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The figures indicate that there are currently 75 hotels in Turkey deliberately advertising themselves with descriptors such as “Islamic hotel,” “headscarf-friendly,” “conservative vacation” and “halal tourism.” Only five such hotels were operating in 2002, according to AKTOB. The province of Yalova and the beach resort town of Alanya each feature nine hotels that can be included in this category, and the bulk of these hotels are located in areas of western Turkey, many of which are regions known to be heavily frequented by tourists, including Çanakkale, Kaş and Kuşadası.
Prices for rooms in the burgeoning hotels range from TL 70 to TL 2,000, while a private villa complete with a swimming pool may cost as much as TL 5,000.
The hotels do not serve alcohol or pork, feature separate swimming pools for men and women and employ workers who dress in accordance with Islamic customs. They do not broadcast television channels with material considered inappropriate to Islamic values, and they have Internet filters. They include prayer rooms and are isolated from loud external noise, and offer salon, spa, massage and other services.
A recent report on the BBC Türkçe online news portal quoted one tourism manager saying Turkish tourists account for 60 percent of the guests at these “halal” hotels, while 40 percent of guests are foreign visitors. He said that demand for such services had skyrocketed in Turkey, as domestic and foreign tourists increasingly wish to avoid staying at hotels that serve alcohol and non-halal food and often host a large number of guests who drink alcohol during their stay.
“If a tourist says, ‘I’m comfortable, this is what I want,’ there is nothing you can say. We have respect for every kind of person. There are 50 different ways [of life], so we are forced to offer other kinds of services. There is no single type of tourist. We cannot choose tourists. Tourism needs to be of service to everyone. There is an element that is gradually becoming conservative. The tourism sector needs to be tolerant of covered women as well as people who are half-naked. Both need to be comfortable,” the Aydınlık daily quoted Tourism Journalists Association (TUYED) President Kerem Köfteoğlu as saying last month.
Eyes on $140 billion halal tourism market
The recently released Muslim Traveler Index Europe 2014 estimates the size of the global Halal tourism market at TL 300 billion ($137 billion). Highlighting Turkey as one of the top few destinations for global visitors with sensitivity to halal products, the index said Turkey could attract “billions of lira” if the country manages to attract “halal tourists” at a desired level.
The halal tourism sector was worth 103 billion euros in 2013, representing around 13 percent of global travel expenditures. This figure is expected to reach 141 billion euros by 2020, according to Muslim Traveler Index Europe 2014.
“Turkey has emerged as a top European destination which Muslims from the Middle East and Far East would like to visit as their next holiday which could be worth billions to the economy,” Muslim Traveler Index Europe 2014 said. The research added that Turkey came fifth on the list of countries that appeal to Muslim tourists as a future place to visit globally.
“We already know that Turkey is already very popular with the Middle East and Malaysian countries, but as the research shows, there are a lot more who would like to come. With the history of Turkey and its strong Islamic heritage and attractions, this is a huge market for the country,” the research note read. “This research represents great opportunity for tourism boards, tour operators, travel agencies, hotels, restaurants and the entire tourism sector in Turkey.”
The 2014 index report said tourists from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) prefer to visit Turkey more than any other country; 39 percent of UAE residents polled in the index said Turkey was their top travel destination. Turkey has witnessed a rise in visitors from Arab countries such as Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Yemen in recent years.
The Muslim Travel Index Europe 2014 showed that 58 percent of those who wanted to come to Turkey said they wanted to visit because Turkey has a strong Islamic heritage that they wanted to learn about. A huge 97 percent polled said it was important the country of destination provided halal food, while 89 percent said it was important to provide prayer facilities.
Global trends indicate that “halal tourism” is on the rise even in predominantly non-Muslim countries that are trying to attract more Muslim tourists. Japan is altering its tourism infrastructure in order to offer Islamic-friendly options as the number of visitors from the predominantly Muslim country of Malaysia increases. Meanwhile, France is also offering “fully halal” vacation packages to accommodate the country’s Muslim citizens.
The Halal Tourism Conference, the first of its kind, will be held on Sept. 22-23 in Spain to bring together the travel industry from around the world to discuss ways of tapping into this niche market. The two-day event hopes to attract tourism boards, tour agencies, tour operators, restaurants, media, hotels and airlines. Turkish Airlines (THY) is the main sponsor of the event.
Source: Today’s Zaman


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Did you hear about the new version of Android(s goog)? No? That’s because there isn’t one, at least not in the traditional sense.
Although it was widely expected that Google would introduce Android 4.3 during Wednesday’s Google I/O keynote this week, it didn’t happen. Instead, more than three hours were spent talking about new services — a music subscription and multiplayer gaming — with developer tools that tie Android and Chrome together. These services and new developer tools actually help Google to update Android many of the 900 million Android activated devices without adding more fragmentation challenges brought by new a new software version.
Android enthusiasts are likely disappointed by any news on the Jelly Bean software front, leaving people like Computerworld’s JR Raphael wondering: What happened to Android?
I try to be as platform-agnostic as possible, but I’m certainly considered a member of the Android enthusiast crowd. And like others, I was disappointed when no new Android version appeared. I also felt let down with a lack of new hardware, but that’s another story. But I’m a consumer, so these thoughts make sense. And Google I/O is a developer event; not a consumer conference.
It turns out that every developer I’ve informally spoken with at Google I/O is actually relieved that Android 4.3 doesn’t exist yet. Note, it likely will arrive soon, as an updated Bluetooth stack for Android is coming arriving in the “coming months” with support for Bluetooth Smart and Smart Ready devices. So why would developers be happy there’s no new Android version?
I can think of a couple of reasons. First, with a new Android version would come what Google calls an API level. Typically, new APIs and services are supported in the new version and these aren’t supported on devices with older software. But by offering new APIs and services now — which is exactly what Google did during day one of I/O — existing devices can take advantage of the new features. The new Hangouts app, Google Play Music All Access, and Google Cloud Messaging are good examples. Sure, some of these will require at least Android 4.0 but none of them require Android 4.3.
Second, developers told me they’re tired of taking heat for their apps not being supported on certain versions of Android. Adding another version would only make things potentially worse in that area, not better. Simply put: the features that Android is lacking, according to developers, are getting added through the new services that Google is releasing. And these new functions aren’t adding to any lingering fragmentation challenges.
Frankly, Google has iterated Android relatively quickly in order to make it comparable to iOS(s aapl) in terms of design and usability. That’s good, but it came at a great cost: The pace of software change has been faster than hardware change. I don’t mean in the power and functions of hardware: Chips of all kinds have improved just as quickly as software. But consumers don’t switch devices that quickly, often waiting 18 to 24 months to upgrade a phone, for example.
Google can slow the pace of Android versions while improving the platform at the same time with this approach. And it can also allow more time for hardware makers and carriers push Android updates out, helping to get more users on the most current version of Android. While all this happens, consumers will also help the process, by upgrading to newer phones with Android 4.0 or better. Looking at the situation this way, it was actually a smart move for Google to focus less on the version of Android and instead improve the platform for developers and consumers with better APIs.

domain: news


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Philip Morris International is to restructure its business in Egypt as part of an initiative aimed at enhancing its profitability and growth in markets across North Africa and the Middle East.
‘The new business model entails a new contract manufacturing agreement with our long-standing, strategic business partner, Eastern Company S.A.E., the creation of a new PMI affiliate in Egypt and a new distribution agreement with Trans Business for Trading and Distribution LLC,’ PMI said in a press note posted on its website yesterday.
To accomplish this restructuring and to ensure a smooth transition to the new model, PMI will record, in the fourth quarter of 2013, a charge of about $0.10 to its 2013 full-year reported diluted earnings per share.
“Today’s announcement marks the next stage in the highly successful evolution of our business in Egypt, which could not have been achieved without the significant contribution of our long-established partner, Al Mansour International Distribution Company S.A.E.,” said Miroslaw Zielinski, PMI’s president, Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa Region and PMI Duty Free.
“PMI’s new operational model will ensure business continuity in this dynamic market, where PMI achieved currency-neutral, double-digit earnings growth and strong share gains in 2013. Furthermore, going forward, the new model will assure the continued expansion of our market presence and an increase in our share of the profit pool.”
PMI said that it was the leading international tobacco company in Egypt, where its products are contract manufactured by Eastern Co.
Its market share last year, at 22.9 per cent, was up by 4.7 percentage points on that of its 2012 market share, with the share of its premium brand, Marlboro, up by 1.1 percentage points to an estimated 7.3 per cent, and the share of its mid-priced L&M up by 3.3 percentage points to an estimated 13.1 per cent.
Overall, about 80 billion cigarettes were sold on the Egyptian market last year, about 2.8 per cent more than were sold during 2012.
Last year, the retail pack price of Marlboro, which enjoys close to a 75 per cent share of the premium segment, was E£15.50 (about $2.25).
Category: Breaking News


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In an exciting announcement, Aljamain Sterling, the renowned UFC bantamweight champion, recently took to Twitter to share his newest venture with the world. Sterling revealed that he is venturing into the liquor business, launching his own signature rum called Funk Harbor Rum.
Here’s a sneak peek of my Funk Harbor rum! A project I’ve been working on for at least a year now. It’s amazing to see it coming all together. You guys will not be disappointed! Pre-sales coming soon, but first we storm Boston and turn the city upside down! Cheers 🍹 pic.twitter.com/Wr0ugriGhO— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) August 11, 2023
As soon as the news broke, fans from all around the world flooded social media platforms to congratulate Sterling on his latest endeavor. While many expressed their excitement and support for the champion, others couldn't resist injecting a touch of humor into the mix.
The announcement of Aljamain Sterling's Funk Harbor Rum has created a buzz among both UFC enthusiasts and spirits connoisseurs. With his immense popularity in the world of mixed martial arts, Sterling is poised to make a significant impact in the liquor industry as well.
Known for his dynamic fighting style and charismatic personality, Aljamain Sterling has become a household name among sports fans. With his venture into the liquor business, he aims to bring the same passion and innovation that he displays in the octagon to the world of spirits.
Aljamain Sterling's decision to enter the liquor business showcases his entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to explore new opportunities beyond the realm of sports. By venturing into uncharted territories, he not only expands his personal brand but also inspires others to chase their dreams fearlessly.
With his announcement, Aljamain Sterling has once again proven that he is not only a champion inside the octagon but also a true innovator outside of it. Whether it's his exceptional fighting skills or his entrepreneurial endeavors, Sterling continues to captivate his fans and leave them eagerly anticipating his next move.
So, as the world awaits the launch of Funk Harbor Rum, let's raise a glass to Aljamain Sterling and his remarkable journey from the UFC bantamweight champion to a trailblazing entrepreneur in the liquor industry.


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Sainsbury's chief financial officer John Rogers will take charge of Argos-owner Home Retail once the supermarket chain completes a proposed £1.2bn ($1.7bn, €1.5bn) takeover later this year.
Rogers, who has been in his current role since 2010, will become Home Retail's chief executive, replacing the outgoing John Walden, who has expressed his desire to leave the company once Sainsbury's takeover is finalised.
He will be responsible for combining Sainsbury's non-food businesses with Argos' newly-adopted digital sales model and same-day home-delivery service.
"I am delighted to appoint John as chief executive of HRG [Home Retail Group] upon completion of our proposed acquisition of the business," said Sainsbury's chief executive Mike Coupe.
"John is a highly talented member of the team and has played a major role in delivering our performance and strategy at Sainsbury's and [his] expertise goes beyond his finance role."
Sainsbury's confirmed that Rogers will remain on the company's board and will continue to report to Coupe. His role at the FTSE 100 retailer will be filled on an interim basis by current Sainsbury's finance director Ed Barker.
On Thursday (9 June), the FTSE 250-listed Home Retailer confirmed it expects the deal to be completed in the third quarter of the current financial year, adding sales at Argos had grown at the fastest pace in two years in the first three months of 2016.


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Smart watches, smartphones and tablets are two different product categories, which differ not only in size of display and set of functions. However, the company IBM decided to combine these three devices into one.
IBM original application was filed in 2016, but a published patent just now, according to Phone Arena.
After studying the drawings that are attached to patent documents, the website LetsGoDigital have created some realistic renders ambitious device.
IBM will combine smart watch, smartphone and tablet in one device
Design features. As conceived by engineers, the inside of the hull will be hiding multiple display modules on a sliding mechanism. In total, the design has four compartments, each of which contains two display sections.
The release date of the new gadget from Lenovo is still unknown
Miniature size screens is 2×3 inches. By combining four of these sections, the user will be able to turn the clock in a smartphone with a display size of 4×6 inches, and “stretching” the image to all eight segments – a tablet with the dimensions of 8×6 inches. Note, the switch interface under the appropriate diagonal automatically.
Release date and price. Release date and estimated price of the ambitious device has not yet been announced.
More news on the events from the world of technology, gadgets, artificial intelligence, and space, see Techno


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Consumers Remain Wary About Data Use, Study Reveals
Few consumers fully trust brands to protect their data and to contact them only when appropriate, according to Market Study: CX Trends, Challenges & Opportunities, a report from Customer Contact Week (CCW) Digital authored by Brian Cantor, principle analyst at CCW/Digital.
The consumers surveyed say:
Yes, I am confident they will protect my data AND only contact me when necessary — 18.29%
I trust them to protect my data, but I worry about them sending too many emails/texts/calls — 24.90%
I trust them to only contact me when necessary, but I’m worried about the security/privacy of my data — 24.46%
I’m worried about the security/privacy of my data AND the company sending me too many messages — 30.35%
This is happening as 57% of consumers say their customer experiences have become worse, and only 4% feel they have improved.
Yet in a seeming disconnect, only 18.29% say the marketing emails and texts they receive are highly personalized in most cases, and 44.75% that they are in some instances. But 38.96% feel they are rarely personalized.
This is bad news for brands that use email.
“With so many brands sending so many emails and texts every day, it will often take a highly relevant, highly personalized message to stand out from the crowd — and inspire action,” the study says.
Here is more bad news for email marketers: Only 43.19% feel companies can resolve service issues by email, versus 70.43% who say the same about phone/voice and 49.42% about live chat.
Meanwhile, a clear majority — 58.61% — say that the buzz over ChatGPT and other ZI technology has made them more willing to use self-service (such as chatbots) for customer service or support issues.
CCW Digital surveyed 517 consumers in June 2023.
Credit: Media Post


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The Obama administration is pressing Congress to throw out a Soviet-era law to restrict trade with Russia, making a plea on behalf of U.S. farmers and manufacturers.
The U.S. will seek to repeal the law “as soon as possible” to give American exporters the same benefits as their overseas competitors, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk told the House Ways and Means Committee today.
The legislation that was passed in 1974, known as the Jackson-Vanik amendment, barred favorable U.S. trade with the Soviet Union to punish the nation for blocking emigration by Jewish citizens. Annual waivers have been allowed, and widely used, since 1993, two years after the Communist government collapsed.
“We ought to lift it,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday in testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “Failing to lift it will put our farmers and manufacturers and our workers at a disadvantage.”
Russia is now poised to join the World Trade Organization in May or June, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said this month. President Barack Obama has said he supports Russia becoming a member of the international trade arbiter, which would allow reduced tariffs and greater transparency.
U.S. producers won’t benefit from lower trade barriers as long as Jackson-Vanik remains in effect, Randi Levinas, the executive director of the U.S.-Russia Business Council, with members such as General Electric Co., Caterpillar Inc., and Chevron Corp. said in an interview. The U.S. wouldn’t gain intellectual property protection and adoption of food safety regulations on products from Russia, she said.
While waivers have worked for almost two decades, Russia’s joining the Geneva-based WTO would put the U.S. in violation of the trade arbiter’s rules because Russia wouldn’t get the certainty that trade accords provide, Joshua Meltzer, a fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington specializing in global economy and development, said in an interview. The U.S. wouldn’t be able to complain about any Russian trade violations at the WTO, he said.
“We are ready to bring Russia into the rules-based system in a way that gives us more enforcement tools to enable enhanced market access and a level playing field for U.S. exporters,” Kirk told lawmakers.
Members of Congress including Representatives Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida Republican, question repealing the law and easing trade with Russia, citing its human-rights record, including a crackdown on journalists and concerns of fraud in recent elections.
Lawmakers also are wary of Russia’s role, with China, in blocking United Nations Security Council resolutions seeking change in Syria as President Bashar al-Assad’s loyalists use tanks and artillery to crush a rebellion. The UN estimated more than 5,400 Syrians died last year as Assad cracked down on protests that began in March.
Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, the chamber’s No. 2 Democrat, told reporters yesterday Russia’s attitude toward Syria would “definitely” slow debate on overturning the Jackson-Vanik amendment.
“A great deal depends on what happens in Syria and what happens with the Russian vote at the United Nations,” Durbin said.
The U.S. had a $19.7 billion trade deficit with Russia in 2010, according to the U.S. Trade Representative’s office. Trade between the nations has increased about sevenfold since the U.S. began granting the waivers, according to a report by Bloomberg Government.
Normalizing trade with Russia “is a vote to create American jobs,” Clinton told lawmakers yesterday.
Increased trade with Russia could help progress toward Obama’s goal of doubling U.S. exports to $3.14 trillion by 2015, from $1.57 trillion in 2009.
“Not one thing” is required from the U.S. to reap the benefits of the trade agreement, Kirk said. “It gives us protection we don’t have now.”
The House Ways and Means Committee hasn’t scheduled action on the law, according to Jim Billimoria, the panel’s spokesman. Michael Steel, a spokesman for Speaker of the House John Boehner, an Ohio Republican, declined to comment on the speaker’s intentions for the proposal.
In an Oct. 25 speech, Boehner expressed concerns about “significant outstanding commercial issues that must be addressed,” without elaboration.
Under terms of its WTO agreement, Russia would gradually cut its average tariff ceiling with the U.S. for manufactured goods to 7.3 percent from 9.5 percent. Duties on farm products would drop to 10.8 percent from 13.2 percent. On average, the tariff cap on Russian goods would fall to 7.8 percent from 10 percent now, according to the WTO.
Tariffs on dairy products would fall to 14.9 percent from 19.8 percent, automobiles would be cut to 12 percent from 15.5 percent and tariffs on cereals would decline to 10 percent from 15.1 percent.
Beef, Pork, Poultry
Foreign beef, pork and poultry entering Russia’s market would face lower tariffs, while higher duties would be applied to products exceeding quotas, under the WTO agreement. The longest period for implementation is eight years for poultry, followed by seven years for cars, helicopters and civil aircraft.
U.S. exports to Russia may more than double in five years, to $19 billion from $9 billion in 2010, under WTO membership, according to a November report from the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation’s largest business group, is joining the U.S.-Russia Business Council in lobbying lawmakers to repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment as a way to eliminate a competitive disadvantage.
“We have a very complicated relationship with Russia,” said Christopher Wenk, senior director for international policy at the Washington-based group. “The U.S. and U.S. exporters will be on the outside looking in.”


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It’s savory. It’s smoky goodness. It’s relatively healthy. It’s flexible. Its quality has stood the test of time. And it’s a product recognized far and wide, from sea to shining sea.
It’s the perfect lunch meat. But the best thing about Lebanon bologna is its place of origin.
They’ve been making Lebanon bologna in these parts for nearly 120 years. But while times have changed – right down to the smoked meat industry itself – the secret to Lebanon bologna’s success is that it hasn’t.
Lebanon bologna has never been broken, so no one’s ever fixed it.
Read More: The history of Lebanon’s Bologna Drop
“Lebanon bologna is a quality lunch meat,” said Perry Smith, who’s worked at Seltzer’s Smokehouse Meats for 44 years. “It’s all beef. There are no fillers, no additives, no pork, no chicken, no water, no filler. Ours is all protein, made from 87 to 90 percent lean beef. The only negative might be the added salt, but now people are saying that isn’t even bad for you… It’s not just another meat item. It’s totally unique. The closest thing that might come to it would be a summer sausage. It’s not bologney. It’s bologna.”
Seltzer’s Smokehouse Meats, located at 230 North College Street in Palmyra, may be the only company currently making Lebanon bologna in Lebanon County. According to its website, Godshall’s Quality Meats, at 1415 Weavertown Road in Lebanon, still sells Weaver’s Lebanon bologna, but it is not known whether or not that product is manufactured in the county.
But S. Clyde Weaver in East Petersburg, Lancaster County, still produces Lebanon bologna, as does Alderfer’s in the Lehigh Valley.
“We’ve been in business since 1902,” said Smith. “The fourth generation of the Seltzer’s family just took over the business. We’re the only true manufacturer of Lebanon sweet bologna. It’s (bologna) all we do. We manufacture about 6 million pounds of Lebanon sweet bologna a year.”
“The business was founded at the same place we are today,” Smith continued. “In the exact same location, and the product hasn’t changed. The recipe hasn’t changed, and that’s a good thing. Do you know anything else that hasn’t changed in 119 years?”
At one time or another, Lebanon bologna was made by nearly a dozen smoked meat producers. But over the years, such brand names as Baum’s, Bomberger’s, Brooks’, Gerhart’s and Eby’s either went out of business, relocated or were absorbed by larger Lebanon bologna manufacturers.
“We buy 87-90 percent lean beef that comes in 2000-pound combos,” said Smith, a 65-year-old resident of North Annville. “It goes to our Lebanon plant on Willow Street, they grind it and the salt, sugar and spices are added there. It’s shipped to our Palmyra plant and then it goes to a fine grind and its stuffed into casings of different sizes. The bolognas are hung in outdoor wooden smoke houses for two to three days.”
“The houses are emptied after the product is finished,” added Smith. “Some of it is sliced, and then it’s packaged and trucked out to all the different grocery chains. We service all the major grocery chains up and down the East Coast.”
Seltzer’s Smokehouse Meats was founded in Palmyra in 1902 by Harvey Seltzer. Since, the business has been passed down to Seltzer’s son Jack Seltzer, Jack’s son Craig Seltzer and most recently Craig’s nephew Austin Wagoner.
“The original owner, Harvey Seltzer, was a German immigrant who came to Lebanon County,” said Smith. “That’s where the name came from, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. We still use the original recipe that he brought over here.”
“Years ago, 65-70 percent of our sales was Lebanon bologna and 30 percent of our sales was Lebanon sweet bologna,” Smith added. “Now, the totals have switched around. Lebanon bologna is more of a taste for older people. It has more of a tangy taste, more of a bite to it. But the trend’s going away from the original Lebanon bologna.”
Simply different bites for different likes. While the wholesomeness of it appeals to many, there is a certain acquired taste associated with Lebanon bologna.
“I like sweet bologna,” said Smith. “We make a double-smoked sweet bologna that is absolutely delicious. I like to slice a piece of it the size of a quarter-pound hamburger, put it on the grill, put a slice of cheese on top of it and eat with a toasted pretzel bun. It’s killer. Some people will eat it with a couple slices of American cheese and some mustard on white bread. Coal miners used to pack it in their lunches. It’s cured, so it doesn’t spoil… I am proud to work for Seltzer’s. I’ve made a career out of it. They’ve been a great family to work for. You don’t have people staying that long at a job and not being proud of the product. The longevity of the people here tells its own story.”
Unquestionably a source of local pride, Lebanon has become synonymous with bologna, and bologna has become synonymous with Lebanon. But while Lebanon bologna is well known throughout the United States, there still remains pockets within the country that have never tasted Lebanon, PA’s claim to fame.
“People do associate bologna with Lebanon,” said Smith. “We sell our products in every state on the east coast, as well as Texas, California, Arizona, Colorado and sporadically in Utah. But 70 percent of our sales is within 120 miles of central Pennsylvania. Some places have never heard of Lebanon bologna. It’s a market that could be opened up. I think the fourth generation of ownership is looking to expand, but it’s more into the snack market. It’s all protein, with just a little bit of fat.”
“In the last 15-20 years, the country’s highway structure allowed snowbirds from Pennsylvania to move to states like Florida and Arizona,” continued Smith. “When people from this area moved, they spread the word about Lebanon bologna, and gave it to their new neighbors to try. We do about ten to 15 food trade shows a year, so we’re out there getting known.”
That type of aggressive marketing approach certainly bodes well for the future of Lebanon bologna. In that way, more and more people are learning what Lebanon residents have known for decades.
“Lebanon bologna is a good-quality, long-standing product,” said Smith. “Lebanon County should be proud of it. For 119 years, we’ve been making the same product, so we must be doing something right. It means the same buyers are coming back week after week. Our job is to get more people to try it, because if they do, they’ll like it.”
In the world of business, that’s known as brand loyalty.
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OOPS! Food Clearance the new retail concept of parent company KPFF Limited is actively seeking retail units as part of its ambitious growth plans. The retailer already has three stores open in the North West but is now looking for further premises as it hopes to get 30 shops open by the end of the year.
The first three stores, which opened in quick succession at Central Retail Park Bolton, Corporation Street Retail Park in Preston, and Ardwick Street St Helens, has seen the retailer offer consumers knockdown prices for hundreds of food items. The parent company buys goods that were heading to waste in from large manufacturing sites and repackages them at its purpose-built Liverpool base.
The products may have ended up in manufacturers clearance section for a number of reasons, such as over production, packaging errors, or the goods being the wrong shape or colour. Food that was set to go to landfill but is still entirely safe to eat ends up on the aisles for customers to purchase. The stores have over 600 products for sale which includes a mix of frozen, fresh and dry goods.
“It is an exciting new retail concept which has been extremely well received by the public,” said James Harrocks of Harrocks Commercial Property, the retained property agent.
“OOPS! are now actively seeking retail units of between 7,500 sqft and 10,000 sqft as it aims to grow exponentially in the next year. All units need to come with dedicated on-site parking, with its main focus being on built-up residential areas and central arterial routes. OOPS! would also consider showroom sites, where after an agreement is made the company would handle change of use planning permissions.”
The retailer wants to find sites in the North West footprint before looking to grow nationally.
Noel Davis, CEO, OOPS! ends: “Now is the perfect time to gain pace in our plans to open 30 or more stores this year alone. As the impacts of COVID-19 and this third lockdown are felt across the country, more and more families are struggling with access to affordable, nutritious food. We are here to help deliver sustainable solutions to this challenge – so we need the right locations on the right doorsteps. We are currently identifying our next stores, with works planned soon, but we are always looking to the next.”


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Amtech Systems reports 1Q loss; revenue down 54%
Amtech Systems Inc. reported a first-quarter loss on a 50 percent drop in revenue as its products fell victim to the solar industry’s oversupply and downturn.
Tempe-based Amtech (Nasdaq: ASYS), which makes equipment for the semiconductor and solar industries, reported a loss of $876,000, or 9 cents per share, for its first fiscal quarter ended Dec. 31, compared with a profit of nearly $5 million for the year-earlier period.
The company’s revenue plunged from $53.7 million in first-quarter 2011 to $24.7 million in first-quarter 2012.
Amtech started making solar manufacturing equipment more than three years ago and subsequently posted record revenue and profits. The solar industry, however, has been slowing amid diminishing incentives and an oversupply of panels on the market. As a result, Amtech is reporting lower order and back-order amounts for its products, officials said.
Patrick O'Grady is managing editor of the Phoenix Business Journal.
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- Chewy cofounder and former CEO Ryan Cohen is the largest individual GameStop shareholder.
- He's also in charge of the board, and intends to turn the company into the Amazon of gaming.
- Cohen is already making major moves at the company, and he has big plans for the future.
What does Ryan Cohen want with GameStop?
That's the big, unanswered question at the heart of his 12.9% ownership stake in the company — an investment he made well before GameStop became a meme stock.
Cohen, who cofounded Chewy and acted as CEO before it sold to PetSmart for $3.35 billion in 2017, does not have a background in the video game industry. His claim to fame is outfoxing Amazon at its own game — e-commerce — in a specific category: pets. That's an especially meaningful claim to fame when it comes to Wall Street, which saw Cohen's involvement in the company as a reason to buy the ailing retailer's stock before Reddit found it.
Read more: Ryan Cohen made millions when Chewy got acquired. Now the millennial entrepreneur has a plan to turn around GameStop.
But Cohen is no casual investor in GameStop — he's the chairman of its board, and an activist investor who has successfully lobbied the company to follow his advice several times thus far. He is clearly in this for the long term.
Though the lingering question of "Why GameStop?" remains unanswered, we know a lot about Cohen's plans for the future of the company.
1. Cohen wants GameStop to become a technology company, with a focus on ecommerce over brick-and-retail stores.
Cohen's investment firm, RC Ventures, owns 12.9% of GameStop. That stake makes it the second-largest single shareholder of GameStop.
Those shares cost tens of millions of dollars in 2020, and they put Cohen in a position to more directly engage with the company's leadership. But those private conversations apparently didn't go very well.
"Given that our attempts to privately engage with you since the summer have yielded little progress, we feel compelled to send a clear message to the Board today," Cohen wrote in an open letter aimed at GameStop's board of directors published in November 2020.
"GameStop's leadership should immediately conduct a strategic review of the business," he said, "and share a credible plan for seizing the tremendous opportunities in the rapidly-growing gaming sector."
The letter, overwhelmingly, focused on the company's need to transition to ecommerce.
"GameStop's challenges stem from internal intransigence and an unwillingness to rapidly embrace the digital economy," the letter said. "GameStop needs to evolve into a technology company that delights gamers and delivers exceptional digital experiences — not remain a video game retailer that overprioritizes its brick-and-mortar footprint and stumbles around the online ecosystem."
Throughout his letter, Cohen directly criticizes the company's leadership — both its executive suite and its board of directors, to whom the letter is addressed.
GameStop CEO and board member George Sherman, "appears committed to a twentieth-century focus on physical stores and walk-in sales, despite the transition to an always-on digital world," Cohen said, and the board lacks "the type of strategic vision" necessary for GameStop, "to pivot toward becoming a technology-driven business that excels in the gaming and digital experience worlds."
That criticism appeared to have a major impact, as GameStop announced in early January that Cohen and two of his former Chewy lieutenants would become new members of the board. Soon after, Cohen was put in charge of a committee created to reshape GameStop and appointed the chairman of its board.
2. He's swapping the company's current leadership, both its board and c-suite, for former Amazon and Chewy leaders.
Since Cohen joined GameStop's board and was put in charge of the Strategic Planning and Capital Allocation Committee, the company's entire executive suite has been cleared out.
That includes CEO George Sherman, who is stepping down in the near future, and CFO Jim Bell, who was suddenly forced out of his role at the company after the board of directors "lost faith" in him, according to a person familiar with the decision who spoke with Insider. At the same time, a gaggle of former Amazon and Chewy leaders have been elected in their place.
Similarly, the company's board of directors is being completely flipped — at the company's annual shareholder meeting in June, it plans to elect a small group of Cohen's colleagues to the board. And Cohen is expected to be elected chairman of the board.
In the last six months, Cohen has completely reshaped the leadership of GameStop.
3. The potential future of GameStop: online trade-ins.
Game trade-ins, and their subsequent resale, are the lifeblood of GameStop.
In September 2020, when Cohen initially purchased a significant chunk of the company's shares, he privately proposed a plan to the board to focus GameStop on e-commerce opportunities.
One example of those opportunities is tied to GameStop's core business: reselling used games.
Cohen reportedly proposed an online version of the retailer's (in)famous game trade-in program.
During those talks, he proposed a major expansion of GameStop's online footprint, according to Bloomberg. Beyond just games, GameStop's online store would offer "a wide range of merchandise," the report said, and prioritize fast shipping.
Cohen has yet to publicly spell out his specific plans, and representatives repeatedly declined requests for comment.
Got a tip? Contact Insider senior correspondent Ben Gilbert via email (email@example.com), or Twitter DM (@realbengilbert). We can keep sources anonymous. Use a non-work device to reach out. PR pitches by email only, please.


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Committee on Climate Change reveals Wales made "significant progress" on waste and insulation
The UK government has been repeatedly slammed for failing to become the "greenest government ever", but Wales will today be hailed for bucking that trend in a new report by Committee on Climate Change...
Plus all the top green business news from around the world
Shell, Gasunie, and Groningen Seaports launch ambitious plans to build green hydrogen hub for northern Europe
The Loop circular packaging model is fast taking shape, and the company behind it insists conventional retailers still have a huge role to play in its success


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Get the latest news alerts: at Twitter.
Associated Press, LTW
ESPOO, Finland – Nokia Corp., the world’s largest maker of cell phones, said Monday that it will start making a small, light laptop, similar to ones PC manufacturers are already selling through wireless carriers around the world.
The Finnish company says the will run Microsoft Corp.’s Windows software, have a 10-inch screen and weigh 2.8 pounds. That puts it squarely in the "netbook" category pioneered by Taiwanese manufacturers like AsusTek Computer Inc.
"A growing number of people want the computing power of a PC with the full benefits of mobility," said Kai Oistamo, Nokia’s executive vice president for devices. "We are in the business of connecting people and the Nokia Booklet 3G is a natural evolution for us. Nokia has a long and rich heritage in mobility and with the outstanding battery life, premium design and all day, always on connectivity, we will create something quite compelling. In doing so we will make the personal computer more social, more helpful and more personal."
Nokia said it would reveal the price and launch date of the PC on Sept. 2. Most netbooks sell for less than $500.
Nokia said its PC would be "satisfying a need" among wireless carriers. AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless have started selling netbooks in their stores, subsidizing the purchase for customers who sign up for wireless broadband plans. Sprint Nextel Corp. has started subsidizing netbooks sold at Best Buy. In Europe, many carriers started selling netbooks last year.
Unlike most netbooks, Nokia’s Booklet will have a built-in GPS navigation chip coupled to Nokia’s Ovi Maps software, and an aluminum cover to contrast with the usual plastic.
Nokia has previously tried to expand its portfolio beyond cell phones, making a "tablet" computer that runs non-Windows software. It hasn’t been a mainstream success.
Going further back, PCs were among the wide range of products Nokia made before it became a cell phone powerhouse. It sold off the computer division in 1991.
Other Booklet features include an Intel Atom processor, up to 12 hourts of battery life, and includes high-speed wireless access capabilities.


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French car maker PSA Peugeot-Citroen said Friday it has signed a letter of intent to team with Turkish automotive company Karsan to make mechanical parts for commercial vehicles.
The companies are also considering assembling the vehicles themselves at Karsan's plant in Bursa, Turkey, for sale in the region, Peugeot-Citroen said in a statement.
The French company, Europe's second-largest car maker by volume, said the planned cooperation with Karsan Otomotiv Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. is part of its Cap 2010 recovery plan, aimed at seeking profitable new markets outside Western Europe.
Peugeot-Citroen is already present in Turkey with Italy's Fiat Automobile and Turk Otomobil Fabrikasi (Tofas), another Turkish car maker - to develop and produce small entry-level commercial vehicles for the European market.
These vehicles are expected to go on sale in the coming weeks, under the Citroen, Peugeot and Fiat badges. The original plan outlined in 2005 called for production of up to 135,000 vehicles a year at Tofas' assembly plant at Bursa, but they will probably make more.
Russia has been developing an energy module on the basis of the megawatt-class nuclear power plant since 2010. The spaceship needs neither sunlight nor solar batteries
There are legitimate authorities in Donetsk and Luhansk republics now, with which Russia can implement the project of the economic integration of the Donbass
Austria does not intend to expel Russian diplomats because of the spy scandal


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A little more than a year ago, Studio MDHR announced an upcoming expansion for Cuphead called The Delicious Last Course. At the time it was announced, Studio MDHR said it was targeting a release date at some point in 2019. We haven’t heard much about The Delicious Last Course in the time since then, but today, Studio MDHR shared some bad news: The expansion has been delayed.
Now, The Delicious Last Course will launch at some point in 2020 for all platforms on which Cuphead is currently available – PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Mac. While that news is probably disappointing for those who can’t get enough Cuphead, there is a silver lining in that Studio MDHR shared a new trailer for the expansion, which you can see below.
There’s also a really good reason for this delay, as a post on the studio’s blog explains that this decision was made at least in part to avoid developer burnout. “While we initially announced a 2019 release date for the Delicious Last Course expansion, our highest priority is making sure this new adventure meets the meticulous level of care and quality we always strive for,” Studio MDHR wrote.
“Furthermore, the development of the original game taught us a great deal about the importance of making things in a way that’s healthy and sustainable for our team.” The issue of developer burnout due to insane crunch periods seems to be a common one in the games industry, so hats off to Studio MDHR for recognizing that it’s better to delay the game than overwork its employees to meet its originally announced 2019 release window.
In addition to new bosses and weapons, The Delicious Last Course will add a new playable character to the game: Ms. Chalice. Studio MDHR says that she’ll offer a “new twist on the classic Cuphead move set,” but we haven’t really seen her in action yet. We’ll look forward to learning more about The Delicious Next Course and we get closer to 2020, so stay tuned for that.


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(NYSE: NCR) and
, an eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) company, today announced an agreement to integrate NCR’s innovative mobile solutions for hospitality and retail with PayPal’s leading digital payment technology. The combination provides restaurants and retailers an easy, powerful way to offer consumers a rich mobile and digital payment experience when buying the goods and services they want.
“As a global technology leader across multiple industries, NCR is committed to partner with organizations that seek to maximize the adoption of digital wallets and mobile payments to help our customers provide more choice, greater control, and increased flexibility for their consumers,” said John Bruno, CTO and EVP at NCR. “Combining NCR’s broad hospitality and retail footprint with PayPal’s global customer base enables restaurants and retailers to redesign the consumer experience with mobile-enhanced shopping and payments while materially improving business processes and creating seamless consumer experiences across touch points, locations, and channels.”
Today’s consumer wants to leverage technology in an integrated way to make everyday life easier. According to the National Restaurant Association’s
2013 Restaurant Industry Forecast
, restaurant guests are seeking more and better tableside technology. 44 percent of consumers surveyed say they would use a tableside ordering system, nearly one-third would use mobile payment options and 50 percent would use smartphone apps for viewing menus, ordering or making reservations. However, less than 10 percent of table service restaurants currently offer these options according to the research.
“Consumers and retailers want choice when it comes to purchasing and making payments as the lines between shopping online and in-the-store are rapidly disappearing,” said Don Kingsborough, PayPal’s vice president of Retail and Prepaid. “We couldn’t be more excited about working with NCR to combine their innovative software and hardware solutions with our industry-leading digital payment technology. PayPal is at the forefront of digital and mobile payments, constantly striving to remove friction for merchants and consumers to deliver a better shopping experience.”


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Happy Tuesday afternoon in New York City where you can get a unique view of the subway through a hole in the street.
The crumbling SoHo sidewalk above the Spring Street 6 train station is big enough that curious passersby can see right through to the station below. MTA is reportedly on the case.
Here’s what else is happening:
- Contrary to what the website MyDatingAdvisor.com says, you actually can’t legally skinny dip at most of these New Jersey Beaches.
- Remember the Meatball Shop era? The hottest restaurant used to be one that specialized in meaty goodness of all flavors, and had several locations throughout the city. But the chain is now down to just one Upper East Side location.
- Some Long Island Railroad riders will be taking a financial hit with the elimination of the 20-trip train pass, though the MTA’s chairman called the fare increase “modest.”
- A pack of German Shepherds who would hang out at an Upper East Side French bookstore their human owned were known to terrorize other dogs and people. They were finally taken away from the store after one of the dogs attacked and killed a toy poodle named Baby last week.
- What’s your sandwich of choice to celebrate National Sandwich Month?
- A new study which uses recent U.S. Census data shows Gen Z will be the last generation with a white majority. Around 2045, the number of non-Hispanic white people will fall below half as a share of the overall population nationwide.
- DJ Casper, the man who has gotten parties started for more than two decades with the “Cha Cha Slide,” died after a battle with cancer at the age of 58.
- And finally, sign me up for cuddle care:


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304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
It’s been about a month since American Express and Mastercard decided to stop requiring signatures for EMV chip credit cards. Now Visa is joining their ranks, making signatures optional for chipped transactions in North America.
"Visa is committed to delivering secure, fast and convenient payments at the point of sale," said VIsa’s Dan Sanford in a statement. "Our focus is on continually evolving the market towards dynamic authentication methods such as EMV chip, as well as investing in emerging capabilities that leverage advanced analytics and biometrics. We believe making the signature requirement optional for EMV chip-enabled merchants is the responsible next step to enhance security and convenience at the point of sale."
Contact and contactless chip-enabled points of sale are taking over, of course, for their enhanced security and convenience for retail transactions. Visa notes that it has deployed more than 460 million EMV chip cards and readers at over 2.5 million locations.
from Engadget http://engt.co/2rg8Twu


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Rathbone fails to wow investors
THE number of people with cash to spare is likely to grow 'significantly' over the next five years, private-client investment manager Rathbone Brothers, predicted as it unveiled pretax profits 14% higher at £26.5m.
Rathbone's shares fell 45 1/2p to 749 1/2p as chairman Micky Ingalls said Rathbone would have done better had the year to 31 December not been the first since 1994 in which equity markets slowed, and that continuing weakness will hit this year's revenues.
Rathbone took out insurance against the fall last year by buying Jersey trust company Nigel Harris, which made £1.3m in nine months, although it nearly doubled amortisation to £1.4m.
Discretionary funds under management are up 10% to £5.5bn. Earnings per share were ahead 8% to 47.45p and the total dividend rises 14% to 25p a share.
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“Food Day seeks to bring together Americans from all walks of life…to push for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way.” – From FoodDay.org
On Sunday, the Bennington Sustainable Food Project hosted a Food Day event in order to celebrate real, good and sustainable food, and to raise awareness on the Bennington College campus about food related issues.
The event spanned two days, with apple picking and pie making on Saturday, and then pie and other delicious snack eating, on Sunday afternoon. We made fresh-pressed apple cider using the apples picked from campus apple trees and pressed them using a wooden cider press loaned to us by faculty member Kerry Woods.
On the whole, it was an extremely successful celebration which got a lot of different people involved in the various aspects, fulfilling our goal of generating support and interest in the issues surrounding food and sustainability at Bennington College. Meetings for the BSFP are on Tuesday nights from 9-10.


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An unpredictable summer lies ahead and for once we aren’t talking about the weather. Glastonbury’s gone. Wimbledon’s out. But even as lockdown eases we’re still unsure how many of the things we know and love about the great British summer will remain. As it stands, the technology sector has seen its share of saviours, beneficiaries and victims throughout the COVID-19 crisis and this sense of unpredictability pervades around half of our companies.
The reduction in visibility from COVID-19 recently led to 18 of 40 withdrawing forecasts from the market. At the same time, some of our companies kept their forecasts live through to December 2020, and some are even demonstrating greater upside in these inclement conditions.
As we originally suspected in the early stages of lockdown, the companies who kept their forecasts are exposed to a combination of themes involving digital transformation, providing software or a platform where remote demand is at least resilient, and providing services for connectivity and communications networks.
Indeed, if there has been one trend we can rely on as a hallmark of the crisis, it is the pace of change. The acceleration of digital transformation in its many forms has been the burden of more or less every sector, and our tech companies are carrying the load. Perhaps most notable in this respect is the rise and rise of data privacy, cybersecurity and connectivity providers to meet the needs of a sudden and vast at-home workforce.
Increasingly we believe three core facts are emerging for enterprise software providers: firstly, that while new business is hard to come by, existing customers, already embarked on their digital pathway, are accelerating change and buying more.
Secondly, those that have yet to commit will surely soon follow, when a sense of normality returns, and accelerate their cloud transition or digital transformation aspirations.
And thirdly, the new normal will be very like the old normal, it’s just we’re expecting change to happen a bit faster.
Payments and enterprise software
Some of the companies who have retained forecasts should be unsurprising. In enterprise software, Ideagen and Proactis highlight one of our favourite themes as they enable organisations to effectively automate the unglamorous but essential functions, and their clients continue to push ahead with projects in this remote climate.
Similarly, Netcall’s suite of software solutions around customer experience and engagement are enabling it to deliver digital transformation for its clients while minimising cost and disruption. We expect that existing locked down enterprise customers for all three are buying more seats and products, and new customers are strategising to follow. Netcall enabled Croydon Council’s urgent response to COVID-19, a demonstration of the capabilities of Low-code. Netcall participated in our recent finnCap Tech Lockdown Demo Day and we will be publishing the video of this demonstration in due course.
Understandably mobile payments are benefiting (despite the hot weather), as the security issues associated with giving credit card details over the phone come further to the fore and we move more universally to systems that rely on remote and contactless solutions. In the payments space, Bango is experiencing a surge in demand as spend on app stores has grown with people trapped inside, and PCI-Pal’s secure payment solutions have increased in importance with more transactions happening remotely.
Intercede’s customer base is typically large enterprise or public sector, with customers’ large projects often years in the formulation – and short term delays to implementations are unlikely to get in the way of an increase in the long term adoption of credentials and identity management. With the expansion of the nature of their personal identity verification (PIV) tech base to include FIDO (Faster Identity Online), they will dramatically expand their addressable market. We look forward to their presentation at the next finnCap Lockdown Demo on 8th July.
Cybersecurity and privacy
The heightened need for remote working and transactions processing solutions of course brings with it far wider cybersecurity and data privacy issues that needed addressing at an unprecedented rate.
We recently spoke with Ido Erlichman, CEO, Kape Technologies. For Kape, there was sizeable uplift in demand for their products as data privacy suddenly became important for those who found themselves needing a secure Wifi connection.
Risk management and compliance
Related to this are a group of smaller companies with forecasts maintained, which each provide software that enables their clients to continue to function remotely. Arcontech and KRM22 supply financial services firms with software that is embedded into their systems and controls risk, as they have moved to working from home. At the same time, Access Intelligence’s solutions enabling the effective management of PR and corporate communications are highly relevant through the pandemic.
Video marketing and advertising
It’s also not just sales to enterprise that have prospered and remained confident.
Industry specifics give reasons to be cheerful such as for Tremor, connecting advertisers with available advertising inventory in connected TV and digital video, and Altitude connecting demand for customised products with a network of trusted suppliers.
And on the subject of digital video services, Amino Technologies’ video software and equipment has been excellently positioned as the pandemic led to a greater demand for video services, especially in the rapidly growing streaming market where Amino is focusing.
Donald McGarva, CEO, Amino Technologies recently told us about the intense demand for consumption of online content, for example, Broadway HD which delivers stage shows online, that meant the technology was fully exercised in accommodating the client’s rapid growth. He described the unconscionable scale of rapidly switching from thousands of subscribers to hundreds of thousands of subscribers, with subscriber numbers growing 4,000% during lockdown.
Broadband and connectivity
Of course, all of this is a moot point without the element of connectivity. Never has the strength of one’s broadband signal or effectiveness of your WiFi been such a high value commodity.
The picks and shovels of the internet enable all of these solutions to function, where providers of connectivity and managed services including iomart, Maintel and Redcentric continue to be essential as they work to keep clients connected and deliver projects in this changed environment – with much excitement for their prospects as the tech-laggards among their customer base now must play catch up, and quickly: perfect examples where we expect the relative peace of working from home will drive some more transformational thinking from customers who may have struggled to see the strategic wood from the operational trees.
In more rural areas, Bigblu Broadband has seen an increase in demand as households look for better broadband, and Telecom Plus continues to deliver its communications and utility services through its innovative partner model.
Meanwhile, also with forecasts retained, Filtronic is busy delivering and developing its range of communications equipment, and Telit continues to develop its IoT solutions for a broad range of end-markets looking to embrace remote connectivity.
The accelerated pace of change of consumption of technology brought about by the COVID-19 crisis and ensuing lockdown was, to use a popular phrasing, unprecedented. What follows as we begin to emerge from the lockdown period may still be difficult to predict, but what has remained encouragingly fleet of foot is the tenacity and innovative mindset of our tech sector.
Read a summary of our latest Tech Sector Quarterly note - and find out how to subscribe - as our sector experts make observations as to how COVID-19 has impacted the price, valuation, and growth potential of the sector.


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Teased during Sony’s State of Play, the full trailer was showcased at The Game Awards. Certainly one of the last major PlayStation 4 titles announced from its 1st party developers, Sucker Punch. It’s stunning, learn who the Ghost is below.
You are the Ghost, as you embark on a vast open-world adventure and wage an unconventional war for the freedom of Tsushima. The world is hauntingly beautiful and according to Communications Manager of Sucker Punch Productions, Andrew Goldfarb, this is the biggest game Sucker Punch has ever made by a wide margin.as combat Out Summer 2020.
We also get a look at the boxart, as well as getting some screenshots of the game in action. For more, you can check out the blog post PlayStation put out during the awards ceremony.
Ghost of Tsusihma will release Summer 2020 for PS4.


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Small retailers to benefit from €143m Pointy sale to Google
Pointy helps small retailers compete with larger firms by getting their products online faster
The €143 million acquisition of Dublin-based Pointy by Google is a fantastic payday for its founders Mark Cummins and Charles Bibby, but it is also a boost for small retailers.
Pointy helps local bricks and mortar retail minnows compete with the leviathans, such as Amazon, by getting their products online faster, and this deal should bring that opportunity to more retailers around the world.
Pointy was ambitious to scale big from very early on. In...
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‘No requirement’ for .ie websites to be based in Ireland - CCPC
The Irish consumer watchdog said it has received complaints from consumers reporting that they had bought from .ie websites under the assumption that they were EU-registered entities
Troubled parent company of Zara plans Irish expansion
Spanish-owned fashion giant Inditex, which also owns Pull&Bear among others, has been closing thousands of stores globally, but plans to expand here
New shopping start-up aiming for 15 minutes of fame
Dublin-based e-commerce outfit Shuppa’s selling point is that it can get groceries to customers’ doors within a quarter of an hour
‘Game-changer’ Smyths deal paves way for Arckit to hit €1m revenue target
The model kit manufacturer has created a line of Lego-esque architecture toys that have been nominated for top industry awards


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The Hongguang Mini isn’t as sleek as a Tesla. Nor does it offer anything like the performance — it can only manage a 120-kilometer cruising range. But it does have one big selling point: a price tag of just $4,500. The manufacturer, a joint venture between GM and the Chinese automakers SAIC Motor and Liuzhou Wuling Motors, achieves that price point by using a low-cost, domestic-made battery, skipping the air-condition and high-speed charging for the entry-level models, and offering safety measures that only just meet industry standards.
One thing the manufacturers didn’t cut costs on was market research. The company provided 3,000 free cars to people as part of a nine-month effort to collect data on a range of points, including daily mileage total and destinations. The surveys revealed high demand for a vehicle suited to an urban lifestyle, just as practical for commutes as it is for dropping the kids off at school and picking up the groceries. They saw this as an opportunity to develop an electric runabout that could be an alternative to bicycles.
Young consumers have been a big part of the vehicle’s success. The manufacturer says 60 percent of the Mini’s buyers are women in their 20s. On social media they show off their customizations, with decals, artworks and more. That's a trend the manufacturer has been very much encouraging.
An SAIC-GM-Wuling plant in Liuzhou, southern China, is running at capacity to meet demand. It will have to ramp up production even further next year, when the company plans to launch a convertible version of its best-seller.
At the extreme other end of the market, Shanghai-based maker NIO offers models with a starting price of around $55,000. The company was founded in 2014, and only shifts just over 40,000 units a year, but is nonetheless listed on the New York Stock Exchange and has a market capitalization of about $51 billion as of May 13.
NIO was the one of the first companies to introduce the “battery-swappable” EV, a system quickly coming into use across China that allows customers to lease EV batteries separately from the vehicle itself.
The company has battery swap stations in more than 70 cities across China. Each one can handle up to 330 vehicles a day, and staff can switch a battery in as little as three minutes, which the company says is why the battery-swap model is more efficient than building and managing EV charging facilities.
For an extra fee, owners can use a smartphone app to summon staff to pick up their cars for battery replacement or maintenance. And NIO is looking to be a lifestyle brand with fashion and electronics by some of the biggest names in design. The idea is to stay connected with customers in other aspects of their daily lives, beyond just the time they spend in the car.
“Our goal is to become the world’s number one company in terms of customer satisfaction,” says NIO’s Regional Manager of Beijing, Pu Yang.
Watch Video: 03: 39
The success of Hongguang and NIO comes as the Chinese government has set a target of increasing EV sales to 20 percent market share by 2025. And the market is getting competitive. There are currently more than 50 EV manufacturers in China, and smartphone maker Xiaomi and the company behind the search engine Baidu say they are planning to join in.
Not all of them will survive, but the ones that can conquer the Chinese market will be well-placed to make an impact on the global one.


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MALLCOMM CROWNED PROPTECH INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR
Mallcomm has been named Proptech Innovator of the Year at the Property Awards 2022. Organised by Property Week, the annual awards recognise and celebrate achievements across the full spectrum of the property industry.
The win saw Mallcomm beat strong, national competition and recognised the company’s drive to innovate and grow globally.
Adoption of the Mallcomm digital platform more than doubled in 2021 with the technology now in use across 650 shopping centres spanning 400 million sq ft across the world. Strategic partnerships have been key to this success, including deals with Shopcore Properties in the US, Nuveen and APG in the UK, and Liberty Two Degrees in South Africa.
Primarily accessed via a smartphone app, the platform enables 24/7 real-time communication and data sharing, which drives operational efficiencies, improves the customer experience and supports placemaking. Recent innovations include features which allow users to monitor sales data and analyse energy performance.
The bespoke app has also helped the retail sector to bounce back from the pandemic, enabling landlords, tenants, property managers and local authorities to work more collaboratively, implement social distancing, and enhance engagement.
Speaking about the award win, David Fuller-Watts, Managing Director of Mallcomm, said: “The past year has seen Mallcomm cement itself as the leading tech partner for shopping centres globally. We are incredibly proud to be recognised for our success and to win such a coveted award. This is a fantastic achievement for the whole team and testament to their hard work and determination to keep innovating in our industry.”
Mallcomm was presented with the award at a ceremony on 7 June 2022 at Grosvenor House in London.
Discover how some of the world’s leading real estate companies are using Mallcomm to drive digital transformation


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BIV is proud to recognize eight exceptional corporate executives with 2023 C-Suite Awards.
Six CEOs and two CFOs were recently featured in BIV's print edition, including Aritzia CEO Jennifer Wong, who will be recognized with a BC CEO Award at an in-person event Nov. 15.
Wong has served as CEO of the Vancouver-founded and globally successful women’s fashion brand Aritzia since May 2022. Prior to her appointment, she was the company’s president, COO and executive committee chair for seven years. Wong has served on Aritzia’s board of directors since 2016.
Wong began her tenure at Aritzia in 1987 as a part-time sales associate. Over her career at the Toronto Stock Exchange-listed company, she has worked in virtually every area of the business, moving into progressively senior leadership roles in retail, and then moving into product, where she managed the company’s shoe division.
Since the early 2000s, Wong has had primary responsibility for building Aritzia’s infrastructure across people, process, technology and space. She has been an executive sponsor for key strategic growth initiatives – including the expansion of Aritzia’s distribution facilities, the launch of its e-commerce business and the company’s initial U.S. expansion.
Wong is a member of the Business Council of Canada. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in economics from the University of British Columbia.
Tickets are available to BIV's 2023 C-Suite Awards on Nov. 15 in Vancouver. More information on the event and this year's award winners is available here.


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Oculus Rift users around the world encountered issues with their headsets on Wednesday as they were greeted by an error message when trying to use the VR technology. The message reads, “Can’t Reach Oculus Runtime Service,” and notes that the software may be “updating.”
“We’re aware of an issue impacting people’s ability to use Rift’s software, and we’re working to fix the problem,” the company tweeted Wednesday morning.
Facebook-owned Oculus’ Rift, like other high-end VR systems, uses goggles tethered to a computer, thus relying on software to operate.
According to Oculus’ website, the company had “an issue with our software certification that we’re still actively working on.” The certificate had expired, and Oculus said it is “looking at a few different ways to resolve the issue.”
A few customers used the incident to ask for better customer service. Wrote one: “This issue could’ve been resolved hours ago. PLEASE make 24/7 customer service if you’re gonna be a GLOBAL company!!!!!!”
On Thursday, Oculus announced that it had resolved the outage and issued a software update. The company also announced that it would grant “everyone affected” a $15 store credit.
March 8, 10:35 am Updated with information about Oculus resolving the outage.
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For more than three decades the FDMC 300 annual report has tracked the largest North American manufacturers in the cabinet, furniture, millwork, store fixture, home organization, components and other wood products industries, ranking them by sales.
See who made this year's list. Rankings are based on 2020 sales figures.
FDMC 300 top firms: Special report
Sponsored by: Pollmeier Inc.
The annual summary of wood manufacturing firms' sales performance is published in February by FDMC magazine, with updates and industry snapshots posted online and in print. For more information on the FDMC 300, contact Karen Koenig at email@example.com.


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Amazon to pay 95% of tuition for employees
At the same time as the tuition announcement, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos posted a letter on the Seattle-based company's homepage touting Amazon's seasonal recruiting efforts for the busy holiday season and stating that Amazon pays 30 percent more than traditional retailers.
The Amazon Career Choice Program is a bit different than traditional corporate tuition programs: Amazon will only pay tuition for those employees who enroll in training for jobs in well-paying and high-demand fields, based on sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Amazon said in a press release that it would fund education that leads to technical and vocational certifications or associate's degrees in those fields “regardless of whether those skills are relevant to a career at Amazon.”
The company, which hires thousands of people every year in an incredibly competitive market for tech workers, does not seem to be shying away from its reputation as a stepping stone for employees who move on after two years. In a press release, Amazon said “a job at Amazon might be a step towards a career in another field.”
Employees have to work for the company for three years before receiving the tuition benefit, an incentive to stay past the two-year mark, when Amazon’s sign-on bonuses typically expire.
“I welcome Amazon’s innovative initiative, which offers a new and exciting way for corporate support of employee education,” Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire said in a press release.
Emily Parkhurst covers the technology industry for the Puget Sound Business Journal/TechFlash.
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Fans of Game of Thrones have a long time to wait until a new episode comes out, and given that the next season is the final installment in the series, things are looking pretty grim for fans. Though we can always rewatch the old seasons of the show or read the books, there's just so much time to wait before season eight premieres. However, Storybook Cosmetics has stepped in in the interim to make things a little better, as new makeup nearly always does.
They just posted a photo to their Instagram indicating that they're creating a brand new palette called the Dragon Fire palette. The caption says, "Dragon Fire Storybook Palette! Artwork approved, onto sample printing and finishing our 🔥 shades!" While they haven't yet posted any information about colors or the formula of the shadows that will be included, the mere fact that it's being created is enough to get any Khaleesi excited about the release.


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Last week, Facebook announced that Facebook Stories, their Snapchat clone within their main app, would soon be made available to all Pages, meaning brands will be able to make use of the option in addition to regular users.
You’re probably thinking ‘so what?’ Few people seem to use Facebook Stories anyway, and many see it as an annoyance, a step too far in Facebook’s efforts to quell Snapchat. Opening it up to brands likely won’t have any significant impact, right? That may be true, maybe Facebook Stories will never take off the way Instagram Stories has.
Or maybe it will – but even if it doesn’t, Stories for Pages does provide some interesting considerations and opportunities that could be worth exploring.
Here are five potential opportunities of Stories for Pages.
1. Prime Real Estate
The first key consideration you need to take into account is that Facebook Stories presents an opportunity to take up prime position in the app, right at the top if user feeds.
That’s a big benefit – getting your brand to the top result on Google is a key goal because it puts your business front and centre, and gets the most attention. Granted, the process is a little different (people are actually searching for related keywords on Google), but still, having the capacity to get your brand right at the top of the feeds of your Page fans is a key benefit, and one that could help generate results.
Of course, Facebook has been experimenting with hiding the Stories bar with some users, which could negate this potential opportunity.
It’s unclear if Facebook’s going to roll this option out to all users (I’d suspect not), but still, having a tool which enables you to put your brand message right at the top of user feeds - appearing not only in the feeds of your Page likers, but with the capacity to appear in other feeds too by making your stories ‘Public’ - is a valuable opportunity which shouldn’t be overlooked.
2. Cross Post from Instagram
Facebook recently confirmed that they’re in the process of rolling out the ability for users to cross-post their Instagram Stories to Facebook.
There’s no official word yet as to whether the same capacity will be extended to brands, but logically, you’d assume it will. As such, if your business is already creating Instagram Stories, it makes sense to at least try out Facebook Stories cross-posting – you’re essentially boosting your exposure potential with no additional effort.
There could be an annoyance factor to consider – maybe the same fans follow you on both Instagram and Facebook and they don’t want to see the same content on both platforms. But still, the added exposure potential of reaching the broader Facebook audience with minimal extra creation effort could give your Stories content a boost, and improve brand exposure.
A simple way to boost performance.
3. Rising Stories Use
While Facebook has been criticized for putting Stories everywhere (in WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook and Instagram), there’s a reason why they’ve done this. Stories, as a communications tool, is on the rise, with more and more people now using the Stories format to communicate and connect.
Stories has proven to be a very popular format, which is why Facebook’s been so keen to push it across all their apps. Yes, slowing the Snapchat migration among younger users is also a motivator, but if the addition of these Stories options saw usage rates of their apps decline, you can bet Facebook would get rid of them. They haven’t, which suggests that even in Facebook Stories, Facebook is seeing some usage benefit.
With the Stories format rising in popularity, it makes sense for all brands to be considering how they too might be able to use it to advantage, and Facebook Stories is another element in that equation.
4. Countering Reach Declines
Organic reach on Facebook is in decline for all Pages – granted, some are still seeing growth, but in general terms, reach is well down on what it once was.
Back in August, BuzzSumo released a report which showed that the average number of engagements with Facebook posts created by brands and publishers has fallen by more than 20% since January 2017.
With organic reach dropping, brands are looking for alternate ways to ‘beat’ the algorithm and maintain steady levels of Facebook referral traffic – if this sounds like you, Facebook Stories should definitely be on your radar.
As noted, Facebook Stories are given prime positioning in the app, which could help boost exposure, while the ability to post public Stories could provide even more opportunity for your content to appear in more user feeds.
If you can create compelling, interesting Stories content, it could provide a new way to boost interest and engagement, and get more of your fans coming back to your Page, and ultimately your website.
It provides another option to connect and raise awareness of your offers and content, which is important, considering the declines in overall exposure on the platform.
5. Creative options
And the last key point to consider is that the Stories format offers a range of new creative options, including filters, effects, video masks and live-streaming.
All of these tools give you new ways in which to tell your brand stories – you don’t have to have a huge budget or access to dedicated tools, necessarily, as these features are all available within your Facebook app.
Of course, the way in which you use them to create a compelling Story is what will differentiate your content in the Stories feed, but the opportunity is there to do so, to make your business stand out and generate interest and attention via Facebook Stories. And if few people are using the option, that may provide even more potential for your content to stand out. Maybe Stories doesn’t work out, and no one ever uses it, but it may be worth experimenting either way.
None of these options are prescriptive – given the slow adoption of Facebook Stories, it’s impossible to say whether there will or won’t be significant brand benefit in using the new option for Pages. But there is potential there.
Worth considering, particularly as you go about planning for 2018.


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social media watch
Posted by Sheila Shayon on November 21, 2013 02:47 PM
Pinterest is pinning its monetization hopes on Place Pins, a new category of pins focused on travel that carries enormous potential in the lucrative business of location-based ads.
Place Pins let users pin images of bars, cafes, restaurants and other destinations onto dedicated Pinterest boards. The intention is to tap into social travel, helping users plan trips. The company says its Pinners generate 1.5 million pins tagged to locations every day, adding up to a total of 750 million across the site, with 75 percent of traffic coming from mobile.
Users can create map-based pin boards integrated with map apps from Google and Apple, while Foursquare, Airbnb and OpenTable will provide content. The pins will make use of Foursquare’s location API and Mapbox’s map technology.
“Pinterest users like to plan vacations as much as they like to redesign their living rooms and make over their wardrobes, so it isn’t far-fetched to imagine hotels, vacation destinations and travel agents paying to promote themselves on the new pin maps," the Wall Street Journal muses.Continue reading...
Posted by Abe Sauer on March 15, 2013 12:35 PM
Above, Guanxi.me, makers of a popular app widely used for hooking up, has generously released a "Don't Hook Up" PSA.
China is the second largest economy in the world and every significant brand's future is impacted by its growth (or collapse)—but who's got the time?! Here's the week's reads that will make you look like a keen China observer in case you find yourself immersed in a cultural conversation.
This week: "Dr. Hangzhou"... avoiding hook-ups... recalls... vacuum cleaners... panda poop... Coca-Cola's illegal GPS... Uniqlo... selling air quality... Philip Morris... KFC... Guanxi.me... McDonald's gives away McMuffins... and moreContinue reading...
Posted by Dale Buss on December 13, 2012 09:04 AM
Google releases new map app for Apple iPhone, shuts down shopping search in China, and makes porn harder to find, as CEO defends tax avoidance.
Apple settles European e-book price-fixing probe with publishers.
Applebee's interviews creator of #HireKevin campaign.
BMW and Boeing plan to collaborate on making carbon fiber.
Barclays joins industry cost-cutting wave, eliminating 2,000 jobs.
Berkshire Hathaway plans rare buyback of holder's stock.Continue reading...
Posted by Dale Buss on October 19, 2012 09:02 AM
Google turns in soft quarter as PR fail pummels stock.
HSBC hit by worldwide cyberattack.
McDonald's profit falls as U.S. growth slows.
Abbott study of kidney drug is halted.
Apple's iPad Mini poised to cannibalize sales.
Lance Armstrong endorsement implosion toll reaches $30 million.
BBC director general to testify on Jimmy Savile scandal, as new head of BBC Worldwide named.Continue reading...
Posted by Sheila Shayon on June 4, 2012 01:02 PM
Getty Images and Google have partnered on the World Wonders Project, virtually exploring 132 historic sites ranging from Stonehenge to Pompeii using Google’s Street View technology and Getty’s archival collection of 80 million plus images, as seen above.
Google 3D models, YouTube videos and Street View, the popular feature of Google Maps available in 39 countries, plus additional resources from partners including UNESCO, the World Monuments Fund and Ourplace, make this a unique project uniting preservation, technology, and heritage.Continue reading...
Posted by Shirley Brady on June 10, 2011 04:30 PM
Panasonic North America is launching an advertising campaign "to highlight Panasonic's growing leadership in green business innovation looking toward 2018, the 100th anniversary of the founding of its parent company, Panasonic Corporation."
In addition to print ads, TV commercials featuring British singer Sarah Brightman will "emphasize the importance of pursuing a sustainable future and will highlight some of Panasonic's own eco initiatives."Continue reading...


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Volkswagen has reduced the output of electric cars at its German factories and has cancelled plans to build a new $2 billion factory in Wolfsburg, according to a report from Bloomberg. Is this good news, bad news, or just news? Let’s dig into both stories to see if we can find some answers to those questions.
Volkswagen Trims EV Output
Bloomberg reported on September 26 that demand for electric cars in Germany has suffered a significant decline this month primarily because the German government has decided to end EV subsidies for business customers — a big part of the new car market in Germany. That decision led to a big increase — 171 percent — in EV sales in August as customers raced to buy new cars before the subsidies ended. Since then, EV sales have been falling in the wake of the subsidy phaseout. 70% of the electric cars manufactured in Zwickau are purchased by business customers.
Without the subsidies, the price of buying a new electric car for business use has gone up substantially, but shoppers have other concerns on their minds as well. Electricity rates are going up, as is the cost of living for many Germans, and there are still lingering concerns about charging infrastructure and the driving range of battery-powered cars.
Production of the Volkswagen ID.3 and Cupra Born electric models will be dialed back at the company’s main EV factory in Zwickau until October 16, a spokesperson said. Assembly of the ID.3 at the Glass Factory in Dresden will cease for the first two weeks of October.
Volkswagen is engaged in talks with local labor representatives on how production in Zwickau will continue in the second half of October, the spokesperson added. Assembly in Dresden will return to normal starting in the last two weeks of October.
Volkswagen said earlier this month it will be letting 269 temporary workers in Zwickau go once their one-year contracts expire.
No New Factory In Wolfsburg
When Herbert Diess was running the show as head of Volkswagen Group, he talked often of his plans for a new electric car architecture he called Trinity, and said the company would build a new $2 billion factory in Wolfsburg that would rival the efficiency and productivity of the Tesla factory in Grünheide.
But when Diess got replaced by Oliver Blume, a thorough review of the Trinity program and the proposed new factory was undertaken. Now that the review has been completed, a decision has been made and approved by the 20 members of the Volkswagen Board of Management to scrap the plans for a new factory — which was projected to cost more than $2 billion — and reshuffle the plan for which cars will be made where among the company’s existing factories.
In a company press release on September 29, 2023, Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand, said, “Our industry faces complex challenges as it undergoes a transformation that is being conducted under difficult business conditions. It is all the more important that we prepare our individual plants and the Volkswagen production network in Germany for the future. Within the context of our performance program, this newly approved vehicle allocation plan will make a substantial contribution to a strong, competitive VW brand.”
Christian Vollmer, the Volkswagen brand Board of Management member for production and a member of the Extended Executive Committee for Production, added, “We are using the transition to electromobility as an opportunity to reduce the complexity of our production operations and increase the efficiency of our plants even further. We are systematically bundling vehicles based on the same architecture across all brands in our plants. By doing so, we will save significant investments in the integration of different vehicle architectures. Rather, we want our plants to produce several different models on the technical basis of one vehicle architecture.”
The company said that production of the ID.3 will be ramped up in 2023 at the Zwickau factory (after the early October pause is over, presumably). The Wolfsburg factory will be tasked with producing a second electric model — an all-electric SUV for the high-volume A segment — starting in 2026.
Wolfsburg will also produce the still-popular Volkswagen Golf and the next generation Tiguan. Beginning in 2025, the successor model of the Tiguan Allspace will be produced at the Wolfsburg factory as well.
Shuffling The Production Deck
The board decided — no doubt at the behest of Oliver Blume — there was no need to build an additional plant in Wolfsburg. Instead, new electric models based on the SSP architecture (scalable systems platform), that will be introduced at the end of the decade, will be integrated into existing and modernized structures at the main plant. A battery electric version of the Golf is also to be built there on the SSP platform. As things stand today, the Trinity vehicle project originally planned for Wolfsburg will go to the Zwickau factory.
Handelsblatt adds some context here. An unidentified member of the supervisory board told the German newspaper that the plans for a new factory to build the Trinity cars “were too optimistic. In short: they could not be fulfilled. But there’s more to the story. The current agreement with the works council in Zwickau expires in 2029.”
The Trinity platform is expected to go into production in 2028. Therefore, building cars on that platform in Zwickau will provide the workers at that factory with the job security they seek after the current agreement expires. Cars built on the Trinity platform are expected to be capable of much higher charging speeds and at least have the potential of Level 4 autonomous operation.
Bloomberg reports the decision to assign Golf production to Wolfsburg comes as the brand pushes through savings measures demanded by Blume. High demand anticipated for the model bolsters the argument to keep staffing levels high as a job security package with the union runs expires in 2029. Finally, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in Hanover is expected to build a new family of electric models on the scalable EV platform planned for the end of the decade.
As always, the union was heavily involved in all this planning for the future. Daniela Cavallo, the head of the General Works Council, said in a statement, “With the decisions for our domestic vehicle manufacturing VW plants, we have now taken an important step in the planning round. In doing so, even in difficult times, the company and the Works Council are demonstrating their ability to work together to find solid solutions that combine the best possible economic utilization of the factories and clear prospects for our work forces. With that in mind, we are now moving on to the next stages tfor the planning round and the performance program.”
The question we asked at the beginning was is this a good thing or a bad thing? To an outside observer, there is a hint of panic about all this sturm und drang over the Trinity project, the sacking of Herbert Diess (yes, we know he wasn’t fired, but it seems nobody has heard anything from him in almost a year — is he locked in a broom closet somewhere?), the on-again, off-again rumors of the ID. Life/ID.2, and the continuing saga of software that doesn’t work the way it should.
Oliver Blume is clearly super competent, but it must be a constant challenge dealing with the Porsche and Piech families, not to mention the government of Lower Saxony. It can’t be fun balancing all the demands being made on him.
The EV revolution is going to see some companies fail. Up to now, it has seemed that Volkswagen would survive, but there’s a whiff of desperation in the air in Wolfsburg. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.


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– Japan’s Economic Disaster – Real Wages Lowest Since 1990, Record Numbers Describe “Hard” Living Conditions (Liberty Blitzkrieg, July 13, 2015):
With so much attention rightly focused on China at the moment (see: Chinese Authorities Arrest Over 100 Human Rights Activists and Lawyers in Desperate Crackdown on Dissent), people aren’t paying enough attention to the budding economic calamity unfolding in Japan.
While “Abenomics” has succeeded in boosting the stock market and food prices, it has utterly failed to raise wages. In fact, wages adjusted for inflation have plunged to the lowest since 1990. As such, a record number of households now describe their living conditions as “somewhat hard” or “very hard.”
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came to power vowing to drag Japan out of deflation and stagnation. His logic was that rising prices would drive higher salaries and increased consumption. More than two years on, prices are rising, but wages adjusted for inflation have sunk to the lowest since at least 1990.
A record 62 percent of Japanese households described their livelihoods as “hard” last year in a survey on incomes. A sales-tax increase in 2014 helped drive up living costs faster than wage gains. At the same time, the Bank of Japan’s quantitative easing drove down the currency, boosting the cost of imported energy.
Not that verifiable proof of failed economic policies will convince the central planners in Japan or anywhere else to change course. These people are simply dangerously insane and can’t help themselves.
In case you missed it the first time, here’s my most recent important post on Japan:


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Cue up some annoying trumpets and the 2001: A Space Odyssey theme song. Today is a joyous day indeed. It’s the day that Twilight Time will be finally be releasing 1988’s The Blob remake on Blu-ray!
For those of you who don’t know, Twilght Time is a company that puts out limited edition versions of movies onto Blu-ray. In the past, they’ve released horror titles like Christine and Fright Night in quantities of only 3000 total. Bad news for those who couldn’t grab those, because they’re up on Ebay for upwards of $100. Now, for The Blob release – they’ve upped the number to 5000, so you’ve got a better shot to pick one up at cost. Do it quick though, because I suspect by tomorrow that they’ll be sold out. Head over to their site HERE today at 4:00 EST and snag one up. Word is it will be around $30 or so. Blob remake enthusiasts unite!