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Construction in Europe is experiencing a slowdown, resulting in a decrease in the price of raw materials. However, Swedish sawmills are facing the challenge of paying high prices for timber in order to meet the demand for raw materials. The construction industry in Sweden has reached crisis levels similar to those experienced in the 1990s, while European construction companies are struggling with empty order books. This unique market situation has led forest owners to maintain high timber prices and wait for felling, while wood product buyers are speculating on further price reductions. As a result, sawmills in Sweden find themselves compelled to navigate these challenging circumstances.
The construction industry in Europe has encountered a significant downturn, impacting the overall demand for raw materials. This decline has caused the price of raw materials to decrease, as construction companies struggle to secure new projects. However, Swedish sawmills are facing an entirely different situation. Despite the overall slowdown in construction, the demand for timber remains high in Sweden. As a result, sawmills are forced to pay high prices for timber in order to maintain a steady supply of raw materials for construction projects.
The construction industry in Sweden is currently experiencing a crisis reminiscent of the 1990s. The order books of construction companies across Europe are empty, leaving them with limited projects and reduced demand for raw materials. This dire situation has had a significant impact on the Swedish sawmills, as the demand for timber has plummeted. However, despite the decrease in demand, the forest owners have managed to keep the prices of timber high.
The forest owners in Sweden are strategically holding onto their timber and waiting for the right time to sell. This approach has allowed them to maintain high prices, even in the face of reduced demand. On the other hand, wood product buyers are taking advantage of the downturn in the market and speculating on further price reductions. This speculation has created a challenging environment for sawmills, as they are caught between high prices from forest owners and the expectation of lower prices from wood product buyers.
The unique market situation in Sweden has put sawmills in a difficult position. On one hand, they are dealing with a construction industry that is operating at crisis levels, resulting in reduced demand for timber. On the other hand, they are facing high prices set by forest owners who are waiting for the right time to sell. This combination of factors has created a challenging environment for sawmills, forcing them to carefully navigate the market dynamics in order to maintain profitability.
In conclusion, the construction industry in Europe is experiencing a slowdown, leading to a decrease in the price of raw materials. However, Swedish sawmills are facing the opposite challenge of paying high prices for timber due to the unique market situation in the country. With construction in Sweden reaching crisis levels and European construction companies struggling with empty order books, sawmills find themselves caught between high prices set by forest owners and the expectation of lower prices from wood product buyers. This complex market environment requires sawmills to carefully balance their supply and demand dynamics to ensure their sustainability in the industry.


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News & Analysis
The newly-released 2017 IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index report found a 566 percent increase in the number of compromised data records as the total number of security vulnerabilities surpassed 10,000 for the first time.
NEWS ANALYSIS: Despite predictions of doom in the general news media, the reality is that Federal Communications Commission privacy rules were never in effect in the first place.
The Weather Company delivers about 37 billion forecasts daily. Its products include a weather app that runs on all major mobile platforms globally and the world's largest network of personal weather stations.
The addition of the new co-authoring feature in Microsoft Excel for Windows makes spreadsheet number crunching a group activity.
What Oracle has done is directly link its Storage Cloud with its ZFS Storage Appliance. Thus, no gateways or licensing fees are required.
DAILY VIDEO: Samsung to include its Bixby AI assistant on Galaxy S8 phones; Intel unveils Optane memory to speed up HDD-powered PCs; Facebook starts new live location feature for Messenger app; and there's more.
Google offers details on measures it has taken to protect Android mobile devices from ransomware and provides advice about what users can do themselves to mitigate the threat.
On April 11 Microsoft will start installing on eligible computers the Windows 10 Creators Update that's designed to establish an ecosystem of mixed reality hardware and applications.
When Broadcom's $5.9 billion umbrella deal closes to buy Brocade, Brocade's data center networking business then will be sold to Extreme for $55 million in cash.
The Galaxy S8+ has a 6.2-inch display, while the S8 has a 5.8-inch screen. Both will run the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core CPUs in the U.S.

domain: news


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Adelaide, AUS: Restaurants Push Food Truck Crackdown
Mobile food vans also weren’t subjected to the same regulatory framework as “bricks and mortar” businesses, and this needed to change.
Baton Rouge, LA: Kolache Kitchen Takes to the Streets with Mobile Food Truck, According...
The Kolache Kitchen food truck, called the Rolling Pin, will offer the same menu as the bricks-and-mortar location, including their pastries known as kolaches, breakfast tacos, empanadas and other options, according to The Daily Reveille.
Niagara Falls, CAN: Owner says Food Trucks Hurting ‘Bricks and Mortar Businesses’
I love the food business. I work seven days a week and I don’t mind competition from other businesses
Knoxville, TN: Food Truck Popularity Growing in Knoxville
A trendy addition to economically progressive cities, gourmet food trucks work by preparing and selling dishes out of vehicles instead of being tethered to the ground as a brick-and-mortar business.
Tonawanda, NY: A Rolling Debate
As the City of Tonawanda prepares for a debate over the best way to regulate the newest eateries on the block, other local municipalities are also considering enacting their own food truck laws.
Andover, MA: Committee Sought for Food Truck Rules
ome of the regulations proposed by the draft bylaw includes: establishing a minimum distance trucks must be from a “brick and mortar” restaurant, if a set number of acceptable operating locations should be established for trucks, and what licenses would be mandatory to operate in town.
Burlington, MA: Clover Food Lab Opens in Burlington
Clover Food Lab, the vegetarian quick-serve concept that started as a food truck, has just opened a brick-and-mortar spot in Burlington. The opening marks the company’s first suburban store and its third location.
Creve Coeur, MO: Food Trucks: All About Location In Creve Coeur
City officials expect to reach out to the business community and the Chamber of Commerce for more feedback about how to regulate food trucks in Creve Coeur.
Arlington, VA: Will Arlington Food Trucks Be Able to Park Longer Than Two Hours...
County officials to consider creation of vending zones that would allow more flexibility.
Dubai, UAE: Krush Burger to Open Location in Dubai
According to a lengthy post on its web page, Krush Burger plans to open a brick-and-mortar location in Dubai.


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Shortly after being announced, a few pictures of Travis Scott & Helmut Lang's upcoming collab has surfaced online.
If you missed the news earlier, Travis Scott announced that he has a collaboration on the way with fashion label Helmut Lang, and on Thursday night we got the first taste & images of what’s to come from it.
Thanks to a Grailed user, a few leaked images of the upcoming T-shirt surfaced online and it features a picture of the Houston rapper backed by a desert/"Rodeo" theme plastered in the middle of a beige-color shirt. There’s even a picture of the tags, and it reveals that the collaboration will be a limited edition & available in select stores worldwide.
In addition to that however, Travis also posted a live story on IG that showed off the upcoming shoe collab with Helmut Lang as well, and that too takes the Rodeo theme and uses a bull logo on the tongue of the all-black shoe.
Check out the pics in the gallery and peep the upcoming shoe (below).


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More than 15,000 Ambit Energy consultants attended AmbitCast 2013, held in 10 different cities across the country. The event was simulcast in each location, making it the biggest AmbitCast yet. During the even it was announced a Double/Triple Bonus promotion from Jan. 26 through Feb. 22. The promotion is called The Big Bank Theory.
Consultants can receive a 300% matching bonus when any new MC enrolls four Texas customers in their first 28 days in the business. The new MC can also receive the same bonus. Regional Consultants, for example, can earn $465 in matching bonuses when they sponsor a new consultant and help that new consultant get their first four Texas customers in their first 28 days.
A Double Bonus is paid on customers outside of Texas. Ambit Energy currently services Texas, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, California and Washington D.C. To earn Double or Triple Bonus, it does not matter where the consultant lives, it just matters what state the customer is from.


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Netflix Canada is increasing some of its prices again.
The streaming giant says the basic plan for subscribers remains unchanged at $9.99 a month, but the standard monthly plan is going up by one dollar to $14.99, and the premium by two dollars to $18.99.
Netflix says it’s implementing the price increase so it “can invest more in films and shows as well as the quality of members’ product experience.”
The company says new members who sign up will see the updated prices effective immediately. The new charges will roll out to existing members according to their billing cycle over the coming weeks.
Existing members will be notified about the change via email and the Netflix app 30 days before the new prices are applied to them.


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Data security will undoubtedly remain an enforcement priority for the Federal Trade Commission in 2023. A presentation on the FTC’s approach to data security by Deputy Chief Technologist Alex Gaynor at a Commission open meeting on December 14, 2022, highlighted four provisions found in one or more recent FTC consent orders as particularly important, though not reflecting the full array of safeguards the FTC expects organizations to employ. For businesses looking to shore up their cybersecurity measures in 2023, these four practices are worth considering:
- “Enhanced” multifactor authentication (MFA) for users. Gaynor described the adoption of MFA as a “fantastic” addition as a security measure because it gives users tools to protect themselves by helping to ensure that their accounts cannot be compromised solely through access to their passwords. However, he explained that recent FTC orders have gone beyond merely requiring MFA. For example, at least one order specifically required a company to replace legacy authentication practices, such as security questions, which Gaynor suggested were problematic because they require consumers to provide more personal information, which is often publicly available to would-be attackers. Gaynor also noted that some recent orders specify that information collected via MFA may be used for authentication purposes only.
- Phishing-resistant MFA for personnel. Recent FTC orders have also required that companies use “phishing-resistant” MFA for their personnel to access corporate networks. According to Gaynor, most forms of MFA do not fully protect against phishing because if users can be tricked into typing in their passwords, they can be tricked into typing in a code from their phone. Gaynor expressed the view that physical security keys and passkeys are a stronger form of MFA because physical possession of the key (i.e., by the authorized user) is needed for successful authentication. Gaynor describes physical security keys and passkeys as “revolutionary.”
- Encrypting and authenticating all connections (“zero trust”). According to Gaynor, the prior state of the art in data security focused on strong firewalls to prevent unauthorized access to corporate networks. Yet, they did little to prevent attackers from moving freely once inside, such that an attacker who found a vulnerability, however small, could obtain the “keys to the kingdom.” In recent orders, the FTC has sought to require that users be authenticated and authorized to access systems within the network and that connections be encrypted to prevent attackers from snooping on legitimate connections (i.e., those built on the principle of “zero trust”). Gaynor said these practices “dramatically limit the blast radius of a vulnerability,” providing systems inside a corporate network the same amount of protection that companies provide to the initial points of entry.
- Data minimization. Finally, recent orders require companies to establish, publish, and follow a data retention schedule. According to Gaynor, a data retention schedule requires a company to have a strong internal catalog of all data stored, helps ensure that companies can comply with data deletion requests, and provides companies with the information needed to prioritize protections based on the types and sensitivities of data they store.
These order provisions, and the practices they require, reflect the FTC’s emphasis on a systemic approach to data security that anticipates and designs for human error. In particular, Gaynor urged companies to consider how a system’s design can cause or facilitate human error—to consider, for example, “did the system make it easy for a human to make a mistake?”; “was the human warned about the risks of what they were doing?”; and “was the human warned, but in fact, these warnings show up so often (even in completely safe situations) as to numb them to the warnings?”
FTC Chair Lina Khan added that beyond the systemic approach reflected in Gaynor’s presentation, the FTC is also focusing on accountability and administrability of its data security orders. Additional measures include holding corporate officers personally liable in some orders so that inadequate security practices are not viewed as a cost of doing business and including order language that facilitates the FTC’s ability to effectively oversee and enforce its orders.
FTC consent orders impose requirements only on those subject to the orders, not on all industry. But consent orders are a good place to learn what compliance measures the FTC believes businesses should adopt. So, companies looking to put themselves in the FTC’s good graces as we enter 2023 would do well to consider if they can implement or shore up these four measures.
© 2023 Perkins Coie LLP


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Biker’s Choice gets new President
Tucker Rocky/Biker’s Choice have announced logistics specialist Eric Cagle as its new company President, replacing Dan Courtney, who left the company in February 2016.
Coming from a 25+ year career with Caterpillar Inc. and Neovia Logistics, Cagle brings to his role “expertise developed while assisting automotive, construction and industrial equipment and high-tech companies in developing and improving parts logistics operations and sales.”
Cagle will be based at Tucker Rocky’s Fort Worth, Texas headquarters.
Cagle is quoted as saying “the opportunity to join a recognized leader in such an exciting industry was very appealing to me. I’m energized by the prospect of putting down roots in a company with such a strong product offering, loyal customer base and committed leadership team.
“The relationship this company has with its 10,000 dealer partners, the expertise of the salesforce, and the leadership position Tucker Rocky has rightfully earned in the marketplace tell me this company has ‘good bones’ and can respond to the current realities of the motorsports industry. I’m thrilled to get to know this company and this tight-knit industry.”


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SPAIN to host the Food 4 Future World Summit in 2021
Bilbao in northern Spain is to have the prestigious honour of hosting this year’s Food 4 Future World Summit, an event which showcases the latest technologies that are transforming the global food industry. The event, which will take place in the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC) between June 15 and 17 2021, will see industry professionals from around the world gather together to explore topics such as sustainability and world hunger.
According to the organisers, the Food 4 Future exhibit will welcome more than 5,000 visitors and 200 exhibiting firms to showcase the latest solutions in foodtech, robotics and automatization, food security and processing and packaging techniques for the different segments of the food industry.
“We are facing great challenges to achieve a better future for the sector, Food 4 Future will be the platform that annually provides us with the necessary solutions,” the website claims.
Currently, 25% of total greenhouse gas emission is allocated to the food industry, while global food demand is expected to increase by a whopping 70 per cent by the year 2050. Experts at the forum will explore innovative ways to tackle these demands in an industry that accounts for 11 per cent of the world’s GDP.
Organisers of the Food 4 Future event, NEXT BUSINESS EXHIBITIONS SL, have developed the latest edition of the fair in accordance with the strict coronavirus measures set out by the Spanish Ministry of Health, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and in collaboration with the UFI (Unión Internacional de Ferias), and the current guidelines will be subject to change if the health situation evolves in the meantime. For three days in June, Bilbao will become the Foodtech World Capital, gathering more than 280 industry leaders across a plethora of disciplines focusing on meat, bakery, seafood, beverages, dairy and agriculture.


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Mark Carlson, senior creative director of U.S. McDonald’s Marketing, will discuss the ins and outs of marketing at 2:30 p.m. Friday in Bennett Auditorium.
Carlson’s lecture will encompass a summary of McDonald’s advertising from its small beginnings to its current global reach.
“He will talk about the challenges of marketing for the world’s most iconic brand and how that brand has evolved over all these years,” Cynthia Jackson, president of the Waco chapter of the American Advertising Federation, said.
Carlson will attend a luncheon hosted by the federation, after which he will come to campus to deliver his lecture.
It will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience.
The event is free and open to all students and faculty of Baylor, Texas State Technical College and McLennan Community College. Even with finals starting next week, Jackson said he urged students to take advantage of this opportunity.
“He hardly speaks publicly at all anymore. This may be students’ only chance to see the head of advertising for McDonald’s,” Jackson said.
Carlson oversees all advertising for McDonald’s for the United States.
“Attending his visit would be well worth a Friday afternoon,” Jackson said.
The event will last until 3:45 p.m.


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- Nadine Lustre started selling some of her plants and flower arrangements online
- The actress sold her plants via Miss Betty Blooms on Instagram
- Unfortunately for her fans, all of Nadine’s arrangements are now sold out
Nadine Lustre has ventured into flowers and plants business and sells them online.
As everyone was stuck at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have ventured into a new skill or hobby.
For Nadine, she is now part of the growing trend of “plantitas” or women who love flowers and plants. To make her hobby more productive, Nadine decided to sell her plants and flower arrangements online.
Nadine gave her 8.9 million Instagram followers a peak into some of her works. She sells her creations via @ms.bettyblooms on Instagram.
Unfortunately for her fans, all of Nadine’s arrangements are now already sold out.
Some of the prices of Nadine’s arrangements were from a price range of P1,000 to up to P3,000. The “70’s Series: Venus in Furs” was sold at P1,800 while the “70’s Series: Shifting Sands” was sold at P2,900.
Fans of Nadine aren’t surprised that their favorite actress is now into plants as she often shared on her Instagram stories how she filled her home with flowers. Nadine earlier shared the home improvement project she has been busy with these days and it included beautiful floral arrangements.
Aside from plants and flowers, Nadine is also selling Ms. Betty Blooms’ copper masks.
In an earlier interview, Nadine said she keeps herself busy while on lockdown as she learns new things. She said on Manila Bulletin, “I’m taking care of my plants. I also put more effort into my online preloved shop, where I sell most of my stuff that I don’t really use anymore. Got to organize my things, played a lot of computer games, and watched a lot of movies and tv series.”


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The KrisPay blockchain-based digital wallet was officially launched by Singapore Airlines on Tuesday. The firm claims KrisPay is the world’s first blockchain-based airline loyalty digital wallet. KrisPay is now available for download on the Apple and Google Play Store. Once downloaded and installed, the app allows members to convert their KrisFlyer miles into KrisPay miles […]
The post Singapore Airlines Launches Blockchain-Based Airline Loyalty Digital Wallet appeared first on BitcoinLinux.


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Data breaches can be quite costly. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says that NY lost more than $1 billion in 2013 alone. He called upon businesses and individuals to step up their efforts to protect their data.
In yet another public scuffle between the two, Verizon published a new blog post claiming it has proof that Netflix is solely responsibile for the slow streaming speeds being experienced by its customers. But, of course, there's…
Tired of the incremental progress happening at Samsung, LG and Apple? Smaller companies may be the disruptors needed to wake the smartphone industry back up and get innovative new features into your next phone.
Amazon is moving ahead with its plan to offer customers the chance to have their purchases delivered by a 'Prime Air' flying machine, with a letter to the FAA this week revealing how the project is progressing.


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New Downtown Manager developing brand, logo for area
Thu, 04 Nov 2010 02:04:34 GMT —
Wednesday was the first board meeting for Albany-Dougherty Inner City Authority's new Downtown Manager Aaron Blair. Already, he's throwing projects and ideas out on the table to rejuvenate downtown Albany.
Blair already has applications ready for prospective projects.
"They would be able to give us enough information, project site, location, if they're looking for financial assistance, some images so that we can make a good decision on what we're doing with the taxpayers' money," Blair says.
While Blair is already gearing up for new downtown projects, he says the key to making them successful is giving downtown Albany a brand.
"Really right now the image of downtown is pretty negative. People don't think it's safe. I've been down here multiple times at night. There's not a safety problem here in downtown," Blair says.
He says it's a marketing problem.
"It's just an image problem that's been established over the years, people have a negative concept of what downtown is," Blair says.
Assistant Monique Broughton and Blair are collaborating to create this brand.
"We know that it's important to market and in order to market our downtown we need to have a brand and a logo, something that attracts those that are coming in and those that are here in Albany," Broughton says.
Since Blair started working with the group, ADICA has realized that they've been trying to sell their product without a logo for "buyers" to recognize them. Selling without a brand is difficult for any product.
"We just want to establish an image that everyone can recognize, 'This is downtown.' So when you see that image, whether it's a graphic image, you know that's downtown," Blair says.
Blair says they'll begin building a website but plant prime property in social media. He says traditional websites are becoming outdated. More and more people are using social media and mobile outlets to access information.
He says, regardless, they still need to build a website because they on currently listed on signs around downtown doesn't even work.


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It’s time for another week of Black Desert news from all around the game’s hemisphere, and this week PC players are being invited to play a game of poker. More specifically, a game of Yar!, which is similar to poker in that players earn points by combining types of cards into a winning hand. This week’s PC patch also closes the Season+ server, adds new furnishings for the Manor, and makes some changes to Caphras Stones and Black Magic Crystals drop rates in monster zones among other tweaks.
The PC patch has also kicked off a wide variety of events. There’s one focused on the Yar! card game, new login rewards for December, new events focused on Atoraxxion, and some horse taming events including one that grants the chance at the winged Mythical Arduanatt horse.
Over on console, the latest patch has fixed an issue with a main quest in Serendia and closed down the Red Battlefield temporarily due to some stabilization issues that have caused crashing for players entering the instance. Console players will also want to note the end date of their own Season+ server, which is confirmed for Saturday, December 8th.
While we’re in the mindset of saving calendar dates, there are a couple of big dates for all Black Desert fans to note: The start of the 2022 Calpheon Ball, which will be held on Saturday, December 11th, for PC and console players, and Sunday, December 12th, for mobile players. Fans can look forward to another event of entertainment, community activities, and reveals for content coming to the MMORPG in the future.


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As RIM continue to pump out new BlackBerry phones running software they’ve vowed to replace within the year, it’s been rumoured that the next generation of BB phones will get videochat features, and even better this will connect into BlackBerry Messenger.
These new phones, expected for a 2012 launch, will be running the new QNX OS we’ve already seen on BlackBerry’s PlayBook.
A feature glaringly absent from the recently launched BB Bold 9900, a front-facing camera, looks set to apparate on new devices like the rumoured BB Colt.
According to Gizmofusion’s spies, this is already on the drawing boards for future devices and is set to be heavily tied into BBM – one of BlackBerry’s remaining jewels in their ever-dwindling smartphone treasure chest.
Whist RIM attempt to chase the hype and visibility of Apple’s FaceTime app, it’s still difficult to get hyped over a front-facing camera. Having said that, if you’re very much into sharing moody B&W self-portraits on Messenger, it could prove ideal.
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Take a walk around Sim Lim Square and you will see that the crowds of shoppers looking for good IT deals are no more.
Some years back, one would be able to see big brands such as Canon, Nikon, Sony etc, on the ground floor of the mall. Today, it seems smaller retailers are left on the ground floor.
Jover Chew’s former shop on the first floor is still closed today and a sign has been put up indicating that the unit is up for sale or rent. And Jover’s unit is not the only one.
I took a walk around the mall one afternoon and while there are still some shops that are open, around 65% of shops have their shutters down.
An old man who walked behind me in the mall told his friends in Hokkien: “This place had a lot of people in the past. Now you don’t see people coming here to shop anymore.”
A shop owner of a shop on the third floor said that business is slow and might pick up when the nearby MRT station which is under construction opens. When asked when that will happen, he says: “That’s a question you need to ask LTA.”
Shop owners and workers standing near the entrances of shops watching customers go by has become quite the common sight. Some go as far as touting customers.
Since Jover Chew’s case happened in 2014, many have shunned the mall for fear of being cheated by the likes of Jover Chew.
In fact, the mall has gone ahead to put out a customer advisory posters and an audio broadcast to warn customers to be careful when making purchases.
You could blame it on the case of Jover Chew’s cheating. But it seems, shop owners don’t think that’s the reason for the drop in customer numbers.
“No lar, it’s very quiet because of the June holidays and you have come at the wrong time. Usually there are more people coming here to shop. It’s a combination of many factors,” says another shop employee.
Do you think Jover Chew’s cheating case was the reason behind the lack of customers in the mall? What other factors do you think has caused the large number of shops to close down?


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For the second time, the popular FRAMOS Tech Days event will be held in North America on February 07, 2019 in San Francisco, CA. Happening on the last day of Photonics West Show (Feb 2-7), FRAMOS Tech Days features exclusive presentations from leading embedded vision technology experts from SONY, INTEL, XILINX, the Embedded Vision Alliance and Pyxalis, and will be discussing current vision development and future innovations. FRAMOS Tech Days Europe will take place in Munich on May 22-23, 2019.
FRAMOS Tech Days provides the latest technical news on image sensors, embedded vision trends, customization and image performance. The event offers the ideal platform for device developers to share information and exchange ideas. Presentations will focus on latest vision technologies to help to understand current industry developments, innovations and solutions to key problems embedded vision engineers and camera developers are facing. Jeff Bier, Chairman and Founder of the Embedded Vision Alliance will talk about the four key trends driving the proliferation of visual perception.
“Suppliers were able to answer technical questions right away and really provided helpful hints” said an R&D engineer that attended the European version of this FRAMOS event last May.
In San Francisco, SONY Semiconductor Solutions Japan will present deep insights on their new sensor roadmaps for consumer and industrial applications and will provide a live demonstration. In addition, SONY will also present their new OLED Microdisplays and Spresense developer boards. Intel will explain how to enhance vision applications easily using depth sensing with its RealSense™ line of technology while XILINX will focus on a discussion on the methods for adapting vision solutions faster with innovative technologies. Customization expert, Pyxalis, will show efficient ways to get high dynamic range images and talk about future sensor trends. In addition to these talks, there will be many opportunities to network with peers and gain additional insight into the markets and solutions being provided in embedded vision.
The FRAMOS Tech Days will be held February 07, 2019 at the Conference Center, 459 Clementina St. in San Francisco. The FRAMOS online registration is open to anyone now – the entry fee is $349 USD. The event is a perfect opportunity to learn from industry experts and get imaging questions answered directly by manufacturers building the products attendees use or plan to use.
Save the Date: FRAMOS Tech Days Europe will be held in Munich on May 22-23, 2019.


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Gothenburg, County Västra Götaland, Sweden / April 12, 2014
A total of 522 selfie entries were entered in a fashion contest hosted by Frolunda Torg shopping mall in Gothenburg, Sweden. All entries can be seen on Instagram using the hashtag #fashionfeverfrolunda.
- photos must be posted to a single online platform (Instagram, Twitter, etc.)
To license any of the videos on RecordSetter, email: email@example.com


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Union Square Cafe, New York City
After 30 years in the same location, Danny Meyer’s first eatery (and the namesake of his restaurant group) closed its doors in December, the result of skyrocketing rent. Regulars won’t have to go far to find its new location, as it will open just a few blocks away this spring, according to AM New York.
Apizza Regionale; Syracuse, N.Y.
This new concept from Dinosaur Bar-B-Que founder John Stage opened in March—right across the street from Dinosaur’s original outpost. This time, however, Stage is trying a whole new cuisine. Neapolitan-style pizza is the focus at this Italian spot, but co-owner Paulie Messina assured a local news station that it’s “not a slice joint.”
Duck Duck Goat, Chicago
Chef Stephanie Izard’s newest concept, created in partnership with Boka Restaurant Group, is a sit-down Chinese spot that will diversify its offerings with a soon-to-open street-food takeout window.
Hand-pulled noodles are the star at this dinner-only (for now) restaurant, which opened late last month. The space was designed to have an “every town Chinatown” feel, with entryways to its multiple dining rooms giving the appearance of storefronts.
Herb & Wood, San Diego
Part restaurant, part cafe and part market, the latest concept from chef Brian Malarkey is slated to open as early as this month in San Diego’s Little Italy ‘hood, Eater says. Despite its large combined footprint (12,000 square feet), Malarkey told Eater that he wants the restaurant component to have a boutique feel. Its 200-plus seats will feature an array of options, including loveseats, booths and a chef’s table near the open kitchen.
Holler & Dash; Homewood, Ala.
Longtime family-dining brand Cracker Barrel announced earlier this year that it would break away from the blue-plate special with a new concept targeting a different (read: younger) demographic.
Enter Holler & Dash, a biscuit sandwich-focused spot that opened last month in Homewood, Ala., a suburb of Birmingham. While its setup is typical fast casual, 60-seat Holler & Dash has “added a few new wrinkles,” Chief Operating Officer Mike Chissler says, such as an ordering kiosk that allows guests to skip the line when placing an order for dine-in or carryout.
Toothsome Chocolate Factory, Orlando
This chocolate-themed restaurant and candy factory is the stuff kids’ dreams are made of. But the concept has some features the whole family can appreciate. Adult-friendly details include steampunk-inspired decor and a broader menu featuring steak, seafood, pasta and all-day brunch.
The restaurant is slated to open later this year at Universal Studios CityWalk, according to Universal Orlando’s blog.


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It appears that Brits are bored of Brits abroad, with nearly nine out of ten (85%) saying they get annoyed with fellow British holidaymakers while away on holiday, a new survey has found.
Travel search engine KAYAK.co.uk has polled the British public and revealed that 58% of Brits find other Brits ‘too drunk and rowdy’ while abroad and a further half (49%) say they don’t believe local customs are respected.
Being unable to control their children (47%) and complaining about everything (37%) also featured highly on the list on holiday gripes.
Other things which irritate Brits about their compatriots whilst abroad included ‘shouting when people don’t understand them’ (30%), not covering themselves up appropriately (17%) and hogging the sun beds (16%). Seven per cent even bemoaned Brits not wearing enough sunscreen.
Suzanne Perry - travel expert at KAYAK, comments: “Holidays are about doing what you want to do – for some people that means exploring and expanding their horizons, whereas for others, it is all about relaxation and having the comforts of home around them.
“A trip away offers a unique opportunity to mix with people you haven’t met before, many of whom may be quite different from yourself. The best advice I can offer is to try and act how you would expect others to – that way, you hopefully won’t go too far wrong.”
Brits searching out fast food while away:
The research found that in many cases Brits seek out the comforts of home as soon as they land. Eight in ten (80%) say that while abroad, they like to eat the same sort of food they do at home. Fifty six per cent eat full English breakfasts whilst on holiday, with 54% eating fast food – rising to 68% for those between the ages of 25-44.
Never leaving the hotel:
A lack of interest in local culture came across strongly in the study. For those that have stayed in a resort, nearly one in ten (9%) admitted that they never even left it on their last holiday, with a further 12% saying they did so just once. It perhaps therefore isn’t surprising that one in five (19%) Brits say they never visit any cultural attractions when on holiday.
What Brits do first:
The research also investigated Brits’ priorities when arriving at their destination. Over a quarter (26%) said that finding Wi-Fi in order to be able to use Facebook and other social channels was their priority when arriving at a hotel. Nineteen per cent of men said finding the nearest pub is a priority, whilst for 11% of Brits it was finding the nearest place which serves British food.


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A new streaming service is coming to Xbox – find more info here!
Following a devastating delay from DHL, SIXMOREVODKA, the company behind the post-apocalyptic tabletop game Degenesis, will no longer be at PAX Unplugged.
One of the most iconic anime of all time is finally entering the world of streaming services – Neon Genesis Evangelion arrives Spring 2019!
Soundfall, the dungeon crawler with a hip beat, blasts past its fundraising goal! Check out the latest here!
An unlikely alliance as Xbox, Bethesda and the Philadelphia 76ers team up to celebrate the upcoming release of Fallout 76
Sentai Filmworks will be releasing the archery-based series this season, with home video release to follow.
Funimation and Crunchyroll call it quits after a 2 year licensing agreement. Read on for more info!
The Jump Force roster continues to grow, with the addition of characters from the Saint Seiya universe!
Left Alive – a survival game brought to life by some of the same creative staff that brought us Armored Core & Metal Gear Solid – is coming soon!
My Hero Academia: Two Heroes is certainly going beyond at the box office as FUNimation announces an extended run!
The one winged angel makes his appearance in…a slightly less fearsome form. Sephiroth is coming to Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia!
Can’t wait for Mega Man 11 to get here? Find some reprieve in the recently-released demo and take on Block Man!


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Trezy, a Franco-Dutch FinTech platform centred on facilitating cash flow management for SMEs, has scored €3m in a seed raise.
The funding round was spearheaded by Seedcamp and Playfair, with participation from Kima Ventures and Discovery Ventures. This injection of capital bolsters Trezy’s financial position as it seeks to continue making its mark on the FinTech sector.
Trezy’s core function centres on a financial and cash flow management platform designed specifically for SMEs. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, the company empowers businesses to navigate their financial landscapes with greater ease and precision.
The fresh funds are earmarked for several key developments within Trezy. Primarily, the company intends to enhance its customer base growth and expand its product portfolio. New features, including generative AI-enabled automation, are slated for development, augmenting the platform’s capabilities. Moreover, Trezy plans to fortify its teams in the Netherlands, France, and the UK to sustain its growth trajectory.
The company made a notable announcement just one year prior, having raised €1m from angel investors. This previous round of funding served as a catalyst, enabling the fledgling FinTech company to pave its way in a highly competitive sector.
Quentin Lacointa, co-founder and CEO at Trezy, shared his insights on the challenges SMEs face. He said, “69 per cent of SME owners say they lose sleep at night because they worry about their cash flow. With inflation reducing margins, economic conditions hitting growth, and financial processes becoming increasingly complicated, there is a huge burden on SMEs.”
Lacointa added, “Our goal is to support business owners by giving them easy-to-access, real-time financial insights that will help them to manage their cash flow and, regardless of their financial literacy, make better decisions.”
Keep up with all the latest FinTech news here
Copyright © 2023 FinTech Global


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Certified Angus Beef’s new initiative will allow Angus farmers and ranchers the option to market their beef directly to consumers as a CAB product.
Cudlobe Angus’ Kaitlynn Bolduc says they are in the final stages of getting the program off the ground on their farm.
“We’re really excited and honoured that Certified Angus Beef has chosen us to be the first in Canada. It’s taking us some time to figure out how to roll this out as we are the first, but we’re really, really excited to be providing this to the wider range,” says Bolduc.
When it is up and running, they hope to build on their connection with their consumers.
“Certified Angus Beef went about wanting a way to connect that person that raises high-quality Angus beef and is selling it to their local stores or selling it off the farm or has a little meat business,” says Bolduc.
She says through COVID, they really saw those businesses explode as more and more people wanted to know where their meat was coming from, prompting them to start their own beef business.
“They want to know more about it, and they want to know the family behind it. I think that’s a big gap with our food industry is that our customers, ultimately, our end consumers, don’t have that connection to the farm and so by starting up this meat business, we’re providing that connection back with them. They know who we are. I think that’s Certified Angus Beef’s goal, too.”
With the Ranch to Table program, licensed producers are responsible for working with a processor and CBGA grader to verify that brand specifications are met. A marketing plan is required for the application process, but upon being licensed, producers will have access to a tool kit and marketing resources to use in leveraging the brand’s quality.
Bolduc says the program was a natural fit as they were already meeting the requirements of what Certified Angus Beef requires for their ranch-to-table program.
Having someone else tell consumers their product’s story is a big boost to them.
“It’s actually getting inspected by an inspector and meeting all these requirements. It’s not us. It’s a third party stamping these cattle as Certified Angus Beef Ranch to Table. I think it’s just that extra step of verification.”
The Bolducs see a path to grow their meat business with the program.
“Currently, we’re just in a few storefronts here locally; obviously, the dream would be to grow that. I think with the requirements and the verification with Ranch to Table, it gives us that opportunity to, well, to ask what’s next for Cudlobe? What’s next for our meat business?”
It’s no secret, Bolduc is a big proponent of the program and encourages other Angus producers to join the Ranch to Table program.
To participate in the Ranch to Table program, a producer’s cattle supply must incorporate registered Angus genetics, which may require Canadian Angus Association or American Angus Association® active membership or proof of bull registrations. Producers must be Verified Beef Production Plus certified or maintain an equivalent animal care program certification.


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Using consumer data, Starbucks designed its new line of products to complement the habits it gleaned from its own stores. Basically, the company says it talked to its baristas about how customers ordered coffee, lattes and tea while in Starbucks locations and culled several industry reports about at-home consumption. It used that data to create K-Cups and bottled beverages to sell in grocery stores.
“It’s a way for [Starbucks] to expand a brand that’s already owning retail and bring it into consumer’s homes,” Tammy Katz, CEO and founder of Katz Marketing Solutions, told CNBC. “So, they can almost double consumption because consumers are going to want to drink it when they go to the actual Starbucks locations and now they have the freedom to drink it at home.”
Katz noted that Starbucks is tapping into a “mega trend” by offering this type of customization in its products. The first customized items are rolling out to grocers now, and additional tailored products will land seasonally.


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This story was published more than 14 years ago.
Serendipity Investment and satellite gaming channel Eurosport have obtained an Alderney online gaming licence which will enable the partnership to go ahead with plans to launch an online betting service branded Eurosportbet.co.uk.
The partnership will operate from Alderney under the umbrella brand SPS, a company with French and Guernsey offices, and plans to launch operations in the first half of this (2009) year.
Robin Le Prevost, Alderney’s head of e-commerce development, said: "SPS, having chosen to base its new online business in Alderney, speaks volumes about our regime, capabilities and serious business approach. We are pleased to have been chosen."
“Being granted a full e-gaming licence in Alderney represents a significant step to us as we move forward with our project to launch EurosportBet.co.uk in the UK within the first half of 2009,” said Olivier Ou Ramdane, Chief Executive Officer for SPS.
Sebastien Bougon, Deputy Managing Director for Serendipity said, “We strongly believe that Alderney’s regulatory environment meets the highest international standards in terms of connectivity and security for our future customers. These elements are crucial for our group and motivated our choice to base our new online sportsbetting site in Alderney.”
Eurosport communications director Heather Bowler said that the company plans to build a new pan-European online sportsbetting platform.
Source: InfoPowa News


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On March 20–23, 2018, the 49th International Exhibition of Footwear and Finished Leather Products «Shoes will be held in Pavilion No.7 of the Expocentre Fairgrounds . The world of skin». The exhibition is organized by JSC "Expocentre" and the firm BolognaFiere (Italy) with the official support of the Association of Italian Shoe Manufacturers (ASSOCALZATURIFICI) and the Ministry of Economic Development of Italy.
This spring, leading manufacturers and well-known designers of shoes, bags and leather accessories will demonstrate new collections of shoes and leather goods of the autumn-winter 2018/19 season in the middle and high price segments. Industry experts are always looking forward to this event in order to get acquainted with the trends of the world shoe fashion and conclude direct supply contracts for the coming year.
Exhibition «Shoes. The world of leather" has quality certificates of the World Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) and the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs (RUEF) and has a high rating among buyers from Russia and neighboring countries, being the center of attraction of the professional shoe community and the fashion industry.
In the exhibition «Shoes. The world of skin-2018. Spring" is attended by more than 200 companies from 12 countries of the world. They demonstrate their fashion collections on an area of 4,400 sq. m. meters.
Exhibitors from Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, the Republic of Belarus, Russia, San Marino, Thailand, Turkey, France offer visitors a large selection of shoe models and leather goods for men, women and children.
Italy, as before, presents a national exposition, where more than 150 leaders of the world shoe market present their new products: Dino Bigioni, Marino Fabiani, Baldinini, Fabi, Loriblu, Nando Muzi, Accademia, Cromia, Marino Orlandi, Ripani, Valentino Orlandi and many others other famous brands. The Italian exposition occupies 3 500 sq.m. m of exhibition space, which is 69% of the total exhibition area.
For more than 10 years The ICHE Agency, taking into account the strong presence of Italian manufacturers at the exhibition, has been assisting in its holding by implementing an extensive support program. At the previous exhibition «Shoes. The World of Leather""in October 2017, the ICHE Agency organized a special zone for new companies from Italy, which united 19 manufacturers. Then a large number of companies from the southern regions of Italy took part in the initiative. That is why this year it was decided to organize a collective exhibition of companies in the southern part of Italy. The project was named ITA: EXPORT SUD ITALIA.As part of this program, 12 companies will take part in the exhibition, for which a special pavilion has been organized.These companies will be able to hold business meetings in special B2B zones and use the services of the information center. In addition, there is a program of meetings with a delegation of 26 buyers representing 16 Russian cities: Borovichi, Kemerovo, Vladivostok, Yakutsk, Irkutsk, Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg, Tyumen, Armavir, Tomsk, Khabarovsk, Surgut, Stavropol, Kurgan, Ulyanovsk and Makhachkala.
In 2017, Russia increased the import of Italian shoes by almost a million euros (its growth was 30% compared to 2016), and this clearly indicates the recovery of consumption rates.At the same time, the choice of the Russian consumer is increasingly inclined in favor of Italian products that conquer with style, execution and high quality.
Pier Paolo Celeste, Director of the Moscow office of the ICHE Agency
An important addition to the show of new shoe fashion will be a diverse range of leather products from a specialized salon of bags, leather goods and accessories. Among its participants are world-famous brands Cromia, Valentino Orlandi, Orlandi Marino, Di Gregorio, Ripani, Arcadia, Carlo Salvatelli and many others.
According to industry experts, the international exhibition Shoes. The world of skin-2018. Spring""will have an impact on the formation of the Russian market of shoes and finished leather products and will contribute to the promotion of quality goods to all regions of the country.
The events of the business program are addressed to the owners of shoe and leather goods trading enterprises. Industry experts will talk about the fashion trends of the shoe market, hold seminars on current business aspects, and exchange experience in the retail trade of fashionable shoes. The seminars held will undoubtedly make the business more efficient and profitable.
A trend tour of the exhibition exhibitors' stands, which for the first time at the spring exhibition will be conducted by the founder of the Russian Trend Research Bureau «Trendsquareer»Ksenia Leri, will help to navigate trends and make an effective purchase of goods.
The entire period of the exhibition will run h
she presentations «Trends of leather goods»,
Festival of Young Designers «Shoes Design-2018.Spring», n
project «Expocentre» for exhibitions without counterfeit». The full program of events can be found on the exhibition website
Exhibition opening hours: 20–march 22 – from 10:00 to 18:00; March 23 – from 10:00 to 16:00.


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By Nora Ali
$3.3 billion dollars. Was it worth it?
That’s the price that retail giant Walmart paid in 2016 to acquire Jet.com, in what was then the biggest e-commerce acquisition in history. Some speculated it was an acqui-hire to inject young tech talent into the Walmart ecosystem, or a way to snag Jet’s prolific founder, Marc Lore.
Now, Jet is completely relaunching, with its eyes fixed on the city-dwelling consumer. And with the relaunch, former start-up will have the chance to prove it was worthy of Walmart’s shelling out the big(gest) bucks.
But why is this relaunch a big deal?
For one, Jet is micro-targeting the highly coveted, discerning and higher-income urban customer. This is a demographic that Walmart has been unable to attract –– since the brand tends to appeal to suburban or rural folk.
Part of Jet’s strategy –– and arguably, its most interesting –– is localization.
At this point, Amazon hasn’t shown interest in investing in experiences that are specific to certain cities. The e-commerce giant is too busy with mass-market escalation, growing its higher-margin businesses like “Amazon Web Services,” advertising, and ramping up its original- content game.
Jet’s localization strategy starts with New York City. If customers are accessing Jet from an IP address in the city, they see an image of the famous skyline.
Even the “Grocery” category has been renamed as “City Grocery,” as if to say: “we may be a mass retailer, but we get you.”
To that end, Jet has partnered with several New York-based businesses: Big Gay Ice Cream, Bedford Cheese Shop, and Van Leeuwen, to name a few. Through these, Jet hopes to foster a sense of community that customers are not likely to see on Amazon’s or Walmart’s websites.
Jet hopes to expand this localization to other major cities over time.
The company is also going all-in on the grocery sector, the company’s biggest bet. Lore, Jet’s CEO, has often advised his employees that whichever brand wins the online grocery wars will conquer online retail.
With the relaunch, Jet is promising a three-hour delivery window in certain cities. But Fresh Direct has a two-hour window and Amazon Fresh offers a slimmer one-hour frame.
Jet’s window will have to tighten in the future as the online grocery space becomes more crowded.
Competition is intense in the grocery delivery business. Amazon is rapidly expanding its Whole Food delivery service nationwide. Grocery giant Kroger is partnering with UK-based store Ocado to develop sophisticated delivery and automation technology and piloting driverless deliveries with robotics start-up Nuro. Smaller, urban companies like Foodkick are winning over urban customers with their premium assortment.
For its next phase, Jet is betting on its various partnerships with the brands favored by millennials . Come October, Jet and Nike will enter a strategic partnership to offer consumers Nike and Converse products in a fully-branded experience. Nike will get its own landing page featuring the kinds of sleek, modern imagery associated with the athletic-wear company.
Jet hoping that it (and not Walmart or Amazon) will be able to develop partnerships with the types of brands that younger consumers consider cool.
Another part of the relaunch is Siri integration for Apple products. Customers can add to their shopping list via Siri, as in “Siri, add Pizza Rolls to my cart.”
Conversational commerce –– where users shop by texting or voice command –– has been a buzz-phrase for a while, but no company has been able to execute it successfully. But if Jet is able to court that younger, higher-income audience, then the adoption of voice shopping may be more successful.
Will Jet succeed in capturing the audience that Walmart so desperately wants? If it can pull off this rebrand while maintaining the critical parts of e-commerce –– reasonable prices, desired assortment, and accurate deliveries – then the brand has a chance.
Yet Jet’s business model still remains in question. It launched as a membership model – the Costco of the internet, in a sense – but Jet quickly back-tracked, opting instead to allow customers to shop for free. As a result, Jet has been in a constant battle to settle on the right pricing strategy. Should prices drop as you shop? Should the order minimum be increased? Should the the company introduce new fees? (In the case of scheduled delivery, yes: a $5.95 fee for each order).
Jet’s target demographic largely already has Amazon Prime memberships. At its initial launch Jet was, maybe ironically, touted as the future “Amazon killer” (not an actual thing… Amazon is a trillion-dollar company, after all).
Thursday’s relaunch is the biggest and boldest move Jet has made since its acquisition, but the bigger question is: Can Jet simultaneously co-exist in customers’ lives with Amazon while at the same time helping Walmart win over the customers who have, thus far, rejected it?
Cheddar news anchor Nora Ali is a former senior product manager for Jet.com


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The Week in Disney News: New DFB Guide, Celebrate Chinese New Year, and More
The e-book is an instantly downloadable PDF that features more than 530 full-color pages of photographs, information, and advice about food and dining in Walt Disney World.
The guide includes a 5-step strategy for Disney dining planning; an in-depth look at every Walt Disney World restaurant, kiosk, bar, and lounge; free downloadable worksheets for trip planing; sample itineraries; and much more.
Speaking of food and Disney World, this year is the Year of the Monkey and guests can celebrate with new menu options at Epcot’s Nine Dragons Restaurant and Disney Springs’ Morimoto Asia.
Nine Dragons is celebrating with a special prix fixe lunch menu for $17.98. This menu will be available until January 27, 2017 and it features three courses starting with spring rolls or pot stickers, three choices for entrees, and then dessert. Morimoto Asia is featuring a four-course menu on February 8.
Residents of the Super Bowl teams’ states – North Carolina, South Carolina, and Colorado – can get one free night at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel if they book two nights at the rack rate through February 29. This deal is good for visits from now until January 31, 2017. And, residents of the winning team’s state will receive a complimentary upgrade.
Disneyland Resort is still celebrating its Diamond Anniversary and the party continues with The Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60 television event on February 21.
Tokyo DisneySea is also celebrating this year! The park is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a year-long party: ‘Tokyo DisneySea 15th Anniversary: The Year of Wishes.’ The celebration begins on April 15 with a new fireworks show and two other new shows.
That’s the big news from last week! We’re sure this week will be full of fun and exciting news too. Stay tuned to DisZine for all the Disney news every week. And be sure to follow us on Twitter and like us over on Facebook.


text: Investors looking to gain exposure to the burgeoning plant-based food space should consider SunOpta, according to Cowen. Analyst Brian Holland, who has a buy rating on the stock, placed SunOpta as the top pick, noting that an investor meeting with the company’s CEO and CFO built confidence. on the company’s growth prospects as it gains market share. “We are increasingly confident in our near- and long-term forecasts, thanks to SunOpta’s ability to capitalize on strong secular trends and its own high barriers to entry,” Holland wrote. in a Sunday note. “As such, the delta between SunOpta’s outlook and its factory-based comparison widens,” Holland wrote. Steady demand and growing market share despite rising inflation, as well as growing capacity, have kept the SunOpta analyst bullish. According to the note, the company does not see much of a decline from consumers, as cow’s milk prices are rising faster than plant-based alternatives and private labels are lagging behind brands. brand. Shares are up 38% this year. “Importantly, SunOpta factory-based output + 17% Y/Y in Q2/2012 was supported by new business developments (new customers, new products for existing customers), emphasizing competitive trends — in particular, supply certainty that management says is a top concern for customers,” the analyst wrote. The company is also adding a facility in Texas that will add additional capacity, according to the note. Cowen’s $15 price target for SunOpta represents a 55.9% gain from Friday’s closing price of $9.62. — Michael Bloom of CNBC contributed to this report.


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SALINAS, Calif. – In a deal respected at about $39.0 million in money and voting that is subordinate, Indus Holdings, Inc. acquired Lowell Herb Co. and Lowell Smokes trademark brands, product portfolio, and production assets from The Hacienda Group. In connection with the acquisition, Indus intends to change its name that is corporate to Farms Inc.
Subordinate voting stocks and warrants begins exchanging regarding the Canadian Securities Exchange on March 5, 2021 underneath the ticker symbols LOWL and LOWL.WT. Subordinate voting stocks begins exchanging regarding the OTCQX on March 5, 2021 beneath the ticker sign LOWLF.
Beehousecannabis, Lowell’s investor that is largest. “The Indus team’s commitment to growing exceptional as well as the communities they provide additionally understands Lowell’s objective to normalize in the us.”
“The (*) industry is awash in brands contending for the attention, but Lowell has increased to the top the fray as a brand name that simultaneously empowers a movement, welcomes the inquisitive, and greets the reacquainted all with a grace and beauty that other brands can simply desire to,” stated Indus Chairman (*)George Allen(*). “Every resource under our control is going to be used in unlocking Lowell’s full potential.”(*)


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The opening of a new Heron Foods store on the coast has been postponed.
The new shop was scheduled to open on Sea Lane in Ingoldmells on Thursday, April 2.
But, as the Covid-19 pandemic spreads across the UK, the difficult decision has now been made to cancel the opening.
Heron Foods says this is because of the most recent advice issued by the government.
Heron Foods’ managing director, Tony Dobbs, said: “We’re doing what we can to continue with our planning and preparations behind the scenes so we’re ready to open when the time is right.
"After all of our team’s hard work over the last few months, this is a hugely difficult decision for us but the welfare of our staff, suppliers, contractors and future customers is our top priority.
“We would like to ask that you bear with us during this period of uncertainty and reassure you that demand in the market has been unprecedented and the store will open as soon as possible.
"Keep following Heron Foods on Facebook and Instagram for further information and a new date for opening will be announced.”
One positive to come from the postponement is that goodie bags which were due to be given away to shoppers are instead being given to Age UK.
The items will be used to help elderly people currently in need, who may be unable to leave their home, or are finding empty shelves in their local supermarkets.
Heron Foods will also be donating vouchers to a local food bank.
A Heron spokesperson told Lincolnshire Live the company will be reviewing the situation regularly and will announce a new opening date as soon as they can.
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When opened, it will join another Heron Foods store in Skegness located on Lumley Road.


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It’s been a busy week in the tech world, mostly Samsung, but it’s been a good week for Apple news too. Here at TiP, the most popular articles of the week features a spec comparison with Samsung’s latest flagship, a hardware comparison between the Lumia 920 and iPhone 5 as well as a controversial app and Phil Schiller having a dig at Android before the SGS4 launch. Without further ado, here’s the top 5:
I took the time out after the announcement to compare the specifications of Apple’s iPhone 5, and Samsung’s recently announced monster phone. Although it’s no competition really, the Samsung does have some rather unnecessary and seemingly pointless gimmicks. But, that’s Samsung. How do you feel about the two devices going head to head in the market? Will Sammy eat further in to the iPhone’s lead as the number 1 phone?
Nokia kindly lent me a Lumia 920 to try out, and so I compared it with the iPhone 5 in a rather lengthy review. A lot of things about the Lumia impressed, and it almost convinced me to switch.
A couple of days back, a really cool app named HiddenApps somehow made it to the App Store. It enabled users to hide normally un-hideable stock iOS apps. Needless to say, it didn’t last long, and neither did the developer’s account.
Schiller, in his diplomatic fashion had a quick dig at Android the day before the Galaxy S4 landed. And bullishly claimed Apple isn’t at all worried about Samsung’s newest phone.
This was perhaps one of the coolest apps to be features on TiP this week, and transforms your iPhone in to a really great driving device. Check it out.


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Increasing awareness and driving app installs of Mars Wrigley's virtual trick-or-treating app
The COVID-19 pandemic squashed any hopes of in-person trick-or-treating for Halloween, which meant bulk candy buying was likely to take a big hit. Mars Wrigley wanted to make sure its fans could still celebrate from home, launching TREAT TOWN™, a first-ever digital Halloween experience that allows users to send candy virtually to friends and family. The brand turned to TikTok to help increase awareness and drive app installs.
Mars Wrigley leveraged two In-Feed Ads via the TikTok auction for 13 days leading up to Halloween. The videos featured the iconic Yellow M&M, along with clear CTAs. The brand amplified the campaign with TopView, making TREAT TOWN™ the first TikTok our community saw when they opened the app for a full day. The brand also worked with TikTok to identify and partner with two popular creators to develop creative that showed real people enjoying the app — and tested this creative against its brand assets to see which performed better.
Mars Wrigley also carried out a Brand Lift Study (BLS) to measure the impact of the campaign. TikTok BLS, one of TikTok's first-party measurement solutions, allows advertisers to better understand and measure the effect their campaigns have on brand KPIs such as awareness and intent through a brief survey that is sent to users automatically during campaigns.
The campaign generated a huge influx of app installs the day after the premiere of the TopView and consistently throughout the campaign. The TREAT TOWN™ app shot also up to #2 in the App Store in the F&R category and the campaign’s clickthrough rate and CPI exceeded benchmarks. Overall the campaign generated more than 123 million video views across all formats and 70,000+ app installs. Mars Wrigley's BLS report also revealed a 14.2% increase in awareness, 27% increase in ad recall and 13.4% increase brand association as a result of the campaign.
Creators on TikTok bring stories to life authentically, so it's no surprise that the TikToks featuring official creators spurred 169% more installs than TikToks solely featuring brand creative, with a 22% more efficient CPI. Following the success of the campaign, Mars Wrigley is doubling down on a series of TikTok- specific campaigns across major holidays and cultural moments, while also looking for additional opportunities to partner with creators.


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Batelco launches entrepreneurs programme
Manama, June 12, 2013
Batelco has announced the launch of an entrepreneurs support progamme to encourage the young to develop and implement their information and communications technology (ICT) business ideas.
The programme has been developed in line with Batelco's ideas centre, a facility featuring the latest communications technologies, located at the company's Hamala headquarters.
The ideas centre, which opened in November last year, has launched its own website which gives an overview about the technologies on show at the centre, reported the Gulf daily News, our sister publication.
Aspiring entrepreneurs may apply online for the opportunity to use Batelco's incubation services, available at the entrepreneurs zone, to set up or evolve their ICT business idea.
Additionally, Batelco plans to sign some strategic partnerships with relevant associations in order to support entrepreneurs with their future projects, the report said.
Currently, Batelco and Bahrain Development Bank are collaborating in organising a national contest to find the best innovative ICT projects.
General manager for strategy and business development Hamza Ali said Batelco continues to evolve to be more than just a leader in telecommunications, by establishing itself as a leader in the provision of not only communications solutions but ICT solutions too.
"Batelco's ideas centre, which is enhanced on an ongoing basis to add new emerging technologies, is a great venue for technical or ICT students to visit," he said.
"It is also the perfect location for budding entrepreneurs to work in, thanks to the availability of world class communication tools and on-site expertise from Batelco's skilled employees," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
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A great crowd showed up for the first ever Festa Italiana this past weekend at the Houghton County Arena.
The event featured many different exhibits that showcase the rich Italian culture that is prevalent in the U.P. Chairperson Deborah Mann says the festival was created through the interest of local Italians.
published at http://youtu.be/a0mQGEECyFU
“We decided that it was time that we actually celebrated our own history. We decided to put together an event and it just mushroomed into something so much more. It is quite a successful day. We’re very happy,” Mann said.
Many organizations were presented including Daughters of Italy, a nationwide group that was founded in 1919.
“(It) started with a kernel of an idea with a few people, expanded to committees and then a lot of outreach in the community,” Daughters of Italy member Maria Vezzetti Matson said. “And I think today shows how successful that idea was.”
The daughters displayed many kinds of Italian baked goods, including the trademark biscotti cookies. Also, there was a display that highlighted the work that the organization does.
“And we do a lot of good things for the community because it’s mostly donated,” Daughters of Italy Mary Ann Brazzoni said. “Any money or proceeds we donate quite a bit of it for different charities so we’re proud of that, too.”
Traditional Italian music and entertainment was available to all attendees as well as an area where people can dress up and pretend to be at an Italian coffee shop.
With so many aspects of the Italian culture on display, which one gets the most attention from people?
“I think it’s the food. Everyone loves Italian food. You don’t have to be Italian to love the food,” said Mann.
And as many people were enjoying the cuisine, competitions were bringing together people of all ages. All eyes were on the spaghetti-eating contest as Bryan Kinnunen was declared the messy victor. And the grape-stomping contest brought out laughs from all the participants.
With a great turnout like this, the Festa Italiana is sure to be a yearly event in the Copper Country.


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Court Gives Manufacturers Leeway on Pricing
MELISSA BLOCK, host:
Today, the Supreme Court gave manufacturers greater leeway to set minimum prices at the retail level. The five-to-four opinion overturns a long-standing precedent in antitrust law.
And as NPR's Jim Zarroli reports, there are concerns that it could make it harder for small retailers to offer discounts on the products they sell.
JIM ZAROLLI: The case involved Leegin Creative Leather Products, which sells women's accessories under the brand name Brighton. For several years, Leegin required retailers to charge a minimum price for its products. It did this because it was cultivating a high-end image, and it wanted to ensure that the stores selling its goods offered a certain level of service.
But in 2002, Leegin discovered that one of its retailers, a small Texas chain called Kay's Kloset, was discounting its belts as much as 20 percent, and it stopped shipping products there. Kay's Kloset sued Leegin on antitrust grounds and was awarded nearly $4 million. In its suit case, Kloset argued that minimum pricing agreements were always anticompetitive. But in its ruling today, the court rejected that argument. Critics like Rick Brunell of the American Antitrust Institute say the ruling sweeps aside a 96-year-old legal precedent.
Professor RICK BRUNELL (Senior Fellow, American Antitrust Institute): I think it's bad for antitrust. It's bad for consumers. It restricts the ability of retailers to discount branded manufactured goods.
ZAROLLI: The case turned on the question of whether allowing a manufacturer to set minimum prices for its products was good or bad for consumers. In his ruling, Justice Anthony Kennedy said such agreements were often anticompetitive, but not necessarily. In some cases, he said, setting a minimum price can protect competition. The court cited the example of what are called free riders. These are shoppers who go to expensive retailers to look at merchandise and ask questions, and then buy the products online or at discount stores.
Quentin Riegel of the National Association of Manufacturers says this undercuts retailers who hire knowledgeable staff and offer good service.
Mr. QUENTIN RIEGEL (VP for Litigation, National Association of Manufacturers): That has a cost associated with it. And if a full service retailer incurs that cost, but the sale goes to a discounter who doesn't have the same cost, and those full service retailers are either going to go out of business or not sell that manufacturer's product, and that's bad for competition.
ZAROLLI: The ruling today will require courts to look at minimum pricing agreements on an individual basis and decide whether they hurt or help competition. The ruling is bad news for retailers who compete largely on the basis of price. If they want to, manufacturers can try to force them to charge more for their products.
But Thomas Nachbar, who teaches at the University of Virginia Law School, doesn't think that's likely to happen much. Nachbar says big discount chains are probably protected.
Professor THOMAS NACHBAR (Law, University of Virginia Law School): I don't think Wal-Mart has too much to worry about because Sony is going to have a hard time coming to Wal-Mart and saying, look, if you don't sell our products for a certain price, we're going to quit selling to you. Because in many ways, Sony needs Wal-Mart more than Wal-Mart needs Sony.
ZAROLLI: Nachbar also notes that most manufacturers simply have no incentive to impose minimum prices on retailers because it can only hurt their sales. There are exceptions, however, and in his dissent today, Justice Stephen Brier said today's ruling was likely to raise prices at the retail level. Justice Brier also said the majority had not shown any reason to overturn such a long-established legal precedent.
Jim Zarolli, NPR News.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.


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Despite the World By Us dolls debuting last September, they were quickly overshadowed by the time 2021 was over by other dolls. Excluding their two Harlem Fashion Row outfits which were available for pre-order in September, Makena, Evette and Maritza didn't get anything more in their collections since they debuted, and they only have accessories and their community center.
While it is a bit disappointing that American Girl released three new dolls only to not provide much of a collection for them in their initial release and after, I believe I might know the reason why.
The World By Us dolls were only conceived in the summer of 2020 after calls for companies to diversify in light of the Black Lives Matter protests, and they released in the fall of 2021. If the World By Us dolls were thought of in June 2020, then only a year and three months passed since the idea for the dolls and the release of them.
It was important to have the World By Us dolls out as soon as possible due to these calls for diversity and to provide more representation in the American Girl line for underrepresented groups, but it would be hard to create 3 entire collections for dolls in 15 months without rushing it. Gabriela McBride's collection was created in less than a year, and it ended up being similar to previous Girl of the Year and Truly Me collections. American Girl probably wanted to have the dolls out quick, but not have a rushed collection for them.
However, it's been almost a year since the World By Us dolls released, and we haven't gotten anything new for them. If a normal timeline for dolls were followed with the WBU dolls, they could have released with a full collection this summer. Hopefully this means we'll be getting more things for them soon!
P.S: I took my SAT yesterday, so it's officially summer for me! This is the summer before my senior year, which is really exciting.


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Calkain Cos. sells CVS drugstore in a record-breaking, net-lease deal.
Calkain Cos., based in Reston, said Thursday that it sold the newly constructed CVS drug store at 8117 Leesburg Pike in Tysons Corner in a deal that broke several records for the net lease industry.
Net leases primarily focus on single-tenant, commercial real estate properties occupied by tenants with long-term leases.
The roughly one-acre CVS property brought a sales price of $24.7 million, which equates to $1,915 per-building-square foot and $24.4 million per acre. According to Calkain, those prices are a new high in the market, exceeding another recent Calkain market record of $1,672-per-square-foot for a Starbucks building in Washington, D.C. that it sold in March.
The capitalization rate — rate of return on a real estate investment property based on the expected income that the property will generate — also set a record low for CVS drugstores throughout the country at 4.97 percent.
Jonathan Hipp, Calkain president and CEO, along with Andrew Fallon, managing director and Jonathan Florin, director, represented the sellers, Regency Centers and J. Donegan Co.


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By Tom Cowie
When two former Pakistan cricketers agreed to take part in a community Twenty20 cricket league in Melbourne’s south-east, they probably didn’t anticipate going to court with the competition’s bat sponsor.
Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Amir, who have both retired from international cricket after playing a combined 415 matches for Pakistan, were back in their country’s dark-green shirts at Casey Fields last December to play in the start-up Aussie Cricket League.
The ACL may not rival the multibillion-dollar Indian Premier League or even the Big Bash, but it has high hopes of carving out a place in the busy T20 cricketing landscape in suburban Melbourne.
With its drone shots and DRS replays live-streamed on YouTube, the tournament looks a bit like its bigger rivals. And while $50,000 for the winning team isn’t quite up there with the riches on offer in India, it’s not bad for a local cricket league.
That prizemoney comes thanks to a string of sponsors from businesses in Australia’s South Asian community, including cricket gear manufacturer Tazwin Sports, based in Derrimut, in Melbourne’s western suburbs.
A key question for any sponsor seeking exposure is what are they getting for their money. Now, Tazwin Sports is facing legal action after allegedly using unauthorised photos as part of promotional material published on their website.
According to a statement of claim filed by Akmal and Amir in the Federal Court last month, Tazwin Sports edited photos taken at the ACL event and then used them online to sell the company’s bats under the headline “PROUD TAZ-WINNERS”.
When tweaking the photos, Tazwin Sports allegedly removed the name of another competition sponsor, Exclusive Migration, from the Pakistan team’s shirts.
The ACL, which started in 2021, features teams made up of players from local migrant communities, including Indians, Sri Lankans, Afghans and a home-based side wearing Australian colours.
Scattered among the amateurs selected to take part were former international stars, including Kamran, Amir and Sri Lanka’s blond-tipped fast bowler Lasith Malinga, who took 546 wickets for his country.
The Pakistan XI made it to the ACL final last December, but were beaten by the Sri Lankan team by five wickets.
Court documents state that Kamran and Amir made several requests in April for Tazwin Sports to remove the photos, both personally and through lawyers, but the images of them holding the bats remained online.
In response, Tazwin Sports allegedly said through its lawyers that it was the head sponsor of the ACL tournament and had supplied cricket equipment worth $40,000, which entitled it to use the photos of Kamran and Amir.
In a later email, the company allegedly said it had an oral agreement with the ACL which gave permission to use the photos.
However, Kamran and Amir’s statement of claim said the sponsorship agreement only required Tazwin Sports to pay $3000 and supply three bats, which were to be presented during the competition’s finals.
“Three or four cricket bats were delivered by Tazwin Sports during the ACL tournament, however, the fee of $3000 was not paid,” Kamran and Amir’s statement of claim says.
The two former internationals claim that Tazwin Sports engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct under Australian consumer law.
“The use of the photos implies the plaintiffs are brand ambassadors of Tazwin Sports or otherwise endorse or approve of Tazwin Sports’ products,” the court document states.
“The plaintiffs have no direct relationship with Tazwin Sports and have not agreed to any promotional or marketing arrangements with Tazwin Sports.”
Both cricketers claim they have lost sponsorship opportunities because of the photos linking them to Tazwin Sports.
Kamran claims he missed out on a $28,000 annual deal to be the exclusive brand ambassador for another brand in Australia, which also included $7000 in sports equipment.
Amir states that he lost a three-year offer from another company which involved yearly payments of $30,000 and $5000 of equipment.
“It is likely that the plaintiffs will lose future sponsorship opportunities [as a result of the photos],” the document says.
Kamran and Amir are seeking damages from Tazwin Sports, as well as an injunction stopping the company from using the photos.
The most expensive Tazwin Sports bats retail for $1499 but appear to regularly be on sale with a 33 per cent discount.
West Indies legend Brian Lara is also listed as a “proud Taz-winner” after using the company’s bat during a charity cricket match in Footscray.
Sandeep Kaur is listed as the sole director of Tazwin Pty Ltd, the owner of the Tazwin Sports name, according to company documents.
Neither side’s lawyers responded to requests for comment.
The case will have its first hearing on Monday.
The third edition of the Aussie Cricket League, which is partly funded by the Victorian government, will be held in December.
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As economists puzzle over the future direction of global markets, there is a growing consensus among pharmaceutical industry analysts that slimming down will reap profits for Pfizer. Last week the company saw its stock price increase after an analyst at Goldman Sachs wrote that Pfizer’s chief executive, Ian Read, had signaled in a meeting she attended that he may go beyond the divestitures the company has already announced. Pfizer is already in the midst of spinning off its nutritional and animal health businesses, and last week’s news raised speculations from analysts that other divisions may also be destined for the chopping block in the near future.
The time scale for further spin-offs by Pfizer is probably two to five years, says Damien Conover, an analyst at Morningstar in Chicago. “This is a good strategy to unlock value within the company,” he says, adding that “the most likely next step would be to get rid of the over-the-counter business.” It wouldn’t be the first pharma giant to do so: New York-based Bristol-Myers Squibb sold its own over-the-counter division in 2009.
Although there have also been rumblings that the Pfizer might also consider spinning off its generics business, he and others say such a move would be both unprecedented and ill-advised because of the synergy between generic and new drug research and development at the company. “Investors have signaled they welcome streamlining, but [selling] generics is not on the table,” says Jamie Davies, head of pharmaceuticals and healthcare analysis at Business Monitor International in London.
Pfizer is not the only company in the process of scaling back. Illinois’s Abbott Laboratories last week unveiled the name of its new non-pharmaceutical sister company, AbbVie. The trend is a predictable reaction to the merger-mania of the last three years, says Lindsay Meyers, an analyst at Canaan Partners in Menlo Park, California. “It takes a lot of clean-up when you’ve been through a merger or acquisition,” she says.
Meyers expects more companies both in the US and in Europe to begin consolidating and selling off inefficient businesses in the coming years. “Pfizer is not the only company that made a big purchase in the last few years,” she says. But others think the trend will remain a US phenomenon. “European companies have to look more broadly because the markets in their domestic region are contracting,” explains Davies, who says shrinking profits at home are an incentive for European companies to stay big and diverse in order to tap into new markets.
European companies such as British GlaxoSmithKline, French Sanofi and Swiss Novartis have all grown in recent years. “This trend speaks to more European exposure to emerging markets,” says Conover, “and emerging markets are good for diverse product lines.”
Photo courtesy of Pfizer


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A collection of news and information related to Carrefour S.A. published by this site and its partners.
Displaying items 1-12 of 14 » View wdbj7.com items only1 2 Next >
Money & CompanyWal-Mart said Monday it was replacing the head of its operations in China, the latest set-back in the country for the giant U.S. retailer after employees were arrested and detained last week in the western city of Chongqing over a......
World NowThe Indian Parliament adjourned in an uproar Friday over the government's decision to let large international retailers enter the country's long-protected market....
ReutersPARIS (Reuters) - Carrefour shares dropped over 5 percent on Thursday, reversing gains from the day before, amid concerns the world's No. 2 retailer is pulling out of too many high-growth markets after the surprise sale of a Middle Eastern venture. The...
Tags: Brazil, Malaysia, China, Emerging Market, Walmart
ReutersDUBAI (Reuters) - Carrefour , Europe's largest retailer, agreed to sell its remaining 25-percent stake in a Middle East joint venture to local partner Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) for 530 million euros ($682.45 million), MAF said in a statement on Wednesday....
ReutersDUBAI (Reuters) - Carrefour , Europe's largest retailer, is in advanced talks to divest its remaining 25-percent stake in its Middle Eastern joint venture to local partner Majid Al Futtaim (MAF), two sources familiar with the matter said. Family-owned...
Taylor Swift rocked a sparkly blue mini dress by Muhair Zurad, with cutouts across her shoulder blades, when she accepted eight awards, including artist of the year, at the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Sunday. She also wore...
ReutersMay 13 (Reuters) - () -------------- PREVIOUS ITEM: -------------- Blackstone eyes LIC's 14 pct stake in Stock Holding Corp - Economic Times () ------ Note: Reuters has not verified the story and does not vouch for its accuracy.
ReutersBy Jane Lee and Gabriel Wildau SHANGHAI, May 11 (Reuters) - Hundreds of protesters gathered in the Chinese financial hub of Shanghai on Saturday to oppose plans for a lithium battery factory, highlighting growing social tension over pollution. Police...
ReutersBy Christian Plumb and Dominique Vidalon May 3 (Reuters) - Colony Capital, the $27 billion U.S. investment fund attracting controversy in France over its involvement in Carrefour and Accor, will invest up to 1.5 billion euros in Europe on a bet the...
PARIS (AP) - Stung by Europe's growing horse meat scandal, French farmers and food industry officials were recently flocking to Paris to show off their wares and defend the reputation of the Western world's culinary heartland. Paris' yearly Agricultural...
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — At least 112 people were killed in a fire that raced through a multi-story garment factory just outside of Bangladesh's capital, an official said Sunday. The blaze broke out at the seven-story factory operated by Tazreen...
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Claims that U.S. retail giant Wal-Mart used payoffs to speed zoning and other permits in its break-neck Mexican expansion is sparking soul-searching in Mexico, where crowded government offices are the working grounds of shadowy...
Oct 17, 2011 | Los Angeles Times
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May 23, 2013 |Story| Reuters
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Mar 8, 2013 |Story| Aberdeen News
Nov 25, 2012 |Story| AP Broadcast
Apr 24, 2012 |Story| Petoskey News
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As Madison Avenue gears up for Super Bowl Sunday -- the biggest day of the year for both advertising and football -- marketers and agencies are adopting a strategy torn from a gridiron playbook: get big or go home.
Many of the executives taking the expensive risk of advertising during the ABC broadcast of Super Bowl XXXVII on Sunday are deciding, in effect, if they've got it, they may as well flaunt it.
Advertisers are buying more commercial time during the game than usual or initially intended. Just four advertisers -- Anheuser-Busch, General Motors, PepsiCo and Sony -- will by themselves account for 40 percent of the spots being sold by ABC.
Marketers including Reebok International are also running spots that go on for longer than the traditional 30 seconds, while others like AT&T Wireless and the Hanes division of the Sara Lee Corporation are buying commercials during the pregame, halftime or postgame shows. Some companies, like Levi Strauss & Company and PepsiCo, are also sponsoring online promotions tied to their Super Bowl commercials. And more advertisers than ever are orchestrating elaborate publicity campaigns centered on Super Bowl spots.
Advertisers are flooding the zone -- even though 30-second spots during the game are estimated to cost an average of $2.1 million -- in hopes their commercials will break through to the projected audience of 130 million or more Americans expected to watch at least part of the game.
That audience is particularly prized for its size, probably the largest for any TV show this year. And the viewers actually want to watch the ads during the annual midwinter festival of athleticism and commercialism. A survey from Eisner Communications in Baltimore found that a record 14 percent of respondents said they would watch the game primarily for the commercials, compared with 2 percent who said so in the first survey in 1995.
''One of the biggest challenges today is to be seen, to be heard, to be noticed,'' said Becky Saeger, executive vice president for brand marketing at Visa USA in San Francisco, a Super Bowl mainstay that will run two spots during the game by the New York office of BBDO Worldwide, part of the Omnicom Group. ''Your dream is that a consumer wants to watch, to listen to you.''
The avid audience helped convince the beer goliath Anheuser-Busch, which was already set to be the single largest advertiser in the game with five minutes of commercials, to add another 30 seconds to its mammoth buy.
As a result of moves like that one, the total number of advertisers taking the 61 30-second spots during the game is somewhat less than usual.
''How many times are you going to get this many people sitting in front of their televisions watching and talking about the ads?'' asked Ed Erhardt, president for customer marketing and sales in New York for ABC Sports and its sibling, ESPN, both parts of the Walt Disney Company.
''So if you're going to invest in the Super Bowl, if you're going to have the platform, use it,'' he added.
Another way sponsors are seeking to enlarge their presence on Sunday is to have their agencies create spots that run 45, 60 or even 90 seconds. In addition to Reebok, advertisers like DaimlerChrysler, FedEx, and G.M. are offering supersize commercials.
''This is a big moment for us,'' said Micky Pant, chief marketing officer at Reebok in Canton, Mass., which is returning to the Super Bowl after an absence of IX, er, nine years. ''So we decided to go for broke.''
'It's a lot of money for that minute,'' Mr. Pant said, ''but our brand is looking better and enjoying significant growth, and our product line has improved dramatically. So if you put money behind advertising, it's worth it.''


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Kroger puts spotlight on flu vaccinations
CINCINNATI — Kroger is highlighting immunization against the flu this season on the company's website.
Although Kroger has provided a triple protection flu vaccine — which protects against H1N1, H3N2 and influenza B viruses — to customers since September 2010 at its 1,900 in-store pharmacies and 77 Little Clinic locations, the retailer noted its inoculation offering on its site with a flu facts page that features a "The Flu ends with U!" header and links to Flu.gov and other sites.
During the holiday season, Kroger offered free flu shot vouchers to underinsured and uninsured customers.