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In this blog, Philip Ingram explores the upcoming data wars and the fight to protect personal data by various organizations in the UK.
Elizabeth Denham, the UK Information and Privacy Commissioner, has had the daunting task of preparing her office and UK businesses for GDPR within a wider Brexit framework. Whilst she has her own team providing legal advice, many legal firms and traditionally cyber consultancies have launched themselves into the data protection arena given the huge fines non-compliance with GDPR could see (up to 4% of global annual turnover or €20 Million, whichever is the larger).
We know how cyberspace has grown and is touching all aspects of our lives. We are being constantly told of cyber-attacks and our personal data being stolen, we are now seeing social media companies being talked about in the UK Parliament and accused of misusing their customer’s personal data. All of this is leading to another huge area of growth. That is the area of ‘cyber litigation.’
The straw(s) that broke the camel’s back
The fight against personal data protection came to the fore with cases like the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal where Dr. Aleksandr Kogan, an academic at the University of Cambridge, used a personality quiz to harvest up to 87 million Facebook users’ details. An element of the data was then shared with the political consultancy Cambridge Analytica and this was used to target political advertising in the US.
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) fined Facebook £500,000 over the incident as it had happened before the new GDPR rules came into place. During the course of its investigation, the ICO analyzed 700 terabytes of data, equivalent to 52 billion pages. However, Facebook is appealing the fine as they say there was no evidence of data from UK users had been mishandled.
This is one of a number of pre-GDPR fines we have seen this year. At the end of November, the ICO announced a fine of £385,000 against Uber’s European arm relating to a breach going back to 2016 when records for 35 million users worldwide and 3.7 million drivers were lost. The maximum fine before GDPR is £500,000.
The mistake Uber had made was not to disclose the attack and for them to comply with the hackers’ demands and pay a $100,000 ‘bug bounty,’ which the ICO described as, ‘fundamentally different from legitimate bug bounty recipients’ since they had malicious intentions.
What is a data breach?
Given the potential for huge rises in fines. The ICO has put a lot of effort into their website as the go-to place for all information regarding GDPR, data protection and more. Of course that is the place to go to when looking to answer the question ‘what is a data breach?’
A data breach applies to what is called ‘personal data’ but has a few more layers. It can be broadly defined as ‘a security incident that has affected the confidentiality, integrity or availability of personal data.’ A personal data breach thus occurs whenever any personal data is lost, destroyed, corrupted, disclosed or made unavailable, for example, when it has been encrypted by ransomware.
Once a breach as defined above has been identified, an organisation is required to report it to the relevant supervisory authorities. This has to be done within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach. In addition, if there is a high risk of individuals’ rights and freedoms being adversely affected then they must be informed without delay – it was in this matter where Uber faltered.
What is interesting is that organisations are listening; it is early days but since GDPR was implemented, according to the ICO’s statistics on data breach reporting, the number of data breaches being reported in the UK have gone up four fold. This doesn’t mean there is an increase in breaches, just an increase in reporting, now that it has become mandatory. That increasing trend is expected to continue as more companies become GDPR-aware.
Major data breaches in 2018
Recently in a debate, four Queen’s Counsel Barristers from the Cyber Specialist law firm 36 Commercial concluded that GDPR litigation is likely to increase dramatically because of the precedent set in the High Court over the leak of customer data from the British Supermarket chain Morrisons by a convicted employee. Morrisons as a company was still held responsible and could be subject to a class action suit from customers whose data was stolen.
Data breaches continue even after companies have prepared for GDPR. In September, British Airways admitted to a breach (carried out over several days) of 380,000 booking transactions where passengers’ personal data including credit card and passport details were stolen in a sophisticated attack.
Only this month have we heard of the Marriott Hotel group’s reservation system being hacked and up to a possible 500 million records being stolen. The immediate consequence was a 6% drop in stock value and various commentators are anticipating heavy GDPR fines dished on the hospitality industry stalwart.
The UK’s ICO has real challenges ahead, but their approach is not designed to punish first and foremost. Instead, they will opt to ‘encourage’ best practice and a change in attitude. That overhaul will be to recognise personal data is not owned by the company but that it is merely on loan and must be protected and processed correctly.
To date the ICO has registered many wins, taking ‘71 actions’ this year; not all of them were against commercial companies and not all of them involved fines. Even though we have yet to see the full force of GDPR being brought to bear, it is clear that no one is exempt.
Moving forward, Elizabeth Denham’s organisation will now be involved in examining the impact of the Marriott hotel chain breach and organisations will be collectively holding their breath for the first GDPR fines. However, the impact of data breaches is not just a potential GDPR fine but also a company’s reputation, its share price and the personal vulnerability of board members.


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Get at the Facebook event!
Scion A/V Metal is releasing a new EP from (the) Melvins! Named “The Bulls & The Bees”, the first track will be released Friday, with the full release premiering March 13!
You can never have enough of (the) Melvins.
In light of certain shipments making their way to my door ahead of schedule, I just don’t see any point in waiting until the 22nd.
Kindly make your way to Bandcamp and listen to “Let Yourself Be Huge” and its companion and/or sidekick “Loop”.
Read on for shipping minutiae:
CDs will be in the…
Go get these right now.

domain: news


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This story was published more than 3 years ago.
Novomatic-owned gaming group Greentube has announced that they've entered the Polish gaming market by offering its games to Total Casino.
The deal will see Greentube's entire slot library being offered, with big games like Book of Ra and Sizzling Hot being offered on the site, which is run by operator Totalizator Sportowy. Novomatic games have previously been available in Poland through retail channels and casinos, but now they're entering the digital frontier. These games are available now at the site and give Total a very nice addition to provide to their players.
"Totalizator Sportowy's casino brand is very well-respected by players in Poland, and to be selected as an online partner is further evidence that we are a market-leading force when it comes to iGaming content across a wide range of regulated markets," said Greentube CFO Michael Bauer. "Greentube has already enjoyed a fruitful start to 2021 and this new market entry and partnership shows our commitment to expanding our reach."
Totalizator Sportowy Online Gaming Director Maciej Kasprzak added: "We are constantly developing our offer and we want our clients to experience the best entertainment from the best developers. The arrival of Greentube's content has been greeted by the players with much excitement. We look forward to continuing a successful partnership."


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In the weeks since a tragic building collapse claimed more than 1,100 lives, a pact among global retailers to protect Bangladesh factory workers has garnered newfound support, with more companies signing commitments by the day.
The pact, officially known as the Accord on Fire and Building Safety on Bangladesh, originated last year and focuses on expanding worker rights and bettering fire and building safety standards. Now, facing international pressure to take action, numerous retailers have committed to a modified version, including Swedish retailer H&M, the biggest purchaser of garments from Bangladesh.
The pact entails a five-year commitment and requires participating retailers not only to conduct independent safety inspections of factories, but also pay up to $500,000 per year toward safety improvments. The agreement is also backed by the International Labour Organisation, trade unions and other lobby groups.
Here are the retailers who have so far committed to the pact:
PVH, the company that owns labels Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Izod labels, initially made a commitment to factory safety in March 2012 and reaffirmed its commitment after the Bangladesh factory collapse, according to a company press release. PVH has pledged $2.5 million to the accord, Bloomberg News reports.
German retailer Tchibo also signed on to the pact last year.
Swedish retailer H&M became the first company in the wake of the Bangladesh building collapse to sign the safety pact. The company said in a statement that it hoped the agreement would help lead to an "industry in which no worker needs to fear fires, building collapses or other accidents that could be prevented with reasonable health and safety measures."
Just hours after H&M made their announcement to sign on to the pact, Dutch retailer C&A followed suit.
Inditex SA, owner of the Zara chain, committed to the pact as well. A spokesperson told CNBC that "the accord has not come out yet, but as you know we have played a very active part in its development."
"For the multinational retailers like Tesco who source from Bangladesh, we must help it to change in a positive way, a way which sustains and improves the livelihoods of all those who work in the industry," Kevin Grace, director of Tesco, wrote in a blog post about the British retailer's decision to join the pact.
After initially denying its ties to the collapsed Bangladesh factory only to admit later that its clothes were indeed made there, Italian fashion brand Benetton committed to the pact on May 14, according to a company spokesperson.
El Corte Ingles
The Spanish department store group El Corte Ingles said their suppliers signed on to the pact, Scott Nova of the Worker Rights Consortium told The Huffington Post.
Nova also confirmed that British retailer Next has signed on to the accord.
Primark, a British retailer that admitted some of its clothing was made at the collapsed factory, was also one of the first retailers to sign on to the pact.
Mango, which was one of the companies that sourced products from the fatal factory, agreed to the accord, a spokesperson told The Huffington Post.
Marks & Spencer
British retailer Marks & Spencer, which sources from 60 factories in Bangladesh according to the Chicago Tribune, committed to the accord on May 13.
The French retailer Carrefour announced on May 14 that it would sign the accord, according to Reuters.
Loblaw Companies, the owner of Joe Fresh, committed to the accord on May 14 according to a statement emailed to The Huffington Post. The Canadian brand was manufacturing apparel at the Rana Plaza factory, Time reports.
Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie & Fitch verbally agreed to the accord on May 15, a company spokesperson confirmed to HuffPost.


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Newegg is building on its early adopter status in the cryptocurrency realm by preparing to accept Litecoin.
The online consumer electronics retailer, which in 2014 became the first major retailer to accept bitcoin payments, now expects to become the first major retailer to accept Litecoin cryptocurrency as a payment method on the BitPay platform by the end of July 2021.
As a result. customers shopping on Newegg.com will have the option of paying with Litecoin using the BitPay Wallet app. Launched in 2011 by former Google engineer Charlie Lee, Litecoin was created as a “light” version of bitcoin. While similar in technical nature to bitcoin, Litecoin offers faster transaction confirmation times – 2.5 minutes on average compared to bitcoin’s average of 10 minutes.
When completing an order on Newegg.com, customers who want to pay with Litecoin click “edit” in the payment section on the checkout page, then select BitPay. Customers can then complete their transactions using Litecoin held in their digital wallet.
Newegg’s partnership with BitPay dates back to 2014, when both organizations collaborated to enable bitcoin transactions on Newegg.com. Subsequently, Newegg was among the first retailers to accept the Dogecoin cryptocurrency for payment in early 2021.
“Delivering a better online shopping experience isn’t only about price and selection – it’s also important to let people shop however they want, and that extends to offering flexible payment options,” said Andrew Choi, senior brand manager of Newegg. “We're thrilled to accept Litecoin, as we believe that convenient payment options improve the overall shopping experience for all our customers."
“Newegg has always been able to quickly implement new technologies to offer its customers innovative new ways to pay for products and services purchased through its platform. We are pleased to be the company’s chosen partner in integrating the Litecoin payment option into its platform,” said Stephen Pair, CEO at BitPay. “As the enthusiasm and excitement around the use of cryptocurrency continue to grow, Newegg demonstrates once again that it’s committed to making it easy for customers to shop their way with a growing array of payment options that also cater to crypto fans.”
Headquartered in City of Industry, Calif., Newegg was founded in 2001 and serves a global customer base throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East.


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The Economic Development Advisory Committee’s (EDAC) presentation before the Cranbury Township Committee has highlighted several attractions residents want to see with an updated Cranbury.
Those attractions are seen as more business development such as a bakery shop, retail as in an apparel or specialty food stores and a famers market or music venues within a business.
The EDAC is now in the second phase of the committee’s three-phased approach to formulating a strategy to revitalize economic growth in Cranbury, specifically for the downtown area.
The second phase is the define phase and the committee is set to complete that phase in December. EDAC members will use the rest of the year to define the committee’s next steps, which will include the feedback received from the township committee and residents.
Another briefing will then occur back at to the township committee to review and report initiatives the group will seek approval on.
Then, the deliver phase (third phase) will begin at the end of December and continue into 2021.
EDAC committee members briefed the township committee and residents on the the findings from the discovery phase (first phase) of the committee’s approach during a meeting on Sept. 28.
“We do want to acknowledge some of the concerns people have and let people know we are taking that very seriously. There was some cutback within some of the things we did and through verbal conversations about too much traffic, uncontrolled growth, and that nobody wants a Bordentown or Robbinsville Township here,” EDAC Chairman Darek Hahn said. “I think from the data we have nobody wants that, so those who have concerns this might alleviate some.”
Tamara Vostok shared the results of the perception survey when the EDAC reported the data it compiled through a perception survey from the first phase for residents, a business survey and conducted business roundtable, which is the first of a series of business roundtables that will take place.
Utilizing the township email list, close to 900 individuals received a perception survey; in its efforts, EDAC gathered more than 600 responses.
“Only 37% see Cranbury as a destination and 40% say it is a good place to visit. The numbers are not matching up. While people want to live here they are not asking their friends and family to visit,” Vostok said. “There feels like there is a lack of things to do, lack of business diversity and vacancies. That all comes through the numbers and open-ended responses.”
Looking at the data compiled by the EDAC for the two topics Vostok referenced: out of 614 responses, 8.1% strongly agree and 29.6% somewhat agree that downtown Cranbury is a destination; while 30.3% somewhat disagree, 21.5% neither agree or disagree and 10.4% strongly disagree.
For recommending Cranbury as a place to visit for family and friends in terms of activities and amusements, also out of 614 responses, 15.5% are very likely to recommend and 25.6% are somewhat likely; while 23.5% are neutral, 23.1% say unlikely and 12.4% said very unlikely, according to the EDAC.
“It is important to note that of the Cranbury residents who do come into downtown they are mostly dining in Cranbury or doing something outdoors,” Vostok said. “However, from the survey they are saying that they are not shopping in Cranbury. They are not doing their general errands in downtown.”
Data also spotlighted the most desired attractions and what types of restaurants and stores would have respondents spend more time downtown.
“Cranburyians are hungry and thirsty apparently. They want a bakery, coffee shop, casual dining and outdoor dining which was high on the list, a deli and quick service restaurants,” Vostok added. “In terms of retail, the residents would like a pub, book store, a truck store for everyday essentials, so they do not want to cross Route 130 for these items.”
When it comes to amenities making residents spend more time in Cranbury with 614 responses, 82.2% stated that they would like a farmers market, 59.6% music venues within businesses, 57.3% hiking and biking trails and 45.8% more public art exhibits, according to the EDAC.
The EDAC is now continuing work to have an initial three to five initiatives that the committee would look to complete in 8-12 months, if approved. Also, having another three to five initiatives completed in 12-36 months.
The plan for the committee will be to present a marketing plan in January of 2021, pending approval from the township committee later this year.


text: As technology is reaching to new heights, malware designers are getting more refined in designing nastier malware to attack businesses. Large firms take sufficient measures to protect their network. This, but, is not usually the reason with small and medium-sized businesses – a fact that is broken by hackers. SMEs are becoming one of the major targets for hackers. In fact, such businesses are used as a rope by hackers to pull down bigger business.


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One New York wholesaler/importer asked if he would be responsible for the food safety certification of his Chinese garlic supplier. No firm answer, of course, since the FDA has yet to issue its proposed rule for foreign supplier verification.
At this point, the likely answer is yes, Stenzel said. The legal liability will fall on the importer of record.
Another audience member asked why an FDA official recently called for more comments on the produce safety rule.
With the deadline for comments now pushed back until September, Stenzel assured the questioner that the industry — and consumer groups — will have no lack of comments when the deadline comes. Consumer and trade groups are also waiting on other food safety rules to be published before they weigh in.
One hopes that United Fresh and the Produce Marketing Association will consult with each other about the produce safety comments that are filed by the respective groups.
To make a finer point, what good would it be to have disagreement between the two national trade associations about food safety rules? If there is a lack of harmony, the FDA could discount the industry’s position entirely.
But if United Fresh and PMA harmonize their comments before the FDA deadline for input, what is the point of having separate food safety staffs and volunteer councils?
As much as the strong showing of United Fresh at San Diego put the talk of a merger with PMA 1,000 miles in the rear-view mirror, the redundancy of the two organizations on the issue of food safety industry input to government agencies is still an issue to be addressed going forward.
What's your take? Leave a comment and tell us your opinion.


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Sales of fizzy drinks fell at Jamie Oliver’s restaurants after he imposed his own ‘sugar tax’, a study has shown.
Adding a 10 pence charge to each sugary soft drink – including the restaurants’ own ‘homemade lemonade’ – resulted in an 11 per cent drop in sales within 12 weeks.
The tactic bodes well for the Government’s own sugar tax, which is to be introduced on all sugar-sweetened drinks next April.
Mr Oliver, who has long campaigned for state intervention on public health, added the levy to sugary drinks at his chain of 37 ‘Jamie’s Italian’ restaurants in September 2015.
Jamie Oliver has campaigned for years to get the Government to crackdown on unhealthy foods in British children’s diets. A recent study has shown by increasing the price of sugary drinks in his restaurants by 10p there has been an 11 per cent drop in sales
His menus also carried a message warning: ‘Sugar sweetened soft drinks are the single largest source of sugar in our children’s diets.’
The charge, which was donated to charity, put the price of a glass of Coca-Cola, for example, up to £2.65, while Diet Coke remained at £2.55.
Now an NHS-funded assessment of the scheme, conducted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the University of Cambridge, has declared it to have been a success.
The research, published in the BMJ Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, found that, after an adjustment for general sales trends, there was an 11 per cent decline in sales of sugary drinks per customer after 12 weeks.
After six months sales were still down 9.3 per cent per customer.
Lead author Professor Steven Cummins, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: ‘Obesity, type two diabetes and cardiovascular disease are among the most pressing global health challenges facing the world today.
‘Evidence suggests that excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is an important contributor to these potentially life-threatening conditions but we still don’t have a clear answer on how best to encourage people to consume fewer of them.
The NHS-funded study showed that sales of sugary soft drinks at Jamie’s Italian restaurants (pictured) dropped by 11 per cent in 12 weeks and 9.3 per cent over a period of six months
‘Our study showed that a combination of the levy, menu changes and clearly explaining to customers why it was introduced and that the proceeds would go directly to a worthy cause, looks to have had a relatively large effect on consumer behaviour given the small size of the levy.
‘This type of ‘complex intervention’ has also been shown to be successful in economic studies of levies on alcohol.’
The study also found a decrease in the numbers of all non-alcoholic drinks sold per customer, with the exception of fruit juice, which increased by 22 per cent after six months.
Sales of Diet Coke and bottled water also dropped.
Professor Cummins said: ‘A possible reason for this decline could be that more people were choosing tap water, but data on tap water orders was not available as it was not recorded on the restaurant’s sales system.
‘Overall, our study suggests that a small levy on sugar-sweetened drinks sold in restaurants, coupled with complementary activities, may have the potential to change consumer behaviour and reduce the consumption of these drinks which are associated with major health risks.’
The research team – who are funded by the NHS National Institute of Health Research, Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation – are also due to assess the impact of the Government’s sugar tax when it comes in next year.
Jamie’s Italian menus also have a message saying: ‘Sugar sweetened soft drinks are the single largest source of sugar in our children’s diets’
When Mr Oliver introduced his 10p levy two years ago, he said: ‘I was born into the restaurant industry and I truly believe that by joining together on this issue we not only send a powerful and strong message to government but we also have the potential to make a longlasting legacy that could ripple across the world.
‘I’ve seen first-hand the heartbreaking effects that poor diet and too much sugar is having on our children’s health and futures.
‘Young children are needing multiple teeth pulled out under general anaesthetic and one in three kids [is] now leaving primary school overweight or obese.
‘Soft drinks are the biggest single source of sugar among school-age kids and teenagers and so we have to start here.’
Experts last night welcomed the findings.
The Government’s former obesity tsar, Professor Susan Jebb of the University of Oxford, said: ‘This study provides the first evidence in the UK of the effects of a price rise on sales of sugar-sweetened beverages in a restaurant setting.’


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Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Governor Gilmore Announces WAL-MART Distribution Center In Louisa County
-Up to 600 new jobs will be created for area residents-
RICHMOND - Governor Jim Gilmore today announced that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. will locate a food distribution center in the Zion Crossroads area of Louisa County, creating 600 new jobs for the region. The 880,000 square-foot facility, to be located on the northeast corner of US 15 and I-64, will begin construction in spring 2002, with planned service to stores expected in spring 2003. Virginia successfully competed with Maryland for this investment of at least $40 million.
“With the majority of working age residents commuting out of Louisa County for employment, I am pleased that Wal-Mart will provide greater opportunities for the residents in their own community,” said Governor Gilmore. “My administration is committed to promoting economic development across the entire Commonwealth while leaving no region behind.”
Governor Gilmore approved a $500,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Louisa County with site preparation. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Thomas Jefferson Regional Partnership and Louisa County assisted Wal-Mart with its decision. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide workforce training services.
Initial hiring of approximately 400 area residents is expected to begin in fall of 2002. The total workforce is expected to grow to 600 within three years. More than 90 percent of the jobs created will be full-time positions. Full-time Wal-Mart associates are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package, which includes health insurance, profit sharing, 401K, paid vacations, stock purchase, scholarships and store discounts.
“The Louisa County food distribution center will provide Wal-Mart the opportunity to better serve the growing number of Wal-Mart customers who shop for groceries at our stores in the eastern United States,” said Rollin Ford, senior vice president of logistics for Wal-Mart. “It is a significant project that represents our continued commitment to Virginia as a partner in both economic development and community.”
“It is great to see Wal-Mart continuing to invest in the Commonwealth’s pro-business climate,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Barry E. DuVal. “Once again, Virginia’s strategic location proves beneficial to companies in need of distribution facilities.”
"Louisa County is excited that Wal-Mart will build a major distribution center here," said C. Edward Kube Jr., chairman of the Louisa County Board of Supervisors. "This validates the Board's number one priority of economic development. Wal-Mart's investment at Zion Crossroads will provide jobs for Louisa residents and additional tax revenues."
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. presently operates 68 Wal-Mart stores and Wal-Mart Supercenters, 10 SAM’S Club and two distribution centers in Virginia, employing 26,747 associates.


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Seasonal work can provide a much-needed boost to older Americans’ income—and such jobs often lead to full-time work. But older job seekers who are just now starting their search need to be quick or risk being late to the seasonal-hiring party.
The good news is that, even though a majority of employers said they would stop accepting applications for holiday season jobs as early as October, another 27% said they’d be hiring in November and 10% said they’d hire in December, according to a CareerBuilder survey of 2,099 hiring managers.
And older workers are sought by some companies: 17% of employers said they tend to hire retirees, while 34% said they focus on experienced workers who are not retired. Another 45% target college students and 23% tend to hire high-school students, according to CareerBuilder.
Some of the top sectors for seasonal hiring include retail stores, delivery companies and winter resorts. But 18% of employers in information technology, 16% in leisure and hospitality and 16% in financial services also said they will hire seasonal workers, according to the survey.
Seasonal jobs are not solely about manning a cash register or selling products, said Susan Joyce, publisher and editor at Job-Hunt.org and WorkCoachCafe.com, in Marlborough, Mass. “Not all of the seasonal jobs are sales jobs — by a long shot,” she said. “There are all kinds of layers.”
For example, she said, companies are looking to ramp up call-center staff to handle phone and web orders. Others seek office and administrative workers. Target Corp.
Joyce said CoolWorks.com and Snagajob.com are useful for finding seasonal work, and you can search BackdoorJobs.com for “short-term job adventures.” Also, check out RetiredBrains.com. Read: Seasonal and temp jobs for retirees.
Here are five sectors that are good bets for boomer job seekers seeking seasonal work.
Retailers are the logical first stop for those seeking a seasonal holiday job, and for good reason: Hundreds of thousands of jobs are spurred by holiday shopping. But the outlook for retailers this season is mixed, partly because consumer confidence is on shaky ground. That and other factors could limit retailers’ holiday hiring, according to a projection by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
“Whether it is related to an increase in online shopping or the shakiness in consumer confidence, the expectation that there will be fewer people in the stores could prompt some retailers to reduce the number of extra people they will need on the sales floor,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, in a report in September.
Case in point: Target is hiring fewer seasonal workers this year—70,000, down from about 88,000 a year ago. But other stores are ramping up hiring, if only slightly. For example, Macy’s
For its part, Manpower, the employment-services firm, said wholesale and retail employers planned a “moderate increase” in hiring for the fourth quarter. Read Manpower’s release.
Here are the hiring plans for the holiday season among some of the biggest retailers, according to Joyce of Job-Hunt.org:
J.C. Penney US:JCP , 35,000 workers
Toys “R” Us, 45,000 workers
Or, maybe you want more control over when and how you work? Then signing up with a company like TaskRabbit might be for you. TaskRabbit, which operates in 17 cities nationwide, connects people who need work done — be it the delivery of a gift basket or a burrito, an office assignment, decorating for the holidays, grocery shopping or putting together a piece of IKEA furniture — with those who want to do it.
To start bidding on tasks that are posted on the site, you’ll need to create an account and undergo a background check (TaskRabbit said it will use your Social Security number, name and address to verify you have a clean record at a national, state and local level).
Tax-prep companies are gearing up for the 2014 tax-filing season, and that means they’ve been hiring thousands of tax experts and support staff.
All told, H&R Block will hire about 80,000 tax preparers, office managers and client-service workers for the coming tax season. But the company started recruiting over the summer, so time is of the essence for job seekers.
While a majority of those positions have been filled, there still are openings in various markets, an H&R Block spokesman said. See their job site.
Another company that’s hiring: the Internal Revenue Service. The agency is seeking data transcribers, tax experts and customer-service help. See their page on seasonal jobs.
“The IRS is hiring temporary workers, and they’re training them,” Joyce, of Job-Hunt.org, said. “There are a lot of opportunities, and I know some people who have converted the temporary job into a permanent job.”
Got a yen for a White Christmas? A seasonal job at a winter resort might fit the bill. For example, Winter Park Resort, about 70 miles from Denver, has full- and part-time jobs posted for the winter season, including “guest surveyor,” and “guest service ambassador” for their ski school. See the resort’s job site.
Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, in Lake Tahoe, have almost 150 jobs posted, including call-center agent, ticket seller, front-desk agent and yoga instructor.
Vail Resorts has job openings for a winter-season reservation agent at Grand Teton National Park and a spa concierge in Breckenridge, Colo., plus a variety of outdoor and ski-related listings.
Sugarbush Resort in Vermont has postings for a reservations agent, ski instructor, child care provider, photographer, cashier, bartender and server.
Maybe you’re not looking for paid employment, but you want to help out, plus stay active this holiday season? A short-term volunteer assignment may be just the ticket for you.
Here’s one example of how you can help: A YWCA in Tacoma, Wash., is seeking volunteers to sort donations to its holiday gift center. Meanwhile, a charity in Philadelphia called Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly is looking for people to visit elderly people on Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to VolunteerMatch.org. Go to the site to search for more holiday volunteer opportunities nationwide.
If you’re looking for something a bit more adventurous, maybe an overseas volunteer experience is for you.
For example, Projects Abroad offers short-term (from one week to 12 weeks or longer) volunteer opportunities in 28 developing countries, including projects in need of professionals, such as social workers, dietitians and business consultants.
“Volunteers can teach English, work at an orphanage or day-care center, help with building projects, work on organic farms, take part in environmental conservation, and a variety of other projects,” said Christian Clark, a program adviser with Projects Abroad, in an email message. “With about 10,000 participants a year, most age groups are represented at any time.”
The catch: While room and board is included, this type of program may cost you upward of $3,000 for a two-week adventure. See their website.


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Valley Bounty: Winter Farmers’ Market in Hadley
Published December 9, 2023 in the Daily Hampshire Gazette
A New Winter Farmers’ Market Sets Up Shop
With considerable effort from organizers, a new winter farmers market is coming to Hadley this year. Located on the grounds of Wancyzk Nursery at 166 Russell St, it will run every Saturday from 10 – 2. The market will offer local farms and businesses a critical sales point during the colder months and provide shoppers with one more access point for enjoying local food.
The launch comes on the heels of the previous Winter Farmers Market at the Hampshire Mall’s decision not to continue this year. Knowing that, the same team that runs the longstanding Amherst Farmers Market all summer stepped in to fill the void. Their new venture aims to blend vendors and customers from both markets into something new, just in time for the holiday shopping season.
“Farmers markets are very social places,” says market manager David Machowski. “Some people are on a mission to buy and leave, but most people come to loiter. We’re hoping for a decent turnout that generates attention and good sales for the vendors, and for the nursery.”
Machowski has been managing farmers markets for a long time. He led the Amherst summer market from 1986 to 2002, then returned to the helm in 2017. During his tenure, that market has flourished.
“On a good Saturday we can get upwards of 4,200 people shopping at the summer market,” he shares. “Flatteringly, the town has told me we are the third-largest economic driver for town of Amherst.” The hope is to carry some of that momentum over to Hadley this winter.
The choice to hold the market at Wanczyk Nursery emerged from Machowski’s friendship with owner Mike Wanczyk. The location’s large parking lot and central location on route 9 also make it well equipped to handle visitors coming by car or public transportation.
At their first market last week, vendors were set up outside in a clear area that during warmer months is otherwise filled with trees and nursery plants. The familiar Amherst Farmers Market pop up tent marked the entrance to the market, in front of which pre-cut Christmas trees, outdoor holiday decorations, and a fire pit greeted visitors. The nursery’s main sales building and greenhouse of houseplants and poinsettias sits right beside. A similar arrangement is planned for today’s market.
In the coming weeks, they hope to move the market into one of the nursery’s other heated greenhouses. However, that hinges on permitting and approvals from the town of Hadley, followed by work to modify utilities in the space. While those plans are in motion, the outcome is not yet certain.
“Hopefully we’ll have about 30-35 vendors from the summer market following us over to the winter market,” Machowski says. Local produce farms will anchor this agrarian display, including Red Fire Farm from Montague and Granby, Quabbin Hill Farm from Pelham, and Carrot Corner Farm from Amherst. Locally raised meat, eggs and cheese will also be available, along with a variety of baked goods, value-added products, and clothing and household items crafted by local producers.
“Berkshire Mountain Bakery and Bread Euphoria will be there with baked goods,” says Machowski. “Park Hill Orchard from Colrain will be there with all their pies and jams. Chase Hill Farm from Warwick will be there with meats and cheeses along with maple syrup and products from Justamere Tree Farm in Worthington.”
Other producers will offer a range of items from skin care products to herb and tea mixes to clothing made from local alpaca fiber.
For many businesses who attend local farmers markets, selling directly to their customers is how they make ends meet. Selling direct, rather than wholesaling at a lower price to an intermediary retail business, means producers can charge retail prices themselves. That means more of customers’ dollars go straight back to them.
Direct sales also give business owners an opportunity to meet their customers face to face. This helps them understand who they’re reaching, learn what customers want, and gain a clearer sense of market potential. These interactions also build trust and personal connections between the maker and buyer, which can inspire coveted word-of-mouth marketing.
For these reasons and more, the chance to sell at farmers markets can be crucial to the success of a local farms and food business, particularly for smaller and beginning business owners who haven’t developed other sales channels yet or aren’t big enough to do so. For them, the strength and abundance of farmers markets in the Valley has been a real asset, championed by energized community members and organizations like Mass Farmers Markets and Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA). Indeed, there are several winter markets operating this year, up from a low point during the early days of COVID. At the same time, the fate of any market still matters a lot to its hopeful community of vendors, particularly in storied agricultural communities like Amherst and Hadley.
“I hope the community will stand with us as we get this market figured out. I hope they come out to support their neighbors and local producers,” says Machowski.
“This is their livelihood,” he continues. “Giving them a place to showcase themselves during the slower winter months is the biggest reason I took this on. I would have been perfectly happy laying on the couch watching Manchester United every Saturday morning. But this is important. So, we’ll be there with bells on and see what happens.”
Jacob Nelson is communications coordinator for CISA. To see what farmers markets are up and running near you any time of year, visit buylocalfood.org/find-it-locally.


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The cost of fruit and vegetables has recorded its biggest monthly fall since 2006.
Statistics New Zealand says it was 8.6% cheaper to buy fruit and vegetables in September, compared with the previous month.
Overall, food prices fell for the second month in a row, dropping by 1%.
Avocado prices fell the most, down 38.4%, followed by lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and capsicums.
But restaurant meals, non-alcoholic drinks and meat prices rose.
The biggest price hikes were for ham, up 21%, and bananas, 24%.
Overall food prices have risen by 4.7% since September 2010. The rate of GST rose from 12.5% to 15% on 1 October 2010.


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Living up to its reputation, Google has come up with yet another exciting product: this time round, a dedicated website to track every development taking place around the digital revolution sweeping India. The website—g.co/digitalindia—intends to take every small-big development to the larger audience for their information.
India has performed exceptionally well in terms of the number of technology startups that come into being everyday and the overall growth of IT and IT-enabled services. This potential and pace of IT development very few countries can match.
However, there are a large number of people who are yet to be properly informed about the kind of digital revolution happening in India. That being the reason, Google wants to ensure that it tracks every minute detail correctly and presents it for the people at large.
The Narendra Modi Government has been trying to raise awareness about digitalised economy and the Prime Minister himself has launched several programmes to push India towards the goal. ‘Digital India” programme is an umbrella initiative in this context. Sharing the vision of the PM, Google has unveiled the website to show the developments taking place in the country under the Digital India initiative.
An official announcement from Rajan Anandan, VP & Managing Director, Sales & Operations, Google SEA & India, reads, “We are excited that businesses all around India are using the technology we provide as an engine for their growth and we’re committed to helping them succeed with our tools and products.
“Just a few weeks ago, we announced an investment of $20,000 of cloud credits for 1,000 startups in 2016… This is the single largest investment we’ve made anywhere in the world for Google Cloud Services. We want to help fuel the growth of companies and startups in India and one of the best ways we can do that is by empowering more businesses with the powerful tools Google provides for businesses.”
This is also an excellent opportunity for the SMBs to showcase their talent and growth in India purely on effort basis and not just through word of mouth news, he says. “You will actually be able to see the growth of various startups and entrepreneurs in the country, monitor them over time and assess their future expansion. I will be a key turning point for such SMBs and entrepreneurs, for they will get more exposure and opportunity to reach every part of the world.”
Google hopes to see 20 million small businesses on the portal and hopes to contribute in every possible way to the Digital India initiative. “It sounds like a really good plan and I am sure Google is going to be more than just a service to leverage the entrepreneurs,” Anandan adds.


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FT. COLLINS, Colo. (BRAIN) — Future PLC's cycling magazines and websites in North America and Europe will be unaffected by recent changes and layoffs at the company, a Future executive told BRAIN on Monday.
Future owns the websites Cyclingnews.com and Bikeradar.com and the magazines Cycling Plus and Pro Cycling. The U.K-based company has about five cycling editors and writers in North America, plus a few sales reps, said Nathan Forbes, Future's North American advertising manager for its cycling titles.
Future announced last week that it was realigning its U.S. resources to respond to a rapid change from print to digital. The company said it was moving print-related jobs from the U.S. to the U.K., resulting in layoffs of about a third of Future's U.S. staff.
But Forbes said the layoffs will not affect Future's sport titles.
"There are no changes in the cycling space at all on either side of the pond," Forbes said.
On March 14, Future warned investors to expect an earnings report well below expectations. Future stock prices plummeted and a week later Future CEO Mark Wood stepped down. CFO Zillah Byng-Maddick will take over as CEO.
Future is traded on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol FUTR. Its stock performance is tracked on BRAIN's Industry Stocks page.


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Chocolate and music go together in the same way as Valentine's Day and romance.
All four will be available when the Cañon City Music and Blossom Festival hosts the 12th annual Chocolate Lover's Walk from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 8 in downtown Cañon City.
This is the day for merchants to shine when they offer homemade chocolate to ticketholders, who begin the walk behind Ann's Serenity Day Spa at 1101 Main St., where they will receive wristbands for merchants to differentiate those who have purchased tickets. From there, they will visit the participating businesses between Third and 15th streets with several merchants on the side streets.
"What I would like people to do is dress up as a character or wear a silly hat," said Chocolate Lovers Walk chairwoman Ann Guill. "Best costume wins a prize."
Also different this year is instead of giving a Best Chocolate, the prize will go to the Best Decorated Presentation and Best Design Chocolate.
In conjunction, four to five musicians will perform in various stores along the walk.
"We're going to do a Central Park theme," Guill said. "A hat will be in front of the musicians and people can donate to them."
It also is a way for musicians to have the opportunity to perform at various venues throughout the year, she said.
"It's kind of an interview," Guill said. "If they get discovered, they can perform in places and events throughout the coming year."
As well as the theme "Chocolate Lovers Walk," the organizers also will look for the themes, "Still Standing Tall With The Royal Gorge Bridge" and "Norman Rockwell," which is coming in July through the Fremont Center for the Arts.
"We're trying to follow the theme throughout the whole year," Guill said.
Also new this year, Dawson Ranch Stables will provide rides in the Dawson Ranch Sweet Wagon for $5 per adult, $2 per child 1-20 and free for infants. This will provide unlimited rides on the wagon from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and everyone will receive a free piece of chocolate. Hands will be stamped.
Those who would like to take the more traditional approach can do so on the Golden Age Shuttle during the day.
Tickets are $10 per person and may be purchased at Cross Music at 623 Main St., Michael's on Main at 605 Main St., Ann's Serenity Day Spa at 1101 Main St., Cañon City Chamber of Commerce at 403 Royal Gorge Blvd. and DiRito's Italian Restaurant at 231 Main St.


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Anyone who likes endless runners or who has enjoyed Temple Run games in the past should check out this game for the new worlds, obstacles, and mini-games.
If you like the original Temple Run or enjoy running games, Temple Run 2 is an excellent sequel with tons of new content, beautiful graphics, and more heart-pounding escape game action.
The software maker is struggling to make sure its online stores are clean, well-lighted places for apps, even as it readies the update to its Windows operating system.
Visual artist re-creates digital treasure from 1998 N64 classic in high-def glory using Epic's most powerful game engine.
Luckily, insects and monkey brains won't be on the menu at Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar, opening this fall at Walt Disney World. "Rolling Boulder Meatballs" will be, however.
The Web giant’s Street View Trekker records more than 90,000 panoramas of 100 ancient temples at this massive archaeological site.
Newsweek's cover story on Satoshi Nakamoto has caused a media stir, and the two police officers who witnessed the exchange between the writer and the man she claims is Bitcoins's face are not allowed to comment.
The acclaimed director follows "House of Cards" with an HBO show based on the music video industry that spawned the likes of Michael Bay and Zack Snyder.
The latest update also sprinkles in a waterslide and some Christmas artifacts along the perilous path.
The rain-soaked alleys and intense punch-ups of this new Netflix show are a million miles from the colourful adventures of the Avengers.


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The case could set an important world trade law precedent for poultry imports, regarding the extent to which importing countries can block trades due to salmonella contamination.
“We advocate the opening of a panel at the WTO against the barriers put in place by the EU,” Maggi announced. “The process will not be easy or fast, but the Ministry of Agriculture faces the challenge with confidence… in the defence of Brazilian agricultural products in the international market.” His Government has now started technical work on launching such a case.
The South American country claims the EU has illegally restricted Brazilian poultry imports by banning all 2,600 strains of salmonella for salted chicken, which Brazil can export. However, Brazil says the blacklisted strains include some harmless bugs naturally present in poultry meat.
“It is on this rule, with no scientific basis, that more than 99% of the accusations against Brazilian chicken are grounded,” he wrote in Brazil’s leading business newspaper Valor Econômico earlier this month.
Politically, however, Brazil faces a tough task to convince the meat trade that its industry has reliable health standards. It has been accused of fraud, including falsified export certificates and ignored veterinary requirements, from July last year – prompting European Commission action to block Brazilian imports – action backed by the EU meat industry.
“We fully support the Commission measures taken following the different phases of the meat scandal,” EU farm body Copa-Cogeca secretary-general Pekka Pesonen told GlobalMeatNews.
“According to the EU food and feed safety alerts system RASFF, since 1 January 2017, the EU border agents rejected 303 Brazilian meat consignments because of salmonella contamination in poultry meat.”
Pesonen argued that the EU would have “a very good case” at the WTO in resisting Brazil’s claims, noting the EU’s recent victory there in overturning Russia’s “technical ban” on EU pork exports as the panel judged it “disproportionate, protectionist and not based on international standards”.
A WTO spokesperson told GlobalMeatNews he could not comment on “potential disputes” or their rulings’ implications on future policies. “But one thing we can say is the dispute settlement system is there to help members resolve their differences and come to a mutually acceptable solution,” adding that the WTO wants members to “sit down and try to negotiate a solution before resorting to a panel review”.
Cases should not normally take more than a year – 15 months if it is appealed. But if Brazil loses, comeback is nearly impossible, as appeal rulings are automatically adopted.
The case is important. Brazilian poultry meat exports to the EU are worth almost €1 billion, Pesonen emphasised. He told GlobalMeatNews that Brazil exports around 500,000 tonnes of poultry to the EU per year, mainly frozen breast meat: 435,000 tonnes through TRQs (standard tariff-rate quotas) and 65,000 tonnes from a permitted 21,000 tonnes/year quota at €1,024/tonne.


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Moody’s Investors Service on Wednesday was skeptical of Korea’s building and industrial materials company KCC Corp. and its reorganization plan, warning it could downgrade its debt rating below the investment level of Baa3.
Moody’s pointed to deterioration in profitability, increasing financial burden from the planned spin-off of its glass and other consumer goods businesses.
KCC’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) will decline by 10 to 15 percent, but debts will not, it warned. The demerger will break the balance in its portfolio and raise the ratio of the silicone business in the hotly contested market to 55 to 60 percent.
KCC last week announced the plan to divest the glass making, interior decoration and flooring material businesses to focus more on its business-to-business sectors like silicone, coating materials and chemicals. The shareholders’ meeting for the plan is due on October 1, and KCC and the spin-off entity, tentatively named KCG, will go relisted on the bourse in January next year.
In May, KCC finished the $3 billion acquisition of the world’s second largest silicone maker Momentive Performance Materials Inc., adding a key material base for the home country to drive its future growth.
KCC shares on Wednesday fell 2.82 percent to close at 258,000 won ($218.46) in Seoul trading.
By Chung Seok-hwan and Lee Ha-yeon
[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]


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Francesco Caio, CEO of Poste Italiane, cited his organisation’s Postepay prepaid card scheme as one successful narrative in this space. Created back in 2003, Caio said that today 25% of ecommerce payments in Italy are made using Postepay. 12 million Italians use the service, and Caio noted that 45% of its users are under 35. The system has recently added the option of including an International Bank Account Number (IBAN) to the card, which increases its functionality. For example, Italians could use SIA’s new Jiffy app to make a P2P payment to a friend’s IBAN-associated Postepay card. Caio said that he believes Poste Italiane has both the physical and digital infrastructure in Italy to help increase the penetration of digital payments in the country.
Telecom providers also have a role to play in promoting digital payments in Italy. Aldo Bisio, CEO of Vodafone Italia, commented that while use of digital payments in Italy may be lagging, the country is advanced in terms of the penetration of smartphones in the market. He cited research that found Italians spend two hours per day on their smartphones, the most in Europe. Bisio said that with the popularity of smartphones among Italians and the infrastructure in place (for example the 4G mobile communications standard has been rolled out across the country) there is a great opportunity for the digitalisation of Italian payments.
Addressing how to engage a greater number of Italians with digital payments, Stefano Quintarelli, a member of the Italian parliament, said that the industry needs to carry out a systematic marketing and educational campaign on the issue. He said that it wasn’t just individuals in the country that are not engaging with digital, noting that some utility providers still don’t allow bill pay using bank transfers. Quintarelli said that the industry needs to work hard to change the mindset of both customers and service providers, and that all stakeholders in the digital economy must work to simplify services and put users firmly at the heart of planning.
Bisio said that Vodafone has issued approximately 500,000 smart pass cards that facilitate digital payments for the company’s customers. He made it clear that Vodafone wants to provide services to its customers beyond simple connectivity, and that mobile payments are an example of this. Bisio predicted that in five years time, 50% of Vodafone Italia’s customers will be making mobile payments.
Addressing the launch of Apple Pay this year, Bisio said that he saw this as 80% opportunity and 20% threat to Vodafone Italia in the digital payments space. He commented that Apple has always been a catalyst for innovation – citing iTunes and the iPhone as examples – and that this could be expected to be seen from Apple Pay as well. With Apple putting the security for Apple Pay on the handset rather than on the sim card, Bisio commented that this confirmed NFC is the technology to drive digital payments forward. Indeed, he said that there are already five million NFC-enabled phones in use in Italy today. Bisio concluded with a call to action, saying that telecom companies and banks must work on synergies in Italy’s mobile payments system in order for it to be successful.
The UK’s Prompt Payment Code will have a significant impact on the relationship between large businesses and their suppliers. What does the Code mean for your business? And how can you navigate this change effectively?
When it comes to the relationship between Europe and Britain – uniformity isn’t a word that currently springs to mind. And that’s not just a reference to Brexit. Whilst the Europe and Britain do find themselves in the midst of a political break-up – their monetary policies are also showing signs of divergence.
Europe’s introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) next May will have implications for businesses around the world and US corporates should start getting ready if they haven’t already done so.
As anticipated, US organisations exited prime money market funds en masse following last year’s SEC reforms. AFP’s latest Liquidity Survey indicates what it will take to encourage them back.


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Unable to produce them now for under $ 600.
According to Kotaku , sources close to Sony and Microsoft have confirmed the desire of the two manufacturers to launch next-generation consoles not before 2014.
“Microsoft and Sony are contacting each other and agree on the need to further exploit the present generation and to postpone the launch of next-gen platforms,” stated one source, while according to other sources in 2013, Microsoft could launch an updated Xbox 360 Kinect.
“Without a doubt, Sony will launch a new console before 2014 and could benefit from an early launch by Microsoft, through which would strengthen its position in Europe and North America,” says M2 Research analyst Billy Pidgeon.
“According to Microsoft developers can push past Xbox 360, but in terms of performance the PS3 could have a major advantage.”
“I do not think that Microsoft and Sony are interested in launching a new console without innovations in technology, and they certainly do not want to debut with hardware that has a price of 600 dollars,” said Michael Pachter.
“Probably we will have to wait until 2014 to have 2 terabyte hard drive, ultra fast CPU and graphics at an exceptional price of 400 dollars.”
Some, however, Nintendo could cross the threshold of the next-gen already in 2012, the presentation of the Wii’s successor could come in the next E3.


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(Adds Tenaga Nasional, Glencore , Saudi Basic Industries, Saudi Aramco, Walt Disney, Rocco Commisso, NII Holdings; Updates Neptune Energy, Thyssenkrupp, LVMH, Amazon)
June 28 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Thursday:
** Amazon.com Inc AMZN.O said it would buy small online pharmacy PillPack, a move that will put the world's biggest online retailer in direct competition with drugstore chains, drug distributors and pharmacy benefit managers. Canadian auto parts supplier Magna International Inc MG.TO said on Thursday it would buy Italian company Olsa SpA for 230 million euros ($267 million), to expand its automobile lighting business. Thyssenkrupp's TKAG.DE powerful labour representatives on Thursday signalled their support for a planned joint venture with Tata Steel TISC.NS , effectively guaranteeing that the landmark deal will be approved by the group's supervisory board. Britain's takeover regulator is considering whether Walt Disney DIS.N might have to make a higher offer for Sky SKYB.L in the wake of the U.S. company's move to hike its bid for Twenty-First Century Fox FOXA.O assets to $71.3 billion. TCI Fund Management Ltd, a large Twenty-First Century Fox Inc FOXA.O shareholder, has urged Fox executive chairman Rupert Murdoch to give Comcast Corp CMCSA.O a chance to top Walt Disney Co's DIS.N $71 billion offer to buy most of Fox's assets, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters. Private equity-backed Neptune Energy has agreed to buy the Norwegian and Danish offshore oil and gas assets of German gas utility VNG, the companies said. Italy's Generali GASI.MI is expected to start exclusive talks shortly over the potential sale of its 40 billion euro ($48 billion) German life insurance portfolio to private equity-backed Viridium, a person close to the matter said. Poland's second largest Bank Pekao PEO.WA is likely to pursue a merger with smaller rival Alior Bank ALRR.WA but will delay publication of a recommendation on the tie-up beyond the end of June, two sources familiar with the matter said. A group of Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd 4502.T shareholders trying to build support to block the $62 billion acquisition of London-listed Shire Plc SHP.L failed to get a proposal passed at the drugmaker's annual general meeting. German generic drug maker Stada STAGn.DE is buying the rights to anti-dandruff shampoo Nizoral from Johnson & Johnson's JNJ.N Janssen Pharmaceutica and could announce further product acquisitions soon, its interim chief executive told Reuters. General Motors (NYSE: GM ) GM.N has agreed to transfer its Vietnamese operation to VinFast Trading and Production LLC and distribute Chevrolet cars through the local carmaker, in a move that could help drive up its modest sales in the country. BP BP.L is buying Britain's top electric vehicle charging firm Chargemaster and will initially roll out its ultra-fast chargers across its filling station network in the UK before turning its attention to China's rapidly growing market. An offer from U.S. television billionaire Rocco Commisso for a majority stake in Italy's AC Milan would give the soccer club a total value of around 500 million euros ($579 million), including debt, sources close to the deal said. Mobile service company NII Holdings Inc NIHD.O has hired Rothschild & Co ROTH.PA to sell control of its Nextel operations in Brazil, two people with knowledge of the matter said, opening the door to consolidation in the country's crowded telecommunications sector. China's Hisense Electric 600060.SS increased its holding in Slovenian household appliances maker Gorenje GORE.LJ to 95.4 percent, brokerage Ilirika said. Turkish conglomerate Gama Holding is in talks with Malaysia's Tenaga Nasional TENA.KL and other potential buyers about a sale of its 50.5 percent stake in its Gama Enerji energy unit, three sources said, as part of a $1 billion debt restructuring. French luxury group LVMH LVMH.PA is parting ways with the eco-friendly Edun label started by singer Bono and his wife Ali Hewson, transferring its minority stake back to the founders as the firm winds down its U.S. operations. Commodities trader Glencore PLC GLEN.L is in talks to acquire Brazilian fuel distribution company Alesat Combustíveis SA, Brazilian newspaper Valor Economico said. Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) 2010.SE is considering increasing its holding in Clariant CLN.S and pursuing joint ventures as the Saudi firm looks to strengthen ties with the Swiss chemicals group, sources told Reuters. Britain's Competition and Markets Authority unconditionally cleared Sibanye-Stillwater's SGLJ.J proposed takeover of Lonmin LMI.L , LONJ.J saying the mining merger would not require a second phase investigation. Tobacco company Imperial Brands IMB.L is investing in Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies, to help the British biotech company research how marijuana can be used in medicine. Philippine conglomerate GT Capital Holdings Inc GTCAP.PS said it would buy shares of Japan's Toyota Motor Corp 7203.T worth up to 22.2 billion yen ($201.6 million), marking its first offshore investment. Saudi Aramco signed a deal with National Oilwell Varco Inc. (NYSE: NOV ) to form a joint venture to make onshore rigs and equipment in Saudi Arabia, the state-owned Saudi energy firm said.
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Poke Picks to open downtown Sioux Falls location this week
Japanese and Hawaiian fusion restaurant Poke Picks is set to open its second Sioux Falls location on Thursday.
The restaurant at 323 S. Phillips Ave. will feature sushi, poke and hibachi, including a make-your-own poke bowl line. The location is the former Backyard BBQ location.
Owner Kent Chan said the downtown location will not offer waiting service for dine-in meals until after the coronavirus pandemic is over, but dine-in seating is still available. The poke bowl menu has also changed, using less raw meat and fish, and adding more cooked options such as grilled chicken, salmon, steak and shrimp.
Poke is diced raw fish found in traditional Native Hawaiian cuisine, and it blends well with sushi and sashimi found in Japanese culture, Chan said. He also plans to serve hot pot meals at the new location eventualwith customers cooking their food — such as chicken, steak or seafood — in an individual hot pot at their table.
The second location comes just after a month of Poke Picks' first location opening at 3412 S. Western Ave., in the former Red Rossa restaurant. Chan plans to open four total locations in Sioux Falls.
Chan's third location in the former Taco Johns building at 1609 E. 10th St. is set to open in March. His fourth location near 57th Street and Western Avenue is set to open later in the year.
Chan said the downtown location has a liquor license, which he'll plan to use to sell saki, which is rice wine, and Japanese beer.
Poke Picks is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Online ordering is also available through the Poke Picks website and through delivery services such as GrubHub.


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The launch campaign has been created by L&K Saatchi & Saatchi and focuses on ‘Indiapan’, a colloquial way of referring to Indianness.
In the lead up to the launch, Ramdev had promised a clothing range that would be more suited to Indian consumers; accusing clothing brands — both local and global — of having too much of a Western orientation and focus.
The film addresses what it believes are the misgivings many Indians, particularly those in urban areas, have about indigenous clothing with lines like ‘why not wear a dhoti to a disco or a sari to the beach’. It recommends Indians ‘take pride in their roots’.
The strategy continues Ramdev’s aggressive anti-multinational stance, which kicked into high gear during his concerted FMCG foray earlier this decade.
Gaining a vast following through his television appearances, the guru leveraged his popularity to create one of India’s youngest FMCG brands. It claims revenues of over US $1 billion (Rs 8,135 crore) and profits of US $74 million (Rs 529 crore).
The politically well connected guru has gone on record mocking his multinational competitors and making statements about“closing the gate of Colgate” and “ruining the lever of Unilever”.
Speaking about the motivations driving the campaign for the apparel range, Patanjali Paridhan CEO KN Singh said: “India was once one of the biggest exporters of clothing, textile and styles. We have moved to adopting too much of western clothing and styling.
“The aim is to bring the focus and interest back to Indian clothing. Our prices are at least 60% less than international brands.”
L&K Saatchi & Saatchi’s managing partner Anil K Nair said: “The brand is built on a strong foundation of values that include pride and respect for our cultural identity, being comfortable in our own skin, celebration of our rich heritage, providing value for money, and being aspirational.
“And also moving public consciousness from a western-fashion-orientation to ‘desi coolness and swag’.”
L&K Saatchi & Saatchi executive creative director Ashish Naik added: “It was a pleasure to shoot this campaign as the clothes were vibrant and captured the true essence of India’s diversity. The beautiful locations added to the charm of the campaign.”
The campaign will run on TV, print, outdoor, radio and digital including social media.
Managing partner: Anil K. Nair
CCO: Delna Sethna
Executive creative directors: Kumar Suryavanshi and Ashish Naik
Copywriter: Kumar Suryavanshi
Creative team: Avinash Murchawade, Prathamesh Bhosale, Divya Kataria
Brand team: Peenaz Aspi Irani, Jennifer Mulchandani, Raj Sayani
Production house: Prodigious
Producer: Chahna Rupani, Shraddha Singhvi
Associate producer: Rajdeep Rahi
Agency producer: Vijay Vigamal, Sudhindra Mishra
Music director: Arun Chillara
Lyrics and voiceover: Kumar Suryavanshi
Singers: Soumya Chakrabortty, Akanksha Bhandari
Sitar: Bhupal Panshikar
Flute: Avadhoot Phadke
Santoor: Raghavendra Baliga
Tabla: Prasad Padhye
Chorus: Anusha, Chantelle, Rhiya, Hitesh
Arrangement: Arun, Rahul K, Adriel G
Sound engineering and design: Vipal Patel
Sound engineer (asst.): Rahul Shinde
Costumes: Kristy Decunha
Costume assist: Pankhuri and Eeshita
Make up: Elton Steve Vessoaker
Make up assist: Ravi Raj Joiya, Sahil Khan
Production design: Navin Kenkre
Art assist: Prakash
Post producer: Sachin Amberkar
Offline: Shahnawaz Mosani & Akshay Mehta
Online: Gautam Indulkar
Colorist: Navin Shetty
The post L&K Saatchi & Saatchi creates campaign for anti-MNC Indian yoga guru’s apparel range appeared first on Mumbrella Asia.


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This is an excerpt from Working to Restore: Harnessing the Power of Regenerative Business to Heal the World (Beacon Press) by Esha Chhabra.
In 2003, while doing audits for a French fashion brand at a Chinese factory, two French entrepreneurs, Sébastien Kopp and François-Ghislain Morillion, discovered thirty workers crammed into a 270-square-foot room with a single hole to drain the workers’ shower and also allow them to relieve themselves. “We realized that globalization had gone wrong,” Kopp says.
They returned to Paris and decided to launch their own project, focused on “deconstructing the sneaker.” Sneakers had become popular in the late 1980s and ’90s as everyday wear, often with athletes sporting and touting the latest styles. But most of the money generated by big brands was going into marketing budgets, not the supply chain, according to Kopp. “We didn’t know much about shoes, but it was something everyone wore; we loved them as teenagers, and we knew that we could get all the pieces required for the shoe in one place: Brazil.”
He had traveled frequently to Brazil with Morillion previously, but there was a significant problem: neither one spoke fluent Portuguese. That didn’t stop them, though: “We just realized that if we, two 25-year-old idiots from France, who didn’t even speak the language fully, could figure out how to build a fair and transparent supply chain, then the big companies could do it, too — if they want to.”
Investing approximately $5,500 (€5,000) each, they set out to build the first prototype shoe for Veja (the name means “look” in Portuguese and is meant to suggest “look behind the label”).
In 2004, just a year after having their awakening in the Chinese factory, Kopp and Morillion dove into the effort of building a supply chain for Veja.
“What is the sole of that shoe?” Kopp says, pointing to a bystander wearing a pair of nondescript sneakers. “It’s not rubber. They say it’s rubber, but it’s synthetic rubber, or plastic.”
Kopp wanted rubber sourced from the wilds of the Amazon for their shoes’ soles. More than 10 years ago, when Kopp and Morillion made their first trip to Brazil for Veja, they established a friendship with the seringueiros — rubber tappers — in the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve (Reservo Extravista Chico Mendes), in Brazil’s northwestern state of Acre.
“When we went into the jungle,” he recalls, “families thought it was crazy that we would pay them to source wild rubber and help manage the trees so we don’t overextract.”
Now, 17 years later, the families have become stewards of the land, protecting it from deforestation. “They tell me they’re concerned. It’s not like what it used to be when they were children. The forest is drier than before. That climate change is coming. But we see that we have impact on the forest through our work,” Kopp explains.
Harvesting rubber sustainably
By 10 o’clock in the morning in the Amazon rainforest, José Ribamar, a 52-year-old seringueiro, has visited all 130 of the rubber trees on his property, situated inside the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve. Ribamar lives on the land but does not own it. Instead, he likes to refer to himself as a protector of the forest.
He grew up in the Amazon rainforest and was introduced to rubber tapping at the age of eight. The son of a rubber tapper, he accompanied his father on his daily visits to the trees. When he was 14, though, his father passed away. As the eldest of his five siblings, he was quickly thrust into the role of breadwinner for the family. He did what he knew: Ribamar continued to harvest and sell the rubber for another 20 years. But then the market for natural rubber disappeared, he says. “There were no buyers.”
So he left the trees, instead cultivating vegetables and fruits on the land by a river and selling them at the local market. That is, until he heard about Veja and met Bia Saldanha, Veja’s longtime partner in the Amazon. A designer from Rio de Janeiro who had been experimenting with natural rubber in fashion and accessories, she moved to Rio Branco, a city of 400,000 that serves as the western gateway to the Amazon. Saldanha cultivated relationships with the local rubber tappers, bringing business and organization to a seemingly forgotten market.
Ribamar is appreciative. “The Veja project is great,” he says. “It’s a blessing, actually, because it’s saving so many young people from a life of working with cattle, one that relies on chemicals and is unhealthy for them.”
Driving into the jungle from Rio Branco, one sees these cattle farms that line the roads. They’re hard to miss. Cattle ranching is becoming a tempting option, seeming to offer the prospect of raising more money per acre than is possible with rubber tapping. Ribamar disagrees. “By the time you buy the feed for the animals and all the things that you need to care for them, are you really making more money? I don’t think so.”
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Beyond economics, he says, the weather is changing. “It’s become hotter and hotter. If you don’t finish working by 10 in the morning, you feel your skin burn,” he says.
That’s why he gets up at 4 o’clock every morning and spends five to six hours tapping the trees under the shade of the canopy. “When we preserve the rubber tree, we preserve several other trees, plants, animals — all the other living things that are connected to it,” he says.
The Amazon is perhaps the only place left where rubber trees grow wild. Veja started buying solely CVP, or cernambi virgem prensado, rubber — a term used to describe coagulated latex collected from the forest. Before the advent of CVP, rubber tappers had to collect the rubber when it was still liquid, usually on the same day, in order to produce sheets of latex. With CVP, the rubber tappers can return to the rubber trail after the latex has coagulated, typically two or three days later, which frees up more time for them to do other tasks. Plus, the rubber tree should not be tapped too frequently, so this method saves time and is more efficient. Given the rise of synthetic rubber in the last four decades, Kopp explains, many of these rubber tappers had moved on to other ways of making a living, such as raising cattle and logging. But both ways of life meant eliminating trees, not preserving them. This has implications for the soil, because such activities break up years of untilled soil that has been sequestering carbon.
Veja now sources rubber from nearly 1,200 families in the Amazon. In the past 15 years, they’ve purchased 1,928 tons of wild rubber. “Business is not just about selling stuff, but also making people who live in these environments protectors of their land,” Kopp says.
What’s most noticeable is that these businesses, which are so fixated on restoring lands, protecting green spaces, and enriching the soil, are actually profitable, viable businesses. Veja sells more than two million pairs of shoes a year and pulled in $115 million in 2020 — without any advertising.
“Most shoe brands are taking 70 percent of the retail price and putting that to marketing, not manufacturing. We decided to invest that extra money in our supply chain,” Kopp says.
And they’re not telling people to buy more of their shoes. “Consumption is a big problem in society; that goes back to the heart of so many environmental problems,” Kopp acknowledges. “We have some people who loved the shoes, but then buy too many of them. I would say a couple pairs are enough. Too much of anything is a problem for the ecosystem.”


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Non-fungible token (NFT) holders are selling at a loss — traders lose an average of 1000 ETH daily.
according to data co-owner NFT statistics, the return of trades over the last 3 months showed that the trader lost as much as 3000 ETH in a few days. This chart focuses only on secondary sales of NFTs and not on those selling mints for the first time.
This is in contrast to what happened in the market in 2021. At the time, NFT trading profits peaked in August 2021, with traders averaging around 30,000 ETH in profits each day.
The positive momentum continued until May 2022, when the market took another turn. Since then, traders have mostly sold digital assets at a loss.
NFTs floor price dip
Based on available data, the lowest prices for some NFT collections have dropped significantly from previous highs.
For context, the Bored Ape Yacht Club has fallen 11.73% to 51.2 ETH over the past 30 days, down significantly from the 77.9 ETH recorded in mid-February. The drop is even more significant given that the peak floor price was 153.7 ETH as of May 2022.
Another popular NFT collection, Cryptopunks, has also dropped 18.27% to 49.9 ETH at the time of writing.
Mutant Ape, CloneX, RTFKT, Doodles and Meebits have had their base prices significantly reduced. Most of these projects have seen their lowest prices drop by double digits in the last 30 days.
The only exception is adzuki beans, which rose more than 13% over the period.
Meanwhile, President Trump’s relatively new “Series 2” NFT collection is also more than 10% below its $99 purchase price, according to OpenSea. data.
Post NFT traders with an average loss of 1,000 ETH per day — the lowest price tank of top quality NFTs first appeared on CryptoSlate.


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Fisker has been dealt another blow as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated a third investigation into the Ocean model after receiving complaints about the car’s door failing to open.
Fisker Ocean EV owners have submitted 14 complaints to the NHTSA after the doors allegedly failed to open. According to a release by the regulatory agency, all of the car’s doors are affected. (via Automotive News)
“Rear left door handle will no longer open the door. Either from the interior or exterior. Unlocking and locking the vehicle does not resolve the issue. Fisker says to pull the interior door handle twice in case of emergency, but this does not manually actuate the door handle. Occupants would be currently stuck in my vehicle and unable to exit…,” reads one of the complaints.
Fisker was recently delisted from the New York Stock Exchange after its stock plunged to unacceptable levels. The company has admitted to facing an uncertain future if it fails to attract new investment. Its effort to secure a partnership with a prominent automaker failed and decided to halt production for six weeks.
In a bid a raise more cash, Fisker has slashed the price of its Ocean SUV in a firesale. In another subtle sign of more trouble for the automaker, Tesla has stopped accepting the Ocean for trade-ins, which YouTuber MKBHD slammed as the worst car he had ever reviewed.
It was recently reported that Fisker misplaced millions of dollars of customer payments.


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North Andover was the fashion hub of the Merrimack Valley on Friday, as the Stevens Estate was transformed into sort of a Carrousel du Louvre to help local families this holiday season.
The North Andover Women’s Club hosted its first fashion show, titled Fashion Passion, at the historic mansion, and models from town strutted the catwalk showing off the latest fall fashions from Chicos, Jos. A. Bank and more.
"Such a glorious evening – I was so pleased with the attendance and the response from the audience," Women’s Club member Joan Tetler, who organized the event and served as hostess and announcer.
Tetler said about 140 people showed up, and the club sold about 160 tickets and received donations from local businesses.
"People are still excited and asking, ‘we hope you do another one,’" Tetler said. "This was the largest fundraiser we have had and as a result, the needy of North Andover will reap the benefits which was our ultimate goal."
Proceeds will go to local charities that help families during the holiday season.
Most of the women models were from the Women’s Club – including Selectman Rosemary Smedile, Rose Connolly, Meissa Gray and more.
The male models consisted of well-known men from town, including Police Chief Charles Gray, Fire Chief William McCarthy, Selectman Richard Vaillancourt, Police Lt. Eric Foulds, Stachey’s Pizza owner Terry Holland and more.
The result was a night of both style and comedy, as the men especially had fun with their fashion model status, one even doing pushups on the catwalk for hordes of cheering women in the audience.
While Tetler organized the show, she said she couldn’t have done it without great teamwork in the club.
"My committee worked hard and effortlessly to make this a success and they deserve all the credit," Tetler said.
She added that the club is already thinking of themes for the next fashion show.
Launched in 1935, the Women’s Club has spent more than 80 years helping North Andover with various fundraising and civic projects. Last year, the club launched its “Shop ’Til You Drop” fundraiser, which was a big success. This year, they had a barn dance at the North Andover Country Club that raised money for North Andover law enforcement initiatives.


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The Tech Giant HP (Hewlett-Packard) is now leading the 3D innovation into a more approachable future
HP Metal Jet, as what the company calls it. This new printing technology will be the revolution to the auto, industrial & the medical field. This is all because of the launch of the new printer by HP which would start printing metal objects for the industrial use and will soon be available for the common use.
— IS&T (@ImagingOrg) September 12, 2018
The new innovative 3D printer from HP, not any 3D printer as for the year advances into a more technological leap, HP introduces METAL JET — delivering low-cost, high-quality mechanically functional parts for the auto, industrial and medical industries.
“HP has helped lead the transformation by pioneering the 3D mass production of plastic parts and we are now doubling down with HP Metal Jet, a breakthrough metals 3D printing technology,” said Dion Weisler, CEO and President, HP Inc.
No discrimination, the company will provide the technology to everyone
The use and implications are vast and with this technology to be let out, soon industries will be at ease to meet deadlines and make more production in-house.
HP Metal Jet will start with producing stainless steel finished 3D parts. And later, with successful trials they might shift in the material they would use other than stainless-steel. In the 1st and 2nd quarter of 2019, customers will be able to upload 3D design files and receive industrial-grade parts in a bulk amount from the new Metal Jet Production Service.
Commercial HP Metal Jet solutions will be offered at under $399,000 and begin shipping in 2020 to early customers and with broad availability in 2021 for everyone, the company announced.
A Very Large plan for the Future
— GKN Powder Metallurgy (@GKNPowderMetal) September 14, 2018
In an industry-first collaboration, HP is partnering with UK-based GKN Powder Metallurgy to provide HP Metal Jet in their factories to produce functional metal parts for auto and industrial leaders, including Volkswagen and Wilo.
“HP’s new Metal Jet technology enables us to expand our business by taking on new opportunities that were previously cost prohibitive,” said Peter Oberparleiter, CEO of GKN Powder Metallurgy.
Volkswagen in the Collaboration Too
Volkswagen is integrating HP Metal Jet into its long-term design and production plans.
Volkswagen is the first automotive manufacturer using the latest 3D printing technology: the “HP Metal Jet” process simplifies and speeds up metallic 3D printing.https://t.co/t9ach3kkOj
— Yann LE MOIGNE (@YannLMGN) September 21, 2018
As new car options such as electric vehicles enter mass production, HP Metal Jet is expected to be utilized for additional applications such as the light-weighting of fully safety certified metal parts.
“By 2025, the brands of Volkswagen Group will have introduced 80 new electric modes,” said Dr. Martin Goede, Head of Technology Planning and Development, Volkswagen. “A big advantage of an additive technology like HP Metal Jet is it allows us to produce many of these parts without first having to build manufacturing tools,” he added.
HP is also partnering with California-based Parmatech, an ATW Company, to expand mass production of HP’s Metal Jet parts.
— 3D Experts (@3DX_Gutach) September 18, 2018
“We are excited to deploy HP Metal Jet in our factories and begin manufacturing complex parts, such as surgical scissors and endoscopic surgical jaws,” said Rob Hall, President of Parmatech.
Parmatech is a world leader in metal injection molding and has been a metals manufacturing pioneer for more than 40 years.


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It looks like shipments of LG’s latest flagship smartphone, the LG G5 are lower than the company has expected.
According to a recent report LG is expected to ship a total of 2.5 million units of the device in the second quarter, the company has expected to ship 3.5 million units.
Due to slow sales of smartphones, LG’s mobile communications (MC) business unit is expected to post a loss of KRW128-130 billion (US$110.59-112.32 million) for the second quarter of 2016, compared a loss of KRW202 billion a quarter earlier, added the paper.
Total shipments of the LG G5 may reach only 5.5 million units in 2016, far below the company’s target of 12 million units, the paper estimated.
The LG g5 is a modular smartphone that lets you add on a number of accessories like a battery pack and a camera module.
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The retail chain’s stock price is up more than 6% in pre-market trading after it beat the Street’s earnings estimates in its report on the otherwise dreary quarter. Best Buy generated net earnings of $294M in the three months ending February 1, up from a $379M loss in the same period last year, on revenues of $14.5B, -3%. The revenue number was lighter than the $14.7B that analysts anticipated. But adjusted earnings from continuing operations of $1.24 a share beat expectations for $1.01. CEO Hubert Joly had the good grace not to celebrate the results from a quarter where cost cuts compensated for declining traffic, intense price competition, and — with an unusually late Thanksgiving — fewer shopping days than Best Buy had in 2012. With sales down 1.2% at domestic stores open at least a year, the company “cannot be satisfied” with its performance, he says, as it continues with his Renew Blue campaign to stabilize the electronics chain that has struggled to keep up with online competitors led by Amazon and big box retailers led by Walmart. “Our Renew Blue transformation is a multi-year journey, and while it is off to an encouraging start, it is still in the early stages.” In Q4 entertainment software accounted for 11% of total domestic revenues, down from 12% last year, while consumer electronics fell to 32% from 33%. But computing and mobile phone products picked up the slack, increasing to 46% of sales from 44%.
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the hainan expo was a premier international exhibition dedicated to consumer products held between 7-10 may 2021 and endorsed by the chinese ministry of commerce and the hainan provincial government.
as a world’s leading organisation in tic (testing, inspection and certification) industry, cotecna was delighted to have successfully made its debut at the first china international consumer products expo (hainan expo).
the hainan expo attracted participation of 630 international companies, representing 69 different countries and regions. as a member company of cotecna zhongrui, kaixin certification has strengthened its confidence through the successful holding of this consumer expo. it is committed to seizing the opportunities of free trade and continuously providing certification, inspection and testing services for customers at home and abroad.
cotecna presented its state-of-the-art solutions to facilitate trade and make supply chains safer, more sustainable and efficient for its global clients. as an ideal platform to showcase what the hainan free trade port has to offer, the hainan expo demonstrated china’s commitment to open-up and integrate with the world. the event was a great opportunity for cotecna to express its determination and ongoing commitment to develop our services in the chinese market.
on 7th may, cotecna was invited to attend the opening ceremony of the swiss national pavilion, where mr. frank pan, vice president of cotecna north asia, met with h.e. mr. bernardino regazzoni, swiss ambassador to china, and mr. yves morath, commercial counsellor of the embassy of switzerland in china.
the following day, h.e. mr. bernardino regazzoni and his delegation visited the cotecna exhibition booth itself. frank pan and cotecna china’s management team were delighted to give a warm welcome to the delegation and briefed them on what cotecna group has accomplished globally and in china. the ambassador highly recognised and praised cotecna’s achievements and encouraged cotecna to seize the opportunities presented through global platforms like the hainan expo, and to continue our growth and making outstanding contributions for global trade.
in the future, based on the international background of cotena, kaixin will continue to deeply study the chinese market, continue to give full play to global network resources and technical expertise, combine the advantages of high-quality services and the ability to anticipate the needs of customers, so as to enable the construction and development of free trade port, grasp the opportunities of the east and create a better future together.


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Ford said Thursday it will work with U.S. manufacturer Corning to help ensure uninterrupted supplies of U.S.-made Gorilla Glass and other key technologies for several of its future global product lines.
In partnership with Corning, Ford announced the creation of a so-called fast-track program to identify and eliminate potential import barriers to key manufacturing supplies like Corning’s glass, aluminum extrusions and ceramic substrates. In addition, the automaker will contribute thousands of pounds of machinery and equipment that will be used in Corning’s facilities in Kentucky and Alabama.
The new partnership is expected to have a significant impact on Ford’s ability to source and produce supplies for its future product lines in the U.S. without disruptions to the current flow of U.S.-made supplies.
“Our commitment to collaborate with Corning underscores our commitment to help ensure the very best and safest supply chain for our customers and share our many, many successes — and our experience in ensuring steady supply,” said Rich Garcia, vice president of corporate purchasing at Ford. “We’re one of the largest, if not the largest, automaker in the world, and with this partnership we’re able to support Corning by ensuring a smooth manufacturing supply stream to meet our needs.”
“Corning has a long history of supporting the American automotive industry,” said Henry T. Godinho, executive vice president and chief business officer of Corning. “Ford has demonstrated a commitment to sustainability and industry diversity, and we’re honored to be partnering with them to help assure the health of the U.S. automotive supply chain.”
This is the latest in a series of alliances that Ford has struck to ensure a steady supply of quality and dependable parts for its auto production facilities. In 2012, Ford formed a multi-year partnership with Honeywell to build rocket motors for its F-series Super Duty trucks. In 2016, the auto maker created a partnership with Master Lock to ensure safe storage of all of the keys to its U.S. production facilities.