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SPC raises $111m with Europe in mind
SPC, one of the country’s largest foods producers, has raised $111m in fresh capital from the South Australian billionaire Shahin family and AMIST Super as it eyes a major expansion in Europe.
The fruit-processing company, owned by Coca-Cola Amatil until a $40m sale in June 2019, has tapped Madrid-based investment bank Sigrun Partners to scout for a Spanish food processing acquisition to serve as a springboard for its expansion into the region.
SPC chairman Hussein Rifai said the capital raising had taken longer than expected because the company had wanted to select the right partners for the business.
“We didn’t want it to just jump on a flight and get the money from China, from Singapore or from the Gulf or from the US or somewhere like that, at least in the first round of funding,” Mr Rifai said after successfully completing the raising on Friday.
Both the Shahin family office Peregrine Corporation and AMIST Super have gained seats on SPC’s board.
“It‘s very, very helpful to get people who understand what you want to do from an Australian perspective, and we even were lucky enough to even get closer to people who understood the food industry,” Mr Rifai said.
Rounding off the capital raising is the sale to Charter Hall of the Shepparton cannery, which SPC will lease back.
Mr Rifai said the company was also considering Australian takeover opportunities, with an view to deepening SPC’s exposure to the commercial pre-packaged meal industry servicing nursing homes and hospitals, an area that has become critical during the pandemic as health rules created shortages.
“Really what we‘re doing is we’re releasing cash value out of our balance sheet to reinvest it back in our business. No dividends are being paid and nobody’s getting bought out or things like that,” Mr Rifai said. “All of that ($111m) is going back into the business and into growing our business in line with our strategy.”
Khalil Shahin, managing director of the family’s Peregrine Corporation – which generates more than $2.9bn a year from its service stations, convenience stores and food outlets – said he saw significant benefit from partnering with “a highly reputable Australian-owned and run business”. “Our investment is a vote of confidence for SPC’s management and strategic plans, particularly the expansion of its Australian and global footprint, with the aim of replacing imports wherever possible,” Mr Shahin said.
The SPC strategy centres on pumping up international expansion while ensuring “premium quality Australian goods remain available on home soil”. Mr Rifai says for food security, the country should be less reliant on imports.
Mr Rifai said he could not understand why there was not more government support for the industry, in the form of tax breaks or other incentives, saying that the country had a “holier than thou” approach.
Mr Rifai said more needed to be done about misleading labelling on imported food products, highlighting Italian-branded tomatoes that were actually harvested in China under oppressive working conditions.
“We keep hearing about world trade agreements but every other industrial country has 200 different ways of getting around that through subsidies, through tax rates, except us wanting to be holier than thou to our detriment,” he told The Weekend Australian.
The raising caps off a big year for Mr Rifai. He launched the first mandatory Covid-19 vaccine program outside healthcare and has successfully turned the century-old cannery around after it performed poorly under CCA.
During 2020, it launched 100 new food and beverage products, signing a deal to take a controlling shareholding in Kuisine, a Sydney-based business that manufactures prepared meals and finger foods through its subsidiaries the Kuisine Company, The Gluten Free Meal Company and The Good Meal Company.
This is where Mr Rifai sees the future for SPC, previously known for packing baked beans, pears, peaches and other fruit and vegetables into cans at its factory in the Goulburn Valley. He is hoping to replicate the prepared meals business via acquisitions in Spain, which he said was “the Goulburn Valley” of Europe as well as the gateway to North Africa.
“If you think of North Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, that part of the world, that‘s about 300 million people in population, in addition to Spain’s 50 million people” Mr Rifai told The Weekend Australian on Friday.


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Jabari Norton was Senior Director, Strategic Alliances at MapR , where he was responsible for Worldwide Strategic Alliance Partners. Jabari has over 20 years of experience in enterprise software and was previously VP of North America Sales at ScanSafe (now Cisco), Head of Mid-Market Sales at Qualys (NASDQ:QLYS), and Global Account Manager at Postini (now Google). Jabari holds a BS in Managerial Economics from University of California, Davis. When not working at MapR, Jabari likes to likes to golf, ski, and spend time with close friends and family.
Today, a significant number of our customers are deploying the MapR Big Data platform in the cloud. This is not only true for development and test use cases, but also for many more production ones, especially those in the Internet of Everything (IoE) space.
For the past several years, organizations have been struggling to figure out how to deal with all of the new data that is streaming in all around them. From smartphones to production line sensors, everything is generating data.
A recent study published by Accenture and General Electric revealed that 87% of enterprises believe big data analytics will redefine the competitive landscape of their industries within the next three years. As big data analytics moves into the mainstream, we will see an increase in data-driven innovation across all major industries. So how do you identify the right analytics use cases for your business, and how do you get them deployed quickly?
MapR was proud to participate in the Developer Sandbox at Google I/O, Google’s exclusive annual developer conference held in San Francisco last week. The conference featured speakers from various industries as well as code labs and developer demos.
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In its latest quarter, which finished on October 31, the company, which owns Movado and an array of additional watch brands, reported net income of $26.9 million, or $1.14 per share, up from the $17.4 million, or $0.75 per share, posted in the year-ago quarter. Stripping out items, its adjusted earnings came in at $1.18 per share on revenue of $209 million.
The results trounced Wall Street’s consensus estimates, which called for per-share earnings of $1.12 per share on sales of $205.4 million.
Movado shares edged up 5.75% to $39 before the opening bell on Tuesday.
Movado CEO Efraim Grinberg attributed the results to robust performance in the US as well as international markets. He also remains quite bullish on the company's acquisition last October of MVMT, the maker of affordable watches and sunglasses.
“Our double-digit constant dollar topline growth in the quarter was led by strong performance in both the US and international markets,” Grinberg said. “We are very excited about the significant growth opportunities we see for the MVMT brand, … and we remain on track to begin the integration of MVMT into our operating platform during the second quarter of fiscal 2020.”
Movado now expects full-year earnings to fall between $2.45 to $2.55 per share and its revenue to come in at $660 million to $675 million.
The company also announced a cash dividend of $0.20 per share, which is payable on December 28 to shareholders of record on December 14.
With manufacturing facilities in Switzerland and its corporate headquarters in Paramus, New Jersey, Movado offers watches under an array of brands including Coach, Olivia Burton, Scuderia Ferrari, HUGO BOSS, Juicy Couture, Lacoste and Tommy Hilfiger.
Contact Ellen Kelleher at [email protected]


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The authorities all around the world are nervous about the cryptocurrencies’ attraction to the merchants of unlawful items and providers. Moreover, they are apprehensive about their use in cash laundering and tax evasion schemes. As cryptocurrencies have gotten increasingly mainstream, law enforcement agencies, tax authorities and legal regulators worldwide are trying to know the very idea of crypto coins and where exactly do they slot in existing laws and legal frameworks. In the US, Bitcoin and different cryptocurrencies have been recognized as a convertible virtual foreign money, which suggests accepting them as a type of fee is precisely the identical as accepting cash, gold or gift playing cards. However, it’s price noting that cryptocurrencies are high-danger investments.
Much like governments all over the world that fund varied initiatives by promoting authorities bonds, the federal government of Antigua and Barbuda allows the funding of projects and charities through government-supported ICOs. This report covers a hundred thirty countries as well as some regional organizations which have issued legal guidelines or insurance policies on the subject. The past 4 years have seen cryptocurrencies become ubiquitous, prompting more nationwide and regional authorities to grapple with their regulation. The expansive growth of cryptocurrencies makes it attainable to determine rising patterns. Cryptocurrency buying and selling includes speculating on price actions via a CFD trading account, or shopping for and promoting the underlying coins by way of an trade. Here you’ll find extra information about cryptocurrency trading, how it works and what strikes the markets. B2BinPay is a cryptocurrency fee answer that permits companies worldwide to send, obtain, retailer, change and settle for online crypto funds securely and safely at a reduced value.
As of November 2017, Bitcoin and different digital currencies are outlawed only in Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ecuador, Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam, with China and Russia being on the verge of banning them as properly. Other jurisdictions, however, don’t make the usage of cryptocurrencies illegal as of but, but the legal guidelines and regulations can vary drastically depending on the nation. A lot of issues have been raised relating to cryptocurrencies’ decentralized nature and their ability to be used almost fully anonymously.
“There is increasingly more interest from a large spectrum of people, both inside the crypto area in addition to inside the standard financial establishments who’re asking us for guidance,” an SEC Commissioner advised CoinDesk final month. “I assume we’re going to be pressured to confront that more and more in the coming years.” When it involves other, less well-liked cryptocurrencies, the shopping for choices aren’t as numerous. However, there are still quite a few exchanges the place you can acquire various crypto-coins for flat currencies or Bitcoins. Buying choices depend upon explicit cryptocurrencies, their popularity as well as your location.
“Around the world, it’s already starting to happen,” he added, doubtless referencing enhanced regulation in nations like South Korea, India and China, which bars monetary institutions from facilitating cryptocurrency transactions. The SEC, meanwhile, has largely cracked down on crypto-fundraising via “initial coin choices,” but it’s been hesitant to issue guidance on the industry as a whole–though that could soon change.
Moreover, it’s partly unregulated, there is always a threat of them getting outlawed in sure jurisdictions and any cryptocurrency exchange can doubtlessly get hacked. Other digital currencies like Litecoin, Ripple, Ethereum and so forth aren’t accepted as widely simply yet. Things are changing for the higher although, with Apple having authorized a minimum of 10 completely different cryptocurrencies as a viable type of payment on App Store. These platforms provide the means to buy and sell digital currencies, however there are 500 exchanges to choose from, based on Bitcoin.com. Do your research, read critiques and talk with more experienced traders earlier than shifting ahead.
Cryptocurrency cost gateways have a tendency to offer decrease fees than conventional bank card payment systems. Some of these instruments may be extremely customizable and provide native dashboards to assist monitor all payments. Bitcoin is probably the most generally supported cryptocurrency used throughout transactions with these systems, but some gateways present the flexibility to pay with alternative cryptocurrencies, such as Ether, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash, amongst others. Cryptocurrency payment gateways can integrate with e-commerce platforms, point-of-sale methods, shopping cart software program, billing and accounting options, and extra. Bittrex’s premier buying and selling platform is designed for individuals who grasp the ability of blockchain’s promise and wish to be a part of the motion. With lightning-quick trades, dependable digital wallets and trade-leading safety, we’ve created an trade to guide this revolutionary technology. “My expertise with the federal government is they’ll regulate whatever they want, when they really feel like it… and if gets larger and bigger, it will be regulated,” Dimon stated on Wednesday.
Read more about Crypto Currencies at Crypto Mariner here.


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Nov 25, 2022, 12:59 PM EDT
Retail giants like Target and Rite Aid have issued concerns about organized crime rings causing profits to shrink, following the dismantling of Baltimore-based criminals in New Jersey.
Target and FAO Schwarz have partnered on an exclusive toy agreement just in time for the holiday season. Here's what that means for gift-giving this year.
Target is expanding its 10% military discount — typically reserved for Veterans Day — to the Fourth of July. The offer can be redeemed on two transactions.
Target's stock jumped Tuesday after the retailer reported an 8.9% jump in comparable sales and boosted its profit and sales forecasts for 2022.
Several retailers, including CVS, Macy's and Walgreens, have announced the closure of locations in various cities, citing a number of factors from changing consumer attitudes and future health needs to issues with spikes in crime.
In October, Target announced it would be partnering with Lego to release an exclusive, limited-edition collection of merchandise inspired by Lego's iconic bricks.
Target will no longer open its stores on Thanksgiving Day, making permanent a shift to the unofficial start of the holiday season that was suspended during the pandemic.tgt
Global supply chain woes are beginning to recede, but shipping, manufacturing and retail executives say that they don’t expect a return to more normal operations until next year and that cargo will continue to be delayed if Covid-19 outbreaks disrupt key distribution hubs.
Retailers are already announcing Black Friday sale items, so FOX Business created a round-up of some top picks
Some big U.S. employers have dropped workplace mask requirements as COVID-19 cases fall and vaccination rates rise. Staffers at other companies are wondering whether they can ditch masks, too.


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HM can reveal Marriott International has signed a long-awaited agreement with the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNP) to manage the 250-key Fiji Marriott Resort at Momi Bay, scheduled to open in 2016.
HM exclusively revealed on October 24, 2013, the project was set to recommence in 2014 under the ownership of the FNP.
At that time, Fiji’s Attorney General and Tourism Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, told HM a ground-breaking at the Coral Coast project would happen in the first quarter of 2014.
The resort, owned by the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) since the Fijian Government took sole ownership in 2010 following the collapse of New Zealand-based Bridgecorp in 2007, was originally proposed to be branded as a J.W. Marriott hotel.
The FNPF was significantly exposed in the original project to the tune of over FJD$60 million and in 2012, the Fijian Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama – who officiated at the Wyndham event this week – announced a FJD$150 million investment from the Fijian Government to ensure the project’s completion.
“A lot of people have been waiting with bated breath to ensure that it does happen and it is a project that could get to the size of Denarau if not bigger,” Sayed-Khaiyum told HM at the time.
The Fiji Marriott Resort at Momi Bay is situated between Fiji’s two most popular resort areas, Denarau and the Coral Coast, approximately 40 minutes from Nadi International Airport.
James Doolan, Vice President Hotel Development – Asia Pacific of Marriott International told HM today (Apr 2) he was thrilled the project was coming to fruition.
“Marriott International is most grateful to Fiji National Provident Fund for granting us the opportunity to manage this exciting resort project,” he said.
“With its picturesque tropical beaches and friendly people, Fiji has a strong appeal to leisure travellers from Australia and New Zealand, as well as long haul source markets of US, Continental Europe and Asia.
“Therefore it is essential for Marriott International to make a presence in this strategic destination on a high note.
“Marriott Hotels is the original and iconic brand within the Marriott International portfolio of hotel brands. We are currently on a journey to transform this brand and reassert its market leadership. The Fiji Marriott Resort at Momi Bay has all the features we envisage for the new Marriott Hotels brand,” Doolan said.
The Fiji Marriott Resort at Momi Bay offers 114 free-standing bures and 136 standard rooms. The bures, in which 22 of them are overwater ones, are unique in the market. Half of the 136 standard rooms will be in connecting pairs which make them the ideal accommodation choice for big families.
The resort is going to offer four signature food and beverage outlets that bring culinary delights to its guest: Goji Kitchen is an innovative outlet that has a main as well as “micro concept” restaurant. It will feature Indian and Asian cuisine; An ocean-side seafood restaurant and bar that is poised to impress guests with an indigenous-inspired experience; A versatile pool grill and bar that offers Italian and Mediterranean cuisine; The resort’s Great Room Bar serves breakfast in the morning and evolves into the evening focal point, serving craft beer, innovative cocktails and hosting wine tastings as the workday closes. Locally sourced ingredients and region-specific menu items give guests a sense and taste of place.
The resort has a 360 square meter function room that is divisible by three, as well as a 90 square meter meeting room that can divided into two. It also features a 40-seat celebration pavilion for staging wedding ceremonies.
The Fiji Marriott Resort at Momi Bay has a full array of recreational facilities in store for adults, teens and kids. These include two swimming pools, a 120 square meter fitness center, a spa with eight treatment rooms, kids’ club, recreation center, water activities center and two tennis courts.
Other facilities and amenities include gift shops, business center, tour/excursion activities center, clinic, laundry and valet, parking service, early arrival/late department lounge and produce farm.


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Supplement maker subject to massive recall was GMP-certifiedSupplement maker subject to massive recall was GMP-certified
Two prominent industry GMP programs certified or registered the contract manufacturer at the heart of a massive recall prompted by a federal injunction for GMP noncompliance.
February 19, 2020
Two well-known industry cGMP (current good manufacturing practice) programs certified or registered ABH Nature’s Products Inc., a New York-based contract manufacturer of dietary supplements, during the time frame included in a massive recall due to GMP noncompliance and which consultants have described as “unprecedented.”
One program involved standards from the first dietary supplement GMP certification program, the other was launched by the only independent certification organization accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to test and certify dietary supplements.
ABH’s certification through the Underwriter Laboratories (UL)/Natural Products Association (NPA) and registration in NSF International GMP programs stand in stark contrast to the contract manufacturer’s long history of alleged GMP violations based on FDA inspections.
“This certainly was a bit of a hiccup,” said Dan Fabricant, Ph.D., CEO and president of NPA, referring to the GMP certifications previously awarded to ABH.
ABH Nature’s Products Inc., ABH Pharma Inc. and StockNutra.com Inc. (collectively “ABH”) issued an “unprecedented” recall of dietary supplements in January 2020 following a federal injunction due to cGMP violations. ABH listed 859 entities in the recall notice. ABH recently removed its customer list from the initial recall notice as the company works to refine it.
ABH did not respond to Natural Products Insider’s numerous requests for comment on the recall.
Prompted by FDA, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a complaint against ABH Nature’s Products and affiliates on Nov. 21, 2019.
“In particular, the complaint alleged that the FDA had observed several critical deviations from current good manufacturing practice regulations during its inspections of ABH’s manufacturing facility, including failures to verify that certain dietary supplements met the product’s specifications for identity, purity, strength and composition; to implement a production system that ensured the quality of the supplements; to include necessary information in its production records; and to properly review and investigate a consumer complaint,” DOJ stated, in a press release.
These violations rendered products manufactured by ABH misbranded and adulterated, DOJ stated.
“I think everyone's happy about the message that FDA is clearly taking GMPs as seriously as they take any other adulteration charge,” Fabricant said, in an interview.
He led FDA’s Division of Dietary Supplements (since elevated to Office of Dietary Supplements Programs) from early 2011 through early 2014.
“For years and years, both internally and externally, I heard, and never liked, that GMP [noncompliance] was considered a technical violation,” Fabricant said.
However, FDA has faced much criticism over how long it took the agency to bring advanced enforcement against ABH, given FDA inspections spanning 2010 to 2017 resulted in numerous alleged cGMP violations and a warning letter in October 2012. Following several inspections, FDA recommended regulatory and/or administrative action against ABH, FDA records show.
Many stakeholders have asked how a company like ABH could earn top industry GMP certification after such violations and a warning letter.
A big miss?
“It’s important to remember that GMP audits are a snapshot of a moment in time,” noted Kenneth Cloft, business unit manager of certifications at NSF, via email. “ABH [Nature’s Products] met the requirements for good manufacturing practices registration beginning in December 2015 and was no longer listed under that registration as of February 2017.”
David Trosin, managing director of health sciences certification at NSF, told Natural Products Insider that NSF is unable to comment on the specifics of an audit, certification or registration, beyond providing dates of that certification or registration.
In his email, he noted upon the expiration of ABH’s certificates, NSF notified ABH Pharma that its use of the certificate was unauthorized. In the interest of public health and transparency, NSF issued a public notice in July 2017, advising ABH Pharma Inc. was falsely advertising its products as certified by NSF International and QAI (Quality Assurance International), and claiming product was manufactured in an NSF GMP registered facility.
Natural Products Insider further found a public notice issued by NSF in May 2017, warning of unauthorized use of NSF registration claims by ABH in conjunction with Treadcorp Ltd., which was among the brands listed in the recall.
“The corporate entity ABH/Treadcorp is not, and has never been, GMP registered by NSF International and is not authorized to make claims of NSF GMP registration,” the notice stated. Cloft clarified ABH Nature’s Products was once registered, but the entity ABH/Treadcorp was not.
In September 2017, UL issued ABH certificates of conformance under the UL/NPA GMP program This allowed ABH to use the co-branded UL/NPA logo for GMP certification.
NPA created its dietary supplement GMP program in 1999, about eight years before FDA issued its final rule on supplement GMPs in 2007, after which NPA amended its GMP program. NPA and UL came together in 2014 to offer supplement GMP education, and the pair formed a licensing partnership on a GMP certification program in 2015.
Under the agreement, UL conducts the audits of ingredient and finished products in accordance with 21 C.F.R. 111—the cGMPs applicable to dietary supplement manufacturers—and the NPA Standard for dietary supplements as well as ICH Q7A and NPA’s Program for Ingredients.
“This certification is significant because it is yet another trusted source under their belt that determines that the processes they use to manufacture your supplements are in conformance with GMP Dietary Supplement CFR 21 Part 111 standards,” ABH said, in a November 2017 press release.
These certificates were due to expire in September 2020, but UL confirmed, via email, ABH’s certificates were “withdrawn for cause” on Dec. 18, 2019, eight days before DOJ issued its press release on the ABH injunction.
UL declined to comment further on the specifics behind the certification withdrawal.
“I don't know all the reasons for [the withdrawal],” Fabricant said. “I believe it's because they became aware of the FDA action. However, there was FDA action dating back to—I can say this confidently as we sent a warning letter when I was at FDA—2012.”
UL cannot comment on the FDA situation, as it was not privy to all the information behind FDA’s actions, according to Michelle Press, the company’s communications director. “We can say UL follows the NPA GMP program requirements and administers the certification program in accordance with industry recognized standards for the accreditation of certification and inspection bodies including the ISO/IEC 17065 and ISO/IEC 17020 standards,” she noted, via email.
Both UL and NSF assured their respective certification programs include vetting the regulatory history of applicants.
Press said in addition to auditing factories where the products are being manufactured to confirm the manufacturer conforms with the relevant cGMP standards, the UL program includes a review of FDA reports and corrective action plans.
“As part of the audit process, we will ask for corrective actions on nonconformance as needed and also take more strict action when program requirements are violated, including withdrawal of the certification, as was done in this case,” she explained, referring to the ABH withdrawals.
Cloft said NSF’s processes require a full review of prior regulatory enforcement activities prior to allowing a company into the program.
“However, prior regulatory enforcement actions do not automatically disqualify a manufacturer from seeking GMP registration as part of a continuous improvement program,” he countered. “We wouldn’t want to exclude companies that are legitimately trying to improve the quality of their manufacturing practices.”
According to the inspection and actions timeline provided by FDA’s Data Dashboard, ABH had several observations—GMP conditions the agency deems objectionable—for FDA inspections in 2010 and 2016; FDA classified these inspections as voluntary action indicated (VAI), which means the agency is not prepared to take or recommend any administrative or regulatory action despite the “objectionable” observations. However, inspections in June 2012, May and July 2013, and February and November 2018 each generated six or seven observations for alleged GMP violations. FDA classified these inspections as official action indicated (OAI), which means regulatory and/or administrative actions will be recommended.
ABH’s period of NSF GMP registration came between FDA’s 2016 and 2018 inspections. The November 2016 inspection resulted in seven observations, but industry regulatory experts have questioned this lesser designation. According to FDA Data Dashboard, these observations included failure to conduct identity testing, to verify finished product batches met product specs and to qualify a supplier to verify certificates of analysis (CoAs), as well as several failures by quality control (QC) personnel to conduct material reviews to ensure products weren’t adulterated and to reject out-of-spec product.
In the procedures outlined on NSF’s GMP supplement program website, the firm conducts facility audits and corrective action report (CAR) processes twice annually. NSF removed ABH from its program roughly three months after the company’s November 2016 FDA inspection.
The path ahead: Lessons learned
“The agency found something that the certifiers didn't, and that kind of defeats the point of certification, right?” Fabricant lamented. “That's ultimately the message that gets conveyed, and we don't want that to be the message.”
He noted ABH has not been a member of NPA since 2010, which should exclude them from bearing the NPA GMP mark. However, he added this is no time to nitpick and assign blame, and he said the certifiers do good work.
Still, “there’s got to be some uniformity,” Fabricant advised. “You must have an independent body outside of the certifiers.”
He held up the food industry’s Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) as a prime example and suggested the supplement industry support a structure like that of the Supplement Safety & Compliance Initiative (SSCI), a retailer-led initiative to provide quality assurance (QA) from harvest to retailer shelf.
“We have to have benchmarking,” Fabricant stated. “Whatever the certification is, it's got to have a standard meaning that these sorts of things [ABH] don't get missed.”
UL said it stands by the integrity of its GMP certification process, but it supports industry harmonization efforts such as SSCI “to improve systems and benchmark against leading standards designed to improve competency of auditors and effectiveness of certification schemes specifically within the dietary supplement value chain.”
Cloft noted NSF regularly updates its programs, policies and audit checklists for consistency with cGMPs, regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
“The 173 GMP audit for dietary supplements has been significantly updated, and all clients have been audited to that version as of December 2019,” he reported. “We are also in the process of launching NSF/ANSI 455-2, which is a further update to the program that will be ANSI accredited.”
Further, as of January 2019, NSF currently has a risk-based grading system, according to Cloft, which allows NSF to audit facilities that have more severe findings—from NSF or FDA—more frequently and those with fewer and less severe findings on an annual basis.
“Previously, audits were performed biannually,” he confirmed. “Under the current program, the typical dietary supplements facility is audited for at least three days once per year, with many undergoing further verification audit days. Any facility that does not receive its next required audit is removed from listings and notified to cease use of any marks or certificates that represent registration. It is always best practice to verify the compliance of any facility by checking the listings page of the appropriate certification body to confirm that the certificate provided is valid and still in effect.”
Obtaining timely access to FDA 483 inspection reports can prove challenging, possibly making it harder for a third-party organization to fully understand a company’s regulatory history. Fabricant noted 483 reports are not always made public.
Clearly, the certifiers saw something amiss when they kicked ABH out of their programs, he reasoned, but it is possible they did not know about the prior 483s or they weren’t available via a Freedom of Information Act request.
The company would also have been required to disclose earlier 483s and GMP compliance issues, Fabricant said, but he had no knowledge if ABH did so. Both NSF and UL declined to provide specifics.
For now, NPA said it is reaching out and offering help to certifiers and companies affected by ABH.
“Certifiers might not like hearing this, but their role as a third-party service provider is not to set standards,” he said. “Their role is to ensure they have auditors that meet the standard. It is really the industry's role, and this is where SSCI comes in, to interface with the agency for agreement on what that standard is. That's how it has worked for food safety with GFSI, and I think that, ultimately, that's where we need to aspire to be.”
SSCI just finished its benchmarking, a big initiative, Fabricant said.
“We need certifiers to measure up to that benchmarking document,” he continued. “Until that happens, unfortunately, we're vulnerable for more things like what happened in ABH. Again, we don't want that, and I don't think the certifiers want that either.”
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Patriots, Revolution helping feed veterans amid pandemic
FOXBORO, M.A. (WLNE) — The Patriots and Revolution are helping out again amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Kraft Group has teamed up with the Massachusetts Veteran Support Foundation to help feed thousands of veterans across New England.
The organizations have been using the Foxboro terminal as a packing and distribution center for the last 3 weeks. They’ve been filling up thousands of boxes with 2-weeks worth of non-perishable foods and sending them to veterans in need across the region using the Patriot’s equipment truck.
They have also been running weekly no-contact grocery pick-ups at 6 different locations in Massachusetts, including Gillette Stadium. There, veterans can get boxes of non-perishable goods, as well as fresh fruit, veggies, and dairy products.
The services started when the coronavirus pandemic hit, and on Monday they packed their one-millionth meal.
“This is an undertaking that is just incredible,” said Don Cox, president of the Massachusetts Veteran Support Foundation. “We’re going to do 5-million meals by the end of the month, and we’ll do it all throughout New England.”
“It takes a partner like the New England Patriots, and a guy like Robert Kraft to make sure you have what you need to get it done,” he said.


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THE Devonport Chamber of Commerce and Industry is out to change its image.
More than ever, the chamber is being proactive in its community and helping small business in tough economic conditions.
A series of successful seminars, breakfasts, dinners and networking events designed to help the local small business owners has been hosted by the chamber has been run in recent months in a bid to be more proactive in the community.
The next event is the Devonport Chamber of Commerce and Industry dinner, with guest speaker Woolworths chief executive officer Grant O'Brien.
Devonport chamber marketing executive Lynn Laycock said she had seen Mr O'Brien speak at a previous function and had been inspired and impressed by his presentation.
Ms Laycock said it was important for the chamber to be seen supporting local identities, with Mr O'Brien a former Coaster who worked his way up the corporate ladder.
"He's a self-made person," Ms Laycock said.
"People love to hear about local people who do well."
Ms Laycock said it was an opportunity for retailers to ask questions about the success of a multi-national corporation and hopefully learn a few things for their own businesses.
"Everyone gets something different out of guest speakers," she said.
Ms Laycock said she hoped people would enjoy Mr O'Brien's presentation as much as she had in the past and hoped that small business owners and retailers would learn some tips and tricks to take home with them.
"If you leave with only one idea it's always going to be of some benefit."
The Devonport Chamber of Commerce and Industry three- course dinner will be held on October 5 at the Waterfront Function Centre, Devonport, from 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Tickets are for DCCI members and for non-members. Tickets are available from the DCCI office or the website. For more information or to book phone 64207585.


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ECB Expresses Concern Over Euro Strength
European Central Bank policymakers have expressed concern about a possible overshoot in the euro – after the meeting minutes were published. A stronger euro make’s Eurozone products more expensive and therefore less competitive.
The minutes showed concern about the recent euro bounce as they decided against any change to their pledge for continued monetary stimulus. ECB policy makers warn that easy financing conditions "could not be taken for granted". The euro fell on the release of the minutes to a three-week low against the USD.
Eurozone inflation came in line with expectations, remaining steady at 1.3pc in July. Accommodation services and package holidays had the biggest impact on inflation according to Eurostat. Telecommunication and fruit and vegetable prices pulled down the figure most.
UK retail sales come in flat but beat expectations with the July’s month/month figure rising by 0.3% according to the Office for National Statistics. June’s figures however were revised down from 0.6% to 0.3%. Most things are off the shopping list except for food – which is still filling up our trollies here in Britain and was up 1.5%.
Much of this movement is due to Sterling weakness but if we look at the chart we can cable has run straight into the rising trendline that has held since March. The bulls now have a chance to push the pair back to $1.30 and higher.
And staying with retail – shoppers are reeling their DIY spending with the owner of B&Q posting a loss of more than £50m. Kingfisher said sales at the home improvement chain were down 8pc in the second quarter and it is the worst performer on the FTSE 100 today.
--- Written by Katie Pilbeam, DailyFX
DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets.


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Transport Minister and Secretary of State for Transport host meeting at 10 Downing Street.
The Rt. Hon. Chris Grayling MP, Secretary of State for Transport, and Jesse Norman MP, Minister of State at the Department for Transport, yesterday hosted leaders from the haulage and logistics sector at Downing Street to discuss the benefits of the government’s EU Exit Withdrawal Agreement for UK businesses and consumers.
A wide range of topics was discussed, including:
- the clarity and certainty provided by the Withdrawal Agreement
- the benefits of the implementation period in giving businesses sufficient time to prepare for our new relationship and allowing the UK time to negotiate a mutually beneficial road freight agreement with the EU
- the government and EU’s intention to ensure comparable market access for freight and passenger road transport operators as part of a longer-term agreement with the EU
Addressing the attendees, the Secretary of State and Jesse Norman outlined a broad range of measures around the extensive preparations the department is taking to manage any impact on the haulage and logistics sector in the unlikely event of no deal with the EU.
A full list of attendees can be found below:
- Road Haulage Association
- Freight Transport Association
- Kuehne + Nagel
- Simarco International
- PC Howard Group
- McCulla Ireland
- Malcolm Group
- The Institute of Grocery Distribution
- The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport
- Food Storage and Distribution Federation
- British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association
- Eddie Stobart
- St Vincent Holdings


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Alexander Forbes to spread wings in Africa
Alexander Forbes is exploring opportunities in Ghana and Tanzania and looking to strengthen its existing Africa operations in Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, CE Edward Kieswetter said in the company’s latest annual report.
In this financial year the group will also focus on growth opportunities in Zambia and Uganda.
Alexander Forbes’s annual report for the year ended March 2013 shows the company’s presence in Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The African operation is referred to as AfriNet.
Namibia contributes 47% of the net revenue to AfriNet, followed by Botswana at 33%, Kenya at 17% and Nigeria at 2%.
In light of the growth opportunities in Africa, there is room for Alexander Forbes to expand AfriNet, it says.
AfriNet is the smallest revenue contributor within the group, with net revenue of R202m in the year to end-March 2013.
Alexander Forbes Financial Services is the largest revenue contributor in the group, with net revenue of R1.6bn.
The group’s income from continuing operations was R4.4bn in the year to end-March.
The company has been disposing of what it regards as noncore assets ahead of an expected exit of its private equity shareholders, Actis and Ethos.
"In addition to our commercial aspirations we are mindful of the need to prepare for the likely exit of our current private equity investors in the next 24 months," Alexander Forbes chairman Sello Moloko said in the annual report.
"In this regard, we have appointed Deutsche Bank and Rand Merchant Bank as strategic advisers.
"As we respond to this factor, we will remain committed to the long-term integrity of the business and will continue our efforts to build a business for the future."
Mr Kieswetter said in his group CE’s review that the company’s immediate focus was to continue growing organically and fully implement the rationalisation of nonstrategic assets.
The company is also looking to grow its retail and public sector businesses.
One of the initiatives launched by Alexander Forbes and likely to be key for growth in the emerging retail and public sector businesses is its Benefits Barometer, from the Alexander Forbes Financial Services research and product development unit.
The barometer aims to understand whether employee benefits ”” which include health, risk and retirement products ”” are "truly meeting the needs of individuals throughout their lives".
"The study also aimed to identify the changes necessary at a business and industry level to ensure the best outcomes for individuals," the company said.


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Tastes Trend Toward Smaller Sweet Treats, but the Explosion of Taste Remains the Same
These days, bigger doesn’t always mean better. Ordering whole cakes and pies for a birthday party or special event is becoming a thing of the past. Today, sweet lovers are asking chefs to make smaller portions of their favorite desserts.
While some may think this is a recent phenomena, the trend of small desserts can be traced back to 18th century France. Petit fours (meaning small oven) were a luxury confection at the time.
“They’re just cute,” says Jean Bates, owner of Lucy and Leo’s Cupcakery, of her modern take on the French treats. “I think it’s just a quick and easy snack as opposed to a big cupcake.”
Bates offers her customers cake balls, a miniature version of the shop’s regular-sized famed cupcakes comprised of cake and frosting balled together and dipped in chocolate.
“I think you get a variety, you don’t have to make a choice to commit to a entire dessert,” she says.
Across town, pastry chefs Linda Richards and Steve Newman at The Cake Shop are dishing out pint-sized cupcakes.
“They’re very popular at The Cake Shop,” says Richards. “People come and buy them all day long.”
According to Richards, small cupcakes are the most popular little desserts, accounting for 20 percent of the shop’s sales.
“People come in and get a variety of small desserts,” says Richards. “They’ll get one slice of cheesecake, a couple of cupcakes, a brownie and a raspberry bar. Then, wherever they’re going, … they will have all these choices.”
Don’t confuse a “small” dessert with a “mini.” Small desserts are ones you can finish in three or four bites, says Richards, and the minis in one or two bites.
“I don’t think mini is growing rapidly,” she says. “I do think that people are scaling back from whole cakes and whole pies and buying one slice so they aren’t tempted when they go home to have three or four more slices.”
Small or mini, the trend of shrinking desserts is climbing and cupcakes aren’t the only treats being downsized. Today, folks can stroll into their favorite eatery and find smaller versions of all their favorite desserts on the menu or displayed behind the glass cases.
“We have a large variety of mini desserts which are sold by the pound,” says Publix spokesman Dwaine Stevens.
According to Stevens, downsized desserts make up just over a third of the dessert sales at Publix. Chocolate-dipped strawberries are one of the most popular, along with petit fours, mini eclairs, cream puffs, cannoli and bite-size brownies.
Many restaurants offer shooters — also known as dessert shots. Simply put, it’s your favorite sweet stuffed in a tall shot glass.
Heather Johnson, marketing director for a 15-unit franchise of Applebee’s Bar and Grill, says the restaurant acknowledged guests “were craving just a little something sweet to top off their meal.”
For $2.29 each, diners can choose from three tasty shooters — strawberry cheesecake, chocolate mousse and hot fudge sundae.
“Delicious options like dessert shooters and brownie bites with ice cream for $1 are a huge hit with guests because smaller portions with a lower price point make it easy to say yes,” says Johnson.
Olive Garden offers Piccoli Dolci or “little dessert” treats layered with cake, mousse, berries and pastry creams.
Coffee lovers can indulge in Starbucks’ Petites, a line of mini treats introduced last March. They have their choice of birthday cake, rocky road and raspberry truffle cake pops dipped pink or dark chocolate, peanut butter mini cupcakes and red velvet whoopie cakes to go with their hazelnut vanilla latte.
“Starbucks Petites build on the hot culinary mini trend and has been widely embraced by customers as a delicious afternoon treat,” says a Starbucks company spokesperson.
Although desserts may be tiny, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re low cal. Katherin Synder, registered dietitian at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, encourages people to restrain themselves even when ordering little desserts.
“Desserts in general have little or no nutritional value, and they’re usually very high in saturated fats and total fat and calories,” says Synder. “Typically you probably can save calories versus ordering a main dessert, but if you have three of the small desserts, it may be like eating one big dessert.”
Richards says she watches customers weigh out the pros and cons when they’re trying to decide what to purchase. “They think that, ‘Well, I’ll have this one cupcake but I’m not having a whole cake,’” she says. “I think people are being more aware of their choices, and what people do say to me is that they eat it and it’s done and they don’t have to look at a cake for two or three days.”
While Applebee’s full-sized chocolate chip cookie sundae weighs in at 1,540 calories, a chocolate mousse shooter is no lightweight at 460 calories a pop. Starbucks’ cake pops and mini cupcakes all have less than 200 calories.
“People don’t have to feel bad when they’re eating sweets, they just want to be mindful and think: ‘If I’m going to have sweets it’s probably a better idea to go ahead and choose the smaller version,’” says Synder.
Others see mini desserts as a growing — and lasting — trend.
Ashante Henry-Owens co-owns With Love Events catering service with her sisters, Kajsa and Quintal. Together, the trio sets up dessert buffets of candy bars, cake pops, shooters, whoopie pies and other little specialty treats, catering weddings and social events in the Tallahassee area.
“I think they’re becoming a trend because it gives people more of an option instead of limiting them to just cake,” says Owens.
Bates attributes much of her success at Lucy and Leo’s Cupcakery to her mini cupcakes. “I think that our success just in smaller dessert portions … is they’re more affordable, and they’re an indulgence that people can have without spending a lot of money or eating a whole lot of food.”
It’s apparent the popularity of small desserts is a gradual trend growing at a steady pace in the minds and taste buds of folks of all ages.
“They’re for kids, office co-workers, a pick-me-up for somebody who’s not happy … somebody who is sick or who’s celebrating something,” says The Cake Shop’s Richards. “They’re for everyone.”


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If you’re adventurous with your food, or just like to keep up with the fast-moving food tech industry, here’s a roundup of this week’s stories and some notable news we weren’t able to cover.
Supply Change Capital
The venture capital fund madness we’ve seen all year has made its way to the food sector. This week, I wrote about Supply Change Capital, which closed on $40 million in capital commitments for its first fund, targeting investments in the global food industry.
The female and Latina-owned firm is spearheaded by co-founders and managing partners Noramay Cadena and Shayna Harris, who met 14 years ago in business school.
The firm has already made 15 investments, including in allergen-free snack food company Partake Foods, ingredients startup Michroma and alternative seafood maker Aqua Cultured Foods.
Supply Change joins firms like Joyful Ventures, which debuted in June with $23 million, focused on investment in sustainable protein startups. Joyful was co-founded by Jennifer Stojkovic, Milo Runkle and Blaine Vess and has made two investments from the fund, including New School Foods and Orbillion Bio.
Global investment in food tech and agtech startups were 44% lower than in 2021, totaling $29.6 billion last year. Granted, 2021 had record-breaking investments into this space, but with all this dry powder on the sidelines, it looks promising for the next year.
As seen in TechCrunch
Brevel sprouts $18.5M to develop microalgae-based alternative proteins
Microalgae is everywhere, it seems. This week, Brevel announced a large seed round that will go toward developing microalgae into an alternative protein powder that can be used in foods.
What else I’m reading
Cultivated beef, it’s what’s for dinner in Europe: Israel’s Aleph Farms gears up to sell first cultivated beef cuts in Europe.
New to the aisles of Whole Foods Markets: Actual Veggies expands at the grocery chain amid over 300% growth in the past year. Meati Foods makes its national launch in 46 states (here’s more about them). And Konscious Foods debuts its frozen, plant-based sushi there.
Egg-citing growth: Yo! Egg makes its nationwide launch via a partnership with Veggie Grill. Read our coverage of the company, especially as it relates to the recent hike in traditional egg prices.
Smooth to the touch: MycoWorks unveils plastic-free leather alternative for luxury fashion brands. Read more about our coverage of this company making “leather” from mushrooms.
Gordon Ramsay likes ramen: Gordon Ramsay partners with vegan ramen brand. See who else has plant-based ramen.
Brewing up some M&A: RTD cold brew maker High Brew acquired by Beliv. Ready-to-drink is big; read more.
If you have a juicy tip or lead about happenings in the venture and food tech worlds, you can reach Christine Hall at email@example.com or Signal at 832-862-1051. Anonymity requests will be respected.


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Teen arrested after video shows purse snatching
Police warn 'anyone can be a victim at any time'
PORTSMOUTH — A 16-year-old boy was arrested Monday after he was allegedly seen in a surveillance video stealing an elderly woman’s purse in the parking lot of Walmart on Lafayette Road Friday afternoon, then going into the store to make a purchase.
Surveillance footage from the store, released by the Portsmouth Police Department, shows the 16-year-old, wearing blue shorts, a red shirt, hat and sunglasses, waiting outside the Lafayette Road Walmart before walking slowly behind an elderly woman as she approaches her car to put groceries away. Once the woman opens her trunk and turns her back to the cart, the boy sneaks up to the cart and takes the purse, running away before she turns around.
Thevideolater shows the boy, who is a Portsmouth resident, going back into the store to buy something.
Portsmouth police posted the video on its Facebook page Monday morning and later received information from a witness of the theft, according to Sgt. David Keaveny.
Keaveny said the juvenile was arrested at his home Monday morning and charged with theft. His name was not released because of his age, and cases of this nature are processed in juvenile court.
“This is a little out of the ordinary that it happened at her car in broad daylight and under surveillance,” Keaveny said, adding that there wasn’t much the woman could do to avoid it. He said suggestions to avoid a similar crime include putting your purse inside the car first and fastening a shopping cart belt around the purse.
"We always tell people in those situations to never fight or struggle,” Keaveny said.
Keaveny said police informed the victim of the arrest.
“The video shows that anyone can be a victim at any time,” Keaveny said.


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Uber acquires mapping service deCarta
A combination of negative press and emerging competitors has beset ride service Uber with challenges over the past year. One of the key promises a personal transit company makes to customers is the efficiency of driving routes, and this week Uber announced that it has acquired deCarta, a digital mapping service. With greater exactitude in routes, distances and estimated ride times, Uber can enhance its service as rivals like Lyft make a bid for market shares.
"A lot of the functionality that makes the Uber app so reliable, affordable and seamless is based on mapping technologies," Uber said in a statement. "With the acquisition of deCarta, we will continue to fine-tune our products and services that rely on maps – for example UberPOOL, the way we compute ETAs, and others – and make the Uber experience even better for our users."
"Some outlets have reported that Google hopes to enter the ride service market, and with its considerable resources and industry clout, it would emerge as a major player. For customers, this healthy competition within the market could help reduce prices. One of the key complaints lodged against Uber and similar services is the spike in pricing that occurs at peak hours, which some describe as gouging.
Currently, Uber relies on Google for its mapping technology, as Google Maps leads the industry in ease and precision for directions. By making efforts to sever that relationship through acquisition strategy, Uber could become more independent if it faces a challenge from the tech giant. deCarta focuses on turn-by-turn navigation and other functionalities that are critical to providing quality service to passengers. Uber has also planned the rollout of its ride-share program, which could bring down costs and maximize efficiency for passengers.


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Fortnite is a gaming title that no longer goes unnoticed by anyone. The game dances that can be seen on PlayStation, Xbox, Windows, Android among other platforms continues to grow.
Of course, this happens at the revenue level as well as the users. In fact, only the seconds could make the financial numbers so positive. And it’s the roughly 250 million players Epic has enunciated that allow us to reach the numbers reported yesterday.
In fact, this is coupled with the Wall Street Journal’s assessment last September. Epic will have been valued at more than $ 15 billion, a large amount compared to what would have been expected two years ago.
The big question is, on the other hand, how can Fortnite be so profitable. Well, that has to do with two fundamental aspects. Firstly the game gains great advantage from the moment it can be played on various platforms.
Epic’s Fortnite is a title that no longer goes unnoticed!
Of course, it’s even more appealing to the player when he realizes that he will not be prevented from playing with anyone he wants, regardless of the device he is using. On the other hand, there is the issue of the game being free.
Although it is not necessary to buy the game, there are contents within the same for which it has to be paid. And these are a great source of revenue. This revenue is increasing because there are countless players who choose to acquire this type of content.
As such, Fortnite will continue to grow and become even more profitable. It remains to be seen, however, how long the trend will be.


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We have heard plenty of news about Oppo F1 Plus and we expect that it is a variant of Oppo F1. The Oppo F1 which is actually a selfie expert, it comes with better camera and improved fingerprint scanner. It sounds exciting but today the Chinese company clarified that Oppo F1 Plus is not variant of Oppo F1, it is Oppo R9 for international markets.
The announcement blows off all confusion and now it is clear that all rumors were counterfeit. According to the company announcement Oppo R9, Oppo R9 Plus, and Oppo F1 Plus feature a 5.5-inch, Full HD AMOLED display, measure 151.8 x 74.3 x 6.6m, with a minimal bezel size of 1.66mm. The smartphone is powered by Mediatek Helio P10 chipset with Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 2.0GHz, and the other four at 1.0GHz. The device has a 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.
In the camera section, the Oppo F1 is worthy to pick, the selfie expert and the R9 have quality front cameras with higher resolution. The smartphone has a 16MP selfie shooter with an f/2.0 lens with a 78.1-degree field of view. It has a 13MP sensor behind a 5-element lens with f/2.2 aperture and 80.6-degree FoV.
The Oppo F1 is expected to hit Malaysia market on 7th April. The Oppo R9 plus is officially available in China which probably won’t available internationally.


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The Financial Technology Association (FTA), a trade association representing fintech industry leaders, has urged the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) to ensure Californians have access to their earned wages.
Earned wage access (EWA) enables consumers to access their already earned wages, helping them smooth out cash flow between payroll cycles, which can be as infrequent as biweekly or monthly, and avoid traditional high-cost and high-interest credit products. In a survey of almost 5,000 EWA customers from California, 93 per cent had a greater sense of financial control after using EWA. Ninety-one per cent also said they understood how the service works.
The DFPI is currently considering new requirements for earned-wage providers in California. In light of this, FTA has expressed considerable support for the development of an EWA registry. It hopes this would bring providers into a regulatory framework; while enabling the DFPI to learn more about how EWA products serve the needs of Californians.
FTA is also backing consumer-friendly disclosure requirements, including clear disclosure of all fees, the 100 per cent voluntary nature of any tip, not charging late fees, interest, or other penalties, not requiring a consumer’s credit score to determine eligibility, and not reporting to a credit reporting agency or debt collector.
Penny Lee, president and chief executive officer of the Financial Technology Association, explained the importance of EWA for consumers. Lee said: “Employees want pay flexibility so they can take care of bills on time, avoid overdraft fees, and manage their finances with confidence. We urge California to craft rules recognising earned wage access as a consumer-friendly alternative to high-interest credit products.”
Getting earned wage access in California right
While the DFPI’s considerations look like a positive step forward, FTA has revealed concerns that the DFPI’s current proposal would inadvertently stop innovation and deprive consumers of a valued financial tool.
Specifically, FTA has urged the DPFI to recognise that earned wage access products are not loans or credit, in line with assessments from other federal and state government entities. Unlike a loan product, EWA services never charge interest and are non-recourse, meaning consumers have no legal obligation to repay an advance. Customers can cancel the service at any time without penalty.
FTA also urged the DFPI not to classify gratuities, tips, and other voluntary payments as ‘charges’, as such a distinction would go against legal precedent and limit consumer choice.


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DB board approves EWS and Transfesa takeover
On June 28 the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Bahn AG approved the takeover of all shares in freight operator English Welsh & Scottish Railway Holding Ltd, and the acquisition of a majority stake in Spanish logistics company Transportes Ferroviarios Especiales (Transfesa). Contracts are still to be signed and regulatory approval obtained.
The acquisitions will give DB direct links to the transport and logistics markets in western and southern Europe. DB Logistics Chairman Norbert Bensel sees growing business potential resulting from the deals. ‘The expansion of our Europe-wide network is our answer to the increasingly complex demands of our customers,’ he said. ‘EWS and Transfesa will enable us to close important gaps in the DB Logistics rail freight network. As a result, we shall be better equipped in future to offer our customers attractive products.’
Integration will increase rail’s market share in Europe and raise product quality, predicts Bensel, saying that the three companies ‘complement each other ideally, especially in the rail logistics, automotive, industrial and bulk goods segments.’
Luis del Campo, General Director of Transfesa, said the DB acquisition would ‘boost the rail freight sector on the Iberian peninsula, contribute to the process of liberalisation in this part of Europe and enable Transfesa to take forward its international strategy improving its offer and quality of service to the client.’ Transfesa has around 1100 employees, and last year generated revenues of €290m.
DB Logistics hopes that the acquisition of EWS and its subsidiary Euro Cargo Rail will improve the German firm’s position in France. In a statement DB confirmed its intention to continue its existing co-operation with SNCF, ‘which is already successful in the single wagonload segment, and win a higher volume of transport for rail by offering attractive products.’
Formed in 1996 following the privatisation of British Rail’s freight divisions, EWS has a workforce of around 5 000 and turnover in excess of £500m in 2006. ‘We can build on the platform we have created in the UK and France for rail freight growth, offering our customers a comprehensive European rail freight network,’ said EWS Chief Executive Keith Heller. ‘This agreement between DB and EWS will allow greater volumes to be moved by rail.’


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Tick Yes Pty Ltd
Suite 502, Level 5, 282 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction NSW 2022
Telephone: +61 2 9387 3244
Facsimile: +61 2 9389 6791
So who still loves Personal Computers? You know, those huge clunky things we place on top of a desk? Haven’t you heard? The PC is dead!Read more →
Companies are now realising they can use social media to their advantage when it comes to business.
One such aspect is advertising. This goes double for small companies that cannot rival big ones when it comes to widespread advertising campaigns, and by the look of things, advertising with social media is just picking up.
The best things in life are free and sometimes this also applies to the digital world. While free apps do not necessarily mean they are the best apps, people usually do not think twice about downloading something they don’t have to pay for. Digital marketers also know offering something for free is a good way to get customers.Read more →
Google launches its new app “Google Now”Read more →
According to YouTube, advertisers must have YouTube as part of their marketing strategy if they want the attention and a loyal following among those in the 18-34 age bracket;Read more →
Some tools meant for play have actually become good for work. Take social media as an example.Read more →
In the end it will be the limits of devices like the iPad and Android mobiles that will lead their users to the PC tablets like Microsoft’s Surface, or so said Windows mogul Bill Gates.
Gates spoke to CNBC recently, saying among other things that Microsoft is implementing strategies to challenge Apple for a share in the tablet market.
If you relied on TweetDeck to keep up with your Facebook newsfeed you might be disappointed to learn that TweetDeck has dropped its support for the popular social media. That’s if you haven’t noticed already.Read more →
Would you be willing to pay for YouTube?
When YouTube said it was running a competition to determine the best video submitted online, it was meant to be a joke for April Fool’s Day. But when YouTube recently announced it was coming up with a paid subscription plan for some video distributors, they were not joking this time.
Recently YouTube finalized some channels which will now be available for subscription over YouTube.
The HTC First, the first mobile device to come fully loaded with Facebook Home for Android, is now being offered at 99 cents from $99 last week.
The ultra-reduced price, coming just over a month after the launch of First last April 12, has tech pundits wondering whether the move is a desperate ploy to get consumers to bite or just a common promotional pricing by the manufacturers.


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After a one-day delay from the original schedule, the Orion spacecraft rolled out to the launch pad in preparation for its December 4, 2014 test flight and was hoisted into position on its rocket.
There's been a ton of news about HealthCare.gov from the dark days of the rollout in October, to the slightly better days of now when the online healthcare exchange seems to be at a point of minimum reliability. If you found keeping up exhausting, you're not alone.
The BlackBerry Storm 2 is the followup to Verizon's most buzzed-about phone of last year, but Verizon didn't help with the news. CrackBerry says the phone didn't pass Verizon's quality assurance. [CrackBerry]
If you're a T-Mo user with a 3G-capable piece, you're probably ready to start, you know, using it. Cellphone Signal is reporting on more info of the rollout through 2008, and it's pretty much in line with the city selection we saw leak in April. No official confirmation here but the list contains a few more rumored…
We've been waiting for 3G on T-Mobile longer than we've been waiting for The Police to get back together, and it looks like May will be the month that all this patience finally pays off. TmoNews is pegging the first launch to be in NYC, and spreading to the rest of the country's major cities throughout the rest of…
If you're still secretly thinking about getting a Segway but ashamed of having people know you paid that much for a scooter, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has something for you. The KAIST has just invented a Segway-like scooter that does pretty much the same thing as Dean Kamen's baby.


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With so many innovative companies across industries that we meet at Mindpark, we like to take a moment to introduce some of them directly to our community. This time, we’ve spoken with Anders Wellgiven, founder of TrackInvent, an innovative product design company who has made headlines with their flagship product Albedo 100.
TrackInvent: on a mission to save lives
In case you’re one of the few who hasn’t seen their viral video that went around in late 2015, early 2016, Albedo 100 is a line of reflective sprays, meant to illuminate bikers, walkers, runners, children, and animals at night. The reflective sprays, which adhere to textiles and fur, come in washable, permanent, industrial, and animal-safe versions.
With the aim to solve a problem of the hundreds of thousands of pedestrian/vehicle related deaths each year, most of which happen after dark, Albedo 100 quickly rose in demand and popularity after it was first produced in 2013. Today, the product is sold in over 20 different countries, including Spain, France, the United States, and Japan.
Moving into Mindpark: the melting pot for entrepreneurs
TrackInvent had previously been sitting at Minc in Malmö, and moved their office into Mindpark last year. For them, moving to the creative space here in Helsingborg felt like a natural option, with Mindpark being the startup hub and entrepreneurial and coworking center of the area.
Since we just recently discussed the benefits of using coworking spaces, we asked Anders about TrackInvent, and what he thought about the advantages of renting an office at Mindpark rather than a traditional office.
Anders echoed some of the other tenants we spoke to last month when he said the greatest advantage is “the social aspect and getting in touch with creative and entrepreneurial people. What I like with Mindpark is the social aspect. Being in a creative environment with other small companies, enabling spontaneous meetings.”
What the future holds: more work and a little play
And as TrackInvent will continue to develop new products alongside Albedo 100, we imagine being in a creative environment may help to inspire new ideas. So what is the best part of working with TrackInvent and a product such as Albedo 100? Anders says “the best part with working with reflective products is that for each product we distribute we potentially help save lives.”
Helping save lives is no small feat, so does the TrackInvent team have any spare time for fun? “For fun we like to take a bike ride in the beautiful area of Helsingborg, (always covered with Albedo100 for maximum road safety of course)” said Anders.
Want to know more about some of the other unique and inspiring companies that sit at Mindpark? Attend one of our many events or come in for a visit!


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Sizzling on the heels of bitcoin dropping over 20 percent in price this morning, shopping for and selling used to be once more unavailable at the bitcoin alternate Coinbase for roughly hours nowadays, earlier than service used to be restored.
consistent with the company ’s reinforce page, buying and selling was once unavailable because of high visitors — most likely caused by the drastic value fluctuations — with the company commenting that it was once “working on restoring full availability as quickly as conceivable,” which turns out to suggest that the issue was once merely a technical issue as against an intentional shut down. The downtime was still unquestionably irritating to anyone looking to either buy or sell bitcoin given the hot shifting in value. according to the Coinbase ’s give a boost to account, the company is constant to monitor for stability, which seems wise given the volatility of the marketplace today.
status Monitoring: Buys and sells were re-enabled. we’re tracking for balance. https://t.co/TdDXCG2TbI
— Coinbase Beef Up (@CoinbaseSupport) December 22, 2017
Earlier this week, Coinbase suspended trading for Bitcoin Cash, a fork of the original bitcoin foreign money created in August, even as it investigated conceivable insider buying and selling by workers while the forex was added to Coinbase ’s trade.
Update December twenty second, 2:10PM: Updated article to mirror that Coinbase service has now been restored.


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NEW YORK — G-III Apparel Group Ltd. on Thursday posted second-quarter profits that nearly quintupled.
For the three months ended July 31, net income rose 372 percent to $2.7 million, or 37 cents a diluted share, versus $576,000, or 8 cents, in the year-ago quarter. Sales rose 13.2 percent to $45.3 million from $40 million.
Morris Goldfarb, chief executive officer, said in a statement, “Our profit growth was driven by continued strength in our sports apparel business, which saw both significant new accounts as well as increased penetration. The sportswear component of our sports apparel business attained higher gross margins compared to our other businesses.”
He added that based on feedback from customers on “product assortment and a good order book, we are well positioned for the fall season.”
The company issued fiscal 2004 guidance for earnings per share in the range of $1.10 to $1.15 and sales of $220 million.
For the six months, income was $91 million, or 1 cent, against a loss of $3.6 million, or 54 cents, last year. Sales rose 21.4 percent to $64 million from $52.7 million.
The firm manufactures leather and nonleather outerwear, as well as apparel under its own, licensed and private labels. Company-owned labels include Black Rivet, Colebrook, Siena Studio and G-III. It hold licenses with Kenneth Cole, Nine West, Timberland, Cole Haan, Jones Apparel Group, Sean John, Bill Blass and James Dean. It also has sports licensing agreements with various major league sports associations as well as more than 50 universities.


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EFF, Wired, MarketWatch, Yahoo: Outrage ensues over Apple’s reporting of iPhone prototype theft
April 28th, 2010
Daniel Eran Dilger
Enemies of Apple are boiling to the surface like ants scrambling from a rotten log on fire. Their outrage emanates from a deep moral disgust over the company reporting the theft of its property and appealing to the rule of law.
.EFF: there is never theft in the Communist Paradise
The first sign of abhorrence directed toward Apple came from the EFF, which most definitely is not Apple’s BFF. This is the group seeking to convert the success of Apple’s iPhone App Store into a communal software paradise like that of Linux, where everyone writes their own code and proprietors can suck it. For the EFF, there’s no such thing as intellectual property, and it’s really just a small intellectual leap to say there’s no such thing as property.
And if you don’t have ownership, you can’t have theft. That appears to be the manifesto of the EFF, which has taken the position it once argued in behalf of bloggers (in a case including AppleInsider), that insisted investigative writers of all sorts should be accorded the legal protections of journalists in protecting their sources, and extrapolated a new understanding that suggests you can commit any sort of property theft as long as you write about it afterward.
Boom: instant protection! The Shield Law for journalists is now a way to prevent police from investigating crimes. Just explicitly state the amount you paid for stolen merchandise in your blog, print private personal information about the victim you deprived of his property, then claim you have no idea who the property could have belonged to and Shazam! you are a journalist shrouded in a cloak of magical invincibility.
Don’t Task, Don’t Tell
Since theft simply doesn’t exist without the capitalist fiction of personal property, and considering that the real victim is always the person who benefits from stealing from moneyed fat cat corporations, the obvious conclusion is that anyone who supports the rule of law or asks for protection and redress under it must be downright square. And a narc. And perhaps a witch.
The real outrage is that Apple works with the Po-Po to prevent theft and recover stolen property. What bastards. And when it finds people have taken its stuff, it tattles to the police and then forces the District Attorney to take the theft seriously. I know when my friends have had their iPhones stolen at a bar, it’s just a funny thing we laugh about.
Once I text messaged a thief who had taken my friend’s phone along with his jacket and keys and wallet, offering a reward for return. The theft told me to copulate with myself, albeit using the German word. I laughed for days at his hardline stance against the Man and my naively slavish devotion to the concept of property, intellectual or otherwise. It made me want to leave my own iPhone sitting on a bar stool, just so I could relive the excitement of spreading my resources around to the finders-keepers community.
Surely, the fact that Apple “provides training, personnel, and support” to the Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team, a group of 17 local, state, and federal law-enforcement agencies headquartered in the corporation’s own Santa Clara County, biases the government agencies in favor of Apple as a victim of theft, and predisposes it against the thieves. This is fascism at its worst.
This is also another disgusting abrogation of freedom in our country, where the government increasingly plays a role favoring victims of crime rather than the perpetrators of theft. What we really need to do is to elect another Republican governor for California like, say, Carly Fiorina, so she can further downsize the burdensome regulatory rule of law and lay off the oppressive role of Gubment like so many axed HP employees. Once that happens, Goldman Sachs and others who have acquired wealth illegally can hold onto it without being roughed up by federal bureaucrats and their tax collecting socialist-fascist pawns who want to build public works like schools and highways rather than subsidizing private enterprise like the state subsidized prisons designed to hold immigrants and pot smokers.
The report of Apple’s outrageous collusion with REACT was broken by John Cook, a reporter for the esteemed “Yahoo! News” and (secretly) a former blogger employed by the same Gawker Media that sponsored the checkbook journalism that resulted in Gizmodo’s property seizure investigation in the first place. If you follow the money trail, it leads right to the crime. And to the report of the crime, spun as a conspiracy by Gawker’s friends. And that conspiracy involves Apple. Guilty as charged, Steve Jobs.
A Conflict of Interest
Clearly, there is some sort of “conflict of interest” going on here, as many readers of the Cook articles have observed. It’s certainly in Apple’s interest to prevent theft and seek damages for theft in order to dissuade potential thieves from taking and holding its property for weeks, and or selling it to the highest bidder, or trafficking stolen property with the intent of materially benefitting from exposed trade secrets. The police involved in REACT similarly have an interest in preventing computer-related theft in Apple’s backyard of Silicon Valley.
The conflict, it seems, relates to the interest in thieving on the part of people who are not Apple nor the police. Or perhaps the conflict in interest involves journalists who write about a subject as if they are non-biased observers simply recounting facts, when in reality they have an interest in making their former employer look innocent and perhaps unjustly aggrieved as the victim of a criminal investigation.
Whatever the conflict, it certainly is interesting. And who better than Cook is qualified to report on the subject of his former employer’s investigation, under the suggestion that members of society who support the rule of law are somehow involved in a conflict of interest when they seek assistance from said police? It’s fortunate that Gawker Media is not just financing checkbook journalism, but also spinning off journalists who can tell its side of the story to the people, and not to the investigating police, who are clearly conflicted about Gawker’s interest in acquiring stolen property.
Let’s See What the Criminal Experts at Wired Have to Say
It’s not just Gawker Media’s former employees who are disgusted by this collusion of Apple and the police sticking their noses into the smoking guns of crime scenes. What about high profile computer crime experts who know enough about the subject to have spent time in prison for mail, wire and computer fraud, money laundering, and obstruction of justice?
Kevin Poulsen, aka Dark Dante, spent the second half of the 1990s in federal prison, and the second half of the 2000’s in his current role as the senior editor of Wired. His “Threat Level” blog has been a merciless critic of Apple and the iPhone, starting with an article that falsely suggested the iPhone was as insecure as Windows 95.
Poulsen was so upset to receive RoughlyDrafted criticism over the irresponsible, alarmist story Wired published under his watch that he printed a personal attack posting that compared me to Ron Paul’s supporters, ignoring all of the actual criticisms of his misleading and inaccurate report dripping with sensationalism and ignorant nonsense about supposed security issues.
Wired then demonstrated the flexibility of the definition of journalism when it printed a hit piece on the iPhone in Japan, which falsely attributed comments to people who did not say them, and then falsely attributed the comments to other sources after the first publicly denied having said it, then removed attribution entirely after the second source also denied having said the comments Wired had stuffed in their mouth (that Japanese people thought the iPhone was unsophisticated, the message Wired wanted to publish regardless of what the Japanese were actually saying about it).
Apparently, Wired’s editors thought they could report on what people in Japan though about the iPhone without actually reporting, and just making up false statements instead. Turns out it was not safe to bet that people in Japan don’t read Wired, and don’t have any hangups about being falsely said to have made comments they did not agree with. Wired never corrected its story, even after the iPhone went on to become the most popular phone in Japan.
It’s therefore understandable that Wired might want to spin similar fictions to vilify Apple as the aggressor theft victim and the thieves as misunderstood, beneficently charming people who were working hard to return the iPhone prototype for weeks as they actually shopped it around to media sources.
Wired advocates theft via creative language
There’s nothing creative about saying something you found and kept, despite knowing who the owner was and making no actual attempt to contact them or present it to the authorities, was lost rather than stolen. What takes real creative balls is saying that selling stolen merchandise is really a matter of “giving exclusive access to the device in exchange for $5,000.”
This is kind of like blaming a rape victim for looking sexy, and then saying the pimp who sold her for sex was really just providing “exclusive access” in exchange for a great deal of money. Not really crime, just a gentlemen’s agreement of sorts, where money crosses hands in exchange for something, but not for the purpose you’d think because that would be illegal. Completely above board, legitimate exclusive access to stolen property in exchange for thousands of dollars. Not really selling anything, just exchanging thousands of dollars in an effort to figure out how to return the device most efficiently by way of blog network, because that’s the best way to return stuff you’ve stolen.
The actual person who picked up the phone and kept it wasn’t a thief, Wired writes, but rather a “finder” who “attempted to notify Apple and find the owner of the device but failed, even going so far as to search alphabetically through Facebook.” Apparently this level of failure didn’t prevent the thief from recounting exactly who the owner was by way of his Facebook page, and providing this information to Gizmodo along with “exclusive access” (and possession) of the stolen device so that Gizmodo could scribble up an account of what a jerk the engineer was for leaving it behind.
Perhaps Wired’s senior editor is back in prison again and can’t read over this insanely written garbage to extract some semblance of coherent logic. Gizmodo claimed that attempts were made to return the phone as they furiously worked to disassemble it and take pictures of the Apple logos within as they attempted to determine who it might possibly belong to. Yet Wired’s bizarrely written account makes it clear that Apple went to the home of the thief to ask for the return of the prototype and was refused. So who is lying? Or perhaps, is anyone not lying?
Apple would certainly know where to go because the prototype phone was linked to MobileMe, making it trackable right up until the company remotely wiped it. So Apple had a position and an identity of the thief from the first day. Yet Wired then says the thief/finder held onto the phone for “weeks” afterward, ineffectually trying to restore it using iTunes after it was wiped by Apple. All while suggesting they were trying to figure out who it might belong to and how they could possibly return it.
During that time, the thief/finder shopped it around to various sources, including Wired and Engadget. Not a day after it was found, but as early as March 28, according to Wired. So the thief/finder sat on it for weeks, then sold it to Gizmodo, then more weeks went by before it was printed up and any attempt was ever made to return it, even though all along everyone involved knew it belonged to an Apple engineer. And yet Wired still strains to call the event anything other than what it was: a stolen piece of property sold to the highest bidder after weeks of possession while no efforts were made to return it.
What shred of journalistic integrity does Wired still possess?
Speaking of no journalistic integrity
So say you’re Dan Gallagher and Rex Crum and you need a sensational bit on Apple written up for MarketWatch. What do you do? Get on the horn with Roger Kay and Rob Enderle. Seriously, because who else can generate outrageous fear mongering negativity about Apple like these two shameless corporate shills who have never ever said anything remotely non-negative about Apple?
The story is about Apple reporting the theft of its prototype. The angle: “Analysts” (that’s Kay and Enderle, they’re the analysts forming the backbone of this “story”) say Apple is going to look bad for reporting the crime. Analyst Kay sounded like he just randomly picked a generic Apple FUD fortune cookie from his basket. “There is no way that this is not negative in some way for the company,” Kay said. Wow, with insight like that, you could be kept in perpetual employment as blogger fodder without every needing to be right, or even specific.
Remember when Kay told NPR, “You have to squeeze your fat fingers onto this fairly small, glass surface and hope to hit the right key,” well before the iPhone was released and before he had ever touched one? “That could be quite challenging.” What insight this man has.
Enderle’s huffing also sounded curiously familiar, as if the deep scratching of broken record. “Apple has been drifting into looking like the wrong side of their famous Big Brother ad for some time,” Enderle said. MarketWatch described him as “a longtime Silicon Valley technology analyst.” To emphasize the potential fear level that could be involved, Enderle added, “This could easily turn out to be one of the biggest mistakes the firm has ever made because the investigation … could showcase other Apple problems as this story snowballs.”
Yes, it might be revealed that Apple also reported other criminal activities in the past. Who knows, there might be an out of control China Syndrome that erupts into a tempestuous wellspring of bad publicity. Perhaps Enderle could guide us through this maelstrom of public discontent, as he’s worked so furiously to do over the past decade, condemning the iPhone as “damned” and a possible cause of potential rapes because he didn’t realize it could have an emergency call button. Enderle also said the iPhone “signaled the potential end for the stand-alone iPod” and said 2007 “will be a difficult year for Apple, and the iPhone could be more of a drag on earnings than a help.”
Next up, lets interview some Tea Party protesters about whether President Obama is a socialist-fascist or a fascist-socialist. This should generate a substantive news story.
How to avoid getting busted
So what happens when you find something that doesn’t belong to you? Well for starters, you could be a hero and return it to its owner rather than mocking him in public for losing it while parading it around. But if you do happen to stumble upon a hot secret prototype, you might want to take lots of pictures and then try to sell the pictures (not criminally illegal) rather than fence the stolen property (is criminally illegal) and then try to rephrase it after the fact as if you were making some good faith effort to offer exclusive possession to a media outlet who might return it for you. Because that’s amateur pretty crime that will likely get you in pretty deep trouble.
As everyone knows, the police exist to protect affluent people’s property. Mess with rich people’s stuff and you’ll be crushed by the Po-Po if you’re stupid enough to publicly advertise bragging about having bought or sold the stolen merchandize.
What about if you find yourself being busted? Sorry you’re screwed. When the cops take your computers, they don’t give it back. The wheels of justice turn slowly and crush little people. Time to buy new stuff. By the time you get it back, it will be completely obsolete. If the police are bashing your door down, it’s a little late to be thinking about your next move. You’re already remotely wiped.


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Skip to comments.US Internet ad revenue surpasses broadcast
Posted on 04/10/2014 7:39:52 PM PDT by MeshugeMikey
For the first time, U.S. Internet advertising revenue has surpassed that of broadcast television thanks to sharp growth in mobile and digital video ads.
That's according to a report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau, which said Thursday that Internet advertising revenue rose 17 percent to a record $42.8 billion in 2013. Broadcast TV ad revenue, in comparison, was $40.1 billion in 2013.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
The internet is also a great place to locate a new show...like Joan Rivers has done.
A FReeper news show might be nice.
The internet is the future of entertainment...TV is so last century.
Id be willing to do some “artwork’ for same!! More than willing!
All the Dems love having an internet dependent on advertisers who are dependent on government ‘welfare’ spending.
It’s a joyful thing to see the network beasts being starved, but I really don’t understand the value in Internet advertising. I block what I can with Adblock Plus and tuneout the rest. I don’t think I’ve ever clicked on more than a couple of ads, and that was years ago, at which point I realized anybody on the web that had to advertise did so because they couldn’t get a good google rank because they had inferior products, services and/or prices.
Was watching some spy program on TV last night. There were 11 different commercials before they finally returned to the program. Just confirmed why I don’t watch TV much any more.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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It is reported that the Milk Powder Importers Association is planning to increase the price of a kilogram of imported milk powder by Rs. 300.
Accordingly, the price of a 400-gram packet of milk powder will be increased by Rs. 120.
The Milk Powder Importers’ Association says that they have no choice but to increase the price of milk powder in Sri Lanka against the backdrop of the price of a metric ton of milk powder in the world market rising to US $ 5500.
The control price for milk powder was removed some time ago and companies have the ability to set the price as they wish.


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Automobile Magazine has recently posted interesting info on Twitter. Basically, it states that the base BMW Z4 is likely to get a new turbocharged 4-cylinder engine instead of the current naturally-aspirated 3.0L inline-six. This comes as confirmation to one of BMWs previous announcements, according to which, 4-cylinders are going to return to its US lineup.
Another automotive resource, ZPost Forum, is claiming that the BMW Z4 family will soon be extended with two turbo 4-cyl versions - sDrive20i and 28i. According to the same sources, the 4-cylinder engine will be a 2.0L unit good for 174-hp and 235-hp.


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Google’s affiliate marketing had been just as much a new jab at Apple Inc’s iphone 3gs being a sales hype for its new Pixel phones, along with executives in the Huge batch Watch search on the internet organization using shots at their competitor at each turn.
But just about any gains Google tends to make with the $649 Pixel, invoiced while fully designed in-house, may appear not at the price tag on Apple, yet mobile phone suppliers working its Android application, a subscriber base topped through Straight talk samsung Consumer electronics Co Limited.
“A top quality Android os strategy is really a tactic to take market share via New samsung,” explained analyst January Dawson of Jackdaw Study. The South Japanese business currently is reeling from the extremely introduced recall of the company’s Galaxy Note 7 telephones due to battery pack fire.
“Obviously Google doesn’t wish to clearly compete with its companions, however technique is greatly predisposed to take on New samsung when compared with Apple mackintosh,” Dawson stated.
Yahoo, one involving Abc Incorporated, evidently have their own sights set on the particular iPhone along with the high-class Economy News consumer starting who’s orders.
“There’s no ugly camera bump,” components chief Ralph Osterloh believed to fun from the viewers in the cell phone’s very first, alluding to the iPhone’s lifted digicam, an element lamented by a few style lovers.
Fresh launched ads for that Pixel mobile phones property several emits for the i phone. A essentials from the phones’ additional features ends along with “3.5mm headset port satisfyingly not brand new,” the experience of Apple’s decision to reduce the port inside the iphone 3gs 6, that riled many shoppers.
Replica IS FLATTERY
Nevertheless, your Pixel series holds a powerful likeness towards the i phone, arriving 2 styles and a various modern coatings. Google’s Assistant, operated by man-made brains software, is really a a reaction to Apple’s Siri. And as Search engines prioritises generating its components beneath Osterloh, the appearing design and style beliefs addresses Apple’s.
Hardware exec Mario Queiroz recommended their focus on presentation, a characteristic how the delayed Apple company CEO Medical once obsessed over.
“You desire the consumer to begin with to possess this brilliant experience from the box due to the kind of the actual the labels,” Queiroz, a vice us president of merchandise administration at Google, stated within an interview.
This individual pushed aside considerations in which Google’s computer hardware press may abyss the idea in opposition to its Google android companions. We now have a part of the particular Pixel mobile phone is supposed to launch Google android units onward, he said.
“It’s not only a actually zero quantity sport,” Queiroz said. “We believe Google can do the two things. Each offering systems and also developing our personal items.”
Google can find themselves squaring away in opposition to 2 really deep-pocketed rivals. Apple mackintosh and also New samsung are the largest smartphone device manufacturers and have key marketing programs.
Check out the expended at the very least $50 trillion merely upon marketing during the Olympics throughout Rio p Janeiro, South america, according to quotations from Kantar Press.
Spokespeople with regard to Apple and also Check out the did not respond to demands pertaining to comment on Yahoo launch.