to ease of doing business. It is expected that cargo clearance should take 30 minutes to 1 hour upon presentation of complete and accurate documents by the Customs Agent.
On one hand, given the experienced disruption to manufacturing supply chains, this is a reasonable response by government to facilitate trade. On the other hand, counterfeiters will also not relent because there is consumer demand for fake products – the ultimately reason why counterfeiters are in business. With hoarding, the market has been starved off some essential products – which compounds the problem because counterfeiters are now working to meet these gaps for essential services and goods. Research tells us that there are 2 broad reasons why people by fakes: the primary market comprises unsuspecting consumers who have been deceived – they believe they have purchased genuine goods but they have not. The secondary market, contains consumers who are actively look for what they believe to be bargains and knowingly buy counterfeit and pirated goods – but they don’t care if these are real. The common denominator however is that the sub-standard – more so now during the COVID19 pandemic and the kind of products being targeted - carry health and safety risks that range from mild to life-threatening.
3. What can be done to eliminate counterfeits and protect the primary market consumers in the wake of COVID19?
The buy Kenya build Kenya strategy aims to promote and enhance the consumption of Kenya’s own products and services in both absolute figures and as a proportion of the gross domestic product (GDP). Enhanced consumption of locally produced goods and services will contribute to among other things, employment creation, and poverty reduction, promote value addition, stimulate production and product diversification; and encourage growth of local industries. At this stage, there’s need for advocacy work around the buy Kenya build Kenya strategy (BKBK)- especially now in light of reduced air and sea traffic. A vibrant local manufacturing sector at this time will keep people in work, government will obtain its share of taxes. There should be social education and campaigns that will educate consumers on the importance of the BKBK strategy as a key solution that will help the economy absorb the shocks of COVID19.
With the green channel being effected, KRA should strike a balance – with authorized importers being thoroughly vetted to ensure they are bonafide. There should be more rigorous checks, patrols and surveillance – particular on land borders where goods are coming through into the country. The multi-stakeholder approach of KRA, KEBS, ACA will also keep checks and balances when it comes to compromising integrity of officers at the entry points.
But beyond these broader policy initiatives, it is expected that in the face of anticipated innovations in technology and logistical improvements to the last mile, the next fews days or weeks, there will be more and more Kenyans purchasing essential products online. This is already being witnessed in South Africa, where a lot of retail stores are innovating how to get products out to their customers. Thus, the rise of rise of counterfeit goods sold on the internet will be swift to many of the primary market customers who will be deceived. The problem is extensive because the majority of listings on some of the popular global and local ecommerce platforms are actually run by third-party sellers. And even though many, many third-party sellers are upstanding merchants, some of them are peddling counterfeits.
The only way sure way to deal with this will be to empower consumers to choose by serializing each and every product with a UNIQUE number. Because serialization allows each and every product to become unique – and when consumers are empowered to
verify – either via SMS, Smartphone or over the internet, this will be the best way to starve the demand for counterfeited goods.


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Recent provincial health orders have hit Trail restaurants and pubs and their patrons hard, yet, many are adapting while others have had little choice but to close their doors.
On March 31, in an effort to curtail a third COVID wave, the PHO instituted a “circuit breaker” that effectively shut down pubs and restaurants to indoor dining.
“I was absolutely surprised by it,” said Trail Coffee Co. owner/operator Maddie Van Horn. “It completely came out of left field. We were running as usual on Monday, and at 2 p.m. I found out I wasn’t allowed to open the next day.”
Van Horn had just placed a large order in preparation for Easter weekend, so the news for her and other establishments in Trail to close was another shock.
Late Tuesday the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association posted notice that in-restaurant dining will be likely be extended through to May due to a spike in COVID cases.
After almost returning to normal hours, the Arlington Bar and Grill shut its doors momentarily, but is back in business with a new and improved patio.
Restaurants like the Trail Beer Refinery, Pinos, Bridge View Cafe and Kootenay Kabob adapted and are offering limited patio space and take-out, while others like Cafe Americano, Cafe Michael and The Colander are providing take-out only service.
Some have remained closed since the onset of the pandemic.
A veteran of the original shutdown, Van Horn pivoted quickly and with the help of Chinook Scaffolding set up a spacious outdoor patio festooned with colourful flowers and greenery to accommodate guests, ensure safety protocols and keep her cafe open.
“This time around it was a little bit easier to get things going,” said Van Horn. “I knew they were letting patios be allowed, so I immediately called the city and asked them. They actually have a policy in place for the city to do it, which I feel like nobody really knew about, so it was like this undiscovered gem that I found.”
When the pandemic first hit, it took time for businesses to adapt. Van Horn astutely created an online website for her free coffee delivery service, merchandised her product, and innovated – creating her own chocolate-coffee bark, while promoting her hand roasted, hand blended, and hand packaged coffee beans along with the bold and edgy tagline “Bad coffee sucks!”
“It took me a little while to get in the groove and figure out how I was going to overcome this,” said Van Horn. “I’m a bit of a bleeding heart – it’s hard for me to close up my doors and send everyone home and say I don’t know when I’m going to see you. So the patio was just a good option for all of us.”
Some welcome news also arrived this week, when the province announced that businesses can apply for the Circuit Breaker Business Relief Grant. Funding can range from $1,000 to $10,000 and awarded to businesses of any size.
Yet for Trail and District Chamber director Erika Krest, Greater Trail businesses shouldn’t have to suffer through these shutdowns when the number of regional COVID cases are relatively slight.
“We are requesting that the province strongly considers taking a regional approach to COVID-19 restrictions so that areas that are not being severely impacted by the increase in COVID cases are not put under the same restrictions as areas that have been harder hit.”
As of Apr. 8, Kootenay Boundary has recorded 288 cases since Jan. 2020. Although there has been a modest increase in recent weeks, Trail’s number sits at 31 cases over that same time.
Krest would like to see clarity on what new restrictions mean to the longevity of current business supports and subsidy programs and also urges the province to give businesses adequate notice when restrictions are put in place to allow them to prepare their business and staff for further lay-offs and cutbacks.
As sole proprietor Van Horn hasn’t been able to access most of the relief funding that the provincial and federal governments have offered. She was relieved to find Trail Coffee Co. is eligible for the current grant, however, the circuit breaker relief won’t come close to covering the losses she and other service industry owners have suffered.
“I think it’s going to be a long haul to get back to any kind of normal,” she said. “I think the financial hardships business owners will struggle with for years, myself included. I had a five-year plan when I bought this place and now it’s a 10-year plan. And there is nothing you can do about that.”


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State-run Social Security System (SSS) on Thursday conducted another Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE) program with more than 450 retail stores located at Farmers Plaza Mall in Quezon City.
SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said the pension fund mapped 454 retail stores in the area and found out more than half of the retail stores were non-compliant to RA 8282 or Social Security Law of 1997.
“Of the total number of stores mapped here in Farmers Plaza, 70 belong to our Large Accounts Division while the remaining 384 were supervised by our branch operations. And of these stores being handled by our Cubao Branch, 260 were found to be non-registrant to SSS,” Dooc said.
Broken down, 73 retail store are regularly paying their employees’ SSS monthly contribution, 37 were intermittently paying, 8 were non-paying, 29 are non-registrant, 6 has no employees and the remaining 231 refused to be interviewed by SSS field officers.
Dooc said those who are non-paying, non-registrant and those who refused to be interviewed were given letters of notice to remind them of their obligation to pay their employees’ monthly SSS contributions.
Social Security Commission (SSC) Chairman Amado D. Valdez said that the conduct of RACE in Farmers Plaza is proof that SSS will continue to run after delinquent employers to fight for the rights of employees to social security protection.
“As you can see, this is our second operation after our activity in Greenhills Shopping Center last April. This is a reminder to all employers to be mindful of their obligations under the SS Law of 1997. We will hunt them down until they have given what is right and just for their respective employees,” Valdez said.
During the campaign, Dooc and Valdez issued Show Cause Orders to AGM Apoyon General Merchandise, Handtag Apparel Shop, HHMJ Fashion Collection and Rumble @Tum’s café due to non-registration for coverage despite receiving a demand letter from SSS last June 14.
A printed copy of the show cause order was posted on the store as a stern warning to employers that they are accountable if they fail to comply with their obligations.
Delinquent employers will be ordered to show cause within a non-extendible period of 15 days from posting, before the nearest SSS branch office to explain why no legal actions should be taken against them.
Valdez warned employers that they can be sentenced of up to 12 years imprisonment without probation, if convicted.
Valdez acknowledged the support of Farmer’s Plaza management, who’s in fact compliant to the SS Law as an employer, in ensuring SS compliance of their tenants.
In support of the RACE campaign and protection of SSS members, SSS also installed an information booth in Farmers Plaza Mall, which offered services on issuance of SS number, online verification of contributions and loans, inquiries on benefits and privileges, and distribution of informational materials. The SSS information booth was able to accommodate 251 persons during the campaign. ##


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We have launched a new series of video seminars about coffee and health
with Dr Christian Jessen.
Click here to find out more …..>
From the Bean to the cup – find out more…
The story of how coffee became one of the most popular drinks in the world…


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Lately, Australians have had reason to question where their food comes from.
The safety of imported food came into question earlier this year when numerous Hepatitis A cases were linked to imported frozen berries.
Consequently, the federal government has committed to better Country of Origin Labelling in Australia. Under new laws, which may not come into effect until 2017, labels indicating if a product has been imported or Australian-made will become larger and less ambiguous.
As it stands, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission‘s online country-of-origin guide states that “a product with a ‘Made in Australia’ label won’t necessarily contain any Australian ingredients”. Naturally, this has led to confusion about what food is or isn’t made in Australia.
One way to be certain of the safety of your food, especially fruit, vegetables and meat, is to buy locally. A lot of local produce is farmed using organic practices, meaning there is no use of synthetic chemicals or genetically modified components.
Local, organic food is said to be fresher, tastier and often picked less than 24 hours before purchasing. Making the switch to organic is also considered to have nutritional, sustainable and economical benefits.
Chair of the Organic Federation of Australia, Andre Leu, told Body+Soul that “the number one reason people buy organic is for health reasons and concern about the use of pesticides”.
The organic food market is booming. In 2010, the retail value of the organic market was estimated to be at least $1 billion according to Better Health.
Organic food grocers are popping up around Melbourne. Wild Things Food, Terra Madre, Aunt Maggie’s, CERES and Yum Organics are some of the many stores and markets that service Melburnians looking for fresh and local produce. There is also an app for customers to track down nearby organic retailers.
Joe’s Organic Market in Northcote has served people searching for organic alternatives for almost 20 years.
Joe tells upstart that he prides himself on stocking food that is entirely chemical-free and pure. He says he can guarantee his fruit and vegetables would come back chemical-free if tested.
“I’m 100 per cent vegan and 100 per cent organic,” Joe says. “No numbers, no artificial colours, no preservatives – all pure.”
Organic, however, does not mean Australian-made.
Joe says he gets his fruits and vegetables from Australia, but his certified organic dry goods come from overseas. He says you have to trust the products that are labelled certified organic despite them being imported from overseas.
To be recognised as Australian Certified Organic, products must contain 95 per cent or more certified organic ingredients.
While organic foods have received some negative attention for not necessarily adding any nutritional value, experts say there’s assurance in knowing where your food comes from and knowing how it has been grown.
Annie Clark, a lifestyle health consultant, tells upstart she wouldn’t buy fruit and vegetables from some supermarkets because she doesn’t know their source.
“I don’t know if they’re from Indonesia or up the road. There’s no clarity for me,” she says. “I like to buy local, so we buy from the corner store here in Cooroy where I live.”
“I’ll pay more for my avocados, I’ll pay more for whatever I have to buy that I can’t grow, but I’ll do it,” she says.
Clark says a lot of people are price-driven and that the reason imported food is so popular is because it’s normally cheaper than organic produce. She suggests supermarkets are putting more money on organic items.
“They [supermarkets] may actually pay around the same as what they pay for the other fruits and vegetables,” she says.
A recent Four Corners episode uncovered the slave-like conditions that migrant workers who pick, pack and process food for major Australian supermarkets are experiencing. Local Harvest says that supporting local farmers and workers cuts out unnecessary middlemen, ensuring farmers and workers receive fair pay.
It’s easier for consumers to identify the origin and food miles of local produce compared to supermarket produce.
CERES has a community garden and sources as much from its organic farm as possible. CERES say their veggies have travelled metres, not miles, unlike some imported organic goods. If produce sold at CERES isn’t from its own farm, it often indicates the farmer who grew it and where.
An increasingly popular trend is to have organic fresh fruit and vegetables delivered to homes. Whole food and fresh food grocers deliver in-season fruit and vegetables to most suburbs in Melbourne.
Ryan O’Connor, co-owner of health food store Terra Madre, tells upstart that organic products available in bulk are particularly popular.
“Anything in bulk [is popular] as it not only saves money but is more environmentally conscious on packaging,” O’Connor says.
Another popular alternative is to plant and grow your own food.
Supporting local food generally means less food miles and negative effects on the environment, and gives consumers confidence that the food they’re buying is chemical-free and safe.
Featured image: Alanthebox via Wikimedia Commons


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Keeping up with the cost of living
Rewarding our heroes: So, after 40 hours of negotiations over four months, we granted our teachers a 3.3 percent raise. Wow -- that almost keeps them up with increases in the cost of living. About the only other place you can find people that well educated, so dedicated and so poorly compensated is "? the newspaper.
A matter of taste: "What's so funny about SPAM?" That's the question recently asked by Jeon Pyoung Soo, a South Korean brand manager for Hormel Foods' SPAM, who says he can't understand why the product is found to be "? uh, amusing "? and less popular in the United States than in his home country. There, according to a Los Angeles Times report, an estimated 8 million cans are sold every holiday season, and a gift set of 12 in upscale department and specialty stores sells for about $44. It's also considered a delicacy in Hawaii. (But apparently not in York "? unless maybe you're a teacher.)
More breakthrough research: A recent study commissioned by the association that brings together shopping mall developers, owners and managers revealed that 1) more women than men visit malls, and 2) they spend about twice as much time shopping as men do. (Hmm "?how much did they pay for this study, anyway?)
And another recent study, published in a prestigious British scientific journal, reported that the leading source of the greenhouse gases that are being blamed for global warming is ordinary cows. (Right "? let's not go any further with this one; we'll take their word for it.)
After her car ran off U.S. 71 and down an embankment in Kansas, according to the Kansas City Star, Robbin Doolin, 31, explained what happened to police: She was driving down the highway, opened the door to spit, leaned out too far and fell out. (It may be time, Robbin, to get that window crank fixed "? or maybe even give up whatever you're chewing.)
And Richard Brooks, enraged at a group of bikers in Concord, Calif., drove toward them waving a pool cue out his car window. He jumped out, still raging, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, and was hit by his own car when he walked behind it because he had left it in reverse. There's more: That knocked him into oncoming traffic, but fortunately he was rescued "? by the bikers. (Motley, maybe, but not necessarily unforgiving.)
Questionable judgment, worse aim: Anti-abortion activist David McMenemy (Public McMenemy No. 1?) allegedly crashed his car into a women's clinic in Davenport, Iowa, and then set it on fire in protest. It wasn't until his arrest that he was informed that it was just an ordinary medical clinic, providing neither abortions nor abortion referrals. (Look at it this way, Dave -- you won't be needing the car for a while anyway.)
Ya' gotta love it: Exxon (et al) said the prices we've been paying for gas should be blamed on the high price of foreign oil. Then they posted a $39.5 billion dollar profit for 2006 -- its second consecutive record and the largest profit ever reported in the history of U.S. business. Are we that stupid? (Don't answer that.)
The shiny pate problem: Biswanth Halder recently refused to appear in court in Cleveland (to face 338 felony counts, including murder) until the judge agreed to let him send his lawyers out to buy him a toupee (the judge capitulated). And Robert Murray refused to appear in court in New York because he "found it humiliating" to have to wear restraints. (Sorry, Bob "? no dice.)
A real charmer: When Yoshio Yamaka, 56, was charged with stealing $7 million from his employer recently, according to the New York Daily News, his substantial bail was paid jointly by 1) his estranged wife, Hiroko, on whom he had walked out months before, and 2) Megumi Tsuji, his mistress, with whom he most recently had been living (yo, Yo -- you might end up wishing you had opted for jail).
Remember -- nobody can make you feel inferior without your concurrence.


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More people have gone back to shopping in person, but some pandemic behaviors have stuck.
A report finds that online grocery delivery is offered in many areas where people lack access to fresh, quality food - but not everyone can take advantage of it.
DoorDash is launching a DashMart service in New York City that promises grocery delivery in 15 minutes or less. It already has competition.
Grocery titans including Walmart, Kroger and Albertsons are developing high-tech solutions to accommodate shifting demand.
Instacart and other apps are competing for consistent customers, while worker pay is inconsistent.


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Strategic Meetings Summit London, 26 September,
September 29 2022, Kimpton Fitzroy London
Friday 30 September 2022, JW Marriott Grosvenor
Marriott International has implemented a new cancellation policy across its properties in the US which will require guests to give 48 hours notice to avoid a fee.
The change from a 24-hour notice period, applies at Marriott properties and brands across the Americas, including the US, Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America, except for the group’s Design Hotels brand.
Marriott said the change will allow hotels a better chance to make the rooms available to guests seeking last minute accommodation.
“While cancellation policies vary by hotel, hotels whose policy is to allow guests to cancel their room reservations on the day before arrival without incurring a fee are faced with a significant number of unsold rooms due to last minute cancellations,” it said in a statement. “Guests will now be required to cancel their room reservation by midnight 48 hours prior to arrival to avoid a fee.”
Hilton and Hyatt hotels already require 48 hours notice or longer for cancelling a reservation without penalty.
Sign up to BBT’s twice-weekly newsletter


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If you've read some of my articles lately — particularly the one where I say PlayStation keeps shooting itself in the foot — you'd probably think my outlook on PlayStation is all doom and gloom. Honestly, it isn't. PlayStation is in no danger of going under or anything like that; I just think it's losing some of the magic it had during the PS4 era. That said, I only bring up its problems because I want it to be better — and I know it can be better. One area that it desperately needs to be better in is PlayStation Now.
What PlayStation Now offers right now is fine. You get access to over 800 games, most of which can be downloaded instead of streamed, and it only costs $60/year, half the cost of Microsoft's Game Pass Ultimate. But considering most of the games are older releases and you can't stream these games through Remote Play to your phone, it has some notable drawbacks compared to Xbox Game Pass.
PlayStation boss Jim Ryan has been on the record multiple times stating that its PlayStation Now model won't emulate Xbox Game Pass, and I think that's a mistake. As recently as September 2020, he made it clear that Sony would not launch its biggest exclusives into PlayStation Now as Xbox Game Studios does with its own service.
"For us, having a catalogue of games is not something that defines a platform," Ryan said in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz. "Our pitch, as you've heard, is 'new games, great games.' We have had this conversation before -- we are not going to go down the road of putting new releases titles into a subscription model. These games cost many millions of dollars, well over $100 million, to develop. We just don't see that as sustainable.
"We want to make the games bigger and better, and hopefully at some stage more persistent. So putting those into a subscription model on day one, for us, just doesn't make any sense. For others in a different situation, it might well make sense, but for us, it doesn't. We want to expand and grow our existing ecosystem, and putting new games into a subscription model just doesn't sit with that."
Back in 2019, in another interview with GamesIndustry, Ryan said something similar, though noted at the time that "our stance on the inclusion of first-party games in PlayStation Now in terms of what we've done this month is very different to our stance 12 months ago. I don't want to say this is what PlayStation Now is going to be like forever." Well, it appears as if that stance hasn't changed meaningfully.
It may seem like a small thing to some people, but having every Xbox-published title launch into Game Pass is a huge deal, especially now that Microsoft owns Bethesda. The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield will launch into Xbox Game Pass on day one. Imagine if Sony would have said that about The Last of Us Part 2 on PlayStation Now, or the upcoming God of War and Horizon Forbidden West titles.
And that's not to mention third-party games that seem to be eager to launch onto Xbox Game Pass, as well. Outriders, the latest sci-fi shooter from People Can Fly, came to Xbox Game Pass on day one. MLB The Show 21 is launching into Xbox Game Pass on April 20, a move that was decided by the MLB for the historically PlayStation-only franchise.
It says a lot that publishers want to bring these games to Xbox Game Pass and not PlayStation Now. While I don't know the specifics of these deals or what happens behind the scenes, Xbox Game Pass undoubtedly holds a larger share of social media conversations.
And to those who would question Game Pass' sustainability, Xbox head Phil Spencer says that its business model is completely sustainable as it is.
"I'll be honest, there are developers that have some concerns, and my inbox is there, and I have conversations with a lot of those developers asking what are our real long-term goals?" Spencer said on the DroppedFrames podcast. "You know we get questions about 'Hey, is this just some kind of go secure a bunch of players and then rack the price up to a new level?'
"I say there's no plan for us to do anything like that. We like the value that Game Pass is today and from a business model it's completely sustainable the way it is and I mean that."
It's unfortunate that PlayStation Now is being neglected like this because PlayStation Plus is actually going strong. Sony really seems to know what it's doing with PlayStation Plus, as evidenced by a few games releasing into the service since the launch of the PS5. Bugsnax, Destruction AllStars, and Oddworld: Soulstorm have all been available to PS Plus subscribers for free the same day they released. I wouldn't call those big names by any means, but I think it shows potential.
If anything, maybe the route Sony should take is combining PlayStation Plus with PlayStation Now in some form, or at the very least combining their subscriptions into a package like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. PlayStation Plus has a lot going for it right now. Members get access to the PlayStation Plus Collection, Game Help, Cloud storage, and exclusive discounts in addition to online multiplayer. Lumping PlayStation Now into that and bumping the price a bit seems like a smart move. I'd easily pay $10/month for it.
It's weird to see Sony put so much renewed effort into PlayStation Plus when PlayStation Now is sitting right there and actually needs the support. You can't let one flourish while the other suffers — though to be fair, I don't know what its financials look like. Judging by industry trends, I do expect Sony to follow suit with what Microsoft is doing with Xbox Game Pass, despite what PlayStation execs may say right now.
Who knows, maybe six months from now PlayStation Now will be a force to be reckoned with. As it stands, it looks pitiful compared to the competition.
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Jennifer Locke has been playing video games nearly her entire life. You can find her posting pictures of her dog and obsessing over PlayStation and Xbox, Star Wars, and other geeky things.


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CVS Health intends to withdraw a certain type of commonly used nasal decongestant from its shelves following the ruling of an advisory committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this year, stating its lack of effectiveness.Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
The products contain a phenylephrine (PE) oral formulation, which is present in numerous over-the-counter (OTC) medications.
While PE has been utilized as a nasal decongestant for almost a century, experts have raised doubts about its efficacy for years.
The FDA Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee unanimously voted in September that PE did not provide better relief for nasal congestion than a placebo at approved OTC doses.
In response, CVS announced that it will be removing products containing only PE as the active ingredient from its store shelves. This means that products like Dayquil, which utilize a combination of active ingredients, will still be available for purchase.
Walgreens Pharmacy, OTC medicine, relief for cough, cold, and flu.
Jeff Greenberg/Universal Images/Getty Images
CVS Health stated, “We are aware of the FDA Advisory Committee’s stance on oral phenylephrine (PE) and will adhere to the FDA’s guidance to ensure that the products we sell are compliant with all laws and regulations. We are removing certain oral cough and cold products from CVS Pharmacy stores that contain phenylephrine as the sole active ingredient. Other oral cough and cold products will continue to be offered to fulfill consumer needs.”
CVS did not reveal specific details about the brands that will be removed.
The FDA told ABC News that it has not yet determined whether it no longer considers PE to be a safe and effective drug and has not issued a removal order for the product. CVS’s decision is voluntary.
“FDA has no further information to provide at this time regarding the timing of any decisions the agency may make following the advisory committee meeting,” stated the federal health agency.
The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) informed ABC News that the advisory committee’s recommendation is not legally binding and does not result in a regulatory change.
“FDA is currently reviewing the regulatory status of oral phenylephrine (PE) following the advisory committee meeting that took place in September,” stated the CHPA in a release. “Until the FDA reaches a decision regarding the committee’s recommendation, oral PE will remain a Category 1 OTC ingredient, generally recognized as safe and effective.”
Concerns about PE were first raised in 2007. Since then, evidence has accumulated suggesting that the drug provides minimal or no relief for nasal congestion.
According to experts, this is likely due to the fact that the body metabolizes the drug before it reaches the nasal passages where it is needed to take effect.
It remains unclear whether other major pharmacy chains will follow CVS’s lead.
Walgreens Boots Alliance did not disclose its plans to remove products containing PE from its shelves and stated that it will bring the matter to the attention of the FDA.
A spokesperson from Walgreens told ABC News, “Walgreens adheres to FDA regulations. We are closely monitoring the situation and actively collaborating with the Walgreens Office of Clinical Integrity and suppliers to determine appropriate next steps.”
Other major pharmacy chains, including Albertsons, Costco, and Kroger, did not respond immediately to ABC News’ request for comment. Walmart did not provide an immediate response.
This report includes contributions from ABC News’ Sasha Pejanic and Sonny Salzman.


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Lipitor patients are not just imagining it: the generic version of the popular cholesterol-lowering drug that came out Dec. 1 is almost as expensive as the high-priced brand name.
"It's really been a big disappointment," said Jay Levy, a Boca Raton retiree who takes generic Lipitor. "Everybody was waiting for it. You think you're going to save a lot of money, and obviously you don't."
Relief is coming. The price of the generic drug — atorvastatin — is expected to plunge after May 31, when several manufacturers will be allowed to put their own versions on the market.
The change will be significant in South Florida, a big market for cholesterol drugs because of its senior population.
Some experts predict that before long, the generic will cost 95 percent less than name-brand Lipitor — $20 or $30 for a three-month supply, compared with $450 to $500 for the brand.
"This will be the big day for consumers," said Matthew Seamon, a pharmacy professor at Nova Southeastern University in Davie. "It's not until the second, third and fourth manufacturers come into the market that you see the price really go down."
Even then, experts urge patients to shop around, because prices may vary dramaticallly.
Lipitor, made by Pfizer, was the top money-making drug in 2010, with $10.7 billion in sales. But doctors said more South Florida patients use simvastatin, the generic version of Zocor that became tops in total users after its price fell sharply in 2007.
Dr. Gregory Aslanian, a family physician in Boynton Beach, said many of his cholesterol patients take generics to save money. Lipitor is often prescribed for people who need a stronger cholesterol-lowering effect.
Lipitor patients expected a big price drop when atorvastatin came out, but experts said it didn't happen because of federal drug laws. Makers of brand-name drugs are granted a certain time without generic competition, a period Pfizer pushed to 14 years for Lipitor. After the patent expired, the first generic maker — Ranbaxy Laboratories in India — can sell for six months without competition. Ranbaxy's window closes May 31.
As is typical, Ranbaxy priced its generic a bit lower than the name brand. A one-month supply of 20-mg pills sells online and at Walmart in Lauderdale Lakes for about $130, compared to Lipitor at $165. Walgreens and CVS stores in South Florida are charging more, $160 for the generic vs. $190 for the brand.
"All the customers ask why it's not cheap," said Jatinkumar Patel, pharmacy manager at Sav-A-Lot Discount Pharmacies in Lauderhill, which sells the generic for $112.
Some consumers find Lipitor cheaper than the generic because Pfizer has offered various discounts.
Pfizer offers insured patients discount cards that cut their co-payments to $4, although Medicare does not allow that discount. Consumers without insurance can get $50 off. The company also took the rare step of paying big rebates to health insurers and firms that manage drug benefits for employers, to stop them from switching patients to the generic.
After May 31, Pfizer will continue the co-pay card and consumer discounts but not the rebates to companies, Pfizer spokesman MacKay Jimeson said.
Ranbaxy expects to drop its price as a half-dozen competitors start selling atorvastatin in coming months, spokesman Chuck Caprariello said. So far, two manufacturers — Teva and Mylan — are poised to begin selling on May 31.
Pharmacies likely will be able to buy a month's supply for a few dollars, but don't expect them to pass all of the savings to consumers, said David Marley, president of Pharmacists United for Truth and Transparency, a nonprofit group that advocates for small retailers.
"The chains will knock down the price [to $30 to $50 a month]. The consumer will think it's a great deal, but they don't know it only costs the pharmacy three bucks," Marley said.
"People can get it a whole lot cheaper if they check out the little guys. Nobody should be paying more than $20 or $30 for a 90-day supply" within a few months after May 31, Marley said.
Nova's Seamon said competition may eventually drive the price so low that some pharmacies will sell the generic for $4 a month to attract customers.
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Two digital banks will work together for a share of the cash RBS was forced to set aside to promote UK banking competition following its financial crisis rescue.
Challenger bank ClearBank has partnered with digital lender Tide and applied for a slice of Royal Bank of Scotland's (RBS) £775m fund aimed at increasing competition in Britain's business banking sector.
It will be partnered by small and medium sized enterprises (SME) lender Tide, which last month said it notched up 56,000 SME customers, accounting for one per cent the UK’s 5.6m small businesses. Tide, founded in 2014, is chaired by US venture capitalist and Treasury adviser Eileen Burbidge.
The RBS fund is part of European Union conditions attached to its £45bn Government bailout a decade ago at the height of the financial crisis.
They argue that high street banks uniformly offer a slow service with few incentives to the UK’s small businesses. It will allow them to develop advanced business current accounts and products for British SMEs, the firms said.
Tide chief executive Oliver Prill said: “The RBS Alternative Remedies Package is a golden opportunity to inject competition and innovation into the business banking market. Banks have traditionally viewed serving SMEs as a marginal and low-revenue activity, which is why they have terrible customer satisfaction ratings.”
Winners of the first round of the fund are expected to be announced in February.
ClearBank’s technology platform is built on a combination of public and private cloud infrastructure, and is specifically designed to handle core banking, clearing and settlement services. The business is ledup by executive chairman Nick Ogden, who is the founder and former chief executive of payment processing giant Worldpay.


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U.K. shop-price inflation accelerated in March as rising oil prices helped to push up the cost of manufacturing and transporting food, the British Retail Consortium said.
Retail prices rose 1.5 percent from a year earlier, the most since December, compared with a 1.2 percent gain in February, the trade group and Nielsen Co. said in a report in London today. Food-price inflation quickened to 5.4 percent, the fastest since June, compared with 4.2 percent in February.
Oil prices have soared 25 percent in the past six months, pushing up manufacturers’ costs, while global food prices have gained 2.1 percent this year. Bank of England officials will maintain their target for bond purchases at 325 billion pounds ($519 billion) tomorrow, according to a survey of economists, as some officials raise concerns about the pace of inflation.
“Consumers are having to cope with falling disposable incomes with fuel and household-energy costs also increasing,” said Mike Watkins, senior manager of retail services at Nielsen. “With inflationary pressure continuing in the food supply chain, we can expect supermarkets to keep a strong focus on promotional activity over the next few months.”
Non-food prices fell 0.9 percent in March from a year earlier, the largest drop in more than two years, compared with a decrease of 0.7 percent in February, the report showed. The biggest declines were at clothing and electrical-goods stores as they tried to drum up demand from consumers whose confidence is being hurt by a sluggish economic recovery, the BRC said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Scott Hamilton in London at firstname.lastname@example.org
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Craig Stirling at email@example.com


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CINCINNATI - Activist investor Nelson Peltz zeroed in the executive pay plans at Procter & Gamble Co. in a new letter to investors Monday.
“Senior executives are being paid their full bonuses even if they continue to lose market share,” said the Sept. 18 letter from Peltz’s Trian Fund Management L.P. “The board and senior management have accepted mediocrity.”
P&G has yet to respond to the letter, but CEO David Taylor told WCPO last month that the company is growing market share around the world.
“Two years ago, we had three of our top 20 markets growing share,” he said. “Today, we have half of them growing share, so you’re seeing sequential progress. P&G people are doing what it takes to better serve consumers.”
Peltz is advocating another major restructuring for P&G, one that would organize the company into three operating units, each with a global president incentivized to stoke faster sales growth while cutting expenses. P&G has argued its growth plans are more sustainable. It spent the last five years on a massive restructuring, selling off 100 brands while cutting $10 billion in expenses and more than 30,000 employees.
“My aspiration for the company is we lead,” CEO David Taylor told WCPO last month. “So, we want to grow faster than the category and we want innovation to grow the categories we’re in.”
Taylor told Wall Street investors last November that organic sales – which excludes acquisitions, divestitures and other unusual events – is growing at 3 to 3.5 percent in the markets where P&G now competes. But P&G’s board revealed in August that Taylor could receive 100 percent of a long-term stock incentive worth $6 million if P&G achieves 2.8 percent organic sales growth in the next three years. That's faster than the 2 percent growth achieved by P&G in the 12 months ending June 30.
Bernstein Research analyst Ali Dibadj said P&G's compensation goals could be a factor for shareholders frustrated by the company's slow growth in recent years.
P&G's compensation targets "seem very low for what's supposed to be a turn-around company," Dibadj said.
Peltz cites organic sales and earnings-per-share goals as evidence that P&G's board is rewarding mediocrity. But the Performance Stock Plan to which he refers is more complicated than that. In addition to organic sales, three other goals must be reached for executives to receive 100 percent of their potential incentives. Two of those goals are measures of profitability. The other involves positive cash flow, which helps P&G pay dividends, buy back stock and reduce debt.
"The current earnings per share growth target through 2019 is only 6 percent, which would put P&G in the bottom quartile of its peers," Trian said in the Sept. 18 letter. "If elected to the P&G Board, Nelson Peltz will push to ensure performance targets incentivize senior management to strive for excellence and grow the business faster than competitors."
Trian also alleged that P&G will spend more than $100 million to defeat its attempt to win a board seat. That's nearly triple the $35 million P&G has previously estimated for the contest. By the time it ends at P&G's annual meeting Oct. 10, it is expected to be the most costly proxy fight ever.


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When it comes to advertising, what's "the new normal"?
When the recessionary smoke clears, says Robert Liodice, president and CEO of the Association of National Advertisers, [the trend towards digital] will continue to evolve. "The dream for marketers is to market to consumers on a one-to-one basis," Liodice says, adding that digital conduits like search and social media are the way to do that. Post-recession marketers, he adds, will rely on a "portfolio of marketing and media vehicles, allowing them to reach who they need to reach with greater precision and greater accountability than they ever had before." "[Digital is] waste-free," says David Kenny, managing partner of Publicis Groupe's VivaKi and one of the holding company's top media chiefs. "It doesn't scream and shout at people, but rather it has true potential to add meaning to their lives by connecting when and where people are most receptive to the content and messaging."
When you can connect with consumers one-to-one you can understand consumers better, and they can understand you. They can "raise their hands" to participate with you in your shared interests. You can solve the problems you know they have – rather than the ones you hope they have.
As we tweak our radio stations to favor whatever the ratings methodology du jour happens to be, we would be wise to remember that it will eventually be the quality of our relationships with listeners, not simply the quantity, that matters most to our clients and users alike.
Our clients won't care whether these quality relationships come from us or not.
But you certainly should.


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Toyota Motor Corp. plans to conduct a joint survey with the Saudi Arabian government to explore the feasibility of building vehicles in Saudi Arabia, according to a report in Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan’s largest newspaper.
To move away from being an oil-dependent economy, Saudi Arabia is aiming to diversify and nurture its industries, including manufacturing. It is particularly keen to attract the automobile industry, the paper reported.
The automobile market in Saudi Arabia has grown steadily in recent years, with the number of car sales reaching about 880,000 units in 2015, making it larger than the markets in well-developed automotive cultures, such as Argentina and Thailand. (more…)


text: SINGAPORE – Hilton International is investing US$2.5 million on search engines as part of its global initiative to drive online bookings. The idea is that surfers in key source markets for Hilton will see the Hilton.com proprietary site appear at the top of the listing when they use search engines to locate the brand. The money will be spent on popular search engines in the key source markets of Japan, Germany and Scandinavia and global ones like Google and Yahoo. Hilton has been investing millions in its e-commerce drive with the goal of growing direct distribution – to build direct relationships with its guests and extend special and personalised services to frequent guests. Earlier in the year, Hilton launched “Our Best rates. Guaranteed” to assure customers that they will find the lowest rates on Hilton International brand websites rather than through third party sites. If a guest were to find a lower rate on a ‘like for like’ basis through any other distribution channel, Hilton will match it and pay US$50 in local currency following completion of the hotel stay. Another online initiative was the introduction of several local language websites including a Japanese website, Hilton.co.jp at a cost of US$13.22 million. Other language specific websites under consideration include Chinese and Arabic language. David Michels, chief executive, Hilton Group said, ”We want the Hilton and Scandic brand websites to become the preferred booking method used by our customers.” Hilton’s initiatives for channel optimization through the Internet are paying off. In Japan, bookings are up 164 percent on first quarter of 2003 and as most of Hiton’s business in Japan originates from Japan, the hotel company said this is due to the new Japanese website. On a global scale, the Hilton Family said their online performance is leading the industry with 13 percent of their bookings through the Internet and 79 percent are from Hilton’s own proprietary websites. Hilton also claims their number of online bookings grew by 40 percent last year, setting an industry record.


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When Surrey officials looked globally for pandemic personal protective equipment (PPE) only to find outfits like the CIA had taken it, they created an industry to meet the demand.
Now, Surrey businesses are supplying PPE, not only locally but globally, city economic development manager Stephen Wu said.
He told Union of B.C. Municipalities delegates Sept. 23 the city became aware of warehouses in China and Kenya with millions of SM N95 masks and attempted to get some.
But, he said, before they could finish the work, the U.S. spy agency and other organizations had cleared out those warehouses.
So, city staff put on their thinking caps and got to work, Wu said.
“We saw in COVID an opportunity to increase our business space,” Wu said.
What they found was that many local companies had the ability to produce PPE.
As of mid-September, he said, companies had produced more than $10 million worth of masks, gowns, sanitizer and other supplies.
Soon, there will be three companies making the N95 masks, he said. They could be producing a million masks a month.
He said 25 manufacturers are producing or are retooling to produce PPE. It’s an opportunity that has created 145 jobs with $5 million in private capital investment so far.
The economic output from just this one opportunity over the past four or five months has just been astronomical,” Wu said.
He spoke as part of a panel on which municipal economic development officers shared success stories and lessons learned from the pandemic.
“Creativity is critical," Campbell River economic development officer Rose Klukas said.


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Apple fans, rejoice! There is a rumor that the tech giant is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook in the near future. According to a report by Digitimes, Apple is expected to release a new MacBook model with a 13.3-inch display and an LED-backlit panel in the second half of 2023.
The report claims that the new MacBook will use the same panel as the current MacBook Air, which has a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. However, the new MacBook will be cheaper than the MacBook Air, which starts at Rs 92,900 in India. The report does not mention the exact price of the new MacBook, but it suggests that it will be lower than the average price of notebooks with similar specifications, which is around $799 (approximately Rs 58,000).
The report also states that the new MacBook will be powered by Apple’s own M1 chip, which is a custom-designed processor that offers high performance and efficiency. The M1 chip debuted in November 2020 and is currently used in the latest models of the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac. The M1 chip has received rave reviews from critics and users alike for its speed, battery life, and compatibility with iOS apps.
The new MacBook will be aimed at students and budget-conscious consumers who want to experience the Apple ecosystem without breaking the bank. The new MacBook will also compete with other affordable laptops in the market, such as Chromebooks and Windows laptops. The new MacBook will likely run on macOS Monterey, the latest version of Apple’s operating system that was announced at the WWDC 2021 event in June.
Apple has not confirmed or denied the rumor of the new MacBook yet, so we have to wait and see if it becomes a reality. However, if the rumor is true, then we can expect to see a lot of excitement and demand for the new MacBook when it launches. Apple is known for its premium products and loyal fan base, so a low-cost MacBook could be a game-changer for the company and the industry.


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Pebbles is celebrating National Waffle Day with a sweet deal
Mornings just got a whole lot sweeter.
To celebrate the launch — and National Waffle Day on Thursday, Aug. 24 — the company is giving customers a chance to try the new sweet treats for free.
Six-packs of Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles waffles are now available for purchase at a variety of retailers, including Giant, Key Food and more — but your first box is on the company.
Customers who buy the waffles through October 16 can go to getfreewaffles.com and upload a copy of their receipt to get up to $3.79 back via Venmo or Paypal.
Customers can put their knowledge of the Mexican fast food spot to the test for a big reward. The restaurant is bringing back Chipotle IQ, a trivia game focused on Chipotle, and 250,000 winners can score BOGO deals.
The Chipotle-centric trivia game is back for the fourth edition. Until noon ET on Thursday, Aug. 24, users have unlimited tries to get a perfect score on Chipotle IQ. There are 10 questions, which are a mix of multiple choice, true or false and write-in questions, and once fans score 10 out of 10, they are eligible for one of 250,000 prizes. The trivia quiz is available on the Chipotle IQ website.
The winners can grab one free regular menu entrée item, like a burrito, burrito bowl, tacos, quesadilla or salad, with the purchase of an entrée item at regular price.
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Read the original article on People.


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CEO Jack Dorsey reflects on Block’s origins and defining moments with host Roelof Botha.
Dorsey founded Square in 2009 with a clear vision: economic empowerment for all. Their dongle that turns iPhones into credit card readers was just the start. With Square, small business owners were able to reach more customers and better manage their companies. But when Cash App, which emerged from an internal hackathon, started to gain traction, Square had a decision to make: stick to their core focus, or risk building an unproven product for consumers? Dorsey explains how Block succeeded by weaving new products around a core vision, and how a controversial shift in strategy led them to fully deliver on their founding mission.
Host: Roelof Botha, Managing Partner of Sequoia Capital
Featuring: Jack Dorsey, Alyssa Henry, Brian Grassadonia
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


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* Q3 operating profit seen down 15 pct at 113.9 bln yen
* Nissan’s 485 bln yen FY profit forecast lags 534 bln yen consensus
* Q3 to drop less than Toyota, Honda on industry-beating sales
* Results to be announced at 0725 GMT
By Chang-Ran Kim, Asia autos correspondent
TOKYO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co is expected to report a smaller decline in quarterly profit than its domestic rivals as a slew of new model launches helped Japan’s No.2 automaker beat the industry’s sales growth in key markets.
Nissan has been a standout particularly in China, where its line-up is heavy in smaller cars such as the Tiida compact, which qualified for tax incentives. Nissan was also among the only brands to grow in the tepid European market as consumers liked the new Juke crossover and demand stayed strong for the older Qashqai SUV.
Nissan’s third-quarter operating profit is expected to fall 15 percent to 113.9 billion yen ($1.38 billion), according to a Reuters poll of eight analysts.
That would bring its nine-month profit within 36 billion yen of its annual forecast of 485 billion yen and could prompt Nissan to lift its forecasts, analysts said. A survey of 26 analysts by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S put the annual profit at 534 billion yen.
Nissan’s profits made in China are counted at the operating level, unlike for Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co , because it reports under Japanese accounting rules.
Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn has aggressively pushed Nissan into fast-growing markets such as China, India and Russia, and is credited for raising its profile as a pioneer in electric cars with the launch of the Leaf, the world’s first mass-volume EV, in December.
In the third quarter, Nissan’s global retail sales grew 15 percent, bringing its 2010 tally to a record 4.08 million units and ahead of Honda to rank second among Japanese automakers.
Nissan, owned 43 percent by France’s Renault SA , also outperformed in the U.S. market but is set to face tougher competition this year as Toyota and Honda remodel top-selling cars such as the Camry and Civic.
A slowdown in China’s overall car demand could also hit Nissan the hardest after the government pulled the plug on incentives on smaller cars at the end of 2010.
While analysts are bullish on Nissan’s near-term growth prospects, Ghosn is under the gun to provide a clearer direction for partner Renault, which has struggled due to its heavy reliance on the sluggish European market. Renault is set to announce a new strategic six-year plan on Thursday.
Honda Motor Co last week posted a 29 percent fall in quarterly operating profit, while Toyota Motor Corp reported a 48 percent drop on Tuesday.
Shares in Nissan have risen 13 percent in the past three months, compared with 22 percent for Honda and 18 percent for Toyota. (Editing by Dhara Ranasinghe) ($1=82.32 Yen)


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Chinese Uber Drivers Are Taking Passengers’ Money With the Most Creative Scam Ever
Chinese Uber drivers have found a devious way to scam passengers out of their money without providing any service, simply by using zombie-like profile photos.
Local reports have dubbed the con as the “ghost driver” problem, with the drivers intending to scare passengers into prompting them to cancel their rides. This way, they get paid a small cancellation fee, earning them money with barely any effort at all, reported Quartz.
A potential Uber passenger is shown a profile photo, plate number and basic information about the driver upon booking a ride. Many customers, upon seeing a monstrous-looking driver in the confirmation pop-up, would rather not risk getting murdered and just cancel the request.
Those who choose to disregard the frightening photos get scammed as well. These ghost Uber drivers will simply claim that the passenger has entered the vehicle and cancel it after. The customer is then charged a small fee, which is usually left unchallenged.
Uber has already been made aware of the problem by complaining customers and is currently investigating the issue, stating that the company has a “zero-tolerance attitude to scamming behavior.” Uber also committed to refunding those victimized by the zombie drivers.
The company has implemented steps in helping reduce fraud in China by introducing security features like a facial-recognition technology that confirms that the driver’s face matches the one the company has on file.
“We have taken immediate actions and banned these reported individual fraud accounts while continuing to investigate and crack down on any fraudulent behavior to protect rider and driver interests,” an Uber representative was quoted as saying.
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Tagged With: Oculus
Leading independent interactive studio takes home its ninth Emmy; latest award, for immersive VR portrayal of Eastern European legend, adds to project’s previous Emmy wins for directing and character design.
Launching with special performances including The Desert Dwellers, Desert Hearts Mikey Lion, Porky, Lee Reynolds, Marbs, RYBO, and Carlo, the new, scalable VR technology brings 2D content into virtual reality with no limit to the number of music lovers who can share the experience.
Available for download June 24, the interactive studio’s fantasy adventure will be supported on Valve’s Steam VR, Oculus Rift, and Quest by Facebook; 9-part Vlog series will also be released.
The immersive VR short film, made completely in Quill, takes the viewer on a zany voyage through the protagonist’s dream that ranges from absurd to surreal.
Leading interactive studio’s latest VR experience is released today; first-ever live virtual reality red carpet premiere for the short was the ultimate socially distanced event, with attendees using Oculus Quest headsets to interact in real-time as avatars.
The new virtual reality project, created entirely with Oculus’ VR-native animation platform, is a whimsical tale about balancing work and family that immerses the viewer in a vivid and glittering wonderland.
Studios team with Facebook’s Oculus on VR film that pushes the boundaries of animation; available on Oculus Quest December 10, the 20-minute immersive experience includes moments of interactivity via virtual reality hand tracking.
New VR short, made in collaboration with Oculus and Facebook Reality Labs, uses a groundbreaking app; artists were able to create and hand-animate in three dimensions while immersed in the VR experience.
Gaming giant reveals development is underway on two new unique immersive experiences, being built from the ground up exclusively for the Oculus platform.
20-minute partial build of highly anticipated immersive project debuts today as part of the Venice VR Expanded lineup for the Venice Film Festival.
Lead in Disney’s upcoming ‘Home Alone’ reboot cast as young musician whose music inspires a flock of mysterious paper birds, in new immersive film set to debut at the 2020 Venice International Film Festival.
A free program of 55 pieces, selected by the Tribeca Film Festival, Veer VR and Positron, including 23 in the Development Showcase, will be open to VR users through the Museum of Other Realities.
Digital event, running June 24-26, will bring together XR artists, traditional filmmakers, tech companies, indie producers and investors to help shape the future of immersive entertainment.
New lyrics music video of original song from 4-time Emmy Award-winning animated VR film to help raise awareness of Return to the Heart Foundation’s Native COVID-19 Action Fund.
In the face of COVID-19, the Tribeca Film Festival partners with Oculus to feature 15 VR films in four online programs running April 17-25.
New suite combines and builds on Masterpiece Creator and Masterpiece Motion for faster, easier rigging that allows users to create 3D content in minutes.
Featuring the voice of Jodie Whittaker, the fully interactive adventure will transport fans through space and time, and will launch on PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, Oculus, HTC Vive and Vive Cosmos.
Companies working to release tools that ensure full data interoperability between key products by fall of next year.
Leading U.K. VFX and animation group produces seven-minute immersive experience for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.


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Google slapped with $1.7 billion fine from European regulators
It's the third time that Google has been slapped with a fine from E.U. regulators, bringing the total overall figure to roughly $9 billion, with all three violations spearheaded by European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager.
Google was fined "for illegal practices in search advertising brokering to cement its dominant market position," Vestager said on Twitter. "They shouldn't do that – it denied consumers choice, innovative products and fair prices."
It's latest violation centers around AdSense for Search, where publishers, both big and small, were restricted from working with other advertising partners if they embedded Google's search function on their website, according to the E.U.
For example: If a beauty blog used Google's search feature on its website, and someone who visits the site uses it, they would be shown ads delivered by Google upon seeing the results on the publisher's page. However, the publisher was restricted from working with third parties, such as Yahoo or Microsoft, in regards to the ads shown, thus prohibiting publishers from placing any search advertisements from competitors on their search results pages, the E.U. says.
In 2016, Google had a search market share of more than 90 percent in Europe, according to the E.U.
Kent Walker, senior VP of global affairs at Google, says the company has been working with E.U. regulators for more than a decade now, and says Google intends update its products in Europe over the next few months.
"We've always agreed that healthy, thriving markets are in everyone's interest," Walker said in an emailed statement. "We've already made a wide range of changes to our products to address the Commission's concerns. Over the next few months, we'll be making further updates to give more visibility to rivals in Europe."
In 2017, Google was fined $2.7 billion for violating antitrust laws through search and the following year, it was fined a record-breaking $5 billion for unfairly leveraging its Android operating system to favor its own apps, though the company has come out relatively unscathed.


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Italian Technology Centre Network of Pune is Growing
Thanks to the entry of FIMAT (Rivoli, Torino), member company of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, SIMEC (Olgiate Olona, Varese) and UTECO (Colognola ai Colli, Verona), both of them members of ACIMGA (Italian manufacturers association of machinery for the graphic, converting and paper industry), the ITC, Italian Technology Center Network is growing and expanding: this network is dedicated to supporting the internationalization process of its participating companies in India.
Established in 2013, the ITC network was spurred by UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, the Italian machine tools, robots, and automation systems manufacturers' association, and by AMAPLAST, the Italian plastics and rubber processing machinery and moulds manufacturers' Association. From this year on, the ITC network of enterprises will also benefit from the cooperation with ACIMGA.
Therefore, now the network is made up of 8 companies, which can take advantage of the ITC support to improve and increase their own presence in India. Besides the lead company LOSMA (Curno, Bergamo), the network companies involved in the project are the following: BLM GROUP (Cantù, Como); BUFFOLI TRANSFER (Brescia); FIMAT (Rivoli, Torino); MILLUTENSIL (Milano); OMERA (Chiuppano, Vicenza); SIMEC GROUP (Olgiate Olona, Varese); UTECO GROUP (Colognola ai Colli, Verona).
“The phenomenon of enterprises’ networks in Italy keeps growing - stated Giancarlo Losma, President of LOSMA – taking the shape of flexible cooperation among companies to achieve strategic goals defined through a common programme. The Italian Technology Center network of enterprises represents a perfect example of how these partnerships among non-competing companies can help carry out shared projects and goals, facilitating their presence in complex markets, such as the Indian one”.
“I am very proud that a new association of capital goods has joined our project – continued Giancarlo Losma – thus expanding the range of sectors represented in the network. We hope that other associations that are members of FEDERMACCHINE, the Italian Federation of Associations of Manufacturers of Capital Goods, will participate in ITC, also bringing along some of their associate member companies”.
Operating since March 2013 and based in Pune, the Italian Technological Center is managed by a team of Indian officers, who are working in close cooperation with the Italian Associations promoting this initiative. Promotion of single brands and of the ITC brand, development of new contacts with the world of Indian institutions and culture and first after-sale service point: these are only a few of the activities carried out by the Center.
Among the most important initiatives organized by ITC in 2018 - concluded Giancarlo Losma - there is the annual three-day event in India. Launching its sixth edition, the event took place in November and was held for the first time in Bangalore. It allowed the ITC companies, starring the workshop “Italian Machine Tools & Plastic/Rubber Machinery Technology”, to present themselves to about fifty Indian enterprises operating in the sectors of aerospace, automotive, automation, and general mechanics.
A similar initiative will be organized in 2019: this time, besides metalworking machine tools and plastics and rubber machinery technologies, the event will also host the sector of printing and converting machines.


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Shares of Indian film producer and distributor Eros International (NYSE:ESGC) surged on Monday following a report that the company was in early talks with Apple, Amazon, and Netflix to sell its film and music library. Eros stock was up 24% at 11:30 a.m. EDT.
Reuters is reporting that Eros is in discussions to sell its extensive content library, comprised of music and more than 3,000 Indian films. A deal could be worth roughly $1 billion, about twice Eros' market capitalization prior to today's news. Shares of Eros had tumbled nearly 80% since peaking in mid-2015 through market close on Friday, with the latest drop in late July due to a weak earnings report driven by delayed film releases.
None of the companies involved have commented on the report. Both Netflix and Amazon launched video streaming services in India in 2016, so a deal for exclusive Indian content would make sense for both companies. Apple seems less likely to shell out close to $1 billion for the content, given that its content efforts aren't nearly as broad. The talks are nascent, according to Reuters' source, so a deal being reached is far from guaranteed.
Eros operates its own streaming service, Eros Now, and it's unclear how a deal with a U.S. streaming giant would work. Eros Now is the centerpiece of Eros' growth strategy, with the company recently predicting that the service would reach 100 million subscribers over the next five years, up from less than 3 million today.
As always, buying a stock based on rumors and speculation is a risky move. These talks could end without a deal being reached, or a deal of narrower scope could end up being signed. Eros' content library would be a good fit for both Netflix and Amazon, but whether either company is willing to pour $1 billion into the Indian market remains to be seen.


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How did Taylor Swift‘s 2023 Eras tour presale turn so calamitous? Ticketmaster service delays and website crashes outraged fans trying to buy tickets to the superstar’s 2023 tour this week, causing widespread outcry and condemnation for the ticket service as high up as Congress. And, finally, on Thursday (Nov. 17), company officials announced they had decided to cancel the general ticket sale scheduled for Friday — blaming a surge of unregistered fans and billions of bots for the failure.
Fans already bought up more than 90% of the ticketing inventory on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to Ticketmaster, breaking the record Tuesday for the most tickets ever sold in a single day by a touring artist at 2 million. But with that success came catastrophe. More than 3.5 million fans registered for the chance to buy Swift tickets, and 1.5 million were invited to participate in Tuesday’s ticket sale for a crack at seats on the 52-date tour. Company officials say, however, it wasn’t pre-registered fans buying tickets who caused the crash on Tuesday, but that tens of millions of uninvited fans and billions of bots trying to access the sale early were to blame.
A Wednesday presale for Capital One card holders again brought a second unreported massive traffic of traffic to the site, as millions of fans — most without presale codes or an invitation — again tried to flood the presale meant only for a few hundred thousand card holders.
With little inventory left and even bigger crowds expected Friday, on Thursday Ticketmaster and Swift’s team decided to cancel the final onsale. It’s unclear how the remaining ticketing inventory will be distributed or sold. Meanwhile, the bad press has brought unwanted attention to the ticket giant.
Earlier Thursday, in an open letter to Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, argued that “Ticketmaster’s power in the primary ticket market insulates it from the competitive pressures that typically push companies to innovate and improve their services,” resulting in “dramatic service failures,” like the crash of Tuesday’s Taylor Swift sale.
Hours after the letter surfaced, Ticketmaster published a blog on its website offering an in-depth explanation of what caused the Swift presale to crash. Ticketmaster’s explanation for the crash — that it misjudged demand for presale tickets and was ill-prepared for the millions of fans that tried to log in — is not likely to satisfy Klobuchar and the bi-partisan criticism that the company is cutting corners due to it’s massive marketshare in the concert space.
According to Ticketmaster, about 3.5 million fans pre-registered for Taylor’s Verified Fan program — “the largest registration in history,” the company’s blog claims. The huge amount of demand “informed the artist team’s decision to add additional dates” to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour earlier this month, increasing the number of shows on sale from 26 to 52 stadium shows — 47 of which would be ticketed by Ticketmaster.
Despite doubling the number of shows that it was now selling tickets for, Ticketmaster didn’t increase the window of time it would need to process the large uptick in volume. That meant that instead of having 11 East Coast shows go on sale at the same time (10 a.m. EST), Ticketmaster was now putting 21 shows on sales at once.
Making matters worse, far more people showed up to buy tickets than was expected. On Monday night, the day before the presale, Ticketmaster sent out invitations to 1.5 million fans who had signed up for the presale with instruction on how to purchase tickets. “Historically, around 40% of invited fans actually show up and buy tickets,” according to Ticketmaster’s blog post, meaning Ticketmaster was only expecting about 600,000 people to actually try to log in. Not only did far more invitees show up, millions more uninvited guests tried to crash the party. Ticketmaster estimates that with uninvited guests and massive armies of bots, about 3.5 billion requests were made requesting access to the presale, causing the system to meltdown.
Company officials ended up having to do what they probably should have done in the first place — pushing back the remaining sales to give the Ticketmaster team more time to deal with the traffic issues and high demand. About 15% of fans attempting to buy Swift tickets experienced some type of disruption while trying to buy tickets or were unable to do so because of the site crash, according to the Ticketmaster blog. Still, the company did sell more than 2 million tickets that day — the most ever sold for a single artist in a day — and Ticketmaster has agreed to not allow Swift tickets to be sold on any of the secondary resale sites it controls, restricting markups to fans on its service.
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BY Catharine Malzahn Apr 22, 2021
The future of fashion has to be sustainable. It’s not a question of “if” anymore. It’s a question of, “is it too late?”
When scientists announced last year that it is too late to reverse the effects of climate change, they discussed several solutions to help mitigate and adapt to the disaster: recycling, driving more fuel-efficient cars, international policies between countries, using clean energy, upgrading public transport, sustainably planning new cities and more. There was a clear focus on transportation, agriculture, electricity, and even eating habits. Yet discussing how to improve one industry was noticeably missing: fashion.
Fashion “was responsible for some 2.1 billion metric tons of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions in 2018, about 4 percent of the global total,” according to McKinsey research. “Despite efforts to reduce emissions, the industry is on a trajectory that will exceed the 1.5-degree pathway to mitigate climate change set out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).”
To avoid exceeding that 1.5-degree pathway, McKinsey calculates that the industry would have to cut down its greenhouse gas emissions to 1.1 billion metric tons of CO2 equivalent by 2030, but their research shows the industry “is set to overshoot its target by almost twofold, with emissions of 2.1 billion metric tons of CO2 equivalent in 2030, unless it adopts additional abatement actions.”
With fast fashion as one of the most popular options for buyers, these companies are some of the ones most detrimentally affecting the environment. Brands like Shein and Missguided are go-to shops for people around the world, but these brands’ environmental practices are a big part of why the fashion industry contributes so greatly to global warming. Fast fashion is defined by its name: it’s clothing that’s mass produced very quickly, almost always imitating runway and high-end looks at a much lower cost. But note: the cost is low to the purchaser, but the cost is very high to the environment and the planet. While the access to high fashion at low costs seems ideal, the environmental effects are not. Because clothing is being created so quickly, they deplete non-renewable sources, emit greenhouse gases and use tremendous amounts of water and energy. Another byproduct of fast fashion is untreated toxic wastewater that contains toxins like lead, mercury and arsenic, all of which harm aquatic and human life.
So all brands, from high-end labels to fast fashion, need to commit to serious change at an industry level.
All of this is not to say that no one is doing anything. Some brands have made that commitment to the environment. From big conglomerates to luxury labels to small businesses, the conversation around sustainability in fashion is at an all-time high. But without change among the entire industry, it simply will not be enough.
Up-and-coming Australian hat brand Will & Bear, who can count Kaia Gerber as a fan, is dedicated to giving back to nature, with a mission of “From the earth, for the earth. Our goal is to reduce our impact through thoughtful design, give back to our planet and create a culture that cares about nature, to inspire all to preserve it.”
“Will & Bear is driven by innovation and sustainable production processes,” founders Alex and Loz said. “Each hat is ethically produced using sustainable methods where possible between Sri Lanka, Mongolia and China. For each hat sold, we plant 10 trees and more than 1,000,000 trees have been planted across West Africa since 2016.”
But just committing to giving back to the environment is not enough for the founders — and the research concurs, showing it will not be enough to create everlasting change. So Will & Bear is also looking to revolutionize how they make their products as well.
“We’re always experimenting with new materials from upcycled waste to minimize our carbon footprint while reducing the label’s reliance on new fibers,” Alex and Loz said. “With that being said, you can expect to see some new styles in the near future! After an unprecedented year (that really put the spotlight on supply chain fragility), we hope that new sustainability initiatives are put into place and adhered to moving forward.”
By moving away from new materials, whether it is fiber for clothing or plastic for shipping, it creates an opportunity for recycled materials to become the norm. By doing so, it creates demand for the recycled materials rather than the new ones, and it can create a circular model that is much less wasteful. But that does not mean that there will not be any waste at all.
“While creating waste is nearly inevitable, we think it’s important for every brand to minimize their carbon footprints and upcycle/recycle as much as possible,” Alex and Loz said. “The fashion industry has a detrimental impact on the environment, and it’s the second largest polluter in the world, just after the oil industry. That being said, there are so many things consumers and businesses alike can do to offset this, and we feel strongly that that’s our mission as a company.”
Will & Bear is not the only brand looking into new product options for clothing. The sustainability efforts of smaller brands like this are transforming sustainability and what it means for a brand to be responsible and sustainable. They are leading the charge, and their efforts are mirrored by luxury brands like Hermès and Stella McCartney, both of which have turned to mushroom-based “leather” to create some of their products. Mycelium, which makes up the “leather,” is more sustainable and also animal-friendly. According to the Stella McCartney website, mycelium is an infinitely renewable resource that has fewer environmental impacts than even other leather alternatives because it is not petroleum-based. The brand has been a longtime advocate for the environment and this is Stella McCartney’s latest evolution.
Gucci’s Aria Fall/Winter 2021 collection was certified sustainable environmentally, socially, and economically. According to a statement by the brand, Gucci’s physical shows have been the first fashion shows internationally to be ISO 20121 certified since its Spring/Summer 2020 show in September 2019. The Aria collection used mainly rented pieces; plants and trees were rented or donated after the set was dismantled. Almost every brand now has a sustainability mission, and it’s come to the forefront of fashion discussion.
The fashion industry, while certainly impacting the environment, is also constantly innovating and adapting. Another trend in fashion right now is recycling and upcycling. By upcycling vintage and pre-loved fabric, fabric gets a second chance. Plus, it saves the environment by creating less waste and fewer emissions.
According to Marie Claire, it takes about 1,800 gallons of water to create a single pair of jeans (for context, 1,800 gallons of water is more than 100 showers). While the fashion industry has a tremendous carbon footprint, it has a big water problem too, with denim especially. So finding a way to upcycle denim to avoid making new denim needs to be the future of fashion, and that is exactly what vintage premium denim brand EB Denim is doing. Founder Elena Bonvicini started the company in high school, originally thrifting denim and upcycling the fabric to make new designs and selling them from the locker room. Today, she uses Levi’s 501s to create jeans that have been worn by influencers like Kylie Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Gigi and Bella Hadid, and Chiara Ferragni, and even has a new showroom in Downtown Los Angeles for customers to come and try on denim. As Bonvicini continues to grow the brand, sustainability is at the core of the brand’s mission. Her goal is to set the standard for sustainability across the industry. Right now, she sources her denim in Los Angeles, which allows her to be involved in the process.
“We have a few different vintage suppliers based in LA. And basically what we do is we go through all of the vintage that they have in stock, and this is thousands at a time, honestly. And they also have vintage silk scarves and vintage sweatshirts,” Bonvicini said. “We’ll take all those pieces and rework them into new garments, and we have several local manufacturers that do it so it’s all locally done. All the vintage is sourced in LA.”
When she noticed a huge surplus of oversized men’s denim but a finite supply of women’s jeans, she started redesigning the men’s denim into women’s pants and shorts.
“When we make a pair of shorts, we take the pant legs and convert it into a brand new product. So there’s absolutely minimal waste when we upcycle,” Bonvicini said.
Bonvicini is also committed to paying workers a fair, living wage. By using local and small businesses, she is able to see the ins and outs of the process and work directly with everyone working on the product. This way, she can ensure that everyone who touches the product is being paid fairly.
“I’m pretty much face-to-face with everyone who’s touched the garment,” she said. “We do everything locally and just make sure all of our contractors are paying our employees fairly as well.”
While EB Denim is currently sourcing denim and other fabrics from local vendors, the brand is also working with Simply Suzette and its founder Ani Wells, a sustainable denim specialist, to start creating its own denim.
“We’re making sure that we’re using 100% natural fibers and they’re 100% verified, so we can trace them back and we know that they’re ethically sourced and produced. And we’re using distilled indigo, which is a liquid form of dye, instead of a powder form, which saves water energy and chemicals,” Bonvicini said. “[We think about] every detail, even to how we wash it… The way that we’re doing that now is an ozone wash. They barely use any water.”
While some customers care deeply about a brand’s sustainability platform, there are still a lot of people who don’t care, or even know, about fashion’s effect on the environment. But one thing is for sure: vintage and upcycled clothing is one of fashion’s hottest trends right now. Is this because people want to shop responsibly, or do they just like the look of the clothes?
“Honestly, I can’t tell,” Bonvicini said. “I think that a lot of it has to do with just the look of it and the appreciation of something being vintage and having a history and a life. I can’t necessarily say that customers care too much about sustainability, but I do.”
But Bonvicini is willing to take on the responsibility of making sustainable clothing regardless.
“I don’t care if my customers don’t care about sustainability. It’s my responsibility to make sure that the jeans are sustainable, and then that’s just a plus to the customers. It’s always going to be about the look and the feel and the appearance of the jeans, but then sustainability is a plus to it. But as far as upcycling, I think it honestly might have to do a little bit more with the look of it,” she said.
Bonvicini believes that there will be regulations in the future to hold brands accountable to sustainability standards. And she is not the only one either. Across both fashion and beauty brands, industry leaders agree that there will be regulations that brands will be held to, whether it is a brand’s carbon footprint or eliminating single-use plastic in packaging. But the real question is when will this happen? And will it be too little, too late?
But Patagonia has long been committed to the environment. Aside from Worn Wear, its recycling program, the brand also imposes a one percent tax on itself, which is used to provide “support to environmental nonprofits working to defend our air, land and water around the globe,” according to the Patagonia website.
Patagonia has also built environmental and animal welfare responsibility programs. The programs guide how the brand makes its materials and products. With 64 percent of fabrics made with recycled materials and 100 percent of virgin down certified to the Advanced Global Traceable Down Standard, the brand is committed to transparency and the environment. But it is not just environmentally responsible; it is also socially responsible. Its Social Responsibility Programs are at the crux of the brand, and Patagonia has joined programs like Living Wage and Fair Trade to ensure the brand is committed to its workers. Like EB Denim, Patagonia uses indigo to dye denim. “We are exploring opportunities to work with partners in the supply chain to grow non-synthetic organic indigo,” Patagonia’s website read. “Eventually, our goal is for this crop to become Regenerative Organic Certified™. We also continue to investigate alternatives for indigo, both natural and synthetic, that have less of an ecological footprint.”
Not everyone is equally committed to environmentally and socially responsible fashion. While some brands are ensuring that they are giving back to the environment and producing pieces under humane working conditions, not all of fashion is ready to pay up. It is expensive to commit to this change, and Bonvicini and others hope that the future of fashion will be a world in which the sustainable option is the norm and not the more expensive route. In the meantime, the world will just have to keep relying on brands like EB Denim, Will & Bear, and Patagonia to set the standard for sustainability and hold the fashion industry accountable.