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Strong economic headwinds continue to leave the beauty industry looking disheveled.
A slew of quarterly results from beauty firms Thursday indicate consumers worldwide still view even little splurges — like a lipstick, for instance — as a big deal, and place value above all else.
As a result of shoppers’ steely practicality, six out of the eight beauty firms saw profits slide in the quarter, with the steepest declines at Avon Products Inc. and Revlon Inc. Third-quarter earnings dropped 29.8 percent at Avon and 20.9 percent at Revlon, with both citing currency fluctuations and turnaround expenses as contributing to the decreases. Shiseido Co. Ltd.’s profits dropped 11.2 percent in the first half, while Procter & Gamble Co. saw a 1.2 percent dip in profits in the first quarter as its beauty unit reported a 5 percent drop in sales.
Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. and Elizabeth Arden Inc. proved the exception to the downward trend, both posting quarterly profit increases in the quarter, although Arden to a much lesser degree.
Nu Skin achieved top- and bottom-line growth for the third quarter ended Sept. 30. Profits vaulted 52.6 percent to $25.6 million, or 40 cents a diluted share, from $16.8 million, or 26 cents, in the same period a year ago. Excluding restructuring charges, earnings per share were 41 cents, in line with Wall Street analysts’ expectations, according to Yahoo Finance. Quarterly revenues came in at $152.4 million, a 6.8 percent increase from $142.8 million in the third quarter of 2008.
“From a global perspective, I would say that the third quarter reflects [the] most consistent, uniform results we’ve ever generated,” Truman Hunt, president and chief executive officer of Nu Skin, told analysts during a conference call Thursday.
Arden Cuts Inventory
At Arden, improved trends in the travel retail and distributor markets, as well as more favorable foreign currency rates, helped the beauty firm post an unexpected first-quarter profit.
For the period ended Sept. 30, Arden earned $40,000, or breakeven per diluted share, versus a net loss of $12.5 million, or 45 cents a share, in the year-ago quarter. Excluding restructuring and other expenses, the firm said net income was $1.5 million, or 5 cents a diluted share, compared with a profit of $3.1 million, or 11 cents a share. Revenues declined 6.7 percent to $265.2 million from $284.2 million in 2008. Analysts expected a net loss of 6 cents a share, excluding special items, on sales of $262.9 million, according to Yahoo Finance.
E. Scott Beattie, chairman, president and ceo, touted the company’s quarterly gross margin, which improved to 44.1 percent of sales, versus 37.4 percent a year ago. Inventory was also reduced by $105 million from September 2008 levels, contributing to a $92 million reduction in credit line and accounts payable balances. The company said shipments to the mass retail channel fell 3 percent, even though its products registered positive sales at retail.
“We’re not seeing any fundamental changes so far and added inventories among our major accounts, despite more anecdotal evidence that there are more out-of-stocks and empty shelves,” Beattie said on the earnings call. “What we are seeing, however, is retailers working on logistical improvements which will speed up store-level replenishment over the holidays.”
Arden said it anticipates earnings of 65 cents to 75 cents a share for the second quarter on sales of $380 million to $390 million. For the full year, the company forecast EPS of 55 cents to 65 cents on revenues that are expected to rise 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent, or to between $1.1 billion and $1.11 billion. Analysts’ consensus estimate for the second quarter was EPS of 69 cents and for the year 59 cents.
Avon Adds Sales Representatives
Calling 2009, “a year that none of us could have predicted,” Andrea Jung, Avon chairman and ceo, told analysts, “We are well positioned to capitalize on this moment.”
She credited the turnaround strategy that the direct seller began implementing in early 2006 with creating a strong foundation to buffer the company from the tough economy.
For the third quarter ended Sept. 30, Avon’s net income was $156.2 million, or 36 cents a diluted share, compared with $222.6 million, or 52 cents, in the year-ago quarter. Revenues dipped 3.5 percent to $2.55 billion from $2.64 billion, but were up 7 percent in local currencies.
Beauty sales gained 8 percent in local currency, with growth across all categories: Fragrance sales were up 9 percent, color cosmetics were up 17 percent, personal care was up 7 percent and skin care rose 1 percent. However, translated into dollars, the fragrance, personal care and skin care businesses fell by 4 percent, and 8 percent, respectively. Cosmetics gained 4 percent on a reported basis.
During the quarter, Avon grew its active representative base by 10 percent and its overall units by 5 percent over the prior year.
“Active representative growth and sales growth are highly correlated,” said Jung, adding Avon remains focused on increasing rep retention and productivity. Next week, will mark Jung’s 10th year as ceo of the firm.
Stifel Nicolaus analyst Mark S. Astrachan wrote in a research note Thursday, “Overall, we think the result indicates momentum in representative recruitment [and] continues to drive an acceleration in currency-neutral revenue growth. Further, we believe emerging market growth remains strong and that Brazil, the company’s largest market, remains well-positioned to keep producing double-digit growth.”
Revlon’s Shares Jump
Revlon also is making strides on its turnaround efforts in the face of the recession.
The beauty firm’s third-quarter profits fell 20.9 percent to $23.1 million, or 45 cents a share, from $29.2 million, or 57 cents, a year earlier. But income from continuing operations rose to $23.1 million from a loss of $15.2 million, helping the stock turn the strongest percentage gain of all New York Stock Exchange issues. Revlon’s stock jumped $2.49, or 43.3 percent, to $8.24 on volume of 2.2 million shares, nine times its daily average over the last three months.
Sales for the three months ended Sept. 30 declined 2.5 percent to $326.2 million from $334.4 million, with U.S. sales falling 3 percent and international dropping 2.5 percent on unfavorable currency fluctuations.
Alan Ennis, president and ceo, said the consumer was holding up relatively well and pointed to ACNielsen research showing the U.S. mass color cosmetics category, excluding Wal-Mart Stores Inc., expanded 0.7 percent in the third quarter after a 1.3 percent increase in the second quarter.
“It’s still growing, which is positive, but the rate of growth is starting to slow,” Ennis told WWD. “The good news is they’re still spending money.”
Ennis said it was “not a bad quarter on the sales side, given what else is out there,” but noted there was still a lot of uncertainty in the marketplace.
The destocking at retail that was seen in the second quarter appears to have tapered off, and Revlon said its impact on third-quarter sales was not significant.
The company completed the restructuring and “right-sizing” program it laid out in May. For the nine months, Revlon’s profits fell 22.7 percent to $36 million, or 70 cents a share, from $46.6 million, or 91 cents, as sales dipped 6.1 percent to $951.3 million from $1.01 billion.
P&G Beauty Sales Suffer
During the Procter & Gamble earnings call Thursday morning, there were no specific discussions about the consumer products giant acquiring or divesting brands or companies, regardless of the firm’s free cash flow of some $4 billion in the first fiscal quarter ended Sept. 30. This was despite the fact the call followed media reports that P&G was heavily scrutinizing brands like Braun, Iams, Duracell and Pringles, and entertaining the idea of acquiring Alberto Culver Co., according to a story in The Wall Street Journal.
When it came to the financial results, P&G reported a 1.2 percent decline in first-quarter profits on sales that slid by 5.6 percent during the period ended Sept. 30.
Net earnings came in at $3.31 billion, compared with $3.35 billion, during the same year-ago period on sales of $19.81 billion, compared with $20.98 billion a year ago.
The drop in sales was due primarily to unfavorable foreign exchange impacts, the company noted.
Sales and profits notwithstanding, diluted EPS rose by 2.9 percent to $1.06, from $1.03 a year ago. EPS from continuing operations came in at 97 cents, meeting Wall Street analysts’ expectations.
“We are encouraged by the above-target July-September” [period],” Jon Moeller, P&G’s chief financial officer, told analysts during the earnings call.
Net sales of the firm’s beauty unit were down by 5 percent to $4.9 billion on a 2 percent decline in unit volume, and a 2 percent increase in organic sales, according to the firm. And grooming revenues decreased by 11 percent to $1.9 billion, reflecting an organic sales decline of 2 percent.
Moeller noted three SK-II products that were launched in Asia drove sales of the franchise up by 30 percent. He added that Olay Professional’s Pro-X line, which was launched in January, is on track to reach $100 million in first year sales.
Breaking News: @louisvuitton's men's artistic director @mrkimjones is leaving the French fashion house after nearly 7 years. Jones joined Louis Vuitton in 2011, following a three year tenure as creative director of British luxury goods brand Alfred Dunhill. Jones is to exit Louis Vuitton after showing his fall 2018 collection for the brand in Paris on Thursday. Read the full exclusive story on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdnews #wwdfashion
For men’s fall 2018, @giuseppezanotti drew on elements from streetwear, sport, biker, combat and rock ‘n’ roll. Pictured here are a pair of shoes from the collection, featuring zippers, rhinestones, and silver hardware. Head to WWD.com to see a roundup of the accessories from Milan’s men’s fall 2018 shows. #wwdfashion (📷: Andrea Delb)
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of @ralphlauren’s snowboarding collection, the brand is mining its archives. The iconic brand is reintroducing vintage styles and dropping new designs for a color capsule that will be available in Ralph Lauren stores and @openingceremony on January 25. The capsule will consist of 10 pieces, including the Snow Beach Pullover, pictured here, which is a collector’s item that rapper Raekwon wore in Wu-Tang Clan’s “Can It Be All So Simple” video. #wwdfashion (📷: Tom Gould)
For @rochasofficial’s pre-fall 2018 collection, creative director Alessandro Dell’Acqua channeled the sophisticated and intriguing Catherine Denevue in the film “Belle de Jour.” Polished collarless coats, midi skirts, suits and ’60s graphic motifs were all featured in the collection, adding a sense of discreet luxury. See the rest of the photos on WWD.com #wwdfashion
“We tried to produce clothing of that couture quality, but the most daunting part was that we only had a matter of days [to do it],” said costume designer Lou Eyrich, who recreated Gianni Versace’s iconic looks for @americancrimestoryfx. Eyrich searched online retailers and vintage shops for original pieces from the design house and for @penelopecruzoficial, who plays Donatella Versace. Head to WWD.com to read how she created the Versace world. #wwdfashion
Only three months after her stellar debut catwalk season, @kaiagerber has inked her first big design collaboration –– with @karllagerfeld. The collection blends Lagerfeld’s Parisian chic aesthetic and the model’s signature West Coast casual style via RTW, accessories, footwear and more. The #KarlLagerfeldxKaia collection will launch in September with a series of events. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews #wwdfashion
Harrods plans to remove the famous statue of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed from the bottom of the Egyptian escalators and hand it back to Mohamed Al-Fayed. “We are very proud to have played our role in celebrating the lives of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed at Harrods and to have welcomed people from around the world to visit the memorial for the past 20 years,” said Michael Ward, Harrods managing director. “With the announcement of the new official memorial statue to Diana, Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace, we feel that the time is right to return this memorial to Mr. Al Fayed and for the public to be invited to pay their respects at the palace.” More on the news, with reporting by @loreleimarfil, at WWD.com. #wwdnews


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By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Feb 26: Promo Media, in collaboration with EEPC India and the Chemical and Medical Suppliers Association of Nepal (CMSA), is organising the 7th Nepal Medical and Lab Expo at Bhrikutimandap from February 29 to March 2.
At a press conference held in Kathmandu, the Head of Project at Promo Media, Anurodh Parashar, said that the expo would be beneficial to the Nepali health sector. He said that the expo will have the latest breakthroughs in the medical field, diagnostics, and laboratories, as well as numerous product demonstrations, with an emphasis on the significant innovations that have come up recently.
In addition, the expo will meet the demand of both national and local companies and create a convenient platform to allow small, medium, and large enterprises from around the world to introduce themselves to each other, increasing their partnerships and exhibiting their innovative discoveries.
On the occasion, the Chairperson of CMSA Nepal, Bhakta Bahadur Hamal said that the medical expo was needed every year to provide information regarding discoveries in the health sector for the benefit of hospitals.
He also mentioned that the exhibition will have over 800 brands and more than 1000 products, not only from local but also from foreign producers from eight different countries, representing Nepal and India. Nepal Medical and Lab Expo is the largest exhibition in the medical and laboratory sectors, bringing together companionable purchasers and vendors to network.
Hamal informed that the main participants of the expo will be leading people from hospitals, doctors, medical specialists, surgical, diagnostic, and research laboratory experts, scientists, patient dealers, distributors, importers, retailers, and other buyers.

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Pandora Media Inc. is the latest tech company in the throes of fending off pressure from an activist investor, but history may be against the digital music service in its quest to stay independent.
Late Monday, New York-based hedge fund Corvex Management said in a letter and regulatory filing that it is now the owner of nearly 10% of the company, making it Pandora’s US:P largest shareholder, when including call options.
“Simply put, we believe Pandora can become an even more differentiated product and a more valuable business as a part of a larger enterprise,” wrote Keith Meister, managing partner of Corvex Management, in a letter to Pandora’s board of directors. Meister, it is worth noting, was once Carl Icahn’s right-hand man, before he started his own hedge fund.
Corvex’s view on Pandora is not new. Pandora had actually looked at selling itself under its former CEO, Brian McAndrews. Corvex said it had been talking to the company and had suggested three nominees to Pandora’s board, but withdrew its suggestions after Pandora planned to name Anthony Vinciquerra, a former media executive and an advisor to the private equity firm Texas Pacific Group, to its board. Even though Vinciquerra was not one of its nominees, Corvex hoped for a more deal-friendly board, and was surprised by the return of co-founder Tim Westergren as CEO, it said.
“Mr. Westergren’s public statements after his appointment as CEO appear to indicate a ‘business as usual’ approach at best, while at worst they suggest an unwillingness to consider a sale regardless of the price offered to shareholders or the cost and uncertainty inherent in a stand-alone business plan,” Meister wrote.
Corvex had clearly been blindsided by Westergren’s return on March 28. “This management and board change had not been addressed in any of our conversations, including at the time of our notice withdrawal on Wednesday, March 23, 2016 — which we do not believe was a coincidence,” Meister added.
The company said in response that it has a profitable core business and strong balance sheet. “We are confidently investing to fully capture the massive opportunity ahead of us,” a Pandora spokeswoman said in a statement. “Our management team is in constant dialogue with shareholders about our business strategy and committed to delivering results and long-term value.”
But the issues Meister raised are ones that investors have worried about pretty much since Pandora went public. Many believe that Pandora would be best as part of a bigger company that can better afford its costly business model, especially the royalty payments for its Internet radio service. It has recently begun to diversify, such as its aim to enter to music streaming via its acquisition of Rdio’s assets and selling concert tickets. But it has still reported net losses due to increasing royalty costs.
Digital music services are expensive to operate. Today, Pandora’s rivals are mostly music streaming services and many are owned by tech giants; its radio webcasting rivals such as Last.fm and Live365 were acquired or shut down amid higher royalty rates. Music streaming services owned by Apple
Whether Pandora can walk it alone is a huge question, even with its efforts to diversify. And with an angry hedge fund now apparently on the warpath, things could get messy.


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Comic book fans expect a certain level of quality from superhero video games thanks to the success of titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man and Rocksteady’s Arkham trilogy. But 10 years ago, the developers at Avalanche Studios wanted to see if Iron Man could headline his own open-world adventure. The Swedish studio, best known for launching the Just Cause franchise, worked on the project for two years before it was suddenly cancelled in 2012. Now, Avalanche co-founder Christofer Sundberg is opening up about what happened behind the scenes.
At the time, Tony Stark had only headlined a pair of video games based on Marvel Studios’ first two Iron Man movies, neither of which were well-received by critics. So the character was due for a virtual redemption story, especially one unconnected to his appearances in the MCU. Unfortunately, Sundberg claims that Disney’s “company politics” got in the way.
“I was a mess by the end,” Sundberg recently told MinnMax (via Game Informer). “Shortening development time, increasing budgets. We would have to hire 70-80 people to the team that I would have had the responsibility to find a new project for, but the development time was shortened down so much. It would have broken the studio completely if we agreed to that.”
Sundberg said the game’s open-world mechanics would have allowed players to “just take off and fly anywhere” they wanted. The developers were also putting a lot of focus on melee combat. Aside from his repulsor blasts, Iron Man also would have been able to punch characters through walls. But in the end, Sundberg feels that everything worked out the way it was supposed to.
“At the end of a project, when the team is scaling down, that’s when you find [a] new project,” added Sundberg. “With one year of development time cut from the original plan, I had one year less to find a new project for a big development team which would have been impossible. And hiring all those developers would have been a nightmare. So it was for the best.”
Would you like to have seen an Iron Man game from Avalanche Studios? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Iron Man by Fraction & Larroca: The Complete Collection Vol. 1
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Our store has suddenly become a whirlwind of boxes and air cargo deliveries of tea.
Tea, glorious tea – fresh and fragrant and newly born from emerging tea leaves in awakening tea gardens.
Several of the 2014 Chinese green teas that many of our customers have been waiting for are now here. These are Pre-Qing Ming teas meaning that they were processed before April 5th. This is what we have:
We announced the arrival of these teas on Sunday to our loyal tea enthusiast customers on our mailing list and several of these teas now have a big dent in the remaining quantities. So do not dally if you are interested in purchasing some of these very fresh and newly made teas.
Remember, that these teas are ONLY MADE ONCE A YEAR (now) and WHEN THEY ARE GONE, THEY ARE GONE.
More 2014 spring China green teas are still to arrive as the spring unfolds and the teas come into production. But the teas mentioned above are made in the smallest quantity given the time-frame of their harvest dates (mid-March until April 5th).


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The next month may be one of the most important for #Pravduh about #Tesla, because the people — including shareholders and potential investors on the sidelines — are being misled.
So far, January is turning out to be the most negative news month since September. One of the biggest clouds on the horizon, the convertible debt bond worth $920 million, is due to be payed in March. Tesla could get a 50% discount on this ($460 million), but only if it meets a certain criterium — a stock price of around $360. This all depends on a well informed public.
How about we put that $460 million into some perspective? $450 million dollars is how much Tesla spent on Gigafactory 1 construction in the first 7 quarters of its development. Imagine two years of initial Gigafactory 3 costs completely gone. Instead, we have short sellers masquerading as analysts and dropping the hot potato that is Tesla.
Remember when creditor Moody’s downgraded Tesla just days before an earnings report disproving their theory was published? Well, guess what — history is repeating itself. This time, the RBC downgraded Tesla shortly before an earnings report instead of holding their horses a few more days to see whether their theories pan out. (We know, that’s how analysts roll.)
The media, meanwhile, might again choose to hold positive Tesla news hostage while amplifying anything negative they can get their hands on. If this happens in the coming week, don’t be surprised.
As a meta note, something interesting happened last week. Fox News had an article containing a tweet with the #Pravduh hashtag: “Elon Musk’s mom says Tesla shares manipulated by media, short sellers” was the title. The one thing the article didn’t discuss at all, though, was #Pravduh, #FUD, #CleanEnergyWillWin, or any of the other tags Maye Musk uses, nor the source of her information about media misinformation (which is, of course, these #Pravduh About #Tesla reports). They also just happened to pick two tweets that don’t mention CleanTechnica. Now, either the author did not do her research at all or she purposely decided to avoid mentioning the source. (Perhaps Fox News doesn’t want its readers checking out these reports.)
In any case, @MayeMusk, thanks again for your help — it seems we are succeeding at spreading the Pravduh! You’re awesome! #CleanEnergyWillWin
A final topic before we move on to the report: it’s always wise to dig deeper into stories. An eagle-eyed reader of ours, Patrick Riley, did just that. Forbes last week published this article: “Tesla Might Solve Its Cash Woes With Franchise Dealers,” written by Jeremy Alicandri. On closer inspection, this “journalist” has an extensive history working for the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA). The other strange thing is that there were multiple unusual, out-of-the-blue articles like that last week. Here’s another example: “Tesla Should Pull an Apple: Leave ‘Production Hell’ to Other People” (Wall Street Journal). Feel free to take a moment for a facepalm here before continuing on to the report.
Remember that each week we share the raw data (headlines and scores). You can scan through yourself if you want to double check our findings or just see the headlines. And you can check out our own Tesla stories for more context and comparison. For details on our methodology and broader context about this weekly analysis, see our previous Pravduh About Tesla report.
#Pravduh About #Tesla
Report #21 (January 19–25)
The next matter on our itinerary is tracking the authors who covered this news. While the whole list is too long to put here since there are many authors who have written just one piece about Tesla, here are the 34 authors who published more than 12 articles about Tesla since we started tracking on September 1st, ranked from least positive to most positive:
For this entire section, note: At major media outlets, there are often headline writers who control this part of articles, but we find tracking the authors is also interesting and potentially useful for considering what kind of stories the authors tend to write.
Under-Reported Tesla News Last Week
Adding onto the summary in the intro, here’s a summary of Tesla news and potential news ordered by day. You can consider for yourself what were objectively the important updates in the “Tesla story” last week.
- Tesla started European Model 3 test drives (23 Jan)
- Tesla Model 3 won (another) resale value competition (24 Jan)
Some Sneaky Headlines Last Week
- Behind Elon Musk’s Hiring and Firing Spree (Bloomberg)
- Ford CEO Joins Tesla’s Musk in Appealing to Employees for Profit (Bloomberg)
- Tesla has shrunk its Model S and X production hours in order to focus on the Model 3 (TSLA) (Business Insider)
- Visionary Elon Musk is forced to focus on the mundane to keep his Tesla dream alive (LA Times)
The more these #Pravduh About #Tesla reports get shared online through social media, the more people will take notice. If there is an ongoing heavily negative slant about Tesla in certain outlets — even as Tesla has so much positive news to share — people should be aware of this and approach each new story with that in mind.
Again, here is the data from this past week in case you want to have a closer look at the raw data.
For details on our methodology and broader context about this weekly analysis, see our previous Pravduh About Tesla report.
I don't like paywalls. You don't like paywalls. Who likes paywalls? Here at CleanTechnica, we implemented a limited paywall for a while, but it always felt wrong — and it was always tough to decide what we should put behind there. In theory, your most exclusive and best content goes behind a paywall. But then fewer people read it! We just don't like paywalls, and so we've decided to ditch ours. Unfortunately, the media business is still a tough, cut-throat business with tiny margins. It's a never-ending Olympic challenge to stay above water or even perhaps — gasp — grow. So ...
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French group Radi Designers and Matali Crasset are among the designers focused on in a new series Design and Designer, published by Pyramyd in France, priced E12.35 (about £8.99). The books are due out early next month in the UK.
The new look, which includes revised colours, illustration guides, graphics and a bespoke typographic styling, aims to strengthen Duolingo’s brand identity across its expanding product line.
New regulations coming into effect on the 23 September 2019 will require public sector websites and apps to be accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities.
The Design Museum is hosting its first exhibition dedicated to sound design, as the under-explored sector comes into its own.
This year’s set pieces explore the future of sustainable materials, the possibilities of AI and how climate anxiety can be channelled into something more positive.


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We hope that you, your family, and your friends continue to be in good health.
Sadly, although it's been almost a year-and-a-half since our first COVID-19 shipping and fulfilment message, disruptions continue to affect international shipping movements and postage times all over the world.
While we're fortunate that throughout the pandemic our five fulfilment warehouses (US, UK, AUS, EU, CAN) have remained open, one of our biggest challenges in this "new normal" is release dates. For example, we were very confident we'd have the eagerly-anticipated RuneQuest Starter Set in all our fulfilment warehouses by the end of summer. Unfortunately, due to shipping delays out of our control, that was not to be. But the RQ Starter Set release is now (very) close: you can sign up here to get an email the moment it becomes available in our webstore!
In April last year we announced we made the decision to not reduce our headcount nor cut anyone's hours – our team are Chaosium and what makes the company succeed. Thanks to your support we've stuck to that, and will continue to do so. We appreciate people buying direct. It helps the company in these trying times.
Remember, while you're waiting for your physical shipment from Chaosium.com, you have the PDF already to read, play, and enjoy. And if you want to check the status of your order, you can always drop Dustin a line: firstname.lastname@example.org.
On behalf of the whole Chaosium team, wishing everyone all the best until the Stars are Right again.
— Rick Meints, president Chaosium Inc.


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From muddy jeans, bare butt jeans, diaper cut-out jeans to the latest see-through jeans and crotchless jeans, denim designers have once again wowed many with their wild take on the popular fabric.
Released by Y Project, a Parisian brand known for its outlandish designs, crotchless jeans feature 2 denim trouser legs held up at the waist by suspenders with the crotch area exposed.
British fashion house Topshop has also recently launched what they call the clear plastic straight leg jeans. The see-through jeans feature classic pocket detailing with trouser legs cropped at the anklebone. Not that this matters very much though. The entire lower body will be exposed anyway if the jeans aren’t worn with an oversized top or shorts.
“Honestly, I think it’s unique. Would I wear it now? Most probably not. But do I hate it? No. I actually think it’s quite cool and if this trend is something that follows on over the years I might just try them,” said Ngee Ann Polytechnic student Genevieve Lee, 19, about the crotchless jeans.
But clearly not every one feels that way.
“It’s a very weird trend, I don’t get it. Why would anyone choose to wear anything that looks like that?” said Sarah Wee, 18, a Ngee Ann Polytechnic student.
While the bold designs may not be everyone’s cup of tea, denim is still a wardrobe staple for many Singaporean youth.
A survey conducted by The UrbanWire in May 2017 found that close to 40 per cent of 120 respondents aged 16 to 21 years old wear denim 2 to 4 times a week.
Here’s a look at the popular denim styles over the decades.
Popular in the 70s were the flared jeans. Also known as bell-bottoms, these wide-legged pants were often paired with platform shoes. According to British news website, Daily Mail Online, this style replicates what is better known now as fishtail, where the pants is fitting at the top and leads to a flare at the bottom.
The 80s was the decade for the bold and adventurous with denim taking an edgier vibe. Studded, distressed and acid-washed jeans came into style after they were popularized by Madonna.
Denim in the 90s was all about achieving that casual, effortless look as the ‘cool kid in school’ in his iconic frayed and multi-button jeans.
“No one liked to look too serious. Wearing denim was seen as being rebellious. It challenged the idea of looking well put together with a casual touch,” said Ms Evon Chng, a former fashion stylist for Her World magazine.
The double-denim trend – a combination of denim jeans paired with a t-shirt and a denim jacket – was widely popular in the 2000s. First introduced in the early 70s, the trend had a huge following, including celebrities such as Bella Hadid and Miranda Kerr.
Oversized and loose jeans gave way to skinny or fitted jeans in this decade.
We’ve also ushered in a much wider variety of styles, from the retro flared jeans, high-waisted jeans to heavily ripped jeans. To spice things up, some also wear net leggings beneath their ripped jeans to rock the look.
While denim trends have evolved over the years, one thing remains the same: denim is always in style.
Ms Julia Blank, an image consultant based in Singapore said: “Denim has never gone out of fashion.
“There is no need to rely on a comeback. Denim is immortal.”


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BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Christmas is just around the corner. This means it’s time to start shipping gifts to your loved ones.
The United States Postal Service has confidence that anything you want to send will arrive on time… if you meet the deadlines.
The busiest mailing, shipping, and delivery week is December 12-17. The U.S. Postal Service says they’ve been preparing for this holiday season since the beginning of this year.
They expect nearly 400 million people to ship packages through its system from now until New Year’s Day.
All shipping carriers also emphasize how important it is to be correct with spelling and numbers. The holidays are not the time to make mistakes that could delay delivery. If you don’t know the zip code, officials recommend looking it up or leaving it off.
Lastly, the postal service suggests packing smart and purchasing insurance. With an influx of packages and things being mailed at a faster pace, there’s a risk of things being broken or lost.
“Recycled boxes, which aren’t a good idea when it comes to the mail because you want your box to hold up during mail delivery. Because think about it, I mean there are other boxes that it’s next to or on top of, so if you don’t use a new box it could easily collapse,” said David Walton, Spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service.
All carriers emphasize mailing your packages early and suggest checking rate increases for holiday shipping. Every year, major carriers increase their shipping rates during the holiday season.
Carriers suggest using a rating advisor to compare which carrier has the best shipping rates for you. To save some additional money, have all of the shipping supplies you need handy to avoid paying for shipping materials at the carrier store.
These are the recommended send-by dates to ensure delivery by Christmas Day.
United States Postal Service (USPS)
- Ground Service and First-Class — Dec. 17
- Priority Mail — Dec. 19
- Priority Express — Dec. 23
- Ground economy — Dec. 8
- Ground contiguous, Alaska and Hawaii — Dec. 14
- Express Saver — Dec. 20
- Express 2Day — Dec. 21
- Express SameDay — Dec. 23
FedEx has additional information on its website.
- Ground shipping — Use this calculator
- Three-Day Select — Dec. 20
- Second-Day Air — Dec. 21
- Next-Day Air — Dec. 22
Information on shipping to other countries and the services available on the days around Christmas and the New Year here.
Walton says priority mail service is the best option for many reasons: flat rate, free tracking, insurance is included, boxes are free, send up to 70lbs, and your package should deliver in one to three days.
Additional Tips and Information for Shipping
- Extended hours in select cities
- Deliver to every address
- Don’t leave your mail in your mailbox overnight
- Don’t deposit your letter into a dropbox after pick-up times (take it inside)
- Don’t mail cash
- If no one is home use the “Hold Mail” service
- Have it held at a local post office
- Request signature confirmation
- The person has to be home to receive the package
- The average delivery time for U.S.P.S is 2.5 days
- Don’t put the wrong zip code
- Leave it off or look it up
- Stick a duplicate note with the address inside the package
- Just in case the original packaging is damaged


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Cyber Breaches Permanently Hit Share Prices, Especially Financials: Study
Cyber security breaches erode companies’ share prices permanently, with financials the worst hit, a study issued by IT consultant CGI and Oxford Economics has found.
Severe cyber security breaches, such as those having legal or regulatory consequences, involve the loss of hundreds of thousands of records and hurt the firm’s brand, caused share prices to fall on average 1.8 percent on a permanent basis, the analysis of 65 companies affected since 2013 globally has found.
Investors in a typical FTSE 100 firm would be worse off by an average of £120 million after such a breach, the report said. Overall the cost to shareholders of these 65 companies would be in excess of 42 billion pounds ($52.40 billion).
CGI’s analysis compared each company’s share price against a cohort of similar companies to isolate the impact of cyber breaches from other market movements, during incidents detailed in a breach index compiled by Dutch security firm Gemalto.
Two-thirds of firms had their share price adversely impacted after suffering a cyber breach. Financial firms were the worst affected, followed closely by communications firms.
“Financial services experience the greatest burden in terms of impact, reflecting the high levels of regulation, the importance of customer confidence and the potential for financial fraud to be a facet of the breach,” the report said.
Those least affected were retail, hospitality and travel companies.
Hacking attacks and other cyber security breaches have impacted companies across the world in recent years, from retailer Target in the United States in 2013 to British communications firm TalkTalk in 2015.
($1 = 0.8015 pounds) (Reporting by Helen Reid; editing by Robert Birsel)
Copyright 2017 Reuters.


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According to IDG News Service, “Oracle is now the industry’s second-largest SaaS vendor after Salesforce.com” As well, “Oracle is also seeing traction increase for its cloud ERP (enterprise-resource-planning) software, adding 120 new customers in the fourth quarter alone”.
This was news to us, so I contacted Oracle directly to get the inside scoop on their ERP cloud offering. Oracle Fusion has been rebranded as Oracle ERP Cloud and there are a couple of hundred implementations across North America with many new opportunities keeping the Oracle sales team hopping. Oracle ERP Cloud is so far targeted to organizations providing professional services, financial services, construction and engineering. Later the system will also include functionality for manufacturers.
Oracle has now jumped on the cloud not only to compete with other cloud vendors but also because it is a more profitable method of software delivery. They won’t make as much at the start of an implementation but will more than make up for it as the years roll by and the annual payments pour in through the clouds.


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Springfield-based Great Southern Bank to acquire branches in St. Louis region
Springfield-based Great Southern Bank, a subsidiary of Great Southern Bancorp, announced Wednesday that it has entered into a purchase and assumption agreement to acquire 12 branches and related deposits and loans from Cincinnati-based Fifth Third Bank.
The acquisition, currently representing approximately $261 million in deposits and $155 million in loans, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2016, pending regulatory approval, according to a company news release. The acquisition will increase Great Southern’s St. Louis-area banking center total from eight to 20 offices. Based on the expected amount of loans to be acquired and deposits assumed, it is anticipated that beginning in 2016 this transaction will be accretive to earnings in the range of $0.07 to $0.09 per common share annually.
“Great Southern has served the St. Louis-area market with a physical presence since 2005,” Great Southern President and CEO Joseph W. Turner said in the release. “During the last 10 years, thanks to our excellent St. Louis team of associates, we have continuously attracted and developed customer relationships, making St. Louis our second largest market. This transaction will significantly strengthen our presence in this vibrant region. We warmly welcome Fifth Third’s retail and small business customers and its strong team of associates to Great Southern and look forward to working with them to build even stronger relationships with area customers.”
Information about the acquisition will be mailed to Fifth Third Bank customers in the coming days and weeks.
“We expect to transfer Fifth Third customer accounts to Great Southern in the first quarter of next year,” Turner said. “Our goal is to make this transition as smooth and timely as possible so that our newest customers can take advantage of our broad range of products and services, including our attractive online and mobile banking options.”
Great Southern operates 110 retail banking centers and more than 200 ATMs in Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota and Nebraska, and loan production offices in Tulsa, Okla., and Dallas, Texas. The company has total assets of $4.1 billion, according to the release.


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Pet owners are taking matters into their own hands after a massive pet food recall.
Spiralling events starting in mid-March prompted a recall of various wet and dry pet food products. Initially, Menu Foods recalled its “cuts and gravy” wet pet food product.
Shortly after, brand name products like Presidents Choice and Iams, both manufactured by Menu Foods, were also recalled.
Within the last week, brand names like Del Monte and Nestle Purina have followed suit by issuing recalls of their pet food products. Dingo Chick’n Jerky treats is the latest brand that has been recalled.
According to a CBC report, the China-based plant, Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company Ltd., may be the orginal source of the pet food poisoning.
“Both (Del Monte and Purina) have said that the wheat gluten supplied to them from a Chinese plant contained melamine — a chemical used in fertilizers in Asia and to make plastics and laminates” (CBC report).
Melamine-poisoned pet food
Dogs and cats in the U.S. and Canada have reportedly fallen ill or have died as a result of eating the melamine-poisoned pet food.
Many pet owners are not taking any chances with their pets and have decided to make their own pet food. David Mooney, the manager and franchisee of PET VALU on Queen Street East, has noticed the affects of the pet food recall.
“Business is slower,” he said. “A lot of people are scared and have decided to feed their pets what they’ve got at home, like chicken and rice, rather than buy food from a pet store.”
Pet owner, Damir Andrei, takes his two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels for a walk everyday in Withrow Park in East Toronto. Andrei had a close-call with his two dogs, Rosie and Lizzy, but was lucky enough to avoid the pet food crisis.
“I bought two of the Presidents Choice pouches, and normally my dogs would love it, but they were strangely not interested in it,” Andrei said. “My dogs ate some of the food, but thankfully, I threw away the rest and my dogs didn’t get sick.”
Andrei is worried about the recall and continues to closely monitor the food he gives his dogs. Once he runs out of dog food, he said that he will not go out and buy more.
“I will consider making my own food. There are recipes on the Internet and some people are switching to raw meat,” Andrei said. In the meantime, he will continue to monitor his dogs closely and do more research into preparing homemade or raw food meals for his dogs.
Dr. Judy Au has been a Veterinarian for the past 15 years. She practices at the Danforth Veterinary Clinic on Pape Avenue. Dr. Au suspects that two cats she examined in her office may have been exposed to poisoning.
“Both (cats) came in with drinking and peeing excessively, not eating well and lethargic,” she said. “The main problem we are seeing is kidney failure.”
Dr. Au said one of the cats was on the Iams Select Bites and Presidents Choice gourmet pet food. Both Iams and Presidents Choice products have been recalled. Dr. Au explained that one of the cats had to be euthanized, but she cannot confirm the cause of death until an autopsy is done.
“A lot of people are scared, and they want to go an alternative route, which means either the homemade diet or the prepared raw food diet,” Dr. Au said. She explained that the homemade diet and the raw food diet are difficult and dangerous alternatives.
“What is balanced for people is not balanced for dogs,” Au said. “You can’t just throw a piece of meat, potatoes and lettuce together, and think that it’s going to be a balanced meal.”
Seek advice from animal nutritionists
Dr. Au does not suggest downloading recipes from the Internet because such recipes could include the wrong ingredients for your pet. “In order to make a proper homemade diet, people should be seeking advice from an animal nutritionist to make sure (the meal) is balanced for their individual pet,” she said.
Pet owners who decide to prepare a raw food diet for their dog, Dr. Au suggested to not only get advice from an animal nutritionist, but to get a good source of prime cut meat, store the meat properly and add vitamin supplements.
“I am not a big supporter of pet owners making their own raw food,” she said. “The big problem with preparing and handling raw meat is the potential for human contamination. A person can get E. coli or salmonella.”
For example, “If (the raw meat) is sitting in a dog bowl, a little baby can touch it and become infected,” Dr. Au said.
She stressed that it is important for dog owners to monitor their dogs, take them in for regular blood work, and if owners decide to take matters into their own hands, contacting an animal nutritionist is recommended.
Dr. Au said, “Overall, making your own food may not be the best thing to do because you don’t know if your giving the right amount, and you could potentially be doing more damage than good.”


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Angus McCarey, eBay UK’s head of business development, has told Retail Week that the company’s concerted effort last year to attract retailers and other large sellers, coupled with changes to its fee structure, could lead to these kind of businesses generating £1bn in sales in the next five years:
Angus McCarey said that the business stream has the potential to hit the £1bn mark in the next five years. He said the downturn has increased retailers’ surplus stock, making eBay a more appealing sales channel.
Argos and Shop Direct Group are among those already to have launched branded clearance sites on eBay. McCarey said sales from such ventures have begun to dispel the stigma formerly attached to selling on the site.


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For those willing to pay enough, this year’s Super Bowl need not be outdoors.
The NFL is selling access to MetLife Stadium’s luxury suites during the U.S.’s most-popular sporting event with prices starting at $400,000, according to Brian Lafemina, NFL vice president of club business development.
It’s the first time in years that suites have been available for the NFL championship, thanks to about 220 skyboxes built into the $1.6 billion East Rutherford, N.J., stadium, which opened in 2010 and is shared by the New York Giants and Jets, Lafemina said. In previous years, the teams, host committee and league sponsors have used up the inventory. The Superdome in New Orleans, the site of last year’s NFL title game, has about 150 suites.
‘MetLife, being a beautiful, brand-new building, has enough suites to satisfy all those needs and more,’ Lafemina said in a telephone interview. ‘It doesn’t happen very often that we have the opportunity to offer suites to the general public.’
Lafemina declined to comment on how many suites the NFL was selling.
Robert Tuchman, president of the sports and entertainment marketing company Goviva, said he’s seen suites available on the secondary market for as much as $600,000, a price that may increase with each winter storm that rolls up the U.S. East Coast between now and game day on Feb. 2. This is the first Super Bowl to be held in a cold-weather city without a domed stadium.
‘I think they’re banking on the fact that people are going to want to be inside,’ Tuchman said in a telephone interview. ‘It’s New York. It’s a huge corporate market. It’s Wall Street. When push comes to shove, people will spend those kind of dollars.’
MetLife Stadium’s suites were designed by David Rockwell, who has designed several Nobu restaurants, along with the Tony- nominated sets for the Broadway musical Kinky Boots. The suites are available in a variety of sizes and configurations, many with leather easy chairs indoors and heated seats outside.
There are wet bars, refrigerators and flat-screen displays, along with access to the stadium clubs. The 10,700-square-foot Commissioner’s Club has hardwood floors and two fireplaces.
Food and beverages are included in the price of the suite, along with the NFL’s service staff, Lafemina said. Game day will feature visits from gridiron heroes to be named later, he said.
‘We’ll have NFL legends coming to the suites purchased through this program and taking pictures and all that stuff,’ Lafemina said. ‘You’re not just buying for the Super Bowl, this gives you access to all sorts of Super Bowl events.’
Those include the warm-up question-and-answer session known as ‘media day,’ as well as the NFL House, a VIP drop-in location for the league’s business partners located this year at the Marriott Marquis on Broadway and 46th Street in Manhattan. Amenities there include shoe shines, hot-towel shaves and spin classes.
‘It’s more than just a game – you’re buying a package of experiences that includes a suite,’ Lafemina said.


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Editorial: City Mall cannot become a drag
When it released its plan for the recovery of Christchurch more than a year ago, the Christchurch Central Development Unit (CCDU) declared that after a disaster, substantial redevelopment must start within three years if recovery is to be successful.
At the time, one year had passed since the February 22, 2011, earthquake destroyed the centre of the city. Speed, said the CCDU, was of the essence.
Another year on, with the three-year point not very far off, part of the retail precinct, a crucial element in the central city's recovery, is stuck in deadlock.
No fewer than six plans for the part of the precinct centred on City Mall have received resource consents for overlapping multimillion-dollar projects, but negotiations among individual landowners seem to be going nowhere. Frustrations are building and one developer has already pulled out.
The idea for the retail precinct is an attractive one. Designed like the other precincts to fit into a more compact central city, the retail precinct's avowed aim is to compete successfully with suburban retail by offering what the CCDU has called "a unique and distinctive shopping experience".
To do that, the CCDU decided that development proposals had to be master-planned and had to cover at least 7500 square metres. The difficulty for developers of the City Mall proposals is getting the agreement of landowners.
The Government wisely stood aside, expecting that reasonable people, knowing their own interests and also having some stake in ensuring the best result for the city as a whole, could arrive at a sensible solution without outside interference.
This, after all, has been the call with regard to so many other decisions in Christchurch.
However, as long ago as last November, the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery, Gerry Brownlee, warned that if agreement could not be reached quickly, the Government would have to intervene.
Long before the earthquakes, the central city's retailing was hollowed out by competition from the suburban malls, but if the centre of the city is to be revived, it must not be with some ghastly imitation of these soulless, homogenised, retail barns.
Malls may be popular for the basics, but surveys have repeatedly shown that most people would like the central city to recover with a rich mixture of varied and attractive retail, residential and commercial development, all on a welcoming human scale that everyone can enjoy.
The 7500sqm minimum for each development within the precinct was probably unavoidable for logistical reasons.
It was needed to help get recovery under way quickly.
It is vital that it be not allowed to become any more of a drag than it already has on either the speed of the recovery or an impediment to the kind of recovery Christchurch people want.
The time must now be close at which the Government will have to, as one participant put it, begin to "knock some heads together", both to get work started and also to achieve the development that Christchurch is looking for.


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The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), a non-profit organization to present a fashion show titled â€˜Threads of Banarasâ€™ as part of the First Ladiesâ€™ programme during the ongoing Third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) on Thursday here.
FDCI to platform the country's design talent has partnered with the external affairs ministry, as this collaboration will give an opportunity to exhibit the heritage of Banarasi weaves and showcase it at a prestigious event the India-Africa Forum Summit III.
With a conceptualisation by the FDCI and Ekaya, it will pay homage to Banarasi weaves and revive the lost splendour of Varanasi through magnificent crafts and modern silhouettes. Ekaya offers a diverse collection of Banarasi saris, as well as embroidered saris, printed saris, suits and fabrics, bridal lehengas and saris from other parts of India.
FDCI president Sunil Sethi said that their esteemed guests will be transported to an inimitable world of fabulous textiles, endearing weaves and stunning embroideries conceptualised by FDCI and Ekaya for the show.
A weekly report covering market and price information on the entire chain of polyester along with online access to daily polyester chain prices.
One-time reports that are issued annually cover the demand and supply trends in individual products including polyester, nylon, acrylic, viscose, and cotton.
One-time reports that are issued annually cover the demand and supply trends in the individual country's natural and manmade fiber/filament industries.
Countries Served Worldwide


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By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja
Lafarge Africa Plc, the Nigerian operations of the world’s leading building materials company, LafargeHolcim, has launched a promotion to appreciate and reward loyal customers with N120 million as it joins the nation to celebrate it’s 60th anniversary.
Speaking to journalists, the company’s commercial director, Gbenga Onimowo, said the promo, which has been ongoing for retailers since May climaxed with its extension to end users in August and it will run until the end of the year, adding it is targeted at all levels of the value chain: wholesale, retail, blockmakers and end users who sell or use Lafarge Africa’s suite of quality products for their building and construction projects.
“Lafarge is the first company to produce cement in Nigeria with quality products and iconic brands including Elephant cement, Lafarge Elephant Supaset, AshakaCem and Unicem brands for the local market; relying on its global expertise. Recently it has introduced innovative products like the newly improved Elephant Supaset in horizontal bags and Supafix tile adhesive.
“This promo is designed to appreciate our customers who have been loyal to our brand over the years and to also show our potential customers that apart from the unparalleled products that we offer, Lafarge Africa is a company of choice. In this promotion, ‘Everyone is a winner’, builders, artisans, engineers and contractors all over Nigeria have rewarded Lafarge’s commitment to the country as demonstrated in the increasing sales and stability and growing profitability of Lafarge operations,” he said.
Speaking further on the mechanics of the promo, the marketing communications and brands manager, Augustina Sobola, stated that upon the purchase of a bag of cement, a customer stands a chance to win an instant recharge card which can be used across all networks and for bulk purchases retails get an additional bag.
In addition to the instant prize’s worth over N80 million, the Block makers category will have the opportunity to win more prizes in 6 raffle draw events aimed to promote brand affinity, product advocacy and sustain our relationship with this segment. The Blockmakers stand a chance to win 8 horsepower Lister generators, 1.8kva generators, block making machines, 2,000 litre water tanks and other household items.
A statement by the company’s director of communications, public affairs, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, quoted the Larfarge’s country chief executive officer, Mr. Khaled El-Dokani, as saying that Lafarge is synonymous with quality, innovation and iconic buildings as it commenced production at a time when the country gained independent and has been active in rapidly expanded investments in infrastructure.


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GRAZ, Austria — Fisker Inc. is poised to begin production next week as promised a year ago, although some features, including those that are common on many competing vehicles, may not be ready until 2024.
Early next year, the company plans to add lane-keep assistance, blind-spot monitoring and automatic high beams to its launch edition Fisker Ocean One. By late 2023, it expects to add lane centering and traffic-jam assist. Its Power Bank package for vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-vehicle charging should roll out over the next two years, according to materials provided to journalists.
CEO Henrik Fisker said his priority is getting vehicles with unique features made and shipped to a growing backlog of customers, especially since over-the-air updates allow for less-critical features to be added later. He has stressed the need for rapid development of models so they can employ the latest technologies, rather than the much-longer processes that automakers have historically used.


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How does tourism industry contributes to the economy in the Philippines?
Preliminary data compiled by the PSA showed tourism’s direct gross value added (TDGVA) accounted for 5.4% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020, down from 12.8% of GDP in 2019. … Measuring the tourism-related value created by various industries, the country’s TDGVA was estimated at P973.
How does tourism industry help the economy?
The main benefits of tourism are income creation and generation of jobs. … The ability of the national economy to benefit from tourism depends on the availability of investment to develop the necessary infrastructure and on its ability to supply the needs of tourists.
How domestic tourism helps in developing the economy in the Philippines?
Inbound tourism expenditure accounted for 9.2% of total exports, the PSA said. … Domestic tourism spending grew by 25.5% to US$52 billion representing 23% of household consumption spending. Employment in tourism and allied industries was five million, 13% of total employment.
How does tourism affect the economy of the world?
Export revenues from tourism could fall by $910 billion to $1.2 trillion in 2020. This will have a wider impact and could reduce global GDP by 1.5% to 2.8%. Tourism supports one in 10 jobs and provides livelihoods for many millions more in both developing and developed economies.
What are the benefits of tourism in the Philippines?
There are many social benefits of tourism, demonstrating positive social impacts. These might include; preserving the local culture and heritage; strengthening communities; provision of social services; commercialisation of culture and art; revitalisation of customs and art forms and the preservation of heritage.
What are the impacts of tourism and hospitality on the economy of the Philippines explain briefly?
In 2017, the travel and tourism sector contributed a total of P3. 35 trillion to the Philippine economy, accounting for about 21 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to the latest report from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
How domestic tourism helps in developing the economy?
Governments use domestic tourism as a tool to eliminate local poverty, generate employment and economic growth, upgrade infrastructure and alleviate pressure from overcrowding through, for instance, discretionary pricing policies and the provision of non-wage tourism benefits.


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China’s live-streaming video market may face tougher regulation amid spread of ‘vulgar content’
- A commentary published by the Economic Daily once again puts the spotlight on the proliferation of ‘vulgar content’ online
- While the article did not identify the providers responsible for such content, shares of Kuaishou and Bilibili were hammered in Hong Kong on Thursday
“If we just blame this on the improper behaviour of live-streamers and ignore the improper distribution mechanism of platforms, we will be missing the point,” the commentary said. “If platforms prefer traffic flows [over high-quality content], this will surely create a group of low-quality, vulgar and pandering live-streaming video accounts.”
Inside a Chinese internet censorship centre
While the Economic Daily’s article did not identify any company in China’s live-streaming video market, investors of publicly listed providers took the cue.
“Some live-streamers were doing streaming sessions in which they ate the leftovers of elephants,” the newspaper said. “That was an eyesore and made many other users grumble.”
The commentary questioned the business model of live-streaming video platforms, which direct online traffic flows to their most popular content creators. Typically, the more viewers a live-streamer can attract, the more income this content creator can earn – either from the platform, tips from their audience or sales of goods from their online store.
“Platform companies will need to put the relationship of content and traffic in order, and go back to the right values,” the commentary said, pointing out that “content is king”.
“Nothing in the tech industry is off limits for regulators,” said Mark Tanner, managing director at Shanghai-based research firm China Skinny. “The live-streaming industry, in particular, has become unwieldy. It’s the Wild West more than some of the other industries that are being regulated, so the chances are there will be further intervention.”


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“By having the latest prices for the goods in hand, farmers cannot be deceived due to ignorance of its value in markets”
Here is some good news for farmers in Madurai district: a latest facility at the State-run regulated markets in Madurai, Tirumangalam, and Usilampatti is a ticker board that works on a SIM card and displays both the spot rate and the futures prices of different commodities. Farmers can now have access to prices at their doorstep.
Till some time ago, the future rates were confined to precious items such as gold and silver, but now, the importance had been extended to the agricultural produce as well, said J. Thavasa Muthu, secretary, Madurai Market Committee. “By having the latest prices for the goods in hand, farmers cannot be deceived due to ignorance of its value in markets. They are no more in the dark about the current market prices,” he said.
Explaining the salient features of the new facility to a group of farmers at the Tirumangalam regulated market on Monday, Mr. Thavasu Muthu said that from now on they could get a better price and keep track of the fluctuations. Depending on the need, they could sell their produce and need not rush to the markets. Similarly, the tactics of middlemen in influencing the farmers to sell their produce may become a thing of the past as the spot rates for the goods would be made known.
Mr. Muthu, who attended a two-day training programme organised by the NCDEX (National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange Limited) in Mumbai recently, said that through the exchange agency that handled the futures market, the rates were made available to farmers at the regulated markets. “Benefits of satellite technology are being passing on to farmers, besides educating them on market nuances,” he told The Hindu.
A farmer from Sathangudi near Tirumangalam expressed satisfaction over the new facility and hoped that they would no more be at the mercy of greedy merchants. The regulated market which functions on all working days would have officers to assist farmers seeking information.


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Dragon Age: Inquisition (PC)
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6 reasons to buy the Huawei Honor 6
Ford's David Huang talks about in-car infotainment and AppLink
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Intel Developer Zone
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HTC is going to launch its HTC One-series smartphones, including One X and One V, in India next week. According to reports, HTC One X will be priced at Rs. 35,000, taking on the likes of Samsung Galaxy SII. The HTC One V will come for Rs. 17,000 and is likely to compete with other Android smartphones under Rs. 20,000.
GSM Arena reports HTC's flagship devices HTC One X and One S, and a mid-range HTC One smartphone will be released in Europe and in certain Asian markets on April 2. It's not clear which Asian markets will get the HTC trio, but Singapore and Taiwan have already been confirmed. Reports of the HTC One trio come days after the company posted a teaser video of the One X on their official Facebook page.
Among the three HTC smartphones slated to be launched next week, the HTC One X is the most talked about device. The HTC One X sports 1.5 GHz quad-core processor and runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC Sense 4.0 UI. The device has a 4.7-inch display with 1280 x 720 resolution, 8MP camera. 1.3MP front facing camera, 32GB internal storage and 1GB of RAM. For connectivity, the HTC One X has NFC, Wi-Fi and micro-USB 2.0. The HTC One X comes with a 1,800 mAh battery. Check out the full specifications here.
HTC had announced a new lineup of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich smartphones, including One X, One XL, One S and One V, at the recently held MWC event. Earlier this month, reports had claimed that the HTC One X and One S smartphones will be launched in April.
(Left to right) HTC One S, One X, and One V
Source: Phone Mantra


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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The amount of red meat produced in Idaho has declined during the last decade, the Idaho Cattle Association says. And the United State Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service said red meat production at Idaho packing plants in October was down 80 percent from the same time last year at 3.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Food-industry conglomerate Cargill Inc. said Friday it will cut up to 2,000 jobs to reduce expenses in a weak economy. Cargill, which has 138,000 employees, said most of the cuts will occur in the next six months. "These are difficult decisions but are necessary to better position the company for continued growth," said spokesman Mike Fernandez.
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A court in the Philippines charged six Chinese fisherman with poaching endangered sea turtles in proceedings Monday aimed at protecting threatened wildlife along the country's coastline. Authorities discovered a batch of giant green turtles after intercepting the fishermen's speedboat in waters off the western province of Palawan on Friday, said military spokesman Maj.
CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — A state lawmaker says at least two groups are considering opening horse slaughterhouses in Wyoming now that Congress has cleared the way for such operations. State Rep. Sue Wallis is a Republican from Recluse and a member of the group United Horsemen, a non-profit group which supports horse slaughter.
NORTHFIELD, Illinois (AP) — Kraft Foods Inc., which is splitting its business into two publicly traded companies, has named Chairman and CEO Irene Rosenfeld to head the global snacks company after the breakup. Rosenfeld, 58, will serve as chairman and CEO of the snacks business which will include brands such as Trident gum and Cadbury chocolate.
MELBOURNE, Australia (PRNewswire) — A major UK study shows consumers are switching between fair trade and non-fair trade brands, despite what they claim. Victoria University branding expert Dr Maxwell Winchester surveyed 8,000 UK shoppers and found even those claiming a commitment to ethical shopping were more likely to buy large national brands than fair trade when both were available.
CHICAGO (PRNewswire) — While Baby Boomers have been given credit for launching America's cooking craze and nurturing it over the past few decades, Baby Boomers' children, the Millennial generation (aged 17-34 in 2011), are now poised to take over and start stirring the pot. According to a new Mintel report, younger cooks may lack skill in the kitchen, but make up for it with their enthusiasm.
DUIVEN, the Netherlands (PRNewswire) — Innova Market Insights has identified ten key trends to impact the food and beverage market through 2012 and beyond. The top trends relate purity, authenticity and sustainability, as consumers continue to look for products with added value, despite the ongoing economic uncertainty.
COLUMBIA, Md. (PRNewswire) — A recent survey conducted by the National Association of Catering Executives, found that more than half the respondents – 60 percent – indicated that corporate holiday party business will increase this year. This compares to two years ago, when only 30 percent indicated that the corporate holiday party would show growth.
CHICAGO (PRNewswire) — A precarious balance has been struck in the restaurant industry, with prices being held as low as possible to attract frugal consumers, while rising commodity costs chip away at profit margins. A new study by Technomic shows that current market forces are making craveability and culinary expertise increasingly relevant to consumers, many of whom say they are more interested in experiencing new flavors as they dine out.
LANSING, Mich. (PRNewswire) — American palates are indicating a new appreciation for a combination of sweet and tart tastes. In fact, while sweet still ranks third among America's favorite flavors, tangy is now 5th (up from 6th) and sour 9th (up from 10th). It's no coincidence that tart cherries – with their unique sweet-tart taste – are showing up in more new products and menu items.
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — A Chicago-based prepackaged food manufacturer is recalling sandwiches distributed to Race Trac gas stations in Georgia because of a possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Flying Food Group Inc. announced Saturday that the potentially deadly bacteria could be items produced by its Lawrenceville, Ga.
ATLANTA (AP) — Leaders of a Georgia-based ministry that provided discounted groceries to needy families across the U.S. have been indicted and face a wide range of charges, including using organization funds to buy jewelry, athletic equipment, clothes and to make a down payment on a jet.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Coca-Cola Co. is bringing red back for its annual holiday cans after a white design drew criticism from purists. The world's largest beverage maker announced in October that it was turning its iconic red cans white as part of a campaign to protect polar bears and their habitat.
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (AP) — The distinct flavor of chile peppers from the U.S. state of New Mexico has been adopted by palates as far away as Korea. But some are worried about the future of the crop. Labor costs, relentless plant diseases and competition from cheap imports have combined to put the chile industry in a steep decline.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Food maker ConAgra Foods Inc. said Friday that it completed its acquisition of pretzel maker National Pretzel Co. from Brookstone Holdings. The deal was announced in November. Financial terms were not disclosed. ConAgra gets all the assets of National Pretzel including the HK Anderson and Shultz labels, three bakeries and 700 employees.
This undated image provided by Coca-Cola Co. shows the company's limited-edition white can, left, and red can, right. The company is bringing back its red cans after the limited-edition white can drew complaints from some Coke drinkers. The world’s largest beverage maker announced in October that it was turning its iconic red cans white as part of a campaign to protect polar bears and their habitats.
WILRIJK, BELGIUM (Atlas Copco) — Horst Wasel, currently President of the Specialty Rental division within Atlas Copco Compressor Technique, has been appointed President of the recently created Quality Air division, effective January 1, 2012. “Horst has a vast experience in air and gas treatment from his previous functions in a customer center, in the Specialty Rental division and Gas and Process product companies.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis-based produce company Front Row Produce is recalling some grape tomatoes that could potentially be contaminated with salmonella. Front Row Produce says it is recalling 10-ounce pint and 10-pound bulk grape tomatoes supplied by Rio Queen Citrus of Mission, Texas.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The red wax seal atop a Maker's Mark bottle makes the bourbon stand out on store shelves. Whether the bourbon company can keep that distinction is up to a panel of three federal judges. The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday stepped into the sticky arguments over whether Maker's Mark can keep a trademark on the wax seal and enforce an injunction stopping any other liquor company from using a similar top.


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More than a few good men
Jennifer Marks -- Home Textiles Today, May 6, 2002
My husband walked in with a surprise the other night. He'd stopped off on his way home from work and picked up a couple of new sleep pillows.
I knew that we needed spare pillows, but I had no idea he knew — and I certainly didn't expect that he'd think to pop off and take care of it himself. Home textiles stuff, after all, is my professional bailiwick.
However, I shouldn't haven't been all that surprised. Just that day, a study from WSL Strategic Retail arrived in the office that found younger men (age 18 to 34) do considerably more shopping than older members of their gender — and in every retail channel:
Department stores: The younger group's shopping in this channel is up 3 percentage points vs. a year ago. Older men: down 5 points.
Specialty non-clothing stores: Young guys up 31 points. Older guys up 5 points.
Specialty clothing stores: Young guys up 29 points. Older guys flat.
Mass merchandisers: Young guys up 22 points. Older guys up three points.
Supermarkets: Younger guys up 21 pints. Older guys up 3 points.
Supercenters: Younger guys up 17 points. Older guys up 6 points.
Home improvement centers: Younger guys up 36 points. Older guys up 19 points.
Only warehouse clubs did a better job on the gender spectrum, with older guys increasing their shopping by 28 points and younger guys up just 12 points.
Ye gads — could young men be the next great untapped market demographic?
Could be. Obviously, there are retailers and consumer product manufacturers that have a long history of chasing this group — vendors of sneakers, sporting equipment, music, videos and electronic games, beverages and junk food. What the WSL study suggests is that the interests of the Young Guy Demographic may not be quite so narrowly defined. Certainly, the study's most startling discovery was not that young men shop but that their shopping patterns today are not all that dissimilar to those of their female peers.
According to the study, which surveyed a group of 652 men and women between the age of 18 and 70, "Men and women exhibit similar levels of satisfaction with retailers in general (65 for men and 67 for women on a 100-point scale, with 100 as best). In terms of favorite store type, mass merchandisers top the list (39 percent of women vs. 28 percent of men), followed by department stores (20 percent of women vs. 10 percent of men) and supermarkets (6 percent of women vs. 13 percent of men). Men are more likely not to have a favorite store type (41 percent of men vs. 27 percent of women).
The trick will be keeping them shopping as they age. And that's not the only challenge on the guy front.
The tougher nut to crack is the 55-plus male customer — not exactly the man marketers spend much time worrying about. But WSL cautioned, rightly, that as the Baby Boomer population ages, "the decrease in shopping activity will pose important growth and survival issues for retailers and manufacturers."
In the meantime, it seems you can all count on my husband's business (he's at the top end of the young guy bracket). He'd no sooner presented the sleep pillows when a look of concern furrowed his brow.
"Gotta go back out," he said. "I forgot to pick up a mattress pad."
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text: On Thanksgiving Day alone, shoppers used their smartphones to spend $1 billion online, an 8% increase, according to Adobe Analytics. E-commerce sales generated $3.7 billion in sales on Thanksgiving Day which is a 28% increase from a year ago. Adobe Analytics tracks sales from 80 of the top 100 e-tailers. On Black Friday shoppers set new e-commerce records as they used smartphones to generate $2 billion in sales online according to Adobe Analytics. This is the first time that online shopping via smartphones has generated over $2 billion in sales in a single day. 33.5% of the $6.22 billion in online sales on Black Friday were attributed to smartphones. Overall Black Friday sales were up by 23.6%. Buy online pick up in stores continues to be a popular option for shoppers this holiday season, with "click-and-collect" orders up 73 percent from Thursday to Friday, Adobe said. Target, Kohl's and Walmart are just a few companies that have been touting that option this year, hoping that when customers arrive to pick up their items, they'll buy more. Meanwhile, shoppers were seen buying more big-ticket items like appliances, furniture and bulkier electronics from their phones Black Friday, with average order values up 8.5 percent year over year to reach $146, based on Adobe's data.


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Apple VP Greg Joswiak’s Full ‘WSJD Live’ Interview Now Available [WATCH]
Re/code has posted the full video interview with Apple VP Greg Joswiak.
Apple’s Greg Joswiak Apologizes, Explains Flawed iOS 8.0.1 Update
Apple VP Greg Joswiak talks iOS 8.0.1, iPhone 6, Apple Pay and Apple Watch.
Apple: iOS 8.0.1 Fix Coming in “Next Few Days”, Apologizes for “Great Inconvenience” [u]
Apple has released a statement on the status of when a fix for iOS 8.0.1 is coming.
Apple Statement on iOS 8.0.1: We are “Actively Investigating” Bug Reports
Apple has released a statement on the recent pulled release of iOS 8.0.1.
How to Fix iOS 8.0.1 Errors ‘No Service’ and Broken Touch ID [u]
Here's how to fix your recent iOS 8.0.1 upgrade errors.
iOS 8.0.1 Needs a Fix ASAP: Disables Cellular Signals, Touch ID for iPhone 6 Users
Do not install Apple's iOS 8.0.1 update, as it's breaking cell functionality for devices and Touch ID for some users.
Apple Preparing to Seed iOS 8.0.1 to Carrier Testing Partners
Apple is already preparing to seed iOS 8.0.1 to its carrier partners.


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The Crypto Merchant, an e-store specializing in high-quality crypto products, announced that it stocks the D’Cent biometric hardware wallet – the first secured crypto storage solution of its kind.
More details can be found at https://www.thecryptomerchant.com/products/dcent-biometric-hardware-wallet?_pos=1&_sid=c37c1666b&_ss=r
The newly available wallet is an ideal option for traders looking for unparalleled security and versatility, says the company. And while biometric technology offers industry-leading standards of asset protection, the D’Cent isn’t without its downsides.
“Now hardware wallets are being built with biometric security with a secure element, and the utilization of Bluetooth-enabled technology,” said a company spokesperson. “And the D’Cent Biometric hardware wallet is the world’s first wallet with biometric security measures.”
“The D’Cent hardware wallet has both positive and negative aspects. The good part is that it’s portable. However, it only supports a limited number of cryptocurrencies. Although this device has its limitations it is a simple and secure hardware wallet, and it’s worth taking a closer look,” they added.
The D’Cent features a key word and fingerprint sensor, along with a recovery seed phrase plate that comes with each purchase. Both USB and Bluetooth transfer options are available, for seamless fund management and asset transfer.
The Crypto Merchant recommends the D’Cent for anyone looking for an easy-to-use hack-proof wallet.
With the latest update, the e-store continues to expand its range of high-quality crypto security products and accessories. The Crypto Merchant is an authorized retailer for D’Cent, Trezor, Ledger and other brands, striving to provide quality products while maintaining accessible price points.
Founded in 2017 in New York, the brand has grown into one of the most reputed crypto e-stores serving traders and investors of all experience levels all over the world.
“Our company was built to help you stay informed and secure while investing in this exciting new asset class,” said a company representative. “Our mission is to help you secure your future by achieving financial sovereignty and building wealth.”
Interested parties can find more information at https://www.thecryptomerchant.com
The Crypto Merchant
609 South Ridgewood Avenue
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Study Champ journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.


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Philadelphia’s Bar-Kay Jewelers to Close After 75 Years
The store is hosting a going-out-of-business sale starting this week.
The company announced on its Facebook page that owner John Kurowski has decided to retire.
The Northeast Philadelphia store was founded as a small watchmaker’s shop in 1948 by Stanley (Stas’) Kurowski, who died in 2017.
His son John joined the business in 1973, his sister Chris in 1987, and his daughter Kim in 1998.
With the unique skills of each team member, the store grew into a full-service fine jewelry store and repair shop with a loyal, generational client base.
“We’ve loved being part of our customer’s lives for so long,” said John Kurowski. “It’s an incredible feeling, like being part of one big family. We’re certainly going to miss that aspect of the business.”
Bar-Kay is hosting a closing sale at the store for customers to wish the family well and shop the store’s selection of fine jewelry, diamonds, bridal pieces, watches and more at up to 70 percent off.
Awareness is essential to proactive protection. Learn how to promote and maintain safety and security awareness in your business.
“Pre-Owned Luxury by Rocksbox” offers secondhand jewelry from Kay, Zales, and Jared to members and non-members.
The museum is asking for the public’s help in finding thousands of pieces of ancient gold jewelry and gemstones stolen from a storeroom.
Do you always want the right diamonds at the right price in your store? Introducing Dialog, the world’s first diamond subscription service.
The plea comes against a backdrop of declining demand and falling prices.
Shoppers also expressed concern about rising prices, higher interest rates, and political uncertainty.
Police say Douglas Wayne Gamble also swapped natural diamonds for synthetic stones and failed to return customers’ repairs.
The designer just launched a new bridal range at Kay Jewelers.
Steve Levine joins the family-owned company, while his brother Gary has a new position.
The company has filed complaints against Royal Chain and Samuel B.
The lab confirmed it did not send the message.
Reginald Brack has worked at StockX and Christie’s.


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Brussels, 1st April 2009
Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said: "I am satisfied that these undertakings will not only improve the efficiency and transparency of the MasterCard payment card scheme but also provide a fair share of the benefits to consumers and retailers. The new methodology for calculating the MIF will help to bring clarity for banks and retailers and also lead to a substantial reduction in comparison to MasterCard's previous MIF. We will be monitoring implementation closely in the coming months."
The Commission decided in December 2007 (see IP/07/1959 and MEMO/07/590) that the MIF established by MasterCard for cross-border transactions made with MasterCard and Maestro branded debit and consumer credit cards in the European Economic Area (EEA), did not comply with EC Treaty rules on restrictive business practices (Article 81). Nevertheless, the decision did not exclude the possibility that a MIF might be compatible with EC antitrust rules if it had positive effects on innovation and efficiency and allowed a fair share of these benefits to be passed on to consumers. The Decision gave MasterCard six months (until 21 June 2008) to adjust its behaviour to comply with the antitrust rules with the possibility of imposing penalty payments for any delays in the implementation of the Decision.
On 12 June 2008 (see MEMO/08/397), MasterCard provisionally repealed its cross-border MIF, while continuing to engage in discussions on a methodology to determine MIFs where consumers and retailers would enjoy a fair share of the benefits.
MasterCard has now given three undertakings:
In October 2008 MasterCard revised its acquirer pricing structure in the EEA, which included increasing certain existing acquirer fees (charged by a payment card scheme, in this case MasterCard, vis-à-vis its member banks in the framework of their adherence to the scheme), introducing a new fee on acquirers, and repealing certain acquirer fee waivers. However, these fees will now be repealed.
In view of the changes to be made by MasterCard to its MIFs, its agreement to repeal the scheme fee increases and on the basis of the information currently available about these markets, Commissioner Kroes does not intend to propose to the Commission to pursue MasterCard either for non-compliance with the Commission's 2007 decision, or for infringing the antitrust rules by increasing its scheme fees or by reintroducing a cross-border MIF.
As regards Visa's behaviour on the payment cards market, the Commission will continue its antitrust investigation (see MEMO/08/170) and will monitor the behaviour of other market players to ensure that competition is effective in this market to the benefit of merchants and consumers.
For more information, see MEMO/09/143.


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Headed to SCMS in Toronto this week? So are we!
Here’s what you need to know:
1. We’re giving away 50 copies of Pink-Slipped: What Happened To Women In The Silent Film Industries. Stop by our booth in the exhibit hall and grab your copy before they’re gone!
2. Jane Gaines, the author of Pink-Slipped will be awarded the Distinguished Career Achievement Award during SCMS!
3. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Contemporary Film Directors Series. To celebrate, we’ve reissued a second edition of the book that started it all: Abbas Kiarostami by Mehrnaz Saeed-Vafa and Jonathan Rosenbaum.
Here are some other new books in the series:
4. It’s our 100th Anniversary this year, and to celebrate, we’re giving away an iPad stocked with 100 UIP ebooks! Stop by our table in the exhibit hall to enter!
Don’t forget to check out some of our other recent media titles too!


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Netflix Makes First Major Acquisition in Comic Book Publisher Behind ‘Kick-Ass’
The streaming service said to be developing series based on Millarworld's body of work.
It’s hard not to trust Netflix’s gut these days, given the streaming giant’s string of hit series including House of Cards, Stranger Things and Jessica Jones.
Speaking of the latter, a number of Marvel universe–related shows, including Luke Cage, Daredevil and Iron Fist have put the service on the radar of fanboys and -girls the world over. So it comes as no surprise that the company’s first major acquisition would be comic book–related.
According to Variety, Netflix has purchased Millarworld, a comic book publishing house founded by Scotsman Mark Millar, best known for developing the characters featured in 2010’s superhero movie Kick-Ass, which launched the career of Chloë Grace Moretz and helped liven up Nicholas Cage’s. (Kick-Ass got a sequel in 2013; and two other Millarworld titles, Kingsman and Wanted, have been turned into theatricals.)
Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said of the deal, whose financials were undisclosed: “As creator and re-inventor of some of the most memorable stories and characters in recent history, ranging from Marvel’s The Avengers to Millarworld’s Kick-Ass, Kingsman, Wanted and Reborn franchises, Mark is as close as you can get to a modern-day Stan Lee.”
Millar wrote about the deal at length on his company’s blog, noting that the acquisition marks just the third time in history a comic book publisher had been acquired by a major production house.
This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. Sign up now.
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Nike released their self-lacing shoes yesterday (Oct 4) and less than 100 are being made available. How can you get yours? We have the info.
The shoes are being raffled off for $10 a tickets and all proceeds are going to the Michael J Fox Foundation. There is no limit to how many tickets you can buy.
Better hurry though! ‘The Draw’ ends October 11. The winners will be announced on October 17.


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Menard developed a formula with Korean red ginseng as well as black winter truffle extract. In a previous study, the company tested these extracts in a formula to promote hair growth.
The formula was tested successfully on an artificial scalp model developed by Menard, which allows it to evaluate hair growth at a ‘test tube level’.
The red ginseng is steamed and dried in a special treatment developed by Menard, which has dubbed the product ‘super-ripe red ginseng’.
This hair formulation was tested on 20 men and women. The 20 subjects were instructed to apply the hair tonic on half of their scalp for three months to examine the preventative effect of these extracts.
After three months, the team analysed the hair samples and confirmed that the formula boosted the expression of the CXCL12 protein.
Increasing CXCL12 production in hair was imperative to prevent the hair greying process.
Additionally, a comparison of the two halves of the scalp showed that the half treated with the lotion has less white hair, proving that the extracts were effective in preventing the growth of white hair.
The company said it would apply this new discovery to the development of new hair care developments targeting pigment stem cells.
Menard Cosmetics was established in 1959 and develops a range of cosmetic products and manages a chain of aesthetic salons. It is also has established businesses in hospitality.
Black and white evaluation
The cosmetics company developed this formula after setting out to analyse the difference between black hair and white hair in detail using stem cell analysis technology.
Previous studies have shown that pigment stem cells can be found in the bulb of the hair follicle.
According to the firm, the amount of pigment stem cells tends to decrease due to factors such as ageing or stress.
According to the firm, this suppresses the production of melanocytes and eventually turns hair grey.
Through the research process, the team discovered that a protein called CXCL12 plays an important role in the process of greying hair by maintaining the pigment stem cells.
When comparing black hair and grey hair, the researchers found that expression of CXCL12 was reduced in white hair.
The firm believes that when the expression of CXCL12 weakens, the supply of melanin is blocked and results in the formation of grey hairs.
“As a result of comparing black hair and white hair, it was found that the expression of CXCL12 was reduced in white hair. In other words, it was thought that the cause of grey hair was a decrease in the expression of CXCL12 in the bulb, which made it impossible to maintain pigment stem cells and disrupts the supply of melanocytes.”
Menard has been researching stem cell technologies since 2003.


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Today is Google I/O 2019 edition which is the yearly developer conference Google uses to announce new updates to their ecosystem. One of the updates is usually a preview of the next version of Android which will be Android 10 Q.
Like every other Google I/O, they usually release the beta version of the software to a select number of devices. Google’s own devices usually got this update first (Nexus and Pixel devices) but they have been adding more phones from different manufacturers since then.
Well this year, Google announced that 21 phones from 13 manufacturers will get the Android 10 Q beta release today. The manufacturers include Google, OnePlus, MI, Asus, Huawei, Sony, Nokia, Oppo, LG, Essential, Vivo, Realme and TECNO.
This year, we have a Tecno device that will enjoy getting the Android Q beta release today. If you have a Tecno Spark 3 Pro, you can now get the sweet beta release with the envy of your mates.
Other smartphones that you can use to get the Android Q beta release include the Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Vivo X27, Vivo NEX S, Vivo NEX A, Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G, Xiaomi Mi 9, Asus Zenfone 5z, Essential PH-1, Nokia 8.1, Huawei Mate 20 Pro, LG G8, One Plus 6T, Oppo Reno, Sony Xperia XZ3 and Realme 3 Pro.
We recently reviewed the TECNO Spark 3 Pro and now since it is in an elite group that is getting Android Q beta today, it might give it a superior edge.
[…] Read More from the Source […]
[…] The road to Android Q will be communicated down the line, although we are skeptical about it. It is worth noting, however, that one of its flagships phones from 2018 the Mate 20 Pro is one of the devices under the Android Q beta test program. […]
[…] of its applications ready to go with a dark theme before the launch of Android Q later this year. Android Q beta 3 which came out at this year’s Google I/O event gave users an option to properly enable dark mode […]
[…] devices from TECNO and Infinix will get the Android 10 update such as the TECNO Spark 3 Pro (it was in the Android Q Beta test program), the TECNO Phantom 9(its flagship device), the TECNO Camon 12 series(Read our TECNO Camon 12 full […]
[…] Google announced a beta version for its latest mobile operating system, Android 10(at that time it went with Android Q) in March last year. The final beta release was announced at Google’s I/0 2019 was slated for 21 phones from 13 manufacturers including a newcomer – TECNO Spark 3 Pro. […]
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The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 27,000 investigative stories.
Most of our stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center directly at 573-882-3364 or firstname.lastname@example.org where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need.
Search results for "SAAB" ...
SVT investigated the selling of the Swedish fighter plane, the Gripen to the Czech government. In result the news organization uncovered bribery of politicians, the Austrian Count Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly, a former Canadian government minister and a Czech weapons dealer. This prompted further investigation into two other Gripen deals between Hungary and South Africa.
An investigation by the San Francisco Examiner revealed that the Saab 9000 automobiles had a defective fuse box that could cause the luxury cars to lose power, emit smoke from the glove box and in some cases, catch fire, allegedly even when the engine was not running. The articles also showed that Saab knew of the defect and considered it a safety problem, but failed to tell consumers or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.(Feb. 5, 6, 12, 26, and Dec. 24, 1995)
The San Francisco Examiner reports that "The Saab car company failed to tell customers and federal safety officials about a flaw that made some of its luxury cars fill with smoke and burst into flames... Internal Saab reports show the firm knew that a faulty connection in the model 9000's main fuse box could make the engine die, prevent power windows and door locks from opening and spew acrid smoke from dashboard vents..."