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By: Katherine Clarke | NY Daily News
A rendering of Lower Manhattan when the redevelopment of the World Trade Center area is complete, expected by 2018.
The National September 11 Memorial Museum opened Thursday, a somber look back at a day that will live in infamy.
But that horrific past is merely prologue to the renaissance in the heart of the Financial District, which is beating once more with blocks of new retail, new transit links and, most important, thousands of new residential units.
Downtown is back on top.
“It’s the culmination of $30 billion of public and private investment coming online at relatively the same time,” said Jessica Lappin, president of the Downtown Alliance. “This is not your father’s FiDi. We don’t roll up the sidewalks at the closing bell anymore.”
We’ve heard that talk before ... but this time, it’s happening: More office leases were signed in Lower Manhattan in the first quarter of the year than there have been in any quarter for the last decade — and the growth extends beyond financial companies.
Nearly half of all companies that have moved to Financial District since 2011 have been technology, advertising or media firms, including, most notably, Condé Nast.
The relocations bring a diversity to the downtown economy and its retail and residential mix.
“You’ve never seen so much money invested in new construction in such a small area before,” said Ed Hogan, head of retail leasing at Brookfield Place, the retooled shopping and office complex formerly known as the World Financial Center.
Downtown developers are making a bit of a leap of faith. After all, the Port Authority is still trying to lease the remaining space at 1 World Trade Center, and developer Larry Silverstein hasn’t fully leased 3 World Trade Center and 4 World Trade Center.
Silverstein thinks that it will be easier to attract tenants for the remaining towers once companies begin moving into 1 World Trade this year, generating buzz at the site. Some say the neighborhood resurgence is just beginning.
“Once the World Trade Center comes online later this year, it’s going to unleash another retail and residential boom around the edges of the site,” said Jordan Barowitz, director of external affairs at the Durst Organization. Silverstein agreed: “The transformation will be total,” he said. Here’s our look at the booming Financial District.
RETAIL: A NEW HUB
Three new projects, including the giant Santiago Calatrava-designed winged structure at the World Trade Center, are poised to transform the shopping prospects of Lower Manhattanites beyond recognition.
More than 1.55 million square feet of new or repositioned retail — the equivalent of six full blocks — will join the mix in the next two years.
“There’s a retail revolution taking place,” Lappin said. “The whole retail landscape is about to be transformed in a radical way.”
World Trade Center: It’s about time: Roughly 150 stores are coming to the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, now under construction, including Tom Ford, Tiffany & Co., Kate Spade, Zadig & Voltaire, Cole Haan and, the icing on the cake, an Apple store.
Victoria’s Secret, Sephora, Disney, Lego and Godiva have all reportedly taken out leases, too.The majority of the $3.94 billion transit center’s stores will be underground.
Brookfield Place: Fashion’s elite will join the Brookfield Place shopping center — which will open next year after a $250 million redesign of the office complex formerly known as the World Financial Center.
If you visit, bring a full wallet. Luxury brands such as Burberry, Hermès, Ermenegildo Zegna, Diane von Furstenberg, Salvatore Ferragamo, Scoop NYC and Paul Smith don’t cater to bargain hunters.
Iron Chef Jose Garces is opening his first New York restaurant, Amada, at the complex, an indication that this is more than a mall. Indeed, restaurateurs Danny Meyer and Jeff Zalaznick will follow.
“Retailers and restaurateurs are starting to recognize what we have known for a long time: Downtown is underserved,” said Peter Poulakakos, who is opening Le District, a French-inspired marketplace and eatery in Brookfield Place.
Pier 17: One developer is betting big that it can revive the South Street Seaport — this time for New Yorkers, not for tourists.
Texas-based Howard Hughes Corp. began the $200 million, SHoP Architects-designed glass retail complex at Pier 17 last year and is seeking tenants. Beyond shopping, there will be a large rooftop space and an eight-screen multiplex.
Santiago Calatrava's design for the World Trade Center Transportation Hub
The company is already promoting the space with retail and food pop-ups, plus outdoor films and live music.
HOUSING IS RISING
If you build it, they will come — and they’ll need somewhere to live.
Residential developers have taken their cue from the office and retail rebirth and are building a slew of condo and rental towers to house the professionals expected to flock to the Financial District.
“A lot of the confidence ties into the redevelopment of the World Trade Center and some of these other commercial infrastructure centers,” said Anna Zarro, a broker with Town Residential. “The residential developers have become a lot more bullish about hitting ‘go’ on sites that have been on hold or acquiring sites that have failed before. Everyone wants to be at the party now, and no one wants to show up late.”
The smart money is getting in now, at least according to the brokers hawking these residential projects.
“This is not a neighborhood that’s going to have to be a value proposition anymore,” Zarro said. “If you’re a current resident and you’re enjoying a low rent, things are unfortunately going to change for you. That being said, you’re going to be able to walk to where you want to shop and go out for dinner without having to go further uptown.”
In fact, residential pricing in lower Manhattan hit a 25-year high in the first quarter of this year. The average price for an apartment in the neighborhood was $1,376 per square foot, close to the Manhattan average. Meanwhile, rents held steady. The median rent for an apartment in the area was $3,450, compared to an overall Manhattan median of $3,174.
30 Park Place: World Trade Center developer Silverstein’s residential tower at Park Place at Church St. will rise to 926 feet, making it the tallest residential tower in downtown Manhattan and one of the tallest in the city.
The 82-story limestone and cast-stone building, designed by 15 Central Park West architect Robert A.M. Stern, will have 157 luxury condos as well as a 189-room Four Seasons Hotel.
Silverstein and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System bought the site, which formerly housed an office building, from Moody’s in 2006. The project was mothballed during the recession.
Condo sales start in the next few weeks. Prices for one-bedroom homes, the cheapest apartments in the building, will start at $2.5 million. A duplex penthouse, the most expensive, will ask $60 million.
Silverstein went with a stone facade as opposed to a more modern glass curtain so that World Trade Center workers won’t have to live in a place that looks just like their office, he said.
ARCHPARTNERS/RENDERING BY ARCHPARTNERS
A rendering of 30 Park Place, Larry Silverstein's residential project near the World Trade Center site


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New evidence suggests Starbucks will begin accepting bitcoin (BTC) as their partnership with Intercontinental Exchange’s Bakkt grows, according to news outlet The Block.
// STAY UP TO DATE – FOLLOW BLOCKCHAIN DAILY ON TWITTER: @BLCKCHAINDAILY
According to the report, the cryptocurrency transactions will be instantly converted to fiat.
Bakkt has not been released yet, but the company hopes the new platform will on-ramp institutional investors to the cryptocurrency sector.
The product is owned by Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), which owns and operates 12 exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Bakkt has endured several delays since its initial announcement as executives emphasized the need for full regulatory compliance.
Citing an unnamed source close to the matter, The Block stated Starbucks will wait until the Bakkt platform is proven before launching their crypto to fiat coffee purchasing options.
“In many ways, there are limits to what Starbucks can do with partnerships because there are limits to what customers can expect,” the source said.

domain: news


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Smaller red packets expected Survey: HKers to cut back on Lunar New Year spending2014.01.24
LAI see packets will be thinner this year, and vendors who spent millions of dollars renting stalls at the Lunar New Year (農曆新年) fairs can expect smaller earnings. These are the findings of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB, 民主建港協進聯盟). The political party surveyed 700 people this month. It found that 74.6 percent of respondents will be giving out red packets this year while 25.6 percent will not. However, 60.8 percent of those giving lai see said they will put only HK$10 or HK$20 in the packets. Last year it was 30 percent. About 10 percent will distribute red packets with HK$10 or less. According to the survey, 18.4 percent will hand out lai see of between HK$20 and HK$50; 8.4 percent between HK$50 and HK$100; while only 2.3 percent will give HK$100 or more. In comparison, last year 23.5 percent said they would give HK$50, 29.9 percent would give HK$100, 4.6 percent between HK$200 and HK$300 and 9.4 percent would give HK$500.
According to the DAB, 60 percent said they will limit spending at Lunar New Year fairs to HK$300, 19.9 percent between HK$300 and HK$500, and 19 percent at more than HK$500.
DAB Deputy Secretary Ip Ngo-tung(葉傲冬) said the inflation and no obvious changes in salary, people will spend more carefully at this time of the year.


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In this week’s edition, technological disruption is officially happening, J.B. Hunt shows Silicon Valley what real innovation looks like, and Uber’s IPO gets rejected. To get future editions of Freight News in Cartoons sent directly to your inbox, subscribe here.
On the heels of FreightWaves’ Transparency19 conference, there’s been some interesting coverage of disruption in the freight industry.
Brian Aoeah wrote a particularly clear-minded piece on how the freight brokerage industry is currently undergoing both supply-side (changes in how suppliers satisfy demand) and demand-side (changes in customer demands and expectations) disruptions. In particular, his take on digital on-demand freight marketplaces is worth thinking about:
“Conventional wisdom among industry professionals is that the trust relationship between shippers, carriers and brokers cannot be replicated through software. I am not so certain. Carriers and shippers have the fundamental need to increase throughput, increase efficiency and improve profit margins. The new entrants can gain market share by proving that they can satisfy those fundamental needs better than their incumbent counterparts on an ongoing basis.”
10xLogisticsExpert also wrote an interesting piece that sees JB Hunt’s “trucks and clicks” approach eventually winning out over Uber Freight’s notions of an “on-demand” industry.
Though talk of disruption can often feel hard to grasp, some recent announcements show what innovation looks like in the real world.
One clear example is J.B. Hunt’s new 360box drop-and-hook trailer program, which will give shippers the ability to reserve trailers from a pool and carriers the ability to bid on moving those trailers through J.B. Hunt’s app. At Transparency19, Shelley Simpson, J.B. Hunt’s COO, talked more about their success over the past decade, tripling in size to become a billion-dollar brokerage and 3PL, fostering a culture of innovation, and transforming into a truly mode-agnostic capacity provider.
“Saying you want to start a brokerage company within an asset-based organization was like cussing in Sunday school,” Simpson said. “It was so counter-cultural to who we were and what we knew. We had to spend so much time communicating to help our people understand ‘the why.’ But if you can paint a picture where your people can see that it’s good for our company drivers and it’s good for our contractors, you can illustrate there’s benefits on both sides.”
Some other notable examples include FreightWaves’ own product SONAR 4.0, Flexe’s on-demand approach to warehousing, Domino’s continued innovations in pizza delivery (this time with AI), and, of course, no list of disruptors is complete without Amazon (this time with their freight brokerage and ambitions of disintermediation).
Uber’s Initial Public Rejection
Finally, as you’ve likely already heard, Uber’s IPO didn’t exactly go to plan. At its peak, investors were valuing the company at $120 billion. In its first few days of trading, it’s been valued at closer to $60-80 billion. If you’re interested in more of the details, FreightWaves’ Vishnu Rajamanickam did a great job breaking down its history, investors, rivalry with Lyft, and the concerns around profitability.
To round out the past couple weeks, Cruise, the autonomous vehicle startup, raised another $1.15 billion to accelerate growth and reach a valuation of $19 billion, while logistics real estate prices continue to climb, with global investment in 2018 in logistics real estate totaling $153.6 billion.
With change in the air, it’s hard not to be excited about the future. But I suppose the important bit is to not allow it to disrupt your sleep.
Steele Roddick is a Content Specialist at Microdea where he creates content that helps transportation companies drive their business forward. He’s endlessly fascinated by technology trends, chess, and discovering new places to travel with his wife.


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Despite several failed attempts in recent years, there is a new effort underway to enact a federal data privacy law, and it’s being led by a somewhat unlikely source – the tech industry. Although they were resistant to a federal privacy law in the past, powerful tech industry players now appear to be publicly embracing such legislation. Last week, several tech industry trade groups and consortia released statements supporting the creation of a national privacy law. In addition, on September 26, 2018, executives of major tech companies are scheduled to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee in a hearing titled “Examining Safeguards for Consumer Data Privacy.”
Why the change of heart? The tech industry is increasingly concerned that other states will follow California’s lead and adopt strict new privacy laws modeled upon the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The tech companies fear they will be faced with obligations to comply with an overwhelmingly complicated patchwork of onerous state data privacy laws, and that they may be subject to more class action lawsuits in which plaintiffs will have the presumption of statutory damages. A federal privacy law could pre-empt such state laws and, if the tech industry has its way, could impose less restrictive requirements on the online collection, use and disclosure of consumer data.


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Last year the United States Postal Service (USPS) lost $15.9 billion dollars. The post office is scrambling to make changes that will allow it to continue operating. Last month they announced that Saturday mail delivery will end. There is also talk of closing thousands of post offices around the country.
However, the service cuts and closings might not provide enough savings to rescue the gigantic and antiquated agency that is burdened with bloated pension and healthcare obligations. So, the post office has had to look elsewhere for revenue and savings: the world of fashion.
Today (Feb 20th) is the anniversary of President George Washington signing the Postal Service Act. Yesterday we got the news that the United States Postal Service (USPS) was branching out and expanding their business. The plan? From the press release:
The Postal Service’s unofficial motto, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds,” serves as a backdrop for a licensing agreement the organization has signed with Cleveland-based fashion apparel company Wahconah Group, Inc. The agreement leverages Postal Service intellectual property by introducing the Rain Heat & Snow brand of apparel and accessory products.
Image: Wahconah Group
The Wahconah Group is described in the press release as, "is a minority-owned company based in Cleveland, OH, with extensive experience in the fashion apparel industry." However, the company's website never mentions the minority-owned element, but they do describe themselves thusly; "The Wahconah Group designs, sources, manufactures, and sells apparel with an initial focus on the men’s apparel market."
The press release makes mention of Wahconah's intent to create a women's line of USPS clothing "in the future." The initial launch will be for men's clothing only, with a focus on something called "smart apparel":
“This agreement will put the Postal Service on the cutting edge of functional fashion,” said Postal Service Corporate Licensing Manager Steven Mills. “The main focus will be to produce Rain Heat & Snow apparel and accessories using technology to create ‘smart apparel’ — also known as wearable electronics.”
The postal service is now focusing on "the cutting edge of functional fashion?" TheBlaze has read all of the original text of the 1792 Postal Services Act and the words fashion, clothing, and apparel are nowhere in the 8 1/2 page document.
Is it possible that the seeds for this postal fashion idea were planted on reality television? In the very first season of Bravo's Project Runway, the show had a challenge to redesign the uniforms of postal workers.
Or, did the United States Postal Service (USPS) just learn something from a 20-year-old Mel Brooks movie?
Either way, the move is important because, as the press release sates:
"The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations."
Are you looking forward seeing what fashion forward designs will come from the Post Office this Spring? And can fashion save the post office?


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U.S. stock futures were pointing to a higher Wall Street open, following two days of losses for the Dow and S&P 500. Despite those declines, the Dow was holding just above the 26,000 level, as of Wednesday's close. The June gains for the Dow and S&P 500, after a terrible May, remain the largest since January. (CNBC)
Oil prices spiked 3% higher this morning on reports of tanker explosions in the Gulf of Oman, near the coast of Iran. Two tankers sustained significant fire damage, just weeks after other cases of alleged ship sabotage in the region. U.S. Navy officials said they are seeking further details. (CNBC)
* OPEC oil output falls to 5-year low in May as group warns of weaker demand (CNBC)
* Trump still considering imposing sanctions on gas pipeline from Russia to Germany (CNBC)
On today's U.S. economic calendar, the government issues its reports on weekly initial jobless claims and May import and export prices at 8:30 a.m. ET. Meanwhile, there are no major companies reporting earnings this morning. Broadcom (AVGO) is out with quarterly numbers after the closing bell. (CNBC)
Shares of Restoration Hardware-parent RH were soaring more than 25% in premarket trading, after the luxury home furnishings retailer late Wednesday reported quarterly earnings and revenue that beat estimates. RH also raised its full-year forecast, and revealed that it raised some prices to mitigate the impact of higher China tariffs.
President Donald Trump said that he would accept information on his 2020 opponent if it was offered by foreign operatives. In an interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, Trump presented a hypothetical situation.
* Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker walks the line between business and the left (CNBC)
Former Trump aide Hope Hicks is set to provide testimony to the House Judiciary Committee next week, after having been subpoenaed last month in Democrats' efforts to investigate the president. It's a closed-door meeting, but a transcript will be released publicly. (WSJ)
* Michael Flynn hires new lawyer who urged him to withdraw guilty plea in Mueller case (CNBC)
The president lashed out against the increasing numbers of congressional investigations of him. During a meeting with his Polish counterpart, Trump said, "We have people that are totally out of control," accusing Democrats are trying to undermine his presidency. (Washington Post)
Hong Kong braced for the possibility of more violence today, as hundreds of demonstrators gathered in a park near the global trade and finance center. They're protesting proposed legal amendments that would allow people in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China. (CNBC)
* Hong Kong extradition law could jeopardize special economic agreement with the US (CNBC)
Alibaba (BABA) has filed confidentially for a Hong Kong initial public offering, according to multiple reports. The listing for the China e-commerce giant could happen as soon as the third quarter and could raise as much as $20 billion.
Target (TGT) is bringing its same-day delivery option to the masses, marking the latest move delivery wars with Walmart (WMT) and Amazon (AMZN). Shoppers in 47 states across the country will now be able to get items from online orders delivered same day by paying a flat fee of $9.99 per order. (CNBC)
* Walmart eliminates Jet president role as it further integrates e-commerce business (CNBC)
Tyson Foods (TSN) is rolling out plant-based nuggets this summer as part of a new brand, Raised & Rooted.. The recent hot IPO Beyond Meat (BYND), a former Tyson investment, previously sold plant-based chicken strips, but pulled the product from grocery store freezers earlier this year. (CNBC)
An Irish regulator conducting nearly one dozen investigations into Facebook (FB) told CNBC that "it's all going to remain to be seen" whether co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is serious about a shift toward privacy and security on the social media platform. (CNBC)
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said today a Fiat Chrysler (FCAU)-Renault merger remained an "interesting opportunity" but added he would tell the French carmaker's chairman that strengthening the Renault-Nissan alliance was the priority. (Reuters)
T-Mobile US (TMUS) and Sprint (S) could run into yet another hurdle for their planned merger. The New York Post reports that a judge is likely to approve a temporary restraining order in the case brought by state attorneys general to prevent the deal, which would effectively set the deal back another six months.
Colorado has now generated more than $1 billion in total state revenue from the legal marijuana industry, another milestone for the state which legalized cannabis in 2014. The state already has posted some big numbers: More than $6 billion in total sales of cannabis since the birth of the new industry. (CNBC)
A former Stanford sailing coach, who allegedly took bribes from a corrupt college consultant, was ordered to six months in home confinement, a lighter punishment than the 13-month sentence prosecutors sought. He's the first person to be sentenced in this year's college admissions scandal. (NY Times)
Shares of CrowdStrike (CRWD) were higher in premarket trading after nearly doubling at one stage on Wednesday in its first day of trading. The security software vendor closed more than 70% higher than its IPO price of $34 per share.
Lululemon (LULU) reported quarterly profit of 74 cents per share, 4 cents above estimates. Revenue was also well above forecasts. Same-store sales jumped 16% compared to estimates of 11.6%. The athletic apparel maker raised its full year forecast. Shares of Lululemon were sharply higher in the premarket.
Oxford Industries (OXM) reported adjusted fiscal first quarter profit of $1.30 per share, 9 cents above estimates, with the home furnishings retailer's revenue above estimates as well. Like RH, Oxford plans to raise prices selectively to deal with the impact of China tariffs.
The St. Louis Blues won the Stanley Cup for the first time ever, with a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins in a decisive Game 7. The visiting Blues not only completed a remarkable turnaround, considering they were dead last in the NHL in early January, but also ended the longest wait in league history for a championship. (Reuters)
Brooks Koepka, the two-time defending U.S. Open champion, and No. 1-ranked Dustin Johnson are the favorites to win the national championship at Pebble Beach as Round One begins today. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods is seeking his 16th major win after his victory at the Masters. (USA Today)


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On march 27 Apple released a new 9.7 inch iPad destined for students who want to take all the advantages of an iPad pro, including compatibility with the Apple Pencil, in a simple and cheaper way. Continue reading The perfect iPad for students
New information from case makers who have spoken with Japanese website Mac Otakara are rumoring a new iPhone SE launch in May. Continue reading New iPhone SE Rumored Launch
Apple Music has just passed its 40 million subscribers milestone, that is up from 38 million in which Eddy Cue said little under a month ago, According to a Eddy Cue’ memo obtained by Variety.


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As you kick off the week, here are five things making news in the cannabis industry:
- Information around the use of edibles and extracts presents one of the largest gaps in education. As our CEO explains in this feature, “unrestricted grants by industry to independent bodies would allow the development and on-the-ground delivery of effective educational campaigns.”
- One of Canada’s largest cannabis companies, Canopy Growth, has partnered with drug awareness organizations to create digital tools aimed at curbing drug abuse among young people. Global News has the details.
- Have questions about Health Canada’s cannabis licensing changes? The government is holding a digital information session on licensing changes on June 11. Register today with the password: Canada2019.
- ICYMI: The moratorium on permitting new cannabis stores in Alberta has been lifted and the province plans to issue five new licences per week. As Global news reports, the government will monitor the supply to make sure it remains consistent for all retailers.
- Food for Thought: From awareness and accountability to action, here are some thoughts on what workplaces need to consider before implementing cannabis drug testing.


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Sony Pictures Animation’s first CG feature OPEN SEASON opened in the #1 slot last weekend albeit with a weak $23 million (estimated) from 3,833 theaters. Box Office Mojo points out that this opening only seems good when compared to the weak box office of other recent CG films like EVERYONE’S HERO and THE ANT BULLY. It also notes that DreamWorks’s SHARK TALE opened on this same weekend in 2004 with $47.6 million. After this year’s glut of derivative, concept-deprived, gutless CG animated films, it’s unlikely we’ll be seeing many more of those $40+million openings, save for the occasional quality pic. Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment prez Yair Landau attempted to put a positive spin on the OPEN SEASON debut: “This is our first time out and we don’t have a track record or an existing brand that parents can look to. So we’re very pleased to open Open Season comparable to the level of The Polar Express or Monster House that had the [Robert] Zemeckis and [Steven] Spielberg names attached to them.”
It’s hard to imagine that there’s many Sony execs who are actually pleased with this opening. The amount of money they spent on OPEN SEASON clearly indicated that Sony thought it was capable of playing ball with CG’s big boys (Pixar, DreamWorks and Blue Sky) and instead they’ve turned out a big budget film that will end up grossing in the neighborhood of a mid-range feature like JIMMY NEUTRON or BARNYARD. I’d be particularly worried if I were Sony since their next CG feature is yet another ‘talking animal’ pic – SURF’S UP – and judging by the film’s recently released TRAILER, not a particularly good one at that. It’s a real shame that a studio filled with as much talent as Sony doesn’t have the vision to allow its artists to work with quality ideas. They’ll be paying for it at the box office, as evidenced this past weekend.


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Animoca Manufacturers, the father or mother firm of metaverse tasks like The Sandbox, has introduced it plans to launch a $2 billion metaverse fund. The brand new fund, which might be centered on returns for potential buyers eager to get extra Web3-related capital publicity, will focus its actions on firms within the mid-to-late funding phases.
Animoca Manufacturers Plans Animoca Capital Fund Launch
Animoca Manufacturers, some of the acknowledged metaverse and NFT firms within the ecosystem, has introduced plans to launch its personal metaverse fund. Based on statements made by co-founder Yat Siu to Nikkei on Nov. 29, the corporate goals to boost between $1 billion and $2 billion for this new initiative.
Animoca Manufacturers, which has raised $804 million from a number of buyers in a number of funding rounds already, goals to place the brand new funds (as soon as raised) into established metaverse platforms within the mid-to-late funding phases, because it seeks to prioritize income over growing the Web3 atmosphere, permitting companions to have direct investments in additional firms within the space.
On the explanations behind this choice, Siu said:
For lots of conventional buyers, investing in progress to a late stage is safer. It’s very totally different from investing in a seed startup, which has a lot greater danger.
The fund will probably be provisionally named Animoca Capital.
Metaverse and Web3 gaming have been sizzling matters for investing recently. Nonetheless, elevating funds within the aftermath of FTX’s fall and in present market situations is totally different. Nonetheless, Siu believes that, though difficult, the place Animoca Manufacturers is in facilitates this job. He defined:
In a bear market, what usually occurs is focus goes to market leaders.
Moreover, Siu said Animoca believes that the metaverse and Web3 gaming might be sturdy automobiles for cryptocurrency adoption, with actors that see the operate of those platforms in a different way from cryptocurrency merchants and speculators.
Animoca is just not the one firm that’s contemplating the potential of Web3 gaming and the metaverse sooner or later. On Nov. 29, Game7, a gaming-focused DAO (decentralized autonomous group), introduced the launch of a grants program that might make investments $100 million in numerous sectors of the Web3 gaming business, together with the tooling to permit programmers to streamline gaming growth.
The corporate didn’t provide extra particulars on the actors that might be keen on investing on this fund or the launch date of the proposed instrument.
What do you consider Animoca Manufacturers’ proposed $2 billion metaverse and Web3 gaming fund? Inform us within the feedback part under.
Picture Credit: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons
Disclaimer: This text is for informational functions solely. It’s not a direct provide or solicitation of a proposal to purchase or promote, or a suggestion or endorsement of any merchandise, providers, or firms. Bitcoin.com doesn’t present funding, tax, authorized, or accounting recommendation. Neither the corporate nor the writer is accountable, immediately or not directly, for any injury or loss precipitated or alleged to be attributable to or in reference to the usage of or reliance on any content material, items or providers talked about on this article.


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With three-year revenue growth of 85 percent, the National Automotive Styling Centers franchise ranks among America’s fastest-growing private companies.
BOLT ON ranked 2,683 overall on the list, with a three-year revenue growth rate of 144 percent.
“It feels great,” ProcureIT Network CEO Chris Martin said of the Inc. 5000 acknowledgement. “For our employees to receive this recognition and to see their hard work pay off when we’re grinding away every day is fantastic. Being ranked in the top 900 of privately held businesses in the U.S. in back-to-back years means a lot to everyone at ProcureIT Network.”
Ranking second in the Greater Philadelphia software industry, the automobile service-technology firm has been named one of the fastest-growing private companies in America.
DMA Holdings Inc. has been named to the prestigious Inc. 5000 list for a second consecutive year — climbing 289 spots to No. 1961.
The company celebrates the opening of new 125,000-square-foot office to accommodate continued rapid growth.
ClassicCars.com was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Phoenix. The company is home to the industry’s largest community of collector car owners, buyers and enthusiasts.
DMA also was ranked 15th out of the top 40 fastest-growing mid-market companies in the state of North Carolina by Business North Carolina and Cherry Bekaert LLP., in partnership with Manning, Fulton & Skinner, P.A. and Regions Bank.
Achieving almost 200-percent growth over three years through acquisition and organic growth, ISN says it is constantly innovating to maintain its position as one of the automotive aftermarket’s leading tool, equipment and supplies distributors.


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Kellogg Extends Sponsorship of FLW
By Community | November 13, 2012
FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that the Kellogg Company has renewed its sponsorship in a multi-year deal.
The Kellogg Company brands that will be featured by FLW include Frosted Flakes, Pop-Tarts,Rice Krispies Treats, Cheez-It and Pringles. The brands will be featured across FLW’s multiple platforms, including its tournaments and Expos, multiple websites, FLW Bass Fishingmagazine and the “FLW” television show on NBC Sports Network. “FLW” is broadcast Sundays in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network to more than 559 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
Kellogg’s will also serve as the title sponsor of the Angler of the Year award on the Walmart FLW Tour for the third consecutive year. The top pro and co-angler from the 2013 point standings after the six FLW Tour events will win the Kellogg’s Angler of the Year and Co-angler of the Year titles, respectively. The Angler of the Year will earn $100,000 and a berth in the 2014 Forrest Wood Cup, while the Co-angler of the Year will earn a new Ranger Z518 boat with a 200-horsepower outboard engine and a berth in the 2014 Forrest Wood Cup.
Four of the most successful anglers on the FLW Tour will again be representing Kellogg’s as brand ambassadors in 2013. Shinichi Fukae of Mineola, Texas, the first angler to win Angler of the Year honors in two different countries, will represent the Cheez-It brand. Dave Lefebre of Erie, Penn., the 2012 FLW Tour Kentucky Lake Champion, will again represent Frosted Flakes. Greg Bohannan of Rogers, Ark., a three-time FLW tournament winner, will be looking to cross the $500,000 mark in career winnings in 2013 while representing Pop-Tarts. Jim Tutt of Longview, Texas, a 15-year veteran of the FLW Tour with 27 career top-10 finishes, will represent Rice Krispies Treats.


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© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A Tesla sign is seen at its factory in Shanghai, China, May 13, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song
(Reuters) – Tesla (NASDAQ:) Inc has applied for regulatory clearance to expand its Shanghai plant and to begin producing for the first time pouch-type battery cells, albeit in small numbers.
An undated public notice said the potential expansion would give the Shanghai Gigafactory the capacity to produce 1.75 million powertrain units annually, up from 1.25 million currently.
It was not clear from the notice, posted on the website of the district where the factory is located, whether Tesla is committed to moving ahead with the expansion or is only seeking approval for potential, future capacity.
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.
The automaker is also looking for clearance to produce pouch-type battery cells, the notice said, adding that a trial production line would have initial annual capacity to make 20,000-amp-hours of cells, equivalent to the power in a single Model Y battery pack.
It was not clear how Tesla would use the pouch cells, which it has not previously used in its electric vehicles.
Pouch cells, widely used in consumer electronics, differ from the cells Tesla has used for EVs in that the battery components are housed in a more flexible metal bag rather than a rigid cylinder. They are used by some automakers including General Motors (NYSE:).
Tesla is also looking to set up new facilities to recycle chemicals for waste-water treatment in the plant.
The notice, part of a standard procedure for environmental clearance in China, said Tesla is seeking public comment on the environmental impact of the potential expansion through Wednesday.
Tesla’s Shanghai plant, its largest worldwide, produced about 726,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in 2022, more than half of the automaker’s global sales.
Tesla is also seeking to ramp up production of cylindrical, 4680 battery cells in China and has brought in new suppliers to cut costs, Reuters has reported.
Chief Executive Elon Musk has said he would prefer to have a surplus of battery cells that could be directed to the company’s power-storage business rather than a shortage, because running short would mean “the factories stall”.
Tesla also said last month it would open a Shanghai factory to produce its commercial energy storage units known as Megapacks, which can be used to store power from renewable sources like solar.
Each Megapack costs about $1.9 million before installation.
This story originally appeared on Investing


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The Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports (MedCruise) held its 40th General Assembly in Tunis Tunisia on May 31st and June 1st with over 100 participants including over 80 delegates representing 39 port members and 10 associate members nine guest speakers and three international trade journalists.
The event started with the welcoming interventions of Mr Mohamed Daoud (Deputy Chairman OMMP) Mr. Khaled Trabelsi (Director of Investments) and Mr. Salah Adala (Director of the Ministry of Internal Affairs).
The assembly voted in three new port members: Brindisi (Italy) Corfu (Greece) and Kotor (Montenegro). This brings membership to 71 port members representing more than 100 ports in 21 countries. Also two associate members were voted in: Patronat de Turisme Costa Brava (Palamos Spain) and Tartus Tours (Odessa Ukraine). MedCruise now has 28 associate members and a total of 99 members.
Several important matters of business were discussed at the General Assembly on Thursday May 31st including Promotional activities and Events the MedCruise Professional Development Course European Commission and IMO policies Port Security Economic Impact Studies Traffic Statistics and Projections.
The assembly voted to hold its 42nd General Assembly in May 2013 in Batumi (Georgia) on the Black Sea.
On Thursday May 31st there was a roundtable on the issue of Security which was discussed between the cruise lines and the member ports delegates and on Friday morning delegates heard presentations from the cruise line representatives.
The guest speakers participating in these two sessions were:
Guest speakers presented their views of the market new builds deployment itineraries and cruise lines’ port relations.
Following the presentations MedCruise set up one-on-one business-to-business meetings between cruise line executives and MedCruise member port representatives and between member ports and the press.
To conclude the event on Friday June 1st the hosts took a group of over 80 members and guest speakers in a 45 minutes flight to Tozeur in the middle of the Sahara in the South of Tunis for a one day excursion in 4×4 through the dessert including a dinner with 5000 candles in the old village of Tamerza a visit to the oasis of Chebika and the site of Mos Espa and a lunch in the Oasis Golf club of Tozeur.
- – Eduardo Lopez-Puertas Vice President Land Operations Pullmantur
- – Elisabetta de Nardo Head of Port Operations and Development Costa Crociere
- – Giora Israel Senior Vice President Global Port and Destination Development Carnival Corporation & PLC
- – Capt. Howard A. Newhoff Manager Terminal and Port Security – Global Security Department Royal Caribbean Cruises
- – John Tercek Vice President New Business Development Royal Caribbean Cruises
- – Justin Poulsen Manager Deployment and itinerary planning Holland America
- – Capt. Luigi Pastena Port Captain MSC Crociere
- – Michel Nestour Vice President Global port and destination development â€“ EuroMed Carnival Corporation & PLC
- – Rusell Daya Director of Marine Port Security Operations & Maritime Affairs Disney Cruises
- – Tim Marking Secretary General European Cruise Council


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BaseKit, a website building platform available to customers of Tsohost,Fasthosts, UK2, 123-Reg and other web hosts, has secured £4.5 million (about $7.35 million) in funding from the Angel CoFund, a government-backed investment fund in the UK.
The investment announcement follows the recent launch of the new BaseKit website and the announcement of its 100th partner. According to CEO BaseKit Juan Lobato, the company will use this funding to further develop the BaseKit platform.
“We will also be announcing new capabilities within Editor 7, the first site editor built for the mobile-device age,” Lobato said in a statement.
In an increasingly competitive website builder marketplace, BaseKit’s focus this year will be is on partnering with leading hosting and telecom companies. Through its partners, it is currently deploying 40,000 new subscriptions per month.
Platforms that fuse website building tools and web hosting such as Yola, Weebly and SquareSpace, have made it easier for a small business or individual to have a professional presence. The integration of a service like BaseKit might be what many traditional web hosts need to appeal to this crowd.


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Once again Ubisoft shows us a new DLC for Assassin Creed 4, but this time its not any DLC pack but its a Single-Player DLC .
Like scheduled from the beginning to launch before March 2014, ‘Freedom Cry’ offers a nine mission “self-contained” single-player story starring new character Adewale and set 15 years after the events of Black Flag.
“Born a slave, Adewale found freedom as a pirate aboard the Jackdaw as Captain Edward Kenway’s second-in-command,” says Ubisoft. “Fifteen years later, Adewale has become a trained assassin and finds himself shipwrecked in Saint-Domingue with no weapon nor crew, starting a new adventure of his own.”
This content will be available only to those who have the season pass offering a 20 per cent discount on purchasing each piece of AC4’s upcoming DLC individually.
For more news and updates about Xbox one be sure to follow us at twitter Follow @myxboblog


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TC Electronic Now Supports AAX Plug-In Format
TC Electronic announced today that its cross-platform LM6 Radar Loudness Meter, scheduled for launch in December, will also support Avid’s new AAX plug-in format.
At the recent AES Convention in New York City, Avid presented a new plug-in format for Pro Tools 10: AAX (Avid Audio eXtension). One of the most frequently asked questions for third-party plug-in developers during the show was how soon they would be able to support this new format. TC says its LM6 Radar Loudness Meter, which was also introduced at AES, will support the new AAX format right from the start.


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Nov 16, 2020
Annual event designed to boost the economy more important this year
(Warsaw, NY) – Now more than ever, we need to find ways to help our struggling small businesses, and the annual Shop Wyoming and Win event is one way that our local community can make that happen. At the same time, shopping in Wyoming County this holiday season can pay off for a few lucky shoppers!
If the 2020 AFC team has five or more takeaways from the 2020 NFC team during the Super Bowl, one lucky individual will be drawn to win a cash prize of $25,000. Even if that doesn’t happen, there is still an opportunity to win one of three great guaranteed prizes including a gas grill donated by Ace Hardware of Attica & Warsaw; a massaging/heated rocker recliner donated by Harding’s Furniture, Flooring and Mattress; and new this year, a ‘Shop Local’ gift card basket valued at $1,000.
"This has been the Chamber's most successful shop local promotion, now celebrating 10 years, and we are pleased it’s grown each and every year," said Chamber President Scott Gardner. "This year brings new challenges to our local economy that our small business community never before experienced. Now more than ever, we are encouraging shoppers to ‘shop local to save local’ right here at home. Our Wyoming County businesses are the backbone of our local economy and this shopping season is more important than ever to help them survive and thrive together."
Participation is easy, simply save all your receipts from purchases made anywhere in Wyoming County between “Black Friday,” November 27, 2020 and Christmas Eve, December 24, 2020. Every $50 a shopper spends cumulatively in Wyoming County creates one eligible entry in the $25,000 conditional drawing, as well as the drawing for the guaranteed prizes.
Shoppers must submit receipts to the Wyoming County Chamber or at drop boxes that will be located at Chamber member businesses throughout the County. All receipts must be received by 5:00 PM on January 8, 2021.
All receipts must be originals and have the shopper’s full name, phone number, address, and email clearly written or stamped on the receipt. The drawing will be held on February 9, 2021 at the Wyoming County Government Center. Receipts can be mailed to the Chamber office at 36 Center Street, Suite A, Warsaw, NY 14569.
Now celebrating 10 years, the successful holiday promotion is part of the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce’s Buy Local program that seeks to encourage shoppers to buy their products locally and discover all the great products and services found in Wyoming County. The Chamber’s online member directory hosts over 500 businesses where shoppers can find the gifts, goods, and services they may be looking for this holiday season.
For questions or complete contest rules please contact the Chamber at (585) 786-0307 or visit the website at www.wycochamber.org. Consumers can also text the word ‘WYCOCHAMBER’ to the number 22828, to receive special updates about sales and promotions at local businesses.
The Wyoming County Chamber & Tourism is the leading membership organization for local and regional growth, advocacy, and connection for Wyoming County’s business community. The Chamber & Tourism’s mission is to serve the members and community; promote and grow the area’s economic and tourism assets; and work collaboratively to create an environment that leads to the success and economic prosperity of Wyoming County. The key programs and services of the organization are educational seminars; leadership development; business assistance and guidance; cost-saving opportunities; advocacy; recognition, networking, exposure and promotional opportunities.
For more information or to become a member please call 585-786-0307 or visit the website at www.wycochamber.org.
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Visitors amped-up about staying at the world’s first guitar-shaped hotel will soon be able to make reservations.
Starting Wednesday, July 24, The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood will begin booking guests.
The $1.5 billion hotel is part of a larger $2.2 billion expansion plan that has seen massive upgrades to the company’s Tampa and Hollywood locations.
Standing 450 feet tall, the one-of-a-kind guitar-shaped hotel has 638 bedrooms that start at 515 square feet.
“The guitar tower will attract casino players and other visitors from throughout the country and around the world,” said Hard Rock International Chairman and Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen. “It will put South Florida on the map as a world-class gaming destination, and it will have a huge economic impact on Florida. The gaming industry will never be the same.”
Adjacent to the guitar hotel is the Oasis Tower that offers 168 upscale rooms, including swim-up suites that let guests step directly out onto the pool area.
Allen told CNN he is particularly excited about the “Bora Bora” style pool area with private cabanas ranging from 400 to 800 square feet that are submerged in water and come with butler service.
As for food and drinks, there will be no shortage of options with this new expansion. There are 16 unique restaurants in addition to 20 bars and lounges on the property. The dining options include a contemporary Italian-American restaurant, Latin American- and Spanish-inspired grills, a 24-hour American diner and deli, a buffet with themed menus, an artisanal coffee shop and much more.
While the hotel is grabbing all the headlines, let’s not forget it’s the entertainment options that make the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino really sing.
As guests walk in they will be met by “The Oculus,” which the Hard Rock describes as “sight and sound extravaganza combining elements of water, fire and technology in a series of floor-to-ceiling shows choreographed to music.”
Visitors can then move on to the expanded casino that now offers:
Over 200 Table Games
3,100 Slot Machines
45-Table Poker Room
High Limit Slots Room
Non-Smoking Slots Room
Exclusive Plum Lounge For High Rollers
The company also invested more than $125 million in creating the state-of-the-art Hard Rock Live, a 7,000-seat theater-style performance venue that’s expected to schedule at least 200 nights of shows. Adam Levine and Maroon 5 are headlining the grand opening of Hard Rock Live on October 25.
With the hotel set to open in three months, the Hard Rock still looking to fill more than 600 jobs. Positions include: guest services, chefs and cooks, servers, stewards, attendants, concierge and more.
The hotel will officially open on October 24, so for latest rates, packages and reservations, contact Customer Care at (866) 502-7529 or visit seminolehardrockhollywood.com.
Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.


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After being leaked several times, the new Samsung Galaxy S III seems to carrying some mighty features with it. Reportedly, an unnamed Samsung executive has confirmed to the publication that the Galaxy S 3 will sport Samsung’s new quad core Exynos processor, on-board LTE and WCDMA radios, according to Korea Times.
We had previously heard that the Galaxy S3 smartphone could feature a quad core 1.5GHz processor, but now it looks like the handset will run on a Samsung self-made quad core Exynos 4112 processor.
Other rumored specs include a 4.8-inch full HD 1080p display, an 8-megapixel rear snapper a 2MP front shooter, a ceramic case, 4G LTE connectivity and Ice Cream Sandwich in tow.
However, the executive didn’t have any more hardware details on the GSIII to spill, sadly leaving us almost as unenlightened as we were previously. No less than three different “leaks” of the new phone sprang up last week, didn’t confirm exact things. Though we suspect it’s not the last leak, check back often, for your surprising pleasure with another leak.


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August 11, 2016
MIAMI, FL–(Marketwired – August 11, 2016) – Global dance-fitness leader Zumba is bringing new beats to life with famed music producer Timbaland in promotion of its non-dance, HIIT-inspired workout, STRONG by Zumba™. The grammy-award winning super producer known for his collaboration with many chart topping singers, recently made an appearance at the annual Zumba® Instructor Convention in Orlando, FL., where 7,500 fitness professionals gathered for the largest branded convention in the world. During the weekend-long celebration of events, he revealed his partnership with the brand to create exclusive music for its new program that focuses on Synced Music Motivation for an unforgettable group fitness experience.
“I was excited about the idea that a fitness brand approached exercise in a way that no one has done before — a workout created where music is the main motivator,” said Timbaland. “They are using music in a way to maximize your workout, and I want to create music that inspires and pushes people past their limits. This has never been done before and STRONG by Zumba is going to change the perception of HIIT-inspired workouts.”
STRONG by Zumba is a combination of HIIT, bodyweight exercises and strength training; however, the main differentiator is the importance Zumba has placed on the relationship of syncing music to movement, ensuring music is not just an afterthought. The songs are crafted and reverse engineered to match every move, pushing participants way past perceived limits. In a 2012 study by C.J Bacon of Sheffield Hallam University, Karageorghis, it appeared that moving in sync with music allows the body to use energy more efficiently. Other research cited by Scientific American explains that music may distract people from pain and fatigue, elevate mood, increase endurance and even promote metabolic efficiency.
“We have spent years bringing outsiders into the fitness world by making exercise enjoyable through music and fitness. Now we are using that expertise to introduce a completely new concept of interval training that uses synced music motivation,” said Zumba’s CEO, Alberto Perlman. “Music plays a fundamental role in any workout and, by partnering with incredible music producers like Timbaland, we are creating infectious beats that will help fuel that concept and push participants to work harder and feel the afterburn.”
In celebration of the partnership, Timbaland made appearances at classes and sold out trainings for “STRONG by Zumba” at the annual convention in Orlando and sat down with Zumba CEO Alberto Perlman to discuss the importance of music in fitness. Watch the full interview here. STRONG by Zumba trainings launched in June and classes will soon roll out globally. For more information, visit the strongbyzumba.com.


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After Tesla officially announced its entry into the Indian market earlier this year, they have been talking to the Indian government to get tax reliefs. Last month, the Union Government said that it will consider the lowering of the import duty and offer other SOPs to Tesla in the future if only they set up a manufacturing facility in India. However, the Reuters report now claims that the Indian government is now considering lowering the taxes for imported vehicles.
The report says that two senior government officials have confirmed that India may lower the import duties on electric cars to as low as 40%. This comes after Tesla’s multiple appeals to the government to cut import duties for electric vehicles.
Also read: Tata Hornbill HBX micro SUV: What its electric version will look like
Currently, there are two slabs of import duties on electric cars. For vehicles valued under $40,000 or about Rs 30 lakh, the import duty is set at 60%. For the vehicles that are valued at more than $40,000, the import duties are currently set at 100%. The government is now considering reducing the tax from 60% to 40% for the vehicle valued at less than $40,000 and from 100% to 60% for the vehicles valued at more than $40,000.
The unnamed officials told Reuters that they are yet to decide the final import duties. However, the discussions are ongoing.
Tesla has hinted at a delay
Earlier Elon Musk replied to a Tweet requesting the launch of the Tesla cars in India at the earliest by saying that the import duties are the highest in the world in India. Musk expressed that Tesla wants to launch the vehicles as soon as possible but the high import tax is going against them. He also said that electric vehicles are getting the same treatment from the government as petrol or diesel vehicles, which is not consistent with the Indian government’s plan for climate change.
The Indian government has already said that it will consider lowering the taxes for Tesla in the future only if they set up a manufacturing unit in India. However, Musk argued that they will make a decision on setting up a manufacturing plant in India after gauging the success of the cars that they import to the country initially. Interestingly, many states have already offered land to Tesla to set up a factory in India.
Tesla to import from China
All the Tesla models in India will be imported as Completly Built Units or CBU and that is why it will attract massive import taxes and duties. The entry-level Model 3 is likely to get a price tag of around Rs 60 lakh, ex-showroom. It will become the most expensive electric sedan in India on its launch.
The first product is likely to have a price tag of around Rs 60 lakh. Since the import taxes are very high in India and Tesla will launch the car as CBU, it will command a high price tag. Tesla has set up a Gigafactory in China and the products are likely to be imported from there. If Tesla ever builds a manufacturing facility in India, the price of the vehicles may come down to Rs 30 lakh but that might take years to happen.
Also read: Citroen”s 3 new cars for India DETAILED


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IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of InterContinental Riyadh King Fahed Road as part of a master development agreement with RIVA Development Company via its wholly owned subsidiary RIVA Hospitality for Hotel Services Company.
The latest development follows the signing of Hotel Indigo Riyadh King Abdallah Road and is the second of at least seven hotels to be announced with the partner, with all openings set to take place in Saudi Arabia across IHG’s portfolio of brands in the coming years.
Expected to open in March 2025, InterContinental Riyadh King Fahed Road will add to IHG’s current brand portfolio of nine operating InterContinental hotels in the Kingdom. The hotel will feature 250 rooms and 150-unit apartments as part of InterContinental Residences as well as a pool, fitness center and spa where guests can relax and rejuvenate.
InterContinental has a strong legacy in Saudi Arabia, having opened InterContinental Riyadh in 1975. IHG has since positioned itself as one of the largest hospitality players in the country.
The hotel will have five dining options, a business center, 784 square meters of meeting and events space including a 600-square-meter ballroom.
Haitham Mattar, managing director, India, Middle East & Africa of IHG, said: “As part of our continued growth strategy, and in line with the Saudi Tourism Development Strategy, we are proud to partner with RIVA Development Company as we expand our presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. IHG has a strong and credible reputation in the luxury segment through the iconic InterContinental brand which has enjoyed great success in Saudi Arabia over the last four decades. InterContinental Riyadh King Fahed Road will be a brand defining property and will offer guests exceptional experiences immersed in local hospitality and international service excellence.
He added: “Vision 2030 provides great opportunities for the hospitality sector and we have ambitious plans to support the country’s strategic growth plan, now and into the future. We look forward to continuing IHG’s legacy with the opening of InterContinental Riyadh King Fahed Road.”
IHG currently operates 38 hotels across five brands in Saudi Arabia, including: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn , Staybridge Suites and voco with a further 20 hotels in the development pipeline due to open within the next three to five years.


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As difficult as 2020 was, strong worldwide ecommerce sales combined with momentum held over from a solid 2019 helped Proctor & Gamble Co. to grow net sales by 8% year over year in the first half of its fiscal 2021 year.
We need to perform in this ecommerce channel.
Jon Moeller, vice chairman, chief operating and financial officer
The Procter & Gamble Co.
“We’ve had a strong year-to-date outcome with ecommerce growing 50%, now above 14% of the business globally,” Jon Moeller, vice chairman, chief operating officer and chief financial officer, said on a conference call with investment analysts last month for the fiscal second quarter and first half ended Dec. 31, according to a transcript from Seeking Alpha.
More than $5 billion in first-half ecommerce sales
Figuring that 14% figure, P&G worldwide ecommerce sales amounted to about $5.5 billion for the six months ended Dec. 31.
By comparison, P&G said total net sales for the fiscal second quarter increased by 8.3% year over year to $19.75 billion. For the six months ended Dec. 31, P&G reported an 8.4% year-over-year increase in net sales to $39.06 billion.
Moeller, responding to a question regarding his expectation that ecommerce will reach 20% of total sales, noted that ecommerce was “not far from closing in on that 20% level, particularly with those kinds of growth rates.”
P&G’s market share in ecommerce, though different by product category and by country market, he said, is “slightly higher” than the company’s market share in “brick-and-mortar shares.”
Crucial to perform well in ecommerce
Moeller went on to say that it’s crucial for P&G to perform well in ecommerce, and he noted that P&G’s position as a big supplier of established brands provided it with a “conducive situation for growth.”
“We need to perform in this channel against all the vectors of superiority just as we do in the others,” he said.
Along with the increasing strength in ecommerce sales, P&G benefitted in 2020 from a 6% year-over-year increase in pre-COVID organic sales during the calendar year 2019. “Building on that strong momentum, we accelerated organic top-line growth in calendar year 2020, which we just completed to nearly 8%.” Moeller added that P&G overcame “significant challenges,” including drops in sales to dental offices and to hotels and restaurants experiencing a downturn in professional business travel.
Sign up for a complimentary subscription to Digital Commerce 360 B2B News, published 4x/week, covering technology and business trends in the growing B2B ecommerce industry. Contact editor Paul Demery at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @pdemery.


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Taleb Rifai, United Nations World Tourism Organisation‘s secretary general, expressed his, as well as the organization’s confidence regarding Greece’s continuing growth in the tourism sector.
In 2015, international tourist arrivals to Greece grew by seven percent reaching 23.6 million, while exports generated by the sector increased by six percent to €14.2 billion.
Meeting Greek minister of tourism Elena Kountoura to discuss the situation and prospects of tourism in Europe and Greece Rifai said: “We have no doubt that Greece will maintain a powerful image worldwide as a major tourism destination and that the country will consolidate its growth in 2016, as shown by booking trends.”
This vow of support is timely for Greece as the country is advancing implementation of its new tourism policy framework, launched in 2015 to enhance international tourism.
Kountoura added: “The Aegean islands are already showing a positive trend in bookings and are ready to welcome an increased number of tourists for the current season.”
The diversification of the touristic offer is also of benefit to Greek hospitality, as well as the development of new destinations and the opening of high-end accommodation facilities and services.
Source: Breaking Travel News
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!


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JoJo Maman Bebe warns of price rises as shipping costs surge
The baby goods retailer said shipping costs had quadrupled in the past 18 months - as separate retail industry figures showed that already last month there were signs of pressures facing business filtering through to higher prices.
Wednesday 1 September 2021 15:20, UK
JoJo Maman Bebe has said that surging shipping costs meant it would have to implement its most significant price rises for five years.
The baby goods retailer said that those costs had quadrupled in the past 18 months while it had also been hit by paper and wood shortages delaying the delivery of its products.
It comes as figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) suggested that rising costs were already starting to filter through to consumers in August.
JoJo's commercial director Gwynn Milligan, said: "We have seen shipping costs quadrupling in the past 18 months and have had to review our prices to an extent that we have not had to do for five years.
"We have also been affected by paper and wood shortages which has meant longer lead times for delivery of product."
JoJo said price increases would affect this season's collection, but that it was also selling some Christmas stock early that had not been affected.
It comes as a monthly shop price index from the BRC and NielsenIQ showed that, while prices were 0.8% lower in August compared to the same month last year, they rose by 0.4% from June.
BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: "There are some modest indications that rising costs are starting to filter through into product prices."
Ms Dickinson said issues such as the global shortage of microchips had already pushed up the prices of electrical products. She added that food retailers were fighting to keep the lid on their prices, but faced mounting pressures from rising commodity and shipping costs to Brexit-related red tape.
Ms Dickinson said food price rises were likely in coming months.
Meanwhile, disruption caused by the widely-reported shortage of lorry drivers could mean reduced choice and increased prices of goods in shops in the run-up to Christmas, she added.
The end of pandemic lockdowns has resulted in a worldwide jolt to supply chains as demand ramps up again - in some cases resulting in higher prices.
Central bank officials in the UK and the US maintain that the resultant spike in inflation is transitory - but if it proves not to be they will face a tough decision on whether to start raising ultra-low interest rates to combat the price rises.


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Users of the new-age investment platform, Grip Invest have become shareholders in the company through a user-led equity funding round. Announcing this, the company said in a press statement that the funding round initiated on strong demand from its users, saw Grip secure $1 million. Grip provided its top 200 users the opportunity to invest via convertible notes which they will be able to convert into equity at a 20 perent discount in the next funding round.
This is a first in the Indian startup ecosystem, where a privately owned company has presented an unique opportunity to its users to become shareholders in the firm, the company said.
Nikhil Aggarwal, Founder & CEO, Grip Invest, said, “Since we closed our last funding round, there was a growing demand from our users to present an opportunity where they can contribute towards the making of a tech-driven new-age investment platform. Based on the user demand, we offered this to our most engaged users and they showed immense love and belief to set us on a path to reinvent the investment landscape in India.”
Grip Invest received strong demand from its users, who have been actively investing through the alternative investment platform. Close to 100 users participated in the round.
Vivek Gulati, Co-founder & COO, Grip Invest, said, "Drawing on the trust our users have reposed in us and from the success of this initiative, we will continue to offer similar opportunities to more users in the near future.”
With this round, the total funds raised by Grip stands at $4.6 million. The company aims to utilize the funding to strengthen its team, augment its product portfolio and develop best-in-class features to enhance the digital investment experience.
Aashish Jindal, Co-founder & CPO, Grip Invest said, “I am happy to deepen our relationship with our users, who will now become company shareholders.”
The initiative comes as Grip Invest is looking to create a new asset-backed non-market linked investment category. Previously, Grip Invest had raised $3 million in a Series A round led by Venture Highway and Endiya Partners.
(To receive our E-paper on whatsapp daily, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)


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Brexit clock ticking fast for Irish firms to get VAT-ready
If a week is a long time in politics, then a year is an absolute eternity in the politics of Brexit.
Last year, we outlined the VAT implications of Britain’s looming departure from the EU. Already complicated, the picture has since become even cloudier as the UK’s Internal Market Bill pushes for a new law that would change post-Brexit customs and trade rules in Northern Ireland. Things are far from resolved, and one Brexit issue which could impact businesses in Ireland is VAT. For the many Irish firms that rely on the UK/NI markets for goods; VAT will be extremely complex with significant challenges in terms of cashflow, administrative burden, and overall competitiveness.
“The first thing to say is that the proposal to change the Northern Ireland VAT regime under the Ireland / NI Protocol to the Withdrawal Agreement will probably make it the most complicated in Europe,” says Cróna Clohisey, Public Policy Lead with Chartered Accountants Ireland.
“Under the Protocol, Northern Ireland will follow most EU VAT rules in relation to goods but this is not the case with services,” she says. “There are potential headaches in store for Irish companies exporting to, and especially importing from, the UK, and you must start getting on top of the rules now.
Come the first of January 2021, the UK will effectively operate three different VAT regimes. These include VAT rules for goods in Northern Ireland, which will continue to reflect the current position under EU law. For the rest of the UK (Britain excluding Northern Ireland), there will be a different VAT regime for goods. And finally, the UK will have a separate set of VAT rules for services.
No postponement on VAT payments
“If you’re an Irish firm trading with Britain, that’s where the biggest change is going to happen as you’re now going to be dealing in imports and exports rather than intra-community supplies,” says Cróna Clohisey. “For many businesses, this will be the first time they’ve had to deal with the rules for imports and exports.”
“The main issue will be for Irish companies importing goods from Britain,” she says. “From next year, you will be responsible for the import VAT and that will have to be paid immediately on import, whereas pre-Brexit any VAT arising could be dealt with later in your tax return.”
“If you’re adding 21% to goods worth €100,000, that’s an additional €21,000 you have to come up with that you may not have had to come up with before,” Clohisey adds to illustrate the point. “You will be able to claim it back later, but you could be waiting as long as 10 weeks before you’re able to recoup it in your next VAT return if you don’t have a deferred payment arrangement with Revenue.
“Although the UK Government has announced that it will postpone import VAT regardless of the Brexit outcome, the Irish Government has said it will only postpone import VAT on goods traded with Britain in the event of a no-deal Brexit,” she says.
“Irish importers will be able to account for the VAT later, as they currently do on goods from the UK. If an agreement is reached between the EU and UK, VAT on imports from Britain could cause significant cashflow issues,” Clohisey says. “This is probably one of the biggest challenges that Irish firms will have to deal with in terms of importing goods from Britain, particularly those who don’t have a deferred payment account with Revenue.”
Registering for UK VAT
Another unforeseen issue coming down the tracks is the potential need to register for VAT in the UK. Up to now, many businesses were happily trading within the EU, so Irish firms did not necessarily need to register for VAT in the UK – that is about to change. “Situations will arise in 2021 where you will need to register for UK VAT, or where it will be more appropriate to do so,” says Cróna Clohisey.
“The problem with VAT registration is that it can take a long time,” she says. “Remember, you’re dealing with a new trading regime and HMRC (UK tax authority) won’t just hand out these registrations to anyone, they need to check it’s a legitimate business and that can take weeks.
“If you wait until January [to register], it could be March or April before you get your VAT registration,” Clohisey warns. “I’d be doing it now, don’t wait.”
While the ‘carving-out’ of Northern Ireland continues to make political headlines, it’s clear that there are customs and VAT-related ripples that will have a profound effect on Irish companies dealing with the UK.
“Now is the time to prepare,” says Cróna Clohisey. “Many Irish firms, especially the smaller guys, will need assistance and advice to understand the new UK/NI trading regime and how it affects them. There are some good supports out there including revenue.ie or, as a first port of call, you should talk to your accountant or financial controller.”


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Lenovo Yoga™ C930 Features Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos Speaker System
Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) and Amazon (NYSE:AMZN) announced today that Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryanwill be available on Prime Video in both Dolby Atmos® and Dolby Vision™ HDR starting August 31....
Dolby Laboratories, Inc.(NYSE:DLB) today announced a partnership with Huawei to launch the HUAWEI P20 and HUAWEI P20 Pro with Dolby Atmos sound and Dolby® AC-4.
On March 22, 2018, Andy Sherman, EVP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Dolby Laboratories, Inc. and Jianwei Zhou, Supervisor of Science and Technology Committee, General Director of Major Pro...
Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) today announced that it has formed a global, strategic intellectual property (IP) partnership with Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd. The new c...
Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) today announced a partnership with Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. to launch the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ with Dolby Atmos® sound.
On January 16, 2018, Dolby Laboratories hosted the Seventh Annual San Francisco Chapter GRAMMY Nominee Celebration at The Regency Center. Photo credit: James Butler, Dolby Laboratories.


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rue21 to see further expansion
February 21, 2013
WEIRTON – rue21 is going to base its new e-commerce division at its distribution center in the Three Springs Drive business park, a company official told members of the Rotary Club of Weirton......
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The Lakeview and West Town chambers of commerce want to bill their neighborhoods as bike-friendly places to spend money, and are working to unveil a joint program to offer discounts to cyclists in June.
Lakeview chamber officials have recruited about 25 businesses to participate the "Bike Friendly Business District" program, executive director Heather Kitzes said. West Town has recruited a similar number of businesses, its program director said.
Both chambers said the concept is to create a zone where businesses and community groups promote bicycle use as part of their neighborhood 'brand' with special promotions and cycling infrastructure such as bike racks or fix-it stations.
After consulting with the city and Active Transportation Alliance, the neighborhoods sought to market their bike-friendly programs together.
"We have a huge biking population that lives and works in West Town, and quite a few bike shops as well," said Katharine Wakem, program manager for the West Town chamber.
"After seeing the overall trend of the amount of bikers that come to the area, as well as what people are into, the ideas started flowing.
"… It's exciting because I feel like this is going to be a really popular program that we're doing together," she said.
The exact details are still a work in progress. But eventually cyclists who show up to a participating neighborhood businesses with their helmet might be eligible for a free cup of coffee, pastry or discounts on other services.
Organizers are also looking into events that would bring cyclists from one neighborhood to the other.
"Biking is good for business," Kitzes said. "Some businesses, we're hoping, will get really creative with what they're offering to bikers."
For Lakeview, the idea is rooted in the neighborhood's master plan, a segment of which calls for expanded bike infrastructure in the area. "Lakeview is congested," Kitzes said. "Which is great because it means more people are coming to the area, but promoting biking is a great way to alleviate car congestion. It's healthy, it has multiple benefits."
The chamber director said studies also show cycling customers tend to spend and shop more.
"And they're more likely to stay local, they're more likely to shop in their neighborhood," Kitzes said. "When people are moving slower, they're just more aware of what's going on."
For now, Kitzes and Wakem said the chambers are working to develop the program. More details should be released by the time it's set to launch in June.


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The Kicks You Wear, Vol. 70 — Complex, WYD?
Accountability is the word of the day
|Mike D. Sykes, II||Jun 22, 2020||1|
Good morning, folks! Welcome back to the Kicks You Wear. Thank you so much for spending a bit of time with me on this Monday morning. Let’s have a fantastic week!
We’re going to start off with a shoutout to y’all today! Thanks for getting your boy to a stack. The raffle is coming today! Don’t forget.
Let’s jump right in.
Be better, Complex
Love them or hate them, there’s no debating that Complex is one of the most visible mediums on the internet when it comes to covering Black culture. Sneakers, fashion, sports — you name it, they have it. They’re seen as a leader.
That’s why it’s so disappointing to hear about their negligence when it comes caring for Black employees who come from the very culture they profit off of.
Tiffany Wines, a former Complex employee and a Black woman, opened up about that negligence and abuse she faced while at the company via an open letter to Complex posted on Twitter.
She describes a toxic workplace with nepotism issues, rape culture, and an absurd instance of brushing aside of essential company policies. It’s jarring.
You should read the whole thing but here’s a snippet from the beginning.
Complex Networks issued a statement of solidarity with the Black community in the wake of protests calling for justice for victims of police brutality….This is contradictory to the day-to-day reality of working at the company as a Black woman or woman of color…Complex Networks would not and could not exist without Black art, Black consumers, and Black labor, but the company itself is not a safe space for its most vulnerable population: Black women.
Complex later responded, saying they “disagree with some of the assertions made” by Wines based on investigations they’ve conducted but would continue to investigate any claim that doesn’t reflect company values.
Wines wasn’t alone in her story, though.
After she came out with her story, a number of folks in the replies to the tweet came out with horror stories of their own.
The experiences read similarly and there were a number of people who came out in support and solidarity with Wines.
As Wines said, this is a company that profits off of Black culture and Black people. Treating Black women and women of color in this way is unacceptable. If things are as Wines alleges, all credibility is lost.
Sadly, though, this is the norm.
Just look at the Adidas protests from a few weeks back. Things start to read similarly when you read the memo written by Julia Bond.
And these are both companies that are fueled by black culture. There are so many more entities like this with employees who just aren’t comfortable speaking up.
Black culture fuels everything these entities produce. But they don’t treat the folks who come from that culture with care — especially Black women, who are held to ridiculous standards. On top of that, they don’t hire Black.
Like Bond, Wines is holding Complex accountable. This is a check. She’s making sure that what they preach in public they do behind closed doors. This will be a situation to keep our eyes on moving forward.
That’s exactly what we need in this moment. Shoutout to these women for leading the way.
GIVE BEYONCE A SIGNATURE SHOE
We asked for more and Beyonce heard us. Ivy Park is coming back later this fall with some new kicks added to the collection.
She’s coming back with four more sneakers — a matte black version of the Super Sleek 72, a high and low version of the Adidas Forum and a highlighter version of the Ultra Boost.
There’s no official apparel confirmed to come with the shoes yet, but it’s hard to imagine Adidas and Beyonce doing this without some gear to go along with it.
You can expect this next season of Ivy Park gear to sell out in seconds just like the initial run did. It felt like a Yeezy SZN launch circa 2016. The craze hasn’t died down since. It was so hyped that Popeyes even copied it.
The initial Ivy Park launch was a moment. It still holds up as one of the biggest sneaker moments in 2020. It’s clear that Beyonce carries that kind of weight, just in case anyone thought otherwise for whatever reason.
That’s why she needs a signature shoe. It’s the perfect way to capitalize on that moment.
Maybe some would consider the Super Sleek to be that, but it’s not. It’s based on Adidas Sleek models that already exist.
So, yes, it’s hers. But it’s not a Beyonce shoe just like the NMD isn’t a Pharrell shoe. But even Pharrell has his own designs. Kanye West obviously does. And she ranks above both of them as entertainers.
As I’ve said before, it would be a big deal for a woman to have a leading signature model for the number 2 sneaker company in the world. Those are still heights unreached — barriers unbroken.
Time will tell how this plays out. Ivy Park x Adidas has the potential to turn into something massive, and it just doesn’t feel like they’re tapping into it enough just yet. Hopefully, they tap into it soon.
The Pride collections are rolling in
With everything going on in the world, it’s super easy to forget the moment in time that we’re living in. But it’s Pride month and that’s something definitely worth celebrating.
It’s important to celebrate our LGBTQIA+ folks — especially during this time when we’re fighting to protect Black life. The fight to protect queer life is the same, unfortunately. But that’s exactly why we need to celebrate.
In commemoration of Pride month, it feels like every single sneaker brand out there has dropped a Pride collection filled with gear and sneakers.
Nike just dropped their entire collection today, which is a bit late but better late than never I guess.
These are good! They’re pretty cool. But I feel the same way about these as I do the Black History Month collections that drop every year.
They’re nice to have and it’s important to recognize these moments each and every year, but we should get more out of this than kicks and clothes. Remember that accountability word.
These companies need to make sure they’re holding queer folks up and treating them fairly — not just selling them clothes. That’s what really matters here.
An amazing look at the Grateful Dead dunks
Y’all were looking for the next Chunky Dunky, right? Well, look no further than the Grateful Dead dunks coming this fall.
We just got our first detailed look at these joints last week and MY WORD are they amazing.
Sooooo good, fam. I’d appreciate it if y’all hated on these as hard as y’all hated on the 7-Eleven Dunks because then maybe I’d have a damn shot at grabbing these up. I mean, come on. Y’all have to hate something about them. That fur. It’s terrible. AMIRITE OR AMIRITE!?
Not working? Ok. Fine. Just remember when you get your heart broken again this fall that I tried to save you. I truly did.
What’s droppin’, bruh
Nike Dunk Low SP “Champ Colors” — Wednesday, June 24
Air Max 90 Orange Camo — Friday, June 26
Nike LeBron 7 “MVP” — Friday, June 26
Air Jordan 1 “Tie Dye” — Friday, June 26
Sean Wotherspoon x Atmos x Asics Gel Lyte III — Saturday, June 27
That’s a wrap for Monday, y’all! Thank you so much for rocking with your boy today. Remember, we’ve got our drawing in a few hours so look sharp!
Have a fantastic week, y’all. We’ll be right back here on Friday.
As always, family, peace and love. Be easy. Be well. Be kind.


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hired someone posing as business platform customer service staff, buy online shopping customer personal information…… A name to promote, sell cheap "authentic cosmetics", a total of 129 people cheated for Gospel truth. Recently, a suspicion of infringement of personal information of citizens of crime, fraud was prosecuted Fangshan procuratorate.
"double 11 Shopping Festival approaching, the reporter interviewed by the procuratorial organs, combined with some recent cases, consumers online shopping consumer alert, a prosecutor handling the case on how the consumer rights issue weapon suggestions.
A case of
selling hundreds of people posing as a customer service call
hired man off a 7 operator, as companies such as vip.com customer service, call the phone number in the online purchase, selling fake brand-name cosmetics in the promotion on the grounds, defrauding 129 victims of more than 20 yuan. An attendant was found after resignation and alarm. Recently, the Fangshan Procuratorate on suspicion of infringement of personal information of citizens, the crime of fraud on a prosecution.
35 year old Sichuan man surnamed Guan, unemployed after Beijing, nothing he heard someone on the Internet to buy customer information, telephone selling health products to profit, and decided to follow.
in January 2014, closed in Fangshan District rented an office, from the use of illegal online purchase customer information through the recruitment, hiring Dongmou 7 people as operator, posing as vip.com business platform customer service call, said the company’s promotion, the original price 1280 yuan L’OREAL cosmetics 5 piece set price as long as 498 yuan or 500 yuan, and donated 500 yuan worth of prepaid phone card.
after defrauding the victim’s trust, a woman on the QQ to contact a certain understanding of the Shaw, by providing counterfeit L’OREAL cosmetics, by way of delivery by courier, sent to the victim. After the completion of the transaction, and his own 46. After the incident, the police did not find the woman surnamed xiao.
at the end of November 2014, the woman Tang became the operator. Tang soon found the problem, the resignation of the seventh day of work and alarm.
after the police investigation found that many of the victims said that the goods purchased from the packaging to distinguish the authenticity, used for a period of time, it was discovered that the effect is not good.
as of the time of the incident, the closure of a total of 129 victims to defraud more than 20 yuan. Excluding rent, operator wages, a total profit of 6 yuan.
according to a confession, he passed a QQ group, to 0.3 yuan to $0.5 per price, after another to buy 25 thousand online shopping customer information. In addition, he also purchased online called "text training materials, the word" material to the formatting language teaching, call customer service skills, and what problems how to answer, how to win the trust of each other.
in November 2nd this year, Fangshan Procuratorate on suspicion of infringement of personal information of citizens, the crime of fraud


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News 4 reporter Tracie Strahan wasn’t going to let something like a silly, live broadcast get in the way of her coffee fix.
With the north-east getting pummeled by what they’re calling a bomb cyclone, many New England residents and business owners have closed up shop. Tracie Strahan is an on the scene reporter for News 4 in New York. As she was covering the weather this morning she happened to see what she thought was a coffee shop owner and it seems impulse took over.
I mean, when it’s cold and early all you really want is coffee.


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GREENWICH, Conn. — United Rentals last month reported fourth quarter revenue of $694.2 million, down slightly from $704 million from the fourth quarter of 2001, with rental revenues dropping even more slightly, from $542.8 million to $541.3 million. For the year, United's total revenue dropped from $2.89 billion to $2.82 billion, about a 2 percent drop. Rental revenue for 2002 dropped slightly from 2001, from $2.21 billion to $2.15 billion.
Excluding charges relating to restructuring and refinancing costs, non-cash goodwill write-offs, and a generally accepted accounting principles-mandated change in accounting principles relating to goodwill, net income for 2002 was $107.6 million, or $1.11 per diluted share, compared to $147 million, or $1.56 per diluted share for 2001.
Equipment utilization in the fourth quarter of 2002 was 55.7 percent, compared to 58.9 percent in Q401, and sharing of equipment among branches accounted for 10.9 percent of rental revenue, compared with 10.3 percent in last year's fourth quarter.
Rental rates in the quarter were down 5.2 percent year-over-year and same-store rental revenues dropped 0.7 percent.
“We were able to hold our own during a very difficult time,” chairman and CEO Brad Jacobs said. “It's only a question of time before construction activity rebounds. When it does, the earnings capability of this company and the cash-flow generation of this company is a multiple of what it did last year.”
Jacobs added that during a period when non-residential construction activity, United's primary market, dropped more than 16 percent on an annual basis, the company added about 300,000 customers over the past year.
“The industry as a whole is more than holding its own,” Jacobs told RER. “People are still renting $25 billion worth of equipment. It's not a fad; there are compelling reasons. They can improve their productivity, convenience and safety. Even though non-residential construction is down 16 percent, rental is, essentially, staying flat. When the cycle goes back up, rental will increase significantly.”
United president John Milne added some words of optimism for 2003. “First of all, in 2003 we'll get the benefit of the rollover impact of the two acquisitions we did in 2002 [the trench shoring division of National Equipment Services and some locations of S&R Equipment]. That should add about $45 million of revenue and about $20 million of additional EBITDA to 2003. We also see the impact of the fleet size increase that occurred throughout 2002. That'll add approximately $30 million of additional rental revenues, which will flow through to the bottom line about $20 million to $25 million of additional EBITDA in 2003.
“Next, we see increased revenues and profitability from our new merchandise program. We've been actively rolling out that program and should have all the stores in place by the end of this quarter. That's targeted to add $35 million of additional revenue in 2003 and $10 million to $15 million of EBITDA and lastly, the impact of our fourth quarter restructuring will be very significant.”
Jacobs added that United's new merchandising program will offer construction convenience items at prices comparable to those offered by Home Depot and Lowe's and will enhance United's ability to serve as a one-stop shop for its contractor customers.
United Rentals is No. 1 on the RER 100.


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Adding up to an abiding list of partnerships, Pharrell has now joined forces with Swiss watch brand Richard Mille on a six-sum-figure wristwatch. The watch, officially named “RM 52-05 Tourbillon Pharrell Williams,” costs a whopping $969,000.”
Pharrell’s Richard Mille watch features the resemblance of an astronaut on the face, portrayed standing on Mars and staring back at Earth. From there, the skeletonised titanium hands mimic shuttle launch platforms. Red gold is used to emblazon the surface of Mars on the surface, while diamonds are also integrated at the astronaut’s helmet.
Head to richardmille.com for more updates.
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Apple has rejected a software e-book reader application from Sony, insisting that in-app purchases are made through the Apple payment system.
Apple’s developer guidelines are clear that applications must use the Apple e-commerce system to process purchases so the terms of rejection have been previously known.
"Unfortunately, with little notice, Apple changed the way it enforces its rules and this will prevent the current version of the Reader for iPhone from being available in the app store," Sony wrote on the firm’s Reader Store.
"We opened a dialog with Apple to see if we can come up with an equitable resolution but reached an impasse at this time."
However Amazon’s Kindle application uses a similar system to handle e-book purchases, merely syncing up to the Amazon cloud and making e-books available to read on iOS devices which have been bought from Amazon directly.
Bookseller Barnes & Noble is another firm that has been allowed to publish an e-reader application which accesses books bought directly.
Apple’s 30 per cent revenue cut has the potential to be a considerable revenue generator if the company forces e-readers to buy books through the App Store.
The firm may have judged that rejecting applications from the major US book-sellers would turn into PR disaster as owners of Kindles and Nooks ask why they are unable to read their books on iOS devices.
Sony said: "We’re exploring other avenues to bring the Reader experience to Apple mobile devices."


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Vietnam, Thailand take steps to promote bilateral partnership
Thailand remains Vietnam’s largest trading partner in ASEAN and the 9th largest foreign investor in the country.
Vietnam and Thailand are committed to pushing for greater efficiency in the bilateral enhanced strategic partnerships.
|Vietnam’s Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue at the online meeting. Photos: quochoi.vn|
Vietnam’s Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Vuong Dinh Hue and his Thailand’s counterpart Chuan Leekpai shared the view during an online meeting on August 30.
“Vietnam gives priority to its partnership with Thailand, which has been progressing over the years with growing political trust,” Hue said.
Amid severe economic impacts as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam-Thailand bilateral trade turnover continues to grow as Thailand remains Vietnam’s largest trading partner in ASEAN and the 9th largest foreign investor in the country with an investment capital of US$12.3 billion.
Hue expressed his thanks for Thailand’s support in the Covid-19 fight, expecting closer cooperation in responding to the pandemic, including the development, production, and fair distribution of vaccines, medicines, and medical equipment, as well as the support from the Thai Government for Vietnam to purchase AstraZeneca vaccines produced in Thailand.
As steps to bolster Vietnam-Thailand enhanced strategic partnership, Hue called for the soon finalization and signing of the action program to carry out the bilateral enhanced strategic partnership in the 2021-2025 period, as well as other legal documents such as treaties on extradition and legal assistance in civil matters.
|Overview of the meeting.|
Vietnam’s NA Chairman expected stronger support for enterprises from the two countries to soon realize the two-way trade turnover target of US$25 billion by 2025; resolve pending issues for mutual benefits and enhance working mechanism under the Mekong sub-region in association with the establishment of the ASEAN Community.
“Thai companies could further invest in Vietnam in potential fields such as renewables, tourism, green agriculture, or IT,” Hue added.
Hue stressed the necessity for both countries to closely cooperate to promote ASEAN’s stance on the East Sea to maintain peace, stability, and freedom of navigation based on international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), along with the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) as well as the soon finalization of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
Thailand’s President of the National Assembly Chuan Leekpai expressed his support for stronger relations with Vietnam and suggested the two sides soon address trade barriers for higher trade turnover between the two.
|In 2020, bilateral trade turnover reached over $16 billion despite the pandemic impacts. In the first seven months of this year, Vietnam exported goods worth $3.53 billion to Thailand, up 32.3% year-on-year, while imports stood at $7.74 billion, or an increase of 31.6%.|
- Vietnam’s economy stands firm in rapid recovery path: AMRO
- Macro stability considered key for Vietnam’s growth in remaining months: Gov’t
- Solid macroeconomic fundamentals shield Vietnam from external shocks: IMF
- Hanoi's GRDP growth surges 9.69% in nine months
- Vietnam ensures steady rice supply for Cuba
- Trade cooperation: Highlight of Vietnam-EU relations
- [Inforgraphic] Hanoi's tourism revenue in 9 months
- Vietnam’s 9-month GDP growth at a 12-year high
- Vietnam among fastest growing economies in East Asia – Pacific region: WB
- Trade ministry eyes Vietnam’s exports to end 2022 on a high note
Hanoi a top destination for ASEAN investors
Vietnam demands removal of “Little Women” from Netflix
Cultural activities celebrate 68th anniversary of Capital Liberation Day
Vietnam’s economy stands firm in rapid recovery path: AMRO
Macro stability considered key for Vietnam’s growth in remaining months: Gov’t
Local firms urged to stay proactive in intellectual property protection
Vietnam needs to expand airport network to relieve pressure on infrastructure
Vietnamese, foreign firms must store data in cyberspace from October
Trade cooperation: Highlight of Vietnam-EU relations