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Thermoformer passes green business audit—againThermoformer passes green business audit—again
April 13, 2016
Merrill’s Packaging, a designer and thermoformer of medical packaging, has passed another California State Green Business/San Mateo County Green Business audit, certifying the company for another three years. The company continues to find new ways to reduce water and power consumption as well as recycle, reuse, and repurpose materials. Leslie Lopez, vice president of finance, reports that the company has been certified since 2009 in the county.
For instance, “we’ve doubled in size over the previous six-year period, and yet we’ve reduced our garbage,” she says. “We are a 65,000-sq-ft operation, and we only have one garbage bin that’s emptied once per week.”
The company is also audited for its water and power usage. “Over the last four-year period, business has increased by 20%, yet our power use stays the same.”
Merrill’s has installed a battery pack system (which Lopez says looks like a row of lockers) that is charged over night and sits in reserve. To reduce Merrill’s impact on the community’s power grid during peak use periods (typically 2 to 6 pm), the facility "pulls power from the battery pack system, which reduces the amount of energy used,” Lopez explains. The system is then “refilled in the middle of the night,” when power use in the community is lower.
Employees are also made aware of their power usage thanks to a screen inside the plant that displays how much is being used in real time, which could encourage employees to avoid running equipment idly.
Packaging is also looked to for savings. “We work with customers to recycle the packaging we use to ship trays to them,” says Lopez. “We use Gaylord-style boxes—which feature plastic tops and bottoms and corrugated walls with a plastic additive—up to 300 times.”
Other efforts include reducing the use of plastic water bottles as much as possible, such as using reusable plastic water glasses and pitchers for customer visits; using copy paper with at least 50% recycled content; composting used paper towels; reimbursing employees for public transit; providing charging stations for electric cars and areas to park bikes; and recycling practically “everything,” says Lopez. “If we don’t use it here [in a closed-loop process], we send it to our plastic recycler separately from the garbage and mixed plastic.”
Lopez, who’s been with Merrill’s for 25 years, says that when she first decided to seek the certification for her company years ago, “we were already doing a lot and being responsible, so I just took charge.”
But she admits “it wasn’t easy to pass the audit. I wasn’t composting, so they got on me for it. But since we serve the medical industry, we don’t want pests, so we don’t compost food. So we’ve started to compost yard waste and paper towel waste."
"Because we are a medical [packaging] facility, we want people to understand there’s no way there will be any contamination of their trays,” adds Andy D’Esposito of Merrill's. “We follow Good Manufacturing Practices, so that’s not an issue."
For more details, visit merrills.com.
Be sure to visit Medical Design & Manufacturing East in New York City June 14-16 to find the latest innovations in medical device packaging.
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automotive sector in Venezuela takes several years in the doldrums. The situation that the country lives, with the rockfill in the power of Nicolas Maduro, is unbearable. The economy of one of the richest countries in the world (in raw materials) is sunk, and its recovery does not seem visible in the short term. Especially when are choking the multinationals with higher taxes, impossibility of access to foreign currency and in the end, they expropriate their productive facilities.
General Motors is the company aggrieved by the government of Venezuela on this occasion. Apparently, a dealer in the capital, Caracas, reported 17 years ago because the american group withdrew the license of the licensee by an “inefficient performance”. This judicial process has been open more than a decade and it seems that has been resolved in favor of the complainant as General Motors has seen how it lost its factory in Valencia.
The conglomerate american began its industrial activity in Venezuela in the year 1948 and during these years his activity has been stable. The situation now General Motors is similar to that of other foreign companies have lived. On the basis of the court decision, which points to the american multinational as the culprit, the venezuelan government has expropriated his factory. In addition, this has not been the only facility that has fallen into the hands of the government, because also it would have been with a dealership for Chevrolet located in the city of Maracaibo.
The plant of Valencia (located about 150 kilometers from Caracas) has a production capacity of 45 thousand units per year, which employs some 2,700 workers. After its closure by the government of the country they have lost their jobs and have been left in the street. In addition, not only affects the workers, but the 79 dealers of General Motors in the country will have to close its doors in a short period of time.
In view of the situation, and the 95 million dollars that is requested to General Motors in respect of legal costs, the multinational has decided to leave the country. Cancel its operations has been most easy, because the situation in the country is very delicate, and at any moment this situation could occur. The only activity that will keep by General Motors in the country is the post-sales service and the sale of spare parts and parts for their vehicles.
Source – General Motors

domain: news


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Engineers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) have created a space blanket that mimics the adaptive skin of some sea creatures. Unlike similar materials already available on the market, the temperature of the new blanket can be adjusted.
Study co-author Alon Gorodetsky is an associate professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at UCI.
“Ultra-lightweight space blankets have been around for decades – you see marathon runners wrapping themselves in them to prevent the loss of body heat after a race – but the key drawback is that the material is static,” said Professor Gorodetsky. “We’ve made a version with changeable properties so you can regulate how much heat is trapped or released.”
The design was inspired by the dynamic skin of cephalopods, such as squids and octopuses. Species in this class have unique skin cells called chromatophores that can instantly switch from minute points to flattened disks, allowing the animals to rapidly change colors.
“We use a similar concept in our work, where we have a layer of these tiny metal ‘islands’ that border each other,” explained study lead author and UCI graduate student Erica Leung. “In the relaxed state, the islands are bunched together and the material reflects and traps heat, like a traditional Mylar space blanket. When the material is stretched, the islands spread apart, allowing infrared radiation to go through and heat to escape.”
According to Leung, the new fabric is lightweight, easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and is durable enough to be stretched and returned to its original state thousands of times.
Professor Gorodetsky said that he has many applications in mind, including tents that would be exceptionally comfortable in outdoor environments and material that could protect valuable electronic components by effectively managing the temperature.
Clothing would be a particularly good application for the bio-inspired material, added Professor Gorodetsky, who collaborates on research projects with athletic apparel manufacturer Under Armour Inc.
“The temperature at which people are comfortable in an office is slightly different for everyone. Where one person might be fine at 70 degrees, the person at the next desk over might prefer 75 degrees. Our invention could lead to clothing that adjusts to suit the comfort of each person indoors. This could result in potential savings of 30 to 40 percent on heating and air conditioning energy use.”
The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.


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MUMBAI: Star India’s OTT platform-- Hotstar has recently appointed Sudhir Mantena as vice president growth. Prior to joining Hotstar, he worked with Cleartrip.com as director product management and served the company for almost four years.
Mantena commenced his career in 2001 at Intel as an engineer. After his five-months stint at the company he joined Bloomberg in 2002 as software engineer, product manager. Spending almost four years with the company, he was the founder at NIDM. He then became the co-founder and product head at MetroMela.
In 2010, he then joined Bizgain as co-founder and product head. His next move was in 2014 at The Founder Institute as mentor. After gaining seven months of experience, Mantena joined Startup Weekend as business coach.


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Silicon Valley News
Mumbai-based ZingHR invests in Silicon Valley startup LokiBots
Mon, Mar 20, 2023
LokiBots, a cloud native, intelligent automation startup with its extended product & sales teams in India, Prague & Singapore, empowers non-technical users to create software bots and automate repetitive computer tasks.
Finance Minister says India has 100 unicorn startups with a value at USD 250 billion
Sun, Sep 11, 2022
"In the last two (Jai Vigyan and Jai Anusandhan) your contribution will get recognised and that is what going to take India technology savvy and advanced country in 2047 at 100 years of Independence," she said.
Boost for startups in India: VC firm Accel Partners raises $550 million for new fund
Tue, Dec 03, 2019
Increased internet access and a growing middle class have led to a boom in startups in India. Japan`s Softbank Group Corp has said it expects to invest up to $4 billion in the country over the next two years.
Fintech startup Plaid valued at $2.65 billion in latest funding round: Source
Wed, Dec 12, 2018
Fintech startup Plaid has raised $250 million in its latest funding round led by one of Silicon Valley`s top investors, Mary Meeker, which according to a source familiar with the matter values the company at $2.65 billion.
Start-up shutdowns: Besides funding, there are other reasons to blame
Mon, Oct 29, 2018
Recently, drone operating system start-up Airware shut shop. Airware is not just any other name in the global start-up market. It's a venture that had only a while ago raised $118 million from a bunch of high-profile investors including Google.
Gujarat University’s four incubator to visit Silicon Valley; will pitch startup ideas in Google, Facebook and more
Sun, Apr 29, 2018
Four incubators from Gujarat University will visit Silicon Valley for three weeks, where these fellows will get an opportunity to pitch their startup ideas to major firms like Google, Facebook, Tesla and Paypal.
How China can help India take a giant leap in Artificial Intelligence
Mon, Apr 02, 2018
Measured by start-up financing deals and dollars from venture capitalists, the United States` AI start-up ecosystem currently dominates -- followed by China, says a recent Accenture analysis titled "Rewire for Growth". When it comes to India, the number of AI start-ups has increased since 2011 at a compounded annual growth rate of 86 per cent .
Twitter, Facebook asked to disclose more information on fake news
Fri, Jan 12, 2018
Major social media giants in the Silicon Valley have been under fire due to the widespread abuse of their services, including incidents of spread of false news stories regarding the US presidential election and live streaming of the violent acts on the services.
Nissan, NASA extend research into autonomous vehicles
Fri, Jan 12, 2018
The research collaboration with NASA roadmap consists of three workstreams of inter-related innovations in autonomous drive (Intelligent Drive), electrification (Intelligent Power) and infrastructure technologies (Intelligent Integration).
Fashion retailer Myntra to expand its presence in Silicon valley
Thu, Jan 04, 2018
Myntra is planning to add more than quarter of its overall revenue from its portfolio of private brands that it has added in its brand accelerator programme.
Samsung to chase big M&A deals on three fronts, says strategy chief
Sat, Dec 02, 2017
Young Sohn, the South Korean company`s Silicon Valley-based president and chief strategy officer, said he was keen for world’s top maker of memory chips, smartphones and televisions to expand in automotive markets, digital health and industrial automation.
Netflix shares jump as subscriptions top 100 million
Wed, Jul 19, 2017
Netflix shares leapt more than 10 percent to $178.75 in after-market trades that followed release of earnings figures showing the Silicon Valley-based company added 5.2 million subscribers in the recently ended quarter to raise the total to 103.95 million for its streaming service.
Tesla edges out GM to become most valuable US carmaker
Tue, Apr 11, 2017
For the first time in the era of the modern automobile, the most valuable US carmaker is not based in Detroit.
Aditya Puri features in world's 30 best CEOs list by Barron's
Sun, Mar 26, 2017
In hallmark style, the banker swiftly set out to remake India's second-largest private-sector bank into the digital spot for anything money-related, it said.
Tech start-ups in Silicon Valley see a decline in hiring
Mon, Feb 20, 2017
Growth in the tech start-up jobs in areas such as Bay Area in California has declined to 3.5% in 2016 from 6% in 2015 and 6.4% in 2014.
Ford to invest $1 billion in artificial intelligence startup
Sat, Feb 11, 2017
Ford will invest $1 billion over five years in an artificial intelligence startup with the aim of developing an autonomous vehicle by 2021, the auto giant said.
Indians in the US too bear brunt of Donald Trump's immigration ban
Sat, Jan 28, 2017
Banning Muslims from seven countries even if they held a 'green card' to enter the United States of America, US President Donald Trump has put in jeopardy many Indians who live and work in North America -- many of them on H1-B visas.
Hugo Barra resigns as VP Global operations of Xiaomi
Mon, Jan 23, 2017
Hugo Barra said that he will be returning to Silicon Valley after 3.5 years of working with Xiaomi in China.
Twitter shares tumble after Google rules out bid
Thu, Oct 06, 2016
Twitter shares dove in after-hours trades on the heels of a report that Google does not plan to bid for the culture-changing but unprofitable one-to-many messaging service.
Hyperloop pushes dream of low-cost futuristic transport
Fri, Sep 23, 2016
"We are not the train, we are not the car, we are not the plane," says Bibop Gresta, chairman of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, one of several companies racing to build a prototype.


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— WWE Community (@WWECommunity) February 24, 2015
– WWE’s website has posted a look at The Brian Kendrick as he will be appearing on this week’s NXT.
– New merchandise on WWE’s Shop website includes t-shirts for Sting and Triple H, a commemorative urn for The Undertaker’s Streak, a life-size Lana standee and more.
– David Otunga tweeted the following about his upcoming appearance on The Steve Harvey Show where he will be helping a man change his life:
— David Otunga (@DavidOtunga) February 24, 2015


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Keith Goodlip has been promoted to Head of Technical Compliance at Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) where he has been working for almost three years.
He has been involved in the field of technology since 2006 when he joined Waldonet as Systems Engineer.
He joined the iGaming sector in 2012 as NOC Systems Administrator and Team Leader at OffsideGaming. Since then he has held various roles within the industry. Mr Goodlip joined GiG in 2020 as Technical Compliance Specialist.
Prior to this role he was Head of Technical Compliance at River iGaming, where he spent just over a year.
Headquartered in St. Julian’s, the iGaming company was founded in 2012 and specialises in performance marketing and sports betting services among other areas.
He was speaking as the retail chain marks 15 years since it opened its first outlet in Żebbug, back in ...
An actively managed strategy will focus attention on market behavior for a high yielding investment product.
MaltaCEOs.mt takes a look at the options available to travellers, as well as key business destinations, in the wake of ...
Valletta Cruise Port CEO Stephen Xuereb celebrated the recently finalised restoration of the historic Forni Stores.


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Bud Light is rolling out cans in the colors of the nation's big colleges just in time for football season—and that has some schools fuming, the Wall Street Journal reports. Colleges worried about binge drinking think they'll be seen as sponsors of the “Fan Cans” campaign, which boasts 27 different color schemes and begins this month. “Show your true colors with Bud Light,” says the campaign, adding that the cans are "made for gameday."
Anheuser-Busch, the maker of Bud Light, insists it’s not aiming the cans at under-age drinkers and has agreed to stop selling them near schools that formally complain. About 25 have done so. Some students are attacking the plan, too: Louisiana students, writing in their school newspaper, call it a “slick profiting scheme.” Bud Light is the nation's top-selling beer, but it's trying to reverse a recent sales slump.


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While Kirby: Planet Robobot has been out for almost two weeks at this point, that doesn’t mean everybody’s picked it up quite yet. Thus, Nintendo has released a new video on their kid-oriented Play Nintendo YouTube channel detailing some of the game’s plot and game mechanics.
The trailer shows a kooky Einstein-parody scientist named Dr. Landerson and his son/assistant Ziegfried (who amusingly has the same get-up) as they put on German accents and talk about Kirby. While the skit is full of ham and cheese, there is a bit of charm reminiscent of old Bill Nye skits, and there were a few jokes that elicited a chuckle or two. Either way, it seems very in line with Kirby’s family-friendly nature.
Kirby: Planet Robobot is out now for 3DS.Leave a Comment


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Forrester recently published the “State Of Retailing Online 2011: Marketing, Social, and Mobile” report in conjunction with our friends at Shop.org. It is available on Shop.org (with a subscription) now.
Some highlights include:
Understanding which marketing tactics are still leading to growth.
Examining the investment in social and the returns retailers are seeing.
Analyzing mobile and tablet adoption and strategy.
Earlier this week, I was in “tech geek” heaven because I had the opportunity to participate in IIR’s Technology Driven Market Research Event (TDMR) in Chicago. The purpose of the conference was to showcase how technology has generated new ways for market insights professionals to connect with and understand consumers. Over the course of the two days, the bulk of the presentations focused on two methodologies: social media market research and mobile research, with a smattering of additional presentations on neuroscience and gamification.
TDMR was a great conference. It brought together a core group of 200 market insights professionals who realize that although traditional research methods have their place, as an industry, we need to start understanding and experimenting with new methodologies. In addition, it highlighted how the industry needs to stop dumping data on our clients and instead deliver key insights, make recommendations, and present actionable next steps. These points were especially evident in Merrill Dubrow's high-energy presentation, which addressed how we are seeing an increased number of outsiders questioning how we do things and why we are so slow to innovate. As he stated — with even Glenn Frey’s song blasting in the background — the “heat is on” for the market research industry to change.
Rarely a mobile conference goes by without this debate popping up: Should you build a mobile website or an application? I don’t think it really matters; in fact, I’d say it is irrelevant. This is just one of many topics where technology leads marketing by the nose— as is often the case in the mobile industry! Product strategists often forget to ask themselves the right questions: which product and services, for which audiences, at what cost, and when?
Consumer product strategists designing product experiences for mobile phones and smartphones must decide on their development priorities across the mobile Web and apps. While some believe this is a fundamental “either/or” choice, current consumer behavior suggests that consumers are using both. More than half of European (and 60% of US) consumers who download apps at least monthly also access the Internet via their mobile phones at least daily. In short, heavy app users are also heavy mobile Web users. The more frequently consumers access the Internet via their mobile phones, the more likely they are to download apps at least monthly. More than 10 billion apps have been downloaded cumulatively since the launch of the Apple App Store — the majority of them via iPhones. But this doesn’t stop iPhone owners from being the most frequent mobile Internet users: 72% of European iPhone owners (and 63% of US iPhone owners) access the mobile Internet on a daily basis.
Today’s Data Digest topic comes from a personal observation involving my family. Last weekend, my husband was working on our Mac, I was doing some online shopping on my work laptop, and one of our kids was playing games on my husband’s work laptop. And I suddenly wondered: “Is this how a typical household looks, with every household member having their own PC?” So I dived into our Technographics data and found that we are indeed not atypical for our generation: More than 80% of US households have some type of PC, and almost half have more than one. About 77% of Gen X has a desktop PC at home, and 61%, a laptop.
Whether people have one PC or two, and whether those PCs are desktops, laptops, or netbooks, PCs serve different functions for different generations in the household. While Gen Yers are more likely to use their computer for media activities like playing games or watching TV, Gen Xers and Boomers use theirs for more practical functions, such as word processing or managing personal or family finances.
Harvard Business Review (HBR) is currently running a month-long feature on its blog called Creating a Customer-Centered Organization. We’re thrilled that HBR is focusing on this topic, as it indicates that customer experience is finally rising to the attention of top business executives.
The HBR editors asked Forrester to contribute a couple of pieces to this feature based on our recent research, and we happily obliged.
My post, Focus on Your Customer’s Customer, looks at how B2B companies can be successful by taking a B2B2C approach. Here’s an excerpt: “Often, the best way for B2B companies to satisfy the multitude of business customers is to focus on the needs of their customers’ customers. That’s exactly what Portuguese airport operator ANA Aeroportos de Portugal did in its quest to attract more major airlines and connecting routes. To understand the work, first you need to understand an airport’s business model: Its real customer isn’t travelers, but the airlines that rent the gates and terminals, much like a mall owner leases space to retailers.”
That's right, I said eReaders. True, it looks like a tablet, runs like a tablet, and delivers a lot of the value that tablets deliver, but the Nook Color's 1.2 upgrade (which is actually a step up to Android 2.2; don't let the numbers confuse you too much) is really a foreshadowing of the future of eReaders, not the future of tablets.
First, the facts. With the new upgrade that will be gradually pushed out to all existing Nook Color devices for free over the next few weeks (or you can download now at www.nookcolor.com/update), the folks at B&N have added some very useful features: an integrated email client, Flash 10.1 support, a curated Android app store (see sidebar), and an improved user experience through a myriad of tweaks. These upgrades make the Nook Color look more and more like a tablet, with a very attractive $249 price point to boot.
Must the iPad now cower in fear? No, not really. Because even at this price point, the Nook Color remains a smaller, less powerful tablet than the iPad. And as we've seen, the range of competitors coming in after the iPad's territory are coming in at higher prices with more powerful features (for example, last week I dropped $529 for an LG G-Slate from T-Mobile with 3D video camera and 4G data plan). The tablet market is gradually moving into higher-power features, not lower-power experiences.
Every year in January, Forrester publishes its Customer Experience Index (CxPi), which reports how customers rate their interactions with major companies. We learn a lot from studying leaders in various industries — like USAA, which was the top credit card provider, top bank, and top insurance provider this year.
Last week, we published a follow-up report, which examined companies that raised their CxPi scores by at least five points year over year. Among others, these brands included Aetna (up six points), Citi’s credit card business (up 12 points), Charter Communications (up 20 points as an ISP and up seven points as a TV service provider), and Office Depot (up nine points). Our goal was to discover what, if anything, these firms did to earn their improvements.
And as it turned out, their big gains came as a result of major efforts.
Our research uncovered customer experience initiatives that fell into two buckets. The first bucket was business process re-engineering. Efforts here included creating or enhancing voice of the customer programs, measuring customer experience consistently across the enterprise, and changing incentive programs to reward customer-centric behavior by employees.
But perhaps the biggest impact came from upgrading the customer experience governance process at the enterprise level. For example, Aetna transformed its decentralized part-time customer experience task force into a full-time enterprise customer experience team. Cox Communications made an even more drastic change, consolidating any function with material customer interactions into one group led by a new senior vice president of customer operations.
. . . but bad reactive marketing can make the problem much worse.
[co-authored by Zachary Reiss-Davis]
As has been widely reported, in sources broad and narrow, Amazon.com’s cloud service EC2 went down for an extended period of time yesterday, bringing many of the hottest high-tech startups with it, ranging from the well known (Foursquare, Quora) to the esoteric (About.me, EveryTrail). For a partial list of smaller startups affected, see http://ec2disabled.com/.
While this is clearly a blow to both Amazon.com and to the cloud hosting market in general, it also serves as an example of how technology companies must quickly respond publicly and engage with their customers when problems arise. Amazon.com let their customers control the narrative by not participating in any social media response to the problem; their only communication was through their online dashboard with vague platitudes. Instead, they allowed angry heads of product management and CEOs who are used to communicating with their customers on blogs and Twitter to unequivocally blame Amazon.com for the problem.
Epsilon's Symposium addressed email fraud head on, since its data breach accessed email data. Quinn Jalli, Epsilon's VP of Deliverability and ISP Relations, recommends that managing email fraud is not something to leave just to your email service provider. The wakeup call from this data breach: Brands must partner with email vendors and ISPs to protect their email send addresses, email brand assets, and in educating recipients about data usage and email fraud. Specifically:
Show ISPs your legitimate emails. Historically, marketers and ISPs haven't had much of a relationship because they were working toward different goals. Marketers want to get their emails into user inboxes, while ISPs want to manage email data volumes by blocking as many messages as possible. Well, phished emails — copies of your real thing — can be so good that neither consumers nor ISPs can tell real from fraud. Preempt this by showing ISPs the identifying characteristics of the emails that you create. And of course any examples you have of phished messages if you have suffered this. Your email service provider can facilitate this ISP connection.
By now, you've all heard about Epsilon's April 1 data breach — an unauthorized party accessed a subset of Epsilon's email clients' data. My colleague Dave Frankland outlines the circumstances of the incident and its implications on Customer Intelligence and data security in his blog post immediately following the incident.
I attended Epsilon's Customer Symposium in Naples, Fla., last week, and I wanted to pipe in with some commentary based on what was addressed directly by Epsilon at the event.
Marketers: The way I would look at this is "if a data breach can happen to Epsilon — a firm which specializes in data and data management — it can definitely happen to me." We learned from Bryan Sartin, director of investigative services, Verizon Business Security Solutions, and Mick Walsh, supervisor, Miami Electronic Crime Task Force, US Secret Service, that electronic crime is a huge and growing business, due in part to the ease of access to consumer information online and the ease of access to the data black market through online search engines. Three-quarters of cases of electronic crimes executed through malware come from data disclosed through Facebook.


text: Paris is taking measures aiming at a more sustainable and efficient logistics in response to COVID-19. With space for cycling increasing across the city in response to COVID-19, new guidelines have been issued to ensure that deliveries are considered when closing streets to traffic or implementing new cycle lanes. To support sustainable logistics post-lockdown and reliance on private vehicles, a shared electric-vehicle service for commercial operators is being rolled out to facilitate zero-emission deliveries for businesses in Paris. This scheme was already in operation, but is now being sped up in light of the conditions for mobility created by the pandemic. A toolkit for businesses has also been issued to assist with ensuring safe physical distancing outside and around shops. New logistics models are being explored, such as ‘microhubs’ in built-up areas, which allow localised deliveries by cargo bike or electric vehicles.


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While Heidi Klum is a world-famous supermodel and fashion icon, many simply know her as the host of Project Runway. The show (one of my favourite!) gives small-time designers a chance to make it big. They are presented with various challenges (like to design a couture dress from a potato sack, or create a dress from items found in a grocery store) and face elimination if their designs are not up to par. The show’s judges include Nina Garcia of Marie Claire Magazine, and designer Michael Kors. Tim Gunn helps the competitors along their journeys throughout the show.
Earlier this month, a new spin-off of the show was announced—Project Accessory, which will air on Lifetime Television. Open calls for accessory designers will be held next month in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Miami
Watching designers produce hats, belts, bags and shoes will be just as entertaining to watch, especially with the show’s wacky challenges and competitive environment.
Click here for more details about the open calls, or check out the casting call posted on the official Project Runway blog!
Photo Courtesy of Modelinia


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THE CURE have announced an extensive UK and European leg to their 2016 tour plans with shows scheduled for October, November and December. Tickets go… more
THE CURE's frontman ROBERT SMITH has recorded a version of The Twilight Sad's 'There's a Girl in the Corner' which will feature as a b-side… more
The Cure have announced that they will be playing two Christmas shows at London's Hammersmith Apollo on December 21st and 22nd.
DURAN DURAN, OMD, FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD, JOHN FOXX, BIG COUNTRY, ULTRAVOX and THE HUMAN LEAGUE are among the many artists who are releasing special… more
SPANDAU BALLET, THE CURE, THE JAM and MADNESS are among bands featured in photographs by Neil MacKenzie Matthews that make up a new exhibition 'My… more
THE CURE and STING have both been confirmed as headliners at this year's Paleo Festival in Switzerland, with The Cure topping the bill on July… more
THE CURE's 'Friday I'm In Love' is to be reissued as a very limited edition 7" vinyl single on April 21st as part of Record… more
THE CURE will headline this year's Reading & Leeds Festivals which will run over the August Bank Holiday weekend, August 24th to 26th. The band… more


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Consumers Choice Coffee wins national Chamber of Commerce award
- Stephanie Clouser, Staff Writer
Consumers Choice Coffee has been named a recipient of the 2011 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blue Ribbon Small Business Award, sponsored by Sam’s Club.
Louisville-based Consumers Choice is one of 75 small businesses nationwide and the only company from Kentucky to receive the award.
Seven of the 75 businesses will be chosen as finalists for the Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award on March 14. All award winners will be recognized at America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., from May 23 to 25.
“It’s an honor to have been selected,” Consumers Choice president Bob Patterson said in a news release. “We work hard to create job opportunities in our community and we are excited to have been recognized for our efforts.”
The company now serves more than 2,000 restaurants, hotels, convenience stores and offices in 10 states, including Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa and Arkansas.
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Will Trump give Farage the power he craves?
The official magazine for the Surrey Chambers of Commerce
The official magazine for the Alliance of Chambers in East Sussex
The widest-read business publication in the UK
The official magazine for the Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce
What will Trump’s presidency look like?
The World’s most Dangerous Man
What was the back story of the man who changed the world?
We are delighted to announce the expansion of the Platinum Empire with the publication of three new titles on behalf of the regional Chambers of Commerce.
Carney is Governor of the Bank of England, an expert economist who seems to always be in control.
After the shock of Brexit, the country needed a new prime minister to re-establish the country.
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Sir James Dyson – the story of the Dyson empire.
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The original Ford Mondeo has been tampered with producing a new luxury vehicle with an enhanced performace… The Mondeo Vignale.
How should the self-employed plan towards their retirement?
Meet the headline sponsor of the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards.
Daryl Gayler shares advice on protecting your business from the many different types of fraud.
The highly anticipated Brighton & Hove Motor Show returns.
Christine Gannon, DMH Stallard Associate, explains how to deal with employees who have a temper.
Rose Dykins finds blockbuster-worthy scenery in Dubrovnik, then escapes to its serene surrounding islands
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After a year of surprises, what will the uncertain future look like in 2017?
A look at the world of business in Rio De Janeiro, in the aftermath of the Olympics.
A look back at 2016 from DMH Stallard’s point of view.
British Airways has announced it is to end its inclusive food offering on its short-haul economy class.
Another batch of start up businesses seek investment for their entrepreneurial ideas.
The caring staff costs are huge to say the least, and a report has now confirmed, they are at a all-time high.
Why does contract hire remain the most popular funding mechanism for company cars.
Carpenter Box shares how they help their customers, by revealing the innovative Pokito cup idea, which one of their clients thought of.
Time is running out for UK tax evaders as revenue gathering authorities prepare to share data on an unprecedented scale.
After Brexit, the EU General Data Protection Regulation 2016 for keeping information secure will still be implemented, but with changes
Find out which vehicle has impressed us the most this year.
Jeremy Taylor, Chief Executive of Gatwick Diamond Business, offers seven top tips on how to master an application for an award.
Tips and advice on how to accomplish a first class LinkedIn profile
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Barcelona’s architecture oozes with individuality, the football is best in the world, but what else does it excel in? Business!
So called “VAT carousel” frauds can cost HMRC millions, but how do innocent companies protect themselves?
What impact has the Careers & Enterprise Company had after 12 months of hard work?
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Entrepreneurial Spark present 3 ‘chiclets’ (starting-up companies) looking for investment.
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Geoff Meade, who is always at the heart of Europe, explains the pure bemusement of Brexit.
In this article, the six of the most important content marketing tools for brands will be explored.
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A guide to the art of enticing people to your stall at a exhibition
In December 2014, the Government created the Careers & Enterprise Company and allocated £20m to it, but how will it help the future generation?
With post Brexit nerves, Nik Askaroff, CEO of EMC, talks about the steps his company need to take to thrive in these times.
This article gives you a better understanding of the changes that landlords now face.
Brexit has had an immediate negative effect in the pound, which Trevor Charsley of AFEX gives advice for coping with the currency problems.
The new design of online tax returns have shaken up how most businesses currently manage their accounts.
Caroline Brown is questioned on her successful business on it’s 21st anniversary since opening.
Post-Brexit, many business owners may feel that dipping a toe or two into international waters is not only preferable, it is necessary.
A personal example of how to expand a medium sized business with Andy Leslie, Chairman of Network Aviation Group
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DDoS protection and learning how to protect from DDoS attacks must be at the core of a successful cyber-security strategy
The University of Brighton is launching a new student prize scheme, the Breakthrough Awards.
Lombard explains how technology management is key to maintain the most effective equipment for a company.
With easy steering and an impressive engine, the Focus RS has the ability to entice customers, no matter the price.
Imagine a swift mini with plenty of character and power… Introducing the John Copper Works Mini.
The struggles of having unpaid invoices are often difficult to resolve. This article gives some valuable guidance on the subject.
It’s the 100th birthday of the BMW and what better time to look back at the history of the successful German manufacturers!
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The Audi TT has always divided opinion, but the Audi TTS is the most rapid variant yet.
Ranging from baggage handling to the technology of teleportation, Uniglobe discusses the recent travel news.
Rivervale have an illustrious history in Brighton and are now expanding into a new and unique building to increase their great services.
The Ford Mustang is capacious and looks the part, but what other technologies does the car incorporate?
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Top 10 mistakes employers make in the Employment Tribunal by Tony Hyams-Parish, Partner and Head of Employment at Rawlison Butler.
The original Zafira was the first compact seven-seater on our streets and now, with the launch of the Tourer, it is even more practical.
The 2020 Olympics’ host city is full of fascinating culture and meeting venues with mesmerising views.
The Sussex Business Awards launches in July and is set to celebrate yet another exciting year of regional business success.
Stuart Sutherland from Direct Marketing specialists Nova Direct, explains how they build mail and email databases and how they avoid irresponsible mailing.
The regions of the UK have performed very differently from each other and the type of work we do is changing.
Is it good news for employees, but bad news for local business? asks Maxine Reid, Restructuring Partner at Kreston Reeves.
Chris Coopey, ex-engineer and Partner at Sussex-based chartered accountants, Carpenter Box, announces the launch of a new business forum on 12th July.
Global Travel Management Managing Director Scott Pawley gives the inside perspective on business travel in the face of increased globalisation.
Twenty-five companies from across the District have been named as finalists each hoping to win one or more of the eleven trophies up for grabs.
It has presence and is big and spacious, but what else is there to make of a Jeep built by the Italians?
The XF was the first effort by the then new owners of Jaguar, Tata, who purchased the company from Ford.
Live video and The Future of Business Marketing by Shea Bennett, Head of Digital Marketing at Identity.
Fiona Anderson, Entrepreneurial Development Manager for NatWest, looks back on her first year of running Brighton’s Entrepreneurial Spark initiative.


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This year’s Blog Action Day aims to raise awareness about environmental issues. As part of my contribution, I’m asking readers to contact Apple and demand that they make the iPhone more environmentally-friendly.
The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) points out that it is illegal in California to ship a product containing PVCs unless it has a clear label warning consumers of the hazards — iPhone does not. The CEH intends to sue Apple if it does not address the issue.
I’m glad that these concerns are being brought to light. Motorola, Nokia, and Sony-Ericsson have all gotten rid of PVCs in their handsets, so why hasn’t Apple? As an innovator in the consumer electronics market, Apple should step it up and make the iPhone less toxic.
Last week on its home page, Apple commemorated Al Gore for winning the Nobel Peace Prize for raising awareness about global warming. If Apple truly cares about the environment, it will see to it that the iPhone makes less of an impact on our planet.
PVCs in the iPhone are especially dangerous when they leak from landfills to groundwater. Considering the worldwide water shortages lately, this is something we really don’t want happening, which is why we need to recycle our old handsets.
Ahem, Apple, where’s the iPhone recycling program? Edit: I just discovered Apple accepts old cell phones through its iPod recycling program. This cell phone recycling program should be better promoted.
Go ahead, let Apple know you care about the planet and want a more “green” iPhone. Give them a call or send them an e-mail and tell them what you think.


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HYBRID MAKERS TAKE IT UP A GEAR
Firms focus on speed and style not just fuel use
Hybrids and electric cars are going to outsell petrol cars in the next 12 years.
That’s the claim from a senior auto analyst who was speaking after a big budget Super Bowl advert for the Toyota Prius featured a high-speed police chase, with not a fuel emission slogan in sight.
“As a power source, electricity outpaces petrol in just about every area,” Karl Brauer, senior auto analyst for Kelley Blue Book, told the Associated Press.
“Advancements have made batteries smaller, increased their storage capacity and brought prices down.
“Electric motors can take off faster than gas engines, and hybrids can power wheels with both electric and gas motors for better acceleration.
“Electrics also are far quieter. And with fewer moving parts, they’re more reliable,” he added.
Manufacturers of hybrid cars are now focusing on how they outperform their petrol-based counterparts.
Costing more than their petrol counterparts, it was said that drivers would recoup that cost by not having to buy fuel. Other complaints included the fear that the car would run out of power on a long-distance trip as recharging points were few and far between.
According to industry insiders, the improved engine performance will mean long distance trips are no longer an issue.
Shifting the focus to style, acceleration, handling and reliability is deliberate.
“It looks better. It drives better. People can have more fun behind the wheel, but it still has new technologies and safety in it,” Bill Fay, Toyota’s US general manager, said of the Prius.
FAST LANE: The Prius advert sees bank robbers use the hybrid as a high-speed getaway car


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Announced during Square Enix’s E3 presentation this year, Star Ocean: Faithlessness and Integrity was announced as the fifth canonical game in the long running JRPG series. Square Enix has released a new trailer for the game at this year’s Jump Festa, revealing new story elements and a lot of new gameplay.
With the last game in the series released in 2009, the Star Ocean series hasn’t exactly been what you would call a thriving franchise in recent years. Hopefully this new instalment in the series can reinvigorate a once great JRPG series back to its roots while still trying new things.
Star Ocean: Faithlessness and Integrity will release for PS4 and PS3 in 2016.
Are you a fan of Star Ocean? Let us know what you think of the trailer in the comments.


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Asda has hired Havas London as its creative agency after a “highly competitive” pitch.
Havas London beat a Publicis Groupe team led by Leo Burnett in the final stage of the process. The incumbent, Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, and FCB Inferno were involved earlier in the review.
Eildih MacAskill, vice president of creative and marketing at Asda, said: “We are looking for a true partner agency that understands the Asda personality and can bring this to life for our customers and the communities we serve.
“The Havas team’s strategic thinking and creativity really stood out and we look forward to working with them.”
The win is a boon for Havas London and its award-winning management team. Xavier Rees, chief executive, was named Head of Agency (Creative/Advertising) of the Year, and Vicki Maguire, chief creative officer, claimed Creative Person of the Year at the 2020 Campaign Agency of the Year Awards in March.
Rees said: “Asda is an iconic brand that deserves brilliant advertising and we can’t wait to roll our sleeves up and get stuck in.”
Maguire said: “Asda are part of our culture and our community. We’re beyond excited to become part of the Asda family”.
Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, which previously worked with Sainsbury’s for 35 years up to 2016, won the account in 2018 and introduced the character Sonny to the supermarket’s advertising.
MacAskill said: “We would also like to recognise the AMV team for their fantastic work and partnership over the last three years in helping us land some memorable campaigns, and we wish them all the best in the future.”
Asda’s media planning and buying is done by Publicis Groupe’s Spark Foundry. Its predecessor Blue 449 won the media assignment alongside Saatchis in 2016 but retained it when the creative moved to AMV.
Asda’s review followed a change of ownership, after parent company Walmart sold a majority stake in October to the EG Group founders, brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa, and private equity firm TDR Capital in a £6.8bn deal.
It is also currently without a chief customer officer, after Anna-Maree Shaw, who relocated from Australia shortly before the start of the pandemic, took the decision in December to return home to her family. MacAskill is leading marketing in the interim alongside chief strategy officer Preyash Thakrar.


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Till now, we’ve had rumors about the Galaxy Note7 sporting a 5.8-inch display. Hitting all those rumors out of the ballpark is a new listing on Zauba.com. There have been numerous listings on Zauba about screen sizes in the past and all of those have been spot on. It is still unknown whether the listing is for a different variant of the Galaxy Note7. But that is highly unlikely since there hasn’t been any sort of rumor or leak regarding a six-inch device.
In the previous week, we had a lot of leaks about the Galaxy Note7. The phone comes in three different colors, black, gray and blue. Most of the leaks are uploaded by none other than the master leakster, Evan Blass. So for the time being, it is almost as good as the official confirmation. The Note7 comes in with a dual-curved Super AMOLED display along with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.


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Her reign has witnessed an almost unfathomable growth in popular culture, with the emergence of music as varied as Benjamin Britten and Eddie Calvert to Tinie Tempah and Tinchy Stryder.
But it would appear that throughout the last sixty years British consumers have been resolutely conservative in their musical tastes, buying the middle-of-the-road pop and rock songs of Queen, Abba and Dire Straits in greater numbers than almost anything else.
Unless it is a charity single – in which case, a tear-jerker is a prerequisite for success.
The bestselling singles and albums since 1956 were revealed by the Office for National Statistics, as part of its Social Trends report, an long-running investigation into the changing tastes of Britain.
More people listen to music on a daily basis than any other form of cultural stimulation, the ONS said.
The music that has caught the imagination of consumers in the last sixty years is almost entirely British, despite America pioneering rock and roll.
Queen's Greatest Hits was first released in 1981 and has sold 5.7 million, making it the best selling album of all time in Britain, helped by reissues, most notably after the death of the lead singer Freddie Mercury ten years later.
The band has remained popular to this day, thanks in part to a West End musical, which pays tribute to the group.
A stage show, and subsequent Hollywood hit, Mamma Mia has also been behind Abba's continued popularity. The Swedish group has sold 4.6 million of its greatest hits, Gold, making it the third bestselling album behind The Beatle's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band.
Oasis, with its What's The Story Morning Glory, which came to exemplify the Brit Pop movement of the time, sold 4.4 million, while Dire Straits's Brothers in Arms, sold 4.1 million.
Gennaro Castaldo, at HMV, the music shop, pointed out that Dire Straits's album in 1985 and Oasis's in 1996 book ended the glory years of the compact disc.
He said: "Dire Straits may not be fashionable now but they were huge.1985 was the year of Live Aid and they were one of the stars of that event. And Brothers in Arms was the defining album of what was then an amazing, aspirational technology: compact disc."
Adam Liversage at the British Phonographic Institute said that, by definition, those bands that had sold more than four million of an individual album "transcended format, indeed they transcend generations. The reason the Beatles or Abba are successful is because tonnes of people born after the bands split up are still buying the music – be it on digital, vinyl or CD."
Martin Talbot, managing director of The Official Chart Company, which provided the figures to the ONS said: "To sell these kinds of volumes, you really have to create music with the widest possible appeal and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in the UK who didn’t like at least one track by acts such as Queen, The Beatles and Abba – and two of the albums mentioned are greatest hits, of course. In the cases of Oasis and Dire Straits, their albums were truly phenomena of their times, driven by massive fan-bases."
The ONS figures also indicated that though the digital format has come to complete dominate singles – 98 per cent of all singles are now downloaded – most consumers prefer to buy albums in a physical format.
Just 12 per cent of albums bought last year were downloaded. The rest were bought as either CDs, or even – in the case of 230,000 copies – vinyl.
The most popular single of all-time was Candle in the Wind '97, a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, sung by Elton John. It has sold 4.9 million copies. It overtook another charity single, Do They Know it's Christmas, which sold 3.6 million.
Queen also makes an appearance at number three, with their Bohemian Rhapsody, selling 2.1 million.


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Here are the India Business News Headlines as on 28th June 2017:
- Indian garment manufacturers are setting up manufacturing in Ethiopia as it gives duty-free access to Europe and US markets. The companies include Raymond, Arvind Ltd, Best Corporation and JJ Mills among others and investments of around Rs.600 crore have already been lined up.
- M&M’s tractor business is giving out more profit than their SUVs, CVs. Their profit before tax from the farm equipment segment rose 31% last year to Rs 2,562 cr.
- Bankruptcy proceedings have been started against Essar Steel and Monnet Ispat and Energy Ltd. These are among the 12 big bad loans cases identified by RBI.
- Promoters of Jagran Prakashan, publisher of Dainik Jagran, have purchased the entire stake (12.82%) held by private equity investor Blackstone Group in the company.
- Sony Corp. has joined Google, Facebook, Amazon in chase for AI developers. It has opened up access to its deep-learning software tools to attract AI developers. Under this free licence programmers can distribute, modify and use the software for any purpose without paying royalties.
- Niki.ai, Bengaluru based e-com company which runs AI based personal assistant, have raised $2 million in Series A funding from SAP.iO and existing investor Unilazer Ventures.
*News as published in Business Standard, Live Mint and Economic Times.


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Showing 145 - 153 of 203 results
Strengthening women's place in the communities where Fairtrade works begins with understanding the challenges they face.
Female members of ECOOKIM, a Fairtrade certified cocoa cooperative in the Ivory Coast, are stepping up to share their stories on film. But in this project, they're not just subjects – they are producing and directing the short films.
Support Fairtrade cocoa farmers like Mary Appiah this Easter, by buying Fairtrade Certified chocolate eggs, bunnies and bars.
In September, Fairtrade Australia and New Zealand’s Producer Support Officer, Will Valverde, visited Timor-Leste to train members of a local Fairtrade coffee cooperative on their newly installed wet coffee mill and coffee huller.
The Fairtrade Pacific Sub-Network has successfully held its first teleconference board meeting.
The Savai’i Coconut Farmers Association (SCFA) was awarded with a WST 16,000 grant from Fairtrade ANZ’s Producer Development Fund in early 2015.
More than 114 sugarcane growers learned about gender equality, child protection and good governance at the sixth annual Fairtrade Pacific Stakeholders Workshop.
Keren Rego won the New Zealand Fairtrade Supporter of the Year Award and travelled to Costa Rica to see Fairtrade farmers in action.
Fairtrade farmer Daniel Kinne visited New Zealand and Australia and inspired consumers.
In July 2017, Savai’i Coconut Farmers Association (SCFA) in Samoa were excited to launch their first Fairtrade Premium project, worth 9,500 NZD, supplying all 121 members with gardening tool kits. Members of the association now have much needed spades, bush knives and files, which will increase their productivity. Having these tool kits supplied was voted and agreed upon by the majority of SCFA members during their 2016 Annual General Meeting. The Fairtrade Premium was paid to the association by their local buyer, Krissy Co., who is working to increase the markets for Samoan coconut cream. This Premium project coincides with a replanting pilot project aimed at replacing aging coconut trees.


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Digital Circuit published an article on Sept. 23rd about DJI’s new white paper, Unmanned Traffic Self-Management: How Smart Drones Will Find Their Own Way In the Airspace, which proposes simplified unmanned traffic management by means of radio transponders. The article also contains a section on Vigilant Aerospace’s situational awareness and collision-avoidance product, FlightHorizon, and our research using small DJI aircraft to test and demonstrate the system.
The new white paper, published on September 15, 2017, was presented at this year’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Conference. DJI’s proposal is to use existing standards, equipment and systems to track individual drones rather than building a large, centrally-managed nation-wide drone tracking system, like NASA’s proposed Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) system.
Scott Simmie, author of the Digital Circuit article and the UAV Media/Communications Specialist at SkyX Systems, summarizes DJI’s proposal:
“The paper suggests much of the required technology already exists. For example, many commercial drones already have On-board Anti-collision Technologies (OATs). Many DJI products, in fact, come equipped with obstacle sensing systems that improve with every generation. Combine that with communications between radio transmitters and receivers, says the company, and the basics of a system are already in place.”
Simmie expands on the statements made in the DJI whitepaper noting his prior article on Vigilant Aerosapce’s beyond visual line-of-sight flight testing of FlightHorizon at NASA Armstrong utilizing DJI aircraft:
“In fact, some recent research on this front has been carried out using DJI products, which were successfully able to sense-and-avoid each other in test-scenarios.”
We are excited to recognize the creative thinking occurring in the UAS industry around detect-and-avoid and look forward to seeing industry reaction and next steps from DJI.
Read the full Digital Circuit article: “DJI Proposes Drone Traffic Management System” and check out DJI’s full white paper here: “Unmanned Traffic Self-Management: How Smart Drones Will Find Their Own Way In the Airspace.”
The DJI whitepaper was released just before DJI announced their own drone monitoring and identification system, AeroScope. The system is specific to DJI aircraft, using the existing link between the drone and the controller to broadcast identification information including registration or serial number and basic telemetry including location, altitude, speed, and direction. The new drone identifications settings will be packaged with DJI’s drone software.
“The rapid adoption of drones has created new concerns about safety, security and privacy, but those must be balanced against the incredible benefits that drones have already brought to society,” said Brendan Schulman, DJI’s Vice President of Policy and Legal Affairs. “Electronic drone identification, thoughtfully implemented, can help solve policy challenges, head off restrictive regulations, and provide accountability without being expensive or intrusive for drone pilots.
Read more about DJI’s announcement of the Aeroscope integrated DJI drone monitoring system here: “DJI Unveils Technology To Identify And Track Airborne Drones.”


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The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) and Thailand’s National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) have teamed up to share a list of more than 200 apps containing malware on iOS and Android devices.
According to BGR , in a statement on DES’ Facebook profile, Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn said users are being asked to watch out for malicious apps on the list because if they are downloaded, hackers can steal data. personally or take control of their phone.
stolen The above organizations believe that victims who download the application are at risk of having their bank accounts and their phones can be controlled by hackers. This list has names like 4K Pro Camera, Beauty Filter, EmojiOne Keyboard, iMessager, Now QRcode Scan, Private SMS and Wow Translator. Users can dig deeper through the DES Facebook display list.
DES and NCSA say they have asked Apple and Google to remove the apps from their respective app stores . However, they don’t specify which app is found on which mobile operating system, but if any of these names look like the app currently installed on your phone, it’s best to remove it. until the user can be sure that the application is safe.


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What a surprise – Sheffield City Council and Yorkshire Forward are planning to chip in £20 millions towards helping kick start the stalled £600 million ‘Sevenstone’ retail quarter in Sheffield City Centre. Don’t get me wrong – this area of the city centre could do with some redevelopment. Whether this project is right and whether it was timely is another matter and not one for discussion here, but throwing public funds in to the development at this time is in my opinion not a good move.
The developer, Hammersons, claim they can’t support it at this time. Now, I acknowledge that it’s been a hard time for property developers (mind you, the good times were brilliant for you guys, so don’t bitch and whine too much) but gentlemen, planning ahead and possibly losing money is all part of the game of free-market capitalism. Whether the improvement to Sheffield really needed a £600 million project that would further draw shoppers away from the existing suburban shopping areas like Ecclesall Road, etc. is another question. After all, Meadowhall showed the impact of an out of town shopping centre on city centre shops, so I guess this development will have the same effect on shopping areas outside the city centre, but what ho.
Hammersons develop these places to make money from. Look at their portfolio – some massive developments – places like Brent Cross, the Birmingham Bullring, prestige developments in Europe. All impacted by the recession, but that’s the game.
It appears that the developers of Sevenstones have concluded that a £20 millions input from public funds will kick start the compulsory purchase process that will in turn (somehow) facilitate further development. Hold on, if the £20 millions for CP can’t be found without going to the public purse, where the Devil is the remaining £580 million going to come from? I’m not a financial whizz kid, and would truly welcome someone coming to me and saying ‘This is why, it’s OK, there’s a logical reason…’
So…first of all, any property developers reading this….please tell me how this works.
Now, here’s where I put my tinfoil hat on and enter conspiracy theory territory. At the moment, that part of Sheffield is half demolished, half still (barely) operational. But as it stands it’s possible that the Council and property developers could, for example, put a much smaller amount of money in to the area and build a much less grand and less joined up development but that would be affordable in the current financial situation and re-activate retail activity in that area. This might well have to happen in 6 months time when existing CP orders run out and issues about land acquisition for the project can potentially become major stumbling blocks. Now…if the CP orders are all followed through and the land acquired, and existing properties demolished, it becomes much easier for the Council to turn around in a year’s time and say ‘Ooopps…we need MORE money, but we must rebuild this area, so…..’
Hammersons have put £60 millions in so far. The Council will be borrowing £10 millions of the £20 millions required to carry the project on.
Sheffield has some thriving out of town shopping areas despite the best efforts of current and previous Council administrations. I am proud to be associated with Hillsborough, and often visit places like Darnall on business. A fraction of the money being spent here could make a massive difference to local, community-based retail and other economic activity in this city. The shops that will be in the new development are not going to be small stores with local connections; they will be the usual suspects in terms of High Street homogenisation.
The public sector is once more bailing out large private sector concerns because ‘not to do so would be disatrous’. Sounds familiar? Think banks. Same argument, and I think we all know that the beneficiaries are unlikely to be the people of this city.


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Viewers in the first quarter of 2013 spent more time watching traditional TV than in the year-ago period, although the number of viewers declined, Nielsen reports. Time-shifted viewing increased in terms of viewers and time watched. "Still vibrant, traditional TV is thriving as viewers continue to go to their sets for entertainment and information that appeals to them," Dounia Turrill, Nielsen's senior vice president of insight, wrote in the report.
Viewers are spending more time watching TV, Nielsen finds
SmartBrief Job Listings for Retail
|Staff Accountant-General Accounting||
Total Wine & More
Crescent Electric Supply Co.
|Cedar Rapids, IA|
|Customer Service Operations Director||
|Store Initiatives Manager Job||
Ross Stores, INC
|Project Manager, Store Planning & Construction||
The Vitamin Shoppe
|North Bergen, New Jersey|


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CnEVPost Newsletter: NIO delivers 7,024 vehicles in May, puts more focus on European business
NIO delivers 7,024 vehicles in May, up 38% from April - CnEVPost — cnevpost.com NIO's ET7 sedan surpassed the EC6 SUV for the first time with 1,707 units delivered in May.
NIO puts more focus on European business, co-founder Qin Lihong directly leads - CnEVPost Chen Chen, head of European business development, and general managers of European country companies began reporting to NIO co-founder and president Qin Lihong.
NIO reopens most offline stores in Shanghai, local deliveries to resume on June 2 - CnEVPost NIO's vehicles to be delivered in Shanghai have been shipped today from the JAC-NIO factory in Hefei, Anhui province.
NIO adds 34 swap stations in May, bringing total to 949 - CnEVPost NIO also added 37 superchargers, 20 destination charging stations and access to 10,000 new third-party charging piles in May.
XPeng delivers 10,125 vehicles in May, up 12.5% from April - CnEVPost XPeng said it has resumed two-shift production at its plant since mid-May and is working to accelerate delivery of the strong backlog of orders.
Li Auto delivers 11,496 vehicles in May, up 176% from April - CnEVPost Li Auto's parts suppliers in the Yangtze River Delta region have not fully recovered, and it continues to experience challenges with parts supply shortages, the company said.
BYD buys back RMB 433 million worth of shares traded in China's A-share market today - CnEVPost BYD's Shenzhen-traded shares closed today at RMB 299.98, near the upper limit of the company's planned buyback price.
Zeekr delivers 4,330 vehicles in May, up 102.6% from April - CnEVPost Zeekr said the availability of air suspension, which previously had the biggest impact on deliveries, will improve significantly in June.
Neta delivers 11,009 vehicles in May, up 25% from April - CnEVPost Neta has delivered a total of 49,974 vehicles so far this year, up 213 percent from 15,966 vehicles in the same month last year.
Leapmotor delivers record 10,069 vehicles in May, up 10.8% from April - CnEVPost From January to May, Leapmotor delivered a cumulative total of 40,735 vehicles, up 347.44 percent from 9,104 vehicles in the same period last year.
GAC Aion sells record 21,056 units in May, up 106% from April - CnEVPost From January to May, GAC Aion sold 76,142 units, up 122 percent from 34,363 units in the same period last year.
Huawei-backed AITO delivers 5,006 units in May, up 54% from April - CnEVPost Since deliveries began in March, the cumulative number of AITO Wenjie M5 deliveries has reached 11,296 units.
Chongqing Sokon sells 10,452 NEVs in May, up 22% from April - CnEVPost Sokon's NEV brand, Seres, sold 5,440 units in May, up 1,616.09 percent year on year.
Jidu teases interior design of its robot car concept - CnEVPost The Jidu ROBO-01 concept car will have a uniquely shaped steering wheel, a narrow display, and a very high-tech cockpit, the latest set of posters shows.
WM Motor files for Hong Kong IPO - CnEVPost In 2019-2021, WM Motor had vehicle sales of 12,799, 21,937 and 44,152 units respectively.


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Microsoft has been sued on grounds of deceptive marketing practices with its "Windows Vista Capable" campaign, according to a report by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The plaintiff, a certain Dianne L. Kelley, alleges that a large number of computers sold last year with a "Windows Vista Capable" sticker are only able to run Windows Vista Home Basic, which lacks many of the "signature" Vista features.
Indeed, Vista Home Basic doesn't include the Aero graphical user interface as well as Windows Media Center, scheduled backups, and other features present in Vista Home Premium, Vista Business, and Vista Ultimate. To drive the point home, the lawsuit (which is linked in PDF format from the Seattle PI article) quotes a PC Magazine column that claims that Vista Home Basic could be "the most pointless edition of Windows that Microsoft has ever released."
When asked about the lawsuit, a Microsoft associate general counsel told the Seattle PI, "We feel as a company we went beyond what we've ever done to try to educate people so that they understood and could make the right purchase decision." The associate counsel pointed to the "Vista Premium Ready" designation, which is different from the "Vista Capable" one. Nonetheless, the plaintiff is seeking class certification for the lawsuit as well as unspecified damages from Microsoft.
|Synaptics' Clear ID fingerprint sensor feels like the way of the future||22|
|Use InSpectre to see if you're protected from Meltdown and Spectre||21|
|David Kanter dissects Intel's 22-nm FinFET Low Power process tech||10|
|TPCast's second-gen wireless VR adapter can deal with 8K streams||7|
|Be Quiet cranks its Straight Power PSUs to 11||13|
|Cherry MX Low Profile RGB switches arrive in the Ducky Blade Air||19|
|Nothing Day Shortbread||14|
|Here's all of TR's CES 2018 coverage in one place||7|
|Intel Core i5-8500 appears in SiSoft database||6|
|On look, an InSpectre Gadget.||+46|


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LYON, MODE CITY PULLS GLOBAL AUDIENCE FOR SPRING PREVIEW
Byline: Suzanne Lynch
LYON — In spite of the ailing European economy, spirits were high at the Lyon, Mode City show, as 322 international intimate apparel manufacturers displayed the latest ultrafeminine looks for spring-summer 1998.
Attendance at the three-day show, which closed Sept. 8, was at a record high, totaling more than 14,605 visitors, show officials said. The trade fair also featured adjoining swimwear and fabric areas.
Europeans accounted for 80 percent of the total turnout, while 6 percent of the attendance came from the Far East, primarily Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan. The American head count hit 299, a 26 percent increase over last year’s figures.
There was a major focus on fabric blends that maximize comfort, including buttery-soft microfibers like Tactel nylon by DuPont; Dorlastan polyester by Bayer, and Modal, a rayon by Lenzing.
Microfiber was featured prominently in displays of daywear, bras and panties, shapewear and sleepwear.
Commented Clair Johnathan, product manager and fashion coordinator for the trade fair: “Lingerie has become a question of body cosmetology, of comfort. People are looking for a second-skin effect.”
Regarding color, she noted that cosmetic body tones were top ideas.
An overview of trends included:
Pale shades of green, coral, lavender blue, violet, mauve, mocha, cocoa, caramel, chocolate and rusty brown.
Anything that has a junior look — from little sheer baby dolls to daywear bras in juvenile-looking florals.
Lots of layering of sheers and laces.
Floral patterns in both fabric and embroideries.
More retro looks like halter bandeaux and boy-cut briefs. Princess Tam-Tam showed lots of retro looks in white cotton and romantic mauve.
Bottoms with interesting treatments, including wrapped effects and crescendo seaming.
Meanwhile, buyers and exhibitors alike praised the show’s international dimension.
“The Lyon show is growing fast and is becoming truly international. All the continents are present — North America, South America, Europe and Asia,” said Nicholas Reidler, a representative for the French bra company Aubade. The French company’s lines featured elaborate Oriental embroidery.
Catherine LeForban of Rien, a French foundations brand acquired in January by Sara Lee Corp. and part of Sara Lee’s Dim operation, noted, “We’ve seen a lot of Germans and Asian buyers so far.”
“Lyon has become a major exhibition hub,” said Dieter P. Kemp, president of G22 Worldwide, a New York-based marketer of daywear and bodywear by Keiko One For Stay Young line. The line uses fibers treated with Naturexx, a moisture-eliminating treatment used by athletes. G22 was one of five U.S. innerwear firms showing at an American Pavilion, sponsored by the Commerce Department, a first-time effort at Lyon. Several other U.S. firms showed independently.
Valeri Massoudie, export director for Warner’s, a unit of The Warnaco Group, said she had appointments with buyers from Turkey, Albania and Indonesia. Three Russian specialty store chains were interested in the upscale Lejaby collection of foundations, another Warnaco label, she said.
Dual-purpose items that offer more perceived value to consumers were a key attraction at the show.
Katherine Harestad, designer and an owner of White Rose, a California firm that specializes in Victorian-inspired sleepwear, noted that she received strong reaction to “lace pieces, which can be layered over a sheer piece.”
“That’s double economic value. The store or the customer can mix and match as they please,” Harestad said. “People here understand the value of quality.”
Like several of her fellow designers, Harestad said she came to the show in hopes of expanding her export business to Spain and Italy.
Susan Dunn — owner and designer of the company carrying her name, which makes robes and loungewear bearing the Spawear label — observed, “Europeans have a totally different mentality towards lingerie. They care most about what the body looks like in lingerie. Americans, however, are most interested in comfort.”
Dunn, though, noted that price remains an issue, adding that she observed “some disgruntled reactions” to the dollar’s recent rise.
“There was some price sensitivity here. It really adds on 10 percent, and I sensed conservatism from the French,” Dunn said.
Richard Gimble, president of Va Bien, New York, a shapewear firm — whose export business represents 30 to 35 percent of overall sales — noted, “Business is going well. We are seeing success with our zip-front corsets, which are worn under dresses. I think anyone will pay the price for an unusual product like this that works.” Va Bien was another American Pavilion exhibitor.
Regarding the overall mood of exhibitors and retailers at the show, Roselyn Richardson, organizer of Interfiliere, the textile segment, said: “Economically, I can’t say this year has been a good one for anybody, but the manufacturers are hardly desperate. Things have definitely picked up since summer.”
Tamiko Ryu, a buyer for a two-unit specialty operation in Tokyo and Osaka called Rue de Ryu, observed: “The show has become more and more clear in its concept. In the future, though, they need to promote new, young designers. That will bring in lots of buyers.”
Ryu said she stocks several European foundations brands, including Simone Perel, Scandale and Rien.


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With the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases climbing over a hundred in Mindanao, Pilipinas Shell has expanded its efforts in the region to improve public transportation and aid frontliners in their fight against a potentially severe outbreak in Mindanao.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation of Iligan, Inc. has launched its rolling stores in a bid to enhance the effectiveness of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Iligan City.
As defined by the Iligan Chamber, a Rolling Store is a “One-Stop-Shop” where consumers can buy their groceries, vegetables, fish and meat items within their barangays without going to public and supermarkets to lessen their risks of infection from the COVID-19 coronavirus.… Continue reading... “CCIFII Rolling Stores enhance ECQ in Iligan”
Former Oro Chamber Secretary-General and President Ma. Teresa R. Alegrio has been elected Area Vice President for Mindanao of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the country’s largest business organization.


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Brandon Maxwell has long been hailed as an evening wear favorite for A-listers and political figures alike, beloved by everyone from Michelle Obama to Gigi Hadid, Lady Gaga to Meghan Markle and Oprah to Karlie Kloss. Now, the designer behind some of the most iconic and dazzling red carpet looks in recent times has shaken up his clientele to add menswear into the mix.
The creative took his show on Saturday at New York Fashion Week to introduce a new menswear collection with piercing suits in a rainbow of emerald greens and bright reds. Maxwell also added a new spin to his womenswear with everyday denim styles, silk blouses and leather cutoffs.
However, luckily for the OG Brandon Maxwell fans, the designer didn't stray so far from his roots: models such as Irina Shayk, Candice Swanepoel and Bella Hadid danced down the runway in the skin-baring gowns we've come to expect and grown to love.
For more fashion week news, watch the video above!


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Metro to launch Abilities-Ride program to encourage accessible taxi use as alternative to MetroAccess in Maryland
MetroAccess customers will have a new, more flexible option for travel within Maryland with the launch of the Abilities-Ride program on Monday, September 18. The new program offers an alternative to MetroAccess service by allowing eligible customers to use on-demand taxi services--without sharing a ride--at a discounted rate.
The Abilities-Ride program offers subsidized rides in partnership with Regency Taxi and Silver Cab. Eligible MetroAccess customers can request transportation through these providers for any trip that begins and ends within the MetroAccess service area in Maryland. Riders can request their trip in advance by calling the taxi company directly, or through their respective websites or smartphone apps.
"The Abilities-Ride program is a win-win for Metro and our MetroAccess customers in Maryland, who will soon have the ability to choose a taxi trip, rather than MetroAccess, at a discounted rate without having to make an advance reservation," said Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld. "The Abilities-Ride program gives customers these important benefits while reducing cost for Metro."
MetroAccess customers will pay as little as $5.00 per trip to use Abilities-Ride. An estimated fare will be provided to the customer before taking a trip. Customers pay the first $5 with Metro funding the next $15 in fare. Any remaining fare over $20 will be billed to the customer.
The two designated taxi providers will offer wheelchair-accessible vehicles and accommodate customers traveling with a personal care assistant (PCA) and/or a service animal at no additional charge.
By avoiding more expensive MetroAccess trips, the Abilities-Ride program is estimated to save Metro $4-$6 million per year. Each trip taken on MetroAccess costs Metro about $50 per trip.
Upon the launch of the program, customers will be able to take a maximum of four (4) taxi trips per day. Reservations are encouraged, but not required.
All drivers operating taxi service under the Abilities-Ride program will be required to undergo training on how to serve customers with disabilities, including those traveling with service animals, and accommodating customers who are deaf or hard of hearing or visually impaired customers who may need assistance getting in and out of the vehicle.
The program will be evaluated based on customer feedback, safety, service quality and fiscal impact to determine whether to expand Abilities-Ride to the District of Columbia or Virginia.
The Abilities-Ride program is an option for MetroAccess customers, and Metro will continue to offer door-to-door shared ride service on MetroAccess for trips throughout the District, Maryland and Virginia.
Additional information on Abilities-Ride will be provided to MetroAccess customers in the next week.


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Changing fashions and fewer young people have caused the jeans market to fall in volume by 8.5 per cent and in value by two per cent over the past year.
In the latest report from Mintel, volume is shown to have dropped by 4 million units to 43 million since it peaked in 1993. The reason is the rise of more glamorous and formal fashions and a drop in the 15 to 24-year-old age range.
The report supports recent predictions made in Marketing Week that the rise of designer jeans is causing prices to rise across the market, and that the likes of Diesel and Calvin Klein are taking share away from brands such as Levi’s at the premium end of the mass market.
Market leader Levi’s brand share has dropped 2.6 per cent by value in the past year, but Wrangler’s has risen by 6.1 per cent, and the niche brands have risen overall by seven per cent.
Despite the poor market conditions, more niche brands, for example Budweiser, are launching their own jeans. The report predicts that brands will concentrate on marketing to an older age range and to women.


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Albion Online’s Game Director Robin Henkys has outlined the game’s development plans in the latest Dev Talk, which covers upcoming content and features, as well as the game’s long-term development strategy.
The short-term roadmap includes the Rites of Spring event, which will feature a new, bad-tempered counterpart to the Spring Cottontail, and the Beyond the Veil Content Patch, which will bring new features for the Mists, adjustments to the Roads of Avalon, and usability improvements. Henkys also teased a forthcoming Dev Talk that will focus on a central feature, “Dungeons in the Mists.”
Looking ahead, Albion’s development strategy will focus on three key areas: better basics, continuous content, and fantastic features. The team will work on improving core aspects of the game, such as the Marketplace experience, the Black Market, and the Stone market. They will also expand on existing features, including new gear choices for the “You are what you wear” system, new items for the Rites of Spring and the Content Patch, and a new weapon line for the Hunter tree. Finally, the team is working on new features that expand the scope of Albion, including legendary weapons and improved spell behavior around walls and height differences.
According to Henkys, Albion has become quite large and complex, requiring a development strategy that allows the team to maintain, improve, and revolutionize the game at the same time. The team will continue to focus on improving the game’s fundamentals while also introducing new content and features that keep the game fresh and engaging.
Albion Online’s new East server has already proven to be a hit with players, and the game’s development roadmap promises to keep players engaged and excited for what’s to come. Stay tuned for more Dev Talks covering these themes and Albion’s next major update.


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Hardware staff to get $140k back pay
RETAIL workers at hardware stores all over regional Queensland will share in nearly $140,000 in back pay after a Fair Work Ombudsman crackdown.
The FWO released the findings of a massive campaign of 368 audits of Queensland businesses.
It found that 139 businesses, or 38%, were not meeting workplace laws.
Of those found to be contravening various laws, 76 were under-paying 191 workers a total of $139,7000, while 63 had minor record-keeping and pay slip contraventions.
Businesses that had underpaid staff were at locations including Brisbane, Beaudesert, Bundaberg, Cairns, Childers, Gatton, Gold Coast, Mackay, Nambour, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and Townsville.
Hardware stores in the Rockhampton and Mackay regions were the worst performers, with more than half of the outlets having to back-pay staff.
Acting Ombudsman Michael Campbell said inspectors were working to rectify the problems and ensure businesses "get it right in the future".
"While the contravention rate was concerning, it is pleasing that all employers voluntarily back-paid employees all money owed without the need for further action," he said.
He said the campaign, which focused on small and mainly independent hardware retailers, was prompted by a high number of complaints by Queensland workers.


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Currys experts go to extreme lengths for customers in new campaign
Created by AMV BBDO and Spark Foundry, the campaign uses virtual production to allow Currys staff to go global, all from a North London studio
01 August 2022
Currys, the UK tech retailer, introduced a new customer-focused brand platform with a series of ads that demonstrate colleagues’ expert knowledge and the lengths they will go to when there’s a tech question to answer.
The first three ads in the 'No questions unanswered' campaign, created in partnership with AMV BBDO and Spark Foundry, are focused on laptops, coinciding with the back-to-school and university season.
From taking a trip to the famous El Capitan in Yosemite to test out remote working capabilities, to heading to Paris to teach an art class, nothing is too much trouble: Currys’ tech experts will always go the extra mile to answer customer questions.
As a first for the brand, virtual production was used to transport colleagues to a location in France to teach an art class, up a mountain in the United States for some remote working and into the kitchen to set up a side hustle, Curries by Currys. Travelling virtual miles, from sign off to shoot, the work was produced in three weeks.
Corin Mills, head of brand, comms & planning at Currys, said: “When it comes to tech, consumers have all sorts of queries, and whether they are big or small, unexpected or frequently asked, no question is a stupid question for Currys colleagues.
Our colleagues are true tech experts, and we wanted to find an engaging new creative platform, using a modern filming approach that would help us celebrate this, while also showcasing the latest technology in the industry.”
AMV BBDO creative directors Jeremy Tribe and David Westland said, “Currys colleagues are tech experts and the new creative campaign which leaves ‘No questions unanswered’ demonstrates this. We wanted to have fun with the idea of how far they’d go to help answer a customer’s tech question, whether that means testing multi-tasking from a busy kitchen or remote working from a mountain.”
Rebecca Dorfman, managing partner at Spark Foundry, said, "Back to school is Currys’ peak laptop sales period of the year, but faced with a highly price-motivated audience, we had to change tack. As such, we’re bringing Currys back to Cinema for the first time in a decade targeting the students in need of laptops and the parent’s who’ll be footing the bill. Pairing this with TV, Social, and innovative location-based Digital to drive maximum impact across multiple touchpoints."
Campaign title: No questions unanswered
Client name: Corin Mills
Client name: Ernest Osafo
Creative Agency: AMV BBDO
CCO: Nicholas Hulley and Nadja Lossgott
Creative Director: David Westland and Jeremy Tribe
Creative Team: Julia Merino and Ricardo Porto
Planning Team: Matt Hardisty
Account Team: Alex Bird, Annabel Jerome, Jonny White and Kenza Chakib
Agency Producer: Trish Russell
Media Agency: Spark Foundry
Production: Flare Production
Director: Tom Brown
Production Co. Producer: Geoff Gedroyc
Edit: Maia Lloyd and Nazy Hashemi
Post-production: Flare Production
Sound studio: Jack Patterson @ Wave Studios
Audio Post-production: Wave Studios
PR agency: M&C Saatchi


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Bandai Namco has announced that Get Even will be delayed until June 23rd. The game was originally due to release this Friday on PS4, Xbox one and PC.
The delay is out of respect for yesterday’s tragedy that occurred in Manchester. Without going into too much details, there are scenes within the game that could be triggering or distressing for people playing the game.
Whilst it must have been a tough decision for the publisher to make, it’s to be absolutely respected.


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CCI to oppose rebate on entry taxes on online shopping
CCI Jammu said it would oppose the state government's decision of not charging entry tax from e-commerce companies for sub-Rs 5,000 purchases.
"An urgent meeting was convened at Chamber House today wherein representatives from different trades were present regarding the relaxations given to the e-commerce and online shopping sector by not imposing entry tax on purchases less than Rs 5,000," CCI Jammu said in a statement.
The meeting unanimously decided to force the government to impose entry tax on online shopping.
"We have already made a representation before the Commissioner Commercial Taxes so that the trading community gets a fair chance of being competitive in rates which is a fundamental right", he said.


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According to the Building Blocks blog, Tim Lowe has been named as chief development director of University Town Center.
From the University Town Center project proposal:
The University Town Center project is a 900+ acre destination mixed-use retail and entertainment project that will have a substantial impact on the St. Louis Metropolitan area and beyond. It will be located in Glen Carbon, Madison County, Illinois, at the intersection of I-270 and Route 157 & I-255 and Route 162 – less than two (2) miles from Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville, 4.5 miles from Southwestern Illinois College, “The Sam Wolf Granite City Campus”, and 21 miles from Lewis and Clark Community College.
The proposal is a bit brief on details, but there are some very rosy numbers floating out there in regards to this project: $1B development, 10,000 construction jobs, $34 million in taxes from building materials, state income taxes of $15.5 million, 3,100 permanent jobs, $16 million a year in property taxes and a total economic impact of $1.5 billion.
The problem may be that large retail developments such as this tend to be a zero-sum game. Retailers in the Metro East may relocate to the ironically named Town Center or new retailers may open, forcing existing retailers to close. For $1B destination retail development to not poach from existing retail either existing residents need to spend more (seems unlikely in the near future to say the least) or more shoppers must be found. While the Metro East has been growing in population, that growth has certainly not outpaced retail growth. The developer has stated that they hope to pull in shoppers from a 250-mile radius. I can’t imagine what type of shopping destination would be successful in doing that (short of maybe an IKEA). With big incentives in the form of STAR bonds (similar to TIF) the developers may win big, but the Metro East loses.