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Miller and Budweiser are two of America’s most well-known and consumed beers. While each inspires brand loyalty among beer drinkers, they have many things in common, including the way they both embody domestic brews. Now, they may be about to share even more—the company that owns them.
A long-rumored deal between their parent companies, the world’s two biggest beer breweries, ABInBev and SABMiller, seems to be more than just bluster. ABInBev has been trying to buy SABMiller and this week, SABMiller appeared to reject an informal offer of about $100 billion, giving ABInBev until next week to sweeten its takeover bid.
News of the offer has been brewing for a few weeks and the takeover price (which some have put a little higher than $100 billion) would be financed primarily with $70 billion in loans and corporate debt. Purportedly, SABMiller believes it can fetch more than ABInBev is currently offering.
This is the latest in a disturbing consolidation trend in the food industry. In fact, America’s biggest breweries were absorbed by global companies years ago. Even though Miller and Budweiser are quintessential American beers, their parent companies are based overseas.
Further, ABInBev and SABMiller now control most of America’s major beer brands including Budweiser, Bud Light, Stella Artois, Bass, Becks, Busch, Goose Island, Michelob, Rolling Rock, Blue Moon, Fosters, Miller, Milwaukee’s Best, Peroni and many, many others.
The merger would create a powerful beer baron controlling nearly one-third of worldwide sales and 70 percent of American beer sales. Combined, ABInBev and SABMiller accounted for about 38 billion of the 54 billion pints of beer sold in America in 2014.
But it is about more than just hyper-consolidation in America’s beer market. There are a growing number of innovative craft and microbreweries offering a wider range of choices, and giant companies are squeezing them out of the market. The beer duopoly has effective control over the delivery of beer to supermarkets, liquor stores and bars through alliances and contracts with so-called independent distributors that obey the big boys’ suggested retail-pricing levels to get preferential deals. Those that don’t can face unanticipated shipment delays or other commercial retaliation. And distributors are discouraged from supplying large volumes or large varieties of craft beers to local retailers.
Today, distributors tied to ABInBev or SABMiller deliver about 90 percent of all beer, and it is very hard for local and craft beers to get onto store shelves. There may be a handful of these six-packs in a sea of SABMiller and ABInBev brands. It is just like most of the food choices at the supermarket — the illusion of choice conceals corporate food consolidation, leaving shoppers with few real options.
If this deal actually comes together, ABInBev would likely sell off many of the domestic Miller brands, perhaps to Heineken or Molson-Coors. But the stranglehold the two firms have over domestic distribution is something the federal antitrust cops should have never allowed to occur in the first place. This deal is just too big—even the Wall Street Journal suggested it is probably too big to succeed. The Justice Department must put its foot down and block this beer company merger.


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Double-A Chain | Weekly Report №198(2022.1.31–2022.2.6)
Guys! Time flies so fast. 2021 was like yesterday, and now we are in February.
Double-A Chain will upgrade to a high-performance Metaverse Web 3 public chain.
The new Double-A Chain will have better performance on Metaverse Web 3. To accelerate the growth of Double-A Chain market share and the number of users, our team has been working on NFT and Metaverse Web 3 technology accumulation for the past six months.
Now, Double-A Chain is about to complete the upgrade will fully support high-frequency and high-volume trading. On top of that, our team expects the chain to enter the Metaverse to create a Metaverse Web 3 ecosystem. At present, Double-A Chain has formulated a corresponding Metaverse Web 3 incubation and distribution plan. Our team is committing to launch a series of Metaverse Web 3 related applications when our Double-A Chain mainnet goes online.
— — Operation progress — —
- The recruitment of Double-A Chain Supernodes is in progress. Teams from all over the world have submitted applications to us to become the supernode of Double-A Chain, and we are reviewing these applications.
- Our team has completed the development of the blockchain browser testnet.
- We previously launched a poll on “what do you think the price of bitcoin will be by the end of this month” on the official Twitter. As of the end of last week’s event, 58.8% of our community users believe that Bitcoin will return to the price range above 40k by the end of January. Our community is undoubtedly correct; as of now, the Bitcoin price has returned to 42k.
- The project party is actively considering recruiting partners as regional ambassadors in the global market in the future to expand the influence of Double-A Chain in the region.
- Please subscribe to our official announcements and community developments for more recent developments.
— — This week market trend — —
Week High: $0.007047
Week low: $0.006005
Price when writing: $0.006006
— — Official community — —

domain: news


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Orbitz' Heavy Baggage
When Orbitz Inc., the Web travel agency owned by five of the nation's biggest airlines, filed financial documents with the Securities & Exchange Commission to go public in May, investor reaction ranged from respectful to giddy. After all, Net travel site Expedia Inc. and discount hotel-room player Hotels.com have shown that the business can be solidly profitable. "Expedia has been a really hot company and a good investment," says William Smith, president of IPO Plus Fund in Greenwich, Conn. "Orbitz is a nameplate IPO, and it will be a hot deal."
Maybe not. An examination of Orbitz' newly disclosed financial information raises questions about the company's prospects. For starters, it still loses money--$8.9 million in the first quarter, on sales of $32.2 million--even though every other public Web travel company is profitable. And Orbitz could have trouble growing its way to the level of profitability that Expedia and Hotels.com have. The SEC filings reveal that Orbitz' contracts with the company's five founding airlines call for the per-ticket commission rates the airlines pay Orbitz to fall 15% to 30% annually through 2007.
Worse, Orbitz is running low on cash. It had only $39 million as of Mar. 31. The company expects to raise $125 million in its offering, but the IPO market has cooled considerably since Orbitz filed with the SEC. Without new money, Orbitz could face a cash crunch as early as next year. "I think the reason Orbitz is doing an IPO is that it has no other choice," says Philip Wolf, president of Web travel consulting firm PhoCusWright Inc.
Nonsense, says Orbitz. Jeffrey G. Katz, the company's chairman and chief executive, makes the case that Orbitz is plenty healthy. He says the summer travel season and Orbitz' rising sales of hotel rooms will head off any cash squeeze, with or without the offering. He also says that Orbitz will have at least one or two more quarters of financial results to show its growth plans are working before it goes public. "When we're on our road show, we'll have data to answer questions" about growth, he says.
Still, Katz may face a tough sell once investors understand how Orbitz' corporate governance is structured. The company was set up by United, American, Delta, Northwest, and Continental, and the airlines will control six of nine board seats after the IPO. Katz says the airlines have a vested interest in Orbitz' success. But the partners' control raises questions about possible conflicts of interest. If the interests of the airlines and Orbitz' other shareholders diverge, which group will Orbitz try to satisfy?
The SEC filings suggest that so far, the airlines are the top priority. Example: Orbitz's decision, implemented last December, to begin charging consumers a $5 per ticket reservation fee--a charge that rivals, such as Expedia, don't levy. That fee serves a long-standing goal of the airlines to shift more of their distribution costs to consumers.
But the $5 fee could hurt Orbitz' popularity. While the company has positioned itself as the lowest-cost travel site, consumers are finding that's typically not the case these days. In a June 6 report, Consumer Reports wrote that Expedia, not Orbitz, is now the low-price leader for airfare. A BusinessWeek analysis of 10 hypothetical weekend jaunts reached a similar conclusion: Including the $5 fee, Expedia was cheaper than Orbitz for eight trips, while Orbitz was less expensive in two cases. That's dangerous because Forrester Research Inc.'s analysis shows that 6 out of 10 customers aren't loyal to any one travel site. "You're only as good as your last deal," says Forrester analyst Henry H. Harteveldt. Katz says the fee has not cost Orbitz market share.
A more important strategic lapse is Orbitz' failure, so far, to enter the most profitable part of the travel business. Instead of simply selling airline tickets and hotel rooms for commissions, successful sites such as Expedia also use what they call a "merchant model." They negotiate discount prices for large blocks of hotel rooms or vacation packages, then mark up the prices and sell them to consumers. Although travel agencies forego commissions, the merchant model is far more profitable because a typical $6 airline ticket commission is dwarfed by markups that can hit $500 on a vacation package. Orbitz had no merchant-model revenue in the first quarter, though it's inching into the business. "That decision came back to bite them on the tuchus," says Phil Carpenter, vice-president of travel-shopping service SideStep.
Analysts chalk up Orbitz' slow entry into the merchant business to airlines' resistance. Why? The key to success in the merchant model is for the travel agency to force down the price it pays for hotel rooms or airline tickets. "The merchant business is not so great for airlines," says analyst Mark Rowen of Prudential Securities Inc. Katz says Orbitz will get into the merchant business eventually. Meantime, the company started into the business indirectly in June: It began listing hotel rooms on its Web site that are offered by Travelweb.com, a hotel-industry-backed merchant site that pays Orbitz a commission for each sale.
Certainly, there are reasons to like Orbitz' prospects. Launched last June, the Chicago-based site sold $542 million worth of travel in the first quarter, making it the third-largest online agent, behind Expedia and Travelocity.com Inc. Orbitz began with one big advantage: access to special low-cost fares that were available only on Orbitz and the airlines' own Web sites. Those "Web fares" terrified rivals, who are trying to get them declared an antitrust violation. The Transportation and Justice Depts. are evaluating the claims, and a report from Transportation is due by July 1. But, analysts say, Expedia and Travelocity now get most of the Web fares that Orbitz does.
Katz argues that Orbitz can overcome the business and antitrust challenges it faces. He has high hopes, in particular, for a technology, set to be introduced later this year, that will overhaul the arcane economics of selling airline tickets. Right now, travel agencies rely on technology from companies such as Sabre Holdings Corp. to sift through the airlines' ever-changing fare schedules to find itineraries. Airlines pay about $10 per ticket to let travel agencies conduct such searches. Katz says that Orbitz' new technology, called supplier link, will let the airlines cut out Sabre and its peers. Orbitz and the airlines plan to split the savings from such fees, which total about $1.5 billion each year.
With all its challenges, Orbitz may have a hard time living up to its billing as a hot IPO. Even Katz says he may not rush to go public. "When we go public is a function of when the timing is right," he says. Holding off may make the most sense for Orbitz--and for investors.
By Timothy J. Mullaney in New York


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In alignment with government's plans to combat South Africa's skills shortage, the College of Cape Town will be launching its jewellery manufacturing trade test centre on Tuesday, 15 July 2014 at 1.30pm for 2pm in the staffroom at the City Campus of College of Cape Town. Dr Florus Prinsloo; Acting Chief Director of National Artisan Development, will be the keynote speaker at the event. This will be the only jewellery manufacturing trade test centre in the country. The launch of the trade test centre will enable students to do trade tests to further develop their skills and gain further accredited qualifications from the industry.
Issued by College of Cape Town 15 Jul 2014 09:21


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Bentley will eliminate its combustion engines by 2030, the automaker announced today during a media call on the future of the brand. This marks a huge departure for the company that, today, exclusively sells V-8 and W-12 vehicles.
"The 100-year-old company that makes the best twelve-cylinder engines in the world will not be building engines at all by 2030," Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark said on the call.
The path to meet that goal started with the launch of the Bentayga Hybrid, a plug-in hybrid with a V-8 internal-combustion engine complimented by an electric powertrain that's good for 16 miles of electric range. It'll be joined by the first full-EV Bentley in 2025. And by 2026, Bentley says, the company will only sell hybrids and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). Those hybrids will be plug-ins with "usable electric range," so cars like the mild-hybrid Continental GT and Flying Spur will no longer be available. The company did not comment as to whether it will make W-12 hybrids or if the 12-cylinder Bentley will die by 2026.
The company also plans to be entirely carbon-neutral by 2030. This means that from the materials they use to the manufacturing process, to the corporate offices, and the tailpipe emissions of its vehicles, all of the negative carbon impacts of Bentley Motors will be offset or eliminated. The factory is already carbon neutral, Bentley says, and the headquarters in Crewe is on track to be carbon-positive by 2025.
Making all of that happen requires a mix of strategies, including everything from tending to bees at the company's headquarters to massively reducing the emissions of its lineup. The goal is to do all of this while improving the performance, exclusivity, and luxury that Bentley is known for. Regardless of how the folks in Crewe pull that off, it's going to be a busy decade at Bentley.


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TWO FOR THE ROAD: Dior will unveil its men’s pre-fall collection in Hong Kong next 12 months, signaling parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s confidence in the expansion outlook for the historic luxury hub.
After his spectacular show in front of the pyramids of Giza in December, globe-trotting designer Kim Jones will bring the traveling collection to Hong Kong in the primary half of 2024, Dior said in an announcement shared exclusively with WWD. It didn’t provide further details of the show date or location.
“After Tokyo, Miami, London, Los Angeles and Cairo, this destination once more celebrates the artistic director’s passion for travel and world cultures — so dear to Monsieur Dior,” the home said.
The son of a hydrogeologist, Jones spent his childhood years on the African continent and continues to travel the globe to assemble inspiration and see rare and exotic animals of their natural habitat. Founder Christian Dior was also known for his international outlook, establishing global subsidiaries shortly after launching his house in 1947.
The event will mark Dior’s return to Hong Kong after a women’s high fashion show in 2014 and a men’s display in 2016. Present in Hong Kong since 1980, the French fashion house has 11 boutiques there, of which six carry its menswear line.
Dior’s announcement comes just days before Louis Vuitton, one other marquee label under the LVMH banner, stages its first pre-fall men’s show in Hong Kong.
Pharrell Williams, creative director of menswear at Vuitton, is ready to unveil his collection on Thursday in a harborside venue belonging to K11 Musea, the luxurious lifestyle complex founded by entrepreneur Adrian Cheng’s Latest World Development.
Speaking after LVMH reported a slowdown in growth within the third quarter, Rodolphe Ozun, the group’s director of monetary communications, said Hong Kong and Macau bucked the trend with “a really strong increase in store traffic and sales.”
Hong Kong is emerging from a difficult period, with antigovernment protests in 2019 followed by protracted border closures throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, strangling tourism flows. Consequently, many luxury brands closed stores within the special administrative region in favor of opening latest outlets in mainland China.
Hong Kong’s retail sales in the primary nine months of 2023 rose 18.6 percent compared with the identical period last 12 months, in accordance with the most recent figures released by the Census and Statistics Department. It quoted a government spokesman as saying that the retail sector should proceed to profit from the continuing recovery of inbound tourism. — JOELLE DIDERICH
ADDY’S AWARD: Campbell Addy, the photographer, director and publisher, will receive the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator at The Fashion Awards, which happen Dec. 4 at Royal Albert Hall in London.
Born and raised in South London, and a graduate of Central Saint Martins, Addy has worked for publications including Dazed, i-D, Rolling Stone and The Wall Street Journal. He has photographed figures including Beyoncé, Edward Enninful, FKA Twigs, Naomi Campbell and Tyler, the Creator.
He was named one among the Latest Wave: Creative talents at The Fashion Awards in 2018 and 2019, and his work has been exhibited in galleries worldwide.
In 2016, Addy launched two platforms, Nii Journal, an arts and culture publication, and Nii Agency, a modelling and casting agency. Addy has said that each aim to showcase “underrepresented faces.”
Most recently, Addy worked with 180 Studios to create his first solo exhibition, “I (Heart) Campbell,” which featured 36 original pieces, including images, paintings and a brief film shot in Ghana.
Caroline Rush, chief executive officer of the British Fashion Council, described Addy as “a world-leading visionary who wholeheartedly dedicates himself to championing and spotlighting those from underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds. Through his progressive and fearless work, Addy has reshaped the perceptions of beauty and magnificence within the industry and brought diversity and inclusion to the forefront.”
Addy said he believes “it’s imperative that our industry is perpetually changing and perpetually moving, and awarding someone like me is an emblem of a vivid future for the style industry. I wouldn’t be here without my wonderful community and various incredible collaborators. I’ve strived to create work that enables people to be seen, and that celebrates the true great thing about diversity. I hope to have the option to proceed to alter minds and create latest worlds.”
The Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator is supposed to acknowledge innovators and creatives in fashion who’ve helped to alter the style landscape. Previous winners include Ib Kamara, Katie Grand, Amanda Harlech, Mert & Marcus, Nick Knight, Pat McGrath, Louise Wilson and Sam McKnight.
Meanwhile, Pamela Anderson will present the inaugural Pandora Leader of Change Award on the Fashion Awards.
The British Fashion Council and Pandora said the brand new award is supposed to rejoice an individual “who leads with innovation to create positive change globally. They consistently challenge the establishment. Their work is empowering, progressive and forward-thinking.”
Each corporations said that in alignment with those principles, the award shall be presented by Anderson, a world ambassador for the Danish jewelry brand.
Anderson said she was proud to be handing out the award.
“Being a pioneer and being yourself is difficult to do in a world like today, which is always telling you to be something else. It’s difficult to decide on the trail nobody has walked before, and speak the words that aren’t those everybody else says. In times where trends take the complete globe throughout the blink of an eye fixed, we desperately need these unique thinkers who dare to step out of the sameness we see across so many platforms today,” she said.
Anderson, who has evolved from actress to social and animal rights activist through the years, can be the face of Pandora Lab Grown Diamonds, a variety offering diamonds which can be grown, cut and polished with one hundred pc renewable energy and set in recycled silver or gold. — SAMANTHA CONTI AND THOMAS WALLER
KNOLL REIMAGINED: Knoll is partnering with emerging artist Noel Mercado to reinvent three of its classic chairs. Mercado focuses on using repurposed materials to reinterpret classic forms and got here to the eye of Knoll’s creative team last 12 months when he reupholstered a vintage bentwood Knoll chair frame with the Kool Cigarette logo in vegan leather.
This time, Mercado has reimagined the Cesca, Spoleto and Wassily chairs with salvaged objects one might find at a automobile junkyard. For the Cesca chair, he used a whole bunch of Little Trees air fresheners, those brightly coloured pine tree aromatics which have grow to be a popular culture icons. Mercado says he at all times had one hanging from his automobile’s rearview mirror when he began driving while in highschool in Chicago.
“I just like the sculptural quality and the colourful colours,” he says.
Mercado reinvented the Spoleto chair with old automobile speakers and swaddled the Wassily chair in salvaged automobile seat belts, so it holds “you up moderately than holding you in.”
The Knoll pieces are consistent with Mercado’s upcycled ethos and reverence for twentieth and twenty first century icons. Earlier this 12 months, he collaborated with Swiss modular furniture maker USM on a set of bespoke pieces, including handmade vests and hats in signature USM color-blocked configurations and a credenza with a built-in clothing hanger.
For the Knoll collaboration, Mercado had complete creative freedom.
“The connection between art and design is crucial to the whole lot we do at Knoll,” Suzanne Michaels, Knoll’s senior director of worldwide brand creative, said in an announcement. “Noel’s work — which is positioned right on the intersection of those disciplines — challenges viewers to rethink on a regular basis objects.”
The three artworks shall be available for purchase on Mercado’s website (noel-mercado.com) starting Tuesday. — MARISA GUTHRIE
ONE TREE, MANY TRUNKS: Claridge’s has unveiled its Christmas tree, a sculpture created from Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunks that stands 17 feet tall within the hotel’s lobby.
The tree consists of 15 chrome, repurposed trunks of various heights which were stacked to create the silhouette of a standard Christmas tree, and styled to reflect the hotel’s Art Deco architecture.
The sculpture has been set inside two huge trunks stacked on top of one another. Every one is adorned with vintage Claridge’s travel stickers and an oversize Louis Vuitton luggage tag.
At the highest of the tree is a model of Asnières, the Louis Vuitton family home and atelier in a northern suburb of Paris. Scattered across the silvery trunks and amid the snowy landscape of the tree there are 21 figurines, including one among Father Christmas.
Claridge’s general manager Paul Jackson said “Christmas is probably the most magical time for us here on the hotel, and we look ahead to welcoming guests and seeing visitors immerse themselves in Louis Vuitton’s world.”
The hotel and the brand have much in common. Each were founded in 1854, and had strong ties to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. Monsieur Louis Vuitton was the non-public “layetier” to the Empress, the person liable for creating her arsenal of baggage, and packing the luggage.
The French royal made Claridge’s her winter residence, and she or he received so many visits from Queen Victoria that the hotel got here to be referred to as the “annex” to Buckingham Palace.
That is the thirteenth 12 months that Claridge’s has invited a top fashion house or designer to reinterpret the tree in its own distinctive style.
Last 12 months, Jimmy Choo’s creative director Sandra Choi designed the festive tree, which she called The Diamond, a nod to the brand’s twinkling accessories.
In 2021, the hotel invited Dior’s Kim Jones to design the tree, and he paid tribute to craftsmanship and couture. — SAMANTHA CONTI
THE KING AND BLACKPINK: Lisa, Rose, Jisoo Kim and Jennie Kim from the K-pop band Blackpink now hold honorary MBEs from King Charles III.
The Member of the Order of the British Empire honor, or MBE, was awarded to the South Korean band at Buckingham Palace on Nov 22.
“I can only admire how they will prioritize these vital issues, in addition to being global superstars,” said the king, referring to their environmental efforts.
Blackpink are ambassadors for the COP climate change summit.
To gather her award, Lisa wore a dress and cape by Thai brand Asava; Rose wore a gray Saint Laurent suit; Jennie wore a tweed number from Chanel and Jisoo wore a black Dior Bar jacket with a shin-length skirt and high heels, in addition to a Cartier Crash watch in 18-karat yellow gold.
The king hosted the president and first lady of South Korea in London as a part of a state visit.
On Nov. 21, Blackpink was amongst guests on the state banquet held on the palace attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales.
On the state dinner, the king referenced his 1992 trip to South Korea with the late Princess Diana.
“Sadly, after I was in Seoul all those years ago, I’m undecided I developed much of what could be called the Gangnam style!” he said.
The aim of the state visit was to strengthen trade links and military partnerships between the U.K. and South Korea with President Yoon Suk Yeol meeting with British prime minister Rishi Sunak and newly appointed foreign secretary Lord Cameron. — HIKMAT MOHAMMED
OPENING DAY: Gucci is finally reopening its Milan boutique positioned on Via Montenapoleone 5. The flagship was first closed in July 2022 and has been going through an intensive renovation.
The Italian luxury brand will reopen the doors of the shop on Dec. 7. A celebratory evening event shall be held on Dec. 13.
The storied Milan flagship was renovated in September 2015, becoming the primary one designed by former creative director Alessandro Michele and reflecting his vision. Michele exited in November last 12 months and was succeeded by Sabato De Sarno, who joined in January.
The primary Gucci Milan store was opened on Via Montenapoleone in 1951 by Rodolfo Gucci, one among the three sons of founder Guccio Gucci.
Milan’s Via Montenapoleone along with Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue have been ranked because the world’s costliest retail venues this 12 months, at $2,000 per square foot and $1,766 per square foot, respectively. — ANDREA ONATE
CREATIVE-BORN: The International Talent Support contest, also referred to as ITS, has named its 2023 finalists, because it gears up for an IRL award ceremony on March 22 in Trieste, Italy, the town off of fashion’s radar that has been home to the talent seek for 21 years.
ITS said Wednesday it chosen 16 emerging designers across fashion, accessories and jewellery amongst 750 applications from up-and-coming talents hailing from 65 countries. Applicants were tasked to submit collections and projects that embodied the “Born to Create” concept, similar to the inherent human ability to create.
The list of finalists includes Chelsea Jean Lamm and Marcel Sommer from Germany; Clementine Baldo, Shanon Poupard and Lilian Navarro from France; Ju Bao and Kexuan Liu from China; Mert Serbest from Turkey; Momoka Sato and Tomohiro Shibuki from Japan; Richard Farbey from the U.K.; Silvia Acien Parrilla from Spain; Tal Maslavi from Israel; Daniel Bosco from Canada; Eun Ji Oh from Belgium, and Ivan Delogu from Italy.
“We’re at a generational shift of images, of reference points. A latest generation of designers is taking hold, and young talents are…charting different trajectories,” said Barbara Franchin, president of the ITS Foundation, which manages the competition and is the mastermind behind it. “Straight away, fashion is experiencing a moment of great confusion and readjustment, with an ongoing redefinition of the role of the creative director,” she added.
The Franchin-led jury includes Moncler designer Sergio Zambon; stylist and fashion consultant Tom Eerebout; in addition to Matteo Ward, chief executive officer and cofounder of sustainability-minded brand and platform Wråd; Thierry-Maxime Loriot, curator, author and inventive director, and Carlo Giordanetti, CEO of the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, amongst others. More guest jurors shall be added for the award ceremony next 12 months.
Finalists will compete for a variety of prizes including the 15,000-euro ITS Arcademy Award bestowed on probably the most creative, socially aware and progressive fashion collection, along with the ITS Media, Community, Fashion Film and Digital Fashion Awards, coming with a money prize of three,000 euros each.
Partners and sponsors of the ITS competition — which include Vogue Eyewear, EssilorLuxottica, the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, Lotto Sport, Wråd, Fondazione Ferragamo, Pitti Immagine and Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, amongst others — may also hand out their very own awards. A special award recognized by the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of 10,000 euros may also be offered on this edition, in celebration of Gorizia, a city within the region named the European Capital of Culture for 2025.
Along with competing for the awards, all finalists will receive the ITS Residency Award, a latest prize which supplies talents the chance to participate in a collective project on the ITS Arcademy, the organization’s sprawling headquarters, archives and multifunctional space, replete with a “Museum of Art in Fashion,” announced in 2020 and eventually unveiled last 12 months with a seminal exhibition by Olivier Saillard.
The ITS competition, which marked its twentieth anniversary last 12 months, has been a launchpad for marquee contemporary designers prior to now including Bottega Veneta’s Matthieu Blazy and Balenciaga’s Demna, in addition to London darling Richard Quinn and Iceberg’s James Long, amongst others. — MARTINO CARRERA
FASHION AND CARS: Matches is collaborating with Aston Martin, the British maker of luxury sports cars.
The net retailer said it would gain access to a latest luxury customer base, while Aston Martin clients will receive early access to collection drops, in addition to a personal shopper based at 5 Carlos Place, Matches’ London town house.
Meanwhile, Aston Martin plans to open its events and previews of recent Aston Martin models to Matches customers.
“Partnering with Aston Martin, the synergies are seamless, and we come together to encourage our audiences within the excellence of service, exclusivity and emotion,” said Carl Tallents, chief business officer at Matches.
Oliver Turner, regional president for the U.K. and South Africa, hopes that the collaboration will provide “added value to our customers, in addition to excite Matches’ strong luxury network.”
Matches chief executive officer Nick Beighton hinted on the collaboration to WWD earlier this month when the retailer announced results for the 12 months ending Jan. 31, 2023.
The corporate said in the present fiscal 12 months, it’s specializing in its growth across the U.K. and U.S. markets; driving technology and operational improvements, in addition to starting a discussion with its shareholders and lenders regarding a lending facility for the tip of August 2024.
The brand reported its results for the 12 months ending Jan. 31, 2023, with revenues declining 1.7 percent to 380.1 million kilos.
Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization losses widened to 33.7 million kilos from 25 million kilos.
The retailer revealed that customer orders totaled 758.2 million kilos, in comparison with 677.1 million kilos the previous 12 months. — H.M.
PRINCESS FAVORITE: Rebecca Vallance makes dresses fit for princesses — literally.
Zara Tindall, the daughter of Princess Anne, was amongst people who got here together on Nov. 14 to rejoice Vallance’s eponymous brand relaunch at Harrods after stepping back throughout the pandemic.
“Zara’s worn quite a little bit of Rebecca Vallance through the years, and she or he traveled in 90 minutes to return to the event. Then, she went to King Charles‘s birthday dinner that night in one among our dresses,” the designer said in an interview.
The relaunch spotlighted Vallance’s newly released holiday collection, which the designer said took inspiration from Italy’s “la bella vita” lifestyle.
The gathering, titled Maria Amalia, ranges from 345 kilos for a rhinestone-embellished cropped bustier to 1,210 kilos for a full-length silk crepe evening gown featuring diamante appliqué flourishes.
“It was inspired by the Italian lifestyle. You possibly can see the motifs within the designs of the evening gowns and the whole lot is sort of grand and additional,” she said.
The brand is launching its seventh boutique in Australia on Thursday with three more stores within the works to be opened in Latest York, Miami and London.
“We’re planning to double the scale of our store footprint across the subsequent two years, including exploring the international locations,” said Vallance.
The brand’s rapid growth may be attributed to its robust business.
“The brand is a world multichannel retailer, which has experienced exponential growth of 120 percent over the past two years, with 60 percent of sales coming from international markets; 55 percent of revenue comes from our [direct-to-consumer] businesses, which is split equally between retail stores and our online channel,” said the designer.
“We’re continuing to drive our growth through investment in our [direct-to-consumer] business. Retail stores are forecasted to grow at over 50 percent again this 12 months, a rate exceeding pre-COVID[-19] growth,” she added.
Launched in 2011, the brand has grown from festive occasion wear to incorporate the ready-to-wear, suiting, swim, resort, jewelry, bridal and kids’s categories.
Earlier this 12 months, the label partnered with Qantas airways to create a business class pajama and amenity kit on select flights. — VIOLET GOLDSTONE


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2022 was tough for media stocks like Netflix and Disney, and 2023 doesn’t look good, either
Media stocks got rocked this year, with companies losing billions of dollars in market value, as streaming subscriber growth waned and the advertising market worsened.
The pain is likely to continue in the first half of 2023, according to media executives and industry analysts.
Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery, two companies undergoing transitions, especially when it comes to streaming, each hit 52-week lows in recent days. So far this year, Warner’s stock is down more than 60% and Disney is off more than 45%.
The media industry has come to a turning...


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Louisiana citizens in both Baton Rouge and Hathian can have some financial ease of mind this holiday season as the consumer and business spending in both cities rose by 5.6% per Louisiana Revenue Department and both parishes Financial Departments. This trend has continued a nearly nine month streak of sales activity which appeared to continue with forward momentum.
Sales tax collection figures released on Friday by both city parishes and LA Revenue Department showed that businesses and consumers spent $900.5 million in both October-November; that compares to $666.9 million in spending in November 2013.
Some of the recent economic boom were affected by the recent redevelopment of the Mall of Louisiana and land development from individuals from other states, such as New York.
Vehicles are not included in the total spending income increase and sales are up from the previous year at around 12.6%. City and State Economists report that this trend should continue throughout the second quarter fiscal year of 2015.


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One of London’s most expensive hotels is facing an embarrassing multimillion-dollar compensation claim after an American lawyer and his wife were attacked by bedbugs during a recent stay.
Sidney Bluming, a prominent New York celebrity lawyer, and his wife, Cynthia, are suing the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, owner of the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, after staying at the fashionable London hotel last May.
According to the lawsuit, which is seeking several million dollars in damages, the Blumings were bitten hundreds of times during their five-night stay leaving their skin red, swollen and itchy.
A spokesman for Mr Bluming, whose clients include Elizabeth Taylor and Claudia Schiffer, said: “People associate bed bugs with more of a lower-end class of hotel. Clearly that’s not the case here;…


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There’s been a couple of reports suggesting that VR is on the verge of dying. HTC pulling out of India did certainly not help in quelling the rumours and only set off another bunch of such obituaries ringing the death knell for VR headsets. However, one thing that should have been observed was that more of the technology companies were focusing on bringing out their VR and AR technologies. The two are very much closely linked and the frameworks that support one of them do support the other as well. AR has seen an even larger adoption by smartphone manufacturers. The current gen flagship SoCs, with really good GPUs, are becoming immensely powerful.
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SecureAuth reports Q4 success, 100 percent growth estimated in 2020
SecureAuth saw strong growth in the second half of 2019 following leadership changes and a new focus on enterprise identity security, estimating 100 percent growth in 2020, according to a company statement.
The company claims Q4 2019 was very productive due to its shift to identity security opportunities, which led to a number of strategic partnerships and alliances, product augmentations and industry recognition.
“The first half of 2019 was transformative for SecureAuth, as we divested non-identity related businesses to allow us to focus on the high growth identity security market fully,” said Martin Savitt, who was appointed CEO in Q4. “This strategy is already delivering results as evidenced by adding three of the top five US Airlines, and two out of three top Health Insurance Companies in the country as SecureAuth clients.”
Savitt delivered great results within the first few months as CEO, the company claims, with extensive investment in product development and new hires. A new CISO & Chief Evangelist and a new Chief Customer officer have joined the team.
“I am excited about the explosive growth opportunities in customer identity and SecureAuth is uniquely positioned to solve the complex security challenges our customers face while reducing business execution friction associated with traditional identity and access products,” added Savitt. “With more than 600 customers across the globe and a team of over 225 dedicated identity professionals, SecureAuth is solving some of the most complex identity challenges for some of the largest organizations in the world.”
In 2019, SecureAuth signed two of the three top health insurance companies and three of the five main U.S. airlines. It currently boasts over 600 customers globally and a 62 percent increase in product and engineering staff. SecureAuth released the Identity First Partner Program in support of enhanced Partner strategy and the SecureAuth Intelligent Identity Cloud.
In June, it enhanced its hybrid access management solution to enable organizations to deploy the same identity security capabilities in the cloud, on-premises, or in a hybrid architecture. SecureAuth delivers more than 30 authentication methods provided in addition to AI based pre-authentication protection for advanced fraud detection.
The company received a U.S. Patent for Identity Based Certificate Management, adding to its over 30 identity security and authentication patents.
SecureAuth was recognized by Kuppinger Cole as Overall leader, Product leader and Innovation leader in its annual Leadership Compass report on Consumer Authentication, by Gartner in its annual Access Management Magic Quadrant research report and in its Peer Insights Customer Choice for Access Management, Worldwide, by CRN on its 2019 CRN Security 100 list, and by SC Media in its Trust Awards for Best Authentication Technology.
biometrics | enterprise | financial results | fraud prevention | identity management | multi-factor authentication | SecureAuth


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Atlantic City Electric has requested New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approval to implement a suite of electric vehicle (EV) programs focused on providing customers with reduced electric rates, credits, rebates and other incentives toward purchasing and operating EVs. The $14.9-million suite of programs is the latest in a series of efforts by Atlantic City Electric to advance the future of energy service for customers across southern New Jersey.
“Our customers are demonstrating their interest in electric vehicle technology,” said Vince Maione, Atlantic City Electric region president. “These programs both incentivize customers to pursue an EV option as their next vehicle purchase and provide them with the peace of mind that new charging options will be available to meet their fueling needs across South Jersey.”
Atlantic City Electric’s proposal outlines a voluntary suite of programs consisting of several key offerings for customers:
While Atlantic City Electric customers have expressed interest in EVs, many are hesitant to purchase EVs due to range anxiety and lack of available and affordable vehicle charging options. New Jersey currently has limited public EV charging infrastructure, contributing to customer apprehension toward investing in this clean and efficient transportation resource.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the carbon profile of New Jersey’s electric energy mix shows that an EV in the state is responsible for about a quarter the emissions of a gasoline vehicle. The registration of plug-in EVs in 2016 was 79 percent higher than 2015 (according to ChargeEVC), with more than 10,000 plug-in EVs on the road, 60 percent of which have been purchased in the last two years.
Atlantic City Electric will begin offering the programs within two months after Board of Public Utilities approval.Related Articles:


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For the third year running, projectiondesign will participate in the Virtual Efficiency Congress (VEC) – Germany’s biggest conference dedicated to virtual reality.
As a sponsor of the conference programme, the company will use the event to launch new stereoscopic projection and showcase business tools for virtual reality displays. projectiondesign is a member of the Virtual Dimension Center (VDC) which is aimed at promoting the virtual design and engineering community.
projectiondesign will showcase the 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution F35 wqxga projector in a 3D application in cooperation with German specialist supplier awater 3D. The F35 wqxga is said to be the highest resolution DLP projector available for commercial use.
In addition to being an exhibitor, projectiondesign is also a technology sponsor of the VEC, and will supply high resolution F82 projectors for stereoscopic imaging for the Congress’s technical workshops.
projectiondesign says that footage and graphics including 3DVIA from 3D content software developer Dassault Systèmes will ensure that visitors to the VEC are impressed not just by the image quality and technical superiority of the company’s offering, but by the range of new applications that are possible.
“The Virtual Efficiency Congress is a unique event which draws hundreds of engineering and industrial design professionals – all of them keen to find out about the benefits of the latest in technical 3D visualization and simulation,” said Anders Løkke, marketing director, projectiondesign. “Despite their substantial growth in the past few years, these markets continue to offer new potential, and we’re really excited at the prospect of returning to Fellbach on 29-30 September.”


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MER Telemanagement (MTSL)
Q3 earnings update 11/5/2015.
MTSL announced Q3 2015 earnings (quarter ended September 30, 2015) this morning. Revenues were $3.8 million up from $1.8 million last year. They had a Non-GAAP loss $.02 per share versus a $.08 loss last year. These results include a full quarter of Vexigo. While the results were not as good as we had hoped for when we recommended MTSL, our new valuation of $2.89 (was $3.46) is still more than double the current stock price and they seem to be indicating that Q4 video advertising (Vexigo) will be better. We are cutting this to a HOLD for now.
Checkpoint Systems (CKP)
Another stock that has plummeted based on the latest earnings. We just don’t see it. Our valuation did drop—by $.30. Meanwhile the stock plummeted by $1.70. We are adding another $10,000 here. Our new average buy price will be $6.76 a share.


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KFC Battles Negative Online Rumors in Shanghai Court
The “Colonel” is counter attacking, as China’s largest quick service restaurant operator pushes back against rumor mongers accused of spreading false information about its chicken products on the Internet and through social media platforms.
On June 1 KFC, a division of Louisville, Kentucky, USA-headquartered Yum! Brands Inc., filed lawsuits against in Shanghai Xuhui District People’s Court against Shanxi Weilukuang Technology Company Ltd., Taiyuan Zero Point Technology Company and Yingchenanzhi Success and Culture Communication Ltd.
KFC has been the subject of what Qu Cuirong, president of its China operations, calls “strange chicken remarks nonsense” since 2008. Among the false reports, amplified by microblogging micro-letters via the popular WeChat mobile phone platform, are unsubstantiated charges that the company serves poultry that has been genetically modified to have eight legs and six wings.
The restaurant chain, which operates more than 4,600 outlets in China, is seeking 1.5 million yuan (US $242,000) in damages and a public apology from the three companies named in the legal action. The compensation figure is believed to be far less than actual losses incurred by dips in business following the adverse publicity.
Ms. Qu Cuirong, commenting on KFC China’s website, stated that by the end of April of this year “sensational headlines and pictures” numbering more than 4,000 in over 900 cities were irresponsibly disseminated through micro-channels in which over 130 accounts in more than 100,000 posts were read.
“This not only seriously mislead consumers, but also hurt our brand,” she asserted.
Meanwhile, China Daily has reported that dozens of government officials, experts and entrepreneurs convened recently in Beijing to attend a seminar organized by Xinhuanet.com, the multilingual website for Xinhua News Agency, to address how to best deal with online rumors about food safety.
“Rampant rumors about food safety – through social media feeds – not only provide incorrect information, causing the public to panic, but also damage the reputation of companies involved in the food business, panelists at the seminar said,” reported the newspaper.
Jin Fazhong, deputy director of agricultural products quality and safety supervision and management bureau, an arm of the Ministry of Agriculture, suggested the rumors can be stamped out if consumers visit processing units for agricultural commodities and see for themselves how things work, and if companies release data to the public based on scientific quality-control checks conducted on product samples.
Jia Xiande, vice general manager of the executive board of Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp, advised media members to guard against magnifying rumors by refraining from publishing unverified stories.


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For Wayne and Jamie Roche, rehabbing and retailing guitars struck a chord.
The pair launched Grand Slam Guitars at 139 Main St. in Cooperstown earlier this year, but the Roches bring decades of industry experience to their business. The store, Wayne Roche, 42, said, features “a beautiful showroom, with just about 100 guitars,” as well as parts, repair services and lessons.
“I’m originally from New Jersey and we’ve lived up this way for about seven years, now,” Wayne said. “We’ve been in the industry for 23 years, running a company called Guitarheads that specialized in parts, upgrades and modifications, and we’ve been expanding ever since we moved up here. We started out doing trade shows … and did that for 11 years. Way back in the day, when things were changing and the internet was new … I decided to sell a few guitar items online and was extremely successful. eBay wasn’t even around, but it took off and, within months, we were able to buy our first home, upgrade our computer systems, create a shipping department and it’s grown ever since, and that was back in ’99. We were running everything out of the house, but an opportunity came up for a storefront in Cooperstown and it was really nice.”
“I wasn’t originally a guitar player when I met Wayne, and he really sparked my interest and taught me most of what I know — from basic repairs to all the different parts of a guitar,” Jamie said. “He really made me want to be part of it. I used to work outside of the house owning my own business, but at some point, we decided it would be best for me to step in and do more guitar-related stuff and, ever since, I’ve been very pleased. I do a lot of the shipping and behind-the-scenes stuff and online orders, and I also make some of the custom products.”
Starting when and how they did, Wayne and Jamie said, proved instrumental.
“I’ve always been a guitar player … and I had a few things laying around and was surprised by how quickly they sold and how much they sold for,” he said. “I even started purchasing guitars and selling piece by piece and, within a couple years, got dealer programs and wholesale suppliers on board, because it was a new concept.”
“We’ve been doing this and nothing else for many years,” she said. “A lot of other people in the industry have tried to do what we’ve done, and some people do not have the staying power, but we’ve been able to do this all these years.”
Wayne said, with the shop, he’s continued evolving.
“We cover most of the major brands — Gibson, Fender, those kinds of household names,” he said. “And we specialize in a lot of handmade (guitars) by boutique builders that are one-of-a-kind and very unique.
“Right now, it’s the baseball-themed guitars in our front window,” he continued. “We have Yankees and Red Sox guitars, which spark a lot of conversation, and we have our signature models: an authentic Eddie Van Halen Charvel guitar from 1982; it’s the black and yellow striped Van Halen guitar that a lot of people are familiar with. A lot of people have been drawn to the Randy Rhoads polka-dotted Flying V, which is currently hanging over our fireplace. It’s newer, but he was an extremely gifted player in the guitar community, and he passed away a couple years ago.”
Grand Slam’s customer base, Wayne said, is similarly eclectic.
“It’s really all over the place,” he said. “Cooperstown is a diverse marketplace; the locals have shown a lot of support, but now that tourists are coming in, we’re getting people from all walks of life, all over the country and all different kinds of music. It’s tough for us to keep up, but it’s great because it’s so versatile. Someone can come in in the morning looking for something heavy metal and in the afternoon for a banjo. We get a lot of families that come in and a lot of people bringing kids in, but we get retired people and a lot of couples, so it’s a little of everything, which is great for us, and we appreciate that everyone wants to come in and check it out.”
And, the Roches said, Grand Slam ships more than 1,000 packages a week, worldwide.
Wayne, who said Grand Slam will operate year-round, said he plans to keep riffing.
“We’re planning a lot of in-store events for summer and fall, everything from clinics to workshops, whether guitar- or music-related, and we have a few other theme nights in the works and some open-mic things for local musicians to get together,” he said.
“I’m very excited about where it’s headed,” Jamie said. “It’s a great opportunity for us … and we are big baseball fans, so it’s great to be part of Cooperstown, but also to be able to bring more options for music to Cooperstown and surrounding areas. Part of why we wanted to be part of this community is to bring people and music together.”
For more information, visit grandslamguitars.com, follow @grandslamguitars on Instagram or call 607-282-4289.
Grand Slam Guitars is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays and open from noon to 5 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays; noon to 7 Saturdays; noon to 3 Sundays; and noon to 5 Mondays.


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12 Nov Restaurants Turn to Technology to Attract Millennials
According to research group Technomic Inc, restaurants that want to attract younger customers (millennials, born 1977 to 1992) should consider online menus. Nearly 60% of its survey respondents in that age group said they look up restaurant offerings online and 32% said they check menus using their phones. Just 17% of Gen X respondents and 8% of baby boomers said they do the same. Compared to older generations, more millennials follow their favorite eateries on social media and check in at restaurants using apps. Young patrons are also more interested in ethnic foods and alcoholic drinks. The millennial generation is a demographic to which the industry should pay special heed. 41% said they buy food away from home at least twice a week compared to 38% of Gen X and 37% of baby boomers.


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AT&T will introduce a high-definition voice service over its LTE network in parts of four Midwest states on May 23, the carrier announced today.
Appearing first in "select areas" in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin, the HD Voice service will continue to expand to other markets, but AT&T didn't announce a timeline.
For years, HD Voice technology has promised to make calls sound clearer and crisper without patches of lost communication. Widespread adoption of HD voice-calling capability in the U.S. is far from well established, however, even as multiple surveys show that customers want high-quality Voice communications in choosing a carrier.
"As demand for speed, connectivity and enhanced wireless services grows, the introduction of HD Voice on our all-IP 4G LTE network is just another way we're working to provide our customers with the enhanced services they need, while also effectively utilizing our spectrum," an AT&T spokeswoman said via email.
To work, HD Voice requires that both parties in a call have an HD-capable handset and a cellular base station (usually located at the base of a tower) between them that's equipped to pass the HD signal. To enable HD in the handset, the AT&T spokeswoman said the carrier will begin selling "very soon" the HD Voice-capable Samsung Galaxy S4 mini with a 4.3-in. Super AMOLED display.
Both T-Mobile and Sprint started rolling out HD Voice to their 3G networks last year. T-Mobile sold its first version of the iPhone, the iPhone 5, with HD Voice capability last year.
Since then, Sprint has enabled HD Voice over its 3G CDMA network in 100 U.S. markets as of late April, a Sprint spokesman said Thursday.
By the end of the year, Sprint expects to have 20 million customers on HD voice-ready phones and offers a number of handsets that support that capability. Sprint's HD Voice helps reduce unwanted background noise and expands the normal Voice call from a four-octave range to seven octaves.
The only caveat with Sprint is that for HD Voice to work, both phones in a call must be Sprint HD voice-ready phones, Sprint confirmed. Sprint hasn't revealed any plans for moving to a future HD Voice capability with LTE.
The nation's largest wireless carrier, Verizon, hasn't deployed HD Voice even though it has a nationwide LTE network rolled out. The carrier told Fierce Wireless in April 2013 that it would have HD Voice rollouts in late 2013 or early 2014, but hasn't so far moved ahead.
"We have said Voice over LTE (VoLTE) is coming in 2014 and we will have HD Voice using the AMR (Adaptive Multi-Rate ) wideband codec, which we believe will be the industry norm, as part of VoLTE," Verizon Wireless spokeswoman Debra Lewis said today.
AT&T's HD voice, which also operates on VoLTE, is expected to interoperate with Verizon's HD Voice over VoLTE when it become available. But analysts believe it will take years for both carriers -- the two largest with more than 230 million customers combined -- to have such capability widespread in the U.S. with a multitude of users on HD Voice phones.
"HD Voice is a great feature as long as both ends support it," said Patrick Moorhead, an analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. Given AT&T's success at other technologies, he said HD Voice won't necessarily be a "huge differentiator, so I don't think it's too big of a deal [to AT&T's success] in the long run."
This article, AT&T to activate HD Voice over 4G LTE in four states, was originally published at Computerworld.com.
Matt Hamblen covers mobile and wireless, smartphones and other handhelds, and wireless networking for Computerworld. Follow Matt on Twitter at @matthamblen or subscribe to Matt's RSS feed. His email address is firstname.lastname@example.org.
Read more about wireless carriers in Computerworld's Wireless Carriers Topic Center.


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The power of social fundraising is becoming more and more apparent. Crowdfunding sites, which allow many donors to give online — usually in small amounts — to a project or cause are an increasingly popular way to raise money. Charitable crowdfunding campaigns have supported an array of causes, from conservation of the space suit Neil Armstrong wore on his historic moonwalk to emergency support for Syrian refugees. Because sites such as GoFundMe, Razoo, or Indiegogo’s new site Generosity.com can potentially reach a wide swath of people, they also can help broaden awareness of your cause.
Use of the approach is growing rapidly. Globally, mass online appeals — including both charitable and for-profit projects — raised $16.2 billion in 2014, according to Massolution, a research and consulting firm that releases an annual report on crowdfunding. That’s a 167 percent increase over the $6.1 billion raised in 2013. The firm estimates that global crowdfunding in 2015 will double, reaching $34.4 billion.
Campaigns on crowdfunding platforms, which have varying costs and capabilities, are generally publicized using social media and can range from fast-paced Giving Days to campaigns that last a month or more. But running a successful crowdfunding campaign requires more than simply clicking a few buttons.
Here we’ve gathered some resources to help you navigate the crowdfunding world.
April 13, 2016
11 Questions to Consider When Choosing a Crowdfunding Platform
Experts explain how to assess a crowdfunding website. Considerations include data security, fees, and the volume of transactions a site can handle.
April 07, 2013
Raising Money From the Crowd: What Works Best
Now that Kickstarter and other mass-appeal sites have been around for a while, charities are mastering what works best to attract large sums.
September 21, 2014
Legal Experts Weigh Regulations Best Suited to Crowdfunding Sites
Most rules for charities are decided in the states, and some commercial crowdfunding sites reject the idea that they are fundraisers.
September 21, 2014
How Charities Can Avoid Legal and Reputation Risks of Crowdfunding
Nonprofits need to be sure they're being accurately represented and that they understand the financial-reporting requirements.
March 07, 2014
How Crowdfunding Sites Could Be Better
Sites that raise lots of small gifts online are bringing in billions for charities, but they have drawbacks. Here’s how they could help nonprofits and donors more.
April 17, 2014
How Nonprofits Use Crowdfunding to Attract Support of All Kinds
Founders of two crowdfunding platforms say groups use the method to raise money not only from individuals but also from businesses—and to bring in volunteers.


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The Jakarta Post
Indonesian designers Afina Candarini (left), Istafiana Candarini (center) and Nadya Karina are set to showcase their collections at Fashion KODE in Seoul. (Fashionkode.com/File)
Local labels Kami and Bateeq, which specialize in modest fashion and batik, respectively, are set to present their latest collections at Seoul's Fashion KODE, a fashion and culture event held biannually in the South Korean capital, on Sunday.
Launched nine years ago in Indonesia, Kami is set to present its collections for the first time outside of the Southeast Asian region, after having established markets in Malaysia and Singapore.
Nadya Karina, Kami's creative director and co-founder, said East Asia presented its own challenges in introducing modest fashion, a term that refers to clothing that is not revealing.
"Over there, not many women wear hijab. So the challenge is on how we can penetrate that market, as it is not common there, and how it would be received," Nadya said recently in Jakarta.
The collection created for the upcoming show was inspired by the type of clothing worn on lazy Sunday mornings, said Kami director and co-founder Istafiana Candarini, adding that it consisted of 15 looks, including cozy kimonos, laid-back outerwear and lounge wear.
"The silhouettes were inspired by the kind of clothes one would typically wear when relaxing at home. So it's loose-fitted, even the pants, which are comfortable to wear but still look dressed-up," Istafiana said.
Taking on a marble pattern base, the collection is dominated by the pastel colors of peachy pink and ash-green shades. "But it would still include an element of fun with a pop of color," Istafiana said.
Bateeq, meanwhile, will bring to the Korean show its signature batik designs made from environmentally friendly material, such as bamboo fibers and Bemberg, a regenerated cellulose fiber derived from cotton. Inspired by shadow puppets, the label is also set to present 15 looks.
"We've prepared the designs, motifs and clothing constructions. I hope Indonesian brands are not only known for impressive batik motifs, but also its designs," Bateeq chief executive officer and designer Michelle Tjokrosaputro said.
Running from March 15 to 17, Fashion KODE is a government-hosted event organized by the Korean Creative Content Agency. For the past three years, the agency has collaborated with Jakarta Fashion Week and Indonesia's Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf) on the Indonesia Fashion Forward program.
Last year, Indonesian designers Ria Miranda and the SOE Jakarta label presented at the event in Seoul. Similarly, Korean designers have presented their own collections at Jakarta Fashion Week. (wng)
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With its stock down to a humbling $1.90 a share from a peak of $6.50, MedMen Enterprises reassured investors today that at least its cannabis sales are on track. The California-based pot chain said a preliminary tally of June-quarter revenue showed a 15% increase from the March period, to $42 million. MedMen says it is also making progress on trimming the high spending that drove it to huge losses and some desperate fundraising deals.
In over-the-counter trading Tuesday morning, MedMen stock (ticker: MMNFF) rose 6% on the...


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A CoinMarketCap “data issue” caused significant artificial inflation of several coins listed on the platform on Friday, with some prices inflated by nearly 1000 אָחוּז.
While bitcoin’s price spiked 12 percent on the crypto data site, other coins saw more drastic increases. The price of aeternity, the eighth most valuable cryptocurrency, increased more than 951 אָחוּז, while MOAC increased by 905 percent and bitcoin diamond saw an 876 percent jump on the site. The site’s exchange tracker feature was also affected, and falsely indicated that bitcoin was trading above $73,000 on some exchanges.
While crypto Twitter speculated about potential price manipulation, bugs and hacking, CoinMarketCap told CoinDesk that the inflation was caused by a data error.
“There was a price calculation error on tether which caused any listing with a tether market to become artificially inflated,” marketing vice president Carylyne Chan said in an email.
While most of the data appeared to have normalized at press time, ה 24 hour change percentage for VeChain’s VET token was listed as a question mark and its price graph was unavailable on the home page. The VeChain page also had no historical data listed.
The popular analytics platform has promised to release a “post-mortem” with further details in the near future.
The data error comes just two days after CoinMarketCap הושק a new professional-level and fee-based API, including an updated exchange ranking page and the addition of derivatives markets to the site. ביולי, the site אמר it planned to introduce new filters and ranking metrics to address what it called “concerns” over fake volume figures.
CoinMarketCap תמונה באמצעות Shutterstock
המנהיג בחדשות blockchain, CoinDesk הינו גוף תקשורת זה שואפת סטנדרטים עיתונאיים הגבוה ומצייתת ידי סט קפדן של מדיניות עריכה. CoinDesk הנה חברת בת בבעלות הפעלה עצמאית של קבוצת המטבע הדיגיטלית, המשקיעה cryptocurrencies וחברות הזנק blockchain.


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CHANDLER, Ariz., Oct. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- It took a kid to create a cell phone cover that other kids would love. At the age of 14, Christian "Crash" Sanchez took a rubber ball and created a cover for his smart phone. He found that the squishy, stretchy rubbery material was adaptable to stretch over almost any size phone or handheld device, was fun to touch and squeeze, and stood up against the worst kid treatment. Christian added fun character designs, glow-in-the-dark features, and built-in flashing LED lights to make his covers that much more interesting to kids. He aimed to give his phone personality and make it much more than a functional cover, so he called his product "FoneFace™."
Increasing numbers of kids are using smart phones and other handheld devices these days. A survey conducted by Harris Interactive reported that 56% of parents with kids aged 8-12 say their children own mobile phones. That number climbs even higher when digital music players and portable games are factored.
Christian's timing couldn't have been more perfect. A "one-size-fits-all" durable cover "created for kids by a kid" resonated with retailers who liked the simplicity of stocking one product line instead of dozens of different covers to accommodate every make and model. What's more, FoneFace is attractively priced at only $9.99 to $18.99.
Hallmark – the popular retail gift store chain with nearly 3,000 locations across the country – was intrigued by Christian's story, recognized the commercial opportunity for a kid-designed phone cover, and quickly signed-on to introduce FoneFace this holiday season. Many other gift and specialty stores have also placed orders for FoneFace.
"There are thousands of cell phone covers out there, but FoneFace is very different," says John Wetzel of Hallmark. "It's uniquely designed for kids with wonderful characters and appealing designs that make it fun to squeeze and play with. We're very excited about FoneFace and think this could very well be the next Beanie Babies for the digital age."
Based in Chandler, Arizona, FoneFace LLC creates unique covers for a range of digital devices – smart phones, music players, tablets, and laptops. Founded by a 14-year-old, FoneFace aims to create fun, engaging, kid-friendly products that amuse the young and young-at-heart. FoneFace is available for purchase in leading retail chains and specialty gift stores across the US and select countries abroad as well as online at www.FoneFace.com.
Media Contact: Greg Sanchez, FoneFace, 480-467-0252, firstname.lastname@example.org
News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com


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On Tuesday, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT) announced a $20 billion stock share buyback, which simply means they’re planning to buy $20 billion worth of their own stock from the market.
Now investors and traders generally love buybacks because they drive a company’s market value, earnings per share (eps), and dividend payout higher.
But – despite Wal-Mart’s announcement – we’re smack dab in the middle of about a year-long “buyback drought.” In fact, the number of buybacks by S&P 500 companies only reached $120 billion in this year’s second quarter.
While $120 billion may seem like a large number, it’s down nearly 10% from the first quarter alone and 5.8% from this same period a year ago.
And that could have huge impacts on your portfolio – especially this earnings season.
Fewer Buybacks Can Actually Hurt This Bull Rally – and Your Profits
Some may argue that buybacks can hurt a company’s image in that investors could take that as a sign of being unable to otherwise meet their eps projections. But there’s three main reasons companies would ever repurchase their shares from the market:
- They believe their shares are undervalued
- The want to drive their eps higher
- They want to boost investor confidence, as a buyback implies a low probability for financial emergencies
As you can see, these are all good things for investors, traders – and the stock market…
That’s why it’s concerning that of all the S&P 500 companies, only 66 reduced their available shares by 4% – down from the 134 companies that reduced their shares in the same period one year ago and the 71 companies that did this in the first quarter of 2017.
And if this continues, here’s how that could hurt your portfolio…
When a company buys its own shares back, it reduces the number of available shares you can buy. So long as demand is strong – which is often the case with a strong earnings report and future projections – it drives the stock higher. That’s because you’ve got the same number of people, if not more, trying to buy fewer shares, which keeps pushing the share price higher.
As you can imagine, this creates strong bullish opportunities in the market – particularly for options traders. In fact, the huge rally we’ve seen in the markets can be largely attributed to massive buybacks from the likes of Apple Inc. (AAPL), Pfizer Inc. (PFE), and CVS Health Corp. (CVS).
Now I do see it as a “tell” that companies believe they’ll be able to meet, even exceed, their eps projections without the need for a buyback program. It’s also possible that they’re simply waiting for a repatriation of capital from overseas to investors and for Congress to pass President Trump’s enormous tax reform.
But until that happens, we’ll likely see this “drought” continue.
So I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for upcoming buyback announcements from the big companies – like Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), and The Coca-Cola Company (KO). And the second I hear something, I’ll let you know which trading strategies and trade considerations could give you the best cash flow.
In the meantime, I want to tell you about a huge “profit party” that’s about to happen/start on Monday, October 16. Now the last time this kind of party started, you could have made 1,868% total winning gains in just 10 weeks.
Of course, history doesn’t guarantee future results… but the potential is undeniable. So if you want the chance to get in this time around, you need to hurry – because it all starts again on Monday with two hot new trades that could hand you triple-digit gains. Learn more details here.


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BOSTON (Sept. 18, 10:35 a.m. ET) — Plastics companies have been investing in outreach programs and collaborating with industrial designers for years, but each new project continues to pay off with insights for resin makers — not just in terms of how designers think but in new information about their own products. Check out this video of a collaborative design project with Eastman Chemical Co.
June 4, 2013 - June 5, 2013Workforce Solutions West 2013
September 17, 2013 - September 18, 2013Plastics Caps & Closures 2013
November 12, 2013 - November 14, 2013Plastics Building Innovations 2013 ConferenceMore Events
Access data on 224 recyclers including volume, percent reprocessed versus brokered, percent post-consumer versus post-industrial, and materials re-processed, as well as data on 237 compounders including materials processed and compounds manufactured.Learn more
Plastics News' experts analyze North American thermoformed packaging sector performance and prospects for future growth. View analysis of processors operating within this segment as well as perspectives from industry though leaders on economic and political conditions, market trends, legislative/regulatory activity impacting supply and demand and manufacturing technology.Learn more


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ATLUS today announced a new Shin Megami Tensei game in Japan for the Nintendo Switch. Well the game official website of the 25th Anniversary SMT project already updated and looks like this game is the new anniversary project game.
According to the official website the game will be available not just on Nintendo Switch but on Nintendo 3DS too. The first promotion video also released and you can watch it above! Until more information, please stay tuned!


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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has defended its stance on investing in gold in a scenario where the Current Account Deficit (CAD) has reached a record high. One of the main reasons for high CAD is gold imports.
"The argument that a central bank which had diversified its own assets into gold has no moral right to preach against investment/import of gold is missing an important point. A central bank diversifying its dollar reserves in to gold is entirely different from private agents in a country having capital controls investing in gold, as it has the same effect of allowing such assets to be held in foreign currency," said G Padmanabhan, executive director, RBI in his speech in Thiruvanathapuram on Wednesday.
According to Padmanabhan the central bank undertakes the onerous responsibility of managing the forex reserves of the country with the objectives of safety, liquidity and return in that order, and investment in gold is in pursuit of these objectives. "In the case of private savers, by stashing away the savings in gold, the economy stands to lose the benefit of accumulated savings which can go a long way in adding to the GDP of the country," he said.
Padmanabhan also said given the insatiable lure for gold in the country, it was imperative that gold linked products are introduced which results in the existing gold in bank lockers getting converted as financial products rather than unabated import of gold. This would result in finding a sustainable solution to the current account problems.
India's CAD for the second quarter ended September 2012 rose to $22.3 billion from $18.9 billion in Q2 of a year ago due to higher pace of imports and moderating exports growth. As proportion of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the CAD shot up to unsustainable level of 5.4 per cent for Q2 of FY13, from 4.2 per cent for Q2 FY12.
It is more than double that what RBI considers sustainable level (2.5 per cent of GDP) when the economy is growing at a slow pace.
On Wednesday, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said in New Delhi that India's record current account deficit is worrying and hinted at cutting gold imports to bolster weak external accounts.
Speaking about the growth in electronic payments (in volume terms), Padmanabhan said in recent years it was quite heartening when one saw the share of electronic payments as a percentage of total payments grow from 15 per cent in 2003-04 to 48 per cent in 2011-12.
Despite this, in absolute terms, cheque volume continues to be high (52 per cent of total payments), though the growth is showing a declining trend. "While this high cheque volume could be attributed to the overall growth in the economy and the consequent growth in financial transactions, it is nonetheless desirable that transactions in electronic form increases at an increasing rate rather than being contended with transactions through cheques increasing at a decreasing rate," said Padmanabhan.


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With Apple, you never know who is going to be evil next. Microsoft usually gets the grand prize, but as of late it appears that Google may be getting the cold shoulder for its forays into the mobile word.
Apple and Google have historically been very friendly. But in recent months, the tenor of that relationship has changed. Apple rejected Google Voice for the iPhone. And now it appears that the relationship may get a bit cooler with all the talk of a Google phone.
As that relationship becomes more distant, it appears that Apple and Microsoft may be warming up a bit, which may prove fruitful for the future of the iPhone in the enterprise. It may also prove beneficial for Microsoft, too, as it is also fighting off Google's efforts to win over the enterprise with its Google Apps productivity applications.
As PCWorld points out, Microsoft may be smart to team up with Apple. The iPhone is a solid, smart phone. Microsoft could do well by developing applications for the iPhone that serve its customers. Its Exchange Server and Office products still dominate the enterprise. As it is platform agnostic, Microsoft can develop applications for the iPhone that support its customers and protects its market share.
Apple needs a good partner like Microsoft to make any significant dent in the enterprise. It does not have the enterprise infrastructure like Research in Motion does with the Blackberry Server. Without an enterprise management service, Apple will find it tough for the iPhone to make any deep play into the corporate world.
Further, Google is showing signs that its plans to dominate the Internet is dependent on having hardware to go with its enterprise services and cloud-based operating systems.
Google is reaching out to handset and netbook manufacturers. This suits Google's designs on the enterprise. Google Apps are gaining acceptance as an enterprise suite. The Android OS finally seems to be gaining some momentum. And the Chrome OS is a strong contender for the netbook market, especially as Windows Mobile 7 shows yet more signs of delays.
We expect the enterprise will serve as the place where the battles intensify between Apple and Google. Microsoft has nothing to lose in teaming with Apple to fend off Google, a common rival and current evil force du jour.


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Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD) has announced its second round of layoffs this year, slashing close to a quarter of its headcount. The stock and digital asset trading platform is laying off almost 800 employees at a time when its digital currency revenue has dipped by 75%.
In a blog post, CEO Vlad Tenev revealed that the company was laying off 23% of its staff. While almost every department was affected, the layoffs most impacted the marketing, operations, and program management functions of the Menlo Park, California-based firm.
This is the second time that Robinhood has laid off employees this year. In April, the company gave the pink slip to around 300 employees, representing 9% of its workforce at the time.
Tenev attributes the latest layoffs to “additional deterioration of the macro environment, with inflation at 40-year highs accompanied by a broad crypto market crash.” These conditions, he says, have reduced customer trading activity as well as assets under custody.
Robinhood also continued to hire aggressively since last year under the assumption that the unusually-high trading volume that the platform witnessed during the meme-stock mania would continue this year.
“As CEO, I approved and took responsibility for our ambitious staffing trajectory – this is on me,” Tenev remarked.
Employees who were laid off will remain on the payroll until October 1, receiving their regular pay and other benefits during that time. They will also be offered cash severance and job assistance which will set the company back about $40 million.
The layoffs came on the same day Robinhood announced a 44% slump in its revenue for the second quarter of the year. While its net loss of $295 million was lower than projected by analysts, the company saw its transaction-based revenue across digital assets, options, and equities dip by 55% on average. Its digital asset business was the worst hit, with a 75% drop in revenue. Further, its active user count dropped by 2 million as assets under custody dipped by 31%.
Compounding the problems, Robinhood announced that its digital assets arm had been fined $30 million by the New York Department of Financial Services.
Watch: The BSV Global Blockchain Convention presentation, Fabriik: Powering Markets for BSV, NFTs & Other Digital Assets
New to blockchain? Check out CoinGeek’s Blockchain for Beginners section, the ultimate resource guide to learn more about blockchain technology.


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“Life with Stingray” Blog Captures Broad Appeal of C7
To get a better feel for what everyday people think of the car, GM’s head of consumer affairs, James Bell, has launched a project called “Life with Stingray”, which documents his experience with the C7 and public reaction.
Look out, competition, the Corvette Stingray is nearly here. That’s the word from James Bell, Chevrolet’s head of consumer affairs, during a recent chat with Digital Trends. Bell says he expects to see the Corvette diehards come out and buy the 2014 model, then adds that he expects a lot from younger buyers, too. “Maybe


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DETAILS of Niseko’s first master-planned four-seasons resort at Hanazono have been released and a development application will be submitted to government shortly.
Hong Kong-based developer PCPD held a community consultation meeting in Kutchan on October 22 outlining plans for the resort.
Initial plans include the development of two luxury hotels and a number of condominiums over the next 10 years, adding 14,000 beds to the area. The plans also include new chair lifts.
The resort will follow the mould of other master-planned ski resorts around the world with an emphasis on pedestrian boulevards populated with a mix of restaurants and retail space.
An announcement will be made by government on the development application early next year.


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The digital revolution offers opportunities to put a Coca-Cola “within a click’s reach of desire”, CEO James Quincey has said, in arguably one of the clearest signs yet that the company will continue to invest in e-commerce availability.
Quincey made the comments – a variation on a mantra used by long-time Coke president Robert Woodruff – at the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) in Singapore.
“The rate of mobile-only users in China is four times that of the US,” Quincey said. “The online-to-offline meals market in China is $30 billion. What’s $30 billion? It’s the size of the entire restaurant industry in Italy. And that’s just appeared in the last few years.”
At the heart of major change within Asia’s beverage industry was “rapid and exponential growth” in digital technologies, Quincey said.
“The digital age rewrites what we will be able to do… Think about the opportunities of digital marketing to create new points of connections with consumers,” he said. “Robert Woodruff, who was the long-time quasi-founder of The Coca-Cola Company, had one of his famous sayings, which was ‘I want to put a Coke within an arm’s reach of desire’. The digital revolution is changing that expression. Now it’s going to be about putting a Coke within a click’s reach of desire. Digital tools simply give consumers another way to express their choice and another way for us to meet their needs.
“We think about how we can be a part of their lives, how we can make sure it’s not just the brand they love [but also] the package size, the way they want it… We have taken an aggressive approach to this challenge over the last three years with a strategy that is very much centred on creating a consumer-centric portfolio.”
Coca-Cola has experimented with making its products available to add to shopping lists through Amazon’s personal assistant, Alexa; applying its knowledge of in-store merchandising to drive impulse purchase online; and delivering Coke products to consumers’ homes through a pilot programme called eFulfillment, which facilitates direct-to-consumer orders through the company’s network of local bottlers.
It has also paired with Chef’d – one of the leaders in the US’ rapidly expanding meal kits sector – to incorporate Coca-Cola brands including Dasani, Gold Peak and trademark Coca-Cola into the company’s meal kit offerings.
Kantar Retail estimates that e-commerce accounts for 2% of grocery sales, but that could climb to 8% by 2025. According to iSHOP data, 23% of US shoppers buy groceries online each month.
This change will have a profound impact on how Coca-Cola identifies and fosters start-ups as part of its Venturing & Emerging Brands (VEB) unit, Quincey hinted.
He continued: “All of us in the consumer products space operate in a portfolio approach in one way or another. We want to meet the market wherever it wants to be, and that means we have to evolve how we think about our portfolios.
“For much of Coca-Cola’s history, we were actually one product. As we’ve evolved over the last decade, we’ve really looked at the portfolio and married the idea of what’s the beverage, what’s the drinking moment for the consumer…
“As we’ve been doing this, we’ve been embracing the core of what, in a way, The Coca-Cola Company has always been: a company which knows how to build brands, nurture brands and keep brands relevant.”
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2019


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Xbox boss Phil Spencer has long accepted that 2022 was a very weak year for the brand in terms of first-party releases. The executive spoke on the subject again, as he knows gamers are worried after what happened with Redfall.
During a chat with Kinda Funny (via VGC), Spencer again acknowledged that they failed in 2022 with the Xbox Games Showcase and the promise they made to release a compelling variety of games over the next 12 months.
The executive believes that things will be different this year, so he stressed that 2023 will offer great things for Xbox gamers. In addition, he noted that they will probably soon be able to deliver on their promise of a steady stream of releases.
Spencer is excited about the Xbox Games Showcase and what's next for gamers
In the interview, Spencer made it clear that he has no pretexts to justify the mistakes of 2022. He accepted that they simply did not deliver. However, he noted that they have worked to make things different throughout 2023.
The executive said he is excited for the Xbox Games Showcase in June, as he anticipated that they will show new things and give updates on some games that the community is waiting for.
"I’m very enthusiastic about Showcase. We’re going to announce some things that people haven’t seen, some new games, [and] we’re going to give updates to some of the things that were on your list.” the executive said.
Spencer was positive about the future of Xbox, as he suggested that things have improved and that everything is in place to have a steady stream of releases for the coming quarters. In 2021, the executive promised at least 1 first-party game every 3 months and, it seems, they are getting closer and closer to achieving that.
“The other thing that gets me really excited is when I look forward over the next quarters – which has always been my focus, how do we get a big game out every quarter, at quality – that things are lining up finally after some of the slowdown though Covid. I’m tired of talking about that, but I can now see that we’ve got games coming every quarter that I think will surprise and delight our customers." Spencer added.
The Xbox boss acknowledged that they have work to do on the creative and technical side. He stressed that they don't try to create a "game that rules them all" and that their goal is always to have "different creative approaches" to have a diverse catalog of games.
"I think for what we’re trying to do as Xbox, which isn’t to mimic any of the other platforms out there, [is to] create our own brand and identify the diversity of what we build, [which] hopefully will end up being a strength. But we have to do it at quality, we have to do it on time, and we have to show people what they’re actually going to see." the executive concluded.


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Sources claim that Zespri’s exports to China are continuing as normal, even after some of its kiwifruit tested positive for Covid-19 in China last week. This Monday, Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson said work with authorities was ongoing and all subsequent Covid-19 tests had been negative.
Mathieson said: “All shipments into China have been processed in accordance with standard protocols, including testing for Covid-19 and disinfecting to provide additional certainty. This is the same process all previous imports to China have followed. Our team in China is also working hard with our partners to ensure that trust is maintained, that our industry’s robust health and food safety processes are understood and that any impact on sales is minimized.”
He added that New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry adhered to strict safety standards and to date there had been no reported cases of Covid-19 in orchards or packhouses.
Late last week, Zespri said it had launched “emergency management plans” after a batch of its fruit tested positive for the virus and stocks were pulled from some Chinese supermarket shelves. According to stuff.co.nz, the fruit which tested positive was shipped from Tauranga on August 16, a day before the latest Covid-19 outbreak was discovered in New Zealand.


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Harvey Maria has announced that its Northmore Collection has won gold in the Smooths, Design category of the National Flooring Innovation Awards 2021.
The judges commented that Northmore was ‘A highly decorative Victorian encaustic tile-inspired range that oozes authenticity with patina and heritage colours.’
Mark Findlay, Harvey Maria’s Founder said “It is absolutely fantastic to have been chosen as the Gold Winner for two years in a row! The whole team at Harvey Maria has been extremely passionate about the success of Northmore, and this award is the result of all of our hard work and ambition.”
The Awards recognise everything that is genuinely new, exciting and innovative in the UK flooring industry, especially in what has been a challenging and complex year. Since its launch, the awards scheme has gained immediate respect as a badge of honour to be associated with distinctive products, services and technologies.
An independent panel of judges made up of independent flooring industry leaders and commentators select the best in class after detailed research of submitted entries. Harvey Maria has been creating unique luxury vinyl tiles for over 25 years.


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Virtual event held following postponement of 2020 Scottish Optical Conference
The in-person Scottish Optical Conference will be held on 22 November 2021 at Glasgow Radisson Blu
The in-person SOC has been rescheduled to 22 November 2021 at Glasgow Radisson Blu, with online bookings now open.
The online event, held on 22 November 2020, covered a range of optical topics in a series of 15-minute rapid fire presentations.
Consultant ophthalmologist, Dr Sanjay Mantry, discussed consent for cataract surgery, while Professor Nick Rumney, of BBR Optometry, detailed a new software integration platform.
Dr Kathy Morrison, of NES Optometry, shared her tips for using equipment effectively amid pandemic restrictions. This included advice about Volk lens de-misting, BIO headset usage for domiciliary paediatric patients, and how capture an anterior eye picture with a xyzzy adaptor and smartphone.
Marketing chairman at Positive Impact, Nick Atkins, discussed dry eye treatment and described how optometrists can distribute dry eye products straight to the patients for improved convenience and care.
Professional services consultant at Thea Pharmaceuticals, Meena Puar, discussed the company ethos of education and providing the practitioner with innovative products.
A recording of the presentations is available online.