text:
Nexi, the Italian payments company, experienced a significant boost in its shares on Thursday as it exceeded analysts’ expectations with its third-quarter earnings. The growth was primarily driven by its core merchant-solutions business.
At 0835 GMT, Nexi shares were up 6.8% and trading at EUR6.40.
During the three months ending in September, Nexi reported a revenue of 871.7 million euros ($933.7 million), marking a 5% increase compared to the previous year. Notably, the merchant-solutions division saw a 5.6% growth, reaching EUR504.3 million in revenue.
The company also witnessed a remarkable 7.6% revenue rise in Germany, despite macroeconomic weaknesses and a challenging comparison to last year’s numbers, particularly in August.
Nexi’s positive results contrast with recent comments made by French peer Worldline, which warned of a slowdown in the German market. Worldline stated that consumers were increasingly prioritizing essential expenses such as housing and food over discretionary expenses like entertainment or luxury goods. Following Nexi’s earnings announcement, Worldline shares increased by 3.5% in early morning trading.
Nexi’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), a key measure of profitability, saw an 8% increase to EUR495.8 million. Meanwhile, total costs rose slightly from EUR370.9 million to EUR375.9 million.
Based on estimates from 11 analysts, consensus forecasts predicted revenue of EUR871 million, merchant-solutions revenue of EUR507 million, EBITDA of EUR491 million, and total costs of EUR381 million. Nexi’s actual results were generally in line with these expectations.
Despite potential concerns regarding broader macroeconomic issues, Citi analysts described Nexi’s results as positive and stated, “we see this as a positive set of results.”
Looking ahead, Nexi maintains its outlook of achieving over 7% year-on-year net revenue growth and EBITDA growth of more than 10% for the year.


text: Share this on Twitter Share this on Facebook Share this on LinkedIn Share this on Sina Weibo Share this on Wechat Share this on LinkedIn President George W. Bush spoke with the press alongside A123 executives in front of the White House in February 2007.Credit: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images Listen to SupChina editor-at-large and Sinica podcast host Kaiser Kuo read this article. Six months ago, in early October, Doug Campbell sat down in front of a camera in Louisville, Colorado, just 20 miles outside of Denver, to deliver some big news. Dressed in a trucker cap and hooded sweatshirt, the 42-year-old chief executive officer of battery start-up Solid Power looked more Rocky Mountain-cool than materials scientist-serious, but he didn’t miss a beat as he rattled off his company’s major electrochemical achievement. “Today, we are pleased to announce the production and delivery of the company’s first generation multi-layer, multi-amp-hour, all solid-state lithium-metal cell,” he said. For the battery industry, all solid-state lithium-ion cells are a holy grail: they can store dramatically more energy while simultaneously being safer to charge and use. Analysts say they could unlock enormous profits as well as a host of technological leaSubscribe or login to read the rest. Subscribers get full access to: Exclusive longform investigative journalism, Q&As, news and analysis, and data on Chinese business elites and corporations. We publish China scoops you won't find anywhere else. A weekly curated reading list on China from David Barboza, Pulitzer Prize-winning former Shanghai correspondent for The New York Times. A daily roundup of China finance, business and economics headlines. We offer discounts for groups, institutions and students. Go to our Subscriptions page for details.

domain: news


text:
- Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it was reviewing its position on Jaguar and Land Rover, and union officials pressed for more information amid reports that the two brands were up for sale.
John Gardiner, a spokesman for Ford’s Premier Automotive Group which, includes the two brands, said Ford had been reviewing all of its operations for a year.
“We are working with our financial advisers on the best options for Jaguar and Land Rover, and nothing is ruled out,” Gardiner said. He added that there was no time frame for making a decision.
Ford’s review of the two brands comes as it is struggling to return to profitability in the face of fierce competition from Asian automakers and changing tastes for more fuel-efficient models in its key North American market.
Prime Minister Tony Blair’s office said it was in touch with Ford about the review.
Land Rover and Jaguar are part of Ford’s Premier Auto Group, which also includes Volvo. Ford sold Aston Martin, another part of the group, for $848 million in March.
Ford posted a narrower loss of $282 million for the first quarter. The Premier Automotive Group reported a record pretax profit of $402 million for the quarter due largely to Volvo. Ford bought Jaguar in 1989 and Land Rover in 2000.


text:
Samsung Releases A Software Update For Its Gear Fit2 : Samsung Electronics has released a software update for the Gear Fit2 smart brand with new-fitness tracking options that would excel its quality for the users. Once the firmware update becomes available, customers will be notified in their smartphone´s quick panel, having the chance to install it on their bands through Samsung Gear app.
The Gear Fit 2 Will Now Be A Much Better Device For Its Owners
According to Tech Times, the software update for the Gear Fit2 will offers the option of stop tracking if its owner stops the activity via the new auto-pause feature, which will allow a better tracking precision, which is always extremely important for the fitness-minded customers. Of course, his option will begin tracking again automatically if it detects that the user has started its activity again.
Despite its amazing ability to showcase a higher level of tracking accuracy, this feature could be extremely useful for owners who previously had to customize the controls to pause and resume tracking. However, with this new feature they can do their activities without having to worry about pressing a button or being aware of the brand to see if it registered the exact time.
Great New Features For A Great Product
Without any kind of doubt, this an outstanding option that will separate the user from the machine without the necessity of not wearing it, since the Gear Fit2 will do the entire work while its owner just has to worry about making its physical activity the best way possible.
Samsung knew what it was doing and the users are feeling thankful. According to the International Business Times, another new functionality that the software update gives to the Gear Fit2 is Set, which streamlines the management of physical activies as squats, crunches and star jumps.
Believe it or not, the brand´s owners will be able to input the number of repetitions and sets per exercises, while the Gear Fit2 will just start tallying the progress, displaying break intervals between each set in order to help the user. Source: iTechpost


text:
Move over Santa. An invasive species has hopped onto your turf. Yours is no longer the only lap where parents will perch their children for a photo.
A book from the Camper Hotel in Barcelona has sat on Tamara Roberts’s coffee table since 2007: Don’t Buy It When You Don’t Need It.
“There’s a saying in Iceland that everyone has a book in their stomach waiting to come out,” says Egill Johannsson, managing director at Forlagid, Iceland’s biggest publishing house.


text:
The Spokane Transit Authority is passing around an online survey today looking for feedback on its Moving Forward campaign and a potential tax increase to expand its service.
In an email, the transit organizations had this to say:
Dear community member,
STA Moving Forward is Spokane Transit’s DRAFT 10-year implementation plan that proposes to sustain existing service levels and provide more and better transit for the growing region. As a part of the public outreach period from September through November, STA has provided an online survey to get feedback on the proposed package of transit projects as well as a potential funding mechanism in the form of a voter approved 0.3% increase in local sales tax rate (a 0.3% increase in local sales tax equals 15 cents on a $50 purchase; fuel and most food products are sales tax exempt).
Follow this link to take the survey, which only takes a few minutes.


text:
1968 Shelby GT350 barn find recovered after 30 years
We always love seeing barn finds, particular Ford Mustangs, and this genuine 1968 Shelby GT350 is no exception. According to the seller, who posted the car on Craigslist in New York, the car has been sitting dormant for the past 30 years and is 95 percent original and numbers matching with just over 50,000 miles on the odometer. As you can see from the pictures the Shelby’s Acapulco Blue paint has seen better days, but apparently the 302ci V8 is running and the interior is in good condition. A Marti Report and the original build sheet also comes with the car.
While we don’t know how much the seller wants for this GT350, we can’t imagine he’ll let it go for cheap. The car may not as desirable as the 1967 Shelby GT500 found in Death Valley or the 1965 GT350 that sold at Barrett-Jackson earlier this year, but very valuable nonetheless.
You can see the 1968 Shelby GT350 barn find in detail in the gallery below.
- 2013 Shelby 1000 previewed ahead of New York Auto Show debut
- Motor Trend tests the 2012 Shelby GTS
- Barrett-Jackson 2013: Shelby GT500 50th Anniversary Super Snake show car nets $209,000
- Shelby unveils 2012 GT500 Super Snake at New York Auto Show
- Video: On board with the Lethal Performance 2010 Shelby GT500 as it runs a 9.66 @ 146 mph
- New Product: Vortech Maxflow Carbon Fiber Cold Air Intake for the Shelby GT500
- These are the new Shelby Mustangs that will be unveiled in Detroit
- Video: Hot Rod Magazine test drives the 2011 Shelby GT500 Super Snake
- 2013 Shelby GT500 to participate in Goodwood Festival of Speed as tribute to Carroll Shelby
- 1965 Shelby GT350R going up for auction later this month


text:
Google Testing Out New Maps Features
Google has begun testing some new features for Google Maps, most likely to keep in competition with Bing’s map service. Let’s take a quick look at what’s new:
- Google Buzz threads – now you have the option to see geo-specific Buzz threads on top of your Google Maps.
- 3d Street View – Google added a 3d mode to Google maps on April 1st and it was first thought to be an April fool’s prank. However, after removing it for a short time, apparently Google decided it was worth making a permanent addition to their maps service. Put on your cardboard glasses and check out your house. It’s like you’re really there!
- Streaming Video – Google has been testing live YouTube video in their Street View. Right now Google is only testing in Norway, but if the tests go well; expect to see it everywhere over time.
- Additional Local Business Info – When you use Street View expect to see names of businesses pop up near the buildings. Click it and that familiar bubble opens showing you the business info.
With all these visual changes to Google Maps it leaves us wondering what their goal really is. Does Google want its users to be so engrossed in their images that they don’t need to actually experience a location? 3d Street View…who really benefits from this?


text:
De Pere, WI (October 10, 2023) – NewTree Fruit Company, (NTFC) a Traverse City, MI-based nutrition company, is the first to patent and commercialize a culturing method to extract sugar from fruit juice. Most recently, it has successfully removed 100% of the naturally occurring sugars (fructose, sucrose, and glucose) from cranberry juice concentrate, while retaining all the nutritional value of the fruit itself. This breakthrough was achieved using NTFC’s patented, De-SugaringTM technology and will be expanded to other juices and made available commercially for brands and products to provide to their consumers immediately.
Sugar, both natural and added, is present in over 60% of the world’s supply chain. Since the early 2000’s there has been heightened awareness from scientific evidence of the detrimental effects of sugar to consumers since the 1950’s. This has manifested itself in obesity, diabetes, and decrease in both quality of life and lifespan. As a result, there has been an increased focus and effort by brands and companies to reduce the overall amount of sugar in their offerings and ultimately consumed by consumers. Fruit juice is naturally high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, natural hydration, is plant based, non-GMO, and tastes great. It’s also very high in sugar, which caused the WHO to recommend limiting consumption to 4 oz per day. NewTree Fruit Company’s patented innovation known as “De-SugaringTM” is among the very few processes to remove sugar from the supply chain rather than reduce sugar offerings in products to consumers through dilution, which is a common practice today.
Chad Anderson, Co-Founder and CEO, NTFC said, “Consuming less sugar is a top priority for consumers today and there is an increasing expectation that healthier product solutions must also taste great, and NewTree Fruit Company hits that mark.” De-SugaredTM 100% fruit juice concentrates can be used to add flavor, brilliant color, nutrients, in addition to lowering the sugar, calorie, and carbohydrate impact in non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages alike. NTFC has developed ingredient formats that can offer consumers reduced or zero sugar benefits to consumers with full nutrition through fruit juice, flavored water, sports hydration, protein drinks, smoothies and yogurt prep, jellies, gummies, nutritional bars, and RTD alcohol products.
Anderson added, “Lower sugar juice options currently in the marketplace rely on dilution to reduce the sugar and calories, which also reduces or eliminates the nutritional benefit to consumers. De-SugaredTM 100% fruit juice delivers all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and natural hydration the body needs to function. Our mission is to partner with beverage and food companies worldwide to develop more nutrient dense products for the masses.”
About NewTree Fruit Company
NewTree Fruit Company is a Traverse City, MI-based company dedicated to improving nutrition while reducing sugar consumption among consumers worldwide. With its patented De-SugaringTM Technology, NewTree has successfully reduced sugar to 1g or less in an 8oz juice-based product while maintaining taste and delivering the full nutritional value of two servings of fruit. For more information, please visit www.newtreefruit.com or email firstname.lastname@example.org.


text:
Audi’s most crucial car scooped, why Lamborghini’s Revuelto is “utterly berserk”, and reinventing the Discovery
This week in Autocar, we’ve got an exclusive scoop on Audi’s most crucial car yet, find out why the Lamborghini Revuelto is “utterly berserk” to drive, and picture how we’d reinvent the Land Rover Discovery.
We’ve got a jam-packed news section this week, starting with the 2025 Audi A5. It will make the switch to an all-electric powertrain as the Ingolstadt brand gears up to contend with a vast fleet of competitors – we have all you need to know about its powertrain, practicality, specs, and when it will be on sale.
The new, second-generation Skoda Kodiaq is bigger, bolder and more advanced than its hugely successful predecessor – while introducing plug-in hybrid power for the first time.
BMW has turned the X2 into a larger, more rakish SUV-coupé and gained the option of electric power – we’ve got the lowdown on the Audi Q3 rival.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen has confirmed that it will launch a ‘high-volume’ compact SUV in 2026, likely to serve as a raised, rugged alternative to the Volkswagen ID 3.
The Lamborghini Reveulto arrives as the electrified 12-cylinder successor to the Aventador, packing new-age tech that, in theory, could take supercar thrills to a different level. So does it? We find out in a six-page road test.
Mazda’s rotary engine has returned, but not in the way you might be expecting it to. This time, it extends the range of Mazda’s eccentric electric crossover – the MX-30. Matt Prior takes it for a spin to find out how well it works.
Peugeot’s stylish and dynamically adept 308 has, at last, gained an electric powertrain to become the e-308. Has it been worth the wait?
We’re also testing the Zeekr X and a prototype of the Porsche Macan EV – the brand’s first electric SUV.
Declining sales stolen by the Defender has prompted a much-needed rethink for the Land Rover Discovery. But how should it be done? Hilton Holloway has a think.
Common printed circuit boards will enable much quicker and cheaper productionof hydrogen fuel cell systems, says a young British firm called Bramble Energy. Jesse Crosse investigates.
Volvo has long been the car company with the strongest reputation for safety, and its new EX90 takes things up yet another notch. Charlie Martin heads along to watch one meet its end.
Matt Prior riffs on the lack of relevance track times are to many cars, especially since conditions are such a huge factor, before apologising for giving you a duff stat.
Steve Cropley edges closer and closer to buying an EV to tide him over, wonders about the phenomenal stats you can get from social media, and lusts after the Aston Martin V8 Vantage.
The Honda Accord is a tough cookie that’s been made to run and run, and Mk8 prices look keen. John Evans takes a look.


text:
eTurboNews is now eTN.
Known as the oldest, the fastest, and the largest global news publication in the travel and tourism industry, eTurboNews has moved.
230,000 subscribers, including 17,000 journalists, and an additional 1.3 million consumers have been reading eTurboNews.
eTurboNews and now eTN is the only travel and tourism industry-related publication with hourly updates for those subscribed to eTN Rush.
As of October, eTurboNews.com is now eTN and is on www.etn.travel
“We’re proud to present to our readers a better platform, more options, and better content,” said publisher Juergen T. Steinmetz.
“Our social media network remains the same, and our newsletters will now pull articles from our new http://etn.travel news portal.
“With hundred of thousands of articles, there is not much eTurboNews did not report on since 1999. All archived articles remain on www.eturbonews.com and will be directly searchable also from eTN.travel.”
“Please visit eTurboNews now on http://etn.travel
We welcome press releases and news ideas. Those interested in contributing news to our platform can still post press releases and stories to http://buzz.travel.
Some new content may still be posted to our old portal for partner coverage purpose. Once all eTN partners complete the changes, www.eturbonews.com will remain open only for archived content.
Welcome to eTN was the message from a dedicated team of journalists, many based in Hawaii, home of eTN.


text:
Remember a couple months back when an advocacy group found what it called “a hefty dose” of glyphosate, the active ingredient in weedkillers such as Roundup, in a wide range of oat-based products such as Cheerios and Quaker Oats? Quaker and General Mills weren’t happy, arguing that any traces of glyphosate in their products were well below the regulatory limits.
Well, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has come back with another non-peer-reviewed study, this time covering oat-based cereals and other food that’s marketed to children. And the lobbying group—which is partly funded by organic foods companies such as Organic Valley and Stonyfield—says its latest test results “fly in the face of claims by two companies, Quaker and General Mills, which have said there is no reason for concern.”
The thing is, the EWG’s limit is way, way below the safety ceiling imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency. For oats, the EPA says anything up to 30 parts per million is safe. That’s 187 times the EWG’s safety limit, and 10 times the glyphosate levels found in Quaker Oatmeal Squares Honey Nut, the worst offender on the list released by the lobbying group ….
Read full, original article: A New Study Found Weedkiller in 28 Cereals and Other Kids’ Foods. Why Parents Shouldn’t Freak Out Just Yet


text:
The new 2020 Seat Leon will officially be revealed on January 28, with sales to follow later in the year.
Tagged: Geneva Motor Show
The 2020 Skoda Octavia RS and Scout appear to have been leaked months ahead of their debuts.
The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class will be sold with seven plug-in hybrid variants.
The new 2020 Skoda Octavia RS iV is expected with 242 HP and 400 Nm of torque.
The all-new Maserati GranTurismo will be the brand’s first EV when it launches in 2021.
Aside from the new study, China’s Aiways confirmed the European launch of the U5 in Q2 of 2020.
The Geneva Motor Show’s test track will feature cars from 15 different brands.
PSA doesn’t seem fond of the Geneva event, as at least two of its core brands will be absent.
Audi could reveal the new generation A3 and S3 models at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show.
All-electric Renault Twingo is tipped to deliver about 80 HP from a rear-mounted electric motor.
The new generation 2020 BMW 4-Series Convertible is expected to debut in a few months.
The new generation Volkswagen Golf R is expected this summer with 328 HP or 333 PS.
The new eighth generation of the VW Golf GTI is rumored to make its debut in Geneva this March.
Fisker has released new details about the 2022 Ocean SUV, including dimensions and cargo volume.
The new generation Fiat 500e is rumored to premiere at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show.
The new VW Golf GTI will receive an upgraded 2.0-liter turbo with up to 278 hp.
The upcoming production model will have around 523 hp.
Mercedes has been testing the facelifted E-Class for around 2 years now, so the unveiling date should be very close.
Porsche finally did the right thing by offering its 718 GTS series a 4.0L boxer-six with 394 hp.
The Skoda Kamiq Scoutline will premiere at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show.


text:
Fresh salads, towering sandwiches on homemade bread, chips, dips, deli meat, cheese and gluten-free crackers.
Also on the shelves in Greenbank’s new little grocery store — toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, soap and cooking oil.
Whether basics, such as milk or butter or gourmet ingredients for a picnic are needed, Greenback Pantry & Deli saves locals from driving south to Freeland or north to Coupeville.
It’s located next to the post office, in a bright white building that once served as a taxi dispatch.
“Essential items and a good variety of food, that’s what we’re aiming for,” said Emily Terao, who opened the store with her husband, Alex Pulichino. “And a good balance of different flavors.”
Hours are 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily, except Sunday, when the store is closed.
The couple, who own a small nearby farm, decided to open a community grocery store/breakfast and lunch deli combo after learning the historic Greenback Store they bought in December needs major — and time-consuming — renovations.
The small 20-by-20-foot building wasn’t set-up for a commercial kitchen so that also involved some work, “but it was better than just waiting around while our architect and engineer have been putting the Greenbank Store plans on paper,” Pulichino said.
There’s no plans to drastically alter the historic store, built in 1904, Pulichino said, but “the building deserves the time it will take to strengthen its bones.”
Inside the Greenbank Pantry & Deli, there are handcrafted touches provided by friends and family. Picnic tables and hanging baskets of flowers out front invite customers to sit awhile and take in the scenic view.
“We’ve had the windows covered up the whole time we were fixing the store up so I had no idea what an amazing view we had,” Terao said.


text:
(PRWEB) September 19, 2006
PhotoGalaxy.com is excited to announce the launch of a brand new Photography Competition. The first place winner will receive the new Canon EOS 400D which boasts a 10.1 megapixel sensor and Canon’s new integrated sensor-cleaning system. Three photographer’s websites will also be given away and many more great prizes will be revealed soon.
The competition theme is “Motion.” Judges are looking for photos that portray motion in an innovative or interesting way.
Anyone can enter PhotoGalaxy’s photo contest for free. To submit your photographs simply sign up for a free PhotoGalaxy.com account and then go to the main photo contest page.
This new photo competition replaces PhotoGalaxy’s previous photo contest which had theme “The Four Elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water.” The winners of the Four Elements competition have now been announced and can be found in PhotoGalaxy’s competitions gallery.
Finally, PhotoGalaxy is looking for sponsors to donate prizes to the photo competition. Competition sponsors will receive a great deal of exposure on PhotoGalaxy and in all PhotoGalaxy’s promotional material relating to the contest. If you are interested in becoming an official sponsor then please go to PhotoGalaxy.com and use the contact form to get in touch with the competition organisers.
For further competition details please visit: http://www.photogalaxy.com/competition.php


text:
by Justin Lafferty, Inside Facebook
“As Facebook makes the world more open and connected, the company is also finding ad revenue in all corners of the globe. As David Fischer, Facebook’s Vice President of Advertising and Global Operations, told the crowd Monday at Kenshoo’s K8 summit in Sausalito, Calif., the company is seeing ad revenue growth in countries that have a growing userbase.
Fischer pointed out that Brazil, Indonesia, Japan and Dubai are all rapidly becoming places where Facebook is seeing increasing ad revenue.”
Read the full article on InsideFacebook.com.


text:
Gas prices rose 12 cents a gallon in the past week in the Albany, New York, area, and New York City is about to hit $4 a gallon.
A gallon of gas is selling for an average price of $3.92.3 in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy region on Monday, up from $3.802 a gallon last week, according to figures released by the American Automobile Association.
A month ago, a gallon of gas was $3.712. And a year ago, Albany residents were paying $2.962 a gallon.
AAA issues daily averages for metropolitan areas across the country, based on its survey of credit-card purchases at self-serve stations.
Other upstate averages are: $3.873 per gallon in Buffalo, $3.965 in Nassau-Suffolk, $3.999 in New York City, $3.861 in Rochester, and $3.875 in Syracuse.
Nationally, a gallon of gas sells for $3.770, up from $3.662 a gallon a week ago. The year-ago average was $2.863 a gallon.


text:
Hybrid trade shows will be much needed to kick-start the post-pandemic economy and play a vital role in boosting trade and innovations during the economic recovery process. The 14th Vietnam International Woodworking Industry Fair (VietnamWood), a representative woodworking and wood processing machinery industry exhibition in Vietnam, was originally scheduled to run in September 2021. However, its postponement to 20 to 23 October 2021 allows more time for global vaccination programmes to take effect, leading to a safer in-person event environment and significantly higher face-to-face participation.
VietnamWood is jointly organised by the Ministry of Industry & Trade, Vinexad National Trade Fair & Advertising J.S.C (VINEXAD) and Yorkers Trade & Marketing Service Co., Ltd. (YORKERS) and co-organised by the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of Ho Chi Minh City (HAWA). It is the only Vietnamese exhibition endorsed by the European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers (EUMABOIS) for the past two decades. VietnamWood aims to trigger intelligent technology and automation to upgrade the Vietnamese furniture and wooden manufactures with smart supply chain solutions.
Over 500 leading companies line-up to present comprehensive supply chain solutions
VietnamWood 2019 played host to 573 exhibitors from the United States, Europe and Asia, and attracted 11,650 visitors from leading woodworking firms and plywood manufacturers such as Kaiser, Rochdale Spears, Wanek, TEKCOM Corporation and VinaWood. VietnamWood 2021 expects to gather over 500 exhibitors to present cutting-edge technologies, products, and services divided into primary processing (machines for veneer and plywood processing), secondary processing (eg, sawing, planing, forming, CNC, edge banding, finger jointing, drilling, doweling and polishing), tools, related equipment for surface finishing, auxiliaries, dust collecting, and furniture hardware or accessories. Notable exhibitors such as Thuan Hien, Thuong Nguyen, Quoc Duy, Van Su Loi, Nanxing, RIKEN, Dai Phuc Vinh, Long Phat CNC, Sam Bac and many more will be showcasing at VietnamWood 2021.
Wood industry associations lend strong support to facilitate industrial upgrade
Both domestic and overseas wood industry associations strongly support VietnamWood, including the Binh Duong Furniture Association (BIFA); Forest Products Association of Binh Dinh (FPA Binhdinh); Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association (VIETFOREST), Vietnam Association of Mechanical Industry (VAMI); German Woodworking Machinery Manufacturer’s Association (VDMA); Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO), American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC); the Quebec Wood Export Bureau (QWEB); French Timber; the Qingdao Woodworking Machinery Association; Lunjiao Woodworking Machinery Chamber of Commerce; and Taiwan Woodworking Machinery Association (TWMA).
Taking advantage of the expertise from local industry associations, conferences and seminars will be held on the sidelines of the expo, focus on woodworking and wood processing technology, automation and digitalisation.
Vietnam wood industry regains growth momentum to enhance global market competitiveness
According to recent data, the total export value of timber, wooden products and forest products in 2020 estimated by VIFORES would reach $12.5 billion, showing a 10% growth compared to the previous year. The extraordinary result was partially credited to Vietnam’s effective control of pandemic while countries like the US, the European Union, and South East Asian countries had to temporarily suspended production due to the pandemic lockdowns. With the implementation of two main free trade agreements – the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) – Vietnam’s wood processing and furniture manufacturing industry takes advantage of CPTPP and EVFTA for global market expansion. The EVFTA is hoped to contribute sustainable growth of Vietnam’s wood export, and expect to open up new sales channels and raise product value.
To pinpoint these prospects, VietnamWood, as the leading regional biennial trade fair for woodworking industry held in Ho Chi Minh City, is placing collaboration at the forefront of the fair’s evolving approach to the development of a sustainable local woodworking industry.


text:
Editor's Note: Denver7 360 stories explore multiple sides of the topics that matter most to Coloradans, bringing in different perspectives so you can make up your own mind about the issues. To comment on this or other 360 stories, email us at 360@TheDenverChannel.com. See more 360 stories here.
DENVER – Imagine the satisfaction of never having to fill up at the gas pump again. Instead, you connect your fast charger and effortlessly fuel your electric car. For many, that is the green dream. But should you get a free ride in the HOV lane just for owning one? And is it really realistic in snowy Colorado?
State lawmakers are currently considering several bills focused on putting more EVs on the road, while Colorado's new governor, Jared Polis, has already announced his ambitious goal of using renewable energy only for the state’s electricity by 2040.
Denver7 has already taken a 360 look at multiple perspectives on electric cars, and then asked the question of whether Colorado electric car drivers were getting a free ride after receiving viewer feedback.
With new laws being proposed and one on the way to Polis’ desk, Denver7 is revisiting Colorado's green dream with seven new viewpoints.
Electric cars must be our future, but we don't need more incentives--
Nigel Zeid is a self-declared EV geek.
"Once driven, forever smitten, really," he said.
Zeid sells the electric Leaf at the Boulder Nissan dealership.
"There's nothing better than seeing someone's face when they first pull away in one of these," he said.
For Zeid, he points to the need to deal with Denver's brown cloud and growing greenhouse gas pollution as two of many reasons to go electric.
"One pound of CO2 would be a 30.5-inch diameter yoga ball. Nineteen of those is what comes out of one gallon of gas," he said. "It is our future because we can't carry on as we are."
As for his take on giving drivers more incentives to buy electric, Zeid said he believes there are already plenty. He is not sold on state lawmakers’ recent push to give EV owners a free pass in the HOV lane.
"There's enough people that get annoyed that there are federal and state tax credits on it. We don't really want to be rubbing their nose in it with HOV access as well," Zeid said.
HB19-1199, known as the Colorado Clean Pass Act, would allow electric vehicle owners to use HOV lanes for free and all other express lanes for half price. Current law says only drivers with three passengers in their car can ride in the HOV lane for free. The measure is still making its way through House committees.
Hybrid owner says more incentives are a good thing --
Tyler Svitak has owned the Audi A3 e-tron, a plug-in hybrid, for two years.
"I'm absolutely for them, I think that there are enough models on the market today and they're affordable that there is a model for everyone. Especially two-car households," he said.
Svitak said he also supports the idea of giving electric car owners free HOV access.
"I think that would really spur the purchases that we need to really clean our air and help carbon emissions," Svitak said. “It’s been really successful in other states where they’ve tried it – like California for example – especially for those heavy-commute areas like Boulder to Denver.”
Gov. Polis pushes for zero-emissions state
Gov. Polis signed an executive order early in his tenure in January that seeks to put Colorado on a goal toward using 100 percent renewable resources for the purpose of electricity generation by 2020.
The executive order also created a working group to promote electric vehicles and said money from the state’s settlement with Volkswagen would be put toward investments in electric vehicles and infrastructure for them.
He also ordered the state Department of Transportation to work on similar policies as part of the order.
“Our goal is to reach 100 percent renewable electricity by 2040 and embrace the green energy transition already underway economy-wide,” Polis said in a statement at the time the order was unveiled. “Today’s Executive Order will strengthen our economy and protect the wallets of consumers across the state. As we continue to move towards a cleaner electric grid, the public health and environmental benefits of widespread transportation electrification will only increase.”
One electric vehicle bill sent to Polis’ desk
On Monday, the Colorado Senate passed in a 20-15 vote HB19-1198, which ties in with Polis’ requests. The measure would allow the state’s electric vehicle grant fund to be used to extend grant money for the installation of electric charging stations and to offset operating costs of those charging stations once they are set up.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village, heads to the governor’s desk after it passed the House 39-23 in early March.
“By making our state friendlier to electric vehicles, more Coloradans will invest in them, helping to protect Colorado’s land, water, and air for generations to come,” Bridges said in a statement.
Truck owners see difficulties in winter, with pricing
Colorado pickup truck and SUV drivers have mixed feelings about hybrids. Those drivers that Denver7 spoke with said they see situations that would not be conducive to driving electric vehicles, including in winter weather and on roads that require high clearance. Others said the vehicles – even with the incentives – were cost-prohibitive for many.
For Carl Cole, who drives an SUV, he said he is less concerned with the HOV access and some other incentives, but more worried about being able to pay for such a vehicle.
“If I could see an electric car for like $15,000 – somewhere in that market … I would totally drive one if I could,” he said.
Jerry Manley, who drives a truck, says he is not sold on the technology the cars bring compared to his pickup.
“It’s like everything else: It’s a disposable world and I don’t want to buy a disposable car,” he said.
Automobile Dealers Association wants to put a halt on Colorado's green dream--
"We just don't think it's government’s role to tell consumers what vehicle they have to buy," said Tim Jackson, the executive director of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association (CADA).
Jackson said the CADA is suing the state over previously adopted low emissions vehicle standards. Polis' order goes even further and asks the state health department to establish a zero-emissions vehicle program no later than May.
"Colorado is looking at adopting the California vehicle emissions standards and the problem with that for Colorado is that we have a much different terrain and a much different market for cars," Jackson said.
He views any added incentives to buy EVs as unfair to most car owners.
Jackson points to data, which he said shows three out every four cars sold in Colorado last year were pickups or SUVs. Electric cars only made up 3 percent of all cars sold in the state.
“If I’ve got an electric car, I’m going to really like having access to the HOV lanes. And we hear in California that’s as attractive to electric car buyers as the cash incentive, and we all know how bad traffic can be," Jackson said.
Libertarian think tank: Government needs to stay out of it
"I think we have to be asking ourselves, should the government be incentivizing a specific choice in the market?" said Britton Naas of the Independence Institute, a Libertarian think tank in Denver.
Naas said the government advocating for one type of vehicle only furthers the economic and geographical divide.
"To prioritize an individual who statistics indicate likely makes over six figures or has the luxury of choosing an electric vehicle based on their profession should not be given priority, especially in taxes, over someone who does not have that luxury," Naas said.


text:
It sounds dire to say Amazon has raised its monthly Prime membership by almost 20 percent. If you've budgeted very, very tightly, the switch from $10.99 to $12.99 is absolutely unpleasant. But there's still a way to save big on quick shipping from the world's largest online retailer.
The 18 percent increase ups the annual price of a monthly Prime subscription to about $156. Despite its ubiquity, Amazon operates on an incredibly tight margin, rarely actually making a profit. The new price point perhaps represents a concession that the mega-company needs more breathing room to deliver its range of services, from super-fast shipping to original high-end video content.
Video of the Day
That said, other tiers of Prime membership won't see the same kind of hikes. College students will see a $1 increase in their rate to $6.49, but a Prime Video membership, without the shipping benefits, will remain $8.99. Subscribers who are also on government assistance (specifically, those with an Electronic Benefits Transfer card) won't be affected either, as their rate stays at $5.99.
If you're still balking at the increased price for month-to-month Prime, there is one more solution. Monthly Prime subscriptions became available for customers who didn't want to pay the upfront annual fee of $99, but the original Prime price is still on offer. If you rely on Amazon, especially for quick, recurring shipments, it may be worth looking into the yearly package. You also have some time to think it over — these price changes don't go into effect for existing customers until Feb. 18.


text:
Kohl's is temporarily closing all 1,100 of its stores in the United States amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The closure is effective after the close of business on Thursday, March 19. It will last through at least Wednesday, April 1.
Store workers will get two weeks of pay after the closure, the company's CEO, Michelle Gass said in a statement.
The website and app will continue to operate for home-delivery purchases.
Late last week, Kohl's said it had experienced "softening" sales in stores after the outbreak started but that online demand had not been affected.
"We look forward to reopening our stores soon to serve families across the country," Gass said.
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.


text:
What is a small business?
As National Small Business Week programs around the country draw to a close, everyone ought to check themselves. Chances are, you work for a small business, and that’s a big deal.
More Americans work for small businesses than for corporate behemoths. The federal government tends to define small businesses very generously (maybe too generously) as any firm with up to 500 employees. By that measure, small businesses make up 99.9 percent of all businesses and employ, well, practically everyone. In my opinion, payrolls that big describe a medium to large company. But even if you define “small” as companies with fewer than 20 employees, they still represent 87 percent of all U.S. employers, and they employ nearly 20 million people.
We’re a country of small companies, and a lot is riding on our entrepreneurs.
In this special report (click on the links below to read the stories), which will be distributed at Small Business Week events locally, we give a big hand to the three young men who founded Chocomize. Facing post-college subsistence in a poor job market, they realized that if they wanted to work, they’d have to create their own jobs, and 18 months ago they founded a startup custom chocolate company in Cherry Hill that now employs 10. In addition, reporter Jeff Blumenthal has good news about local SBA lending trends: Lending is healthy despite expiration of federal loan guarantees, credit markets are back to normal and loan securitization networks that keep big banks involved are once again functional. We also have advice for people shopping for a loan, including an interview with the CEO of MileStone Bank, one of the area’s Top 5 SBA lenders, on what his bank looks for in a loan application. And we ask the head of the SBA’s Office of Advocacy in Washington, D.C., what the federal government is doing to look after small business interests so Congress doesn’t forget that small businesses and the people who work for them — that’s us — are truly the engines powering this ship.
Thanks to our presenting sponsor, Susquehanna Bank, and to our partner, the Urban Affairs Coalition, for making this supplement and our National Small Business Week programs available to our readers.
Click on the links below to see similarly themed stories, or check out the slide show at right.


text:
The Athletic Gets $50M In Funding, Expects Profitability In '20
The Athletic has raised $50M in a Series D funding round, and now "expects to become profitable" in '20, according to Sara Fischer of AXIOS. The Athletic has "raised a total" of $139.5M since its launch in '16 and is "valued at roughly" $500M. It has "over 500 full-time employees across the world" and will "soon hit a million subscribers worldwide." Investors said that they "remain bullish on the company's ability to keep growing, because it's been able to grow its subscriber base quickly, especially overseas, while retaining existing customers." But The Athletic co-Founder & CEO Alex Mather said that the company "isn't looking to increase prices on consumers to hit profitability, but rather is focusing on growing and retaining its user base." Fischer notes Series D is being "led by Bedrock Capital with participation from Emerson Collective and Powerhouse Capital along with existing investors." Actor Matthew McConaughey also "participated in the round via Plus Capital, a venture fund backed by top influencers from entertainment, TV, film, music, and sports" (AXIOS.com, 1/21).


text:
Afghanistan’s economy is fragile, relies heavily on external support, and its private sector is weak. The economy shrank by 25 percent in the last two years. The interim Taliban administration’s restrictive policies on women’s education and work will further lower Afghanistan’s recovery prospects. Despite conflict ceasing, one in two Afghans remains poor. Since the crash of 2021, households have reported improvement in their capacity to meet basic needs, but deprivation and vulnerability remain high. But these gains have come at the cost of possibly exhausting all coping strategies and household resources. Afghan households have mobilized extra labor to make ends meet, mainly among youth and women. According to the Afghanistan Welfare Monitoring Survey, round 3, the overall increase in labor supply has outpaced demand, doubling unemployment. Female labor force participation saw a threefold increase compared to 2020, with women primarily engaged in home (garment and food processing).
While improved security has increased primary school attendance and narrowed gender and rural-urban gaps, millions of primary-school-age girls and boys remain out of school mainly due to a lack of access. Since the ban on female secondary school attendance was imposed, only 3% of girls attend secondary school. Among boys aged 13-18, only 44% are receiving a secondary education.
The ITA collected $2.2 billion in revenue in FY 2022, like in 2019, with most receipts from border taxes. Exports hit a record high of $1.9 billion in 2022 but have slowed since early 2023. The Afghani appreciated despite a trade deficit, undermining the recovery prospects for domestic manufacturing and trade sector. The informal Hawala system processes most transactions due to the limited formal financial sector.
Since April 2023, the country has experienced deflation, likely due to improved supply, appreciating AFN, and the economy still adjusting to structurally lower aggregate demand. Following the August 2021 political upheaval, inflation surged due to supply disruptions and shocks in commodity prices, even amid reduced domestic demand. After peaking at 18.3 percent year-on-year in July 2022, inflation plummeted into deflation by April 2023.
Many businesses are struggling to operate at full capacity. In the Private Sector Rapid Survey's third round in March-April 2023, just over half of the firms surveyed were fully operational, with another third operating below capacity. The top business constraint reported by surveyed firms was dampened demand, followed by uncertainty about the future and limited banking system functionality. Other difficulties surveyed firms face include a less efficient payment system, increased cost of doing business, poor availability of imported inputs, and difficulty securing loans. Female-owned firms are twice as likely to report a deterioration in security compared to male-owned firms.
Afghanistan's economy has a substantial trade deficit despite a surge in the value of exports. Import of certain goods nearly doubled during 2022 and 2023, whereas exports grew by only 3 percent in the first seven months of 2023. Unusually high imports in some categories led to a higher trade deficit. Despite a widening trade deficit, Afghani has appreciated in 2023. UN cash shipments and remittance inflows don't fully explain the deficit financing.
The off-budget international aid for humanitarian and basic services is declining. The economy, which seemed to have stabilized at a low equilibrium level by the end of 2022 compared to the decline immediate after the events of August 15, 2021, now appears vulnerable amid a mix of economic indicators. The financial system remains constricted; trade and other payments flowing into and out of Afghanistan are carried out to a large extent through informal channels. The banking system is vulnerable and under-capitalized, and private businesses cannot access needed financial services.
Last Updated: Oct 03, 2023


text:
New blue! Martinez gives Everton's home kit thumbs up as Pinnear models latest strip
Everton have announced another change ahead of the 2013-14 season, introducing a Nike kit weighing 150 grams and made from recycled polyester.
It has already been a summer full of change at Goodison Park, with a new badge and a new manager already in place.
Roberto Martinez, who took over from David Moyes at the club, will see his team playing in the new strip, which adds plenty more white to the iconic royal blue strip.
Got the blues: Steven Pienaar in Everton's home kit for the 2013-14 season
The kit - featuring the 'one-year only' badge - brings a white collar and two white hoops to the sleeves, with opinion seemingly divided among Everton’s fan base.
It fits in with previous Nike designs, developed to draw sweat away from the body and help keep players cool in the heat of a game, although it is just 150 grams, 23 per cent lighter than previous kits.
Dave Biggar, Everton’s commercial director, said: ‘Producing the Everton kit is a hugely important task, and the 2013-14 home kit has been designed by Nike with both our supporters and playing squad in mind.
‘We hope the kit will prove to be as popular with our supporters as it was with Roberto Martinez and the players when they were given a preview, and we are very much looking forward to a successful launch in the coming weeks.’
Ready for the challenge: Roberto Martinez (right) has taken over from David Moyes as boss this summer
Unpopular: Everton fans were in uproar over the club's new crest (right), which will be changed again
Martinez is currently in Brazil watching the Confederations Cup but will be confident that star left back Leighton Baines will be wearing the new recycled polyester kit, with the 28-year-old insisting he is eager to work with the new boss.
When the Spaniard returns from the tournament, he will be looking to secure the future of Marouane Fellaini and aiming to add players to his squad who suit his style of play, with Wigan duo James McCarthy and Arouna Kone linked.
The 2013-14 Everton home kit is available to pre-order from June 27 online at evertondirect.com or in store at Everton One or Everton Two. The new kit will be officially launched at a special event on Wednesday July 24.
Most watched Sport videos
- Manager Jurgen Klopp reacts to Liverpool victory over Watford
- Neymar proves he has got the moves despite protective boot
- Dillian Whyte trains hard in preparation for Lucas Browne fight
- Manchester United Alexis Sanchez enjoys workout at his home gym
- Deontay Wilder demonstrates powerful punch as prep for Joshua
- Non-league side Marine AFC's coach catches fire on route to game
- Eddie Jones reacts to England's Six Nation loss to Ireland
- Jose Mourinho speaks after Man United 2-0 Brighton
- Chelsea boss Antonio Conte targets FA Cup glory
- Antonio Conte on 2-1 Chelsea win over Leicester
- Jurgen Klopp: Mo Salah 'on the way' to Messi comparisons
- Boxer Dillian Whyte jokes around with his 'half a haircut'


text:
- Android is closing in on Windows as the world's most-used operating system, according to StatCounter, a company that monitors internet traffic, CNET reports.
- StatCounter found 37.4% of devices online were Android, while 38.6% were Windows.
- While Android use has been growing steadily over the last five years, Windows has dropped just as quickly. In 2012, Windows was used by 82% of devices accessing the internet.
People love their smartphones, and the StatCounter data is further proof that they are the device of choice over desktop PCs. As people rely on smartphones to conduct more personal and business activities, it follows that the Android OS will be used more and Windows will be used less.
While PC and tablets sales were forecast to decline from a total of 435 million units in 2016 to 418.2 million units at the end of 2021, according International Data Corporation, sales of smartphones continue to accelerate. In 2016, smartphone sales to end users totaled nearly 1.5 billion units, an increase of 5% from 2015, according to Gartner.
Among smartphone users, Google’s Android OS captured 82% of the total market in the fourth quarter of 2016. It was also the only OS to grow market share year on year, according to Gartner. Remember BlackBerry, once king of the smartphones? In the fourth quarter it reported 0.0% of the market share.


text:
Drexel recently announced that, as of fall term, it is offering a new esport business program, created for students interested in careers in the professional video gaming industry. Those enrolled in this new program will earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree.
The decision by Drexel to create the esport business program comes as the multi-billion dollar gaming industry is growing rapidly and attracting a wide audience.
“As the [competitive video gaming] industry expands, there are increasing job opportunities in areas related to professional and recreational esports, including law, event management, facility management, marketing and more,” Drexel’s LeBow College of Business wrote on its website.
For students who are interested in this program, but not as their primary area of study, a minor in esports is being offered through the Westphal College of Media Arts and Design, as well.
According to Dr. Michael Wagner, the head of the Digital Media department in the Westphal College, this new esport business program is a great extension of the already-established game design program within Westphal.
“This [new program] will allow students not only to get hands-on insight in the development of digital games, but it will also give them the opportunity to interface with game design student teams for the purpose of developing new and innovative esports game titles,” Wagner said.
Although Drexel, as well as other universities, has a wide variety of esports-oriented clubs and student organizations, it is one of the first to create a degree program dedicated to the booming industry.
“With the ability to develop a strong business core and specialize in topics specific to the esports industry, such as game design and strategy, students who major in esport business will have a unique background and the requisite knowledge needed to stand out from other candidates in the job market,” according to the LeBow website.
Those interested in learning more about Drexel’s new esport business degree through the LeBow College of Business can read about the program here.


text:
A North East sustainable seafood company is set to boost its capacity after securing a seven-figure funding package.
Founded in 2003, Libra Seafoods, based in Jarrow, South Tyneside, is a family firm that sources, processes and distributes seafood products.
Specialising in converting block frozen prawns, it sources its sustainable seafood from the Far East and South America. It then uses market leading manufacturing processes and equipment to ensure that all its products are cooked, chilled and frozen to eliminate microbiological growth.
Now, with increased demand for its products, Libra has turned to its new banking partner Santander UK for additional financing to increase its processing capacity, tapping into a seven-figure funding package, including trade facilities, which will help to increase production capacity by 25%.
With the financing in place, work will begin on a new cold store which will increase processing capacity to 250 metric tonnes each week.
Tony Wynne, finance director at Libra Seafoods said: “It was a major decision for us to change banks, however Santander has provided a more flexible trade facility which better supports our growth strategy.
“The team are a breath of fresh air with impressive responsiveness, which is exactly what we need as a fast-moving business.”
Laura Moorhouse, relationship director at Santander UK, added: “Libra Seafoods has achieved rapid growth thanks to the hard work and expertise of the management team.
“We are delighted to provide innovative trade finance working capital facilities to help them achieve their growth aspirations and expand their international supply chains.
“The most recent support will increase its processing facilities and capacity which is very exciting. Libra is an ongoing success story for the North East and the business continues to move from strength to strength.”


text:
Alan Bush expects his new store to make quite a splash.
"You have to look at the existing market kind of like a goldfish bowl," said the ebullient president of Tandy Corp.'s Computer City Supercenter chain. "You ever see the movie 'Problem Child' where the kid sticks the vacuum cleaner into the goldfish bowl?"
Mr. Bush will dip his vacuum cleaner into Baltimore's computer fishbowl this week as he officially opens the area's first computer superstore in Timonium.
Buying a computer -- or anything having to do with computers -- in Baltimore may never be the same.
The 25,000-square-foot store in the Yorkridge Shopping Center is the 10th to open in Tandy's 7-month-old national drive to join the "category killers" of the retail world: chains that use rock-bottom prices and extensive inventory to seize dominance in their markets and shake out the weaker players.
Computer City is much more than a Radio Shack on steroids.
Mr. Bush is quick to boast that his chain is the only national retailer to carry all five of the leading computer brands -- IBM, Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Compaq and Tandy.
Its selection of computer programs is at least as comprehensive as those in the leading specialty stores, and a sampling of its prices showed them to be competitive with the most aggressive mail-order houses.
While competitors often refer to Computer City as a warehouse store, that is not really accurate. The broad aisles and brightly lighted merchandise are reminiscent of a Wal-Mart, the discount department store.
A sizable section of the store is devoted to computer repair, and there is a separate service desk for business customers. The salespeople dress in bright yellow shirts so customers can spot them.
On the face of it, Computer City seems poised to draw customers from a wide radius.
Mr. Bush said he expects the Timonium store, which will hold its grand opening Thursday, to draw customers from as far away as Washington, Frederick, Harrisburg, Pa., and Delaware.
But while Computer City has the local computer-superstore niche to itself for now, its monopoly will be short-lived.
Its chief national rival, CompUSA Inc., announced late last week that it would open two stores, just as big as Computer City, in the Baltimore area within the next six months.
Meanwhile, Mr. Bush has been scouting locations for a second store in the Columbia and Glen Burnie areas.
"It's too early to say what will happen when they compete head-on," said Lise Buyer, an analyst in the Boston office of Cowen & Co. "Certainly the consumer will win."
According to Mr. Bush, the Computer City concept is based on extensive research of consumer preferences.
RTC He said Tandy executives buttonholed people outside existing stores and asked what they wanted.
Their priorities, he said, were name brands, broad selection and low prices.
As a result, Computer City has taken a different tack from CompUSA, which has comparable selection and prices but less of an emphasis on well-known brands.
"We are a name-brand house," Mr. Bush said. "You get a warm, fuzzy feeling buying a Hewlett-Packard or IBM rather than a Compudyne or something."
Whether a name brand actually makes a difference is a matter of some disagreement, with many hard-core computer users insisting that clones perform just as well.
Mr. Bush said Computer City, with its massive buying power and state-of-the-art inventory control systems, will take a megabyte out of smaller computer merchants who have not established a strong presence in a specialized niche.
"If they're doing their job properly they probably will survive," he said. "Any time someone hasn't been a good merchant and grown their business, we'll flatten them up."
For the most part, Baltimore's current computer distributors, many of whom have a strong base of corporate clients, profess to be unconcerned by Computer City's arrival.
Johanna Brown, owner of Software Mania in Towson, said Computer City is likely to cut into her business over the next month or so as customers check out the new kid in town.
"We're not really worried over the long run because we're kind of unique," she said. "We can give you more attention than some of those warehouse stores can give you."
Ms. Brown said she had no concern about being underpriced by Computer City because her store belongs to a software-buying consortium whose buying power is at least equal to the superstore chain's.
Customers who wandered through the store for an unannounced preview last week had mixed reactions.
Home users and small-business owners were excited, but corporate computer buyers were more blase.
"This is perfect for a home purchaser," said Rob Cramer, who purchases computer equipment for Chevron Corp. in Towson. "There's a lot of boxes, but the knowledge is questionable."
Mr. Bush dismissed the questions about the store's service, contending that his sales staff is as well-trained as any in the industry.
He said some 40 percent of his business comes from corporate clients.
For Mr. Bush, who now works out of Tandy corporate headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas, the Baltimore opening is a kind of homecoming.
During his 15-year career with Tandy, he has been based here three times; with many old friends watching, this is not just another store opening for him.
Mr. Bush said there are times when a Computer City grand opening resembles "a feeding frenzy," and he's doing everything possible to make sure the predators turn out en masse for the Timonium store's official debut.
Computer City has begun advertising heavily in newspapers and on the airwaves, and the store has called in extra stocks of hard-to-find Hewlett-Packard printers to satisfy the opening day hordes -- that is, if they don't run out earlier in the week.
"I'm willing to bet cold, hard cash," Mr. Bush said, "that this will be our biggest grand opening to date."


text:
It’s Time to Sign Up for the 27th Annual RSMGC. The Atlanta Randy is back this year on September 27 at Berkeley Hills Country Club to support our friends and families in the exhibition industry who have suffered severe tragedies or face insurmountable medical expenses. Now more than ever we are looking forward to getting our community back together in support of this great cause.
If you know of someone from our industry in need please let them know of the Randy and submit an Assistance Application on their behalf.
Meanwhile please let everyone know that Registration to sign up to golf or sponsor is now open.
EAC Registration Show Schedule EACA has been supporting major trade show organizers and associations for the past 20 plus years for the vetting and credentialing of EACs that require access to the showfloor to service their clients. Here is a short list of upcoming shows that we will be servicing.
- Enterprise Connect Sept. 27-29 Gaylord Palms Orlando
- Pack Expo Las Vegas Sept. 27-29 Las Vegas CC Las Vegas
- IWCE Sept. 29-30 Las Vegas CC Las Vegas
EACA Member News
San Francisco Mandates Proof of Vaccine for Indoor Venues <Meeting News> In response to rising cases and an increasing presence of the highly contagious Delta variant, San Francisco will require proof of vaccination for all large indoor events and for certain indoor businesses. Effective Aug. 20, attendees of public and private indoor events with 1,000 people or more must show proof of full vaccination prior to entry. There will be a limited exception for events happening before Sept. 15, with tickets sold prior to Aug. 12. These gatherings can accept proof of a negative Covid-19 test result in place of full vaccination.
Proof of vaccination will also be required at San Francisco bars, restaurants, clubs and gyms, starting Aug. 20. The requirement will go into effect for staff members of such venues on Oct. 13.
EACA/EDPA Send Joint Letter to Congress Seeking Relief EACA and EDPA are calling on their members for help in contacting congressional offices. EACA and EDPA recently sent a joint letter to Congress urging the expansion of Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program. They also got the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance, the National Trade Show Alliance, the Painters Union and the Carpenters Union to sign on to the letter.
SBA to Handle PPP Loan Forgiveness The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is launching a streamlined application portal to allow borrowers with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans $150,000 or less through participating lenders to apply for forgiveness directly through the SBA.
“The SBA’s new streamlined application portal will simplify forgiveness for millions of our smallest businesses — including many sole proprietors — who used funds from our Paycheck Protection Program loans to survive the pandemic,” said Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman. “The vast majority of businesses waiting for forgiveness have loans under $150,000. These entrepreneurs are busy running their businesses and are challenged by an overly complicated forgiveness process. We need to deliver forgiveness more efficiently so they can get back to enlivening our Main Streets, sustaining our neighborhoods and fueling our nation’s economy.”
Employco Advisory. Did you miss Employco’s most recent webinar on “Workplace Changes After COVID-19” or would you like to review a portion? The full webinar recording can be viewed here, along with all of the questions and answers that followed: WEBINAR: Recording
You can view/download the slides we used during the presentation as a PDF on our website: WEBINAR: Presentation Slides
NY Now Re-Opens Javits Convention Center <Trade Show Executive> NY NOW, the modern wholesale market for retailers and specialty buyers, was the first major event to run at the reopened Javits Center. The gathering was held in accordance with capacity and safety protocols established by the New York State Department of Health.
“NY NOW has always been one of the most successful biannual events at the Javits Center, and we are thrilled it returns as our first major event since the pandemic,” Alan Steel, President and CEO of the Javits Center, said.
Jim Nicoll Passes Away < Exhibit City News> James Cowan Nicoll, 81, chairman of the board at Sho-Air International, passed away on June 15. Known as the “Miracle Man” by the cardiologists at Hoag Hospital, he succumbed to his battle with cancer and his weakened heart.
Jim built a wonderful career in the moving and storage industry, winning top salesman awards in multiple years and topping industry performance. As a visionary, Jim saw the opportunity to elevate the service he provided from the land to the air which inspired his formation of SHO-AIR International, one of the industry’s premier tradeshow transportation specialists.
Small Businesses that Support Venues Still Facing Pandemic Challenges <BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (FOX 9)> The pandemic forced the curtains to close on millions of live concerts and shows across the U.S. and while they’re slowly coming back, many businesses that support those venues are still hurting.
The federal government offered PPP loans and other financial assistance, but many small businesses that depend on the live event industry didn’t qualify for anything. They are now pleading for help before they lose everything.
Star in Brooklyn Park depends on trade shows, building signs and displays to help market various companies. But when the pandemic hit, trade shows disappeared and so did about half their business. Other, though, have lost everything.
“In our industry, we are losing three to five small businesses every week,” said Star CEO Mark Johnson. “We don’t expect a full comeback until Q1 or Q2 of next year. Unfortunately, I’ve had two business owners that I know commit suicide.”
Roger Dow to Step Down from US Travel Assn. <Meeting News> Roger Dow, who as CEO of U.S. Travel oversaw the conversion of a tepid industry association into a lobbying powerhouse, announced he will be stepping down in July 2022.
Dow will be remembered for wrangling a fractious group of travel sectors with competing interests — hotels, cruise lines, destinations, airlines, airports, theme parks, tour operators, rental car companies, payment systems, intermediaries — into a unified organization that put aside their differences to line up behind the common goal of increasing travel to and within the United States.


text:
Water risks ripple through the beverage industry
June 17, 2009
The Italian restaurant Del Posto in New York City, backed by celebrities Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich, is one of several restaurants shunning bottled water, along with the city of San Francisco and the state of New York. As environmental worries cut into sales from traditionally lucrative bottled water, beverage companies such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestle and SABMiller are becoming more attuned to the risks of negative consumer environmental perceptions. Water is becoming scarcer, raising a fear that so-far manageable price increases could spike and lead drink companies to take action to maintain access to water and maintain their reputation. Water is still cheap, but that is changing. New water pricing schemes are emerging, such as the European Union''s Water Framework Directive that will tax water from 2010 to encourage more sustainable use. Some 70 percent of the water the world uses is for agriculture, while industry uses 20 percent. But any industry reliant on agriculture has more to wade through than its own use. SABMiller is one of a few companies, including Coke and Pepsi, calculating "water footprints." It found that water used throughout its supply chain, such as to grow barley and hops, can be 34 times more than its use alone. With 139 breweries on six continents, the brewer''s total water use can range from about 40 liters for a liter of beer in Central Europe to 155 liters in South Africa. Using the smaller ratio as a proxy, SABMiller''s entire "water footprint" was roughly 8.4 trillion liters of water last year, more than double what the small nation of Iceland used in 2004. As they face criticism, multi-national drink companies are setting water conservation targets, building community wells and more efficient factories, working with locals on sustainable farming, water harvesting and reforestation and looking for new technologies to reduce their water consumption even as they make more drinks. Within their own walls, non-alcoholic drink makers use one out of every 3,300 gallons, or 0.03 percent, of the groundwater used in the United States, according to the American Beverage Association. Coca-Cola learned the hard way, after a drought in the Indian state of Kerala led to the closure of its bottling plant there amid criticism that it was sucking the water table dry. Coke said its plant did not fuel the shortages, but an outcry still spread across the globe, with students in Britain and North America urging boycotts. Massachusetts'' Smith College even severed a five-decade relationship with the company by refusing to let it bid for its soft drink contract. Environmental and community groups are still fighting to kick Coke out of other villages in India.


text:
With the temperature being exceptionally hot these days, we’re all looking for ways to beat that summer heat. We’ve got a list of summer must-have items to keep you and your family cool this summer. DIY Air Conditioner All you have to do is freeze a few water bottles, which in this heat, you probably … Continue reading "Beat The Heat! Stay Cool Now"
Hailey Baldwin has revealed her wedding plans, and looks like none of her celebrity friends will be part of the wedding party! Also, Kylie Jenner is unsure if she wants to marry Travis Scott! All this and more on an all new Moments of the Week!
Want to prevent heart disease? Those fish oil supplements may not be worth the money after all, the BBC reports. A review of roughly 112,000 people across 79 trials found that people using supplements of omega-3—a fat that's prominent fish oils like cod liver oil—experienced little to...
A private inspector who warned a Missouri duck boat company about safety flaws more than a year ago says the biggest problem with the watercraft is the canopy that can trap people underneath during bad weather
Jeep executive Mike Manley will be the new CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobile after longtime leader Sergio Marchionne's health suddenly deteriorated following surgery
Britain's new Brexit chief has suggested Britain might not pay its 39 billion pound ($51 billion) divorce bill if no trade agreement with the European Union is reached
For more celebrity news: www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2JFmAYs9mA The in my feelings challenge is still going viral but turns out the song goes way deeper than just being the first catchy song Drake’s released in years.


text:
Capitol Distributing, which provides convenience goods and services to 700 retailers in six states, including 235 Jacksons Food Stores, broke ground on May 1 for its new 220,850-square-foot distribution center slated to be complete in Spring 2019, according to a company press release.
The company currently employs 130 employees at its distribution facility in Meridian on a site that can no longer accommodate the company’s growth. The company’s entire operations and its employees will be transferred to the new distribution center.
Capitol Distributing sources, inventories, and delivers a broad range of 8,000 products to convenience store retailers, said the press release. The company also provides services to its customers, including merchandising, laundry, and technology solutions.


text:
The U.S. imposed duties of $5.28 billion against imports from China through May of 2018, a 3.8 percent increase from the year prior. That’s going to get much bigger.
Data on the U.S. International Trade Commission website is only available for the first five months of the year. That’s before the Trump administration first levied tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese goods and then followed up with an expanded list of over $200 billion.
The data does capture some of the impact of the tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum producers that were initially put into effect in March. Those new tariffs, in conjunction with increased volumes of trade, have pushed the value of global duties imposed up by 7.5 percent over 2017 levels for the same time period.


text:
Products You May Like
Salesforce announced today that it has named Bret Taylor as president and chief operating officer of the company. Prior to today’s promotion, Taylor held the position of president and chief product officer.
In his new position, Taylor will be responsible for a number of activities including leading Salesforce’s global product vision, engineering, security, marketing and communications. That’s a big job, and as such he will report directly to chairman Marc Benioff.
Taylor has had increasing responsibilities over the last couple of years, taking the lead on many of Salesforce’s biggest announcements at Dreamforce, the company’s massive yearly customer conference. In fact, Benioff said in a statement that Taylor has already been responsible for product vision, development and go-to-market strategy prior to today’s promotion.
“His expanded portfolio of responsibilities will enable us to drive even greater customer success and innovation as we experience rapid growth at scale,” Benioff said in the statement.
Brent Leary, founder at CRM Essentials, who has been watching the company since its earliest days, says it feels like this could be part of succession plan down the road. This promotion could be a signal that Taylor is being groomed to take over for Benioff and co-CEO Keith Block whenever they decide to move on.
“It’s been feeling like he’s being groomed for the big chair somewhere down the line. He’s a generation behind the current leadership, but his experiences at startups and creating iconic technologies at iconic companies uniquely positioned him for a move like this at a company like Salesforce,” Leary told TechCrunch.
Taylor came to Salesforce when the company purchased Quip in August 2016 for $750 million. He was promoted to president and chief product officer in November 2017. Prior to launching Quip he was chief technology officer at Facebook.


text:
For years, people have been giving data to Facebook, Google and the like, without any cash payment in return. That was understandable when someone’s data was only worth a few dollars and difficult to cash in.
But today, the average American consumer now generates data worth about $2,000 per year to advertisers and major brands.
A local financial whiz and scientist have teamed up to launch a David vs. Goliath startup that helps consumers have more control over – and monetize – their own data in the face of behemoths like Facebook and Google.
Walter Cruttenden, the financial guru behind Roth, Acorns and Blast, co-founded Ant Transaction Machines, along with Michael Gleason.
The startup has developed technology to help the average consumer cash in on the value of their data, as well as have more control over that access with a quick-toggle, on-or-off feature.
The company launched in December and is now positioning itself as the private alternative to to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call for what’s known as “data dividends,” which he announced in his first state of the state address earlier this month.
The data dividend proposal follows the state legislature’s passage last year of a landmark data privacy bill, granting consumers specific rights related to their personal digital information that’s collected, shared or maintained by businesses, according to news reports.
That legislation enables consumers to request that personal information be deleted. It also requires businesses that collect personal data to disclose how and why it’s being used, according to those reports.
Newsom is reportedly in the process of coming up with a government plan regarding data dividends.
But Cruttenden and Gleason beat him to the punch.
Cruttenden told OC Startups Now that he believes the idea of data dividends is “well-intentioned,” but he believes it’s best achieved through private enterprise.
“We believe Ant is a practical way for regular people to get their data dividends,” he said.
More on the Co-founders
Cruttenden founded Roth, an investment bank focused on serving emerging growth companies and their investors; Acorns, a fin-tech startup that developed a micro-investing app; and Blast, a fin-tech app for gamers (see related story here). All have their HQ in Newport Beach.
He founded Ant with business partner Gleason, an MIT scientist and founder of Consumer Brands, a platform development, workflow automation, and premium content enterprise that uses AI.
Gleason serves as CEO. Ant’s HQ is also in Newport Beach.
How It Works
Ant’s website just launched and had more than 1,000 people sign up for the wait list on its first day, according to the company.
“Ant was formed to pool large quantities of consumers together, sort of a cooperative or ant colony, so that each member could reap more benefit,” Cruttenden said in a press release.
The wait list is to get your own personal “Data Value Meter” or DVM.
This is the software ANT has introduced that enables consumers to see the approximate value of their data. It also allows them to toggle on-or-off specific items and watch the DVM go up or down accordingly.
The DVM is also affected by the colony size, the number of consumers in the data pool. The larger the pool, the greater the value the individual can realize.
Once the company reaches a million members, it will negotiate with the big data buyers and deliver 50% of all proceeds to those that provided the data.
There is no cost to join.
At first, the service is expected to return a few dollars per month to consumers. As the data base grows, Ant hopes to reward its members with payments in the $50 to $100 per month range, based on specific data provided, as well as other variables affecting the data market.


text:
Since the beginning of the pandemic, e-commerce globally has grown significantly, so in Macedonia there was a large increase in the number and value of online transactions, mostly in transactions with domestic cards to domestic e-traders, said the NBRM.
“Although the pandemic numbers are falling and things are already returning to normal, the growth of newly opened e-shops, as well as the number and value of realized e-transactions continue with greater dynamics than before the pandemic. According to the latest published data on payment statistics from the NBRM, 335.3 million euros flowed to domestic e-traders in 2021, which is an increase of 47.9% compared to 2020. 5% of them are realized with foreign cards, while 95% with domestic payment cards.
Regarding the value of e-transactions made with domestic cards to foreign e-merchants, there is an increase of 113% or in absolute terms, 101.8 million euros were realized in 2021, compared to 47.8 million euros in 2020. The reduction of this segment of transactions in 2020 was expected given the pandemic and travel restrictions, as well as the slow delivery of products, but it is obvious that in 2021 these segments begin to function to a large extent and therefore the value of e-transactions with domestic payment cards to foreign e-merchants exceeds the level it was in 2019, ” said the NBRM.


text:
The notion that improvements in technology normally lead to lower costs for consumers is taken to an extreme with some of the new devices hitting the market, such as the CHIP computer.
The CHIP website calls the device the world’s first $9 computer. It’s about the size of a credit card and has WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities built in, a 1GHz processor, four gigabytes of storage, and 512 MB of RAM. Keyboard, screen, and mouse are not part of the package, but CHIP can connect to any Bluetooth device and has a USB port to plug into older accessories.
Next Thing Co. created CHIP through a Kickstarter campaign that got the backing of nearly 40,000 people and raised $2 million, according to a report by National Public Radio. A teacher from the Nelson County Area Technology Center, Bardstown, KY, contributed $150 to the campaign and was selected to test the device in the classroom. Students at the school have used CHIP to rewire Star Wars toys with LED lights.
“This is one way to do it, by intriguing their interest and seeing what’s on the cutting edge of technology,’” said Jeremy Booher, principal of the school. “If we were still using typewriters and using Microsoft DOS, then obviously people come in and fall asleep.”
The CHIP is just one of a number of low-cost basic computers now on the market or coming soon. They have been made possible because the price of microprocessors and computer components has fallen so dramatically.


text:
BRITAIN stands to save £90BILLION in trade tariffs when we leave the EU, a study revealed yesterday.
That was the huge cost of foreign levies imposed on UK exports outside Europe during the past ten years.
They are slapped on by countries which have failed to negotiate a free trade deal with Brussels - and as an EU member we have to pay them.
But although these countries must also pay tariffs on their own goods exported to Britain, the vast majority of this cash is taken by the EU as its “own resource”.
But when Britain leaves the EU’s Customs Union and takes back control, we could gain an average of £2.7billion a year in tariff savings, it is claimed.
Labour MP Gisela Stuart, who chairs Change Britain think tank, said: “EU membership has given us a raw deal when it comes to trade.
“Brussels has failed to sign deals with many of our largest trading partners at a considerable cost to UK exporters, yet is happy to keep proceeds generated from the UK’s imports.
“After we leave the Customs Union, we can become a beacon of global free trade.”


text:
For Childrensalon, being early to the party has been good for business.
The upscale U.K. retailer, which has operated a boutique in historic Royal Tunbridge Wells, England, since 1952, launched its e-commerce site in 1999, long before the online boom took off. Today, Childrensalon reigns as the largest e-tailer of kids’ designer clothing and footwear, with sales of nearly $46 million in 2014. That number is forecast to grow to $66 million this year, according to CEO Michele Harriman-Smith.
“Our e-commerce sales continue to surge and now account for the majority of our business. We went online so early and became very good at it by the time any competitors were anywhere near us,” she said. “Britain is a small island, and we’re actually quite isolated, so back then, it was a thrill to talk with customers from all over the world.”
Featuring some 270 of the market’s most prestigious brands, Childrensalon’s website draws more than 1 million unique visitors each month from at least 130 countries. The U.S. represents a large and growing customer base, with Americans particularly interested in the site’s classic British heritage looks.
Watch on FN
“Since the birth of Prince George [and now sister Charlotte], we’ve had a lot of interest in our more traditional merchandise. It’s something that’s part of our DNA. We started selling our own collection of classic hand-smocked dresses and suits in the 1950s, before there was even such a thing as children’s brands,” explained Harriman-Smith, whose mother, Sybil Harriman, founded the company.
Childrensalon’s expansive footwear assortment includes casual and dressy styles from about 133 brands, among them Dolce & Gabbana, Ugg Australia, Fendi, Tod’s, Tip Toey Joey, Early Days, Sophia Webster and Alviero Martini.
Since customers often shop for head-to-toe outfits, Childrensalon buys heavily from brands that offer both shoes and ready-to-wear, such as Burberry, Il Gufo and I Pinco Pallino. “Our customers want a total look. They love to buy everything from the same brand: the top, the skirt, the shoes,” Harriman-Smith said.
The e-tailer also cultivates smaller brands and up-and-coming labels. “Our customers look to us to show them what’s new and interesting,” noted the CEO.
Early Days is one line that has gotten a big boost from Children-salon’s global reach. “Their tremendous online presence has played a big part in our success, giving us exposure all over the world,” said Paul Bolton, managing director of the family-owned firm, based in Leicester, England. “It’s been a privilege to work with a company that has such an incredibly dedicated staff and unrivaled customer service.”
While Childrensalon is known for luxury, the website offers price points that appeal to a broad audience. Shoes start at around $18 for canvas baby sneakers and top out at more than $600 for Dolce & Gabbana jeweled satin brocade party slippers. “If it’s beautiful, we have to have it,” Harriman-Smith said of the site’s more exclusive offerings. “But there is certainly a point where we know that if we buy it, it will be for fewer customers.”
Beautiful product is certainly a priority for Childrensalon, but Harriman-Smith emphasized that what happens behind the scenes has been just as important. “Technology is paramount,” she said. “We’ve learned over the years that you need to invest a significant amount of money on the tech side to be successful. We have a large team of developers working constantly on improving the look and functionality of our site.”
Service also is critical, she added. Indeed, Childrensalon has earned a number of industry accolades for customer experience.
“They always keep the needs and desires of their customer foremost. That’s what has helped them ride the wave of online success,” said Rachael Lainé, the European distributor for Salt-Water Sandals. “[They’ve] built on the great reputation of their shop in Royal Tunbridge Wells, and they were not afraid to diversify when online offered them an opportunity.”
In recent months, the retailer has been investing more in marketing, hoping to reach an even wider audience. In March, it debuted a blog called Tiny Times, showcasing the lifestyle behind the fashionable products it sells.
“The blog’s been very successful in drawing traffic to our site. We feature everything from gift guides to designer interviews to celebrity coverage,” said Harriman-Smith, noting that she’s not at all surprised by the level of interest in children’s fashion today. “The mothers who come to our Tunbridge Wells shop always say, ‘I used to go to all the designer stores for myself, but now I just go to the kids’ stores.’ Parents today are very passionate about dressing their children beautifully. They’re happy spending all their money on their children instead of themselves.”


text:
Baby Yoda coming to Build-a-Bear
"Baby Yoda" just gets bigger and bigger.
From the hit Disney+ show The Mandalorian to plush toys set to debut in may.
To a mural in Oklahoma comes word the phenomena is coming to Build-a-Bear Workshop.
Build-a-Bear will no doubt benefit in the 2020 fiscal year from Baby Yoda.
A prototype of a new plush figure based was unveiled at a conference in Orlando, Florida on Tuesday.
Like most toy companies, Build-a-Bear was left in the dark about the surprise character.
So, it had to work quickly to create a product based on the child in order to meet growing demand.
The plush Baby Yoda is expected to be available in the coming months.


text:
This piece was originally published on risemiaminews.com on July 23, 2015.
By Marcus Frias
It’s summertime and we all know what that means. It’s that time when the hottest bods strut down South Beach wearing the sexiest and spiciest swimwear pieces of the year.
For a while, all the rave has been about Wildfox, Mikoh, and San Lorenzo Bikinis, but now there’s a new girl on the block with a swimwear line that’s bold, innovative, and exciting.
Isabella Soto and her killer line—Kokoa Swim.
Soto says that she’s always had an interest in fashion although it wasn’t always something that she expressed through her clothing.
“It was something I was around constantly,” Soto said. “My mother graduated AI with a degree in fashion design and I’d constantly watch her create amazing projects.”
Read More: Swim Week Takes Miami Beach By Storm, Millennial Designers Show Out
But that all changed during her sophomore year at Miami Sunset Senior High School when she decided to stop watching and start doing.
“As a sophomore in high school I would sew hair bows by hand and sell them to friends for $3,” Soto said. “My senior year I launched a fashion blog and another small business. I’d purchase thrifted jeans and distress them, dye them all sorts of colors, and stud them. I would also sell these to classmates.”
With Kokoa Swim still far in the future, Soto became the fashion editor of the school’s yearbook. Fashion became more than an interest—Soto’s hard work to make a name for herself while she was still so young was both admirable and astonishing.
One of Soto’s high school teachers, Natalie Gutierrez says that Soto’s success doesn’t surprise her at all.
“Ever since I’ve known her she’s had high expectations of what she wanted to be and what she wanted to do with her life,” Gutierrez told Rise Miami News. “She’s a go-getter with a lot of passion and dedication. It is that attitude that has helped her achieve this dream of hers at such a young age.”
Still, her hardworking and ambitious attitude remains.
“This has all been such a huge learning process,” Soto said. “I started this business entirely from scratch and have made so many mistakes along the way.”
Those mistakes, though, simply motivate the youthful 20 year old to work harder.
Soto dedicates an average of 30 hours a week to the growing line—but says she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I wake up and do this until I have to head out to work. Sometimes I’ll come home from work and continue,” Soto said. “It’s not a burden. I love doing this.”
In those 30 hours Soto designs new collections, shops for fabric, handles social media accounts for Kokoa Swim, and networks for opportunities to showcase her work.
Despite participating in big events like Swim Miami Fashion Week Kokoa Swim’s success is mostly due to its internet presence.
“I am eternally thankful for social media. It’s been a huge contributor to Kokoa’s growth. Instagram, especially, has helped me network and build a following of amazing people,” Soto said. “Through social media, I was given the opportunity of participating in my first Swim Week event at the Broken Shaker. I met other local brands that are doing the same. It was amazing to see brands I’ve been following online, in action. “
Read More: An Inside Look Into One Of South Florida’s Most Important Fashion Houses
Kokoa Swim has over 8,000 Instagram followers and that number grows everyday. Models like Harley Gusman and Mahila Snyder have all hopped on the Kokoa wagon and have stepped in front of the camera to model for the swimwear line.
Soto loves the partnership with these up and coming models.
“Like myself, these girls are working hard to build a name in the industry and it’s fascinating that our work benefits each other,” Soto said.
Indeed, a name is being built.
Kokoa Swim, a line that was built on impulse—surely has consumers buying on impulse, too.
A sketchbook dream that has turned into an incredible reality, but Isabella Soto won’t stop here. She hopes to have her line available for purchase at local stores within the next year.
With all of this success tucked under her belt at the young age of 20, it is safe to say that Isabella Soto was not fashionably late, but instead fashionably focused and early to the scene.


text:
Steve Saleen is back in the Mustang businessFri, 16 Apr 2010
Steve Saleen has been remaking Mustangs for almost 30 years, under one company name or another. We don't have time to list them all here. But under the current moniker, SMS Supercars (SMS stands for Steven Mark Saleen), on Friday he revealed his latest take on the Ford pony car, the 2011 SMS 302 Mustang.
The car slots in between Saleen's Challenger, which came out a year ago, and his Camaro, scheduled to debut later this year.
While about 25 SMS Mustangs in nearly identical 2010 guise are in the works for customers with the old 4.6-liter engine, the car revealed Friday has the new 5.0-liter V8 that powers 2011 Mustangs. There are three models available from SMS.
Saleen said the normally aspirated 302 4V makes 440 hp and 400 ft-lb of torque through cleaner breathing in and out of the heads, engine calibration changes and a few underpullies. Saleen lists 0 to 60 mph at 4.5 seconds and the quarter mile in 13.5 seconds at 116 mph. We didn't get to drive it, let alone test it, so we'll just put those numbers out there for now.
Next higher up is the SMS 302SC, which achieves "more than" 535 hp and 450 ft-lb of torque using SMS' patented supercharger. The 296 supercharger system is quite impressive, using microcooling fans in an intercooler mounted on top of the engine feeding a twin-screw charger spinning at between 14,000 and 15,000 rpm. Saleen said the supercharged 'Stang will reach 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and do the quarter mile in 12.1 seconds at 119 mph.
Both models come with either a six-speed automatic or six-speed TR3650 manual.
Beyond that, Saleen only says that another car will be offered later this year called the 351X, with power surpassing the 302SC.
The 302 4V is available now, priced at $54,990. The 302SC will come online later this summer.
Both SMS Mustangs come with new and stiffer springs, shocks, sway bars, bushings and a Watts link rear suspension. Tires are Pirelli PZero High Performance 275/35ZR 20s on 20x9 five-spoke alloy wheels at the front and 275/40ZR 20 tires on 20x10 five-spoke alloy rears. Brakes are cross-drilled rotors with racing pads.
You can see the new outside look, penned by Saleen's long-time designer, Phil Frank. The interior features new trim throughout.
Need more? See www.smssupercars.com.
By Mark Vaughn