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It was at a charity carnival where Dom Hope-Smith met his business partner and first considered the idea of turning his home brew into a professional business.
The director of Carnival Brewing Company told the ECHO his wife was tired of having his home brew kit blocking up their kitchen, so was on the hunt for somewhere to continue what was just a hobby for him at the time.
Dom, 42, explains he was complaining about not being allowed to brew at home when his future business partner suggested coming and brewing beer in his empty garage.
After buying a bigger brewing kit, Dom's product quickly gained interest and it wasn't long before he saw the potential to join an industry he had only ever been a part of as a willing amateur.
The business went legal in 2017 under the name 'Carnival,' paying tribute to the setting the original idea was first manifested.
Carnival were soon supplying a number of pubs in Liverpool and moved to a bigger site at the King Edward Rise Industrial Estate where they have remained since.
Dom and Carnival's story is one that perfectly encapsulates the nature of craft beer brewing. What began as a hobby has evolved with a DIY approach into a fully fledged business that continues to thrive as the demand and interest in craft beer has soared.
Dom told the ECHO : "We really just want to focus on modern beer — the beer we really like to drink, but putting our own twist on things. Cool ideas like sour beers, barrel-aged and those kinds of things.
"We've had our share of challenges — working through the pandemic was difficult as we closed down as a result of it. But we had lots of stock left over and basically got a little cutting machine and got the team in and started taking web orders.
"We basically built a business online because of it, going back to old school, small batch brewing to keep things fresh and try new recipes."
Data from the Campaign for Real Ale showed the number of UK breweries declined in 2020 for the first time in 18 years, after more than doubling in size in the previous decade to 1,823.
But Dom believes there's still an element of mystery that keeps drawing people to the industry.
He continued: "What's better than being able to make a delicious keg of beer that people will be able to enjoy? There's the craft factor but also the enjoyment of it as well.
"I think that's one of the biggest factors, but the craft beer industry just seems to be growing all the time. People are always seeking out new and interesting beer styles.
"I remember when I first tried what would now be called a craft beer and it blew my mind with the flavours I was getting.
"That makes you want to try more and that newness and excitement is something that is appealing to people."
The appeal is clear to see as well. In Liverpool alone the number of brewers and pubs and bars who specialise in craft beer only continues to rise.
As well as Carnival, Liverpool Brewing Co, Black Lodge, Love Lane, Big Bog, AD HOP and Neptune are just a handful of the brewers who are bringing bold and innovative flavours to the region.
Perhaps the most important of all for the developing of novice beer drinkers into craft virtuosos is the Dead Crafty Beer Company on Dale Street.
The specialist craft beer bar and bottle shop was the winner of the SIBA UK best independent craft beer bar and since it was first opened in 2016 has helped introduce craft beer from across the world to Liverpool City Centre.
The idea behind the bar first came after Gareth Morgan and his wife Vicky returned from a holiday to the States where they sampled the incredible craft options there.
Gareth, the co-owner of the bar, told the ECHO : "We thought it was something Liverpool needed. More people are getting into craft beer.
"People want the choice. As opposed to just walking into the generic pub where there's four taps that everyone knows, we're offering something different.
"People are prepared to pay the premium as well because craft beer is essentially a premium product.
"95% of what we have at the bar are from very small, independently-owned breweries who make a batch here and a box there. It's a precious commodity and we love showing off all the skills that go into making these amazing beers."
Gareth explains while the pandemic certainly hasn't helped the craft beer industry, more people have been turned towards it because supermarkets have started to offer a much broader selection.
Gareth adds while independent businesses like his can't compete with the might of the supermarkets, the rise in interest in craft beer can only be a good thing.
He said: "I think the elephant in the room for a lot of people in the craft beer industry is the supermarkets who obviously over the last couple of the years with the lockdown have really stepped up their beer game.
"There's no way independents can compete with the supermarkets, but it has introduced a broader market to a lot of people. They're coming in and going 'I had this, what is something similar?'
"People are happier to try new beers. We had a couple come in on Saturday afternoon who said to us they didn't know what they liked so we told them to stay with us for a couple of drinks and we had a great afternoon introducing them to three or four different styles they wouldn't have tried before.
"I think it's just opening up everyone's taste buds. People's lifestyles change and they want the next best thing.
"People want new beer. They want new things — and craft beer is constantly evolving."
It's not just through tap rooms and bars that people want to sample a craft beer, however. The rise in demand has seen people wanting flavour profiles to match with the food they're eating in restaurants.
Tom White is one of the co-owners at Maray and The One O'clock Gun. Originally from a cocktail background, Tom explains the importance of having craft beer available as a restaurant.
He said: "If you're a venue, I think you need to have some craft beer in there because more and more people are asking for it.
"Especially if it's local as well. Local things are really important, particularly for a city like Liverpool because it's so hyperlocal.
"Liverpool is fiercely independent and if you can offer something different that was made literally down the road, people will see that as a really cool thing.
"People are always coming in and asking what local beer we've got. People are after more unique experiences with their dining.
"There's been a big move towards people straying away from chains and large scale hospitality venues. People are tending to favour independents.
"They want to spend their money with smaller companies that are doing interesting things and share their values.
"People want to eat in interesting places, but also eat and drink interesting things."
This focus on supporting local independents is perhaps best seen in Tom and the team's most recent venture. The One O'clock Gun, open since the summer, is a traditional pub that puts a unique spin on a pie and a pint with a unique beer on tap.
Their One O'clock pale, made in collaboration with Dom and the team over at Carnival, is an easy drinking pale ale that can be enjoyed at one in the morning or afternoon.
Tom explains how they saw the opening of the pub as a fantastic opportunity to work together on something creative with a local brewery.
He said: "Dom and Carnival told us about themselves and what they were about and there was a real connection. You can tell they really cared deeply about the product and what they were doing it. There were shared values between us.
"We got a bit of a whirlwind education with all the equipment and got to chose flavours and aromatic profiles we wanted.
"We've got a really nice tropical flavour on the beer that has a nice haze to it. It's got a really beautiful texture and the haze makes it look just like juice.
"It's become our biggest seller and is a signature of the bar. It was such a cool introduction to the beer making process because it's art, it's amazing.
"You'd be mistaken to thing because of its niche that it's a gated community. They were so welcoming and open and made it really accessible."
The openness of the community is something all involved will elude to. Despite the openness and the continual rise in craft beer drinkers, Dom at Carnival says the city still has a lot of catching up to do to a number of others.
He said: "We're a lot slower than other cities. If you look at Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Nottingham, Liverpool has some catching up to do.
"But we're expecting more and more places to start going independent which will help push Liverpool as a place for craft tourism.
"We've obviously got Dead Crafty and then other places like the Handyman who also have a little brewery and Black Cat on Smithdown.
"There's lots of places and more and more really passionate people, but there's certainly more work to do."
Gareth from Dead Crafty added: "It's a small community, but it is evolving. The community is getting bigger on a daily basis thankfully and there is an amazing camaraderie between breweries and bars.
"We'd just like to see more of them in the future."
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Save Money / Consumer News
Cyber Monday shoppers expected to spend $1.5B
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Bye, bye Black Friday. Sayonara Small Business Saturday. It's Cyber Monday, the latest in a series of days retailers are counting on to kick-start the holiday shopping season.
It's that time of year where Americans show just how much they love to shop and how much they love getting deals. It used to be if you wanted to find the holiday shopping deals you'd have to brave the crowds and mall mania, but with Cyber Monday, you don't even have to leave your couch.
Retailers are enticing customers by giving big discounts. Amazon.com is offering as much as 60 percent off a Panasonic VIERA 55-inch TV that is usually more than $1,000. Sears is offering a Maytag washer and dryer for $399 each. Kmart is offering diamond earrings for 75 percent off and a 12-in-1 multigame table for $89.99, a $60 savings.
Experts are predicting this year's Cyber Monday will be even bigger than it was last year. Americans are expected to spend $1.5 billion online, which is up 20 percent. Retailers are still optimistic even though the numbers on Black Friday dropped an estimated 2 percent from last year. Experts believe it was the result of stores opening their doors earlier on Thanksgiving night and more shoppers going online.
This is the first Cyber Monday since California's new law has taken effect, forcing online retailers out of state to collect California state sales tax. The law is meant to level the playing field and remove the competitive advantage online retailers have had over local merchants.
Meantime, experts are warning against fake websites made to look real. They advise shoppers to make sure the site is secure and has an "https" in the web address. You should also use your credit card instead of your debit card.
shopping, cyber monday, save money / consumer news
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domain: news


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Japanese two-wheeler maker Yamaha is setting up a separate company for selling its products in India as it looks to increase sales here.
Japanese two-wheeler maker Yamaha is setting up a separate company for selling its products in India as it looks to increase sales here. India Yamaha Motor (IYM) said the separate sales and marketing vertical - Yamaha Motor India Sales (YMIS) - will be responsible for pushing sales and marketing initiatives.
"Yamaha sees great potential in the Indian market and this vertical would aim at connecting with a larger customer base with innovative marketing strategies," the company said in a statement.
The new vertical will be lead by Masaki Asano, who will now be the Managing Director of YMIS. He would be assisted by Jun Nakata as Director with Roy Kurian as Sales & Marketing Group Head, Ravinder Singh as Strategy Planning Group Head and Takehiko Yamazaki as Parts Operation Group Head, it added.
Commenting on the development, Asano said: "The restructuring will help us to intensify our marketing effort. It is done envisaging our emergence as a market leader in time to come."
The company sold 29,785 units in the domestic market in January as against 26,300 units in the same month of last year, a growth of 13.2 percent.


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Internet crosses 4 billion users
Written by Mark Evans
Hootsuite and We Are Social have reported on social media and digital trends around the world in an annual report. Digital in 2018 considers 239 countries and territories, and estimates that the number of internet users in the world has now surpassed the 4 billion mark, putting more than half the global population online (53 per cent of the world’s population).
In the UK, 95 per cent of the population now uses the internet, an increase of 5 per cent compared to the previous year.
Social media of one type or another now connects 3.2 billion active users online and has grown by 13 per cent in the last 12 months. Social media users grew by 5 per cent in the UK in past year, now accounting for almost two-thirds of the population.
Even faster growing is the use of mobile, with a 14 per cent year over year increase to 2.958 billion users.
"With four billion people now online, connectivity is already a way of life for most of us. However, as internet companies strive to serve the next billion users, we'll see important changes in digital over the coming months. Audio-visual content will take priority over text - especially in social media and messaging apps - while voice commands and cameras will replace keyboards as our primary means of input. Social relationships and online communities will evolve to accommodate these new ways for people to interact with each other. This will result in rich new experiences for all of us, but businesses need to start preparing for these changes today," said Simon Kemp, global consultant, We Are Social.
Full report here.


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It’s Halloween month and major bakeries are prepping to offer their assorted baked goods filled with holiday goodness. Krispy Kreme has unveiled its holiday-themed assortment of donuts for Halloween and it is spooktacular enough to put you into the holiday spirit.
After the release of its first-ever cinnamon rolls, Krispy Kreme has created a new batch of sweet treats that comes in four festive designs, including the tried-and-tested favorite jack-o’-lantern donuts. Called Krispy Skremes, the Halloween donut range also includes new flavors like the Kreepy Cobweb, Vampire Bat and Spooky Sprinkles Ring.
The full assortment includes – Jack O Lantern, a chocolate orange filled lantern for $3.20; Vampire Bat, laden with cookie kreme frosting and topped with a spooky little bat for $2.86; Kreepy Cobweb has raspberry filling for $3.20; and Spooky Sprinkles Ring is enveloped in chocolate icing and colorful sprinkles for $2.65.
These Halloween donuts will be available for purchase in the UK from October 11 to 31, 2021. You can also pre-order your Krispy Kreme’s Halloween donuts online.
Moreover, the donut retailer is selling a Creepy Creations kit that comes with four Original Glaze Donuts, along with Halloween sprinkles and frosting so that you can create your own Halloween treats.
As if that wasn’t enough, Krispy Kreme has partnered with tourist attraction The London Dungeon to give its customers a chance to win exclusive ticket bundles at select Krispy Kreme Hotlight Theater Store.


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Since its official announcement, it was known that Marvel's Spider-Man 2 was not planned as a simple sequel, but as a current generation delivery that will continue with the events of the successful franchise that is now in the hands of Insomniac Games. The PlayStation studio enjoys recognition and credibility, hence the expectation is high among fans, but also among developers.
MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN 2 COULD BE INSOMNIAC'S BEST GAME YET
Recently, Insomniac held a Twitch stream in which Jon Paquette, narrative director of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, talked about the goals they have set in development. Part of the stream was captured by a fan (via Insider-Gaming) just when the creative pointed out that this is the studio's most ambitious title and the goal is to make it the best video game they have created, which are big words that undoubtedly excite given that it comes from one of the best teams at PlayStation Studios.
Jon Paquette's statement reads: "I'm excited about Spider-Man 2. Obviously, there's not much I can say, but man, we're really working hard to try to make sure that this is the best game we've made and we can't wait".
The release date for Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is expected to be revealed soon and its release is expected later this year. Perhaps the rumored PlayStation Showcase (to be held in the coming days) will be the showcase for Insomniac to surprise fans with the announcements they are eagerly awaiting.


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Rimping supermarket in Chiangmai, Thailand used banana leaves instead of plastic to pack their produce and their post was filled with a lot of interesting comments. Countries like Taiwan and South Korea to follow suit.
Banana leaves have always kind of been in use for a while in different parts of Asia. Some places, like India, use it to cook food, while other places like Thailand also use it to serve food in. The use of banana leaves are endless and now, a supermarket in Thailand has used banana leaves for packaging instead of their usual plastic packing. According to Epoch Times, Rimping supermarket in Chiangmai, Thailand is probably one of the first stores to use them on such a large scale. The use of plastic might be beneficial to us, but have you thought about the consequences? First off, it is poisoning the surface of the Earth, including the sea. HUGE whales are washing up to the shore, dead, with huge amounts of plastic in their system.
If plastic is poisoning the sea, then it is highly likely it is poisoning us, too. We consume seafood items, which means, we are indirectly poisoning ourselves, too. According to the UN Environment, nearly one million plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute, while up to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used worldwide every year. That is a LOT of plastic, and sadly, most of it is designed for single use, so the waste just keeps piling up.
A Facebook page decided to share how Rimping supermarket in Chiangmai, Thailand used banana leaves instead of plastic to pack their produce and their post was filled with a lot of interesting comments about how people appreciated the gesture as this was one step towards the right direction to eliminate the use of plastic. Lita Go Tjandra recalled: When I was small (in the '60s) when we went to the wet market, the vendors would use large leaves (of a particular type of tree) and/or banana leaves. Hooray if we go back to that! And we would bring our own basket to put our shopping in.
Virgie Panga Watts Tropical pointed out a valid concern: places can use banana leaves as a wrapper but in other places banana leaves are expensive. Deveni Temu said: Our people have used banana leaf wrappers since time immemorial. Corrine Create asked: How about people have just grown food in their own garden then we don't need to buy it from a supermarket! Well, not everyone has that kind of time or patience to grow veggies and fruits.
Since the early 1950s, more than 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been produced, according to researchers. Also, since then, the rate of plastic production has grown faster than that of any other material. There's also been a very visible shift from durable plastic to single-use stuff that just ends up in a landfill after being used. More than 99% of plastics are produced from chemicals derived from oil, natural gas, and coal. If the current trend continues, it's been estimated that nearly 20% of the world's oil consumption could be made by the plastic industry around 2050.
Every time you smoke, not only are you killing yourself and polluting the environment with smoke, but you're also adding to plastic pollution. Each cigarette butt contains tiny plastic fibers and they are the most common type of plastic waste found in the environment in a recent global survey. It's not just cigarettes. Drink bottles, bottle caps, food wrappers, grocery bags, drink lids, straws, and stirrers were the next most common items. We use all of this on a daily basis without really knowing just where they might end up.
Since plastic is such a durable material, it makes it very difficult for nature to break it down. Plastic can disintegrate and become smaller in size, and it is then ingested by farm animals or fish who mistake them for food and thus, can find their way onto our dinner plates. Several places across the world are now trying to reduce the use of plastic and Vietnam, which is currently fourth on the global list of ocean plastic polluting nations, is trying their bit to reduce plastic consumption.
South Korea recently banned single-use plastic bags and packaging, which means shops need to provide their customers with an alternative method. Taiwan has started charging people for using plastic bags and Singapore is running several campaigns to get people to completely stop using plastic items. The biggest change was done by China that banned the use of super thin plastic bags since 2008. Since then, the use of plastic bags has dropped 66 percent and they've kept more than 40 billion bags out of the ocean. If all of us take one small step to reduce the use of plastic in our daily lives, we might be able to turn this thing around and actually save our planet.


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High-fat foods such as biscuits, crisps, chocolate and sweets are the second-most consumed food group by children, a new study has found.
Almost 25% of all meals consumed by kids now include food and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar that are not recommended as part of a healthy diet, research from Safefood found.
The research also found that 29% of children’s afternoon and evening snacks are foods high in fat, sugar and salt.
The study was conducted as part of the START campaign, a five-year public health awareness campaign from Safefood, the HSE and Healthy Ireland.
It encourages parents to give healthier snacks to children and to only have treats in small amounts, and not every day. Agreeing to changes together as family and having a ‘no-junk-during-weekdays’ plan are also ideas to cut down on treat foods.
Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, Director of Human Health & Nutrition at Safefood said: “The stand-out result in this research is how so-called ‘junk’ food is now a filler between and after meals in families’ daily diets.
"Parents involved in the research told us that afternoons and evenings are the danger times when it comes to giving these foods to their children and to themselves.”
"We struggle to avoid these treat foods every day because they’re available everywhere, highly palatable, cheap and frequently on special offer," she said.
Recent research for the START campaign, carried out in an Ipsos MRBI/Safefood survey, highlighted that 1 in 3 parents found it difficult to cut back on treat foods or keep them to a minimum.
Additionally, 36% reported they were not confident about changing their child’s behaviour when it came to eating more healthily.
Sarah O’ Brien, HSE national lead on the START campaign said: “What we hear from parents is that they recognise how important it is to make these changes for their children’s health but it is challenging.
"Through the Healthy Weight for Ireland: Obesity Policy and Action Plan we are working to ensure schools, communities, workplaces as well as the food and drinks industry play their part in supporting parents to make healthier lifestyle choices for their families," she said.


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Polish retail sales up in March: stats office
PR dla Zagranicy
Retail sales in Poland rose 1.8 percent at constant prices in March compared with the same month a year earlier, the country’s Central Statistical Office (GUS) said on Tuesday.
Photo: paulbr75/pixabay.com/CC0 Creative Commons
Sales of motor vehicles and automotive parts rose 11.3 percent in year-on-year terms, while sales of food, beverages and tobacco products fell by 10.4 percent.
Sales of furniture, consumer electronics and household appliances climbed 20.5 percent.
In month-on-month terms, retail sales in March were 13.5 percent higher than in February, according to the statistics office.
In February, retail sales in Poland were 5.6 percent higher in real terms than in the same month a year earlier, the Central Statistical Office reported last month.


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LG begins mass production of OLED panels
September 2, 2019
By Chris Forrester
LG Display has started mass manufacture of OLED panels at its Guangzhou facility in China.
LG Display says it has invested $4.2 billion in the factory and will start producing about 60,000 OLED sheets per month initially, and building to 130,000 sheets per month by the end of this year.
The Guangzhou factory is designed to boost production of 55” and over OLED screens for 4K television displays.
LG has another high-production unit in South Korea at Paju, and between the two factories says that it will soon be possible to turn out 10 million units annually by 2022.
LG Display delivered 2.9 million large sized OLED units in 2018.
IHS Markit, in a recent study, says that sales of OLED-based TVs will rise from around 5.5 million in 2020 to 10 million in 2022.


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Zapa, which raised €2.5m in funding in July 2009, enables consumers to attach a single contactless sticker known as a ‘Zapa Tag’ to their phone and then use it to participate in multiple retail loyalty and other programmes such as prepaid payments, mobile gift cards and promotions.
- Lyle & Scott creates contactless payment jacket with bPay
- Android Pay will launch ‘very soon’
- RBC gets Secure Cloud payments patent
- Google ‘shut down’ beacon project
- Singapore commuters trial wristband payments


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T-Mobile has introduced a program that lets most customers watch video without using up their data allotment.
T-Mobile's chief executive has expressed outrage over a breach at a credit monitoring service that exposed private data from 15 million customers of the mobile carrier.
Companies have learned to use Facebook, Instagram and other social media to drum up business and now they're finding ways to exploit two new apps, Periscope and Meerkat.
T-Mobile will now let its U.S. customers call, text, use apps and browse the Internet within North America without paying extra charges.
AT&T Inc. plans to invest about $3 billion to build up its recently acquired Iusacell mobile phone network in Mexico.
T-Mobile is revamping its phone-upgrade program by eliminating a $10-a-month charge for the most popular phones.
Music-streaming service Rdio on Thursday ramped its offerings with a subscription that allows people to keep a selection of songs for off-line listening.
The iconic designer behind the simulation video games "Sim City" and "The Sims" wants people to tell stories visually on their mobile phones.
T-Mobile wants to change how businesses buy phones and wireless services—two years after it changed how consumers do so.
(AP)—Internet service providers like Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile would have to act in the "public interest" when providing a mobile connection to your home or phone, under new rules being considered by the ...


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Woolrich, a 182-year-old clothing company, describes its new chino pants as an elegant and sturdy fashion statement, with a clean profile and fabric that provides comfort and flexibility.And they are great for hiding a handgun.The company has added a second pocket behind the traditional front pocket for a weapon. Or, for those who prefer to pack their gun in a holster, it can be tucked inside the stretchable waistband. The back pockets are also designed to help hide accessories, like a knife and a flashlight.The chinos, which cost $65, are not for commandos, but rather, the company says, for the fashion-aware gun owner. And Woolrich has competition. Several clothing companies are following suit, building businesses around the sharp rise in people with permits to carry concealed weapons.Their ranks swelled to around seven million last year from five million in 2008, partly because of changes to state laws on concealed handguns.Shawn Thompson, 35, who works at an auto dealership in eastern Kentucky, bought two shirts last month from the Woolrich Elite Concealed Carry line. Both, he wrote on his blog, are a step up from more rugged gear.“Most of the clothes I used in the past to hide my sidearm looked pretty sloppy and had my girlfriend complaining about my looks,” he wrote, adding in an interview, “I’m not James Bond or nothing, but these look pretty nice.”The shirt has a barely discernible side slit with Velcro through which, he said, he can yank his Colt 1911 from his waistband holster. Depending on circumstances and mood, he might also carry a folding knife and, at night, a flashlight in a pair of Woolrich chinos his girlfriend bought for him.Carriers of concealed guns say the new options are a departure from the law enforcement and military look, known as “tactical,” long favored by gun owners.


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Last mission to repair the Hubble telescope Hubble space telescope discoveries have enriched our understanding of the cosmos. In this special report, you will see facts about the Hubble space telescope, discoveries it has made and what the last mission's goals are.
For their own good
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
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Don't trim inspection of meat - beef it up
By A TIMES EDITORIAL
Published October 7, 2007
At least 30 people, including a Florida teenager, have gotten seriously ill after eating ground beef patties tainted with E. coli bacteria, and 10 have been hospitalized. It's a shame so many people had to risk their health just for the pleasure of eating a hamburger, but the timing of the outbreak could save others from the same fate if Congress will muster some courage.
When this latest food scare finally went public last month, lawmakers were considering a farm bill that would have actually weakened existing meat inspection regulations. Now they should realize they have to do more, not less, to protect American consumers from dangerous food.
Neither the company that produced the frozen hamburger patties nor the U.S. Department of Agriculture acted responsibly in this latest food recall, which - at 21-million pounds of ground beef - is one of the largest ever. Topps Meat Co. of New Jersey was aware on Aug. 30 that someone had gotten sick after eating one of its products. Yet Topps didn't tell USDA officials until Sept. 7, and the government agency waited until Sept. 25 to announce the recall. (Facing lawsuits, Topps announced Friday it is going out of business immediately.)
The USDA apologized for its delayed response but offered no good reason for waiting. "There is room for improvement," said Dr. David Goldman of the agency's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
No kidding. In the days it took the USDA to act, the health of many more people was put at risk. With massive health scares in the past few years from contaminated produce, meat and imported products, it appears the nation's food-safety inspection system is broken. So it is hard to believe that a bill pending in Congress was going to let some meat producers substitute state inspection for federal oversight.
After the latest meat recall, some lawmakers woke up. "Allowing uneven and lax state standards to replace a uniform federal standard is not appropriate," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.
That's a starting point, except the tainted Topps meat came from a federally inspected plant. So Congress' duty should be clear: Take some of the billions of dollars spent on unneeded farm subsidies and put the money into food inspection. And do it before somebody else gets sick or dies.


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This month Amazon announced that their chief of publishing Larry Kirshbaum would be resigning. The move is a further indication that Amazon is toning down its plans to become a full scale publisher. The retreat from publishing appears to be a result of black listing of author’s signed with Amazon by brick and mortar book retailers. Kirshbaum’s own resignation is clouded by recent allegations of sexual assault.
Larry Kirshbaum first joined Amazon’s publishing arm in 2011 as a vice president, and shortly there after moved up to editorial director for imprints on both the West and East coast. Before coming to Amazon he was CEO for Time Warner’s Publishing Group, and his acquisition was seen as a sign of the seriousness that Amazon was taking its publishing business.
Amazon has struggled to gain traction for its publishing division. It appears that Amazon underestimated the amount of opposition that it would experience from the traditional publishing and book retailing world. Major book retailer Barnes & Noble refused to carry any of the titles published by Amazon. Amazon has also had trouble attracting major authors to its division.
Authors that have signed with Amazon have experienced disappointing results. Amazon’s first big title, Penny Marshall’s My Mother Was Nuts, performed poorly in print sales. This was largely due to the fact that brick and mortar books refused to carry the Amazon title. Even the eBook edition was effectively blocked outside of the Amazon marketplace as Google, Barnes & Noble Nook Store and Apple iBookstore all refused to distribute the digital version.
Signing generation X guru Tim Ferris was seen as another big coup for Amazon. Again Barnes & Noble refused to carry his latest release The 4 Hour Chef. Ferris recognized the effect this could have on his marketing plans and ability to become featured in the New York Times best seller list. A List that he has featured prominently in the past. As he notes this time “I’m not pinning all of my hopes on the NYT list”.
The black listing of Amazon by the traditional publishing and retailing world is not the only problems the division has experienced. Earlier this year three independent book stores sued Amazon, claiming that the company along with the “Big Six” on the use of Digital Rights Management (DRM) to create what is essentially a monopoly on digital sales. The book stores case was based on the fact that DRM restricted customers a purchased digital book from one device to another.
Scandal has also tarnished the image of Amazon’s chief of publishing. Last month allegations of sexual assault were levelled at Kirshbaum. The claims of sexual assault came from Teresa McCoy an old girl friend of the executive. McCoy approached Kirshbaum about the possibility of a job working at the publisher. When the met to discuss the potential job McCoy claims that Kirshbaum sexually assaulted her. The executives lawyers claim that the claims are baseless, but are almost certain related to the sudden resignation of the vice president.
The resignation of Kirshbaum and the retreat from traditional publishing are likely to have little impact on Amazon overall. The company is still a giant in the world of book retailing and far outweighs any of the other “big six”. Given its dominance in online distribution Amazon can easily afford to be patient and contest the world of traditional publishing again in the future.


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We found 36825 results for 'android'
While Apple regularly clears its store of apps not supporting the latest iPhone models or hardware architectures, Google has only recently started to lay out similar requirements for Android apps. In December, the company announced that Play Store apps would have to target an API level no more than 1 year older than the current codename release. In other words, after Android P comes out, all apps submitted to the Play Store would have to target for Android 8.0 Oreo or above. Read More
Hot on the heels of Big Red and John Legere and co, Sprint is now pushing the Android 8.0 Oreo / Samsung Experience 9.0 update to its versions of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. That makes it the third major US carrier to do so, leaving only AT&T (and US Cellular, if you count that). Read More
Verizon models of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ began receiving their Android 8.0 Oreo updates two days ago, and now it's the T-Mobile models' turn. Samsung Experience 9.0 doesn't make any huge changes, at least to the end user, but it does add a few tweaks here and there and smooth the software out a bit. Read More
Samsung began rolling out Android 8.0 Oreo for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ in early February (only to hit pause for about a week to fix random reboots), and Verizon became the first US carrier to roll out Oreo to those devices a couple days ago. Now there's word that Oreo is rolling out to Galaxy Note8 users in France and possibly some other countries. Read More
The Android Auto team has been known to put safety above all else. Most people agree that's the best strategy, but there have been some scenarios where users have pointed out that certain decisions may be over-reaching, or they might not account for common scenarios. One of the biggest points of contention since the launch of Android Auto has been a feature that effectively locks users out of their phones while connected to Android Auto. In the last couple of days, users are now being presented with the ability to swipe up and unlock their phones to use them normally. Read More
It's been almost a year since Google unveiled Android Go, now technically known as Android Oreo (Go Edition), but devices you can actually buy are few and far between. In fact, only ZTE has committed to launching a Go device in the US. Now, Alcatel is announcing plans to launch the 1X in the US, too. The phone was shown off at MWC a few weeks ago. The specs are modest, but it'll cost under $100. Read More
Earlier this week, I noticed that my Galaxy S9+ review unit had an OTA update available. This update addressed some stability issues with the camera and put the phone on the latest security patch (which is certainly a good thing). But at nearly 250MB, it was quite a sizable update, too, and so installation took a bit to complete - my phone was out of commission for over five minutes.
Really, though, it shouldn't have been. Android introduced a feature called seamless updates as part of the 7.0 Nougat release... Read More
Sony is usually quick to update their phones to the latest version of Android, but like many other manufacturers, it usually leaves the budget devices for last. The Xperia XA1 and XA1 Ultra were launched a year ago, both with MediaTek Helio P20 chips and impressive 23MP back cameras. Now the XA1, XA1 Plus, and XA1 Ultra are being updated to Android 8.0 Oreo. Read More
Ten days have passed since we started digging into the Android P developer preview release, and while we've enjoyed many of the new changes and shared with you our five favorites, there are other modifications that left us scratching our heads a little. This is a developer preview, so things are expected to be buggy, some features could be experimental and could change with the next releases, but there are others that might be here to stay.
We've scoured our long, long list of Android P posts looking for those that we either don't like or that many of you voiced disapproval for. Read More
Less than a week ago, Verizon became the first US carrier to push Android 8.0 Oreo to the LG V30. Defying its stereotype as the slowest carrier for updates yet again, Big Red has become the first one in the US to release 8.0 Oreo to the Galaxy S8 and S8+. Read More


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FEDERAL Labor Leader, Kevin Rudd, hosted a national manufacturing roundtable earlier this week to bring together stakeholders and experts critical to the future of Australia’s manufacturing industry.
Mr Rudd and Labor industry spokesman Kim Carr said manufacturing was a key driver of innovation and that was crucial in maintaining national prosperity after the mining boom.
“Manufacturing is responsible for almost 39 per cent of business spending on research and development, the core of innovation, and that was the most for any industry sector,” they said.
They also commented that Australian manufacturing accounts for more than $75 billion a year in exports and more than one million jobs despite a slight slowdown over the last decade.
In the period 1983-96, manufacturing exports grew at a rate of 14.8 per cent a year. But over the last five years, that growth has slowed to 11.8 per cent with an estimated 100,000 jobs lost from the manufacturing sector.
With manufacturers facing many challenges including the rise of China, the impact of the mining boom and growing concerns about climate change and the environment, the roundtable, conducted over two sessions, discussed fostering competitiveness in industry and new opportunities in Australian manufacturing.
Roundtable participants included manufacturers, representatives from industry bodies and organisations, research and innovation agencies and economics and finance communities.
In preparation for the event, Federal Labor circulated Fresh Ideas for Australian Manufacturing as a background paper.
The paper provides an overview of the current state of Australian manufacturing, outlines key issues and suggested policy options, and details Federal Labor’s existing policies as they affect the manufacturing sector.
“There is a broad consensus that a focus on innovation is critical to the survival of manufacturing in Australia, both for revitalising mature industries and for the development of sunrise industries,” it said.
“Indeed, innovation is critical for competitiveness across all sectors of the economy. That is why Labor says that in the 21st century innovation policy is industry policy.”
Mr Rudd and Senator Carr said Labor had already launched initiatives to boost innovation as well as programs such as the $2 billion green car partnership.
They said Labor had also proposed bringing forward scheduled reviews of the automotive and textiles, clothing and footwear industries.


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Twisted Metal: Peacock Sets Premiere Date for Live-Action Comedy Series Based on Video Game (Watch)
Twisted Metal is coming to Peacock this summer. The streaming service has announced the premiere date for the new live-action comedy with the release of a trailer.The series is based on the PlayStation game of the same name, and it stars Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz, Thomas Haden Church, Will Arnett, and Joe Seanoa. Michael Jonathan Smith (Cobra Kai) wrote the series.Peacock revealed more about the series plot in a press release.TWISTED METAL, a half-hour live-action TV series based on the classic PlayStation game series, is a high-octane action comedy, based on an original take by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick and written by Michael Jonathan Smith, about a motor-mouthed outsider offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. With the help of a badass axe-wielding car thief, he'll face savage marauders driving vehicles of destruction and other dangers of the open road, including a deranged clown who drives an all too familiar ice cream truck.Twisted Metal arrives on July 27th. The trailer for season one is below.[photo2]What do you think? Are you excited to check out this new series on Peacock this summer? Are you a fan of the video game it is based on?


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Pub group Greene King reaches record sales as its takeover of rival Spirit Pub Company begins to bear fruit
Pub group Greene King has reached record sales as its takeover of rival Spirit Pub Company begins to bear fruit.
The Old Speckled Hen brewer saw sales top £1bn for the six months to October 16, while profit was up 9 per cent to £92.5m.
But the bumper results came as Greene King boss Rooney Anand apologised after more than 2,000 employees’ bank details were emailed to computers across its pub network. The company has launched an investigation.
Raising a glass: The Old Speckled Hen brewer saw sales top £1bn for the six months to October 16
Anand, 52, remained tight-lipped on the cause of the leak, but said: ‘As soon as we picked it up we managed the situation quickly and took immediate action.’
Greene King, which employs 44,000 people, bought Spirit Pub Company for £744m last year, becoming one of the largest pub groups in the UK.
Anand said a continued shift towards premium pubs, which serve food, would see the company scale back on some of its brands, and despite uncertainty over Brexit he was confident of another year of growth.
The group announced a 4.1 per cent rise in its dividend to 8.8p. Shares closed down 3.6, or 25.5p, at 686p.
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Designer News is where the design community meets.
6 years ago from Brett Jones, Designer & Front-end developer at Pin Payments
This is very slick. Be great to see the addition of some note-making tool to really kill the need to use Photoshop for these tiny markups.
Where the design community meets.
Designer News is a large, global community of people working or interested in design and technology.
© 2020 Designer News Ltd.


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FNB Connect sees doubled data, voice consumption
At the end of December 2020, FNB Connect had 815 124 customers − a 22% year-on-year growth in true active customer numbers, CEO Bradwin Roper revealed to ITWeb in an interview.
Launched in June 2015, FNB Connect is the bank’s mobile offering. It is available to FNB customers and allows them to choose between a range of contract and prepaid packages.
FNB Connect is a three-pillar business made up of the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), device and service provider business.
With the launch of the MVNO component, FNB became the first bank in the country to establish such a mobile offering, piggybacking on Cell C’s network.
Sharing some of the growth highlights of the MVNO business over the past year, Roper said ‘easy’ and gold account-holders make up two-thirds (67%) of the total active customer base, adding there’s been some exciting growth numbers in the premium and private wealth account customer base.
“We saw a 37% growth in the premium base, driven by 45% growth in our private wealth customers.”
Voice isn’t dead
While incumbent telcos have reported a decline in voice, Roper pointed out it is still incredibly important to South Africans.
For example, FNB Connect’s Talk Max and Talk Max Pro plans have seen “significant” growth. “If you just think about network coverage…voice is incredibly important. If you think about feature phone penetration as well as just MNO coverage, voice is critical.”
FNB Connect saw a 132% increase in voice minutes. In addition, 134 million voice minutes were used via Free Connect, based on a 12-month cumulative view.
“That just says to you and I that voice is not dead,” he emphasised. “What we've been doing around pricing of our Talk Max plans, as well as including a Free Connect component, shows South Africans love to talk, and voice is certainly not dead.”
Turning to data usage, the CEO said FNB Connect has seen 125% growth year-on-year.
“That's more than double data consumption,” he noted. “As much as I speak about 22% customer growth, we've more than doubled our data consumption.”
Likewise, a 12-month cumulative view shows FNB Connect customers used over 750 million megabytes of free data via the Free Connect component.
“We’ve seen more than double growth on both data consumption as well as voice consumption.”
Within the service provider business, Roper said there’s lots of innovation taking place, with growth of 11% year-on-year.
Furthermore, there has been 14% growth in the premium base and a 19% increase in the business segment.
In terms of customer centricity, the CEO explained that FNB Connect has zero-rated airtime purchases on the FNB app, and also launched prepaid vouchers in the entertainment, transport, music and gaming categories.
As a result, the bank has seen a 23% increase in app usage, he stated. “60% of our sales are happening on the FNB banking app. This has been a big strategic driver of app adoption.
“This business is also, for want of a better word, an online retailer. We just don't have the burden of last mile delivery. Everything that you can buy in that business is essentially redeemable in real-time with instant gratification and is virtual in nature.
“At its peak, this business runs nearly 3.3 times the size of the biggest online retailer in terms of turnover. It is a significant business and a significant online retailer business. This online retail space is hotting up. It’s a mature business, and I’m excited about where we are taking it in terms of innovations.
“I’m excited that as FirstRand, we have this platform as an online retail sales platform that we can grow and enhance.”


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Apple has formally introduced its third event in three months. The event will happen on November 10 at 10 a.m. PT, and Apple has invited everybody to tune in remotely with the tagline “One more factor.”
This event is anticipated to deal with the upcoming transition to Apple Silicon within the Mac lineup, with Apple having promised its first Apple Silicon machine would come earlier than the top of the 12 months.
Apple November event particulars
This marks Apple’s third event in as many months. In September, Apple held a special event targeted on the Apple Watch alongside a brand new iPad Air and the eighth era. Final month, Apple held its “Hello, Pace” event to unveil the iPhone 12 lineup alongside new MagSafe equipment and the HomePod mini.
This November event is anticipated to deal with the upcoming transition to Apple Silicon within the Mac lineup, with Apple having promised its first Apple Silicon machine would come earlier than the top of the 12 months. The “One more factor” tagline is a traditional Apple reference from earlier keynotes.
Apple’s November event will probably be live-streamed throughout Apple’s web site, within the Apple TV app, and certain on YouTube. We’ll have more particulars on this course of, together with directions on find out how to watch, when event day rolls round.
We’ll have full protection of the “One more factor” Apple event on November 10 at 10 a.m. PT.
What to anticipate from Apple Silicon
Apple introduced its transition from Intel to customized Apple Silicon processors within the Mac earlier this 12 months at WWDC. On the time, Apple promised that its first Apple Silicon Mac can be launched someday in 2020, and that’s what we count on to occur on November 10.
Rumors are at the moment cut up on what to anticipate from the primary Apple Silicon Mac. An earlier report steered that one of many first ARM-powered Macs will probably be a revamped model of the 12-inch MacBook, however different experiences have indicated that the primary Apple Silicon Mac can be a 13-inch MacBook Professional or maybe even a brand new 24-inch iMac.
Apple lately registered a handful of recent Macs with the Eurasian Financial Fee this month, which has confirmed to be a dependable indicator of Apple merchandise that may quickly be launched. There are additionally a number of references to unreleased Macs within the newest macOS Huge Sur beta.
Current Apple Silicon information:
Apart from Apple Silicon, prospects for the November event embody Apple’s AirPods Studio over-ear headphones, AirTag merchandise trackers, and a brand new Apple TV and Siri Distant. Whether or not or not these merchandise are available in November or someday in 2021 stays to be seen.
What are you most excited to see at Apple’s November event this 12 months? Are you planning to purchase one of many first Apple Silicon Macs? Tell us down within the feedback!
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Try 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple information:


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An ambitious community-oriented plan calls to end hunger and food waste
Part V of V
When the Kroger Co. began its Bringing Hope to the Table campaign during the holiday season of 2016, its primary objective was to end hunger through donations to local food banks.
“Kroger is a champion in fighting hunger across America,” said Erin Sharp, Kroger’s group vice president, manufacturing in a release. “Our associates help families put nutritious, wholesome food on their tables every day. That includes the families in our communities who struggle with empty plates.”
In Colorado, Kroger operates through King Soopers, Loaf n’ Jug and City Market and it is through those stores that shoppers will find quick and easy opportunities to make small donations that will help fight hunger in their local communities.
Zero Hunger | Zero Waste
Bringing Hope to the Table is not the only initiative to end hunger that Kroger has made itself part of. The nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, Feeding America, counts Kroger and its family of stores as a founding member.
For 2017, Bringing Hope to the Table has taken on new life to include its Zero Hunger, Zero Waste initiative. Radio and television ads have been circulating recently as the company continues to amplify efforts to not only help local communities end hunger, but unnecessary waste as well.
“Millions of families came together to enjoy Thanksgiving,” said Jessica Adelman, Kroger’s group vice president of corporate affairs in a recent release. “Kroger and our family of stores love being a part of America’s Thanksgiving celebrations. At the same time, we acknowledge the absurdity that one in eight people struggle with hunger while 40 percent of the food produced in the U.S. each year goes to waste. That just doesn’t make sense to us. And this season, we are grateful for our associates and trusted partners who are committed to doing something about it.”
Through Zero Hunger, Zero Waste Kroger aims to end hunger in its local communities and eliminate waste across its company by 2025. While figures show that across the U.S., 42 million Americans struggle with hunger, 72 billion pounds of food ends up in a landfill on an annual basis.
One of Kroger’s primary resources to get the word out regarding Zero Hunger, Zero Waste is through an aggressive media campaign, which strategically launched last month in the form of television and radio ads in key Kroger markets. The plan is to substantially increase customer awareness and engagement with the initiative. The campaign will continue to run through the holiday season in conjunction with store-level customer giving programs like Bringing Hope to the Table, which focus on benefiting local food banks and hunger-relief organizations.
“Our purpose is to feed the human spirit by uplifting each other, our customers and our communities,” Adelman said. “Kroger is inviting everyone who is passionate about feeding people and protecting the planet to join us in helping us realize our vision of zero hunger, zero waste.”
In order to end hunger in its communities and waste within its company by 2025, Kroger has set out a plan. A large part of that plan includes consumer involvement and public policy solutions.
On the consumer aspect, Kroger wants to accelerate food donations to give 3 billion meals by 2025. In addition, the company has committed to not just donate more food, but more balanced meals as well.
From a public policy standpoint, Kroger plans to advocate for solutions that address hunger and help communities divert waste from landfills.
Kroger aims to achieve a prior goal of becoming a zero waste company by 2020 and has set the bar even higher by creating a goal to become a zero food waste company by 2025 in all stores across the company.
The ambitious plan requires the cooperation of the communities it seeks to help. To learn more visit


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When working on a job that demands movability and reach, a cord can hinder productivity. When a contractor can use a cordless tool instead, he becomes independent of power sources on the jobsite. Cordless technology eliminates extension cords, which can create a trip hazard on a busy jobsite. For all these reasons, having cordless tools provides a great advantage. No longer a niche industry, the ever-expanding category continues to grow.
“Initially, contractors viewed cordless tools as a niche solution for some lighter duty applications, as tools did not have acceptable reach or power to replace corded tools,” says Aaron Brading, business unit manager of power tools for Hilti North America. “Cordless tools have been popular in general since the early 2000s. Since at least 2011, the industry has seen the number of cordless tools sold grow while the sales of corded tools is shrinking. My perception is that cordless tools will be the fastest growing segment of power tools, at least through the next five years.”
Shane Moll, president of the power tools division at Milwaukee Tool, agrees that the cordless tool market shows no sign of slowing down. As in many markets, customers are looking for a tool that is smaller, lighter, faster and longer-lasting. To fit these needs, manufacturers are looking to upgrade the battery and tool at the same time.
“We always look to see what we can do to make them lighter and smaller,” says Marcus Borman, global marketing manager at RIDGID. “One of the major changes in the past 10 years has been the switch to lithium-ion.”
The earlier generations of cordless tools did not have acceptable reach or performance for many commercial and industrial applications, Brading explains. As battery cell technology transitioned to lithium-ion, manufacturers are able to push tools further in performance and reach.
Ever since Milwaukee Tool introduced its lithium-ion battery to the market in 2005, it has caused a fundamental shift in cordless tool technology, Moll says. “Lithium-ion has allowed manufacturers to pack a massive amount of power and performance into a compact structure,” he adds. “Tools have gotten smaller and lighter, and, at the same time, outperform their predecessors.”
Makita also introduced its 18V lithium-ion category in 2005. “The market reaction was positive,” says Wayne Hart, communications manager for Makita. “The Makita 18-volt lithium-ion battery gave contractors a great power-to-weight ratio and faster charge times than old technology such as nickel-metal hydride and nickel cadmium.”
The power plant
As power tool manufacturers continue to embrace the innovation lithium-ion can provide, more power tools continue to be launched on various battery platforms. “For users, the ability to work off of one battery platform has become a ‘must-have’ so they don’t have to continually buy into new lines of tools in order to get the performance and reliability they need to do their jobs,” Moll says. “It is important for the customer to have a system of power tools which gives them the ability to use their batteries across a broad range of power tools.”
Purchasing a cordless tool is an investment in a battery platform, Hart agrees. “For contractors, breadth of line and battery compatibility are clear ‘must-haves’ when investing in cordless tools,” he notes.
Professional users expect manufacturers to provide tools using the same battery interface and an acceptable run time, Brading adds. “Without these two elements, cordless tools lose some of their value to contractors because batteries have to be changed too frequently or the expense of batteries cannot be spread across multiple tool bodies,” he says.
However, a tool’s performance is determined by more than just batteries, Moll adds. The motor and electronics infrastructure are also key factors that can offer a tool increased run-time and performance.
Another clear trend is the demand for increased battery efficiency. A slow-charging battery can mean wasted time on the jobsite. New technology means faster charge times and increased productivity.
“Select cordless tools are able to be powered by two 18-volt batteries for increased power and run time,” Hart says. “In addition, advanced batteries are equipped with protection features that extend the life of the battery, the power plant of a cordless tool line-up. New technology protects batteries from overload, over-discharge and overheating for longer tool and battery life.”
As technology advances, not only are manufacturers upgrading cells, they are also working on drive efficiency. “In 2006, a reciprocating saw struggled to perform applications in an acceptable manner for a commercial contractor,” Brading says. “Today, cordless drives are at a stage where we can not only successfully deliver a preferred reciprocating saw, but reach further into concrete drilling and chipping. This is done by ensuring the most efficient drives are in tools such as brushless motors or other high productivity drives.”
As the audience using cordless tools broadens and the duration of use lengthens, contractors are looking for tools to be lighter and more compact.
“The light weight enables contractors to use the tools for longer periods, making them more productive, while the compactness allows them to get in tighter spaces,” Brading says. “To gain better ergonomics, manufacturers are making tools smaller, or even moving tools to smaller voltage platforms like 12 volt.”
Hart agrees that ergonomics is a very important difference in tools. He notes that older battery technology was contained in a stem-style battery pack that extended into the handle, so engineers were forced to design the tool’s handle around the battery.
“Slide-style batteries had no stem and this allowed Makita engineers to design the power tool handle around the human hand for superior fit, ergonomics and comfort,” Hart adds. “For pro contractors using tools all day every day, this is an important difference over old and obsolete battery technology.”
Borman sees weight and quality as a necessity for cordless tools. “We are always working on getting the lightest tool out to market, with the highest quality,” he says. “Our largest tool with a battery — that can make connections on 1/2-inch to 4-inch copper — weighs 8 1/2 pounds. Fifteen years ago, the tool was almost double that weight. We also understand that contractors are judged on their quality, and if the tools they use are low quality, it will hurt their business. Once you lose quality, you lose customers for good.”
Another need in the market is customization options. “Users want to interact with their tools in numerous ways,” Moll says. “One-Key is a digital platform for tools and equipment. By integrating tool electronics with a custom-built, cloud-based program, it will provide control and access to information that will revolutionize the way work gets done — and fundamentally change the way users interact with their tools.”
Beyond these aspects of the tool, RIDGID is always keeping up with trends in the construction, remodeling and maintenance markets. “We keep our fingers on the pulse of the market to see what materials (copper, PEX, stainless steel, etc.) are being used, where they are being used, as well as how,” Borman says. “This allows us to not only design tools that are smaller, lighter, faster and longer-lasting, but it also helps us design specific features or technologies to better serve customers working in an ever-changing marketplace.”
Collaboration with contractor customers is important to the creation of tool solutions.
“We believe in a collaborative process when it comes to addressing jobsite challenges and creating innovative solutions to fit those needs,” Moll says. “From our salesforce to our product managers, we believe in going out into the field to speak with the people whose opinions matter to us most: our core users. The knowledge we get while out on the jobsite is invaluable to how we help our users.”
Milwaukee Tool also works with trade-training facilities throughout the country, he adds.
The contractor will always be the driver of the technology manufacturers bring to market, Brading says.
“As a manufacturer that sells directly to professional end users, we get feedback directly from the customer’s mouth and implement it into our development,” he explains. “We offer customers a ‘no cost’ period of two years on all elements of the cordless system: tools, batteries and chargers. Normal wear and tear is covered. We also cover shipping, parts and labor. Tools are typically back to the customer in four days.”
For Hilti, one of the benefits of having direct ties to contractors is that its salespeople teach training sessions across North America every day. These can be done at the customer’s site or Hilti’s Customer Experience Center in Irving, Texas.
RIDGID also offers comprehensive training on all its products. At its company headquarters in Elyria, Ohio, an entire building is dedicated to training contractors, distributors and its own workforce. As a global company, it also offers training all over the world. Its international training centers are located in Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Belgium, Romania, Turkey, Australia, China and the Philippines.
The cordless tool industry is going to continue to grow and expand in every market, Borman predicts. “Once someone launches a technology, that company and their competitors work diligently to improve upon the previous design,” he says. “Features that are a new innovation one year may become the standard two or three years later.”


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IN no sector of the technology business have more companies with less revenue been acquired for richer sums than in communications equipment. It is almost routine for obscure start-ups with little or no revenue to be acquired for hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars in stock by industry giants unable to keep up with all the changes in communications technology.
Just last week, for instance, Lucent Technologies agreed to pay $4.5 billion in stock for Chromatis Networks, which is developing technology to enhance the capacity and capabilities of fiber optic networks within cities.
On the surface, many of these deals look good for everyone, and they often are. The buyers can move into new areas. The entrepreneurs become rich, as do the venture capitalists who buy into the target company. But not every deal can be a success, and as the pace of acquisitions grows, so may the number of bad deals -- like the examples below, all of which offer lessons on the risks of the get-bigger-by-buying strategy.
CIENA-OMNIA, $429 MILLION, MARCH '99
Ciena is a leader in optical communications equipment. But when Ciena agreed to buy Omnia Communications last spring, it was trying to move into a new market: data networking. Omnia was developing products using a technology called asynchronous transfer mode, which uses optical networks but is not itself an optical system.
So far, Omnia has generated essentially zero revenue for Ciena, and few analysts foresee any such revenue any time soon.
Ciena says that customers simply do not want to buy Omnia's sort of product. That means either that Ciena badly misgauged the market or that its sales force, tailored to optical gear, has not figured out how to sell Omnia's technology. (Ciena's acquisition last spring of Lightera, an optical systems company, has gone much better.)
''We don't expect significant revenue this year from that product, so that's a disappointment to us,'' said Denny Bilter, a Ciena spokesman.
Lesson: Be careful when expanding beyond your core market and make sure your sales force can distribute the new product.
SIEMENS-ARGON, $240 MILLION, MARCH '99
When Siemens of Germany decided to become serious about data networking last year, it bought three United States start-ups -- Redstone Communications, Castle Networks and Argon Networks -- and put them into a new division called Unisphere. Redstone, which makes gear that pools data traffic at the edge of big networks, has been a big success. Castle, which wants to develop the next-generation of voice telephone switches, seems to be making headway. And then there is Argon.
When Siemens agreed to acquire it, Argon wanted to make an ultrahigh-capacity switch for the core of big networks using both asynchronous transfer mode and Internet protocol formats. That was pretty much the last anyone heard about Argon.
One problem was that Argon's technology did not mesh smoothly with Redstone's. Unisphere is trying to work out the kinks.
Siemens might be faulted for not recognizing this problem before spending hundreds of millions of its shareholders' dollars on Argon. But at the time, other European communications giants like Alcatel and Ericsson were rushing into the data communications market, and Siemens apparently did not want to be left behind. Unisphere executives declined to comment.
Lesson: Even if the competition is making noise, take the time to do technical due-diligence research. Moving recklessly can cost a lot of time and money later.
TELLABS-NETCORE, $575 MILLION, JUNE '99


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Tiki Farm, the world's largest manufacturer of Tiki mugs, has signed a deal with surf artist Drew Brophy to produce Mongo, Rongo and Banzai, a Tiki and surf inspired bath set.
Brophy first collaborated with Tiki Farm in 2002 and since then has sculpted four previous Tiki mug designs, with sales of over 20,000 units to date.
The bath set is due to hit US retailers this month.
"There is no doubt that Drew's work is some of our most coveted, especially so with his legion of fans within the surf industry," said Holden Westland, CEO of Tiki Farm. "His style is instantly recognisable and singularly unique."


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The latest news and insight on the current state of U.S. Ports, including infrastructure investment, new services, labor issues, and global trade volumes.
Posted 03/14 · 02:17 PM · LM Editorial
Import shipment volume for February, measured in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) decreased 9.94 percent from January and increased 9.03 percent over February 2010, reported Zepol Corporation, a trade intelligence company.
Posted 03/11 · 01:16 PM · LM Editorial
U.S. West Coast seaports and airports remain on high alert today, following the devastating earthquake that struck Japan on Friday
Posted 03/07 · 11:04 AM · LM Editorial
Now that the first half 2011 prediction has been raised, the report is calling for 7.5 million TEU during that period, which would be a 9 percent gain over the first half of 2010. In 2010, the report said there was a total of 14.7 million TEU moved—a 16 percent gain over 2009, which was largely achieved due to 2009’s 12.7 million TEU serving as the lowest annual tally since 2003.
Posted 03/04 · 06:38 AM · LM Editorial
Stakeholders representing importers, exporters, motor carriers, ports, and marine terminal operators (MTOs) reconvened at an industry working group meeting, co-chaired by PierPASS and Ability-TriModal, to continue discussions on potential solutions to limit congestion outside the marine terminal gates at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Posted 02/25 · 01:17 PM · LM Editorial
The American Association of Port Authorities has expressed “deep concerns” over the proposed funding cut for the Department of Homeland Security’s Port Security grant program that was included in the Continuing Resolution (CR) bill that recently passed the House of Representatives
Posted 02/24 · 05:35 PM · LM Editorial
The Agriculture Transportation Coalition is asking its members to share information on ocean carrier practice regarding Entry Summary Declaration
Posted 02/24 · 09:33 AM · LM Editorial
Just how closely hemispheric seaports are working together will be explored at an upcoming conference examining the North American Free Trade Agreement
Posted 02/24 · 12:00 AM · LM Editorial
The Panama Canal expansion - expected to be complete by 2014 - has seaports throughout the hemisphere readying for a new competitive landscape. For most, that means offering value-added services designed to move inbound goods faster than ever before. Here’s where the preparations currently stand.
Posted 02/23 · 08:05 AM · LM Editorial
In a move signaling confidence in renewed demand for capacity, Maersk Line has signed a contract with Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. to build 10 of the world’s largest vessels in the global container flreet
Posted 02/22 · 02:04 PM · LM Editorial
UPS announced it has expanded its UPS Preferred LCL (less-than-container-load) Ocean Freight service to ten additional Asia-based ports, which it said provides shippers with up to 40 percent faster door-to-port United States-bound delivery for LCL shipments.


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Shares of electric car maker Tesla (TSLA 12.06%) are up sharply on Monday. The stock rose as much as 6% and is up 4.6% as of 11 a.m. EDT.
The growth stock is likely up due to both a bullish day for the overall market and a recent note from investment management company ARK Invest on Tesla stock.
After market close on Friday, Cathie Wood's ARK Investment Management, which has an ETF with a large stake in Tesla, published an optimistic research note on the automaker's stock. The investment management company said it believed Tesla shares could reach $3,000 by 2025. In ARK's most bullish scenario, it said it believes the stock has a 25% chance of hitting $4,000. Their bear scenario calls for a 25% possibility of shares only rising to $1,500.
This optimistic view for the stock is supported by a forecast for vehicle deliveries to go from 500,000 in 2020 to between five million and 10 million annually in 2025.
Also likely helping Tesla stock on Monday was an upbeat day in the overall market -- especially for growth stocks like Tesla. As of 11 a.m. EDT, the Nasdaq Composite was up 1.1% and many growth stocks were up even more.
Though Tesla is growing fast, with vehicle deliveries this year expected to grow more than 50% over 2020 levels, projections for longer-term growth like this should still be viewed with a grain of salt. Predicting anything several years out into the future is difficult -- particularly when those forecasts involve extremely high growth rates. Tesla could run into a number of significant challenges between now and 2025, including manufacturing bottlenecks, supply shortages, and competition being more formidable than expected.
On the other hand, Tesla has baffled experts for years, exceeding the expectations of many investors and critics. ARK's rosy outlook may be more likely than it seems on the surface.


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Music Industry Analysis
On a daily basis, Music Biz collects studies and data on business and consumer trends effecting the music industry. We compile this music industry analysis from a plethora of media outlets and data providers and filter out the noise to deliver directly to you the actionable insights your business needs to succeed.
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March 14, 2019 – Why Vinyl Records Survive in the Digital Age
Ask a record-collecting audiophile why vinyl is back and you may hear a common refrain: “Of course vinyl’s back! It’s a more accurate reproduction of the original! It just sounds better than digital!” Records, in all their fragility and physicality, pay proper respect to the music, proper respect to the past. They must be handled carefully, for the past deserves our preservation. They are easily scratched, and their quality is diminished as a result of those scratches.... Read More
March 13, 2019 – Study Shows That Music Proves Increasingly Crucial in Marketing
A new study from audio branding specialist PHMG shows that younger Australians place more value on music as a key element of marketing than older generations. According to the findings, 75% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 62% of respondents under 45 say music helps them feel more connected to a brand, compared to just 41% of those 55 and over. “As the expectations of audiences shift, it’s important that organizations don’t get left behind,” said Daniel Lafferty,... Read More
February 28, 2019 – Rise in Smartphone Penetration Gives Fresh Lease of Life to Music Industry in India
Increasing smartphone and mobile internet penetration has given a fresh lease of life to the recorded music industry. A report on the audio OTT industry in India by Deloitte, called Audio OTT Economy in India, throws light on the trend of music streaming in the country, and where the Indian recorded music industry stands compared to its global peers. India has an estimated 150 million monthly active users using audio OTT platforms to stream music, and Indian consumers spend 21.5 hours a week listening to music compared to the global average of 17.8 hours a week.... Read More
February 26, 2019 – Holiday Shopping on Smartphones Led to Strong Ecommerce Growth
The 2018 retail holiday season was exceptionally strong, with the highest growth rates for brick-and-mortar and ecommerce sales since 2011. Online spending performed noticeably better than the industry’s already optimistic expectations. Gains in ecommerce this season were fueled largely by the increase in mobile shopping and buying, particularly on smartphones. Mobile accounted for 60% of online shopping traffic and 40% of sales, with smartphones accounting for 51% and 31%, respectively, according to Adobe. Compared with last year,... Read More
February 25, 2019 – Why We’re Entering the Golden Age of Podcasts
Since Apple included the Apple Podcasts app on every iPhone back in 2014, Edison Research’s Share of Ear report has shown slow but steady growth. But 2018 looks like it was an exceptional year. CBS News conducted a survey of US listeners in January 2019 showing an increase of people listening to podcasts daily or a few times a week from 15% to 23%. That represents 20 million more frequent podcast listeners in the US alone — a 50% relative jump over the previous year.... Read More
February 21, 2019 – The Live Music Building Boom In New and Renewed Venues
With the renovation of historic halls in markets large and small, and new arenas under discussion or construction everywhere from the New York suburbs to San Francisco, a building boom is reshaping the live-music landscape. The total investment is difficult to estimate, but individual projects in North America tracked by Billboard, like The Met Philadelphia, have cost millions — and, collectively, billions. What’s driving and guiding all this spending? Executives from four of the live-music industry’s top firms involved with venue operation and development — AEG Worldwide,... Read More
February 20, 2019 – Smart Speaker Sales Estimated to Exceed 64 Million in 2022
Parks Associates research estimates US households will buy more than 64 million smart speakers with voice assistants in 2022, part of the smart home trend driving widespread adoption of voice control. Strategies for Integrating Voice in the Smart Home finds adoption of these devices increased by 800% from 2016 to 2018, reaching nearly one-third of U.S. broadband households by the end of 2018. Use of voice in conjunction with smart home devices is increasing. With voice popularity and use cases expanding,... Read More
February 19, 2019 – Video Gamers and the Music Business: Time to Level Up
To the tune of 10 million concurrent viewers, American producer/DJ Marshmello played a live DJ set on February 2 to Fortnite players in Pleasant Park, a virtual location in the massive multiplayer game that took 2018 by storm. Gamers tuned in, showed up with their customized avatars, and danced on the virtual floor and on the DJ stage with Marshmello. Accumulating more than $3 billion in revenue last year alone, Epic Games’ latest venture into live music seemed natural,... Read More
February 15, 2019 – Streaming Hits Feature Shorter Intros, Fewer Choruses, Shorter Lengths
At the GRAMMYs this Sunday, the top-nominated artists also happen to be the most-streamed artists in the world. Drake, Post Malone and Kendrick Lamar have cracked the formula for a streaming-platform hit, in an era when streaming is quickly becoming the most important measure of an artist’s popularity. Researchers and people in the music industry say that the importance of having a song do well on Spotify or Apple Music is changing the way songs are written. ... Read More
February 14, 2019 – How Do Gen Z Kids Discover New Music?
Discovering music used to be simple, like picking up apples from the grocery store. You’d head to HMV or Tower Records or whatever big conglomerate stood tall upon your town and then grab the newest record from the chart section. Or perhaps you’d dive deeper, scouring the alternative racks or bookish vinyl shops in search of a suggestion from a sibling. Maybe, once in a while, you’d opt for something rogue because the cover art looked good.... Read More


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Digital TV News: Jean-Luc Jezouin
Taiwan's TBC launches digitized platform powered by NAGRA OpenTV 5
Nov 11, 2016 – NAGRA (SIX:KUD.S) has announced that Taiwan Broadband Communications (TBC), one of the leading multi-system cable operators in Taiwan, has rolled out a newly digitized platform powered by OpenTV 5.
News categories: NAGRA, Taiwan Broadband Communications, Jean-Luc Jezouin, Jimmy Chen, Cable TV, Digital TV, Middleware, Set Top Box, Taiwan
NAGRA adds anyCAST CONNECT to 4K Ultra HD partnership with KT Skylife
Sep 6, 2016 – NAGRA (SIX:KUD.S) has announced that it has extended its content protection partnership with Korean satellite broadcaster KT Skylife to include NAGRA’s anyCAST CONNECT solution.
News categories: NAGRA, KT Skylife, Jean-Luc Jezouin, Han Lee, Content Protection, Digital TV, IBC2019, Korea, Satellite
StarHub adopts NAGRA's Netflix solution for STBs
Apr 26, 2016 – NAGRA (SIX:KUD.S) has announced that it has successfully partnered with StarHub, Singapore’s leading pay TV operator, to launch the Netflix subscription-on-demand (SVOD) service on its Fibre TV platform.
News categories: NAGRA, StarHub, Jean-Luc Jezouin, Wang Li-Na, Cable TV, Digital TV, Middleware, OTT, Set Top Box, Singapore
NAGRA enables launch of VSMPL digital cable in Southern India
Jan 12, 2016 – NAGRA (SIX:KUD.S) has announced that it is enabling the launch of a new digital cable and high-speed broadband offering for Venkata Sai Media Private Limited (VSMPL), the largest cable TV service provider in the south of India.
News categories: NAGRA, VSMPL, Cable TV, Content Protection, Digital TV, India, Middleware
NAGRA powers Hinduja Group NXT Digital 'HITS' platform
Oct 1, 2015 – NAGRA (SIX:KUD.S) has announced that its anyCAST content protection and OpenTV middleware are enabling the Hinduja Group’s NXT Digital 'HITS' platform which will provide backend operations to local and multi-system cable operators in India.
News categories: NAGRA, Hinduja Ventures, Jean-Luc Jezouin, Tony D’Silva, Cable TV, Content Distribution, Content Protection, Digital TV, India, Middleware, Satellite
NAGRA end-to-end solution selected by VTVCab of Vietnam
Sep 10, 2015 – NAGRA (SIX:KUD.S) has announced that it has been selected by Vietnam largest cable operator, VTVcab, to provide VTVcab with its anyCAST content protection, OpenTV 5 HTML5 connectware, Gravity user interface and MediaLive multiscreen solutions.
News categories: NAGRA, VTVcab, Jean-Luc Jezouin, Nam Bui, Cable TV, Content Protection, Digital TV, Middleware, Vietnam
NAGRA protects KT Skylife's 4K Ultra HD service in Korea
Sep 9, 2015 – NAGRA (SIX:KUD.S) has announced that it is providing 4K Ultra HD content protection to KT Skylife. The NAGRA anyCAST Security Services Platform combined with NAGRA’s hardware security certification, secures the operator’s 4K Ultra HD satellite offer.
News categories: NAGRA, Skylife, Jean-Luc Jezouin, Han Lee, Content Protection, Korea, Satellite
NAGRA enables multiscreen, on-demand for Indonesia's Link Net
May 5, 2015 – NAGRA (SIX:KUD.S) and PT Link Net Tbk, Indonesia’s largest cable and broadband operator, have announced the launch of a TV Everywhere offering for the operator’s new First Media platform.
News categories: NAGRA, Link Net, Jean-Luc Jezouin, Richard Kartawijaya, Cable TV, Digital TV, DRM, Indonesia, Media Player, TV Everywhere
Nagra enables StarHub to deliver IPTV offering to all-IP fibre network
Apr 22, 2015 – NAGRA (SIX:KUD.S) has announced that StarHub’s recently launched IPTV service on Singapore’s Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network uses NAGRA’s MediaLive multiscreen, OpenTV 5 connectware and anyCAST CONNECT content protection solutions.
News categories: NAGRA, StarHub, Content Protection, Digital TV, Fibre, IPTV, Middleware, Set Top Box, Singapore
- Allegro DVT unveils VVC compliance test bitstreams
- Synamedia partners with USSI Global for the U.S. market
- Disney+ brings forward EMEA launch date
- BARB begins reporting reach and time spent viewing across screens
- Synamedia partners with World Wide Technology
- Realtek, Jiuzhou join NAGRA Android TV Reference Program for Pay TV operators
- ENENSYS DVB-SIS solution ready for deployment
- Syncbak to debut simplified OTT syndication and monetization tools at NATPE 2020
- No growth expected for MENA pay TV revenues
- Indian communication satellite GSAT-30 launched successfully
- NBCUniversal unveils Peacock freemium streaming service
- Comscore TV viewing data used to predict advertising audience decline
- Majority of U.S. advertisers using Advanced TV solutions
- US broadband households interested in innovative offerings accessed via TV
- U.S. advertising and marketing spend to grow to $390 billion in 2020
- Bannister Lake integrates MPEG-DASH into data aggregation workflow
- NextGen TV offers clear upside potential according to BIA
- ANA and Innovid release Connected TV insights report
- Insight TV taps Amagi for OTT channel distribution
- Cincinnati Bell, Hawaiian Telcom partner with YouTube TV


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News Corp and Microsoft are just some of the companies to have stumped up serious cash for stakes in social networking businesses such as MySpace and Facebook, but the investments may yet prove to be duds. Internet media analyst eMarketer has scaled back its estimates of how much money advertisers in the US will spend placing ads on social networking sites this year from $US1.6 billion ($1.7 billion) to $US1.4 billion. The downgrade came a week after News Corp's online division, which houses MySpace, missed its 2008 revenue target by 10 per cent and cements the perception that social networking services are struggling to find the right advertising model.
"Social network sites are still trying to figure out what sort of advertising works," said eMarketer senior analyst Debra Aho Williamson.
"Tapping into consumers' conversations and spreading brand awareness virally has proved more challenging than companies originally thought."
Members of social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and Bebo are growing increasingly resistant to advertising on their pages, which they typically see as a community forum rather than a marketing space.
But the sites' operators remain determined to find a way to make money from the more than 230 million people who log onto social networking pages every month.
This year eMarketer expects MySpace to generate $755 million in revenue in the US, down from a previous forecast of $850 million.
Facebook is tipped to bring in $265 million, down from $305 million at last estimate.
On a positive note, eMarketer predicted that ad spending on social networking sites would still increase 55 per cent in 2008, but that is far slower than the 163 per cent growth recorded last year.
eMarketer said that advertising on social networking pages would be worth $2.6 billion in 2012.
© Fairfax Business Media
Join the CIO New Zealand group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.


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Now experts say her classic but ethereal English beauty could make actress Emma Watson as in demand to model for leading fashion houses as Keira Knightley.
Watson's first fashion campaign, for Burberry, sent its sales soaring by 12 per cent in the final three months of last year to £380 million, smashing forecasts. Trench coats and handbags flew off the shelves after Watson was pictured with them. Burberry has signed her for a second season this spring/summer. The contract finishes in July.
Karl McKeever, brand director at Visual Consultancy, said: "I expect her to be extremely in demand. She could be the next Keira Knightley, who landed one of the Chanel contracts."
Neil Saunders, consulting director at retail analysts Verdict, said: "Emma is girl-next-door with a twist." But he warned: "She has to be careful. You need to be a very powerful celebrity to model for several simultaneously, or the impact can wane."Reuse content


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The Shanghai Daily has written an extensive article on the parks in Shanghai.
“WESTERN park design harks back to concepts of paradise and unspoiled nature. Not so in China, a traditional “landscape society” that prefers to remodel Mother Nature, writes Nancy Zhang……”
SOURCE: Chinese park – A place where man improves on nature — Shanghai Daily
It’s been a long time coming – but the city council has finally written out its vision for the heart of Leeds.
SOURCE: Yorkshire Evening Post – Leeds city centre 2020 masterplan revealed – .
A Chinese businessman is convinced that Malaysia is his springboard into the vast market of the Middle East.
KNOWN as Jerry Ma by his Muslim friends and associates, Li Haihua is convinced that Malaysia is a firm springboard to venture into new investments in the country and also to expand his business to the Middle East.
read more @ the SOURCE: thestar.com.my – Designs on Muslim market.
“World Urban Forum 4 will be held in Nanjing, China on 03 – 06 November 2008
The World Urban Forum was established by the United Nations to examine one of the most pressing issues facing the world today: rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies and policies. It is projected that in the next fifty years, two-thirds of humanity will be living in towns and cities. A major challenge is to minimize burgeoning poverty in cities, improve the urban poor’s access to basic facilities such as shelter, clean water and sanitation and achieve environment-friendly, sustainable urban growth and development.”
SOURCE: UN-HABITAT.:. World Urban Forum | Theme: Harmonious Urbanization: The Challenge of Balanced Territorial Development.
Azure Magazine has published an interview by Paige Magarrey with Paul Kephart of Rena Creek about his work with architects Renzo Piano and William McDonough in creating living buildings.
read more @ the SOURCE: AZURE MAGAZINE
Westfield London – a new 1.7 billion pound shopping centre has opened to mixed reviews. Many think that the architecture may be understated and could be more grand and uplifting and that it feels like a place just for retailers to push their wares.
In recent years more and more shopping malls are becoming the ‘town squares’ of suburbs and cities with more and more emphasis placed on the secondary uses of shopping malls such as dining out, concerts, people watching and general passive recreation rather than consumption. Although these secondary activities are not welcome by some shopping centre managements.
What do you think of the new Westfield London merely a place to shop or does it add more to the community and area?
Five outstanding developments were announced today at ULI’s 2008 fall meeting as the winners of ULI’s Global Awards for Excellence competition, widely recognized as the land use industry’s most prestigious recognition program.
read more @ the SOURCE: The Ground Floor: Best of the Best: ULI’s Global Awards for Excellence Winners.


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Big Tech News: EU lawmaker backs ‘country of origin’ principle to regulate Big Tech
The country of origin principle is set out in EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager’s draft rules known as the Digital Services Act which requires US tech giants to do more to police the internet for illegal and harmful content.
France and a few other countries of the EU are seeking to broaden the scope, worried that enforcement concentrated in just two countries may weaken the rules and also slow down decision-making.
Lawmaker Christel Schaldemose, who is steering the DSA through the European Parliament and has power to amend or add other provisions to it, supports the act’s core proposal.
“It makes sense to keep the country of origin principle,” she told Reuters in an interview.
ALSO READ TECH NEWSLETTER OF THE DAY
A day after a faulty configuration change knocked Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram offline for almost six hours, a former employee turned whistleblower testified before a US senate committee, accusing the company of making “destructive choices”.
Schaldemose however wants to go one step further than Vestager by including a ban on some targeted advertising in the DSA.
“Targeted advertisements that are based on your behaviour on Facebook, for instance, should not be allowed. Advertisements based on the fact that you have visited websites for buying shoes and things like that, classic commercial advertisements should probably be allowed,” she said.
Schaldemoe said she hopes to finalise her draft with other lawmakers in the next two months so she can thrash out a deal with EU countries next year before the proposed rules can be implemented.