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Stage four restrictions: how they will affect your business
On 3 August, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced the introduction of Stage 4 restrictions on Victorian businesses which will greatly impact retail businesses along with the construction and meat-processing industries.
In his address, Mr Andrews said “as heartbreaking as it is to close down places of employment... that is what we have to do in order to stop the spread of this wildly infectious virus.”
“Our medical experts have said this is the only way to stop the spread. The only way.”
Around 250,000 Victorian workers will be impacted by these Stage 4 restrictions.
Along with the new sever restrictions, the State Government has also announced new grants in order to support those Victorian businesses that will be impacted by the shutdown.
The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) understands the only way our economy will survive the COVID-19 crisis is by getting the health crisis under control. But we know that closing or heavily restricting workplaces will have a devastating effect on our businesses and economy.
Many businesses that thought they could scrape through Stage 3 restrictions will now close, industries will face unprecedented controls and thousands more jobs will be lost.
VCCI chief executive Paul Guerra said “while it is somewhat positive that some vital industries will still be able to operate under a ‘pilot light’ setting, including construction, the restrictions will still severely damage jobs and productivity.”
We know that for us to get into a position again where we talk about recovery the health crisis needs to be brought under control... But the cost of the actions to get to that point will be devastating and long-lasting, with the effects felt by all of us for many years.”
On 3 August, the Stage 4 restrictions for business were announced which will greatly impact many businesses in Victoria. The State Government announced a three-tier structure of business closures which will impact many people differently.
It is important to note, that with exception to some warehousing and meat processing centres in regional Victoria, these regulations only apply for metropolitan Melbourne.
For the full comprehensive list of which businesses are impacted, and how, click on the link below.
Tier one: open for on-site work
Businesses such as supermarkets, grocery stores (butchers, bakers, fruit and vegetable stores), bottle shops, petrol stations, banks, news agencies and post offices are allowed to continue operating as usual, along with frontline healthcare workers, as they provide critical services for the public.
Tradespeople such as plumbers and electricians can continue operating as usual, however, the Premier has conceded “now is not the time to get your house painted.”
All businesses and services that remain open will have until 11.59pm on 7 August to enact a COVIDSafe-plan focused on safety, prevention and response if a case of coronavirus is linked to the workplace.
On 29 July, WorkSafe Victoria announced regulations where employers are required to notify WorkSafe immediately on becoming aware an employee has attended the workplace following a positive diagnosis of COVID-19.
Tier two: must close for on-site work
From 11.59pm on 5 August, many businesses will need to temporarily close their doors to the public. These industries include retail, education and training, some manufacturing and administration.
While many retail businesses will need to cease operations entirely, some will continue to operate in a limited capacity with contactless (click and collect) purchasing allowed. The Premier gave the example that the public would not be allowed to enter a Bunnings store, they would be allowed to purchase online and collect their goods.
As the announcement came less than 48 hours before the enactment of the new lockdown laws, some businesses may be allowed specific exemptions to allow the business to shutdown safely over a longer period of time.
The State Government have also reiterated that for those who continue operating, must adhere to the strictest of safety protocols.
Tier three: restricted operations
Some businesses will be allowed to remain open and operate as usual, but in a greatly diminished capacity. Included in this are the meat, warehousing and construction industries, as these industries have been identified as areas where work cannot cease, but have noticed a serious increase in cases of COVID-19.
The government has advised for those businesses remaining open, to begin staggering shifts, staggering breaks, introducing health declarations and bolstering support for sick workers to ensure they stay home
Abattoirs and meat processing plants will be required to reduce the number of staff by one third. Along with this reduction of staff, workers will also be required to wear full Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) similar to those work by healthcare workers.
Workers will also be required to only work at one location and must not work across several sites.
Warehousing and distribution centers across Melbourne will also be limited to no more than two-thirds of their normal workforce allowed onsite at any one time.
The construction industry will be scaled back to “pilot light levels” to allow projects to resume, without completely ending operations.
For major construction sites – defined as operations above three-stories tall – no more than 25 per cent of the normal workforce will be allowed onsite at any given time. The State Government has said that they have already reviewed Government projects such as the Level Crossing Removal Project and have “almost halved the number of people onsite”.
For small-scale construction projects such as residential housing, no more than five people will be allowed onsite at any given time.
Restrictions for the public
On 2 August, Premier Daniel Andrews announced the introduction of Stage 4 lockdown which introduced sweeping changes to the way the public of Victoria live. Many of these new rules will greatly impact businesses.
As of 2 August, a curfew is in place between the hours of 8pm to 5am. There are exceptions to the curfew, but you must only leave your home for one of the following reasons (not multiple):
- To purchase food or necessary supplies
- Work (studying is no longer an exception and must be done remotely)
- Exercise (one-hour limit)
- Caregiving and healthcare
Given these restrictions and exceptions, restaurants and cafes will be allowed to stay open (only for pick-up and delivery) during curfew hours as customers will be allowed to collect their orders and services such as UberEats and Menulog are not impacted.
The five-kilometer rule
From 2 August, all residents of Melbourne will not be allowed to travel more than five kilometers from their home. This will greatly impact many businesses such as independent grocers, petrol stations and restaurants as their trade will be limited to local customers only.
For an indication of the distance you can travel, this website can show you a five-kilometer radius from your home.
The new five-kilometer rule also apply for exercise, which is now limited to one-hour per day.
All schools across Victoria will return to remote learning though some schools will remain open for vulnerable children and the children of permitted workers.
Daycare, kindergartens and early childhood centres in metropolitan Melbourne will also be closed, but will remain open in regional Victoria.
These restrictions will not only greatly impact those businesses, but the parents of children who are now working from home. During this time, it will be important for employers to give their staff the flexibility to manage these unique circumstances and continue to operate as efficiently as possible.
As was announced on 2 August, regional Victoria (including Mitchell Shire) has been moved to Stage 3 restrictions, enforcing the ‘four-reason rule’: those living outside of Melbourne now may only leave home for the following reasons:
- Shopping for food and essential supplies
- Study or work
- Care and healthcare
- Exercise or outdoor recreation
On 30 July face coverings also became mandatory throughout all of Victoria, meaning that anytime a person leaves their home, they must be wearing a face mask, regardless of their activity.
Those who do not wear face coverings can be fined $200 unless that person is exempt for medical purposes. Children under 12 years of age do not need to wear a face covering.
In order to cope with the restrictions, the Victorian Government have announced further grants for Victorian businesses to cope during these difficult times – amounting to nearly and additional $600 million in support.
Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire businesses will be able to apply for an additional $5,000 grant – on top of the existing $5,000 grant available through the Business Support Fund – Expansion Program.
Regional Victorian businesses that are forced to close can also apply for a $5,000 grant to support their business as the rest of the state falls under Stage 3 restrictions.
How the VCCI can help
If you, as an employer or an employer’s representative feel unsure about what your organisation has in place or would like help in putting a plan in place, please do not hesitate to contact the Victorian Chamber’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HSW) team on 03 8662 5196.
The HSW team can also ensure you are fully aware of the duty to report cases of COVID-19 at the workplace under the reporting laws that came into place on the 28th July.
For more information on our HSW consulting, training and other support services, please contact us on 03 8662 5333 or email@example.com to discuss your needs.
Members can also call our Advice Line on 03 8662 5222, or can register to be notified of any changes to awards applicable to your business. Award subscription via the Victorian Chamber will allow you to receive summarised, user-friendly tables which highlight the key differences that occur when awards are modified.
Enter your email below and receive our Chamber newsletter


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A Far North iwi leader is dismissing fears the Chinese company expanding a luxury resort on the Karikari Peninsula will import Chinese labour to build it.
Shanghai CRED Real Estate, which recently built workers' accommodation at nearby Whatuwhiwhi, has just bought the local Top Ten Holiday Park, prompting claims it is about to bring in Chinese workers.
The company - which is also the new owner of Peppers Carrington Resort - employs about 40 local people.
Ngati Kahu chief executive Anahera Herbert said Shanghai CRED had told the runanga it planned to employ New Zealanders, and that the holiday park would cater for tourists on a budget.
"I'm confident they'll do what they told us they'll do, and they haven't broken their promises to us yet," she said.
"Mind you, our antennae are always alert, but I cannot operate on rumours or fears and the facts are they've been nothing but honourable and honest with us, to this point."
Mrs Herbert said Shanghai CRED had been more obliging than the resort's previous American owner in resolving iwi concerns about wahi tapu, and Ngati Kahu had reached an out-of-court settlement with the company over long-standing resource consent issues.
She said a Ngati Kahu delegation would travel to China next week to cement the friendly relationship as guests of the company for a cultural exchange, which would become an annual event.
"When they came here, we moved to manaaki (look after) and mentor them to show them how we work, and how they can work with us, and now this is their way of reciprocating, to show how they work in their own land," Mrs Herbert said.
"And there's the aspect of us looking for opportunities by which whanau and hapu can benefit more from what is, really, a new partnership with our new manuhiri (guests)."
The Ngati Kahu delegation to Shanghai will include Mrs Herbert; Ngati Kahu chair Dr Margaret Mutu; four kaumatua and kuia; four young people; and several others who would pay their own way.

domain: news


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After much discussion for many years, the baking industry will host its very own trade show in 2017. The Baking Industry Trade Show comes about after many industry participants were looking for a trade show that was purely committed to their needs.
The trade show will host bakery equipment suppliers, ingredient manufacturers and business services. There will be hands-on demonstrations at exhibitor stands, allowing bakery visitors to opportunity to actually see how equipment and products work.
The trade show will be supported by Australia’s Best Pie and Pastie Competition, The Vanrooy Bakery Theatre and the National Baking Conference. This event will also see delegates from BIA NZ attend and take part.
The Baking Trade Show will be held at the Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne on Tuesday, June 20, until Thursday, June 22. There is ample free parking and it’s only a 15-minute tram ride from the city. The venue also has plenty of accommodation.
The trade show will host a free cocktail party for everyone in the baking industry on Tuesday, June 20 on the trade show floor from 4pm to 7pm.
The trade show is free and registrations will open in early 2017.


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According to a Bloomberg report, BioWare has completely removed the online play portion of Dragon Age 4 because… Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
According to information from insiders, original Dragon Age 4 focus a lot on online play and interaction between players, however due to the disastrous failure of Anthem and the huge success of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, EA believes that single-player games still have a place, and it is up to the decision to “slash” the online portion of the next game’s game. Dragon Age.
Reality, Dragon Age 4 has been in development since 2015, but has been “beaten back and forth” right … a few times (according to insiders), so one more time nothing new.
According to this revelation, EA’s initial plan was to “suck blood” with additional content like DLC or “lootbox”, like other online games of this company, but they have changed rapidly. soon after seeing the contrast between Anthem and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
EA has said the company plans to release the game from 2022 onwards, and has revealed very little about the title.
Previously, BioWare abandoned the restarting project Anthem NEXT To focus on Dragon Age and Mass Effect next.


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With #BoycottYETICoolers trending online for its alleged decision to cut ties with the National Rifle Association, the popular cooler company issued a statement insisting that it had only informed the NRA that it had ended some outdated discounts for its products. But on Wednesday, the NRA issued a response accusing YETI of trying to “run from the facts.”
Marion Hammer, the former president of the NRA and the head of its Florida affiliate, told Guns.com that the NRA’s claims that YETI had told them that they were no longer going to do business with them was true; YETI was simply trying to do “damage control.”
“Yeti severed ties with the NRA and is now engaging in damage control after a backlash from many of its customers,” said Hammer. Guns.com reports:
“In early March, Yeti refused to place a previously negotiated order from NRA-ILA, citing ‘recent events’ as the reason – a clear reference to the tragedy in Parkland, Florida,” said Hammer, going on to say the company then delivered notice to the NRA Foundation that it was ending a seven-year agreement and demanded that the gun group remove the Yeti name and logo from the NRA’s websites and print material.
“While Yeti is trying to spin the story otherwise, those are the facts,” Hammer said. “While Yeti can choose to run from the NRA, they can’t run from the facts.”– READ MORE[give_form id=”79809″] [contentcards url=”https://www.dailywire.com/news/29915/damage-control-nra-calls-out-yeti-coolers-trying-james-barrett” target=”_blank”]


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The Daily Mail todayt claimed that Mail Online has overtaken the New York Times' daily traffic – affirming its position as the world's biggest newspaper website – a day after scooping website of the year at the Press Awards.
A Daily Mail article this morning reported the latest figures from web metrics company Comscore showed Mail Online recorded an average of 6,265,000 unique visitors a day in February compared with the NYT's 6,239,000.
In December the website overtook the NYT's monthly traffic for the first time after recording 45.3 million visitors compared with the NYT's 44.8 million, again according to Comscore.
According to the latest figures Mail Online remained ahead on that metric with 47.3m unique visitors.
This week the NYT announced that a year after it began charging for full access to its website it was cutting the number of articles available for free from 20 per month to 10.
Judges at Tuesday's Press Awards praised Mail Online for the 'large amount of original content that makes it essential reading in the newsrooms of competitors".
Accepting the award, editor Martin Clarke said: 'I like to think what we do on Mail Online encapsulates the best of Fleet Street."
He added: 'This is an amazing tribute both to the effort and professionalism of everyone in the online team and also to their print colleagues, whose work underpins everything we do.
"I am proud to have been able to accept the award on their behalf and would particularly thank the digital staff who have done such an outstanding job to introduce the Mail to an entirely new audience both here and abroad."
To contact the Press Gazette newsdesk call 020 7936 6433 or email email@example.com


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But Some Say Not Enough Data Are Purged
John Simpson, a consumer advocate with Consumer Watchdog, said in a statement, "If data is not completely anonymous, this is nothing more than PR." Simpson’s consumer group called for major search engines to match the policy of IXQuick, a Danish search engine that deletes all personal data after 48 hours.
Google’s corporate motto is still "Don’t be evil", but folks just don’t trust the Internet…
The Wall Street Journal touched off a debate Monday in an article suggesting that Internet giant …
I was surprised today when Internet giant Google today removed the "Beta" or test label from its new Chrome browser. Four-year-old Gmail still carries the "Beta" label. Despite the
changes, though, the Web browser still offers inadequate protection for
Google’s arch-rival, Mircrosoft, has just announced it will anonymize all private data it collects during online searches after six months if its competitors do the same thing.
As explained by …
Don’t be shy about telling Google what you think of the company’s activities. Sometimes the internet giant listens to what its users say.
A case in point:…
Consumer Watchdog wants Google Inc. to implement more privacy protections in its e-mail and search systems as it may be looking at e-mails coming and going from GMail accounts.
New Video Shows Privacy Problems With G-Mail
Washington, DC — Consumer Watchdog released a new on-line video
exposing privacy problems with Google’s Gmail service and other Google
applications in the wake of Google’s recent marketing efforts on
Capitol Hill. At a speech in Washington D.C. today, Google CEO Eric
Schmidt acknowledged the group’s privacy concerns and expressed an
interest in addressing them. He said his concern was balancing
performance and speed of the system with privacy and security demands.
Consumer Watchdog is a consumer advocacy group that believes Google’s
e-mail service, called Gmail, is not private or secure. And Consumer
Watchdog says the security problem is not only with Gmail users, but
also with those who may not have Gmail but correspond with Gmail users.
California campaign disclosures show that Google, which has had issues from privacy advocates and government regulators, made what appears to be the first political contributions to elected officials in the company’s history.
As Google grows into the behemoth of personal computing that it apparently wants to become, the firm has apparently decided to get bigger in another realm: political influence.
Both president-elect Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain backed electronic medical records during their campaign. Computerizing patient data, which could increase efficiency and cut costs, is part of every major federal health reform…
Santa Monica, CA — California campaign disclosures show that Google,
Inc [GOOG] – which is under fire from privacy advocates and government
regulators – made what appears to be the first political contributions
to California candidates in the company’s history.


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3D Print Expo will be held alongside with EAAPA 2014
12-14 February 2014 Moscow will host two significant events - Russia's first Exhibition of high technologies and 3D printing 3D Print Expo and VII Eurasian Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo EAAPA 2014.
Exhibitions’ organizer company Smile Expo has decided to combine two largest trade fairs under the same roof - in Exhibition and Convention Center "Sokolniki". Synergy of two exhibitions will provide an additional round to development of each event and will attract more visitors. Both exhibitions will occupy the area of over 8,000 square meters.
Russia's first 3D-printing exhibition aims to acquaint its visitors with technology of three-dimensional printing widely applied in various industries today; it is competitive and more cost effective.
EAAPA expo that brings together largest manufacturers and suppliers of parks and attractions is also a significant industry event. Organizers hope that thanks to different marketing campaigns of both exhibitions at those days ECC "Sokolniki" will be a meeting place for everybody engaged in or planning to do business in entertainment industry. It is possible that in the future these two industries will actively engage. There is high probability that entertainment equipment will be created using 3D-printing. Today structures that can then become an integral part of entertainment industry are created using 3D-printing technologies.
Nowadays even mini-pool (designed by Kai Parthy) and 3D printed skateboard (by Sam Abbott) were created using 3D-printing technologies. London lab D2W designed 3D printed birdhouse, and American developers from company Captured Dimensions make 3D color copies of people and their pets. Clay figurines (cubify.com) and the biggest Rubik's Cube (by Oscar van Deventer) were also created with three-dimensional printing. One can imagine that in a few years it will be possible to make 3d printed buildings and large-scale structures. Especially taking into account that material for 3D-printing is very varied - from metal to plastic, glass, chocolate and even ice.
3D Print Expo will be a landmark event for everybody interested in 3D printing. And there are quite a lot of those interested, because three-dimensional technology is used in many different fields: medicine, education, architecture, art and cooking.
Join 3D Print Expo - exhibition that will present technologies of the future.
tel.: +7 (495) 212-11-28
e-mail: [email protected]


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Wisconsin GOP assembly legislators have put forth a proposal aimed at legalizing medical cannabis in the state. The proposal, however, received a tepid response from Governor Tony Evers (D) and senate GOP leaders due to its highly restrictive nature.
Unlike the broader legalization efforts advocated by Democrats and Gov. Evers through the years, the proposed bill focuses on allowing medical cannabis use only for severely ill individuals dealing with chronic diseases such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, chronic pain and nausea. However, the bill introduces certain restrictions, such as limiting distribution to only five state-operated locations and prohibiting the use of smokable cannabis. Instead, various alternative forms of the substance, including liquids, patches, vapors, creams, gels, pills, tinctures, oils, gummies and concentrates, would be permissible. Evers, while expressing support for a medical cannabis program, remained noncommittal about the specifics of the proposal.
For the bill to become law, it must pass both the senate and assembly and receive the governor’s signature. However, the reception from key figures in the senate, including Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, has been cautious. LeMahieu emphasized the need for thorough vetting before making any decisions on the bill.
Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D) acknowledged the proposal as a small step forward but expressed concerns about its restrictive nature. Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) indicated that the outlined program was the maximum extent to which Republican assembly legislators were willing to go.
The bill entrusts the state’s health services department with determining the exact locations of the five dispensaries. Interestingly, given the legalization of recreational cannabis in neighboring Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota, Wisconsin residents may find closer access to dispensaries in other states. A 2023 report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum highlighted that more than one-half of Wisconsin residents above the age of 21 were within a 75-minute drive of a licensed dispensary in another state.
Under Evers’ 2023 rejected full-legalization proposal, Wisconsin anticipated collecting about $165 million annually in sales taxes. However, the current proposed medical cannabis proposal would not contribute to Wisconsin sales tax revenue.
The bill specifies that patients seeking medical cannabis must have a physician’s diagnosis and can obtain the cannabis only from one of the five state-operated dispensaries. Wisconsin stands out as an outlier nationally, with 38 states legalizing medical cannabis and 24 legalizing recreational cannabis. The momentum for legalization in Wisconsin has grown as neighboring states have relaxed their cannabis legalization laws.
Established enterprises such as SNDL Inc. (NASDAQ: SNDL) and the broader cannabis industry will be watching to see how the regulatory landscape in Wisconsin will shape up in the coming months leading to the November polls.
CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of two informative articles each business day. Our concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. Articles are released each business day at 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Eastern – our tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.
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Small dairy farmers are real strength of Indian dairy sector: Gujarat CM
Small dairy farmers are the real strength of the Indian dairy sector. Dairy farmers must look for value addition, and focus on the quality of milk and milk products for sustainable growth,” he said at the concluding session of the 49th Dairy Industry Conference organised by Indian Dairy Association here.
Gandhinagar: Gujarat has been a model of overall development and is also a leader in the dairy industry with a 20% share in the country’s milk production, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said on Saturday.
“Small dairy farmers are the real strength of the Indian dairy sector. Dairy farmers must look for value addition, and focus on the quality of milk and milk products for sustainable growth,” he said at the concluding session of the 49th Dairy Industry Conference organised by Indian Dairy Association here.
Taking place in Gujarat after 27 years, the three-day Conference brought together dairy experts and professionals from India and overseas, dairy cooperatives, milk producers, government officials, scientists, policymakers, planners, academicians and other stakeholders.
Prestigious awards including the Dr Kurien Award, IDA Patron Award, and IDA Fellowship Awards, were also conferred on the occasion.
In his welcome address, R S Sodhi, President of Indian Dairy Association, said, “The Indian dairy industry has achieved phenomenal growth because of determined efforts to become atma nirbhar in milk, strong supply chain managed by farmers, and investments in infrastructure. We must make efforts to ensure our products are accepted in overseas markets and we are exporting 20% of our production.”
Meenesh Shah, Chairman, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), said, “India must take leadership and take its cooperative model to neighbouring countries. We have already started talks with Sri Lanka to help it become self-reliant. We are also talking with Nepal and Kenya to help their dairy farmers by implementing our learnings.”
In his address, Piercristiano Brazzale, President of International Dairy Federation, said that global leaders must take note of India’s success in the dairy sector and support their dairy farmers with the right policies.
He also said that IDF is keen to support the Indian dairy sector meet various challenges.
Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary of Animal Husbandry & Dairying Department, spoke about the initiatives of the central government to improve the health of livestock and enhance their productivity.
State Cooperation Minister Jagdish Vishwakarma, IDF Director General Caroline Emond, and chairmen of various dairy cooperatives were also present at the Indian Dairy Summit. Amul Dairy MD Amit Vyas presented the vote of thanks at the Indian Dairy Summit.
The Dairy Industry Conference brought together industry professionals to discuss global dairy trends, farm innovations, sustainability within the sector, climate change, nutrition, and health with the objective of making India a hub of dairy innovations and solutions.
The latest technologies in milk production, storage, processing, and packaging solutions were also displayed during the three-day expo.


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Global 2011/12 production is forecast at a record 124.2 million bales, an 8-percent increase from the preceding year, as major Southern Hemisphere producers push for bigger crops. Brazil, the largest grower in the Southern Hemisphere, is expected to produce 9.0 million bales in 2011/12, unchanged from the previous year’s record, as favorable market prices are expected to sustain planted area.
In Australia, an abundant supply of irrigation water, adequate soil moisture, and relatively higher market prices are expected to yield a record 5.0 million bales, up 4 percent from a year earlier. Australia’s 2011/12 harvested area is forecast to rise 2 percent to a record 600,000 hectares.
China and India, the world’s largest and second largest cotton producers, are forecast to grow 33.5 million bales and 27.5 million bales, up 10 percent and 8 percent, respectively, from the previous year. Harvested area in 2011/12 for China and India is expected to rise 7 percent and 12 percent from a year earlier, to 5.5 million hectares and 12.5 million hectares, respectively.
Pakistan and the United States are forecast to produce 10.0 million bales and 16.6 million bales in 2011/12, a 14-percent increase from Pakistan’s previous crop and an 8-percent decrease in the United States. U.S. 2011/12 harvested area is forecast to decline 8 percent from a year ago, to nearly 4.0 million hectares.
The African Franc Zone and Central Asia are forecast to produce 2.9 million bales and 6.7 million bales in 2011/12, up 26 percent and 2 percent, respectively, from the previous year. World harvested area is forecast at 36.1 million hectares, up 8 percent from the previous year, while yields are forecast at 750 kg/ha.
World Cotton Trade Expected To Rise in 2011/12
World cotton exports in 2011/12 are forecast at 36.5 million bales, a 3-percent increase from the previous year, as Southern Hemisphere producers export record volumes from the bumper crops produced in 2010/11. Australia is forecast to export an all-time high of 4.3 million bales in 2011/12, up 71 percent from the preceding year. Brazil’s 2011/12 exports are forecast at 3.8 million bales, a 90- percent increase from a year earlier. Exports from the African Franc Zone are forecast at 2.4 million bales in 2011/12, up 14 percent from a year ago.
India, the world’s second-largest exporter of cotton, is forecast to export nearly 5.3 million bales in 2011/12, an increase of 3 percent from the preceding year. Exports in Uzbekistan are forecast at 2.8 million bales in 2011/12, a 6-percent increase from a year ago. The United States, the world’s leading cotton exporter, is expected to export 11.5 million bales in 2011/12, down 20 percent from the previous year, with its lowest global trade share (32 percent) in a decade, due to both lower available supplies and stronger competition for market share.
As the world’s largest cotton importer and consumer, China’s demand for imports has a significant impact on world cotton trade and prices. China’s 2011/12 imports are forecast at 14.0 million bales, up 17 percent from a year earlier and the second highest on record. China’s actual 2011/12 import level will depend on how Chinese authorities implement its cotton “macro-control” policies.
China has established a program to purchase cotton for its national reserve at a floor price of 19,800 Yuan per ton, or the equivalent of about $1.40 per pound, which is likely to be above the world market-clearing level. It is not yet clear how the Government of China will manage import quotas, in combination with reserve purchases. The Government has a stated objective of supporting prices to farmers, but has been less specific about rebuilding stocks in the national reserve.
USDA’s projected increase in imports would allow China to rebuild total ending stocks to about 3.5 months of mill use, sufficient to meet consumption and pipeline requirements at the beginning of 2012/13. To reach USDA’s import forecast, the Government of China will need to release some additional import quotas. If the Government wants to retain more cotton in the national reserve, it will need to increase import quotas commensurate with its stock objectives.
Bangladesh is expected to import 3.5 million bales in 2011/12, a 5-percent decline from the previous year and the lowest imports in 5 years, as mills there rely on stocks accumulated in 2010/11. Indonesia and Pakistan are forecast to import nearly 2.3 million bales and 1.5 million bales in 2011/12, an increase of 7 percent and 3 percent, respectively, from the preceding year. Turkey’s 2011/12 imports are expected to decline 5 percent from a year ago, to 3.2 million bales. Imports to South Korea are forecast at nearly 1.1 million bales in 2011/12, a 1-percent increase from the previous year.
World 2011/12 mill use is forecast at 114.3 million bales in 2011/12, virtually unchanged from the previous year. This revised cotton consumption forecast comes on the heels of a weakening global economic outlook arising from a slower recovery, as well as elevated fiscal and financial uncertainties in advanced economies. China, the world’s top mill user, is forecast to consume 45.5 million bales in 2011/12, a decline of 1 percent from the preceding year, and resulting in one of its lowest global consumption shares in recent years.
Consumption in India and Brazil is forecast unchanged from the previous year at 20.5 million bales and 4.4 million bales, respectively. Pakistan, the world’s third-largest mill user, is forecast to consume 10.3 million bales in 2011/12, a marginal increase of less than 1 percent from the preceding year. The United States and Turkey are forecast to consume 3.8 million bales and 5.8 million bales, respectively, down 3 percent from the previous year in the United States, but up 4 percent in Turkey.
Global 2011/12 ending stocks are forecast at nearly 55.0 million bales, up 22 percent from a year ago (fig. 3). Flat world consumption amidst concerns of a lagging economic recovery is expected to drive a significant recovery in ending stocks in 2011/12. The forecast global stocks-to-consumption ratio of 48 percent is marginally above the previous 5-average.


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The Ladies of Charity annual three-day Stuff Galore sale is set for June 14-16 at the shop at 2216 State St. The sale features household items, kitchen items, linens, holiday decor, jewelry, toys, etc. All proceeds go to help the needy in our community. http://www.ladiesofcharitynashville.org.This article has 3 other Nashville locations (Show)
...and all trims 50 percent off with a 2-yard minimum. The store is at 471 Craighead St., between Franklin Road and Bransford Avenue. Details: www.textilefabricstore.com or call 615-297-5346...
Western Hills Church of Christ, at 7565 Charlotte Pike, is having its churchwide yard sale 7 a.m. to noon Saturday. All proceeds go toward a Honduras mission trip. westernhillschurch.org.
This annual sale, which has been going on for 45 years, always fills the St. Ann's gymnasium with donated clothes, household goods, toys, sporting equipment and more. It is set for 8 a.m.-3 p.m. June 22-23 at the church at 5101 Charlotte Pike. Details: 615-298-1782.
2111 Elliston Place, NashvilleThis article has 6 other Nashville locations (Show)
129 2nd Ave N, Nashville
114 South 11th St, Nashville
1200 Villa Place #113, Nashville
966 Woodland St, Nashville
2911 12th avenue south, Nashville
2444 Music Valley Dr, Nashville
I gain lots of new information and insight every time I participate on a panel discussion with people much smarter than I. Thanks to the New Leaders Council of Nashville for hosting us for a discussion on affordable and workforce housing.
“We know all of middle Tennessee has had its eyes on Nashville for some time waiting for news on Hamilton’s engagement, and we’re so excited to share that it will be a part of our 2019-20 Broadway season,” said O’Brien.
With something for everyone, TPAC’s 2018-19 Broadway season includes five new productions that will make their Nashville debut, including School of Rock...This article has 1 other Nashville location (Show)
...approximately six to eight weeks prior to the performance. The TPAC Box Office is at 505 Deaderick Street in downtown Nashville. For information on group tickets, call the TPAC Group Sales Office at...
"Hamilton" is coming to Nashville as part of TPAC's 2019-20 Broadway season.
2018-19 Broadway special add-ons
EveryBlock collects 17 types of news in Nashville — including articles, real estate listings, meetups and conversations neighbors are having — and organizes it by location. Here is all the recent news and discussion near 100-199 21st Ave. N.


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Though the growth in restaurants’ share of the total U.S. food plate has been widely reported in recent years, consumers are, in fact, preparing and eating more meals at home, according to an industry expert.
In a recent blog post, David Portalatin, vice president and industry advisor for food for market research firm The NPD Group, writes that due to a changing workforce, the ease of online shopping, and the boom in streaming entertainment, there are fewer reasons than ever to leave the house.
The most popular place to eat out in America, Portalatin says, is our own homes.
“I do understand the confusion since foodservice spending has been increasing —up 2 percent in the year ending May 2018 — but foodservice spending doesn’t equate to foodservice visits, which were flat in the period,” he writes. “Restaurant visits, whether onsite, drive-thru, or ordered for delivery, are more indicative of foodservice growth than spending.”
Foodservice spending is up primarily because the cost of a restaurant meal is increasing faster than the cost of a home prepared meal, Portalatin says. Additionally, a restaurant meal has historically cost more than an in-home meal, typically as much as three times more.
“Although there are certainly pockets of growth in the foodservice industry, since the recession the industry remains challenged to get people out of their homes to eat,” he writes. “In our daily research of U.S. consumers’ eating behaviors, we consistently show that four out of five meals are prepared at home, and although the relationship of in-home prepared meals versus those sourced away-from-home has been stable for a few years, we still prepare more meals at home than we did a decade ago.”


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THOUSANDS of Thomas Cook holidaymakers could have just hours to get home or face being stranded abroad as the Brit travel operator goes bust.
The UK's oldest travel agent is reportedly close to abandoning hope of a private rescue deal with fears it could collapse by Sunday.
But the plan was seen as being too complex - with the company still scrambling to plug its £200million funding gap.
Holidaymakers who are booked on flights only could now be stuck abroad if they don't make it home within hours.
Those on a package holiday are ATOL-protected - meaning the Government would be forced to launch the biggest peacetime repatriation of British citizens at an estimated cost of £600million.
According to reports, Thomas Cook approached the UK government last night for a bailout in an attempt to save itself from a collapse.
Are you stranded? Email Aletha Adu at firstname.lastname@example.org or call 020 7782 4303
The Financial Times reported the company had been locked in talks with multiple investors, including the government.
And back-up plans to allow the British tour company to fail while keeping its airlines in the UK, Germany and northern Europe were also said to have been axed.
Responding to worried and stranded holidaymakers on Twitter the travel agent said in its latest response: "I understand you might be unsettled by all the media speculation surrounding Thomas Cook.
"The plans we have announced, and the process we continue to work through, will, when executed, provide even greater certainty for Thomas Cook’s future."
A spokesperson for Britain's Department of Transport said: "We do not speculate on the financial situation of individual businesses."
This is a matter of life and death for meCaroline Clayton
Caroline Clayton, 54, and her husband Neil, 57, flew out to the Gran Canaria last Monday September 16.
She packed just enough medication to aid her condition of hypomagnesemia, but she is "terrified" she may not be able to return to the UK this Thursday, leaving her at risk of heart failure if she runs out of medication.
Caroline told Sun Online: "I'm set to return to South Wales this coming Thursday [September 26], but I'm terrified.
"I suffer from hypomagnesemia, and I need a lot of daily medication.
"I packed enough to last me until Thursday, because we're set to fly back then. If we're stranded, I could suffer from heart failure, it's happened before when I didn't have enough medication."
Simon Coddy, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, is currently on holiday with his wife and eight-month-old baby in Ibiza, and are due to fly back to the UK tomorrow.
But if Thomas Cook leaves them stranded, they fear baby Lizzy will run out of prescribed formula milk as she has a dairy intolerance.
He told Sun Online: "We are ATOL protected and confident the UK government will get us home at some stage.
"But we are running short on supplies including nappies, wet wipes and clean clothes. While we could get them in Ibiza, the nearest town centre is 20 minutes away via taxi.
"Our main concern is that baby Izzy has a dairy intolerance and is on prescribed formula milk which we are running low on."
Sharon Oakley from Lancashire, told us she is set to fly to Majorca on Thursday, but fears she may miss the holiday she's waited 12 months for.
She told Sun Online: "It took me so much effort to book a week off because I work with children.
"I honestly could cry, I could just cry because I really needed this time off. I really don't know what to do right now."
MASSIVE JOB LOSSES
Were the 178-year-old company to go bust, some 9,000 British jobs potentially could be lost, and 21,000 worldwide.
A source said of the 178-year old travel agent: "Around 20,000 staff worldwide will lose their jobs and it will have a knock on effect to travel agents worldwide as cruises will also be affected as they may also lose their licence.
"Several thousand passengers on cruises may also have holidays cut short, stopped part way through holidays and needing assistance in returning."
The troubled operator hoped to seal a rescue led by China's Fosun, owner of Club Med, this week.
But its lenders, which include about 10 banks led by taxpayer-saved Royal Bank of Scotland, demanded the travel company find an extra £200m.
If the company cannot secure the extra funding it risks going bust.
The travel firm has suffered recently as a result of mounting debts, reporting a £1.2billion net debt in its half-year results in May.
A source said: "Thomas Cook is critical. It’s touch and go."
The Civil Aviation Authority last night dodged questions about the suggestion it was not about to renew the firm’s license to operate.
Thomas Cook is critical. It’s touch and go
The sunshine flight firm will go bust from October if the license is not granted, leaving Brits stranded overseas.
An estimated 180,000 people could be stuck abroad.
It will also wreck the plans of hundreds of thousands of families who have booked Thomas Cook flights or holidays.
An insider told The Sun: "Thomas Cook has been refused the licence renewal for October onwards after failing to provide solid proof that they can operate for the following 12 months."
The source went on: "The CAA has put measures in place including staff and replacement aircraft to assist with repatriation and customer service for the 14 day period following the grounding of all Thomas Cook aircraft.
"Replacement aircraft will depart from various airports, some from the Middle East that are currently not being used due to their routes current being suspended in and out of certain countries."
What would happen if Thomas Cook collapsed?
Thomas Cook is one of the world's largest travel companies.
It was formed by a cabinet maker of the same name.
Mr Cook organised his first trip in 1841, taking around 500 supporters of the temperance movement on a day trip by train from Leicester to Loughborough.
His first commercial venture was an outing to Liverpool in 1845, before expanding to overseas trips in 1855.
If Thomas Cook does collapse, the Civil Aviation Authority is expected to launch a major repatriation operation to fly home UK holidaymakers stranded abroad.
This will involve hiring aircraft at a cost to taxpayers of millions of pounds.
When Monarch went bust in October 2017, the Government spent £60 million getting passengers home.
Customers who booked a package holiday through Thomas Cook will be financially protected through the Atol scheme.
That means those already abroad will be able to continue with their holiday and an alternative flight home will be organised for them.
Those with future bookings will be offered a full refund.
Anyone who bought a flight-only deal through Thomas Cook is likely to have to contact their credit or debit card provider in a bid to get their money back.
The Sun source said Thomas Cook flights which have not left the runway come midnight on Sunday will remain grounded.
Sources said the Civil Aviation Authority will arrange staff to operate 24/7 phone lines for passengers needing assistance.
Earlier this week Thomas Cook filed for bankruptcy protection to avoid lawsuits by creditors in the US.
The travel firm was said to be in the final stages of hammering out a rescue deal.
The firm’s lawyers Latham & Watkins filed for Chapter 15 court protection under US bankruptcy law in New York.
It protects foreign companies from US lawsuits, and meant Thomas Cook could continue working as part of its process for survival.
If the travel firm goes bust it would led to the biggest ever repatriation since the 2017 collapse of Monarch Airlines.
The company announced in August that it was planning to sell parts of its business to Chinese firm Fosun, which is already the company’s largest shareholder.
The Chinese firm said it will contribute £450 million of new money to the UK travel firm, and buy 75 per cent of the company’s tour operator business and 25 per cent of its embattled airline business.
The remaining £450m was meant to come from group leaders and bondholders.


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HMD Global is getting ready to launch its next Nokia smartphone running Android, and this will in fact be its cheapest yet. We’ve already told you about the Nokia 2’s whopping 4,000 mAh battery earlier today, but how about some leaked press renders showing the device in all its glory? Evan Blass a.k.a @evleaks delivers.
The Nokia 2 is going to feature software-rendered Android navigation buttons as you can see, a first for HMD’s lineup, owing to the fact that there’s no fingerprint scanner on such a low-end device.
Based on past rumors and leaks, the Nokia 2 is expected to have a 4.7″ to 5″ 720p touchscreen, the Snapdragon 212 (or 210) chipset at the helm, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, an 8 MP rear camera, and a 5 MP selfie snapper. With such lowly specs, this surely is going to be reasonably priced.


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In the wake of the news that Bungie is in the process of receiving full rights over the Destiny franchise following the split from Activision, many might be wondering what that means for Destiny 2 since the PC version runs through Activision's client. Luckily, those playing Destiny 2 through Battle.net won't have anything to worry about, because the team has announced that it won't affect support in a negative way.
Destiny 2 will still receive full support on BattleNet and we do not anticipate any disruption to our services or your gameplay experience. //t.co/FFOE1iae3R— BlizzardCS (@BlizzardCS) January 10, 2019
Following the split announcement, the Blizzard Customer Service account was flooded with questions about future support. "Destiny 2 will still receive full support on BattleNet and we do not anticipate any disruption to our services or your gameplay experience," reads the above tweet.
In case you missed the earlier announcement, both Bungie and Activision released statements following the split. Activision's you can see in the above tweet, whereas Bungie went a little more in-depth when it came to talking about what's next.
"When we first launched our partnership with Activision in 2010, the gaming industry was in a pretty different place. As an independent studio setting out to build a brand new experience, we wanted a partner willing to take a big leap of faith with us. We had a vision for Destiny that we believed in, but to launch a game of that magnitude, we needed the support of an established publishing partner," reads their full statement.
"With Activision, we created something special. To date, Destiny has delivered a combination of over 50 million games and expansions to players all around the world. More importantly, we’ve also witnessed a remarkable community – tens of millions of Guardians strong – rise up and embrace Destiny, to play together, to make and share memories, and even to do truly great things that reach far beyond the game we share, to deliver a positive impact on people’s everyday lives."0comments
Though they mentioned they "enjoyed" their 8-year run with Activision, Bungie is ready to have the Destiny name fully in their grasp once more. The team also announced that plans for the separation are already under way and that both teams are dedicated to making sure the fans aren't hurt by the transitional process.
This split is huge news and opens up a lot of doors that were previously closed for the franchise. What do you hope this means for Destiny? Join in on the conversation in the comment section below, or hit me up over on Twitter @DirtyEffinHippy!


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Wondering where can you find the most singles looking for love online? Curious what U.S. cities have taken to e-dating--and which are hesitant?
Dating site Match.com has used data on online activity between June and August to rank the top 10 cities for online dating in the U.S. (Fun fact: according to Match.com, Labor Day "is historically one of the most active days online.")
Check out which cities made the list in the slideshow below. For more on online dating, see our 6 surprising tips for taking better profile pictures, what online daters lie about most, and our interview with the CEO of eHarmony.


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If New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy were to allow car dealerships to reopen showrooms on a limited basis, about 40 to 50 percent of their revenue stream could return, the president of the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers said Tuesday.
In an interview on the "Fox & Friends" with host Steve Doocy, Jim Appleton said that while he believes the Democratic governor and his team are doing an "extraordinary job" in their response to the coronavirus pandemic, business for car dealerships is down 70 to 80 percent statewide.
"I mean, let me start by saying I think the governor and his team – Health Commissioner Persichilli and Police Superintendent Callahan – have done just an extraordinary job keeping us informed and keeping us safe here in New Jersey," he remarked. "And, I give the governor a lot of credit for swiftly and decisively moving when the crisis hit in mid-March in a cautious and a deliberate way to manage this shutdown."
"But," Appleton continued, "right now we're at an inflection point. Businesses and communities are struggling. And, we need to act just as quickly and decisively to reopen with all the appropriate safeguards those businesses that can help restart the economy, put people back to work, and generate that much-needed revenue for the state of New Jersey."
"And, those are businesses like car dealerships," he explained.
"The state of New Jersey is losing $4.5 million per day on lost sales tax revenues and motor vehicle fees," added Appleton.
"We have offered up a detailed protocol, reopening the dealership showrooms by appointment that, as you say, we think we can get back at least half of that business at this point in time," he told Doocy.
Currently, Delaware and Connecticut – both part of the multistate consortium with New Jersey – are running their auto dealerships on an appointment-only basis. New Jersey state Senate President Stephen Sweeney has offered his support for this reopening plan.


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PETALING JAYA: Malaysian companies exporting to China are disinfecting their products as per requirements.
Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce trade fair and business development committee chairman Koh Keng Kok said China has been checking for the Covid-19 virus in all imported products.
“When we export anything to China – be it frozen or dry food – the authorities there will check every container for the virus.
“After you get the product certified as inspected, only then can you start selling it there, ” he said.
“If the virus is detected, those goods will be immediately disposed of, ” he added.
Koh said it will take about three weeks to a month before containers are dispatched to their intended destination.
Michael Jan, Linghang International executive director, said his company’s goods must be wrapped in several layers of packaging, with the outer layer disinfected upon arrival in China.
The company specialises in exporting commodities and products such as durian to China.
“Once the cargo arrives, they will start disinfecting the cargo when unloading it.
“After disinfection, only then it will be stored in the cold room in the terminal to await clearance.
“The authorities are strict about this. No matter what product, it will have to be disinfected, ” he said.
In Malaysia, there is no rule stipulating that imported products must be disinfected, although authorities have been carrying out random checks on such goods.
A spokesman from the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis) said its personnel have been conducting random Covid-19 sampling on imported food products.
The sample-taking, the spokesman said, is done randomly for shipments of consignments related to goat, sheep, swine and chicken products.
The sampling is undertaken to monitor for Covid-19 virus transmission, with samples taken from meat imports from countries such as Australia, India, New Zealand and Brazil.
In August last year, some local authorities in China said they found traces of the Covid-19 virus in cargoes of imported frozen food, such as meat.
The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said it detected isolated samples of living coronavirus on frozen food packaging.
It has since tightened restrictions on imported frozen food products, requiring sellers to provide evidence of thorough disinfection before their products can enter the market.


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Zelus and JokeTown Partner for Series of NFT Mic Drops
The first digital collectibles launch on September 15
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, Zelus, the easy-to-use multichain wallet, has partnered with JokeTown, a platform for comedians. As part of the ongoing collaboration, Zelus and JokeTown will release a series of novelty product drops, branded “Mic Drops”. The first Mic Drop, a 90s-themed novelty air freshener “The Fresh Scents of Smell-Air,” launches on September 15, 2022.
“I believe that humor is a healer so we feel it’s always essential to spread it globally and have it present in its talent roster”
Upcoming JokeTown NFT drops include:
- Bonerz: The mildly suggestive play toys for adult dogs. October 15.
- Thank(mis)givings: Conversation cards themed around unstable topics. November 1.
- Nazarene Blanc: Jesus turned water into wine, JokeTown scientists have turned it BACK into water. December 1.
- Oopsie Baby: Novelty baby swaddles designed with things you had to give up now that you’re a parent, like tequila. January 1.
“Being able to turn the creator’s ideas for physical products into reality is so huge for our community,” said Mac Alsfeld, Head of Content at JokeTown. “Now with a partner like Zelus we can create digital collectibles and other innovative Web3 extensions that will no doubt be a huge component of fandom in the future.”
Several respected comedic creators are joining the Mic Drop series, including Felicia Madison, Jourdain Fisher, Jiaoying Summers, Lindsey Goldapp, Frank Caeti, and renowned singer and actor Carlos Ponce.
“I believe that humor is a healer so we feel it’s always essential to spread it globally and have it present in its talent roster,” said Carlos Ponce, Co-Founder of Talent Hub Entertainment. “While working with JokeTown, our cultures have synced effortlessly where we’ve been able to embark on many successful campaigns because of the aligned objectives of implementing comedy and quality content into entertainment and look forward to continuing this partnership.”
To learn more about the collection, please visit https://www.joketown.com/mic-drops.
Zelus is a 1-stop shop for the creation and issuance of NFTs, offering all the expertise necessary in a single company. Zelus has recently launched a new crypto wallet, a first of its kind, to accentuate NFT galleries and combine that with cross-chain compatibility. Learn more at https://zelus.io/.
JokeTown is an online community focused on bringing unique opportunities to comedy creators including physical product drops, digital collectibles, long-form and branded content. Learn more at https://www.joketown.com/ or by following Joketown on Instagram @joketown.comedy


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As the popularity of NFTs continues to increase, many are trying to find materials used for these technologies to highlight the interest and value of tokens in the market. A working day by Porto Alegre found the best use for his NFTs: He managed to use the Non-Fungible Token to pay for the purchase of a unit.
According to data from G1, Docelina Severo The 49-year-old employee has managed to fulfill his dream of owning his own home in an expansive, innovative way: A credit that uses digital technology to make a business venture. trade.
Docelina had problems with the usual business procedures when it came to financial real estate. This is because he is a day worker and, despite earning R $ 3,000 a month, it is not the income he can prove financially, according to it was told to Tribuna Hoje.
“Working as a working day, I finally do not always have to prove income, such as payroll. I always have trouble getting into financial companies, more because I have no stored value that can be put into commercial production. “, explains docelina.
The new development allowed the discovery, which established a legal-design process to join the NFT token, registered on Blockchain, for the registration of a private property, which, once digitized, connected to the token, which began to represent it.
The solution, according to the data, allows the registration of each device to be digitized, which, once on the blockchain and connected to the token, begins to represent its inability.
“The settlement allowed me to finance my house. This is the most important thing for me and my kids. “addedDocelina.
With that, it is possible to financially deliver NFT as promised, which is always done by the equipment.
This is an extension used for NFTs, largely because it shows the potential for independence and ease of budgeting for those who really need it, indicating that technology is coming. can go beyond the show for people with a lot of money. .
“The system will allow people who often do not have access to credit to be able to buy their real estate on digital devices. At the same time, lenders will have the opportunity to do things much faster and with the same security as the previous product market.All of these with lower prices and competitive prices, including the time change in an hour or more. weeks. “about netspaces director Jonathan Doering Darcie in an interview
It is still very niche, but it is enough to show the power that blockchain can improve access to personal financial management in everyone’s daily life.


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Amazon announced on Thursday that it is retiring Alexa.com famous for providing statistics of websites traffic and rankings of the most popular websites around the world on May 1st, 2022, just a month after it celebrates its 26th anniversary.
After Alexa Internet is shut down, the service’s API will apparently be turned off by the company on December 8, 2022, according to Amazon.
Alexa was established in 1996 and was later known as the e-commerce giant’s voice assistant. The service also offers paid subscriptions for those who want detailed SEO analytics and insights.
The company in its announcement said:
“Twenty-five years ago, we founded Alexa Internet. After two decades of helping you find, reach, and convert your digital audience, we’ve made the difficult decision to retire Alexa.com on May 1, 2022. Thank you for making us your go-to resource for content research, competitive analysis, keyword research, and so much more.”
The e-commerce giant did not state the reason for shutting down the service but based on data from Semrush, Alexa Internet’s traffic has been on the decline over the past decade.
current subscribers will continue to enjoy the service until May 1st, 2022 and will lose access after that date, but they’ll be able to export their data from the service’s various tools if they wish while new subscribers will no longer be allowed.


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Chittagong Port |
Shipping agents threaten strike
Staff Correspondent, Ctg
Shipping agents and Chittagong Port users have threatened to go on strike from May 9 to protest 'a fall in port efficiency', raising the spectre of millions of dollars in lost export-import trade.
Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA) and Chittagong Port Users Forum asked the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) to find out a mechanism to thrash out the problems, reduce vessel turnaround time and improve overall port efficiency by May 9.
They said the efficiency of the port suffered 'a 10 to 12 percent' fall in the last four months.
"The shipping agents are counting a huge financial loss due to poor condition of Chittagong Port, which also ups the export costs," said a BSAA letter sent to the CPA chairman Tuesday.
The strike, if the stakeholders stick to their threat, will succeed a seven-day work trap that began with the April 28 hartal.
"Our export suffered a lot for hartals and public holidays in the last few days. And, if the shipping agents go on strike now, we will end up with disaster," said a leading garment exporter in Chittagong.
The BSAA sent the letter as a follow-up to a recent meeting between the CPA and the BSAA in Chittagong.
The letter signed by BSAA and Forum Chairman Farid Ahmed Chowdhury said some shipping lines are reportedly planning to impose surcharge for slow operation, which 'is alarming for maritime trade'.
Vessel winch operation by unwanted dock workers, inadequate supply of trailer, non-allocation of space to customs authorities to conduct prompt auction and space congestion for stacking containers were hindering the port operation, the letter also alleged.
At a meeting on April 21, the BSAA leaders informed the CPA chairman that the shipping lines, from now on, will appoint winch operators instead of taking the services of those of the port authorities.
"The CPA chairman in a meeting on April 21 at CPA Board Room on these issues endorsed our views and concerns but no effective measures have so far been taken in this regard, which is very frustrating," said Farid, also former president of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He alleged that shipping lines have been facing difficulties and incurring huge financial losses due to CPA's neglect and inefficiency. "The charter rate of vessel has gone up by 400 to 500 percent," he said. "Even a few months ago, the charter rate of a vessel for day was $4,000 to $5,000, now it is $25,000 to $30,000. Now imagine what a single day's delay can cost us."
He urged the CPA chairman to arrange a joint meeting immediately with commissioner of customs, leaders of BSAA, CCCI and port officials to address the 'pressing need of the ship owners and unusual situation.'
The shipping agents and port users also asked the chairman to allow the use of private trailers with rebate in line with port tariff instead of the trailers supplied by the CPA-appointed contractors.
They demanded reduction of LOLO (lift-on and lift-off) charges at least by 60 percent to avoid unusual congestion in the port area. The LOLO charged by private dock operators is Tk 100 to Tk 150, while the charges for movement of each 20-foot and 40-foot container are Tk 500 and Tk 750.
Member (operation) of Chittagong Port Captain Amirul Islam said yesterday that the situation was not so alarming as the BSAA chairman is claiming.
"The current problem is temporary and will hopefully be over in next 20 to 25 days when we will float fresh tenders inviting private companies to build three new inland container depots (ICD)... They should give us time to do that for their benefit," he said.
Amirul, however, said the CPA has not yet received the letter.


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Realme 12x 5G India launch today: Expected price, specs, LIVE-STREAMING details and more
Realme 12x 5G India launch today: Realme's latest mid-range smartphone, the 12x 5G is launching in India today. The smarthone will bring a number of key features including support for 45W fast charging and air gestures.
Realme is launching its Realme 12x 5G smartphone in India at a launch event today. The smartphone comes at a time when there has been an influx of Realme devices in the Indian market, including the Realme 12, Realme 12+ and Realme Narzo 70 Pro.


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Joel Litman and the Hidden Alpha team believe that Steve Jobs’ “Final Prophecy” may be unfolding right in front of our eyes. But are they really on to something? Read on for a look into Jobs’ last prediction and the team’s latest research package.
What Is Steve Jobs’ “Final Prophecy?”
Before his passing, Steve Jobs made a final prediction that an emerging tech could spark breakthroughs in key industries across the globe.
Some industries that Apple’s co-founder believed would be affected include healthcare, automotives, renewable energy, and much more.
We’re not talking about the typical technology everyone is already investing in. Steve Jobs’ last prediction isn’t referring to:
- Tesla or self-driving cars
- Cloud computing
- The blockchain or cryptocurrencies
- Virtual reality
- Space exploration
- Artificial intelligence
Hidden Alpha‘s Joel Litman says he’s seeing signs that Jobs may have been right. And the resulting shift could have a tremendous impact on every corner of the global economy.
He and his team have developed a new research package for a chance to make the most of this opportunity.
Before we dig into the specifics of Jobs’ final prediction and Joel’s research, let’s take a look at Steve’s background.
Who Is Steve Jobs?
Steve Jobs was a visionary entrepreneur with keen foresight and an eye for innovation.
Today, Apple, the tiny company he founded in his garage, is worth upwards of $1 trillion.
His visionary status was earned by his uncanny ability to anticipate the future of tech and other fields.
He accurately predicted many of the most consequential inventions and investment trends of recent memory, including:
- The advent of cloud computing
- GUI-controlled personal computer
- Development of laptops
- The shift away from prompt-based operating systems
- Siri and Alexa voice assistants
- And other digital technologies
Over many years in the entrepreneurial spotlight, Jobs developed a cult-like following, and he’s hailed as a genius for his insight and cunning.
He was the driving force behind several technological advancements that wowed users and even his competitors.
His company, Apple, launched the first successful mass-produced computers with a graphic user interface. Jobs’ team also developed Apple Lisa, a popular operating system named after his daughter.
Since then, Apple has been a leading computer manufacturer, competing with the likes of Microsoft.
Its devices, software, and apps, such as the iPod, iTunes, and Mac, have altered the technological and e-commerce landscape.
Jobs continued to play a crucial role throughout much of the company’s life. And after being fired by the board back in 1985, he returned nearly 11 years later to usher in a new era of tech dominance.
Much to the delight of its investors, the floundering Apple also experienced record profitability.
A SynBio Boom?
The last words of Steve Jobs about the intersection of technology and biology seem to be coming true.
The first major milestone came in January 2020 when researchers remotely sequenced the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers used this digital model to isolate the spike protein that would eventually be used to develop an mRNA vaccine to prevent the disease. Joel Litman believes this underreported event marked the beginning of a new era centered around collaboration between technology and biology.
This budding industry is known as SynBio.
And Joel believes it could have an enormous impact on the entire global economy and fuel a new era of growth.
The Case for SynBio
Joel believes that SynBio could be one of the most significant advancements since the internet launched the tech boom.
He also says that, right now, the tech might be at an inflection point that could change the landscape of several industries.
Some examples of potential technologies include self-healing rubber, humane animal-based insulin, sustainable energy (such as solar), and much more.
Now could be a great time to get in on this under-the-radar tech, especially while much of the market is still stuck on 5G, electric cars, space exploration, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, etc.
Don’t get us wrong, EVs, AI, and the lot are fantastic, but they’re technologies dominating today’s headlines: everyone is already in the know. Some of the biggest investment gains come from getting in before the boom.
Plus, with so many big-named digital technology stocks crashing, it might be time to turn focus on companies for the potential for real growth.
SynBio tech has endless potential; just as Steve Jobs predicted, it could revolutionize the world. As it was with the last tech boom, early entries could see massive returns.
Some companies are pioneering game-changing SynBio technology and building next-gen ecosystems like Amazon and Facebook.
And with so many tech stocks crashing, many folks are looking for a new angle on the market.
Fortunately, Joel Litman has identified several companies trading on the stock market right now that could dominate their industries in the years ahead.
He has assembled his work into a collection of exclusive reports as part of his new research package for Hidden Alpha. Altogether, they feature five of his top-rated SynBio stocks.
Who Is Joel Litman?
Joel Litman is a seasoned finance veteran and one of the world’s leading forensic accounting experts, and he leads Hidden Alpha.
His expertise is a valuable asset for readers. He has a knack for pinpointing promising large-cap stocks that the mainstream market has overlooked, and members get first-hand access to his latest findings.
Joel has built a solid track record throughout his career and earned widespread respect in his field.
Today, he serves as the Chief Investment Strategist for Hidden Alpha‘s publisher, Altimetry. And he holds the title of CEO and President at Atimetry’s parent company, Valens Research.
Joel has appeared on CNBC, and Barron’s and Institutional Investor have both quoted him in their articles. He’s even been published in the Harvard Business Review!
What Is Hidden Alpha?
Hidden Alpha is a research service and monthly newsletter from Altimetry and forensic accounting specialist Joel Litman.
Altimetry is a research firm and sister company to Empire Financial Research, publishers of Empire Financial Daily.
The service primarily focuses on promising, undervalued large-cap stocks that Joel has identified through extensive financial analysis.
We have an in-depth Hidden Alpha review, but it’s not required reading for this package.
Members also enjoy a wide array of additional benefits, including new stock recommendations every month, access to a complete model portfolio, and more.
If you sign up under the new deal, you get a 12-month subscription to Hidden Alpha with your purchase, including the full assortment of member benefits.
What Comes with the Service?
The latest package is stacked with an assortment of solid features.
Read on to find out everything you get.
As a member, you’ll receive Joel Litman’s latest stock picks, research, and analysis right in your inbox on the first Monday of every month.
He keeps you informed on all the latest market-moving news, and you’ll be the first to know if he discovers another promising SynBio stock.
Updates and Alerts
The team sends out alerts whenever it’s time to make a move. You’ll receive both buy and sell alerts as part of your subscription.
You’ll also receive updates on the stocks featured in the model portfolio so you can stay up to speed on each recommendation’s progress.
Hidden Alpha Model Portfolio
A membership also includes unlimited access to the newsletter’s model portfolio that features his active stock recommendations.
The model portfolio includes details on each recommended stock, including its name, ticker symbol, price target, and more.
Joel Litman’s Research Archives
You can tap into an archive containing the entire collection of Joel Litman’s research for Hidden Alpha, including his previous special reports and much more.
SynBio is today’s hot trend, but Joel has shared tons of valuable insights over the course of his tenure.
And the archives give you first-hand access to all of it.
New Member Bonuses
This bundle includes exclusive special reports focusing on highly rated SynBio stocks.
Here’s what’s covered in each brief:
My Favorite SynBio Investment Right Now
The featured report in the collection includes in-depth analysis of Joel’s favorite SynBio play, Illumina.
As covered above, this company is a leading player in the DNA sequencing industry and has demonstrated tremendous promise over the past couple of years.
Profiting From the NEXT Big SynBio Wave
Buying Illumina is just one way to play the SynBio boom.
According to Joel, buying the next big wave of winners is another important part of the strategy. He has identified two SynBio-platform companies that could have tremendous upside and lays out his findings in this bonus report.
Buy the Platforms — Your Best Shot at a 1,000% Winner
The tech boom taught us that platforms like Facebook, Google, and Amazon can grow rapidly when a transformative trend takes off
And SynBio might follow suit.
Joel believes companies that create and host ecosystems that effectively harness SynBio innovations could be in the same class as the Big Tech behemoths that dominate today’s market.
The Perfect Portfolio
Litman has assembled a mock portfolio featuring his top picks in the SynBio sector, and your Hidden Alpha subscription includes unlimited access to this valuable resource.
The portfolio showcases each stock’s name along with its ticker symbol, price target, current recommendation, and much more.
Litman’s Perfect Portfolio serves as an excellent model, and it can help you squeeze every drop of potential profits out of the SynBio revolution.
BONUS Subscription to Altimetry Daily Authority
Each issue of this market daily newsletter will be sent to you every day ahead of the opening bell.
Between the monthly Hidden Alpha newsletter, updates from the team, and the Altimetry Daily Authority, you’ll have a constant stream of professional-grade research at your disposal.
Under the latest deal, subscriptions include a 100% money-back guarantee from Joel.
This means you have an entire 30 days to test drive the service. If you’re not a fan, you can get a full refund.
Simply contact the member services team within 30 days of your purchase and let them know you’re not satisfied. Then, they’ll issue a full refund for your subscription cost.
How Much Does It Cost?
You can sign up under the latest deal at a substantially discounted rate.
Typically, a one-year subscription to Hidden Alpha costs $199, but our readers can access a special reduced rate.
If you sign up now, you’ll pay just $49 for the complete bundle. That’s a 75% discount on the sticker price.
Better yet, you’ll still get all the bonus reports covered in this review, including Joel Litman’s top-5 SynBio stock recommendations.
Hidden Alpha is a great monthly research service in its own right, but the latest deal is a downright bargain. You get a full year of the newsletter, plus a treasure trove of additional research.
Joel Litman’s top-rated SynBio stocks and his Perfect Portfolio could put you in an excellent position to benefit from this unfolding tech trend.
With monthly newsletters, regular updates, and a bonus market daily e-letter, you have an arsenal of investing insights from top-rated experts at your disposal every time the market is in session.
Just as Steve Jobs’ “Final Prophecy” predicted, SynBio could be an enormous growth industry, and this package equips you to make the most of the opportunity.


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This week, XR leaders from around the world will converge on Enterprise Metaverse Expo 2024 in Florida from February 13th to 15th, where immersive industry experts, XR technology vendors, and visionaries will collaborate to create enterprise-ready Metaverse solutions. It offers great opportunities to explore. And a chance.
During this event, attendees can expect to delve into the metaverse's transformative potential for business and society and gain valuable insights from industry leaders through valuable keynotes.
Additionally, Enterprise Metaverse Expo 2024 attendees can explore virtual showcases and hands-on demonstrations showcasing the latest enterprise-ready Metaverse technologies.
The event aims to provide deep insight into the AR/VR/MR industry and the future of digital engagement, the future of work, and help attendees stay on top of the latest trends.
The event will also feature keynotes from speakers representing a wide variety of XR/spatial computing vendors and companies with a growing presence in the XR space as end-users and solution providers.
Among this year's speakers are: Peter Graf, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer, Genesis; Aruna Ravichandran is senior vice president and chief marketing and customer officer at Webex by Cisco. Alan Masarek, President and CEO of Avaya, and Paul Zikopoulos, Vice President of IBM Skills Vitality and Enablement, IBM.
Get ready for Enterprise Metaverse Expo 2024, where innovation is boundless. Don't miss this opportunity to shape the future of digital collaboration and explore the endless possibilities of the Metaverse.
Enterprise Metaverse Expo 2024: What to expect
Attendees should expect a wide range of vendors and businesses to occupy the venue's hallways, stages and exhibit spaces, making it the perfect hub for networking and discovery.
The event will also be part of the broader IT Expo, which will feature metaverse-related topics and technologies such as AI, digital twins, 5G, virtual collaboration, spatial computing, and virtual stores.
The three-day event is packed with activities and opportunities. In addition to an in-depth keynote agenda, Enterprise Metaverse Expo 2024 will also host an exhibition hall where attendees can get hands-on experience with technology and meet company representatives.
Enterprise Metaverse Expo 2024 will bring many leading companies such as Apple, Wildix, IBM, Verizon, and Amazon to the exhibition hall to learn about the state of the art and emerging AR/VR/MR enterprise solutions and how their immersive solutions work. provides insight into how it works. Unite to create a shared metaverse experience for your business.
Additionally, Enterprise Metaverse Expo 2024 will feature three days of special events that foster community engagement and business opportunities.
Special events include the “Innovate, Disrupt, Evolve, Accelerate” Technology Showcase, exclusive networking event, and the 2024 Metaverse Solutions Showcase.
Industry events offer a lot of value, especially when it comes to keynotes and seminars. While networking and trade shows are effective ways to connect with people in the industry, listening to experts talk about the transformative potential of XR over a coffee is a great way to bring it to your chosen use case. is extremely valuable.
In addition to these presentations, industry leaders often host keynotes to inspire the next generation of enterprise adopters and XR engineers. By bringing all these elements together, XR events help build a foundation of knowledge and understanding that can contribute to broader adoption of XR technology.
Be sure to check back for updates on the Enterprise Metaverse Expo in Florida from February 1st to 15th. For more information, visit XR's Today Events page.


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The outlook for FTSE 350 retailers such as Marks & Spencer (LON: MKS) and B&M (LON: BME) could become increasingly challenging over the coming months. Inflation has reached its highest level since 1992 and could mean that consumer disposable incomes are squeezed following a period where pent-up demand from Covid-19 lockdowns has been at least partly released.
However, with neither stock trading on a demanding valuation, could they still offer long-term investment potential? Or do their share prices include a margin of safety that is required given the uncertain outlook for the retail sector?
Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer’s share price has soared by 60% in the past year. A key reason for its rise is a strong recent financial performance that was highlighted in its Christmas trading update.
Indeed, the company delivered a 19% year-on-year increase in sales in the 13-week period to New Year’s Day. Its strategy of reducing the proportion of products that are discounted and improving its multi-channel offer have yielded higher market shares across numerous food, clothing and home categories.
Looking ahead, the firm appears to be well placed to capitalise on longstanding retail trends that have been accelerated by the pandemic. Notably, its tie-up with Ocado means it has a strong foothold in the online grocery market. Meanwhile, online sales represent over a third of clothing and home revenue and grew by 60% in the first half of the year.
Certainly, Marks & Spencer’s bottom line is forecast to grow by just 3% per annum over the next two financial years. Furthermore, its position as a mid-tier retailer could mean its sales are squeezed as increasingly price-conscious consumers trade down to cheaper options.
However, with an improved financial position following a fall in net debt of 23% in the first half of the year, growing online exposure and a sound strategy that increasingly relies on full-price sales, its long-term potential appears to be high while it trades on a forward price-earnings ratio of 12.
B&M’s share price performance has been significantly weaker than that of Marks & Spencer over the past year. It has gained just 9% in that time, with a recent slump apparently being at least partly caused by share sales among senior management.
Meanwhile, the company’s recent third quarter update showed that revenue increased by 0.1% compared to the prior year. On a like-for-like basis, sales have risen by 14% over the past two years.
Of course, B&M could stand to benefit from a squeeze on consumer disposable incomes. Its focus on value for money means that, as has been the case in previous periods of high inflation, increasingly price-conscious consumers could trade down to its stores from mid-tier operators.
That said, the company’s lack of online presence may inhibit its growth potential over the long run. Although it plans to trial an online retail option this year, many of its rivals already have an established online presence in an era where e-commerce sales represent a growing proportion of total retail sales.
Therefore, while the firm’s forward price-earnings ratio of 13 is relatively appealing, its modest recent sales growth, focus on physical stores and lack of positive earnings growth forecast over the next two years could mean there are better options elsewhere in the retail sector.


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Gerald Ratner, the jeweller who committed the most famous gaffe in corporate history by describing one of his products as "total crap" will today finally launch his online venture after settling a legal spat with his former company.
Mr Ratner first attempted to launch an online jewellery retailer called RatnerOnline last year, and planned to raise £4m. But his ambitions were thwarted by the Signet group, the company forged out of the former Ratner jewellery empire, which barred him from using the Ratner trademark. He has now renamed his online company GeraldOnline, ending the dispute.
Mr Ratner was forced out of Ratners in 1992 - a year after he made his fateful remarks at the Institute of Directors annual convention. Mr Ratner described his cut-glass sherry decanter sets as "total crap" and said the earrings he sold were cheaper than a prawn sandwich but would not last as long.
Mr Ratner has secured backing for his new online venture from an Indian diamond company SB&T. "We have been working on this business for quite some time and we have had a few pitfalls along the way. It has been a very frustrating year," Mr Ratner said yesterday.
"The name wasn't our first choice. But we now have very secure financing to get the company up and running and I know it will work as we have the right products. We can sell a one carat diamond for £1,500, which is less than half what it is available at on the high street."
SB&T has made an initial investment of more than £1m to get the company off the ground and around 25 per cent of the site's jewellery products will be sourced from the Indian plant. Mr Ratner will be a 40 per cent shareholder in the company, with SB&T taking up the remaining 60 per cent share.
The site will sell up to 700 products, mainly watches at the outset, to the upper end of the mass market. Mr Ratner has also secured a servicing agreement with the high street jeweller, Goldsmith. It will provide all order taking, invoicing and despatching of goods to GeraldOnline customers. It will also provide a returns services where customers can take GeraldOnline goods back to Goldsmiths' stores for refunds, repairs and adjustments.
GeraldOnline will be live in September, to capitalise on the pre-Christmas trading season.
HOW JOKING JEWELLER BECAME PRAWN IN THE GAME
"We sell a pair of earrings for under £1 - which is cheaper than a prawn sandwich from Marks & Spencer but, I have to say, the earrings probably won't last as long. We also do cut-glass sherry decanters complete with six glasses on a silver-plated tray that your butler can serve you drinks on, all for £4.95. People say how can you sell this for such a low price? I say because it is total crap." - Gerald Ratner, in a speech to the Institute of Directors in April 1991Reuse content


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Sniper Elite V2's pre-order bonus has been revealed by 505 Games.
Players who pre-order the game before its May release will be given the opportunity to kill Hitler.
The 'Assassinate The Führer' bonus mission sees players attempt to shoot the Nazi leader as he leaves his personal train.
It also comes with two bonus weapons, the Soviet SVT-40 and the German Kar 98.
Sniper Elite V2 was announced by 505 Games last year.
The game will launch players into the heart of World War II Berlin as they use stealth to go behind enemy lines and pick off enemies from the shadows.
It will feature an authentic sniping simulation, factoring in gravity, wind, velocity and aim stability into each bullet's trajectory. A new kill cam will also be implemented, showing a slow-motion X-ray view of well-aimed sniper shots.
It is the sequel to 2005's acclaimed Sniper Elite. Like its predecessor, movement will be controlled from a third-person perspective while switching to first-person when using a sniper rifle.
The game is being developed by Rebellion, who developed the original game and recent third-person action title NeverDead.
Sniper Elite V2 is set to release on May 4 in Europe on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Watch a trailer for Sniper Elite V2 below:


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It was only a matter of time before Sony, who has a longer and more extensive experience with cameras and imaging, rose to the top of DxOMark’s benchmarking tests. With a score of 79, the Xperia Z2 has grabbed the crown
We’ve yet to see anything official from Samsung regarding the Galaxy S5 Zoom, however a good picture of the device is beginning to surface. We saw the actual (leaked) image yesterday, and some specs have leaked in the past.
David Ortiz of the Red Sox recently snapped a selfie with President Barack Obama. The initial moment seemed spontaneous enough, however judging from the quick retweets and follow-up statements from Samsung — it seems this
We suspect KISS is a band either loved or hated. Those falling into with the former, as KISS lovers, may find some fun with this recently released photo bomb app. Yes, KISS has released an app for Android (and iOS) users. The app
We’ve been hearing rumors about the Galaxy S5 Zoom, and a leak from back in March brought details about how the handset could launch with a 19MP camera. More important for today though, it seems we may be getting a first
Android users looking to wear a camera and further document their lives now have another option to consider. This latest is the Autographer camera, which up until now has been available only for iOS users. The necessary Android
Motorola has been pushing fairly regular updates for the camera app. That comes because the app is already available by way of the Play Store. And with that in mind, it looks like Google could be getting ready to do the same.
VSCO Cam arrived in the Play Store in December of last year. We’ve seen some updates since the app launched, and nicely, it looks like the latest has just arrived. VSCO Cam has been bumped to version 2.3 and while the
With a new smartphone boasting of dozens of new features, users might naturally feel a bit lost when facing the HTC One (M8) for the first time. Luckily for them, HTC has provided a series of videos that will help ease new owners
Motorola is continuing their app update rollout, this time updating their camera app. While the changelog is pretty boring, we can now snap photos with the volume key. Again, that’s pretty standard, but there is one neat trick


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Whistlepigs conclude MAC summer series
July 23, 2010, 8:17 p.m.
This semi-traditional five-piece band, which has been playing its own brand of bluegrass crossed with old-time, blues and original music since 2003, will ignite the Monroe Arts Center stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7.
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Investors was particularly unnerved by Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos's strategy of constantly investing in costly offerings like faster delivery of more goods. The $20 price hike will apply to existing renewals beginning on June 16.
As CNN Money notes, this is the first time that Amazon has raised the cost of Prime in four years.
Starting May 11, new Prime member subscribers will pay $119 per year for the service.
"We continue to increase the value of Prime", Amazon CFO Brian Olsavsky said on the call, adding that the company has added "digital benefits", like Prime Video. Prime members can now get more than 100 million products through free two-day shipping compared to 20 million in 2014. It is unusual to see revenue growth increase significantly at Amazon's size and in a hypercompetitive market, and it seems to have prompted Mr. Bezos to single out the business in his statement.
That is quite a list of spending priorities, and it shows in Amazon's results.
AWS, the company's cloud services division, outpaced Amazon.com's overall growth with $5.4bn in revenue, up 49 per cent from the $3.7bn reported for the year-ago quarter. Analysts had a consensus revenue estimate of $49.87 billion for the quarter.
Though the annual cost remained steady over the past few years, Amazon did increase the monthly cost from $10.99/month to $12.99/month earlier this year. "Again, it's a testament to where the momentum is going and the momentum is moving toward Amazon's best interest".
Amazon's profit for the first quarter of this year more than doubled from the same period last year, to $1.63 billion, the firm reported Thursday. Its closing stock price was $1,517.96.
Global net sales, which were half that of North American sales, rose 34% - compare that to the 16% growth it saw in the first quarter of 2017.
Shares of Amazon spiked as much as 7 percent to a record $1,619 in after-hours trading, erasing recent losses following a series of tweets from President Donald Trump that attacked the company.
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Outdoor Industry Grows Robustly
THE recent economic slump has added to America's growing enthusiasm for the great outdoors.
Last year 47 million people, about 20 percent of the United States population, went camping. That's up from 43 million people in 1984, when the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) began tracking the numbers.
"More people are going to the outdoors as the result of the recession, because it's a cheaper way to travel and take a vacation," says Susan Henley, executive director of the American Hiking Society in Washington.
Instead of taking a family vacation to Disney World, many people are looking at less-expensive alternatives such as camping or bicycling trips, says Catharine Hartnett, a spokeswoman for L. L. Bean, a sporting goods store based in Freeport, Maine.
The increase in outdoor recreation has been good news for companies such as Bean. In 1991 sales rose 5 percent to $628 million, the highest in the company's 80-year history.
Demand for tents, sleeping bags, air mattresses, hiking boots, and backpacks has been very strong in the past few years, says Ben Pearson, L. L. Bean's director of sporting goods.
Last year, more than 120 million Americans made one or more trips to the outdoors - from canoe or mountain-bike trips to birdwatching excursions - and the number will increase 6 to 10 percent over the next five years, the company predicts.
REI, another big outdoor gear store based in Seattle, saw sales grow 11 percent in 1991 from the year before.
"We're seeing increases in more family-related types of camping equipment such as larger tents," says Michael Collins, a spokesman for REI. "You can outfit your family to camp for an entire summer for the price of an airline ticket or a couple of nights in a hotel."
Currently, there are about 11,000 campgrounds in the US. Many are free of charge; many have a nightly fee of $5 or more.
One of the hottest-selling items these days is portable water filtration systems that are used by back-country camping where fresh water is not available. One of the bestselling models on the market is the $140 filter called Water Works, manufactured by Mountain Safety Research firm, Collins says.
Another popular item is hiking boots, with sales growing by as much as 50 percent nationally last year. A recent survey by the NGSA shows that about 22 million Americans go hiking every year; 25 percent of those people are hiking at least 30 times a year. Outdoor gear stores are selling lightweight hiking boots that are a product of athletic shoe technology using a variety of durable synthetic materials.
Unlike the leather boots that have been traditionally used for hiking, these new models don't require a break-in period, Mr. Pearson says. This type of shoe, is popular not only among serious hikers, but also with city dwellers who exercise by walking, he adds.
Among backpacks, smaller daypacks priced between $25 and $45 are selling well, he says.
Even though today's camping gear is made of lightweight, sturdy, and durable materials thanks to modern technology, in many ways the basic pieces of camping equipment such as tents and sleeping bags have changed little since the early 1900s. Pearson said recently he was looking at an outdoor catalog from 1911. He found that people are still using sleeping bags of the same shape and backpacks of similar styles.
"The camping equipment that was basic gear at that time is still basic gear now," he says.