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© Renesas Business | April 20, 2021
Renesas’ Naka fab to return to 100% by the end of May
The Japanese company restarted production at the N3 building – housing the 300mm line – of its Naka fab on April 17. While production capacity is still just under 10% of what it once was, the company is confident to be back up to normal levels before June.
During a press conference regarding the fire that struck part of the company’s Naka fab (located in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture) and the recovery of production, the management of Renesas stated that it aims to reach a production capacity of 30% by the end of this week, 50% by the end of April and return to the original 100% by the end of May. In regard to shipment of products manufactured in the N3 Building, the company says it will work to gradually return the shipment to levels before the fire. First by starting the shipment of work-in-processes which was being produced at the time of the fire. “Although this will depend on the product, following the lead time of a typical product, we stated at the March 30 press conference that we expect 100% recovery of product shipment of products manufactured in the N3 Building to customers approximately 100 days after the fire,” an update from the company reads. However, at the time of writing this, Renesas expects there to be a delay of about seven to ten days from the targeted 100 days after the fire before it reaches a full recovery of product shipment. At the same time the company says that the effects of alternative production is expected to come sooner than initially anticipated, and that the amount is larger than expected, contributing to the production. The fire that struck the N3 building damaged 23 pieces of equipment, and Renesas has been working hard to procure replacements for the damaged units. During April the company was able o confirm the procurement of 17 units. One unit is expected to be procured during May. Renesas says that these newly acquired pieces of equipment boasts higher capacity levels than the previous, which will allow the company to offset the missing four units in the short term. However, these will be procured moving forward.
Henkel acquires Thermexit business from Nanoramic Henkel has completed the acquisition of the Thermal Management Materials business of Nanoramic Laboratories (Nanoramic) headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, marketed under the brand Thermexit.
Mobix Labs to acquire EMI Solutions Fabless semiconductor company, Mobix Labs, says it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire EMI Solutions, an Irvine-based manufacturer of electromagnetic interference (EMI) filtering products.
Sponsored content by Würth eisosWürth Elektronik takes the noise out of E-Mobility The number of e-mobiles is increasing daily. New cars and light vehicles with electric drives are constantly being developed and brought onto the market. One of the prerequisites for approval is passing an EMC test. Do you need to get to grips with electromagnetic interference in an e-car, a light electric vehicle, or a charging station? Würth Elektronik has the EMC components you need. In addition to ferrites for assembly on cables, cable harnesses and busbars, Würth Elektronik offers ferrites for PCB assembly, common mode chokes and EMI shielding products for e-mobility applications. With many AEC-Q-200 qualified catalogue products produced in IATF-16949 certified facilities from stock, free samples for developers and excellent design-in support, Würth Elektronik shortens your time-to-market.
Hexatronic acquires the data center specialist Swedish Hexatronic Group has signed an agreement to acquire 90% of the shares in UK-based Impact Data Solutions Limited (IDS Group).
Kontron AIS takes over LUCOM As of September first, 2022, Kontron AIS GmbH has taken over LUCOM GmbH and thus strengthen its portfolio as an IIoT solution provider for industrial software and industrial automation.
VinFast and Renesas ink strategic partnership Vietnamese EV maker, VinFast, is expanding its collaboration with Japanese semiconductor company Renesas to include automotive technology development of EVs and delivery of system components.
Intel's close to making final selection for new Italian site The Italian government and Intel have reportedly selected the town of Vigasio in the northeastern Veneto region as their preferred site for the company’s future chip factory in Italy.
Sponsored content by Nordson ELECTRONICS SOLUTIONSDo you know the differences between selective soldering and wave soldering? Wave soldering and manual hand soldering techniques are common, but selective soldering reduces cost while increasing process flexibility for consistent, high-quality soldering results.
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FPT Software launches chipmaking subsidiary Vietnamese ICT company, FPT Software, announces that it has launched a new chip subsidiary, FPT Semiconductor, meaning that the company is entering the booming semiconductor industry.
Habia Cable opens its brand new Polish production facility Habia Cable has officially inaugurated its new, purpose-built, production facility in Poland.
Astera Labs opens new Vancouver location Connectivity solutions specialist Astera Labs has officially opened Astera Labs Vancouver – a new office and lab to support the company’s development of interconnect technologies for AI and Machine Learning architectures.
Qualcomm's automotive design-win pipeline expands to $30B Qualcomm says that its automotive design-win pipeline has grown to USD 30 billion, driven by increased adoption of the company's Snapdragon Digital Chassis solutions across the auto industry.
Sponsored content by BRADY CorporationEnable a major leap in workplace productivity & efficiency Give every asset a unique digital identity with reliable, industrial-grade RFID labels, printers, scanners and software. Discover Brady’s complete RFID solution and generate considerable efficiency gains.
Henkel expands South Dakota facility Henkel has broken ground on a 35,000 square-foot expansion of its production facility in Brandon, South Dakota. The expanded facility will add new manufacturing muscles and allow Henkel to increase production of thermal interface materials used to manufacture electronics and electric vehicles.
Mouser adds 35+ new manufacturer brands to its line card Mouser Electronics continues to expand its line card by adding 36 new manufacturers through the end of August 2022.
Intelligent Memory expands its reach in Europe The manufacturer of industrial-grade memory product solutions, has won three new strategic distribution partners in Europe – covering the Benelux region, Poland and the UK.
Indium opens the doors to its expanded operations in Rome In late August 2022 Indium Corporation opened the doors to its latest expansion. The company's facility in Rome, New York is now Indium's largest manufacturing center globally in terms of square footage.
onsemi invests $450 million to expand European SiC fab onsemi says that the newly inaugurated expanded silicon carbide (SiC) fab in Roznov, Czech Republic will increase its the company's SiC wafer production capacity by 16 times over the next two years.
One facility upgrade done – on the the next Farnell and Avnet are keeping busy in September. The month marks the opening of its newly-renovated offices in Leeds, as well as the official groundbreaking on a new Avnet distribution center in Bernberg, Germany.
Nürnberg-based LÖKAST is now an official Metcal distributor OK International announces LÖKAST GmbH in Nürnberg is now an official Metcal distributor.
Mycronic to ship SLX mask writer to Asian customer The Swedish manufacturer of production equipment says that it has received an order for an SLX mask writer from an unnamed – new – customer in Asia.
Skeleton’s supercapacitors to power CAF’s new metro units Supercapacitor specialist Skeleton Technologies says that it will supply supercapacitors to the metro units that the Spanish manufacturer CAF will provide to the city of Granada, Spain.
Strong earthquake shakes Taiwan Updated: A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Taitung in the southeastern part of Taiwan on Sunday, local time, reports the Central Weather Bureau (CBW), the country's seismological center.
EPC opens new motor drive center of excellence EPC has opened a new design application center near Turin, Italy, to focus on growing motor drive applications based on GaN technology in the e-mobility, robotics, drones, and industrial automation markets.
Murata to set up a new materials joint venture Murata Manufacturing, Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha and Fuji Titanium Industry – a wholly owned subsidiary of Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha – have signed a basic agreement to establish a joint venture to manufacture barium titanate for use in multilayer ceramic capacitors and other products.
Digi-Key enters distribution deal with Schneider Electric Digi-Key Electronics has secured a distribution agreement in North America with Schneider Electric. As a result of this partnership, Digi-Key now offers a selection of Schneider Electric's power, automation and control, and sensor products.
Lam Research opens new center for engineering in India Lam Research has opened a new Center for Engineering in Bengaluru, India – which is said to be the company's most advanced facility in the country to date.
Toshiba resumes partial production following power outage There was a power outage at Japan Semiconductor Corporation’s Iwate Operations, a key production facility of Toshiba Electronic Devices& Storage Corp, on September 11. Since then the company has resumed some of its production.
Enics opens a business development center in Switzerland The new business development center in Baden, Switzerland is said to "ensure excellence in customer service and strong presence in Central Europe".Load more news


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Update: This story has been continuously updated with itinerary changes.
Lines are now informing passengers booked on Cuba cruises that they will no longer call at the island, with immediate effect. This follows the Trump administration policy change announced Tuesday.
Tuesday evening update: Royal Caribbean became the first line to announce itinerary changes, to the June 5 and June 6 sailings, which will no longer stop in Cuba.
Cruise operators are reeling with uncertainty from the Trump administration's decision to halt sailings to Cuba from the US.
SeaDream Yacht Club, a two-ship brand since its founding in 2001, is expanding with its first newbuild, a 15,600gt luxury mega-yacht that will enter service in September 2021. The order represents a cruise a breakthrough for the Damen Group.
Half a year after selling a majority stake in Silversea Cruises to Royal Caribbean for $1bn, Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio has teamed with his friend Geoffrey Kent to jointly acquire 100% of the Abercrombie & Kent Group of Companies.
As expected, Silversea Cruises' expansion under the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. umbrella will be happening fast. The companies today announced agreements to build three new ships for the Silversea fleet.
Seabourn becomes the latest line to order new ships for luxurious expeditions. The company signed a letter of intent with a new partnership between shipbuilders T. Mariotti and Damen, which will collaborate on the construction under the Mariotti Damen Cruise banner.
MSC Cruises—known for grand events—outdid itself today at STX France by ordering a fifth Meraviglia-class ship, celebrating the float-out of MSC Bellissima, holding a coin ceremony for MSC Grandiosa and cutting steel for and giving a name to its 2020 newbuild, MSC Virtuosa.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is acquiring what chairman and CEO Richard Fain called 'a crown jewel,' Silversea Cruises. RCL is taking a 66.7% stake for $1bn and assuming about $500m in debt, based on an enterprise value of approximately $2bn, and Fain said he's 'thrilled beyond words.'
In its first deal in the Americas, Global Ports Holding scored a big one—a 15-year agreement with Cuba's Aries Transporte to operate the Havana cruise port. The plans include increasing from two cruise berths to six.

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Powder puff football planned
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
GRAVETTE — The DECA Club of Gravette High School (An Association of Marketing Students) will sponsor a Powder Puff football game Tuesday, Nov. 9, at Lion Field with all money received going toward students’ travel expenses to competitions. Hamburger dinners will be for sale before and after the game with serving starting about 5 p.m. The activities and game will start at 5:30 p.m. Besides girls playing, there will be a pass and kick competition and a half-time show. Support for this program will be appreciated.
Subscribers must LOG-IN to read this full story.
Monthly and yearly online subscriptions are available starting at only $2.99. Access is free for print subscribers. Click here to see rates and register.
School News, Pages 16 on 11/03/2010


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Scripps Networks’ The Travel Channel is looking to gather some of the travel booking dollars its viewers spend after seeing its programming. The network invested $7.5 million in Oyster.com, a start-up that employs professionals to review hotels and takes a cut of all the room reservations it helps to make. It will promote Oyster on television and online, and may incorporate the site’s reviewers into future programs, said a New York Times article.
“If we’re going to inspire you, by all means you should be able to get it all done on our site. That’s on our horizon,” Travel Channel Laureen Ong said in an interview.
By linking with Oyster, which has a commerce-through-editorial model, the Travel Channel is diversifying its revenue sources beyond advertising and cable subscriber fees. The deal is being struck a year and a half after Scripps took 65% ownership of the Travel Channel from Cox Communications in a deal that valued the channel and its website at $975 million.
The current Travel Channel site is little more than a travel brochure. Elie Seidman, co-founder and chief executive of Oyster, told the paper he viewed the deal as an indicator of integration between television and the Web, something that “is going to happen more and more rapidly in the months and years ahead.”
Oyster’s versions of travel agents are staff members who visit hotels, take photos and publish reviews. The site only covers 14 destinations now, all in North America, but with the new financing it will add smaller markets on that continent and markets around the world. It also hopes to incorporate some of the Travel Channel’s video archives.
The Travel Channel is part of the second round of financing for Oyster, which came online in mid-2009 and was backed with $8.5 million by Bain Capital Ventures. The investment will make the Travel Channel a minority owner in Oyster. Bain also participated in the second round of financing.
It will not take long for the Travel Channel to add occasional text on the bottom of the screen that points viewers to Oyster for more information about what they are seeing on a show. It will take longer to develop programming that includes Oyster, but Ong said she was sure that “if we do shows around hotels, Oyster will have participation in it.”
RBR-TVBR observation: Not a bad idea to gain additional revenues. Loyal viewers of the network will have little trouble booking through a site that will essentially be co-branded. The only red flag that could go up is viewers will potentially be disappointed in programming that ends up looking like a paid program or infomercial. So there’s a fine line to walk here.


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Tata Motors on Thursday announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a 26.79% stake in digital logistics solutions platform Freight Tiger for Rs 150 crore (approximately $18 million). The agreement also includes a provision enabling Tata Motors to further invest Rs 100 crore over the next two years, at the then prevailing market value.
This roughly translates Freight Tiger’s valuation to around Rs 560 crore ($67 million).
“With such incredible backing and expertise, the company is strategically positioned to lead India’s efforts in reducing logistics costs to under 10% of GDP from over 14%,” said Swapnil Shah, founder and CEO of Freight Tiger in a stock exchange filing.
Tata Motors added that the strategic investment in Freight Tiger will accelerate the company’s initiatives in driving effectiveness and efficiency in the truck and freight ecosystem.
Freight Tiger is a digital platform that provides end-to-end logistics value chain solutions for cargo movement in the country. The platform connects shippers, carriers, logistics service providers and fleet owners to a single marketplace.
The platform claims to facilitate more than 10 million trips on an annualised basis and Tata Motors has already introduced its connected vehicle platform ‘Fleet Edge’ for aiding fleet operations management.
Its clients include Saint Gobain, JSW Steel, and Apollo Tyres.
The firm claims to process 4% of India’s total freight on its platform with a network of more than 400 shippers, and over 150 logistics service providers (LSPs).
In September 2021, Freight Tiger scooped up $6.5 million led by Florintree Infra. Oyo founder Ritesh Agarwal’s family office Aroa Ventures also participated in it. Before that, the firm had raised $8 million in Series A led by Lightspeed in 2019.
While Freight Tiger is yet to file its annual report for FY23, it recorded revenue of Rs 15.12 crore in FY22 with a loss of Rs 41.62 crore.


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Bloog Electronic Cigarettes featured at a new retail location in NY.
Amerivape has opened a second location and is carrying Bloog products. For any locals looking to stock up on Bloog or other vaping and headshop accessories, this is a great store to add to your go-to list!
Amerivape Smoke Shop
33 Broad Street
Waterford, NY 12188
Smokeless study: Local nurse exploring e-cigarettes possibilities for smoking cessation.
Introducing Bloog’s latest flavor:
Bloogberry - a delicious fruit blend that closely resembles the taste of blueberry. Based on customer feedback at past promotional and sales events, the non-tobacco flavors, particularly the fruit blends are very popular among vapers who enjoy the flavor of more exotic cigarettes. Bloogberry is offered in all six of Bloog’s varying nicotine levels, from 0mg to 36mg, which will allow all types of ‘Bloogers’ to enjoy the unique flavor.
Presenting, the Bloog @ Camp Bisco recap video! Bloog and The Bloog boys had a successful event at Camp Bisco. The Bloog was extremely well received, as we saw blue lights and vapor during Skrillex, Amon Tobin, Dada Life, and all of the other amazing acts. We look forward to continuing our Music Festival tour. Shout out to all of the amazing people that we met.
Camp Bisco 2012 w/ Bloog
“In a recent post for his blog, TobaccoAnalysis.com, ACSH scientific advisor Dr. Mike Siegel, a professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health, attacks the Kentucky Center for Smoke-Free Policy’s crusade against electronic cigarettes. More specifically, he targets a representative of the Center, Dr. Ellen Hahn, who, in a television interview asserted, “The electronic cigarette is not really a quit aid…there’s a lot of myth and misperception and confusion about the product.”
Not so fast, Dr. Hahn. As Dr. Siegel points out, “There is abundant evidence that literally tens of thousands of electronic cigarette users have successfully used these products to either quit smoking or to cut down substantially.” He continues, “A clinical trial has demonstrated that among smokers who were not motivated to quit, 54 percent were able to quit completely or to cut down by at least half on the amount they smoke.”
Here at ACSH we can’t help but echo Dr. Siegel, especially when he asks: “Is it the ‘people’ (i.e., smokers) who are really confused, or is it the Kentucky Center for Smoke-Free Policy?
ACSH’s Dr. Gilbert Ross has much to add to the debate. “Dr. Hahn claims that there is no scientific evidence in support of e-cigarettes,” he says. “But what about the millions of testimonies from current users who praise the benefits and efficacy of e-cigarettes?”
“Dr. Hahn is being disingenuous at best and blatantly false at worse,” Dr. Ross adds. “It baffles me that, despite accumulating evidence attesting to the use of e-cigarettes as effective smoking cessation devices, prominent public health organizations continue to emphasize the alleged dangers of allowing these products on the market. They cite the bizarrely unscientific statements attributed to former assistant FDA commissioner Josh Sharfstein in 2009, when he misled smokers trying to quit by targeting ‘carcinogens’ in e-cigarette vapor. Dr. Hahn should be equally ashamed of such irresponsible assertions, which will cost smokers their health and their lives.” – ACSH
Bloog, Marlboro, N.J., which sells electronic cigarettes under brand names like Maxx Fusion, selected Addiction, New York, as its first agency of record. Spending has not been determined.
So New Yorkers, the electronic cigarette of choice for NYC is Bloog!
Bloog Electronic Cigarette Announces HUGE Sale on it’s Battery Line.
33% off all unsealed Bloog Batteries! Only @ www.bloogplanet.com!
Camp Bisco was a great success! It seems like EDM and Bloogs go hand in hand. Stay tuned for our recap video and photos…:)
Since the new season of Boardwalk Empire – one of the best shows on TV – arrives on Sept. 16th, we wanted to share this moment with you. RIP Jimmy Darmody.


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How CVS’s 9,800 stores will boost its Prime-style membership program
CVS is using its 9,800-location store network to play in Amazon’s court, and fend off increasing competition.
Its latest move: A Prime-style membership network hinged on in-store benefits. For a monthly fee of $5, or an annual fee of $48, subscribers can get free one-to-two-day delivery on most prescriptions and other purchases, access to pharmacists around the clock, member-only discounts and a $10 monthly credit on selected items each month. The retailer is testing the program at more than 350 locations in the Boston area right now. It gave no indications about the duration of the pilot or whether it will scale nationally.
It’s a data play and a defensive move against Amazon’s entry into healthcare, which was solidified by its acquisition of online pharmacy PillPack last June.
“It’s a preemptive strike to protect their consumer base from Amazon,” said Jeff Becker, senior analyst at Forrester. “[Amazon] is bringing their supply chain expertise to pharmacy distribution, and with CVS being a leader, it needs to respond to that, and it makes sense to start a prescription delivery solution of their own; rolling it up in a package that looks and smells like Amazon Prime makes sense from a marketing standpoint.”
A CVS Prime-competitor isn’t going to steal Amazon share, but it can help it win where Amazon is less advantaged: in stores. The retailer has been modernizing store locations to improve service efficiency, including moves to put in place Apple-style cashierless checkout. It’s also using stores as delivery hubs. In June, CVS rolled out prescription delivery from all locations along with same-day delivery for a one-time fee of $8.99 in selected urban centers.
With the membership program, new insights will let the retailer better understand the triggers for physical visits.
“They’ll understand what are real trip divers for physical purchases and the drivers for what can be delivered, and what the difference is in basket composition overall,” said Curt Munk, evp and head of strategy at FCB/RED, the retail arm of agency FCB.
Brand trust and a holistic view of the customer from a data perspective are also important advantages over Amazon.
By moving prescriptions to a digital-first, delivery-based format, CVS is simply responding to customer expectations arising from other areas of retail — the “Amazon effect,” where goods are delivered to homes on a regular basis, and services are accessed through mobile devices. But its more cohesive view of overall customer health profiles and the convenience of physical locations can set it apart. Customers can review their prescription records through its mobile app and chat with pharmacists around the clock. CarePass lets members engage in live conversations with pharmacists who have secure access to their prescription history with CVS.
“It’s hard to imagine anything CVS does as not being a data play in some manner; what CVS still has that Amazon doesn’t is a comprehensive, quantified portrait of how Americans manage their health,” said Daniel Black, strategy consultant at Vivaldi. “CVS has an undeniable human advantage over Amazon by offering timely, informed advice, flu shots and other services from credentialed healthcare professionals.”
As CVS’ acquisition of health insurer Aetna moves forward, keeping a close eye on customer health will positively affect the company’s bottom line, said Becker.
“This makes them a payer, and they have a much more vested stake in solidifying their population health efforts, ensuring patients are taking their medications and addressing any barriers to medication access,” he said.
‘We’re letting Facebook grade their own homework’: Here’s how advertisers’ desired changes differ from overall boycott
The overall goals of civil rights advocates organizing the boycott differ slightly from those of advertisers.
How Facebook’s brand safety audit with the Media Rating Council will work
The MRC audit will determine whether Facebook has applied an advertising adjacency standard into its brand safety protections.
Member Exclusive‘Are you going to put people over profit?’: As Facebook boycott continues, DTCs still running ads on the platform in a tricky spot
The Facebook boycott is part of a larger cultural shift towards a more “values-based consumerism.”
SponsoredWhy data clean rooms are a start, but not enough
Clean rooms are intended to be a “safe space” for brands to collaborate with walled gardens, but the greater opportunity for all brands is bringing together all of their data to create a single source of truth that they own and can continually enrich.
WTF is California’s new, and potentially stronger, privacy law?
In November, California residents will vote on the state's second privacy law, which is basically the CCPA 2.0
‘Influencer deals are being paused’: As Facebook boycott begins in earnest, influencer marketing feels a sting
The latest move to pause influencer marketing comes as marketers are not only reconsidering where their ads appear and the kind of content they appear next to, but as they work to figure out how they can better support Black creators and Black-owned businesses following the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests.


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Single Store Category: Leisure Living, Salt Lake City
September 1, 2008-- Casual Living,
Mark McDonald, president of Leisure Living in Salt Lake City, is following the advice of many business gurus, life coaches and psychologists. He's not worrying about what he can't control, which in his case is the economy.
“We continue to do the things that got us here,” he said. “We have a good advertising campaign, we have inventory in the warehouse so we can deliver immediately, and we have great sales people.”
McDonald learned that lesson when the 9/11 attacks flattened the economy in late 2001. After emerging from that experience, when consumers didn't shop for much of anything, he vowed to keep his business model simple.
“I think we got too product driven and confusing with our inventory,” McDonald said. “We've been simplifying our inventory and the number of vendors we buy from ever since. By keeping inventory simpler, it keeps the sales process simpler and the delivery process simpler.”
Cutting down on vendors has allowed the Leisure Living staff to focus more on merchandising. Everything in the showroom is accessorized and displayed as a collection, which gives customers a more direct idea of what a sling chair or dining set will look like on their own patios. Streamlined inventory helped the store's customer service effort, which also follows a simple formula.
“We just have fine, quality people, and when you have quality people you get quality results,” said McDonald of his staff of 17 employees. “If you're not focused on the customer, you don't work here.”
McDonald has had more out-of-his-control issues to deal with than just the economy. He said the weather has been just as much of a problem.
“Without a doubt, we had coldest summer ever this year,” he said. “We never got a day to sit outside until June, and we had several snow storms in May.”
But again, McDonald isn't complaining. He is focusing on core initiatives and keeping things simple, which has been enough to keep Leisure Living business solid for the year.
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Jensen Debuts Three Collections: Topaz, Opal and Tivoli


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Over the past half-dozen years, one of America’s most dependable, all-purpose pantry staples has taken a severe hit to its reputation.
Vegetable oil is key to cooking an infinite variety of food, whether fried chicken, roast vegetables, banana bread or popcorn. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 20 percent of the American diet comes from the all-purpose oil.
But vegetable oils — including canola, corn, cottonseed, safflower, sunflower, rice bran and soy — are often created from barely edible, indigestible seeds, grains and legumes that our body can’t properly digest. Experts at the Cleveland Clinic agree that seed oils contain potentially harmful omega-6 fats. “We should avoid these at all costs,” says noted functional medicine doctor and author, Frank Lipman.
Now, oils made from better quality ingredients are moving into restaurant kitchens and high-end grocery stores.
The most notable new product comes from Zero Acre Farms in San Mateo, Calif. Co-founder Jeff Nobbs says that cooking oil “doesn’t need to be a problem.” In 2022 he introduced his neutral-tasting, eco-friendly product, made from sustainably farmed non-GMO sugar cane from southern Brazil. To make it, proprietary algae cultures are added to raw sugar cane: The algae eat the sugar, and fermentation naturally converts the sugar into oil. The process has caught the attention of investors: To date, Zero Acre Farms has raised more than $40 million from investors like Robert Downey Jr.’s FootPrint Coalition Ventures and Richard Branson’s Virgin Group Ltd.
Although vegetable oils’ bad rap comes in part from their elevated levels of unhealthy omega-6 fats — a cause of internal inflammation — Zero Acre Farms’ product contains less than 3 percent of them. Instead, it’s made up of 93 percent omega-9, heart-healthy, heat-stable monounsaturated fat, making it even higher in “good fat” than olive oil and avocado oil. It also has a carbon footprint that’s about 10 times lower than most vegetable oils and a smoke point of 485 degrees. (By comparison, olive oil’s smoke point is around 400 degrees; canola oil’s ranges from 375 degrees to 475 degrees.)
One of the leading chefs now using Zero Acre Farms oil is Kyle Connaughton of the three-Michelin-star kaiseki-style SingleThread Farms in Healdsburg, Calif. “Our tempura has never tasted better, or (been) more shatter-crisp,” says Connaughton, who now uses it instead of grapeseed and rice bran oils for almost all his cooking. He notes the superior flavor and the environmental and health benefits compared with other oils.
Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, N.Y, studied the oil for about a year. He deems Zero Acre Farms “fantastic” for plant-based options and calls out the oil’s “brilliant” neutral taste. Finding a good-for-you, good-for-the-planet oil that works over very high heat is a chef’s “equivalent of the holy grail,” he says.
Another proponent is New York’s Coqodaq, the white-hot fried chicken spot, where a menu section titled “Better Oil” shouts out its benefits. Chef Seung Kyu Kim now uses it to cook all the fried chicken options at the 190-seat Korean restaurant.
Zero Acre Farms isn’t the only new alternative to vegetable oil that’s getting attention. Last month, venture studio Squared Circles introduced Algae Cooking Club, backed by star chef Daniel Humm of New York’s renowned Eleven Madison Park. The oil is made from sugar-fed algae that’s pressed to release oil — much like an olive — and has a spate of health benefits including a 93 percent concentration of healthy omega-9 fats (surpassing olive oil which contains about 70 percent). It also boasts a smoke point of 535 degrees and has half the carbon emissions of canola and olive oils.
One thing these oils aren’t is cheap. A 16-ounce bottle of Zero Acre goes for $27. A 16-ounce bottle of Algae cooking oil is $25.
In Europe, Äio in Estonia is working to break into the U.S. market in the next few years. The company uses patented technology to “brew” yeast and convert it into fat, for its vibrantly colored RedOil and its solid, butter-style Buttery Fat. “We want to provide a sustainable and nutritious alternative to unsustainable fats and oils,” says co-founder and biologist Nemailla Bonturi. RedOil contains about 10 percent heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, is richer in polyphenols (plant compounds with anti-inflammatory properties) than spinach and is just about as packed with antioxidants as blueberries.
But some chefs are reaching for more traditional products to replace unhealthy vegetable oils. At New York’s Korean tasting menu haunt Kochi, chef Sungchul Shim uses perilla leaf oil both for cooking and finishing dishes. The popular Korean ingredient is not only fragrant and flavorful, but it also has notable amounts of omega-3 fats. Over in Brooklyn, chef Jay Kumar of Lore cooks with coconut oil from his native India. In addition to its unique nutty-sweet taste, coconut oil is said to raise HDL, or “good” cholesterol, and it promotes heart health.
Also increasingly popular in restaurant kitchens is avocado oil. With a notably high smoke point of 520 degrees and anti-inflammatory properties, it’s the pick of Shaun Hergatt of New York’s seafood-focused Vestry. Hergatt says he uses it to cook vegetables and seafood, as the oil doesn’t burn easily and “keeps (the) purity of what you are cooking.”
Will the new alternative oils become a staple of home kitchens? It depends on whether people will spend what is closer to the price of a fancy bottle of olive oil to fry chicken.


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Mimaki to host Global Innovation Days virtual event
08 May 2021: Mimaki will hold its latest virtual event Global Innovation Days. The collaborative online event will bring together Mimaki’s regional offices to encourage and nurture innovation in the printing sector. Its programme of events, led by experts from Mimaki Japan, USA and Europe, will focus on “addressing the needs of customers and prospects in their local markets, as well as demands across sectors (sign graphics, industrial, textile and 3D) to overcome today’s challenges and drive success within the industry,” explained the company.
“Attendees will also have the opportunity to further explore the latest additions to Mimaki’s product portfolio: the JFX550, JFX600 and SUJV-160, through live demonstrations. They will also have access to special promotions, watch webinars, meet and chat to the company’s experts, and engage in roundtable discussions. Throughout 2020, Mimaki prioritised our customers, partners and the wider industry, offering online support, education and networking in the absence of in-person tradeshows and showroom tours,” commented Danna Drion, General Marketing Manager, Mimaki EMEA.
Global Innovation Days will also offer attendees the chance to explore the Mimaki headquarters, with virtual tours of the HQ factory in Japan. Mimaki Europe, USA and Japan will also have targeted, regional event agendas, open to local print service providers or those outside the region who are looking for greater insight into the global printing industry. Mimaki Europe has also released another virtual initiative, Mimaki Digital Showroom, for its customers – this virtual space mirrors the traditional showroom, enabling visitors to experience Mimaki technologies in action and speak to its team about the latest market trends.


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SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AUGUST 15, 2022) – More than 800 pounds of butter has arrived at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, N.Y., as construction of one of Central New York’s best-kept secrets and most beloved attractions gets underway – the 54th Annual American Dairy Association North East Butter Sculpture, sponsored by Wegmans.
Sculptors Jim Victor and Marie Pelton unpacked the butter and their tools and have begun work on the sculpture. The butter comes from Batavia, N.Y.-based producer O-AT-KA Milk Products.
The butter used for the sculpture is out of specification for retail sale for a variety of reasons, so American Dairy Association North East works with the sculptors to put it to good use by creating a beautiful piece of art that thousands enjoy.
Even after the Fair, the butter doesn’t go to waste. Instead, it will be sent to Noblehurst Farms, a dairy farm in Pavilion, N.Y., where it will be recycled into renewable energy in a digester along with other food waste.
“I really love that this iconic attraction repurposes butter not just once, but twice – first by turning unusable product into an artistic sculpture, and then after the fair, by recycling it into renewable energy on a dairy farm,” says John Chrisman, CEO, American Dairy Association North East. “I encourage fairgoers to visit the Dairy Products Building and see the annual Butter Sculpture that always pays tribute to our hardworking dairy farm families who work 365 days a year to sustainably and responsibly produce milk.”
American Dairy Association North East will unveil the 54th Annual Butter Sculpture to the media and live on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AmericanDairyNE/ on Tuesday, August 23rd, the day before the Fair officially opens. It will then be on display in the Dairy Products Building for the duration of the 13-day Fair.


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Digital TV News: OnePlus
India TV shipments climb to a record 15 Million units in 2019
Mar 17, 2020 – Shipments of TVs in India grew 15% annually to reach a highest-ever 15 million units in 2019, according to Counterpoint. The growth is mainly driven by budget smart TVs with 32" TVs the leading segment and penetrating sub-US$150 price bands.
News categories: Counterpoint, Karn Chauhan, Debasish Jana, Digital TV, India, Market Research, Smart TV
India: 79% of the smartphone users using OTT apps for entertainment
Jul 18, 2019 – techARC-Unomer has released some key insights about OTT Entertainment (Live and VOD) App penetration in India. The insights are from Unomer AppMap, an in-depth analysis of smartphone and consumer data collected from over 5 million smartphone users across the country.
News categories: techARC, Unomer, Faisal Kawoosa, Vinay Bapna, Apps, Digital TV, India, Market Research, OTT
Netflix partners with OnePlus India
May 10, 2019 – Netflix has partnered with smartphone brand OnePlus to deliver the Netflix viewing experience on the OnePlus 7 Pro. The HDR-supporting display of the OnePlus 7 Pro will set new standards in mobile viewing, giving Netflix fans an immersive experience.
News categories: Netflix, OnePlus, Jerome Bigio, Vikas Agarwal, Digital TV, India, OTT, Smartphone
- ATRESMEDIA and smartclip deepen HbbTV advertising partnership
- Comscore, Kantar extend measurement partnership with Auditel Italy
- Pay TV revenues to plunge to $150 billion
- Cable-Tec Expo unable to go ahead
- Sisvel announces first VP9 and AV1 patent licensees
- Comcast to bring HBO Max to Xfinity customers
- HBO Max launched in the U.S.
- Nordic households spending €149pm on media and access services
- SES unveils results of Philippines TV market reception survey
- Over half of U.S. adults watching more TV since the pandemic
- NEXTGEN TV begins broadcasting in Las Vegas
- Shifts in viewing behavior continue during COVID-19 pandemic
- Dailymotion and Huawei Video announce global video partnership
- SoftAtHome builds RDK-based video product for service providers
- Nordija integrates Yospace ad insertion technology
- iQIYI partners MediaTek for AV1-powered Ultra HD streaming
- Bitė to acquire Telecentras' IPTV business in Lithuania
- World's fastest internet speed from a single optical chip
- Disney+ attracts 2 million Australian viewers in 4 months
- Global TV shipments to fall 5.8% in 2020


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Despite a YoY drop in garment shipments to the US, 2017 saw a positive opening with half of the top 10 supplier countries posting double-digit gains.
Exports of apparel to the US are back on an upward trend, posting a 21.6 percent month-on-month growth to open the year. According to the latest figures of the Department of Commerce's Office of Textiles and Apparel, the volume of garment shipments to the US amounted to 2.42 billion square meters in January up from December's 1.99 billion square meters.
Although the numbers represent an 11 percent drop YoY, figures were up 5.3 percent in terms of value, reaching almost $7 billion.
Despite this, eight of the top 10 supplier countries to the US recorded year-on-year increases, with five posting double-digit gains.
Leading the pack is China, the largest garment exporter to the US, which saw a 13.3 percent rise in shipments at 1.07 billion square meters, up from the 808 million square meters it exported in December.
Vietnam took second place, booking a 23.5 percent jump to 348 million square meters, a slightly more than 10 percent increase from the previous month.
Bangladesh remained the third-biggest exporter despite recording a less than 1 percent YoY growth, shipping 177 million square meters worth of clothing.
Cambodia is another double-digit gainer posting a 12.7 percent year-on-year ascent in exports at 81 million square meters, reversing its largest decline last December at 27.3 percent. India also witnessed shipments climb 8.6 percent to 94 million square meters.
Of the remaining top 10 supplier countries, Pakistan recorded an 11.6 percent rise at 48 million square meters, El Salvador saw a 9 percent drop to 49 million square meters while Indonesia booked an almost 12 percent increase at 120 million square meters. Honduras shipments moved upward by 1.2 percent at 58 million square meters. Rounding up the list is Mexico, which posted a 1.1 percent decline at 62 million square meters.


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On December 22, 2023, China escalated its control over the global supply chain of rare earth metals, crucial for advanced technology. This strategic move, reported by Nikkei Asia, comes amidst growing concerns over economic security and efforts by the United States and Japan to reduce dependence on Chinese suppliers.
A Tightening of Global Trade Controls
Rare earth metals, essential for producing powerful magnets, are at the heart of this technological standoff. While Japan is proficient in manufacturing these magnets, the U.S. integrates them into high-tech products. Despite China’s dominance in global rare earth production, which recently dropped to around 70% from 90% a decade earlier, U.S. attempts to establish independent supply chains are hampered by their reliance on Chinese processing facilities.
The Chinese government’s recent actions include a ban on exporting rare earth extraction, selection, and refining technologies. This not only tightens existing export controls but also restricts key industrial metals. The U.S., despite starting to develop its own rare earth mines, still sends most of its raw materials to China for processing, underscoring their technological edge in refining.
Furthermore, China now requires exporters to report the types and destinations of the rare earth metals being shipped. This move, coupled with the requirement for prior approval for exporting gallium and graphite—used in semiconductors and electric vehicle batteries respectively—signifies China’s tightening grip on essential resources for advanced technologies.
New Era in Global Tech and Resource Politics
The recent regulatory changes reduced the export control list to 134 items from 164, as per 2020 regulations, but introduced more detailed technical requirements in advanced technology sectors. This is seen as a response to the ongoing rivalry between Washington and Beijing for technological supremacy.
This strategic maneuver by China highlights the significance of rare earth metals in global power dynamics and the challenges faced by other nations in establishing independent and environmentally sustainable supply chains. It also raises questions about the future of technological advancements and the geopolitical landscape of resource control.


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Latest Lego gadget news
ix new Harry Potter-themed Lego sets have been announced, will be available to pre-order in April, and are set to launch this summer.
In 2019, as Land Rover was finally unveiling its brand new Defender, Lego also announced a set to go alongside the launch. And, of course, it's Lego T...
Lego recommends this kit is for ages 16 and up. It'll go on sale in Lego retail stores and the shop online from 1 June for $99.99 or £84.99.
The new Spike Prime kit is the solution for those people, as it works to slowly build skills through nearly hour-long units.


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State of Small Business
Farmers get $1 billion from Big Business
I created 7 jobs and the U.S. tried to deport me
Congress wants to kill this agency, and 3,000 small businesses are worried
Hobby Lobby ruling won't actually impact small businesses
The reality of a $15 wage has small businesses concerned around the country.
From farmers' markets to mass market
Meet America's oldest bike maker: Worksman Industrial Cycles
Belgian furniture maker BuzziSpace is opening a manufacturing plant in North Carolina
Jacksonville is hot for startups
The snow is great for my business
No snow keeps ski slopes closed and business slow
View More Headlines
Small Business Videos
Is this the perfect bourbon?
He sells Christmas trees to Royals
This 100 year old turkey is delicious
2.1 million cars recalled for crash sensors
What Super Bowl? The Ad Bowl has already begun
Are smart drugs driving Silicon Valley?


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For some new yorkers, bedtime is underneath stress — and that they wouldn’t have it some other way. They’re snuggling up under blankets weighing as much as 30 pounds to assist alleviate tension, melancholy and insomnia.
“i always loved the sensation of going to a dentist’s workplace and them putting the lead blanket on my body for x-rays,” says andrea devos abraham, a 29-year-old tribeca resident. Closing spring, she purchased a gravity blanket — a cult favourite frequently tagged on instagram — and has been pleased with the acquisition.
“you placed it on, and you literally melt into the sofa. It’s difficult to describe, however it’s surely soothing,” says devos, the co-founder of makeup company woosh splendor and the daughter of the secretary of education.
For decades, weighted blankets have been used often as a healing tool for kids and adults with autism and sensory processing ailment. Increasingly more, they’re being made for, marketed towards and famous by millennials with minor, garden-range mental troubles.
Mosaic weighted blankets released in 2011, first of all concentrated on kids with sensory issues, however it now offers grownup blankies for preferred tension and higher sleep. They’re priced from $175 to $289, and customers are recommended to choose a blanket that’s roughly 10 percentage in their ideal body weight. Final christmas, the business enterprise had a backlog of 2,000 orders.
In 2017, the $279 gravity blanket, which claims to “clearly reduce stress and increase relaxation,” became an in a single day achievement on kickstarter, elevating nearly $5 million from almost 24,000 backers.


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Newly natty Crislip Arcade to draw admirers
The mayor, council members, artists and business owners will attend the unveiling of a renovated Crislip Arcade at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The public event at 645 Central Ave. highlights the 600 block, a revitalization project to promote the arts.
Business owners can dial up support
The city's Business Assistance Center has launched the Mayor's Business Support Line, (727) 893-7000. Business owners may call with questions, suggestions or requests for aid. The center offers follow-up within 24 business hours, a team of business professionals and city staff to develop solutions, and one-on-one business counseling.
The pickings are fresh on Saturdays
The Pinellas Park/Gateway Chamber of Commerce holds a Market in the Park from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays on the lawn at Park Station, 5851 Park Blvd. Offerings include fresh produce, gourmet products, baked goods, food concession, plants and original handmade items. The cost for vendors is $25 per week or $80 in advance for four consecutive weeks. Parking and admission are free. For information, contact market manager Gene Lofgren at (727) 544-4777 or [email protected]


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A new visitor survey carried out by the town's Chamber of Trade, has revealed that the majority of visitors love what Cockermouth have to offer.
Questionnaires for visitors to complete were handed out in shops, galleries, eateries and accommodation providers.
More than 300 people responded, with almost 85% saying they would definitely visit again.
Almost 100% of people said the range of places to eat and drink was very good or good.
Around 70% said they had visited Cockermouth's independent shops, closely followed by its tea and coffee shops.
The last survey was carried out in 2006, but many changes have taking place since the town was left devastated by the 2009 floods.
The Chamber of Trade decided that new information was needed about the town's visitors.
More top news
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf has called on Councillor Jim Dempster to resign after recent claims of racial abuse emerged.
A look ahead at the forecast for the Border region.
War of words between SNP and Tories over plans for fishing to continue to be governed by EU rules.


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GM are set to open a brand new 70,000 square foot Chevrolet racing technical centre in Concord, 10 miles from Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The new facility which opens in mid 2020 will help GM to enhance their partnerships in various Racing categories such as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the NTT IndyCar Series.
Jim Campbell, US VP of Performance and Motorsport with Chevrolet said:
We’re thrilled to expand GM’s U.S. footprint by establishing a greater presence in Charlotte, a community that has become a racing and engineering mecca. “The new facility will be close to a number of key Chevrolet and Cadillac racing partners, teams and suppliers. This will allow for improved collaboration as well as access to some of the industry’s best talent.
Campbell went on to say:
Chevrolet and Cadillac Racing are two of the winningest brands in motorsports. This new facility will build upon their legacies and hopefully lead to even more success on the track. “Racing helps us accelerate the development, performance and popularity of our cars and trucks across the world


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Losses have widened at Cellular Goods (CBX.L), the London-listed cannabis business backed by David Beckham.
Cellular Goods on Tuesday said its losses hit £2.1m ($3m) in the six months to the end of February 2021. The business lost just £140,000 in the same period a year earlier.
The company blamed set-up costs and one-off share-based incentive payments for key members of staff. Cellular Goods listed on the stock market during the period and has been gearing up to launch its first consumer products, both of which are capital-intensive processes.
Cellular Goods raised £13m through a London listing in February and the company still had just over £11m in the business as of this week.
"The most significant milestone we achieved in the first half was our heavily oversubscribed flotation on the London Stock Exchange which has provided us with a strong foundation and public profile to become the leading and front of mind brand for consumer cannabinoid products," chief executive Alexis Abraham said.
Cellular Goods is a "wellness" company that plans to make self care products from cannabinoids — natural compounds produced by the cannabis plant. The products will not contain THC, the psychoactive compound found in cannabis that makes people high.
Shares in the company soared on debut earlier this year amid huge demand. The business is backed by former professional footballer David Beckham, who owns a 5% stake through his holding company DB Ventures.
The company is on track to launch its first consumer products in the autumn. It will first launch a range of skincare products before branching into sports recovery products.
"The notable support for an IPO of our size validates the growing acceptance and potentially huge demand for cannabinoid-based products over the long term," Abraham said.
"Though it is still early days for Cellular Goods, we are making excellent progress in executing on our strategy, have a strong balance sheet and there are compelling industry fundamentals; all of this provides the Board with great confidence."
Shares were flat on Tuesday morning.
Watch: CBD competition heats up


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Oct 03, 2016
As the advertising industry continues to face mounting pressure for its diversity issues, frank discussions about race, gender, age and more took the spotlight at the 2016 Advertising Week conference in New York. Although conversation has certainly moved forward and companies are increasingly focused on solutions that create real change, the industry still has a long way to go. What’s clear is that agencies and brands are moving beyond “talk” and making concerted efforts to demonstrate their commitment to addressing the issue.
Executives from both sides of the table came to the Advertising Week stage last week to offer their thoughts on how businesses can take steps to not only promote diversity and inclusion, but also deliver on it.
“If you’re constantly coddling brands you’re never going to see change.” - Jenn Duong, Director of VR, 1215 Creative
Stop playing it safe.
In the panel, “A Cultural Revolution: Are We Ready for The Next 50 Years in Advertising?” Rashad Drakeford, content creator and digital marketer at Revolt, called for brands to take a stance on the issue of diversity, be accountable for the impact they have, and hold their partners accountable as well. Though this may seem difficult considering advertisers and marketers typically err on the side of caution when addressing issues in society, Jenn Duong, Director of VR at 1215 Creative, argued that playing it safe is a great risk. “If you’re constantly coddling brands you’re never going to see change.”
A seat at the table. Any company can meet a quota, but if your company is not inclusive it’s not creating true change. According to Duong, in order for real change to happen, diversity and inclusion “need to be rooted in the core values of your company.” Ken Wheaton, Managing Editor at Ad Age, added that it’s not just about getting diverse and young talent in, it’s about training, mentoring and growing them within the company to make sure they go on to become leaders. It’s about building and nurturing a diverse pipeline of talent.
The panel of female leaders at The Girls’ Lounge talk “From Bitches to Badass” also offered their insights on the topic of increasing diversity at the senior level by promoting leadership styles that incorporate individual strengths. Soul Cycle Instructor, Elianna Sable described her style as inclusive: “I try to make everyone feel like a rock star.” Anne Kavanagh, CEO/Founder Hello Zera, highlighted her vulnerability as a strength that allows her to grow and connect with her teams. Coco Videla, Founder of The Village, even noted that she doesn’t like to use the term “leader” because that suggests someone has to follow and she prefers to work with her employees on an equal basis.
Take responsibility for change.
Duong called for marketers and advertisers to take responsibility for their reach in the digital space and ensure the stories they’re telling are representative of the entire community, a universal demographic. “It is our responsibility to encourage the youth to do everything they want to. The time for voices to be heard is now,” she said. She also highlighted the opportunities in an emerging Virtual Reality (VR) space, a new and level playing field for young talent to tell their stories.
“In equal representation and equal voice for men and women, we can have a better world.” - Marc Pritchard, Global Brand Building Officer, P&G
Stand behind defying stereotypes.
In the talk “Leadership in a Mobile World,” one of the most recognized feminists, COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg argued that a major problem hindering progression to a more gender equal society is that we don’t expect women to lead. In order for change to happen, she called upon businesses to take action, stating that “putting your brand behind defying stereotypes is one of the biggest changes you can make in the world.” From a brand perspective, Marc Pritchard, Global Brand Building Officer at Procter & Gamble agreed that in having “equal representation and equal voice for men and women we can have a better world.” Offering up a valuable example, he showcased an ad for Tide asking men to #sharetheload with their wives and take part in promoting the evolution of gender roles inside the home.
The resounding sentiment–and promise–from the industry was clear. In order for change to take place, brands and companies need to talk less and do more. The diversity problem is clear. Now it’s time to take action.


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cross data platform
cross data platform news search results
Developer news items we found relating to cross data platform
Drawbridge launches the Connected Consumer Graph
Wednesday, November 15, 2017 by Richard Harris
Drawbridge has announced simplified access for brands and enterprises to test and access cross-device data through its Self-Service Graph Platform. The identity data platform offers marketers new ways to quickly, easily, and transparently understand how a custom Connected Consumer Graph from Drawbridge can extend and enhance first-party data for people-based marketing a...


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Dublin Port is closer to agreeing a joint venture with the Indonesian government to build a $900m container terminal in Sabang Port in Aceh.
The 50-50 joint venture involves setting up a new company, Sabang Hub International Port, which is likely to be operating within three months.
The company plans to build a 2,500 metre quay and a 22-metre deep harbour. The contract to operate the terminal will last for 50 years.
Most of the business at the terminal is likely to come from the transfer of containers from ship to ship. Dublin Port is a semi-state company. This is its first investment overseas.


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Most are annoyed at ever-earlier store decorations, but millions have begun shopping
With inflatable Santas and Christmas trees already sprouting in stores, a new CreditCards.com poll shows nearly 3 in 4 Americans are annoyed with the early arrival of the holiday season.In a scientific poll of 1,000 American adults, 73 percent agree with the statement that “it is annoying that the holiday shopping season has gotten earlier.” Forty-eight percent strongly agree. Just 21 percent disagreed. The poll was conducted Sept. 15-18 (methodology).
While most Americans grumble about an ever-earlier holiday season, others are gung-ho-ho-ho shoppers. In our poll, 14 percent of Americans said they had already begun their holiday shopping, and a tiny fraction – 1 percent – say they have already finished. Extrapolate those numbers, and that means 34 million Americans have already begun holiday shopping, and 1 million are done.
Memes, tweets, parodies
And, this being 2016, those who find Christmas in September distasteful don’t just shake their heads and move on. Some take their complaints to social media, in the form of memes, snarky Tweets and music parodies.
Jon Murray, a wedding videographer from Raleigh, North Carolina, has been noticing the past few years that holiday items have started appearing in stores before Halloween. He used that idea as inspiration to turn the line from the 2006 OneRepublic hit “It’s Too Late To Apologize” into “It’s Too Soon for Christmastime” in a music video parody. It was picked up by the “Today” show, “Inside Edition” and the Huffington Post. (Sample lyric: “Serving Christmas cups and making peppermint mochas, too / And everyone’s buying them when outside it’s 82.”)
Although he received some blowback from people who enjoy the extra time to plan for the holidays, he says the video resonated with many viewers who agree with him that it seems “crazy” to start the season earlier and earlier.
“I like having that month-and-a-half of time to get stuff together,” Murray says. “Once you go longer than that, it’s not special. It starts losing the specialness of it, because it becomes a two- or three-month-long process.”
It starts losing the specialness of it, because it becomes a two- or three-month-long process.
|\u2014 Jon Murray|
When to start? Around Thanksgiving, most say
When should stores start stocking holiday supplies? By a large margin, most poll respondents said around Thanksgiving is the appropriate time (52 percent). And 12 percent were even more hard core, suggesting that stores delay rolling out the tinsel and reindeer sweaters until two weeks before Christmas. Other recommendations included around Halloween (21 percent), around the beginning of October (7 percent) and around Labor Day (3 percent).
Retailers say they start early in part to meet the needs of these early bird shoppers. They say they reflect their customers’ preferences.
“If the consumers are asking for holiday products earlier in the year, you are more than likely to see retailers start having a small assortment by late summer and build up their inventory as we move into the holiday season,” says Ana Serafin Smith, spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation, a trade group. “It is natural that retailers are reacting to this trend.”
She points out, though, that complaints about the early onslaught of holiday decorations and gifts date back decades. She points to a blog post that has a South Carolina newspaper advertisement from mid-November 1885 inviting readers to buy “the finest assortment ever exhibited” of “beautiful holiday goods.”
Today, most retailers seem to wait until at least October, but some start earlier. Walmart traditionally rolls out its holiday merchandise in September.
Craft chain Hobby Lobby goes even sooner: June 1. Spokesman Bob Miller explains that the retailer “has two seasons: spring and Christmas.” He adds that many of the chain’s customers are craft designers who need early access to materials to make products for the holiday season.
In addition, retailers routinely cite the hassles and costs of paying workers and maintaining inventory when the season is compressed into just a few weeks. It is easier for retailers if purchases are spread out over a longer period.
How we do holiday shopping
The CreditCards.com survey also found:
- Retail stores remain the most popular method of shopping, with 58 percent of respondents saying brick-and-mortar stores would be their main way to shop for the holidays. Shopping online was favored by 21 percent, while shopping on a mobile device was less popular with 11 percent.
- Not surprisingly, millennials are the most excited about shopping via mobile. One in five people ages 18 to 35 said their mobile devices would be their primary way to shop for the holidays.
- Younger shoppers are also more likely to welcome an earlier start to the holidays. About one-third of millennials said they are not annoyed by early holiday shopping, double the rate of baby boomers.
- Whites, people with higher incomes and those who say they live in suburbs are more likely to be annoyed by the early start of the holidays than their counterparts.
The CreditCards.com holiday shopping survey was conducted by telephone interviews with 1,000 adults by Princeton Survey Research Associates International from Sept. 15-18, 2016. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
See related:Tips for sticking to a holiday budget


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User-uploaded content hosting sites like YouTube are an advertiser’s dream. These companies grow at whatever pace the public wants, and fortunately the public continues to enjoy user-generated content—whether original or just sharing of other properties. And through all of that user-generated content, YouTube sells ad space to companies, ad space in the form of banner ads and, more often these days, 30 second ads before your content starts; 30-second ads that you cannot skip past.
And that can be frustrating for users, particularly those who are very used to this “on-demand” lifestyle. Thirty seconds, of course, is not a lot of time to wait to watch your content; then again, sometimes you have to watch an ad before you can see if the link you clicked is, in fact, what you were looking for in the first place.
But it looks like all that is about to change. Apparently, YouTube is doing away with those snippet ads for good. And the change will come as early as next year. This Friday, the Google-owned user video site announced a plan to no longer offer 30-second “pre-roll” ad format with a “skip” button. There will still be some 15- and 20-second ads (with no skip button, though); these ads will actually stream within the videos.
According to a YouTube spokesperson, “We’re committed to providing a better ads experience for users online. As part of that, we’ve decided to stop supporting 30-second unskippable ads as of 2018 and focus instead on formats that work well for both users and advertisers.”
The change comes as Google moves forward on its mission to create a more user-friendly ad experience in the YouTube platform, as competition continues to grow from sites like Facebook and SnapChat.
Mobile video traffic accounted for approximately 60 percent of the total mobile data traffic 2016. It now accounts for at least half (if not, more) of all mobile data traffic in the world and, according to Cisco, could account for 78 percent of the world’s mobile data traffic by 2021. That, of course, lends to users desiring shorter ads (or none at all) but marketers wanting as many ads as possible.
Now, you may recall that YouTube (Google) rolled out a new “ultra-compact” six-second “bumper ad” concept last spring so it looks like the transition had already begun. However, with this announcement, we are going to see a massive devaluation of the company’s remaining 30-second ad offering, particularly since surveys already tell us that 90 percent of users will definitely skip an ad of that length if given the choice.


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US: Deckers cuts outlook on plunge in Q3 profit
- Q3 profit drops 30.1% to $43.1m
- Net sales fell 9.2% to $376.4m
- Sees FY earnings per share down 33%
Deckers Outdoor Corporation, the maker of Ugg boots and Teva sandals, has slashed its full-year forecasts after the introduction of higher ticket prices for its products led to a drop in third-quarter sales and earnings.
The company says it now expects full-year sales to rise by about 5% - down from earlier guidance of 14%. And earnings per share are seen falling 33%, compared to previous forecasts for a drop of 9% to 10%.
The revision follows a 30.1% drop in profit during the three months to 30 September to $43.1m or $1.18 per share, down from $62.3m or $1.59 per share last year.
Net sales fell 9.2% to $376.4m from $414.4m, with its largest brand, Ugg, seeing sales drop 11.6% to $332.8m. Domestic sales fell 6.1% to $242.2m, and international sales were down 14.2% to $134.2m.
Retail sales increased 12.8% to $39.1m, but same-store sales slipped 13.1%, the company said. Gross margin fell to 42.3% from 49.0% in last year's third quarter.
Deckers has been raising its prices to try to offset an 80% hike in sheepskin and raw material costs over the past two years. The move has, however, coincided unprecedented warm weather, contributing to slowing sales and a later-than-usual start to the key selling season for the Ugg brand.
"We believe that these selective price increases...pushed us above the consumer's price-value expectations for the Ugg brand," said president and CEO Angel Martinez.
He added that the company has cut domestic prices on certain styles and negotiated lower product costs for autumn 2013.
It has also taken steps to reduce its exposure to sheepskin prices, and diversified its products to lessen its dependency on Classics and cold weather. The acquisition of the Sanuk brand should also help balance the seasonality of its business and improve margins.
Deckers Outdoor Corporation, the maker of Ugg boots and Teva sandals, says it expects to post a loss during its first-quarter after reporting a decline in fourth-quarter profit....
- Wearable technology a key trend for 2015
- Retailers react to India forced labour allegations
- Moisture management fabrics enter a new era
- Mexico urges fast-fashion brands to source locally
- COMMENT: Innovation is the name of the game
- Hazardous chemicals found in children's products
- VF rolls out plan to eliminate harmful chemicals
- October "a scary month" for US apparel retailers
- UK Primark supplier goes into administration
- Raising the minimum wage may reduce employment


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Discriminatory language is as pervasive on sites like Facebook and Twitter as it was a couple of years ago, but fewer teens and young adults seem to be OK with that, a recent survey found.
Users of Twitter's mobile apps have some new ways to refine their search results, now with filters for photos, videos, news and people.
LinkedIn users will soon have access to a wider range of professionally curated content on the site through a new publishing tool available to businesses.
Facebook on Friday moved ahead with some proposed changes to its privacy policies to clarify that users' posts on the site can be used in advertisements, but that users have controls to limit their appearance.
Google has acknowledged that the best time to be on your computer might not be while you're driving.
China is moving to tighten its grip over social networking services even more, citing possible threats to stability.
People using the transportation apps Lyft and Sidecar in California will no longer be able to skimp on their fares, now that both apps have ditched their donation model.
Google Play Music, a rival option to streaming services like Spotify and Rdio, is now available for iOS, six months after launching on the web and Android-based devices.
BlackBerry's Messenger app is now available for the iPad and iPod Touch and will work over Wi-Fi connections on those devices, the company announced Thursday.
Facebook is hoping to gain a stronger foothold in the competitive mobile messaging space with an updated version of its Messenger app, which now lets people message each other even if they aren't Facebook friends.
If you're using Twitter on the new iPhone 5S you might start seeing different ads than someone accessing the site with the older iPhone 4.
Addressing his company's legal battle with New York over its users' data, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said on Tuesday that maybe the current laws shouldn't apply to the hosts who use its site to rent out rooms and apartments.
Airbnb has given its mobile app an overhaul to help hosts manage their bookings on the go, and launched new tools to help them connect with each other through the site.
Netflix, YouTube traffic on the rise, while peer-to-peer file sharing nears extinction, Sandvine finds
In a testament to the rise of on-demand entertainment, Netflix and YouTube now consume just over half of all downstream traffic in North America, while peer-to-peer file-sharing services continue to plummet, according to a new study.
Although Instagram users do not commonly turn to the site to find out what's happening in the world, CEO Kevin Systrom hopes that will change.
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MOSCOW, February 24 – Project “Russia-China: Main”. Chinese dealers have started selling a new Russian off-road vehicle UAZ “Bukhanka”. In the Celestial Empire, a car can be found by the name MPV.
Recently, a video was released on the Internet, in which you can see the domestic UAZ “Bukhanka” car in one of the dealerships in China.
It is known that the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant signed an agreement with the authorities to bring its products to the Chinese market four years ago. However, further no details of the sales of the Russian model were reported in the Celestial Empire.
The car can be purchased exclusively in one showroom. It should be noted that its price is greatly overpriced. You can buy the new product for 158,800 yuan, that is, for almost 1.83 million rubles, according to the nation-news portal.


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Tamron Hall has something extraordinary coming soon amid rumors she is going after Megyn Kelly.
However, her fans will have to tune in to find out what she is working on.
The Texan reporter recently took to Instagram and shared a photo where she is wearing a mesmerizing dress.
In the picture, the former “TODAY” co-host is standing on a TV set filming a scene. The fashionista is wearing a knee-length cream dress that features intricate motifs in brown, red, and black. She completed the look with cream shoes and a pair of hoop earrings.
She captioned the photo. “Something special coming soon. No not “the new show” but something we all embrace. Just wrapped.” Hall’s fans are buzzing with anticipation.


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Since being acquired by Chicago-based equity firm Wind Point Partners in 2019, A&R Logistics has been on a buying spree to expand its fleet footprint and grow its comprehensive suite of supply chain services, including warehousing, packaging and transportation focused on the chemicals and plastic industry.
Related article: A&R acquires RJ’s to scale liquid services along Gulf Coast
On Wednesday, the company announced it is retiring the individual company names, including A&R Logistics, Blue Water Plastic Transport, Plantgistix, First Choice Logistics, L.T. Harnett Trucking, Luckey Trucking and its most recent purchase, RJ’s Transportation, to unite the family of companies as Quantix.
Inspired by the word “quantum,” the name honors the company’s roots and spotlights its aspirations in chemical transportation as the combined revenue for the specialized logistics company exceeds $500 million, according to company sources.
“The rebrand to Quantix will continue to pay homage to A&R’s 50-year history during which we became a leader in this industry,” said Chris Ball, Quantix president and CEO.
“It’s that very legacy that propels us forward as we look to continue growing our capabilities and our footprint in service to our customers. We’re combining some of the industry’s most specialized and in-demand service offerings into one unified business, and it will make our company stronger and more scalable while simplifying operations for our customers,” he said.
With all companies merged into one brand, Quantix has over 2,300 pieces of specialized equipment, full-scale warehousing, rail distribution and inventory management across 33 facilities with more than 6 million square feet of space that has the ability to handle over 34,000 rail cars of resin in a given year.
Quantix also showcased its new Peterbilt truck, unveiling the company’s updated color scheme of navy blue and bright green and underscoring Quantix’s future in sustainability initiatives and dedication to find new ways to recycle the plastic the company has specialized in moving.
“The introduction of Quantix is an opportunity for us to refocus and build on how we support our people, customers, communities and planet with safety, quality, respect and sustainability built into everything we do,” said Chief Commercial Officer Dan Jaworski. “By adopting one shared identity across our portfolio with a single vision, values and goals, we’re ready to move as one into this next chapter.”


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Internet betting group Gamesys US has announced that it has signed a content deal with Swedish firm Net Ent, and will offer the developer's games at Tropicana Casino and Virgin Casino in New Jersey as a result.
The deal makes Net Ent a major software provider with all online casinos in New Jersey. Net Ent is currently offering its games with a transactional waiver while it awaits full licensing from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.
Net Entertainment is among the biggest online slot developers in the world, putting out popular games like Mega Fortune, Gonzo's Quest, Frankenstein, South Park, and more. The company also offers live dealer and table games, and has made a splash with its mobile library of games.
Commenting on the deal Gamesys US General Manager Leon Earp said, "NetEnt is a recognized world-leading provider of premium online casino content, and I am confident that their offerings will complement our market leading brands here in New Jersey. We hope to see their content perform as well in New Jersey as we have seen on our existing operations in Europe".
Net Ent Americas Managing Director Björn Krantz added: "We are pioneers of the digital casino market and I am confident that our efforts to provide players with the ultimate gaming experience will support Gamesys's strategic agenda to build sustainable long-term growth in the market."


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Ford is doubling its dividend payment.
The automaker announced Thursday that it will pay 10 cents a share to shareholders on March 1. Ford resumed paying dividends at the beginning of 2012 after suspending the payments in 2006 due to mounting financial losses and a need to preserve cash.
But the company returned to profitability in 2009 and posted its biggest profit since 1998 in 2011. Even though it has been dogged with mounting losses in Europe, the company added $2 billion in cash to its balance sheet in 2012, the company said Thursday. Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's said Thursday that it expects Ford will be able to continue to improve its capital structure despite the higher dividend.
Shares of Ford (Fortune 500) rose nearly 3% on the news of the dividend hike in morning trading Thursday. ,
Ford is the only U.S. automaker paying a dividend. General Motors (Fortune 500) has yet to restore its dividend, and Chrysler Group remains privately held, although it took a small step towards a future public offering Wednesday. Chrysler said that the union-controlled trust fund that holds 17% of its shares had asked it to make the type of filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that precedes a public offering. ,
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Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturers responsible for the defective DePuy hip implant, have their hands full this week. BISNAR | CHASE, some of the top rated personal injury lawyers in California, have filed a products liability lawsuit that could potentially cost these negligent manufacturers millions, not to mention the ripple effect of having yet another of their products proven to be defective.
In a press release issued earlier today, Johnson and Johnson has been named as one of several defendants in a case alleging that the defendants designed, distributed, manufactured, sold and marketed a prosthetic hip implant device known as the “ASR SYSTEM,” that was ultimately defective. Due to the alleged defects, the plaintiff Kenneth Eichler has suffered dangerous and painful complications, will be forced to undergo painful revision surgeries, and may have lifelong problems. Read the rest »
In what is quickly becoming a products liability disaster, the used and abused victims of Darvon (Darvocet, Propoxyphene) are flooding to the doors of product defect attorneys all across the country in hopes of financial and emotional support. Ever since the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) requested these manufacturers to remove their products from the market, those who were unaware of Darvon and Darvocet’s side effects are now coming forward with claims for compensation.
Darvon and Darvocet Side Effects
Studies have found that what were previously thought to be harmless doses, the harmful chemicals contained in these defective products have the ability to alter the electrical activity of the heart. This has been linked to substantially increased risk for abnormal heart rhythms and sudden death. The drug was approved fifty three years ago, and the FDA has just now found the drug unsafe, and that even taking the proper dosage can cause sudden death. Read the rest »
It looks as though lawsuits resulting from Darvon and Darvocet product defects will be making headlines all year long. According to NewsInferno.com, reports of massive numbers of inquiries, as many as 1,000 phone calls per day, regarding Darvon class action lawsuits have been steady ever since the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) requested manufacturers of propoxyphene medication, including Darvon and Darvocet, to pull out their products from the market due to serious and potentially lethal heart rhythm problems. Since Darvon and Darvocet defects look to be contributing to wide-spread life-threatening injuries, it looks as though this product defect’s manufacturer’s will be cleaning up this catastrophe for years to come.
Darvon and Darvocet Side Effects
Darvocet lawyers across the country are trying to keep up with the seemingly endless number of Darvon and Darvocet products liability cases, but what isn’t getting exposure is the struggle being put forth by those who are enduring this defective product’s worst side effects. Studies have found that what were previously thought to be harmless doses, the propoxyphene contained within these defective medications can cause significant changes to the electrical activity of the heart. This could substantially increase the risk for abnormal heart rhythms and sudden death. Read the rest »
Denture cream zinc poisoning lawsuits are not going anywhere. In fact, victims’ claims have been steadily increasing and it looks as though 2011 will hold countless more lawsuits against Poligrip, Fixodent, and other name brand denture cream manufacturers. Victims who have endured the most serious effects are outraged by what should be an easy fix: properly notifying their customers of their product’s potentially life-threatening poisonous contents. Unfortunately, no noticeable effort has been made by these manufacturers to fully educate their consumers, so it comes as no surprise that more consumers are continue to sustain injuries.
Poligrip and Fixodent Zinc Poisoning Read the rest »
Just when the makers of the alleged defective bard avaulta product were starting to creep away from the public spotlight, a large group of women have banded together to fight in the courtroom side-by-side. A device marketed to help women who suffer from pelvic organ prolapse, this product defect has allegedly caused much more severe and painful conditions than the one it was designed to eliminate. With more and more victims coming forward, it comes as no surprise that a new case has formed that is looking to get proper compensation for a painful and humiliating circumstance.
U.S. District Court in Atlanta
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, is just one of several against CR Bard Inc. of Murray Inc. of Murray Hill, N.J., claiming it has resulted in severe pain and other problems. Many victims are feeling hurt, betrayed, and humiliated by the defective product and want compensation for their physical and emotional injuries.
The women “get this product and then they wind up with intractable pain,” said Athens, Ga., attorney Hendry Garrard, who is involved in several Bard Avaulta cases all over the country. “The mesh appears to be moving from where it was originally put,” said Garrard. “It curls, tearing nerves and doing significant damage. When they go in to try to repair it and take it out, they generally can’t get the arms out.”
Defective Bard Avaulta Attorneys
Victims of product defects will often have a very difficult time recovering from the shock of their circumstance. In most cases, victims find themselves overburdened with new responsibilities, rage, and a seeming inability to adjust to living life with their new injuries. If you or a loved one has received injuries due to the negligence of another, contact one of our experienced Los Angeles Bard Avaulta attorneys for a free professional evaluation of your case.
Defective medical products, including defective hip replacements have been around as long as there have been medical products. Medical companies never get it perfect, do they? Well, the DePuy Orthopaedics unit of Johnson & Johnson are certainly no exception to that rule. The hip replacements they manufactured were not worthy of being released to the public, and on August 26, 2010, were nationally recalled.
What’s Wrong With Them?
Many patients had to have a second implant after the first implant had failed. Other problems included: Read the rest »


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Ofcom have defended internet providers after reviewing the ability of companies like BT and Sky to stick to a voluntary code of practice.
A spokeswoman for the industry watchdog admitted there were some areas that needed to be "strengthened further" but said "overall the code is working effectively".
Ensuring consumers receive a high quality of service from their broadband provider and are fairly treated are high priorities for Ofcom.
That is why, in 2008, we introduced a broadband speeds voluntary code of practice to ensure consumers are protected...
Mystery shopping conducted last year by Ofcom revealed that, overall, the code is working effectively.
We have, however, already identified areas where it might be strengthened further and have discussed improvements with providers to better serve consumers.
We expect to publish a revised code of practice in the coming months.
More top news
An air steward notoriously blamed for starting the Aids epidemic in the US has been posthumously cleared of spreading the virus.
The Gangsta's Paradise singer was told if he is found with a single bullet on him in the next three years he could face jail.
Workers are also taking out payday loans and pawning their belongings just to get by, according to a survey by Unison.


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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
- Apple has apologized for the Group FaceTime bug which was publicized earlier this week.
- It was called a major privacy flaw and allowed anyone with FaceTime to potentially listen into your iPhone’s microphone.
- Apple said in a statement that the bug has been fixed on its servers and that a software update is coming next week to re-enable any features that have been turned off.
Apple has apologized for the Group FaceTime bug that allowed people to eavesdrop on other people’s iPhones without consent.
When the bug was publicized earlier this week, it was called a major privacy flaw, and has even drawn calls for investigations from officials like New York Attorney General Letitia James.
In a statement issued by Apple on Friday, Apple apologized for its error.
"We sincerely apologize to our customers who were affected and all who were concerned about this security issue. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we complete this process," according to Apple’s statement.
Apple said that it had fixed the bug on its servers, but to turn the feature back on will require an iPhone software update, which is coming next week, according to Apple. Apple had previously said that the software update would be released this week.
It also thanked the Thompson family, which several media reports said had reported the bug to Apple earlier in January before the bug became widely known.
The bug allowed anyone to listen into an iPhone’s microphone by starting a FaceTime videoconferencing call and adding their own number as a third party on the call. That was enabled by Group FaceTime, a new feature introduced in 2018.
The bug was particularly embarrassing given Apple’s recent campaign touting its privacy bona fides compared with those of rivals like Google.
Here’s Apple’s full statement:
"We have fixed the Group FaceTime security bug on Apple’s servers and we will issue a software update to re-enable the feature for users next week. We thank the Thompson family for reporting the bug. We sincerely apologize to our customers who were affected and all who were concerned about this security issue. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we complete this process.
We want to assure our customers that as soon as our engineering team became aware of the details necessary to reproduce the bug, they quickly disabled Group FaceTime and began work on the fix. We are committed to improving the process by which we receive and escalate these reports, in order to get them to the right people as fast as possible. We take the security of our products extremely seriously and we are committed to continuing to earn the trust Apple customers place in us."
- Here’s why Apple won’t punish Facebook with the ‘nuclear option’
- LEAKED MEMO: Facebook is scrambling to do damage control with ‘pissed’ employees after Apple blocks its internal apps
- Chaos has reportedly erupted inside Facebook as employees find themselves unable to open the company’s apps on their iPhones
Source: Business Insider


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Cannabis Lovers by Snoop Dog
This is NSFW. You must be 18 years old above to read this article.
Snoop Dog has always been in the news for his exclusive new songs. But who knew that he would be taking his backyard to another level by launching a pot friendly website? So like him, right? This cannabis centric website will sound familiar to those who have visited The Cannabist.
Snoop Dog, the rap mogul joined hands with the popular entertainer Ted Chung to launch this cool website named Merry Jane. What is the real purpose of this website? The website will feature several original videos and also a cross section of the lifestyle and cultural features amalgamated with the recent cannabis policy. It will also feature the economic news.
Yes, it does sound interesting and kinda “wholesome”. Snoop Dog has voiced out that the primary motive behind building this website is to talk about marijuana, hemp and CBD oil freely. There are so many weed users who just close themselves up in the box. It would be a better world if they were allowed to talk about their smoking habits freely.
The Casa Verde Capital investment of Snoop Dog is apparently backing the website. They first launched the Beta version of the site and you can log in using this version.
Merry Jane is one of the few cannabis themed media centers that will definitely hit off with smoker netizens. The site is likely to have its series of its own shows. There will be cooking shows that will teach how you can cook different food with the cannabis. There will also be a show that features first timers. Not to forget, there will be celebrity news too.
Although Merry Jane was said to be still under site construction, surely, this will be a hit weed website. Right, cannabis lovers?
Source: Modern Wall Street via Youtube


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New normal of air travel : IDEMIA’s extended borders solution
Digital identity as well as touchless biometric technologies help minimise contact at airports.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic affected the global aviation industry, all stakeholders have to restore trust and reshape the future of safe air travel. New expectations and a new paradigm emerge in the air travel: off-airports actions, health checks and contactless operations throughout the passenger journey arise as the main mean to protect passengers. IDEMIA designed and developed a trusted a wide range of equipment to streamline the flow of travellers while increasing health, safety and security.


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Bengaluru-based silver jewellery brand Giva Jewellery is expecting strong sales during the current financial year and expects to close the year with a three-fold jump in revenue at Rs 80 crore ($11 million).
The company has been witnessing strong demand in the silver jewellery market over the last few years and achieved sales of Rs 27 crore in the previous financial year.
Giva attributed its growth to the rise in online shopping due to the Covid-19 pandemic caused disruptions in the offline space and expects the growth momentum to continue over the next few years.
“Our sales were at Rs 27 crore last year. We are expecting an average monthly sale of Rs 6 to 6.5 crore this year, taking the total net sales to Rs 80 crore. There is a rise in online shopping due to the COVID-19 pandemic as many traditional consumers have started shifting towards online platforms,” founder of Giva, Ishendra Agarwal told PTI.
“Giva has so far invested Rs 24 crore into the business, including Rs 10 crore from investment firm Indian Quotient. There is no capital requirement at present, but in touch with investors for future expansion,” he added.
Founded in 2019, Giva products are available online on its website and marketplaces such as Amazon, Myntra, AJIO, Tata Cliq, Nykaa, and others. The brand is endorsed by Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma.
Copyright © 2021 Hermesbelts.co.uk All rights reserved.


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Per usual, as the year draws to a close, new car buyers are in a position to pick up outgoing 2006 models at discounted rates. Chrysler is no exception, but with huge supplies of pickups and SUVs laying stagnant on dealer lots, cash incentives began to go through the roof last week. The newest mound of bennies persuading would-be buyers is $1,000 on vehicles that have a dealer invoice before April 1, 2006. Since these vehicles have been the slowest to sell, DaimlerChrysler is looking to do anything to unload them as quickly as possible.
One dealer in Oregon is reported to be selling Dodge Durango’s at $8,000 below sticker, with $6k in rebates, $1k for financing with Chrysler’s financial arm and another grand off if the SUV has been around since before April 1st. The newly released, Durango-based, Chrysler Aspen is also seeing substantial cuts to its pricing as supply is far-exceeding demand.
Since DaimlerChrysler announced they expect a $1.5 billion loss for the third quarter and production has finally been slowed to reflect current market trends, the automaker is trying to spell relief, C-A-S-H. Let’s hope for their sake it works.Â [Automotive News – Sub. Req.]