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CCTV cameras that can detect if you are wearing a face mask or not are being installed in shops across the UK because of increasingly non-compliant customers.
Shops across the UK are using the technology to help staff tackle awkward customers who will not wear face masks in their stores. The solution has been developed because it is now the shops’ responsibility to protect both their own staff and the health of their customers.
The camera system works out if an approaching customer is wearing a mask or not, displays a message on a screen to allow or deny access. Customers who are not wearing a mask are refused entry automatically.
One garden centre in Yorkshire got the system up and running last week. Whiteley’s Garden Centre in Mirfield is using a Videcon system to control customers behaviour at the main entrance to the store. They welcome 450 visitors a day, and staffing the door was a full-time job. They have seen a 50% decrease in customer non-compliance.
“The technology is just fantastic; the CCTV system automatically allows or denies access to the shop and means staff don’t have to be put at risk from difficult customers complaining, or potentially worse”, explains James Ritchey from CCTV.co.uk
“Retailers are working so hard to stay open during these most difficult times, and this system means staff aren’t in the firing line from customers who are unhappy about current restrictions. The other side of using an automated system is it gives customers who are worried about the virus confidence as they enter a tightly controlled secure Covid-19 store.”
According to figures from the Office for National Statistics, only a very small number of shoppers refuse to cover their faces. It found that in August almost 96% of adults wore a mask in some settings outside the home.
However, heated debates on social media suggest there is a strong degree of polarisation between those who believe face covering rules to be an infringement of their personal freedom and those who view refusing to wear one as selfish.
How the Face Mask detecting CCTV works:
- A customer walks towards the shop entrance
- The CCTV system works out using “Artificial Intelligence” if the person is wearing a mask or not
- A green or red message is displayed on a screen
- If the customer is wearing a mask, access is allowed
- If not, entry is refused

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Hideo Kojima unveils OD at The Game Awards
When it comes it gaming legends, they don't come much bigger than Hideo Kojima. The former Konami golden boy has now unveiled his next title, with the mysterious OD surely being one of The Game Awards' biggest announcements.
OD is something new from Hideo Kojima
An atmospheric trailer didn't give us much to go on, other than the fact OD stars IT's Sophia Lillis, Euphoria's Hunter Schaefer, and character actor, Udo Kier. Kojima was at The Game Awards, promising an immersive game, that's also a movie, and a new form of media that's an Xbox exclusive.
He wasn't alone, as horror favourite Jordan Peele joined Kojima on the stage and said he was collaborating with the "GOAT." As Peele is known for meta horrors, including Get Out, Us, and Nope, you can expect something special from this pair.
Kojima said he's a big fan of Peele, feeling like they're "friends from the past." Kojima shared his love of movies, promising that OD will be a truly unique experience. The big guy said he couldn't confirm who else he's working with on OD, but he referred to them as "The Avengers." Consider our interest piqued.
More to follow...


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This societal change brings with it a preference among dads for SUVs and crossovers, vehicles/ Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed according to the report, prefer to do their personal, leisure and business activities in a family hauler that does not question their masculinity.
Women, on the other hand, prefer minivans with sliding doors and a flat floor for their hauling. Less than one quarter of the men surveyed said they prefer a minivan for their tasks.
Recent census data says that there are more than 25 million dads who have children younger than 17. The statistics noted that there are 154,000 stay at home dads. The trend is that many more dads are becoming involved in family driving duties.
More than half of all dads chose safety as top vehicle feature, followed by fuel economy. Vehicle versatility is also key as dads surveyed use their current vehicles for everything from holiday travel (94 percent) to work commutes (63 percent) to household do-it-yourself projects (54 percent). Accordingly, passenger capacity was important to nearly 40 percent of fathers, along with functionality, ample cargo space and comfort.
These attributes place vehicles like Chevrolet’s Traverse in a position to supplant the minivan as the next most popular family hauler. The minivan has suffered image problems for years - moms being branded as soccer moms and other such perjorative positioning.
These newer crossover vehicles have a styling edge and do not come with psychological baggage. They are positioned to do well among families.


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Published: Sept. 14, 2020 at 8: 51 p.m. ET
Stock soars after rebuttal to fraud claims, but sinks after hours on characterize of SEC curiosity
A Nikola 2 hydrogen-powered truck.
Shares of electrical-truck maker Nikola Corp. went on a wild fling Monday, because the Securities and Commerce Charge reportedly weighed a instant-vendor’s claims of fraud, which the corporate had vehemently denied earlier within the day. After sinking spherical 8% in early-morning trading, shares of Nikola
surged after the corporate issued a rebuttal, closing up more than 11%. But basic of those beneficial properties evaporated after hours, following a Bloomberg News characterize that the SEC was having a look into instant-vendor Hindenburg Learn’s claims. Nikola ended the prolonged session down 8%.
Final week, Hindenburg called Nikola an “intricate fraud,” alleging the corporate made favorite unfounded statements and unfounded claims about its technology. On Monday morning, Nikola called that characterize “unfounded and misleading” and equipped a detailed rebuttal of Hindenburg’s accusations, citing “dozens” of inaccuracies. But Nikola did no longer dispute that a 2018 promotional video giving the affect of a self-riding truck in motion really moral confirmed the truck rolling downhill. Nikola “by no draw said its truck was riding under its salvage propulsion within the video,” the corporate acknowledged. Nikola additionally acknowledged it had “proactively contacted and briefed” the SEC about Hindenburg’s characterize, claiming it was designed to manipulate the market to learn instant sellers. In a assertion, Nikola acknowledged it “welcomes the SEC’s involvement in this subject.” But its stock tumbled in prolonged trading after a leisurely-afternoon characterize by Bloomberg that acknowledged the SEC is additionally having a look into Hindenburg’s allegations that Nikola would possibly also simply dangle violated securities authorized guidelines by deceiving customers. Bloomberg acknowledged the review is preliminary and would possibly simply no longer result in an investigation. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives is taking a wait-and-check out draw, pronouncing Monday that Nikola is a “indicate me” stock, while preserving a honest rating. Final week, Nikola shares shot increased after Usual Motors Co. took a $2 billion fairness stake within the corporate and announced a “doable sport altering” partnership to create an electrical pickup. GM Chief Executive Mary Barra told CNBC on Monday that GM had performed “acceptable diligence” earlier than the deal. Nikola shares dangle sunk 47% true thru the final three months, but are composed up nearly 250% year to this level.


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Do modern corporations think it’s worth having a “finger in every pie” these days? Amazon certainly thinks so. So did Sears back in the day.
And now, Apple has joined the list of ambitious “mega-corps” by announcing plans to release a credit card on Monday night, alongside the reveal of the company’s new gaming and video streaming services.
They’re partnering with Goldman Sachs (their first ever credit card) and Mastercard, who will allow Apple access to their extensive credit infrastructure, hoping to leverage the two institutions as an avenue for success.
The “Apple Card” (its official name) will offer 3% cash back to cardholders on any Apple purchases, 2% back on anything – yes, absolutely anything – bought with Apple Pay, and 1% back for any transactions purchased with the card itself.
The goal here is to ultimately drive cardholders towards Apple, which ties in with CEO Tim Cook’s new strategy to retain customers. The 3% cash back rewards exist only for Apple-related products, and in order to take advantage of the 2% cash back via Apple Pay, you’ll need to have an iPhone.
And in a vacuum, the Apple Card’s features sound good for Apple customers – there’s no doubt about it. But when compared to other cards on the market, the Apple Card starts to lose its luster.
Take the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite card for example, which offers an impressive 3% cash back on all transactions completed via its mobile pay app.
As usual, though, Apple doesn’t care about having a competitive advantage feature-wise when it comes to their new product. The iPhone is still seen by many technophiles as having less “bang-for-your-buck”, but has managed to outperform the competition (at least, until recently) due to superior branding, even at a much higher price point.
The Apple Card is no different in that regard. In addition to providing Apple-fanatics a way to save on Apple products, it’ll be a fashion accessory that looks “cool” next to a Macbook, iPhone, and Apple Watch.
And that’s the idea – to make casual Apple customers into die-hards by touching them in as many ways as possible. The company wants everything we own to carry an Apple logo, so eventually over time, we’re completely dependent upon them.
But in order for that to happen, Apple needs people to actually want Apple Cards – something that could prove difficult as millions of debt-laden Americans already feel like they have “too many credit cards” according to recent consumer studies.
Because of that (and in addition to other factors), breaking into the industry will certainly be tough, especially in regard to mobile payments. Paypal, the gold standard at the moment, commands a whopping 267 million users, while Apple only has 32 million. Their new card may help boost those numbers, but if consumers don’t find its perks enticing enough, Apple could continue to be only a minor player on that front.
And that key statistic – mobile payments – will likely determine whether the Apple Card is a success or failure. Simply put, people tend to spend more money with mobile pay than they do when using a physical credit card, and that’s something Apple desperately wants to harness moving forward.
But in order to attract “mobile payers”, they’ll need to make consumers do the unthinkable – switch credit cards. As it stands, there’s really nothing exciting enough about the Apple Card to convince people to do so.
So, unless Apple can find some “sexy” characteristic of their card that have yet to be discovered, it might end up flopping – disappointing investors in a major way and signaling a new era of “Apple complacency” as the company desperately searches for a new identity.


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Apple’s latest patent is very un-Apple.
The company today filed a patent for ‘transparent texting,’ a feature that could allow iMessage users to safely walk around while texting, reports AppleInsider. The tech behind the patent is simple: A live video feed from the iPhone’s built-in camera serves as the background for text messages, thus creating the feeling that you’re typing on a transparent screen.
Optimistically, texting in this way could allow users to see dangers ahead of them before its too late — all while not having to look up from their phones.
Too bad there’s already an app for that.
Later on, similar apps appeared on Android. Yet, here we are, eyeing Apple’s latest filing [below] with the same idea.
Of course, just because an idea is patented doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. Often, patents are simply defensive acts and don’t reveal actual plans that will go into production.
But this is Apple, and despite all its billions, the company ended up patenting an unimaginative idea five years too late. To Apple’s credit, it first filed this concept in 2012.


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Car thieves were less active in 2013, thanks to improved anti-theft technology and efforts from law enforcement, but some models still attracted the more daring of pilferers.
Hondas continue to suffer the highest theft rates, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s “Hot Wheels” report on auto theft, though overall theft has been on a long-term downward trajectory. In fact, the number of thefts has not risen above 700,000 since 1967 and overall theft has declined more than 50% since 1991.
NICB President and CEO Jon Wehrle attributes the improvement to vehicle manufacturers, improved anti-theft technology and collaboration between insurance companies and law enforcement.
It’s all great news, but car theft is still a significant economic hardship and one that is strikingly common—one vehicle is stolen every 45 seconds, resulting in losses of more than $4 billion a year, according to the NICB.
According to nationwide data, these 10 models were the most stolen of all in 2014:
1. Honda Accord (51,290)
2. Honda Civic (43,936)
3. Ford Pickup (Full Size) (28,680)
4. Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size) (23,196)
5. Toyota Camry (14,605)
6. Dodge Pickup (Full Size) (11,075)
7. Dodge Caravan (10,483)
8. Nissan Altima (9,109)
9. Acura Integra (6,902)
10. Nissan Maxima (6,586)
In a release, the NICB advised drivers of its four “Layers of Protection” for preventing theft.
- Common Sense: Lock your car and take your keys. It’s simple enough, but many thefts occur because owners make it easy for thieves to steal their cars.
- Warning Device: Having and using a visible or audible warning device is another item that can ensure that your car remains where you left it.
- Immobilizing Device: Generally speaking, if your vehicle can’t be started, it can’t be stolen. “Kill” switches, fuel cut-offs and smart keys are among the devices that are extremely effective.
- Tracking Device: A tracking device emits a signal to the police or to a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some systems employ “telematics,” which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved, the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer.


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|Bid||124.25 x 1100|
|Ask||124.26 x 800|
|Day's range||124.02 - 126.39|
|52-week range||81.43 - 146.57|
|Beta (5Y monthly)||1.26|
|PE ratio (TTM)||288.95|
|Earnings date||26 July 2023 - 31 July 2023|
|Forward dividend & yield||N/A (N/A)|
|1y target est||134.65|
Amazon may be looking to offer a new service for its Prime members. Bloomberg News is reporting Amazon is in early talks with wireless companies to offer mobile phone plans for its U.S. Prime members. Yahoo Finance Tech Editor Dan Howley explains why Amazon may want to expand its Prime offerings.
Alphabet, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon are just part of the elite group of companies that have market caps of $1 trillion or more. Their CEOs are paid handsomely, though some are getting pay cuts. Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, saw a huge dip in compensation, going from $212 million in 2021 to $1.3 million in 2022. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, brought in $84 million in 2022, however, he is expected to see a 40 percent drop in 2023. The Yahoo Finance Live team breaks down the numbers.
(Bloomberg) -- Amazon.com Inc. has been talking with wireless carriers about offering low-cost or possibly free nationwide mobile phone service to Prime subscribers, according to people familiar with the situation.Most Read from BloombergChina Is Drilling a 10,000-Meter-Deep Hole Into the EarthAmazon Is in Talks to Offer Free Mobile Service to US Prime MembersInside the Making of Redfall, Xbox’s Latest MisfireRich Latin Americans Transform Laid-Back Madrid Into a New MiamiHedge Funds at War for
Shares of Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH) are up 17.1% as of 2:02 p.m. ET Friday in response to reports that Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) is considering a partnership with the company that could offer low-cost or no-cost wireless service to Amazon Prime subscribers. The same possibility was floated by The Wall Street Journal a little over a week ago. Perpetually looking for ways to attract and retain Prime subscribers (who tend to spend more at Amazon.com than non-Prime members), Amazon offers a suite of digital offerings like on-demand video, audiobooks, discounted restaurant delivery, and free shipping on most items ordered online.
TripAdvisor (TRIP) reported earnings 30 days ago. What's next for the stock? We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues.
Shares of Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) stock gained 14% in May, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. It's building on the momentum of a public craze about the possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI), as management announced its own generative AI efforts back in March and then debuted several new AI-powered devices in May. Amazon had been losing some steam over the past year as sales growth decelerated in the aftermath of astronomical pandemic growth, and profitability has been pressured as demand slows.
For income-focused investors, dividend exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be a great way to balance risk and return. That's because they represent a basket of stocks -- meaning ETF investors have built-in diversification.
Every time you turn around, AI has done something amazing. These three companies are set to capitalize on the AI revolution.
With its dominance in the industry, it's hard not to mention Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) when discussing e-commerce stocks. The company has a massive lead in the market with its 38% share; Walmart holds the second-largest share at 6.3%. Amazon's authority in e-commerce means it has the most to gain from easing inflation and a market recovery.
The e-commerce and tech giant is about to cash in on the investments it made over the past three years.
Second, customers had less money to spend on Amazon.com and on the company's cloud computing services. As a result, Amazon reported a rare annual loss. As mentioned above, rising inflation has weighed on Amazon.
Amazon is known for its low prices. But read on to see how you might manage to save even more on select items.
(Bloomberg) -- Tens of thousands of Amazon.com Inc. employees once could listen to voice recordings of Alexa users, according to US regulators.Most Read from BloombergChina Is Drilling a 10,000-Meter-Deep Hole Into the EarthAmazon Is in Talks to Offer Free Mobile Service to US Prime MembersInside the Making of Redfall, Xbox’s Latest MisfireRich Latin Americans Transform Laid-Back Madrid Into a New MiamiHedge Funds at War for Top Traders Dangle $120 Million PayoutsSome 30,000 Amazon workers had a
Match Group (MTCH) reported earnings 30 days ago. What's next for the stock? We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues.
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) hold the two largest market shares in cloud computing with their respective services: Amazon Web Services (AWS) with a 32% share and Azure with 23%. As a result, one of these companies looks poised to become a dominant figure in both the cloud and AI markets, making their stocks compelling investments. Amazon's biggest asset is its lead in the cloud market with AWS.
As part of its ongoing mission to support and increase visibility for the LGBTQ+ community, the SKITTLES® brand is celebrating Pride 2023 by elevating LGBTQ+ stories through teaming up with Audible, actor and comedian Cameron Esposito's QUEERY podcast, GLAAD, and the five talented artists who designed SKITTLES' 2023 Pride packs. Starting today consumers can scan the QR code on any SKITTLES Pride pack, which will direct fans to a free collection of LGBTQ+ stories on Audible, upcoming special edit
Amazon (AMZN) announces the general availability of its purpose-built security data lake, called Amazon Security Lake.
ATLANTA, June 01, 2023--Amazon announced today that it has more than doubled the capacity of its Disaster Relief Hub in Atlanta by prepositioning 2.4 million relief items ahead of the 2023 hurricane season, which officially begins today. The items will be distributed in the wake of natural disasters to nonprofits and other aid partners that quickly help communities impacted by hurricanes or other disasters. The Disaster Relief Hub is a dedicated space within Amazon’s global logistics network to
Nvidia's blockbuster quarter and valuation questions to consider. If Best Buy needs sales growth to reward shareholders. Plus, Motley Fool analysts Tim Beyers and Meilin Quinn interview DigitalOcean CEO Yancey Spruill about how the cloud service provider differentiates itself from competitors like Microsoft and Amazon.
Fool.com contributor and finance professor Parkev Tatevosian elaborates on how Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Snowflake (NYSE: SNOW) have prospects that are correlated. *Stock prices used were the afternoon prices of May 29, 2023.
Staff at the security camera maker Ring could watch thousands of videos of people in their bedrooms and bathrooms without owners’ knowledge, a US regulator has claimed.
Amazon will be revising its delivery fees for its Amazon Fresh groceries delivery service with effect from 8 June. See the new fees.
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) is no stranger when it comes to tech innovation. In its nearly 30-year history, the company has been a pioneer in everything from cloud computing infrastructure to e-commerce to video streaming to voice-activated technology like Alexa and beyond. With artificial intelligence (AI) moving to the forefront as the next major boom in technology, it shouldn't be a surprise to find Amazon there as well.
Existing competitive advantages and big opportunities driven by AI make this tech giant a smart investment.
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) shares have popped by about 40% since the start of 2023. The tech giant's domination of some of the world's fastest-growing and most lucrative industries, from e-commerce to cloud computing, not to mention its growing footprint in other fast-growing spaces like entertainment, healthcare, groceries, and more, has given it a moat that few other companies have been able to penetrate at scale. It's also important to understand that no company is wholly impervious to the operating environment in which it exists.


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Computer chips the size of grains of sand have become the latest trend among manufacturers seeking to track everything from automobiles to underwear to razor blades.
The new technology can fix the exact location of virtually any consumer product and the humans who wear and carry the items.
The radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips now in mass production are affixed to postage-stamp-size labels. Merchandisers, led by Wal-Mart, will soon use them to track goods inside the store. Shelf antennae will alert staff to restock products, or turn on surveillance cameras if shoplifting is suspected.
At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Auto-ID Center, the leading research organization on RFIDs, says in its literature that the simple concept has “enormous implications.
“Put a tag — a microchip with an antenna — on a can of Coke or a car axle, and suddenly a computer can ‘see’ it. Put tags on every can of Coke and every car axle, and suddenly the world changes. No more inventory counts. No more lost or misdirected shipments. No more guessing how much material is in the supply chain, or how much product is on the store shelves.”
The global infrastructure that MIT envisions is an Internet tool “that will make it possible for computers to identify any object anywhere in the world instantly. This network will not just provide the means to feed reliable, accurate, real-time information into existing business applications; it will usher in a whole new era of innovation and opportunity.”
And that is what worries some privacy advocates, who fear the Big Brother technology attached to clothing will follow customers out of the store and be used to track people through the items they purchase.
“If misused, the potential for abuse is so tremendous,” said Katherine Albrecht, director of Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion And Numbering (CASPIAN).
The consumer-watchdog group initiated a boycott against Benetton, an Italian clothing maker and store that says it plans to implant the technology on “smart labels” on its Sisley brand of underwear.
The company admitted in a written statement it “is currently analyzing RFID technology to evaluate its technical characteristics,” but “emphasizes that no feasibility studies have yet been undertaken with a view to the possible industrial introduction of this technology.”
“On completion of all studies on this matter, including careful analysis of potential implications relating to individual privacy, the company reserves the right to take the most appropriate decision to generate maximum value for its stakeholders and customers,” the statement said.
Advocates of the new technology say the identifying number on the chip can be erased, easing some privacy concerns, and that safeguards are being developed to completely turn the chip off before it leaves the store.
But opponents say they are not convinced that the safeguards are enough, arguing that the chips may not be deactivated — potentially leading to abuse of power similar to that in totalitarian regimes.
“If Hitler had access to this technology, there would not be a whole lot of Jewish people alive today. This is the ultimate form of power,” Mrs. Albrecht said.
She said that the technology also offers X-ray vision capable of reading personal items in handbags, brief cases and pockets.
Advocates of the new technology say it will enable manufacturerers to reduce thefts and increase profits, and field tests have already tracked inventory shipped from all over the country to the loading dock of a Sam’s Club in Tulsa, Okla. Also, an amusement park did real-time tracking of children wearing bracelets with the tiny technology.
Numerous companies have the technical ability to produce the chips at various costs, but Alien Technology Corp. of California is at the forefront with a contract from Gillette Co. to produce 500 million tags, at about 25 cents apiece, to track the firm’s shaving products.
“This is a landmark agreement,” Stav Prodromou, Alien chief executive, said in announcing the deal. He said the affordable prices will ensure widespread adoption of the technology.
Alien spokesman Tom Pound said that within a few years, the tags will be produced for just pennies apiece.
“We have the technology and a roadmap that takes us there,” Mr. Pound said.
Some companies are already moving past consumer use and marketing the technology for military and homeland-security applications.
The military used the technology to track food and equipment headed to the war in Iraq, said Mark Roberti, editor of RFID Journal. “In the first Gulf war, they sent 20,000 containers and had to open 16,000 to find out what was inside,” he said.
In this year’s war, chips sewn into wristbands followed wounded military personnel and triage records as they moved through field hospitals.
ActiveWave says its RFID system can aid homeland security by real-time tracking of airport employees working in secure areas by their identification cards, and passengers by airline tickets.
To expedite border crossing, the Homeland Security Department is already using the chips, embedded on identification cards.


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VietJet’s managing director Luu Duc Khanh said Google would help the airline understand passenger behaviour and give it access to digital solutions that will help it tap potential customers in new markets.
“Aviation is a very competitive industry and we believe technology will give us an advantage. Google will be our advisor on many things including strategy,” he said. However, Khanh remained vague on the details of the recently signed memorandum of understanding (MOU).
The privately run airline is a relatively new player, but a fast growing one in the aviation space. Launched in 2011, it has a fleet of 12 aircraft and operates 22 domestic and international routes. Khanh said the airline sees strong demand in the domestic market and as such plans to take a “conservative approach” to international expansion. He claimed market share has grown to 35 per cent, surpassing Jet Star to become the top low-cost carrier in the country.
Much of this growth is attributed to fleet expansion. Most recently, the company ordered 63 Airbus A320 jets and has bid for 30 more in a $9.1 billion deal. Khanh said the airline will add about six to 12 planes a year and plans to increase frequency across existing international routes including Singapore, Bangkok, Taipei, Cambodia and Korea. Spurred by success in Taipei, Khanh is keen to move into other parts of North Asia, including Japan and Korea. He also sees potential in India, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines and certain cities in China.
According to Khanh, VietJet has built its brand in a cost-effective way. The company spends less than 10 per cent of its revenue on marketing and advertising. It rarely uses television and print, and all campaigns are done in-house. Instead, the airline uses a lot of digital and over-the-top PR. For instance, last year a parade of flight attendants and pilots rode horses through the streets of Da Lat to announce Vietjet's route from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat.
The company has run into trouble over a couple of controversial campaigns. Last year, the carrier was criticised for releasing racy pictures of lingerie models posing in its aircraft in bikinis. In 2012, a publicity stunt that saw five beauty contest winners dance along the aisle of its planes drew fines.
“Our passengers and customers are young, so our marketing strategy is focused to tap this group,” said Khanh about the campaigns. Indeed, 70 per cent of people in Vietnam are under the age of 30 and almost 80 per cent of the Vietnamese airline’s customer base is under 50.
VietJet also competes on price as the rates are often cheaper than major international airlines. When it launched in Singapore in May 2014, the company offered tickets from Singapore to Ho Chi Minh at $2. “We’ve given a new meaning to low-cost flying," Khanh said. "We brought in good aircrafts and offer really good service and this has been a game changer for us.”


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Chatter about an iPad mini just won't settle. Another analyst just added fuel to this hot-air balloon with a note to clients. But revisiting Steve Jobs' take on going smaller might just deflate some of this speculation.
This week, Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu wrote that a 7- or 8-inch screen with resolution that's comparable to the first- and second-generation iPads is feasible, according to Barron's. "From a competitive standpoint, we believe an iPad mini with a lower price point would be the competition’s worst nightmare," Wu wrote. "We believe a lower-priced iPad mini would make it even more difficult for the competition to gain traction."
But that doesn't fit with what Steve Jobs said over the years. What did Steve say? Size matters.
On an earnings call in October 2010, Jobs addressed the issue of smaller screens, which he declared DOA -- dead on arrival.
"One naturally thinks that a 7-inch screen would offer 70% of the benefits of a 10-inch screen," he said. "Unfortunately, this is far from the truth. The screen measurements are diagonal, so that a 7-inch screen is only 45% as large as iPad's 10-inch screen. You heard me right; just 45% as large."


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The eco-conscious Hactl
As one of Hong Kong’s largest independent cargo handler, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) is working on a new strategy that is a part of their long-running “Green Terminal” environmental programme. Where the latest phase is set in place, they held an an event entitled “Don’t Wait Act Now” that included a show of upcycled fashion modelled by Hactl staff.
August 7, 2018
By PLA Editorial
One of Hactl’s key aims is to eradicate single-use plastics from its facility, so contributing to a reduction in plastics entering the world’s oceans.
Hactl has been running its “Green Terminal” programme of measures to reduce its environmental impact for many years. The company has won a number of prestigious local and international awards for its achievements to date, which include reusing or recycling 97% of paper, 95% of plastics waste and 68% of wood.
Says Hactl’s Senior Manager – Quality Assurance, Benny Siu, who has spearheaded Green Terminal since its inception: “‘Don’t Wait Act Now’ is the latest and arguably most important phase of Green Terminal, in which we seek to change the habits of our own staff, and our tenants and terminal users.
“With this event and our recent actions, we are asking people to think about their personal impact on the environment, and to make small changes that can make a big difference. We hope that good eco habits nurtured in the workplace will travel home with our staff and be shared with families and friends.
“Hactl is a conscientious and eco-minded member of Hong Kong’s business community, committed to protecting not just our wonderful city, but our wider, living planet. The message of ‘Don’t Wait Act Now’ is clear: we can all make a difference, and reduce our impact on a fragile planet.”


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Scammers are posing as representatives of the Connecticut Light & Power Co. (CL&P) and are seeking immediate payments from Connecticut residents, Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner William Rubenstein warned recently.
Several consumers reported to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) that they have been called by “Mike Anderson” or “Jesse Fernandez,” men who claimed to be with the CL&P billing department. “Mike” advised one consumer that her power would be disconnected unless she purchased a Green Dot Card — a brand of reloadable prepaid card — and loaded it with money. To avoid disconnection, after loading the card with nearly $300 in cash, the consumer was then to call another number with the account information on the Green Dot card.
A consumer contacted by “Jesse” reported having a similar telephone experience.
These consumers called CL&P and were told their accounts were in order and that they were targets of a scam. The consumers subsequently made this information known to PURA, which operates under the auspices of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
“The targeted consumers did the right thing by calling their utility to verify the caller’s claim, and I encourage anyone who gets this type of call to do the same,” Mr. Rubenstein said. “Never make any payment to someone who calls you over the phone unless you are absolutely certain that they are legitimate, and that you owe what they say you owe. Had those consumers followed the scammer’s instructions, their money would be long gone.”
Those who believe they are the victim of, or were targeted, by this scam may file a written complaint with the Department of Consumer Protection at 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford CT 06141, or at [email protected]
For questions about a CL&P account, call 800-286-2000.


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Amazon Offers to Buy Sellers’ Inventory at Full Price
In a breaking news report from CNBC, Amazon.com has reportedly sent out an email to many of its third-party sellers with an offer to purchase their inventory at full price. It sounds too good to be true, but it’s been confirmed that the notice is 100% authentic. Why is Amazon making this move?
Ultimately, this is all part of an ongoing effort by Jeff Bezos to expand the Amazon catalog. Sellers can certainly reap the short-term benefits of this profitable effort from the Amazon corporate team, as Amazon continues its long-term siege of both online and brick-and-mortar retail shopping.
Amazon is not necessarily concerned with the immediate profits they’ll make from the items they purchase through this plan – rather, they are focused on maintaining the ability to provide any item a customer would like to order, anywhere in the world.
Amazon Spokesperson Confirms Validity of Email
An Amazon representative confirmed that this notice to marketplace sellers is indeed valid:“When items are unavailable in a particular geography, we provide customers with selections from another marketplace,” stated the representative. “This offers customers a wider selection of great brands and helps sellers increase sales.” –CNBC
Brands have already come forward to express their concerns, including Birkenstock, the brand notoriously known for boldly pulling all of its items off the platform last year. Currently, only a select few merchants are allowed to sell this brand’s product online — and Amazon is not one of them. Mr. David Kahan, CEO of Birkenstock, immediately expressed his concern about this email, stating that if Amazon.com is indeed soliciting their authorized merchants, the company will take legal action against Amazon right away.
If you’re a marketplace seller who received this email, rest assured that it is in fact authentic. However, we are certain that there will be much more to this story, especially for major name brands as they come forward with further concerns about this venture.


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DENVER, Colo., Nov. 2, 2021 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Onshore Strategies just launched an oil and gas-focused supply chain consulting firm that's working to solve the industry's supply chain challenges. This new, woman-owned business has proven sourcing strategies to save businesses money and time, while improving auditability, helping with ESG efforts and increasing capital. The answer is hiring consultants to meet specific demand and need.
Sector-Leading No-Code Platform CERTA Signs Agreement with supplier.io to Provide Diversity Analytics to Clients
PALO ALTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Certa, the leading no-code platform for procurement, risk and compliance, and supplier.io, a pioneer in the field of supplier diversity solutions, announced a strategic partnership to bring Certa's clients supplier.io's best-in-class supplier diversity analytics.


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Handbags Online: The Paris Edit, the first various owner Handbags & Accessories sale at Christie’s Paris since 2017, totalled €3,663,072 / $3,817,577 / £3,218,868. The auction was sold 99% by lot and 82% of lots sold above the high estimate. This online-only sale celebrated exceptional rarities through a rich selection of the most sought-after Handbags & Accessories, attracting bidders and buyers from 40 countries, with 55% of registrants new to Christie’s.
Leading the auction, an Exceptional Black Feathers So Black Sellier Kelly 28 achieved €277,200, almost four times its low estimate. This iconic creation, offered for the first time at auction, was designed by Jean Paul Gautier in 2010 and remains one of the most desirable limited-edition pieces on the market. The sale featured a recent reinterpretation of the legendary Himalaya Kelly: an exceptional Matte White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Sellier Kelly 25, previously unseen on the market, which sold for €189,000.
The sale also achieved notable results for Hermès Birkin bags, including a Matte Béton, White Togo, Orange and Bleu Brume Faubourg Sellier Birkin 20, which realised €239,400; a Shiny Rouge H Porosus Crocodile Diamond Birkin 30, which achieved €126,000; a Limited Edition Barénia & Osier Picnic Birkin 25, which sold for €107,100, more than twice its low estimate; and a Matte Black Alligator Birkin 25, which realised €56,700.
The auction season continued with an exceptional Handbags & Accessories live sale at Christie’s Hong Kong on 26 November, followed by Handbags Online: The New York Edit which will be open for bidding online from 28 November to 9 December.


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Target offers time-sensitive deals via mobile promotion
Target is offering discounts on must-have back-to-college products via a new promotion that rewards the first 1,000 consumers who ?Like? the deal.
The company is promoting the campaign through mobile, its Facebook pages and its Web site. Target is also running mobile banner ads that take consumers to the time-sensitive deals.
?This year?s back-to-college campaign includes a robust social media strategy, because we know college students are finding much of their information and inspiration from their social communities,? said Kristy Welker, spokeswoman for Target.
?Students are active social media users so our campaign reaches students through a variety of social media channels,? she said.
The ?1,000 Likes? promotion lets consumers pay less for back-to-college items via an interactive tab hosted exclusively on 65 college Facebook pages and on Target?s Web site.
Each Monday through Friday beginning Aug. 4 ? Aug. 31, Target will offer a 40-50 percent discount on one must-have back-to-college product.
The first 1,000 people to ?Like? the deal will receive a mobile coupon for the item to be redeemed at Target stores.
Once Target receives 1,000 Likes, the countdown for the next deal begins.
Target is also running mobile banner ads within Pandora that take consumers to a mobile-optimized page that shows the countdown and lets consumers ?like? the page to receive their discount.
?Pandora has reported only a couple weeks ago that mobile use is exceeding its volume of advertisers, so Target further expanding its mobile advertising with Pandora makes sense for both companies,? said Michael Martin, mobile SEO manager at Covario.
?This kind of practice benefits Target in that it is able to reach the right kind of demographic at the right time on what is the most personal device people have and use,? he said.
?At the bare minimum just seeing the ad provides mindshare for Target while optimally the user takes an action not only touch clicking the ad but takes a further action ?liking? them on Facebook to get the discount.?
Mr. Martin is not affiliated with Target. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.
Mobile and social
Via this multichannel campaign, Target is able to reach as many consumers as possible.
Integrating social and mobile for the campaign helps engage consumers and further build that relationship.
?The fact that the user needs to take an action to ?Like? them on Facebook in order to get the discount, this both reinforces true interest from the user toward your products and provides a means to retarget that user via Facebook later,? Mr. Martin said.
?I see advertising treading carefully into gets ads within the notification system of smartphones upon a user?s permission especially in tandem with NFC,? he said.
?Near Field Communication technology is already embedded within the Nexus S Android phone in the U.S. but could become more prevalent in the country as it will be included in the upcoming BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 devices as well speculated for the next iteration of the iPhone this or next year.?


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San Francisco, CA: September 12, 2016 – Vibram®, the renowned Italian sole manufacturer and inventor of the Vibram FiveFingers® shoes, designed to give wearers the feeling of minimalism with the protection and performance of a Vibram sole, has enlisted the help of online brand protection expert, MarkMonitor®, to tackle the growing number of counterfeit products online.
To help combat these issues, Vibram launched an online brand protection partnership with MarkMonitor in November 2015 and conducted an extensive scan of more than 60 online marketplaces.
Vibram continued working closely with MarkMonitor and developed a brand protection strategy to tackle its counterfeiting problem. In just over seven months it removed more than 1,900 different listings from online marketplaces, selling 416,000 infringing items worth an estimated 17 million Euros ($19 million). MarkMonitor has also enforced against counterfeit goods on 353 websites and resolved issues on 198 infringing sites.
Mike Wiltshire of Primal Lifestyle, official UK distributor for Vibram FiveFingers, said: “Our barefooting concept will continue to evolve and we want to do everything in our power to ensure that those consumers seeking genuine products are not duped by counterfeiters. Many of the counterfeit products are distributed via online marketplaces, or on illegitimate websites using stolen imagery and text, and can look very similar to our genuine website and products.
“Many unsuspecting customers don’t realise they have been deceived until they receive the poor quality product and sometimes they receive no product at all. We are working diligently to take action against online counterfeiters and we are really impressed with the initial successes achieved by MarkMonitor. Tackling the problem of counterfeiting and brand infringement is an ongoing challenge and it would be nigh impossible without the right expertise and technology in place.”
Vibram was established in the 1930s by Italian climber Vitale Bramani who sought to introduce rubber-soled shoes for the sport, following a tragic accident caused by leather-soled shoes. Seven decades later the company designed the Vibram FiveFingers shoes that take inspiration from the human feet (minimalism and 5-toes shapes) with the protection and performance of a Vibram sole, a product well regarded in the market. The brand now offers a variety of the unique designs to cover a range of activities — from fitness training and yoga, to running, trekking and sailing.
Jerome Sicard, MarkMonitor regional manager southern Europe, said: “The issue of counterfeiting online is affecting brands across the globe and having a robust and effective brand protection strategy has become an inevitable requirement for all organisations conducting their business on the Internet. Counterfeiters are continually refining their methods and processes in an attempt to deceive consumers, and with the sheer volume of marketplace listings and methods of infringement, seeking external help and an advanced technological solution is the quickest and most effective approach.
“We are still in the early stages of the campaign with Vibram. However, the initial results are very promising and we will continue to work closely to protect the brand and its customers and take robust action where appropriate.”
MarkMonitor, the global leader in enterprise brand protection, offers comprehensive solutions and services that safeguard brands, reputation and revenue from online risks. With end-to-end solutions that address the growing threats of online fraud, brand abuse and unauthorised channels, MarkMonitor enables a secure Internet for businesses and their customers. The company’s exclusive access to data combined with its patented real-time prevention, detection and response capabilities provide wide-ranging protection against the ever-changing online risks faced by brands today. For more information, visit www.markmonitor.com.
Thomson Reuters is the world’s leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial and risk, legal, tax and accounting, intellectual property and science and media markets, powered by the world’s most trusted news organization. For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com.
Vibram® is the world leader in the development and manufacturing of high-performance rubber soles for outdoor and leisure activities, workwear, fashion, orthopaedics and correction. For more than 75 years the yellow octagon that symbolises Vibram® has been synonymous worldwide with quality, performance, safety and innovation in the footwear industry. With its international headquarters in Albizzate (Varese) Italy, Vibram® produces more than 40 million soles every year, dedicates over one million kilometres to testing, is present in 120 countries and has manufacturing, research and representation bases in the USA, China, Japan, Brazil and Italy. www.vibram.com.
Zeno Group for MarkMonitor
© 2016 MarkMonitor Inc. All rights reserved. MarkMonitor® is a registered trademark of MarkMonitor Inc., part of the Intellectual Property & Science business of Thomson Reuters. All other trademarks included herein are the property of their respective owners.


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THE Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI) is helping smaller firms penetrate the booming Chinese e-commerce market.
The SCCCI's annual Singapore-China Business Forum yesterday involved industry leaders and experts explaining how companies here can utilise China's e-commerce platforms to access a market valued at 2.8 trillion yuan (S$613 billion) last year.
They also discussed cross-border transactions, logistics and e-payments.
SCCCI president Thomas Chua said Singapore lags in e-commerce: "According to statistics, e-commerce accounts for only 3 per cent of Singapore's retail market, while it is 10 per cent in China and 12 per cent in South Korea."
He noted that consumers here can use international e-commerce platforms that are already established, such as Amazon and eBay, to make purchases.
Singapore is a compact place where people can get around easily for shopping.
The event yesterday included the launch of the China Network@SCCCI WeChat platform, which uses the Chinese text and voice messaging service.
Using social media in this way was part of the memorandums of understanding signed between SCCCI and nine China representative offices in Singapore in 2013.
They aim to help local businesses expand into China by sharing information on business and market trends.
The WeChat platform also enables Chinese businesses to use Singapore as a platform for their ventures abroad.
SCCCI vice-president Roland Ng said there are a few challenges in using the e-commerce platform.
"The biggest problem the smaller firms are facing is the logistics issue. For us, the market in Singapore is very small."
He suggested that businesses could co-operate and have a single combined service provider.
Mr Ng also singled out the payment mechanism as another challenge.
He added that information-sharing is just an initial stage in the larger plan.
"Slowly, the chamber is looking at an interactive website. We are thinking of getting members to share their information and, at the same time, share about certain issues such as the costs involved."


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It's no secret that demand for Nvidia AI hardware currently exceeds supply, and according to TSMC, the situation isn't going to change anytime soon. Speaking to the media at a recent conference, the company's chairman stated that he expects the hardware shortage to persist for a few years, at least. The reason isn't due to a lack of actual chips but rather its own inability to finish the process with the required advanced packaging. TSMC is attempting to resolve this issue by building a new facility to add more packaging capacity, but like anything in the semiconductor world, these things take time.
Mark Liu, the chairman of TSMC, told Nikkei at a recent conference the blame for the shortage is due to its chip-on-wafer-on-substrate (CoWoS) packaging capacity. This issue is driven by the recent explosion in demand for AI worldwide, with Nvidia's accelerators having now attained a must-have status for any company with ambitions in this space. TSMC saw the shortage writing on the wall this summer, too. In July, it announced it would build an all-new $2.9 billion facility to expand its packaging capacity to meet surging demand. The new plant is expected to employ 1,500 people, so it's a sizable investment from TSMC.
The chairman's comments, noted by Tom's Hardware, indicate it's simply adding more capacity, which will take a while. "It is not the shortage of AI chips, it is the shortage of our CoWoS capacity," he said. "Currently, we cannot fulfill 100% of our customers' needs, but we try to support about 80%." Liu says that though this is a problem for obvious reasons, it's only temporary because it's working on the new facility. "After our expansion, it should be alleviated in one and a half years," he concluded. In the interview, Liu said demand for CoWoS packaging increased "suddenly" and has tripled this year alone.
What's concerning about Liu's comments is he says "after the expansion," it'll take 1.5 years to alleviate the bottleneck. However, the expansion itself isn't expected to bear fruit until sometime next year, so that would put the light at the end of the tunnel into 2026. It's impossible to predict where the market will be then, as Nvidia (and AMD) will have rolled out new generations of hardware, and AI could have gone the way of the metaverse by then. That's doubtful, of course, but you never know what the future may hold in the tech world. People were buying NFTs not too long ago.
The statement from Liu about its own lack of packaging capacity indicates a new trend in computing, where it's no longer feasible just to have the capacity to produce X number of chips but advanced packaging capacity as well. Both TSMC and Intel have stated they expect chips to feature 1 trillion transistors in roughly 10 years. This will require 2.5D and 3D packaging, with chips using high-speed interconnects vertically and side-by-side. It's the opening of a new front in the battle between foundries, as advanced packaging will only become more critical as chips get denser.


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Gig workers are increasingly embracing ad hoc project work by choice — not because due to need. Hyperwallet’s Michael Ting goes behind the numbers in the latest Gig Economy Index to explain the sea change that’s underway in a world where 58 percent of gig workers do not want full-time jobs — and digital marketplaces remain challenged to make digital payments part of their payout process.
The gig economy: no longer the domain of ride-hailing firms. No longer the side hustle of people who need to make an extra buck just to make ends meet. No longer a “need to do.” Increasingly, gig work is a matter of choice.
In the latest Gig Economy Index, a number of stats stood out, gleaned from the responses of 10,000 workers queried by PYMNTS. According to a subsequent conversation between Karen Webster and Hyperwallet SVP of Digital Markets Michael Ting in the most recent Data Drivers podcast, the numbers told a tale, showing what it’s like to be a gig worker, where online marketplaces are providing value (though there is still room for improvement, especially in payments) and how demographics may not be as is expected.
The data shows that roughly a third of the workplace is participating in the gig economy, as Webster noted, at least in some capacity.
“It’s a trend that we’re seeing continue to grow. I think more and more people are becoming comfortable with this from both sides of the transaction,” Ting said of employers and workers — and both sides of the relationship are increasingly comfortable with meeting up via online marketplaces. It’s an embrace of the digital age that has caught the attention of what Ting called “the entities that have to find the talent, as well as the talent itself. There is no shortage of demand for the services, and it’s a win-win for both.”
A Lifestyle Choice — In Real Time
Life is about choices. The digital marketplaces are enabling workers to make choices, and there is a sizable component of the gig working populace that chooses not to work full-time. This is evidenced by the roughly 53 percent of gig workers who do not hold full-time jobs, and as many as 58 percent do not want them.
Thus, the gig economy is becoming a more viable part of the broader economic landscape. The attributes and allure remain palpable, as the people who prefer this type of work choose and value flexibility, as well as converting a hobby into an income stream, said Ting. The online marketplace enables a broadening array of professions that gig workers embrace, noted Webster.
This comes as the businesses themselves increasingly operate in a project-oriented cycle, Ting said, and where the industries are attuned to user experience. “Change is the norm,” he said of these firms. Projects, products and services are constantly refreshed, where a two-month time frame demands that companies find the best talent available in real time.
“Real-time demand is a huge part of it,” said Ting of the gig economy model itself, and the speed at which online marketplaces and their algorithms can match work and workers.
The Graying Of The Gig Worker
Webster noted that the gig worker is getting older, a reality that shows as many as 18 percent of gig workers are in the 45-to-54 age bracket. The value of these workers is inherent in the fact that, as Ting explained, “you have people with very specialized skills and you have people with a long history of knowledge and experience in actual operating roles within businesses. They are able to pinpoint problems, and can pinpoint problems that they have seen before.”
There’s even a burgeoning subset of gig workers over the age of 65 who don’t even have to embrace project work, as they are, for example, able to tap into retirement savings. But again, choice is everything,
The Payments? Still Clunky
The payments part of the equation, though, could use a boost. Even as the online marketplaces have evolved, in what Webster called the “long tail” of services that can be provided, across the globe and across a 24/7 time frame, the payments conundrum still exists.
Consider the fact that, as noted by Webster, a consistent experience in paying workers is lacking. She pointed to the past report, which said that 85 percent of gig workers would do more gigs if they did not have to wait so long to get money.
Ting responded, “The marketplaces are recognizing that, because they’re facilitating a two-sided transaction, they have the ability — through technology and through the ecosystem, and payment systems and providers — [to] decouple the movement in their networks. So much so that paying somebody for doing work doesn’t have to come directly from the entity purchasing those services.”
In other words, the marketplace can serve as an intermediary for payments between buyers and sellers. A lot of these marketplaces, he continued, are experimenting with ways to pay people right away, or via monthly cycles.
However, we may be a way off from truly flexible payments, tailored to the gig worker’s choice. Webster pointed out that 51 percent of full-time gig workers have identified PayPal as their primary payments methodology, followed by direct deposit.
In the end, Webster and Ting agreed, taking gig work on full-time attracts a different dimension of worker, and certainly implies a completely different level of service for that workforce. The infrastructure is key, noted Ting, and so is the need for service providers to bridge the gap (and perhaps help as intermediaries) to provide the payments experience that gig workers value.
“While everyone will agree on that, it would be nice to offer many options to payments,” he told Webster. “The practicality is that it’s really hard to implement and it’s really hard to operate by yourself.”


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Google is releasing a new look for Glass with four new frame offerings that can be filled with prescription lenses.
Samsung's newest line of TVs for 2014 were unveiled at this year's CES tradeshow in Las Vegas. They feature the anticipated ultra high-def 4K pixel technology, curved displays and screens that actually change shape in order to enhance the viewing experience.
Ecovative Design, a company in Green Island, NY, turns agricultural waste and mushroom fibers into a polystyrene packaging replacement.
Teams get their robots ready to take on the DARPA challenge, a series of tests for robots with a $2 million prize.
ILC Dover has made every spacesuit NASA has used since the Apollo program. This is how they test them.
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek says the majority of royalties to artists in Sweden come from people streaming the music online. He thinks the same will happen around the world.
Google doesn't have all the fun. From cleaning to drones, take a look at these three robots you can buy that will make your life a little easy, and fun!
Google recently acquired Boston Dynamics, a company developing bipedal robots that can run and carry large amounts of weight.
Coin CEO Kanishk Parashar discusses the practicality and security of his new start-up venture Coin, which puts multiple credit, debit or gift cards onto one card.


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Pompano Beach, Florida (PressExposure) June 26, 2009 -- Many pet owners often dismiss problems in their senior cats and dogs as just a part of the aging process. But any signs of loss of function should be brought to the attention of your veterinarian and not ignored. Educating us about the very important topic of Cognitive Dysfunctional Syndrome or CDS is Dr. Lisa Radosta, D.V.M.. The Balancing Act on Lifetime Television visits Dr. Radostaâs office and receives invaluable advice on helping pets get the most from their golden years and learns of a beneficial nutraceutical called Novifit, from Virbac Animal Health. The segment airs in May and June. In addition viewers can see it anytime at [http://www.thebalancingact.com/vitality].
âOld age is not a disease,â Dr. Radosta says. âCognitive Dysfunctional Syndrome (CDS) and age-related behaviors are manageable conditions.â
She urges pet owners to talk to their veterinarians as soon as they see any changes in their petsâ behavior â particularly senior pets.
CDS, often referred to as pet senility, is characterized by a deterioration of cognitive abilities including spatial orientation, activity levels, and response to stimuli.
Environmental modification and enrichment, plus a nutraceutical option such as Novifit, can yield maximum results,â says Dr. Radosta.
Novifit, she explains, âis a safe, proven, first-intention option for the management of age-related behavioral changes and CDS.â It is one of a line of products from Virbac Animal Health, which has been manufacturing pet health items for a quarter-century.
âOwners should have realistic expectations about the outcomes of such treatments,â she notes. âDogs or cats with advanced stages of CDS will be harder to manage and improvements may take more time and possibly require more aggressive strategies. That is why it is important to catch CDS early.â
âItâs said you canât teach an old dog new tricks,â said Doug Campbell, Executive Vice President of Programming, BrandStar Entertainment, the producers of The Balancing Act TV show. âBut youâve shown us that we can provide older pets with a better quality of life.â
For information, visit http://www.virbacvet.com.


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The Australian Retailers Association’s wrap up on the Amazon Seller Summit
With Amazon not too far from launching both their retail business and their Marketplace in Australia, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) partnered with the Small and Medium Enterprise Association of Australia (SMEA) for the Amazon Seller Summit event in Sydney on Monday to brief retailers and small businesses on the benefits of selling through Amazon.
The event started with Rocco Braeuniger, Amazon Country Manager in Australia, giving the audience some brief insight into the business and how Amazon plays many roles within retail. Wearing various hats as a retailer, marketplace, technology, logistics company and a publisher, the Amazon team are all about innovation and aren’t afraid to take risks to grow.
Fabio Bertola, Amazon Head of Marketplace in Australia, then took the floor and spoke about Amazon’s guiding principles and their driving passion for customer fulfilment. Bertola spoke in more detail about two of Amazon’s services for sellers; the Amazon Marketplace and Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). The audience learned that Amazon Marketplace is a channel for retailers and businesses to sell their products directly to customers through the Amazon platform. While the FBA program gives retailers a bit more relief, as this program allows Amazon to take care of logistical factors of the business, including storage, packing, shipping, returns and customer support. With over 300 million active customers already shopping on Amazon across the globe, Amazon provides an opportunity for sellers to increase their customer base, optimise sales and grow their business.
After this more in-depth presentation by Bertola, the audience was introduced to a panel of Australian sellers already selling on Amazon. KoalaSafe, Gobe, HipCub and Third Sigma all presented success stories detailing how they had used Amazon to sell to customers around the world and provided practical advice on how to get started. They spoke openly about the challenges and triumphs of scaling their business on Amazon, and revealed key tips to increase online traffic to optimise sales.
After a quick networking morning tea, Brittany Rinker, Amazon’s Key Accounts Manager for Australia, went into further detail on how Australian businesses and retailers can begin selling on Amazon. With Amazon’s key principles of value, selection and convenience, Rinker urged retailers to think about their business on Amazon long-term. She spoke about best practices, and confirmed costs for Amazon Marketplace in Australia. There would be a $49.95 AUD monthly membership fee, allowing unlimited product listings for retailers. There would also be a 6-15% referral fee (a percentage of the sale varying by category) to cover access to the Marketplace, payment processing and fraud protection. Rinker also explained that there will be a promotional referral fee for the sellers joining Amazon in the early days. Rinker completed the session by informing the audience of next steps. She revealed all attendees would receive a post-event survey, which in turn would be followed by an invitation by Amazon to register on the platform.
ARA’s Executive Director, Russell Zimmerman, closed the Amazon Seller Summit informing those in the room that this innovative platform is exactly what the Australian industry needs. He spoke of the considerable decline in retail figures across the board, and proclaimed Amazon’s entry into the market would be a great opportunity for local retailers looking to enlarge their customer base and increase their sales.
Although the Australian market continues to struggle with numerous economic challenges, Zimmerman believes Amazon’s Marketplace can benefit retailers, big and small, increase their sales and enhance the overall level of service in the industry. With the retail industry employing over 10% of Australia’s current working population, Mr Zimmerman announced that it is critical for Australian retailers get on board, and step up to the international playing field.
As customer fulfillment continues to be a key differentiator in the current retail landscape, many small to medium Australian retailers were feeling optimistic on how they would be able to achieve growth, increase their customer base and optimise sales. Larger Australian retailers on the other hand are still waiting for Amazon to release their FBA program fees, to see whether these costs will benefit them in the long term.
With Christmas just around the corner, many of those in the room were speculating Amazon’s launch date. As the big day is still yet to be confirmed by Amazon, retailers and consumers alike are not only awaiting their arrival, but are excited to get on board.
For more information regarding Amazon Marketplace and FBA program please click here.


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The Chinese company Huawei is going through hard times, having lost its leading position in the global market over the past three years. However, refuse to develop its mobile business Huawei. Even despite the ongoing US sanctions, Huawei continues to develop and release new smartphones and even plans to take part in the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023 mobile electronics exhibition.
This year, the traditional annual MWC kicks off in Barcelona on February 27th and runs until March 2nd. And Huawei has already officially confirmed its participation in the event, noting that this will be the largest announcement in history.
True, which products Huawei plans to present at MWC this year is not specified. But surely among the novelties will be smartphones. And the most likely contenders for a debut in Spain are the flagship Huawei P60 or the foldable Huawei Mate X3. These smartphones will run on Huawei’s proprietary HarmonyOS 3.1 operating system as an alternative to Android and will be built on Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform.
Source: Trash Box
Charles Grill is a tech-savvy writer with over 3 years of experience in the field. He writes on a variety of technology-related topics and has a strong focus on the latest advancements in the industry. He is connected with several online news websites and is currently contributing to a technology-focused platform.


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Microsoft: Windows Phone production costs will drop by half next year
Windows Phone isn’t doing well. Its market share is in the low single digits, and despite Microsoft having only good things to say about it, the truth is that so far people in the market for a smartphone only look at iOS and Android devices. Or at least those are the aspirational handsets. Some people may end up buying something else, but they seem to have become a minority.
So Microsoft needs to do something for Windows Phone to start growing and eventually turn into a serious contender in the smartphone space. The deal with Nokia is one such thing, which benefits Microsoft a lot. Nokia will sell WP devices simply because of the fact that they have a Nokia logo slapped on them. People who have no idea what Windows Phone is will buy phones because they’re buying a Nokia.
Microsoft also plans to help market the new wave of Nokia and Samsung Windows Phones, at least in the UK, and it’s throwing hard cash at that.
Both of the above things are good. But one of the main problems of WP so far has been that, while high-end Windows Phones generally aren’t as expensive as the flagship Android devices or the newest iPhone, no WP device was ever priced in the lower-midrange, for example. Or cheaper.
That has something to do with Microsoft’s strict hardware requirements, and the truth of the matter is that even abiding by the minimum spec that Microsoft has put out, manufacturers simply couldn’t price their handsets any better.
That’s going to change, though. Microsoft expects some models running Mango to cost just $220 to produce, which is a far cry from the $400 minimum cost to produce the first batch of WP devices which came out last year. In 2012, Microsoft expects Windows Phones to be made for less than $200.
Do note that these are production costs. Sales will occur at higher prices, naturally, although your carrier may subsidize that amount for you and thus give you a phone for “free”.
What the above means is that Microsoft expects WP to finally cover the entire midrange of the smartphone space sometime during next year. That will clearly help the operating system’s market share go up. However, sub-$200 still isn’t “around $100″, which means that the low-end will still be an Android vs. Symbian affair even in 2012, with the former probably taking more and more market share away from the latter. To truly succeed, WP needs to become a mass market platform, and that appears to be possible no sooner than 2013 at this point. Of course, Microsoft has both the patience and the money to wait until then, so by no means does this mean that WP shouldn’t be taken seriously by its competitors, in the long run at least.
If you’re wondering why WP devices will be cheaper to make next year, it’s easy. Since Microsoft has kept the minimum spec the same since last year, it means that the cheapest WP devices will use silicon that’s two years old. And in this world, every chip gets cheaper as time passes and it has been mass produced.
Of course, Microsoft may also decide to have a new spec for lower-end WP devices, something which was rumored many times before. In that case, the dropping of the manufacturing price would be accelerated. What’s certain is that the Redmond-based company currently has no plans to allow non-Qualcomm processors into its Windows Phones.


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The Cover Art to Watchmen No. 1 Sells for Over $150K
The iconic cover art to one of the all-time masterpieces of comic books just sold for a staggering $155,350. A collector who chose to remain anonymous bought the original Watchmen No. 1 cover art by artist Dave Gibbons at a Heritage auction in New York yesterday via phone bid. Other art from the dystopian superhero series […]
10 New Comics for Your Post-Comic-Con Consideration
Comic-Con International's blockbuster tent has swollen to Hollywood size, but actual comic books remain the annual convention's sturdy backbone -- and the pump that primes the money machine. Here's a look at 10 of the coolest-sounding projects bubbling up out of San Diego.


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Rite Aid promotes Ken Martindale to president
Camp Hill, Pa. — Rite Aid Corp. has promoted Ken Martindale, currently senior executive VP and COO, to president and COO. Rite Aid chairman, president and CEO John Standley will continue in those roles.
The promotion of Martindale, 53, is effective immediately.
“Since becoming our chief operating officer in 2010, Ken has continued to play a significant role in helping the company improve its overall performance and return to profitability,” said Standley. Ken’s appointment as president and chief operating officer is an opportunity for Rite Aid to further leverage his exceptional leadership skills, broad operating experience and strategic capabilities as we continue to focus on successfully growing our business.”
Martindale is a retail veteran with more than 35 years of diverse operations, marketing and merchandising experience. Before joining Rite Aid as senior executive VP of merchandising, marketing and logistics in December 2008, he served as co-president, chief merchandising and marketing officer for Pathmark Stores.
Kroger creates two new divisions; makes exec appointments
CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. announced the establishment of two new supermarket divisions, a Nashville division and a Louisville division.
"Opportunities for growth in Tennessee, northern Alabama, Kentucky, and Southern Illinois and Indiana inspired us to take this path," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s president and chief operating officer. "We believe this move will enable our associates to do what they do best – meet the needs of our local customers and neighbors, our communities, and each other."
Kroger also announced it has named Rick Going president of the company’s new Nashville division, Calvin Kaufman president of the new Louisville division, Jayne Homco president of the Michigan division, and Erin Sharp group VP of Kroger manufacturing.
Burberry Kisses aims for customer intimacy
London – Omni-channel global fashion brand Burberry is taking a pioneering step into the realm of digital customer engagement with a new program called Burberry Kisses. Partnering with the Google Art, Copy & Code project that presents itself as a “series of experiments to re-imagine advertising,” Burberry is allowing consumers to send online letters which are sealed with digital replicas of their kisses, complete with their choice of Burberry lipstick shade.
Burberry Kisses is available via PC, smartphone or tablet and creates a digital imprint of the customer’s kiss with a webcam. Other features include an interactive global map that tracks the deliveries of kisses all over the world in real time.
This program does represent a reimagining of advertising in that beyond coloring the user’s digital kiss imprint with an official Burberry lipstick shade, it does not promote any specific Burberry product or directly encourage purchase behavior. Burberry Kisses does create numerous “soft” benefits including creating highly intimate brand engagement and helping to develop a global community of consumers with Burberry awareness.
As retailers (and Burberry does operate 457 of its own branded stores as well as e-commerce and m-commerce channels) continue to delve deeper into digital marketing and customer engagement, they will discover that soft benefits are at least as and maybe more important than hard benefits such as sales conversions. Convincing a customer to make a one-time digital purchase of lipstick is nice, but convincing a customer that the Burberry brand is an integral part of the most intimate and personal parts of their life is even nicer.


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SEATTLE, Washington — The spread of COVID-19 has resulted in a global effort to gather medical supplies and secure resources to protect people from infection and care for patients. The pandemic brings to light the severe healthcare disparities between nations as developing countries and underserved communities have very limited access to healthcare. Many people don’t have access to basic needs and medical supplies such as face masks, gloves and ventilators during the pandemic. Small businesses have joined the battle against COVID-19 in developing countries in various ways.
The world’s poor are at a significant disadvantage when it comes to battling COVID-19. Social distancing is unrealistic for many individuals who need to work in order to survive. Furthermore, many people in poverty live in crowded spaces. Simple ways of preventing transmission such as face masks are crucial in these communities. In some places where there are mask shortages, local businesses are trying to help their communities by producing face masks instead of their usual goods. Since many developing countries are reliant on wealthier nations for supplies in these times, these initiatives have made a big difference in poor areas.
KICOTEC Providing Masks in Africa
The Kitui County Textile Center (KICOTEC) Factory in Kenya has shifted its production from garments to face masks during the pandemic as a result of the mask shortages in Kenya and many African countries. It is now producing more than 30,000 masks daily. The KICOTEC factory, in addition to devoting itself to producing masks, has expanded to create employment for more than 200 local women. It is supported by the Governor’s Women Empowerment and Youth Development initiatives. The production of masks also ensures demand for local cotton farmers, helping their businesses and minimizing the impacts of the pandemic on their financial security.
On May 7, the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB) donated 140,000 KICOTEC masks as part of Kenya’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund with the Ministry of Health. TDB is an institution that aims to encourage and fund development through trading and is working with organizations and governments to minimize the consequences of the pandemic in Africa.
Local Palestinian Man Begins Producing Masks
A Palestinian shoemaker named Amjad Zaghir has turned his workshop into a mask production space to make up for the shortage of masks in the area. As the first diagnosis was made in Bethlehem, he realized that there was not an adequate supply of masks and immediately began looking for a solution. Zaghir asked a pharmacist for advice on what materials to use, bought fabric from a vendor and found a machine that would fold and iron the mask simultaneously.
With the help of additional workers, Zaghir’s makeshift factory is now producing “between 7,000 and 9,000 masks a day,” a number which he intends to increase to meet the rising demand. In addition to providing masks for government officials and hospitals, some countries including Jordan, Kuwait and Canada have asked to purchase masks from Zaghir.
The fight against COVID-19 in developing countries requires increasing access to resources. Local businesses and individuals are showing dedication and inventiveness in the ways they have stepped up to help their communities with this issue. Importing and donating supplies is important to meet immediate needs in developing countries, but assisting small businesses with their production of medical supplies can be more effective in the long run.
Helping countries produce their own medical supplies means that they won’t rely on imports from other countries. This allows countries to gain control over their healthcare systems and become better prepared to face future medical crises. Supporting small businesses will also stimulate economic growth and development since small and medium businesses represent the majority of businesses in low-income countries and provide employment for over half of the population globally. Furthermore, these small businesses are taking action to curb COVID-19 in developing countries.
– Maia Cullen


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Two weeks ago, Nintendo's top brass held a media briefing in Japan behind closed doors. This week, the company made a translated version of the meeting available to the public. The video and accompanying PowerPoint presentation can be viewed via Nintendo's investor-relations webcast partner, irwebcasting.com.
Unsurprisingly, the presentation focuses on the success of the Nintendo DS, which Nintendo now claims has greater market share than the PlayStation 2 in Japan. In one chart, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata displayed how the DS has sold 8.43 million units in just 18 months in Japan--outpacing the adoption rates of the both the PS2 and Nintendo's best-selling platform, the Game Boy Advance.


text: “We are not big fans of only inviting industry people. We leave that to others and invite everyone to come and get #FLATLISTED at our events,” they say from FLATLIST® about the great event they are hosting today. An event that continues the initiative they started a few months ago, the FLATLIST Festival, which celebrates both fashion and music in an intimate and cozy way. Because, as we can read in the brand manifesto, “it's eyewear for everyone.” That’s why they have pursued from the beginning the search for synergy between different creative disciplines, always prioritising quality eyewear at affordable prices that underlines, whilst never overshadowing, a person's character. We talk to them to find out all their new pieces and know what to expect from the festival that takes place today in Copenhagen.


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Amazon has reportedly sold $1.6 million of Whole Foods' store brand products online in the first month since taking over the organic grocery chain. Fred Katayama reports.
Amazon is ringing up sales for its Whole Foods business. Analystics firm One Click Retail says the e-commerce giant sold about $1.6 million in Whole Foods' store-brand products in the first month since taking it over. It says one fifth of the Whole Foods products sold on Amazon consisted of snacks and candy, followed by frozen fruit and veggies. In the first week since Amazon took over the organic chain in late August, it registered half a million dollars in online sales with Whole Foods' "365 Everyday Value" products. One Click says sales fell over the next two weeks as some supplies ran low but rebounded in the fourth week. Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter said, "Amazon does more than $500 million in sales per day, so who cares? The number is insignificant. Whole Foods does annual sales of $15 billion. It's not a big deal." Separately, the New York Post reports Walmart's Jet.com site will launch its own line of more than 60 grocery and household items in the coming months.


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Intel plans to combine its PC and mobile chip groups into one division as the company struggles to expand its chip sales for mobile devices.
The reorganization, which was announced Monday in an email sent to employees by CEO Brian Krzanich, will be implemented early next year, Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy said.
“The market continues to evolve rapidly, and we must change even faster to stay ahead,” Krzanich said in the email, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Kirk Skaugen, a senior vice president who now oversees Intel’s PC Client Group, will lead the newly formed Client Computing Group, Mulloy said. The new division will also include sales of processors and modem chip used in mobile devices, which were previously part of the Mobile and Communications Group.
The mobile group was created in a 2011 reorganization that combined four existing divisions: mobile communications, Netbook and tablet, mobile wireless, and ultra mobility. Mobile group chief Hermann Eul, who joined Intel as part of the chip giant’s acquisition of Infineon in 2011, will supervise the transition, which is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2015, Mulloy said.
Intended to improve internal communications and efficiency, the structural changes come as the lines separating consumer devices blur, Mulloy said.
“We are seeing a blending of the lines between various devices,” Mulloy said in an interview. “The idea is to accelerate our efforts for tablets and create greater efficiency.”
Intel dominates PCs and server systems but has struggled when it comes to mobile devices. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company has spent billions of dollars trying to expand its chip sales for mobile devices amid fierce competition from rivals including Qualcomm.
So far, Intel has managed to get its mobile processors or modems into just a handful of notable products, including the Samsung Galaxy Alpha smartphone in Europe and Asia, as well as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S tablet in the US.
Last month, the company reported a better than expected third-quarter profit as PC and server-system sales made up for dismal results in its mobile unit. The division recorded an operating loss of $1 billion during the quarter, compared with a loss of $810 million a year earlier. Revenue shrank to just $1 million, from $353 million a year earlier, as it appears subsidies Intel pays to manufacturers to win new mobile business drained nearly all the mobile unit’s revenue for the quarter.
The company has been working to get into tablet computers by offering subsidies to manufacturers, hurting its profit in the process, but Intel has kept pace with its goal of putting its mobile chips in 40 million tablets by year’s end.


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Remember the days of 2008, when the auto industry was on life support and executives from GM and Chrysler went to Washington, with hat in hand, for a bailout?
Those are the days Barack Obama’s campaign, as well as the super PAC that supports him, wants folks in Michigan to remember before they head to the polls on Tuesday. A new ad being run by both organizations poses the contrast.
“When a million jobs were on the line, every Republican candidate turned their back,” the ad says, splicing together images of Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney, who opposed infusing Washington cash into a sagging industry. Campaign operatives even dug up the headline on an old op-ed piece by Mitt Romney–“Let Detroit Go Bankrupt”–now especially unfortunate after General Motors posted a record $7.6 billion profit and Chrysler reported sales up 44 percent from the year before.
So who should get credit for the revival?
We see Obama, the supposed savior, bellowing into a microphone, “Don’t bet against the American auto industry!”
The ad features images of all four Republican candidates, but it appears to be squarely targeted at Romney, still presumed to be Obama’s most formidable opponent.
Romney’s campaign contests the characterization that the candidate wanted Detroit to fail. Instead, Romney officials claim he wanted the auto industry in Michigan to go through a structured bankruptcy to shed debt and emerge on the other side more sleek, slim, and efficient.
Many experts have dismissed Romney’s explanation. While the debate played out in 2008, Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s, said that the “credit crunch” that year would make bankruptcy financing “all but impossible to get.” New York Times columnist Paul Krugman wrote that a traditional Chapter 11 filing would wipe out supply chains, taking down more than 1 million jobs. Dean Baker, the director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, said flatly in 2009, “No one would have stepped forward to provide credit to operate through bankruptcy without a government guarantee.”
Still, Team Romney maintains that Obama going after their man is proof that Romney is a real threat to the Obama presidency, trying to add fuel to Romney’s electability argument that has recently faltered.
The ad moves the spotlight from controversial social issues like contraception, same-sex marriage, and earmarks back onto the economy, where the president has lately enjoyed some positive upticks. Unemployment is down, consumer prices are staying steady, and the private sector continues to add jobs. But at the moment, the story about how, against strong opposition, Obama saved Michigan’s economy is one that can be particularly damaging to Romney.


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While Maruti Suzuki’s plans are clear, it is to be seen how M&M responds to the BS-VI call, given it offers a diesel-only portfolio. It will be interesting to see the strategy that M&M crafts for itself to stay not just relevant, but also profitable in the medium to long term.
With India’s largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki, which sells one of every second car in India, deciding to discontinue its diesel variants across all models from April 2020, a new paradigm in Motown has been set.
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BS-VI fuel of 2020 is said to reduce the presence of sulphur to 10 parts per million compared to 50 ppm in the case of BS-IV fuels. Moreover, emission of particulate matter will come down by 80 percent and nitrogen oxide by 70 percent from diesel vehicles that are BS-VI compliant.
The additional cost of making diesel engines BS-VI compliant seems to be the bummer for Maruti Suzuki that saw the current generation of diesel cars contribute 23 percent to its sales volumes last fiscal.
The Strategic Framework
A hard decision to clamp down diesel cars may seem preposterous to a novice, but when looked through the prism of the age-old management framework of PESTEL analysis, it seems like the most logical one.
Strategists and business consultants often rely on the most basic and logical frameworks when crafting potential business decisions for the long-term. Let’s look at the Maruti Suzuki ‘diesel dilemma’ through this framework and see what it could mean for the industry at large.
Decoding the PESTEL analysis for Maruti Suzuki’s Diesel Dilemma
A business decision based on the government’s policy with respect to the business proposition, the switch from BS-IV to BS-VI, while skipping BS-V altogether borders the political and legal decision in the country that battles pollution woes. Diesel vehicles get negative points on P.
The country is doing well, growing at over 7 percent per annum, high disposable income, young population willing to spend on cars, as shown from the growth of the automobile industry that grew at a CAGR of over 7 percent between FY13 and FY18. Maruti Suzuki itself sold 1.75 million vehicles in the last fiscal of while diesel cars were over 4 lakh units. From an economic-alone standpoint, you wouldn’t shutdown a vertical that gives you a quarter of your revenue. Diesel vehicles get positive points on E.
India is a highly price-sensitive market. When it comes to automobiles, the quintessential ‘kitna deti hai?’ will see many more cohorts before it escapes the Indian middle class – the most valued segment for Maruti Suzuki. With the life of diesel engines only 10 years as compared to 15 years for petrol and the price & efficiency differential only reducing between the two technologies, society will start seeing negative returns on its diesel-car investments. Pollution and its harmful impact on society doesn’t do well either. Diesel vehicles get highly negative points on S.
The technology to filter out particulate matter and sulphur from diesel fuel emission exists, but the upgrade will cost upwards of Rs 80,000 per engine and could go well up to 200,000 rupees in bigger vehicles. Will the consumer pay the differential for a fuel that is no longer much cheaper than the alternative (parity of only Rs 7–8 per liter between petrol and diesel) and does not offer a significant increase in mileage? Diesel vehicles get negative points on T.
Between 2010 and 2015, data from satellite imagery show India’s PM 2.5 pollution levels grow 13 percent while China’s reduced 17 percent in the same timeframe. As of 2016, 14 of the world’s most polluted cities were in India. Diesel is seen as a major culprit in the health hazards arising out of pollution. The legal outcome, addressed later, is also based on the environment. The present variety of Diesel vehicles get highly negative points on E, but that could change with BS-VI. So let’s null this argument.
The National Green Tribunal’s ruling on the ban of BS-IV diesel vehicles from being sold from April 2020 and the continued reduced life of diesel engines over 10 years of age clearly indicate which side the balance tilts, legally. Diesel vehicles get negative points on L.
The PESTEL framework depicts four negative points, one null and only one positive point for continuing with a diesel upgrade for Maruti Suzuki variants. But how does this translate to the industry as a whole is where the game will get interesting.
Redrafting Corporate Strategy
While the option to upgrade to BS-VI exists for the players in the auto industry, costs associated with the upgrade and possible reduced returns for consumers may spell doomsday for the diesel segment altogether. The fallback option of petrol and perhaps CNG stays for Maruti Suzuki, but not every player in the auto industry will have it that simple.
While Maruti Suzuki’s plans are clear, it is to be seen how M&M responds to the BS-VI call, given it offers a diesel-only portfolio. It will be interesting to see the strategy that M&M crafts for itself to stay not just relevant, but also profitable in the medium to long term. The company stated that it may do away with upgrading its low-selling portfolio of cars, but will the consumer opt for a more expensive Mahindra Scorpio or XUV 5oo in a market if Maruti Suzuki is able to convert its crossovers to petrol?
The game is afoot.
Kartik Malhotra is Senior Executive Producer & Editor, Special Projects at Network 18. He is an alumnus of IIM Lucknow and, when not behind the camera, indulges in armchair analysis of strategy and technology.
First Published: Apr 30, 2019 6:00 AM IST


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TAGS: Mayor Vincent Gray, Styrofoam ban, Polystyrene ban, vending, foodservice container
WASHINGTON -- Mayor Vincent Gray wants to ban foam food containers in the nation's capitol. Gray submitted his proposal to the D.C. Council as part of a package of bills to protect the environment and support healthy lifestyles.
The legislation would ban polystyrene in food containers ranging from clamshell containers and cups to plates and egg cartons. It would apply to all businesses that use polystyrene to sell or provide food for consumption on or off the premises.
Several cities including New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago are considering similar measures.


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BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 1. Cotton sowing has started in Turkmenistan's Dashoguz region, Trend reports via the State News Agency of Turkmenistan.
Some 275,000 tons of cotton are planned to be harvested in 2022 in the northern region of the country from 140,000 hectares. About 2,500 tractors are to be used.
Preference is given to such varieties of cotton as Yoloten-39, Jeyhun, S-4727, Dashoguz-120, Dashoguz-114, Gubadag-3 and 149- F.
A total of 580,000 hectares have been allocated for cotton this year. According to the plan, at least 1.25 million tons of cotton should be harvested in Turkmenistan after processing, cotton will go to local textile factories, also for export to Russia, Turkey, China, and other countries.


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