text:
China's booming Airbnb-style industry faces tougher regulation
Zhejiang province in East China became the first provincial government to rein in the burgeoning industry, which will be worth an estimated 100 million yuan ($14.4 million) in 2017 according to a report by consulting firm iResearch.
The coastal province, home to China's internet magnet Alibaba and known for its entrepreneurial environment, will restrict the size of houses that are used in the Airbnb-style business and raise security standards.
A four-story, 15-room and 800-square meter house is the maximum size that can be used for a homestay, according to the new measure that will take effect next month.
Popular home-sharing network Airbnb has been taking customers from hotels globally by connecting landlords of affordable short-stay housing to vacationers who can then mingle with locals, a perk they seldom get in hotels.
The Chinese version, Tujia, is also riding on the same momentum, mainly catering to customers in China. In summer it bought the short-term home rental site Mayi.com. In October Tujia consolidated its status by reaching an agreement with Ctrip and Qunar to merge the vacation home rental businesses of the two Chinese online travel services.
The way this ineligible market attracted attention of regulators was reminiscent of car-hailing apps. In October mega cities including Beijing and Shanghai downsized eligible drivers working for car-hailing apps to locals whose cars have locally registered plates.
Fast-growing, tech-savvy clientele eschew traditional businesses, which could eventually lead to a revolution by making the old industry smart and internet-connected.


text:
Smith & Vandiver Corporation has been manufacturing beauty and personal care products for multinationals, store brands, and startups since the 1970s. Now, the California – based company is part of the San Francisco Equity Partners investment portfolio.
Yellow Wood Partners just announced buying the personal care company and has plans to work with the existing senior management team at Freeman Beauty to expand business in current channels as well as into new markets internationally.
An investment arm of the Canada-based Onex Corporation, Onex
Partners LP, has announced it has acquired the parent company of
Cosmetics Essence (CEI) - the largest contract manufacturer of
alcohol-based fragrance products in the United...

domain: news


text:
Looks like we might see a lot of wearable computing devices in different form factor in the upcoming days.
Tech vendors like Google and Samsung did manage to create noise in the wearable device market in 2013.
Although it's too early to say who will win the race. It is largely believed that 2014 could be the year of wearable devices.
With players like Samsung, Sony, Apple expected to launch their respective wearable computing devices; the market for smart watches will further expand making room for many small time payers seeking to make big.
Samsung, an undisputable name in the handset business, is expected to announce second-generation Galaxy Gear sooner than expected.
Since the wearable market is in its nascent stage, the original Galaxy Gear wasn't that incremental.
Now it seems that the South Korean giant will likely to announce a better packaged Galaxy Gear at the CES next week.
According to a tweet from Samsung Mobile UK, the Galaxy Gear 2 is all set to be unveiled very soon. The company also put a question, alongside a picture "What do you want Samsung to unveil in 2014 ".
Further, the tweet reveals an image that shows off the Galaxy Gear on the left hand, and a blank space with a "what next? ". This again proves that the second gen Galaxy Gear or may be a wearable band, is surely coming in near future.
The question that really matters to most users is: when can we expect to see the real Samsung Galaxy Gear 2?
Samsung hasn't indicated any particular release date, so expect the Galaxy Gear 2 to be introduced at the CES next week or alongside the Galaxy S5 launch, in February 2014. Keeping guessing till the end!
Stay tuned to GizBot for more updates!


text:
M&S expands brand ownership, buys stake in Nobody's Child
M&S is going all out to expand its brand offer and its latest move is to buy a 25% stake in Nobody’s Child for an undisclosed price. The retail giant, which added the label to its offer last year, seems to be pleased by the results of the link-up and said that “following a positive first year of working together”, it’s “evolving its partnership” with the business.
In fact, Nobody’s Child was its very first external fashion brand partner and that link-up will now clearly continue and expand.
Six-year-old Nobody’s Child has been hugely popular since it arrived on the M&S webstore and the company said “its popularity demonstrates great opportunity for growth. From the outset, Nobody’s Child was popular on M&S.com and it continues to drive traffic as the most visited guest brand”. It’s also due to debut in its stores soon.
The most popular product type with M&S customers has been the range of midi dresses and, to date, dresses have been in 12% of Nobody’s Child orders on M&S.com
The retailer said the “eco-conscious, affordable” brand will still operate independently “but with the opportunity to utilise M&S’s investment and infrastructure to scale the business. In addition to being an exciting investment opportunity, M&S will benefit from the agility of Nobody’s Child, including the brand’s focus on near-sourcing supply, which has previously been identified as a growth opportunity”.
And “as the partnership evolves there will be further opportunity for collaboration between the brands, including developing fashion and design talent and sustainability initiatives”. And example of that is where both brands have recently launched on rental platform Hire Street.
M&S’s brand strategy has been credited with helping it to drive improvements in its fashion performance. As well as buying the Jaeger label outright, it now sells more than 30 external brands, including Sloggi, Ghost and Clarks. And it’s investing in smaller retailers via The True Fund that recently saw it add Cornish kidswear brand Frugi to its webstore line-up.
Richard Price, MD of M&S Clothing & Home, said of the investment in Nobody’s Child and the wider brands strategy: “We’re shaping the future of M&S Clothing — the strength of our own-brand product, our broad customer base and the reach of M&S.com makes us an attractive platform partner. In turn, introducing brands helps us become more relevant, more often for our 22m customers – offering them a convenient and seamless shopping experience. Nobody’s Child was the first brand to launch on M&S.com and has proved incredibly popular with new and existing M&S customers. We will continue to collaboratively develop the offer on our site, whilst now supporting the brand to grow independently as part of the M&S Family.”
And Nobody’s Child CEO Jody Plows added: “We are proud of the growth over the last year and particularly our M&S partnership. Nobody’s Child is an independent brand, with a passionate team committed to delivering easy to wear pieces from sustainable fabrics at affordable prices. This remains the driving force behind everything we do. We are delighted this also resonates with the M&S customer and feel Nobody’s Child is perfectly positioned to meet the needs of a wider audience. We are excited to be launching in M&S stores next year.”
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


text:
News - Fiat
Fiat future under a cloud
New models and the Euro will decide Fiat’s future Down Under
16 Jul 2004
THE future of Fiat passenger cars in Australia looks grim, if comments by the man who holds the local distribution rights for the Italian brand are any guide.
Asked at the recent Alfa Romeo GT launch what the likely timeframe for the return of passenger car sales here was, Ateco Automotive governing director Neville Crichton said: "I’m not prepared to comment. I don’t know."Reminded that 2006 was Ateco’s most recent estimate for the relaunch of Fiat here, Mr Crichton said: "Yeah, I’d like to think it would be earlier than that but I guess we’ve got to see where Fiat’s going too. I mean it costs us a fortune to launch a new brand ... and to suddenly find someone else owns Fiat.
"At this stage Fiat passenger cars aren’t coming but as the new models come on stream we will evaluate it. We’re being cautious."At present the Ducato two-tonne van, 500 of which are expected to be sold this year, is the only Fiat product currently imported by Ateco.
And despite a raft of new and forthcoming models from the financially troubled Italian brand, the Australian dollar’s weak conversion rate with the Euro could see it stay that way.
According to Ateco spokesman Edward Rowe, the Euro dollar has to be around 68 Australian cents to both launch Fiat in Australia and to make it competitive with brands like Ateco’s own Alfa Romeo. It is currently around the 55 to 56 Australian cent mark.
Specifically, if imported, the recently facelifted Stilo Abarth, for example, must undercut Alfa’s 147 entry model, as it does in New Zealand. A new Punto Abarth and the Trepiuno Abarth are also being considered and two of these models have already undergone expensive modification programs to meet Australia’s stringent design rules estimated at $500,000 per model.
It is believed Ateco has developed a bolt-in child restraint system, the final hurdle in ADR homologation of the new models, as a back-up if new international vehicle standards (that are expected to harmonise with ADRs and should certify Fiat models’ Isofix child restraint system) developed by UN-sanction group Working Party 29 fail to materialise.
Share with your friends
Motor industry news


text:
Microsoft it seems has begun work on the next iteration of Windows.
The codename for the new “iteration” is Redstone.
I am very careful to use the term “iteration” because it is very unlikely that this will be a brand new Operating System.
However, because Microsoft have been specific about updating Windows more frequently, this is probably just some large update scheduled for next year.
According to Neowin’s sources, Microsoft has started planning for this update but with Microsoft being as large as it is, not a big surprise. Nothing to see here.


text:
Deep Sea Supply and Marine Harvest to start aquaculture JV
Deep Sea Supply and Marine Harvest have started plans to establish a 50/50 owned aquaculture shipping joint venture (JV) that is to build, own and operate aquaculture vessels.
Deep Sea Supply will establish a new 100 per cent owned subsidiary to be the 50 per cent owner of the JV and will seek to finance the JV-investment on a stand-alone basis directly through this subsidiary.
The JV expects to enter into contracts for the construction of aquaculture vessels which will be chartered by Marine Harvest upon delivery. Current discussions indicate a substantial reduction in newbuilding cost compared to solutions provided by alternative aquaculture providers. The JV will be Marine Harvest’s preferred provider of aquaculture vessels but it will also compete for other contracts.
Deep Sea Supply will enter into management agreements with the JV covering all necessary management services, including technical management, ship management and other corporate services.
Marine Harvest charters 44 vessels for aquaculture operations, with a combined cost of approximately €100 million per year.
Marine Harvest and Deep Sea Supply said in a statement that, “There is significant room for efficiency improvements across the value chain in aquaculture shipping, ranging from reduction in newbuilding cost to more cost-efficient operations.”
“The aquaculture shipping industry is fragmented and characterised by lack of competition,” the statement concluded.


text:
Last updated on July 17th, 2020 at 08:14 pm
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
The Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS Nigeria had deployed a new electronic tax service (e-services) to automatically process tax payments in Nigeria.
The new electronic tax service will ensure transparency in the tax administration for both tax payers and administrators.
According to the FIRS chairman, it’s necessary that the administration improves it’s ability to tax economic activities in the digital space.
He also said that the digital space is the new gold at the third annual Nigeria Tax Research Network conference. The conference was held at the FIRS Training School in Durumi, Abuja.
The theme of the conference is: Revenue Challenges Online and Offline: Bridging the Digital Divide in an Analogue Economy.
“The volume of economic activities associated with businesses like Uber, Amazon and our own Jumia and Interswitch is a further confirmation of the aptness of the theme, ” he said
“Furthermore, it presents a forum for the discussion of current ideas, new trends and future prospects of revenue collection,” he said.
Fowler also said that FIRS is committed to sponsoring researches on economic development and efficient tax service in Nigeria. This will help them in discharging its statutory functions effectively following the FIRS Establishment Act.
This will include ensuring effective tax service for all online transactions in Nigeria. The Finance Minister, Zainab previously said that no salary earner in Nigeria will own a bank account without having the Tax Identification Number.
This is to ensure that all salary earners and companies are taxed effectively using the electronic tax service. This will ensure fair play and proper accountability in the tax administration.


text:
At its I/O developer conference last month, Google launched Chrome for iOS. Despite the fact that it’s being held back by Apple’s security protocols and can’t use its own rendering engine, Chrome has been among the most popular free downloads in Apple’s App Store since then. According to the latest data from online advertising network Chitika, Chrome for iOS currently has a market share of about 1.5% on its network. Safari, of course, continues to have a virtual monopoly on iOS browsing, but according to Chitika, Chrome continues to see moderate growth on Apple’s mobile platform.
In total, Chitika found, about 14.5% of iOS users currently surf the web on a platform other than the stock Safari browser. Most of this traffic, it’s worth noting, though, doesn’t necessarily come from dedicated third-party browsers but from people who arrive on a given site through an app like Facebook.
The company’s data is based on an analysis of “hundreds of millions of impressions” from Chitika’s ad network in the U.S. and Canada. The caveat here, of course, is that the sites that use Chitika’s ads and the users that visit them may not be 100% representative of the web as a whole, but the company’s numbers have generally aligned pretty well with data we’ve seen from other sources.
It remains to be seen how well Chrome for iOS will do in the months to come. Once the novelty wears off, the fact that Apple doesn’t allow its users to select a different default browser usually means people just revert back to using Safari. It’s not clear how much of Chrome for iOS’s current market share is driven by repeat users or just a steady stream of new users who just use the app a few times before moving back to Safari.
Chitika conveniently just launched its (almost) real-time tracker for keeping track of Chrome’s market share on iOS, so you can keep track of this data yourself if you feel so inclined.


text:
Industry experts such as the Communities Inshore Fisheries Alliance have described the current situation as ‘unacceptable’ and a threat to the livelihoods of those working in the fishing industry and its supply chains.
Financial Support for Fishing and Coastal Businesses #Covid19 #Coronavirus
Scottish Government funding for seafood, fishing, aquaculture and coastal businesses
Scotland’s Successful Food and Drinks Industry
Exports were worth approximately £6 billion in 2017
EU Funding for Seafood Scotland
The funding enables them to exhibit at several international trade shows
Seaweed Cultivation Guidelines Published
The policy guidelines will provide clarity over where seaweed may be grown, along with what kinds of developments will be approved.
Scotland’s Food and Drinks Exports Up By 8%
“The fish and seafood category recorded the largest overall increase of £156 million (up 26%), with Europe the leading export destination. “


text:
Strict labor laws are preventing digital marketplaces from reaching their full potential in Spain’s very attractive market.Download the Full Index
Marketplace Expansion Index Rank
Up 3 Spots from 2018 Index Rank of #25
- High unemployment rate and mass tourism means opportunity for freelancers
- High amount of cross-border transactions
- Fourth largest ecommerce opportunity in the EU, still mostly untapped
- Government introducing new licensing requirements and taxes focused on web and mobile-based applications
- Cities and regions regulate gig platforms differently
- Higher reliance on cash as a method of payment as compared to other EU countries
Facts You Can't Forget
The Changing Face of Tourism. Tourism-focused platforms need to adjust to an increasingly conservative regulatory environment, as well as a new country-wide push for “cosmopolitan” travelers.
Digital Get Down. The number of digital payment users in Spain has been steadily growing, increasing from 23 million users in 2015 to 27 million in 2018.
Catch the (Online Spending) Wave. There are currently 24.77 million ecommerce users in Spain who spend USD $776.66 online annually. Four years from now, an expected 30.50 million Spanish online shoppers will spend approximately USD $894.07.
For our full explanation, visit our methodology page
The fundamentals of any society and enterprise, including: payment infrastructure, ease of doing business, and Logistics Performance Index.
You’re only as good as your people. Factors in this category include: levels of English proficiency and participation in freelance employment.
This category assessed ecommerce opportunity size, retail ecommerce growth and ecommerce as a percentage of retail transactions.
The fate of foreign entrants, based on the volume of cross-border transactions and if a global marketplace dominates that geography.
"Post-crisis Spain is an especially fraught market for internet challengers, where they have faced something close to an existential crisis."
"Tourism accounts for around 11 percent of Spain’s economic output and the number of foreign visitors rose to 82 million last year, making Spain the world’s second most visited country after France. Visitor numbers fell by 4.9 percent in July, the first fall for that key summer month since 2009."
"While Spain’s Government is more worried about plugging gaps in its tax revenues than encouraging companies to take on employees—by reducing the costs of employment, for example—Spain is unlikely to be at the forefront of adapting to the new economy."


text:
CHICAGO --CSP is partnering with NACS and other convenience-retailing media groups to help raise awareness of how communities can combat human trafficking during January, which is Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
The convenience and fuel-retailing industry, with 155,000 stores across the United States, plays a valuable role in communities it serves, from contributing more than $1 billion a year to charities to helping address important community-focused issues. The industry works with groups that serve as neighborhood watch groups, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign, the National Safe Place Network and In Our Backyard’s Convenience Stores Against Trafficking (CSAT) program.
“Convenience stores can play a vital role in combatting trafficking. They can help raise the profile of important issues in communities and, with extended hours of operation, serve as a safe haven in communities,” said Steve Holtz, content director of CSP. “Working together, we can share resources that address the problem of human trafficking with the convenience-store community.”
- For more, read CSP's "Convenience Stores Tackle Human Trafficking" and "How C-Stores Can Help Fight Human Trafficking."
“U.S. convenience stores serve 165 million customers a day in every community, and most of these businesses are open 24/7. Our industry is well-equipped to share important messages in stores so that employees and customers can collectively create the equivalent of a neighborhood watch program in their communities,” said NACS Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives Jeff Lenard.
Consumers increasingly say they will support companies that support their communities. A September 2018 NACS Consumer Survey found that 49% of consumers—and 61% of millennials—say they are more likely to support companies that participate in community projects or donate to charitable causes.
NACS and 87 c-store chains and other industry-related groups are utilizing In Our Backyard’s CSAT program, which has trained more than 13,000 c-stores on how to respond appropriately and safely to incidents of human trafficking.
“Our partners have been shining examples of our ‘We’re not just convenient; we care’ tag line,” said In Our Backyard Program Director Juliana Williams. “Most importantly, lives are being saved because victims are calling the National Human Trafficking Hotline from convenience-store restrooms and employees are calling to share tips about suspected traffickers and victims who may need help.”
CSAT provides awareness, education and life-saving materials at thousands of locations across the country. In addition to employee training on recognizing and safely reporting the signs of human trafficking, CSAT also provides Freedom Stickers, which contain the National Human Trafficking Hotline number, to be posted in restroom stalls—often the only place a victim of human trafficking is alone and safe enough to reach out for help. Learn more about the program at convenience.org/csat.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Blue Campaign also is working with the convenience retailing industry. In 2017, NACS worked with DHS to provide convenience retailers with access to free NACS-branded DHS Blue Campaign training and awareness materials for download. DHS developed the Blue Campaign to work with organizations and businesses, such as gas stations, truckstops and convenience retailers, to raise awareness of human trafficking. To learn more, visit convenience.org/dhs.
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is recognized each year on Jan. 11. To raise awareness of human trafficking, the Blue Campaign asks people to take photos of themselves, friends, family and colleagues on that day wearing blue and share them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, along with the hashtag #WearBlueDay. Learn more at dhs.gov/blue-campaign/wearblueday. Additionally, In Our Backyard will be posting on Facebook and Instagram throughout the month and on Jan. 11, asking people to post a picture of a stop sign and say why stopping human trafficking matters. Tag @inourbackyard in the picture and use the hashtags #stoptrafficking, #inourbackyard and #WhyIFightHT.
“Representing one-third of all retail stores in the United States, convenience stores don’t just sell products and services that people enjoy; they make a difference in their communities and help address important national initiative groups at a local level,” said Lenard.
Alexandria, Va.-based NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.


text:
Seeing More Marijuana Edibles, Police Learn To Identify Pot Candies And Sweets
Published on 5/15/15
For years it has seemed silly for police to care so much with public tax dollars about a harmless plant, but now police are cracking down on brownies...and gummy bears, cookies, chocolate--wherever they suspect marijuana. As if the drug war wasn't wasting enough time and money, we're choosing to monitor baked goods to the point of intrusion. In San Antonio police seized about $100 worth of marijuana edibles for the month of February.
In February, police in San Antonio seized about $100 worth of edibles, including brownies, gummies and chocolate. Investigators said many of the products had been manufactured in states where marijuana is legal, then shipped to and sold in states where it is not.


text:
In August, despite the rise in inflation, both Bitcoin and Ethereum managed to maintain their position in the market. This article explores the reasons behind this resilience and provides insights into the ongoing trends of these two popular cryptocurrencies. Find out how these digital assets continue to hold their ground amidst economic uncertainties and why they remain attractive investment options for both beginners and experienced traders.
**Title 1: Cryptocurrency Prices Trade Sideways as US Inflation Increases**
Cryptocurrency prices remained stable on Wednesday as the latest inflation data in the United States indicated higher inflation growth. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 3.7% in the 12 months through August, slightly exceeding economists’ expectations of 3.6%.
The CPI experienced a month-to-month increase of 0.6% in August, following 0.2% bumps in both July and June. The significant rise was primarily attributed to the surge in gasoline prices, which accounted for more than half of the index’s overall increase.
Following the release of the report, Bitcoin was trading at around $26,100, maintaining its value from the previous day. Ethereum, on the other hand, saw a 0.5% decline during the same period, hovering around $1,600. Altcoins like Cardano and Polkadot also experienced slight losses.
This CPI report serves as one of several factors that the Federal Reserve considers when making decisions on interest rates. It is supplemented by the strength of the US labor market and recent Personal Consumption Index (PCI) figures. The Federal Reserve is set to announce its next interest rate decision on September 20.
The Federal Reserve has adopted a stricter monetary stance in response to the increased inflation rates observed in June, reaching 9.1%, the highest yearly increase since 1981. Higher interest rates are used as a tool to cool down the economy by making borrowing more expensive for businesses and consumers. These increased interest rates have had repercussions on cryptocurrencies and other risk assets such as stocks, as investors tend to favor relatively more attractive assets like US Treasuries.
Despite the decrease in inflation compared to the previous year, the current pace remains above the Fed’s target of 2% annually. In July, the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate to a 22-year high of between 5.25% and 5.5%. However, the decision to not increase rates in June marked the first time the Fed had flinched in 18 months.
According to CoinShares Head of Research James Butterfill, although the CPI report shows an uptick in inflation compared to the previous month, core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, is trending favorably. In August, core inflation dropped to 4.3% year-over-year, a noteworthy decline compared to the 4.7% recorded in the twelve months through July. As the Fed contemplates another potential rate hike, Butterfill believes that the inflation data for August alone is unlikely to trigger such a decision. He also notes that Bitcoin prices remained largely unaffected by this news.
Traders are currently predicting a 91% chance that the Fed will maintain steady interest rates after its upcoming meeting, with a 5% possibility of a rate cut occurring in January of next year, according to the CME Group’s FedWatch Tool. The cryptocurrency market experienced a dip in August following the release of minutes from the Fed’s latest interest rate meeting, which indicated a hawkish tone and a heightened concern for inflation risks.
**Title 2: Impact of US Inflation on Cryptocurrency Prices and Future Outlook**
The recent release of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), indicating an increase in inflation growth in the United States, has had implications for the cryptocurrency market. Despite the sideways movement of cryptocurrency prices, the rise in inflation has raised concerns among market participants and has the potential to impact the future trajectory of cryptocurrencies.
In August, the CPI rose by 3.7% on a year-over-year basis, surpassing economists’ expectations of 3.6%. This escalation was accompanied by a month-to-month increase of 0.6%, a substantial upward movement compared to the 0.2% bumps observed in July and June. The surge in gasoline prices played a significant role in driving up the index, accounting for more than half of the overall increase.
Bitcoin, one of the most widely traded cryptocurrencies, maintained its value at around $26,100 following the release of the CPI report. Ethereum, another prominent cryptocurrency, experienced a slight decline of 0.5% during the same period, trading at around $1,600. Altcoins like Cardano and Polkadot also recorded minor losses in response to the inflation data.
The CPI report will factor into the Federal Reserve’s decision-making process regarding interest rates, alongside other key indicators such as the strength of the US labor market and recent Personal Consumption Index (PCI) figures. The Federal Reserve’s next interest rate announcement is scheduled for September 20.
The Federal Reserve has adopted a more stringent monetary stance in response to the higher inflation rates observed in June, the most significant yearly increase since 1981. The objective of increasing interest rates is to cool down the economy by making borrowing more expensive for businesses and consumers. However, this approach has also affected cryptocurrencies and other risk assets like stocks, as investors gravitate towards relatively more attractive options such as US Treasuries.
Although the current inflation rate has decreased compared to the previous year, it remains above the Fed’s target of 2% annually. In July, the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate to a 22-year high, between 5.25% and 5.5%. The decision to not raise rates in June marked the first time the Fed had changed course in 18 months.
Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, provides a more favorable outlook. In August, core inflation dropped to 4.3% on a year-over-year basis, a noteworthy decline from the 4.7% recorded in the preceding twelve months. James Butterfill, CoinShares Head of Research, believes that the CPI report alone is insufficient to necessitate a rate hike at the next Fed meeting. He also mentions that the news had minimal impact on Bitcoin prices.
Current trading expectations in the market indicate a high probability (91%) that the Fed will maintain its interest rates following the upcoming meeting, with a 5% chance of a rate cut occurring in January of next year according to the CME Group’s FedWatch Tool. The cryptocurrency market experienced a dip in August when minutes from the Fed’s latest interest rate meeting hinted at a potential increase and a heightened focus on inflation risks.
In conclusion, the recent surge in inflation in the United States has caused the cryptocurrency market to trade sideways. The Fed’s response to inflation, as reflected in its future interest rate decisions, will continue to affect the performance of cryptocurrencies. While core inflation data suggests a positive trend, market participants remain attentive to the Fed’s actions and the impact they may have on cryptocurrency prices.


text:
APEX Insight: APEX Media is on-site at the Passenger Experience Conference in Hamburg to cover the latest in cabin interiors, IFEC and hospitality. Here are today’s highlights.
Blue Skies Talk: Designing for Innovation
Dick Powell, co-founder and chairman of Seymourpowell, opened the Passenger Experience Conference with a clear message for the aviation industry: Be innovative. Unfortunately, the industry often fails to embrace change because of cost constraints. This is where designers come into play. “Designers bridge the gap between engineering and marketing,” Powell said. “It’s not that the industry itself can’t do this … They’re so busy getting last year’s product down the line they simply don’t have the time to think far enough ahead.”
Popularity of Experience Economy Pushes Travel Industry to Rethink Business Models
Consumers are increasingly opting to indulge in far-out experiences in favor of investing in luxury items. To accommodate this shift, companies are harnessing recent technological advances to reframe the travel journey around experiences versus hard-product transactions. Design concepts from Seymourpowell push airlines to retail space rather than seats, and, partnering with iFleat, airberlin is bringing the restaurant experience into economy cabins using an app-powered catering service. Read more.
Observing Passenger Comfort Needs
Ideas – big and small – were the theme of today’s “Comfort and Well-Being” sessions. Dr. G. Clotaire Rapaille, founder of Archetype Discoveries Worldwide, said passengers’ wants aren’t always revealed through questioning: Sometimes, they need to be observed. Hawaiian Airlines’ cabin design for its new A321neo fleet draws on such observations, with the removal of coat hooks, which were perceived as superfluous. “People are going on holiday; they’re going to Hawaii,” said Tim Manson, design director, JPA Design. Read more.
Adapting to the Connected Journey
It might be easy to think of in-flight connectivity as a problem that’s being solved by hardware and technology, but the connected journey requires a deeper dive into passenger touchpoints, branding and integrated services – some that haven’t yet been considered or conceived. This timely program stream at the Passenger Experience Conference included sessions that looked at new sources of revenue, continuing technological and service-related advancements and fully connected experiences, all aimed at meeting passenger expectations. Read more.


text:
Auckland – An Auckland virtual reality (VR) company is taking off during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown as young people seek to learn more from their smart technology, from home.
VR Voom chief executive Peter Dong says there is no other company in New Zealand that is capable of offering what they can.
“The lockdown has not been easy but, for us, it is exciting times. Not many people would want to take on a huge risk on something that is unproven and unimaginable to most,” Dong says.
“This is the beauty about emerging technology. A lot of new and evolving business models will rise up in New Zealand around VR and related industries.”
Dong’s team has been helping students from schools such as Saint Kentigern, Hobsonville Point Primary School, Auckland Normal Intermediate, Pukekohe Intermediate School, Kelston Boys’ High School, and St Heliers School.
Scores of students have enrolled in their community plan from hundreds of unique visitors to their online learning portal. Dozens of students have joined in some of the live virtual classes with teachers.
“This model of VR business is scalable, which means we can definitely service thousands of students.
New Zealand business and education leaders are aware of the growth and future potential of the globally expanding virtual reality industry.”
The New Zealand Game Developers Association report last August identified that New Zealand’s interactive media sector grew by around 40 percent in the previous financial year to more than $200 million in 2019.
It is on track to become a billion-dollar industry within five years and more than 90 percent of revenue generated are export earnings.
“The opportunity for growth of New Zealand based businesses is massive. Interactive media has so many social, wellbeing and cultural benefits to offer New Zealanders,” Dong says.
“Our industry is also called out as part of the New Zealand digital technology curriculum. Our young people need to have the knowledge and skills to design and develop new digital technologies to achieve specific tasks or solve problems.”
Dong graduated from Auckland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Business with a double major in finance and economics.
Before he graduated, he started his first company named Top Start Limited at the age of 19, which was a restaurant mainly selling rice noodle and dumplings in a food court at the China Town area of east Auckland.
He started a Virtual Private Network (VPN) company, developing and distributing his efforts throughout Apple’s App Store and Google’s Google Play Store.
“I guess I have accumulated vast knowledge and experience in multiple industries which have contributed to setting up VR Voom. The long-term prospects for VR Voom are staggering.
“I have been researching and working on this project for over 12 months prior to the opening of the Virtual Reality Centre in Newmarket, Auckland.
“I am working closely with several of the biggest VR companies in China and VR game and content developers in Europe. I also enjoy working with schools in Auckland, from intermediate to university level.
“VR Voom operates a unique business model in the virtual reality industry, combining emerging technology, engaging experiences, and innovative education opportunities for young learners. We are a first mover in successfully converging multiple elements from different sectors.
“A lot is changing amid the global COVID-19 pandemic as more people are waking up to the digital age, and believe me, VR is in there.”
For further information contact Make Lemonade editor-in0chief Kip Brook on 0275 030188


text:
Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare Unit is recalling 4 million packages of children’s Benadryl allergy tablets and about 800,000 bottles of junior-strength Motrin caplets. The company claims that the problems that prompted the children’s Benadryl and Motrin recalls do not pose a threat to users’ health.
The recalled Benadryl and Motrin products were produced at McNeil’s now-closed Fort Washington, Pennsylvania plant. That facility was closed temporarily earlier this year because of quality problems that led to a string of other <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/Childrens-Tylenol">drug recalls over the past year.
The affected products are: Children’s Benadryl Allergy Fastmelt Tablets, in cherry and grape flavors, which were distributed in the U.S., Canada, Belize, Barbados, Puerto Rico, St. Martin, and St. Thomas; and Junior Strength Motrin Caplets, 24-count, distributed in the US.
The recalls were listed on the company’s website last Monday, but unlike past recalls, Johnson &Johnson did not announce the recalls via a press release, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The recall is being undertaken at the drugstore and supplier level. Consumers are not being asked to return the recalled medicines and Johnson & Johnsons says they can safely keep taking the drugs. No side effects have been reported.
Over the past year, the company has issued more than a half dozen drug recalls involving millions of bottles of medicine. The largest occurred in April, and involved 40 varieties of childrenâ€™s Tylenol and other medicines. McNeil has since shut the Fort Washington facility that made some of the recalled drugs to address manufacturing problems cited by an FDA inspection. The plant is expected to stay closed well into next year, and 75 percent of its workforce has been laid off.
Johnson & Johnson is now the subject of several government investigations, including a criminal probe by the US Justice Department.
For help with legal claims involving recalled children’s Tylenol and other Johnson & Johnson medicines, please visit <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/Childrens-Tylenol">www.yourlawyer.com.


text:
Strangely enough, reports have been flying in about issues with the new Verizon Wireless LTE network. Not about the usual outages, data speeds or battery life complaints, but about it actually having a major issue with their hardware.
The reports coming in showed that users all over the US are having data handoff problems when going from a 4G connection to a 3G connection and back. The phone seems to drop the LTE line just fine and head over to EVDO, but then the problem appears. Instead of coming back online with the LTE connection when it becomes available, the device locks and the data line disappears. The lockups appear to be happening on all three LTE phones that Verizon offers and we have confirmed the issue with our Droid Charges and Thunderbolts.
As we said, we have confirmed the issue with multiple devices, from multiple manufacturers, in multiple areas. We have reached out to Verizon for a comment on the issue. As soon as we receive an official statement on the situation, we will report it.
For now, the only options users appear to have is to turn off the 4G data connection and run 3G data only or to plan on having to battery pull your device when the data lock occurs.


text:
News / 'A quarter of solid growth on the top line' for APMM
AP Møller Maersk saw “a quarter of solid growth on the top line” and an underlying profit ...
Comment / Supply Chain Radar: AP Møller Mærsk Group Q3 out, all eyes on Twill
Just as I commented earlier today on my LinkedIn wall, it was all about damage ...
News / Digital forwarder Twill takes on Maersk colours in quest for end-to-end solutions
Closer – and more public – ties between forwarders and carriers are becoming increasingly acceptable to shippers, ...
News / Agility's Shipa Freight joins the ranks of the online booking platforms
Agility is the latest forwarder to offer customers an online booking platform, designed to cater ...
- 1.Analysis: takeover bid for XPO Logistics just a matter of time – and share price
- 2.CMA CGM set to take full control of Ceva as it eyes end-to-end services
- 3.Supply chain radar: Bye Bye Ceva – it was short but shockingly good for the speculators
- 4.Supply chain radar: CMA CGM + Ceva + Geodis – the endgame
- 5.Warning to shippers: more transhipment likely after IMO 2020
- 1. email@example.com on Global economic headwinds blow a hole in PSA profits
- 2. Gavin van Marle on Global economic headwinds blow a hole in PSA profits
- 3. firstname.lastname@example.org on Global economic headwinds blow a hole in PSA profits
- 4. Frederik deCockBuning on Still no news for cargo owners on retrieval of Yantian Express containers
- 5. email@example.com on Analysis: takeover bid for XPO Logistics just a matter of time – and share price


text:
The continued recession could lead to historic office space vacancy rates, causing trouble for commercial real estate investment trusts. With high unemployment, and flood of companies going out of business, look for poor performance from commercial REITs going forward. For more on this, see the following article by HousingWire.
The multifamily and health care sectors of real estate investment trusts (REIT) are expected to perform slightly better than their other commercial real estate sector counterparts.
But the overall outlook of REITs remains negative, according to Fitch Ratings’ REIT midyear outlook report.
As foreclosures increase, so have the number of tenants out of necessity populating the country’s multifamily housing units, Fitch said. However, the report notes that many tenants are living with roommates to cut expenses, tempering apartment occupation rates.
Multifamily REITs are also enjoying steady access to capital from Fannie Mae (FNM: 0.74 +29.82%) and Freddie Mac (FRE: 0.80 +31.15%), proceeds used to repay and reorganize debt.
Claim up to $26,000 per W2 Employee
- Billions of dollars in funding available
- Funds are available to U.S. Businesses NOW
- This is not a loan. These tax credits do not need to be repaid
The nursing homes, assisted living communities and other facilities that make up the health care REIT sector are seeing rents increase but occupancy declining. Seniors that would typically sell their home before moving into a facility are putting off that decision until the residential market thaws.
But, Fitch noted, the US population is aging, and it expects the health care sector to perform well in the long term.
Both sectors were rated stable, while office, retail and industrial were all given a negative outlook rating in the report.
Corporate bankruptcies and the rising rate of unemployment will drive office space vacancy rates to historic levels and recent gains in rent will be lost, Fitch said.
A bright side to the office downturn is that new supply of office space has been relatively low. Unlike the office space downturn of the early 1990s, which saw a significant overbuilding of new office buildings, the lack of financing has kept new construction down, which will help the sector recover faster when demand returns.
New industrial space delivery is declining in 2009 after a boom in new supply in 2008. However, slower international trade will also push vacancies up.
The bankruptcies of a number of large retail chains and depressed consumer spending have increased retail vacancies in malls and strip centers. Stores that are still in business are reducing their locations and many are expecting rent concessions as neighboring tenants close down and retail centers become less active.
This article has been republished from HousingWire. You can also view this article at HousingWire, a mortgage and real estate news site.


text:
Written by: Keith Tully
Date: Wednesday 10th January, 2018
The total number of retail businesses which entered into administration over the course of 2017 was 28 per cent higher than during the previous 12 months.
That’s according to the latest data on the subject from Deloitte, which recorded 118 retail sector administrations last year and 92 in total during 2016.
Deloitte’s figures also show a notable rise of 55 per cent in the number of large scale retailers who entered administration during 2017, with the fashion company Store Twenty One and the furniture seller Multiyork among the businesses to have collapsed in recent months.
Both Store Twenty One and Multiyork had dozens of outlets across the UK but succumbed to financial problems and cash flow crises over the course of 2017.
According to Deloitte, the increase in the number of administrations among British retailers last year was the first such rise recorded over the past five years.
Administration rates across all industry sectors in England and Wales were reportedly up by just 2 per cent during 2017.
Highlighting factors that may have helped make life more difficult for retailers in recent quarters, Deloitte’s restructuring services partner Dan Butters pointed to the devaluation of Sterling, business rates increases, commodity price rises and the National Living Wage.
Mr Butters also said that he and Deloitte expect to see many of these same pressures affecting the performance of retailers into 2018 as well.
“Successful retailers over the coming months are likely to be those which have already proactively addressed the cost challenges alongside focused pricing and sourcing strategies to maximise margins,” he said.
“We also expect online retailers to continue to thrive, driven by two factors, their clear cost advantage against traditional physical retailers and the continued use of sophisticated data analytics to target consumers directly.”
Deloitte’s assessment of administration rates in the retail sector last year concluded that insolvencies in higher value areas of the market could be an indication of significant falls in consumer confidence throughout the UK.
“This has implications for retail sub-sectors with a lower price point which typically take longer to feel the impact of reduced consumer spending,” noted Mr Butters in his statements on the subject.
5th April 2018 Real Business Rescue recalls some iconic high street names which have unfortunately deserted us in recent years. How many can you remember? And who might be next?
29th March 2018 The group which owns Bargain Booze is on the brink of entering administration after failing to raise the emergency funds required to resolve a severe cash flow crisis.
29th March 2018 The government has outlined a series of proposals that it hopes will help to tighten up rules around corporate governance in insolvency scenarios throughout the UK.
28th March 2018 David Sullivan, the co-owner of West Ham United, has been adjudged at a tribunal to have used the football club to avoid paying £700,000 in taxes. The matter relates to a £2 million transfer of funds
22nd March 2018 Carpetright is looking to close some of its most unprofitable stores as it considers entering a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) rescue deal to avoid becoming the next British high street retailer
Every day we help companies just like yours turn things around against seemingly impossible odds, regardless of your situation we can help. Find your nearest office today.


text:
Over the last few months, we've enjoyed snippets
of information about AMD
's new 4x4
platform, but until today we didn't know the speed of the chips, nor their prices. TG Daily
just got all the info from a company event in Munich; the 4x4 will launch on November 14, with three different models of 125-watt FX processors: the 2.6GHz FX-72, 2.8GHz FX-74, and 3.0GHz FX-76. Further, the site also confirmed with AMD that the entry-level chips would go for "about $1000," and acknowledged that there still aren't that many pieces of software that can take advantage of two cores on two chips, besides Windows Vista Ultimate Edition. So the short of it is, that totally decked out gamer rig -- with a 4x4 powering the whole unit -- isn't going to come cheap.


text:
Falafel, chicken and beef shwarma, stuffed grape leaves, and hummus from House of Falafel. Photograph by Kyle Gustafson
In a self-admittedly uncharacteristic move, Food Truck Fiesta posted some tough criticism yesterday of the House of Falafel Truck. Among the grievances were a lack of online presence (“They do not announce their locations or even care to interact with their potential fans”), slow service (“I’m talking about 15+ minutes”), and the truck’s 1.5 Yelp stars (Meh!). We dropped by the vendor this afternoon, stationed at Farragut Square, to see what he’s up to.
Owner Naceur Negra—who also sells espresso drinks, falafel, and pizza from two popular food carts on George Washington University’s campus, A La Cart and Expresso & More—admits to long wait times just after opening two weeks ago. But he says that he and his two-man team have gotten quicker with practice. The service wasn’t warp speed on today’s visit, but we saw customers receive food within five minutes of paying.
As for not joining the social media-happy food truck scene, Negra doesn’t seem to be intentionally shunning his fellow vendors or potential customers. “I don’t trust technology that much, so I wanted to see how it would work without it,” says Negra, who is still contemplating a Facebook page.
The appearance of the truck, which also came under scrutiny, is still in the works. Negra admits its current look is “a little sketchy.” But if the venture proves popular, he hopes to get a more higher-end design than the clip-art picture of a chef he posted in his window (which, in response to the criticism, he turned into a plastic logo on the side of the van).
“I have to test the market first,” says Negra. “I can’t invest thousands of dollars right away like other people.”
So is there room in the food truck scene for a non-tweeting vendor? A lot comes down to food, and Negra’s isn’t all “meh.” On a combination platter with mixed salad, hummus, falafel balls, and a mix of chicken and beef shwarma over rice, only the stringy slices of beef were disappointing.
Look for the House of Falafel Truck on weekdays in Farragut and Franklin squares, or in L’Enfant Plaza.


text:
Associated British Foods (ABF) has reported a 3% increase in its group revenues for the 40 weeks ended 18 June, 2016 in comparison to the same period last year at constant currency terms. The increase is just 1% more at actual exchange rates, the British food processing and retailing company revealed in its trading update released on Thursday (7 July).
The London-based company also disclosed that this reflected a 4% growth in the third quarter at constant currency terms and a 7% growth at actual exchange rates. It said its third quarter performance was better than expected with an improvement in its sugar vertical and the completion of its minority interest buyout in South Africa's sugar producer Illovo on 28 June.
While its ingredients, retail, grocery and sugar businesses performed better in the third quarter, the revenues from its agriculture business, AB Agri, declined. ABF attributed this to low commodity prices and lower volumes in UK feed.
As for its fast fashion chain Primark, ABF said sales in the year to date period were 7% ahead of last year at constant currency driven by increased retail selling space. It added that its operating profit margin in the third quarter for Primark stood at 11.9%, in line with that of the first half.
The company said it has a strong balance sheet and is optimistic of the group's continued growth, particularly with its Primark expansion plans, which it said remain unchanged.
Referring to Brexit, the company said because of the weakened pound the company expects "a bigger translation benefit in the final quarter with no material transactional effect".
It added that because of the weakened sterling, its "outlook for this financial year has improved" and that it no longer expects "a decline in adjusted earnings per share for the group for the full year". However, ABF said the low value of the sterling would have both a positive and negative effects on profit in its next financial year.


text:
Americans are throwing out nearly every other bite of food, wasting up to 40% of the country’s supply each year – a mass of uneaten provisions worth $165 billion, according to a new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Food waste is the largest single portion of solid waste cramming American landfills. Since the 1970s, the amount of uneaten fare that is dumped has jumped 50%. The average American trashes 10 times as much food as a consumer in Southeast Asia.
Such profligacy is especially unwarranted in a time of record drought, high food prices expected to get higher and families unable to afford food, according to the council. Efforts are already in place in Europe to cut back on food waste.


text:
ALDI Queanbeyan has undergone a significant refurbishment. The local store will be open from Thursday 9 August. Hours will remain unchanged, the store will be open 8:30am to 8pm Monday to Sunday.
“We’re excited to be undertaking these upgrades and welcome the community to visit our new store from Thursday and share their feedback.” said an ALDI’s manager.
The local store will continue to employee 25-30 permanent full and part-time staff.


text:
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Aeropostale Inc. ARO, -12.50% shares dropped 12% to $23.56 early Thursday after the apparel retailer a day earlier posted a quarterly outlook that fell short of Wall Street's expectations. Aeropostale also said its co-chief executive is leaving the company to pursue other interests. The stock is still in the green for the year, up less than 4%.
Have breaking news sent to your inbox. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Bulletin emails. Sign up here.


text:
just-drinks authors and correspondents
Mini Pant Zachariah
Articles by Mini Pant Zachariah
The penultimate part of this month's managment briefing, which looks at the logisitics landscape for drinks companies keen to get into the BRIC markets, considers the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in India.
India’s United Breweries has told just-drinks that its planned 2011 launch of home-brewed Heineken is on schedule, despite widespread reports of delays to 2012.
The Indian Beverages Association (IBA) has reacted cautiously to a new study by India’s health ministry on how carbonated drinks affect young consumers’ health.
A subsidiary of India's NV Group, NV Distilleries & Breweries, is to launch Belvedere's Sobieski vodka in India in April 2011, the company has confirmed to just-drinks.
- Comment - Diageo Steps Up Defence of Haig Club
- just the Preview - Diageo Q2 & H1
- just the Facts - Top 20 US Beers by Value, Volume
- Remy, dead cats and the power of China's new year
- Focus - Diageo's H1 Results by Region, Brand
- Belvedere vodka tie-up over new James Bond film
- Diageo speaks out over supplier contract changes
- Brown-Forman appoints Jack Daniel's president
- Diageo inks UK distribution deals
- ASA rejects Haig Club ad complaints
- Global RTD/RTS insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends research
- Global vodka insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends research
- Diageo plc (DGE) - Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis Review
- Edrington Group in Spirits (World)
- Global Consumer Trends and Key Consumer Targets in Alcoholic Beverages


text:
New Delhi: India’s No. 1 Education Website JagranJosh.com has recently launched the biggest scholarship competition for MBA aspirants, “MBA CHAMPION”.
E-commerce firm Flipkart on 18 October 2014 signed real estate lease deal with Embassy Office Parks.
Bangalore-based online fashion retailer Myntra on 19 October 2014 announced to open London Office to Partner European Brands.
IndiGo on 15 October 2014 signed a MoU to buy 250 A320neo Family aircraft from Airbus Group.
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) on 14 October 2014 announced that it will invest 4 billion US dollar in the British Columbia province, Canada, to source liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the region.
Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMB) on 14 October 2014 launched Facebook-based funds transfer platform KayPay.
IMImobile Ltd on 14 October 2014 acquired mobile communications company TxtLocal Ltd.
Tata Value homes on 13 October 2014 launched www.tatavaluehomes.com to sell homes online.
JagranJosh.com launched India’s biggest MBA Scholarship competition, “MBA Champion” in association with MODY University of Science & Technology...
US Online store Amazon and retailer Future Group signed a deal to jointly sell goods over the internet.
Fortune released the list of powerful people titled 40 under 40 on 9 October 2014.
Bombay High Court on 10 October 2014 ruled in favour of Vodafone in 3200 crore rupees tax dispute case arising on account of transfer pricing
Karnataka government on 10 October 2014 prohibited the ongoing strike at the auto component maker Bosch’s plant in Bangalore.
Swedish telecom gear firm Ericsson on 9 October 2014 signed a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) or 4G network deal with Bharti Airtel.
Cipla Medpro announced that it has inked a collaboration pact with Teva Pharmaceuticals of Israel for sales and distribution of the latter's drugs in South Africa.
Gulf Oil Lubricants India Ltd on 8 September 2014 tied up with Mahindra & Mahindra Limited.
Skype will stop the calling facility from its application on mobile and landline phones within India from 10 November 2014.
Rockwell Collins on 7 October 2014 signed a MoU with the Hyderabad-based Zen Technologies.
Anbang Insurance Group Co Ltd on 6 October 2014 acquired the Waldorf Astoria.
NIIT Limited on 6 October 2014 appointed Rahul Keshav Patwardhan as its next (CEO).
Technology giant Hewlett-Packard known as HP on 6 October 2014 announced that it will split itself into two separate publicly traded companies.
European Union (EU) Competition Commission approved Facebook – WhatsApp deal worth 19 billion US dollar on 3 October 2014.
Sumitomo Group of Japan on 30 September 2014 acquired the car lease division of Carzonrent India for 200 crore rupees.
Healthcare major Apollo Hospitals on 30 September 2014 tied up with the global pharma firm Sanofi.
Google closed Orkut, the social networking site permanently.
Kotak Mahindra Bank on 29 September 2014 acquired 15 percent stake of Financial Technologies (India) Ltd (FTIL) in Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) for 459 crore rupees.
Auto Portal Cardekho on 29 September 2014 acquired Gaadi.com.
B Muthuraman, Vice-Chairman of Tata Steel and chairman of Tata International was retired.
SBI announced that it has signed a Line of Credit of 500 million dollar with Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank).
Emami biotech on 25 September 2014 acquired Vanaspati brand Rasoi.


text:
Netflix plans to start out cracking down on subscribers within the U.S. who share their password for the streaming service by the top of March. However how precisely would that work?
Preliminary experiences and trials in different international locations recommend the hassle to discourage password-sharing will probably be comparatively mild in its first iteration, counting on a mix of expertise and consumer conscientiousness to prod serial over-sharers into paying extra for the privilege.
Netflix will seemingly use an individual’s geographic location, as decided by the IP handle of any internet-connected machine, to determine which individuals rely as “family” members who stay collectively, Insider reporter Sarah Saril instructed CBS Information.
“If you happen to’re watching on a TV, it will present precisely the place you’re,” Saril stated. “They solely need folks in your family, at your handle, watching.”
Netflix says on its web site that the corporate makes use of “IP addresses, machine IDs, and account exercise from gadgets signed into the Netflix account” to find out which gadgets are in the identical family.
“Individuals who don’t stay in your family might want to use their very own account to observe Netflix,” the location says.
Netflix instructed buyers in January that it could roll out extra stringent sharing guidelines by the top of March. Greater than 100 million households presently share Netflix passwords, the service stated. That “undermines our long-term means to put money into and enhance Netflix,” the corporate stated in a press release accompanying its newest quarterly outcomes.
It is a main turnaround for a corporation that six years in the past tweeted, “Love is sharing a password.” And Netflix executives know there’s more likely to be backlash.
“This won’t be a universally fashionable transfer, so there will probably be present members which might be sad with this transfer. We’ll see a little bit of a cancel response to that,” Greg Peters, Neflix’s not too long ago promoted co-CEO, instructed buyers on a name final week.
Will customers go away?
The corporate tried password limits final yr, when it requested members in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru to pay a further payment to share with non-household members. The trouble had combined outcomes. Tech publication Remainder of World referred to as the take a look at “a multitude,” reporting that the brand new coverage was rolled out inconsistently. Many customers had been in a position to keep away from the additional costs, whereas others had been prompted to pay extra and responded by canceling their accounts, the outlet stated.
Netflix predicted an identical response within the U.S. “From our expertise in Latin America, we anticipate some cancel response in every market once we roll out paid sharing,” the corporate instructed buyers, noting that might harm its viewership within the brief time period.
The rollout poses a danger to the premier streaming service, stated Paul Verna, principal analyst at Insider Intelligence.
“It’s a must to tread very rigorously with this stuff, as a result of you may’t upset your prospects,” Verna instructed CBS MoneyWatch. “You’ll be able to’t cost a worth level the place persons are going to be horrified and complain that this factor that is been free for thus lengthy is all of the sudden costing some huge cash.
A method Netflix may restrict the attain of an account is thru multi-factor authentication. In line with its web site, the corporate may ask gadgets that go online from an unfamiliar IP handle be “verified” earlier than they’re allowed to stream.
“[I]f your account is accessed persistently from a location exterior of your family, we might ask you to confirm that machine earlier than it may be used to observe Netflix,” the web site says.
To do that, Netflix says it should ship a four-digit code to the account’s main e-mail or telephone quantity. The individual logging on from a brand new machine should enter the code inside quarter-hour of logging in. This could possibly be a comparatively frequent occurence, Netflix says, noting that “Machine verification could also be required periodically.”
Talking to buyers final month, co-CEO Peters described the corporate’s objective as to “give [users] a bit of little bit of a nudge and to create options that make transitioning to their very own account straightforward and easy.”
What’s a family?
Netflix may flip off prospects if it comes throughout as too heavy-handed, famous Verna.
“You additionally need to be delicate about what you take into account a family,” he stated.
He cited the instance of a household whose youngsters go to a sleepaway camp or go away to varsity, placing them geographically exterior their “family.” That ought to be handled in a different way than a family sharing with an individual who’s by no means lived there, he stated.
Netflix has stated it acknowledges that the brand new coverage is a significant change for purchasers, and it has sought to cushion the blow by touting new options geared toward making the transition much less painful. That features letting members see all of the gadgets utilizing an account and making it straightforward for folks to switch particular person profiles into separate accounts. Final fall, the service additionally launched a dashboard that lets account customers log off of particular person gadgets.
Netflix hasn’t revealed the price of any potential membership charges. Nevertheless, in trials in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru, sub-memberships elevated the month-to-month value of an account by one-quarter or one-third, in keeping with Selection. U.S. analysts who observe the corporate anticipate an added member cost of round $3 to $4 a month, in keeping with Netflix’s most up-to-date earnings name with buyers.
“That is the place these robust conversations are available — who’s price paying an additional fourth of your subscription value each month?” Saril quipped.
The corporate’s hope is to dramatically improve its paid viewership. Regardless that Netflix is the chief amongst streaming providers when it comes to subscribers, it instructions solely 8% of TV time within the U.S., executives stated on the investor name.
Nevertheless, it is strolling a superb line between prodding customers to pay extra and never turning off too many informal viewers. Netflix additionally says customers won’t be robotically charged if the system detects too many location streams, nor will accounts be canceled. That is led some observers to query how efficient the password crackdown will really be.
“All indicators point out that probably the most aggressive Netflix intends to get in the primary iteration of the paid-sharing rollout is to maintain prodding violators with e-mail reminders and notifications,” Todd Spangler wrote in Selection in November.


text:
STATESVILLE, N.C. — The need for social distancing has temporarily shuttered companies big and small.
From the Factory Floor to the Corner Diner, employees and owners alike are taking COVID19 in the wallet. But across the country, acts of generosity are sprouting up everywhere, including right here in the Carolinas where a single lunch order made for warm feelings all around.
At Sub Express in Statesville, business isn't what it used to be. With the dining room closed, only regulars trickle in and out.
"We've got a fantastic customer base we have a lot of the same customers come in day after day," Owner Andrea Faw said
Most of the locals try to help out.
"We've seen the tipping increase a lot," Faw said.
But the other day, one company took it to another level.
It all started when the folks from the local Toter plant, the makers of that big green trashcan in your driveway, requested lunch for 123 people.
Andrea Faw took the order.
"When she explained she wanted to pay for it with a credit card, she went on to explain that they wanted to give us a one hundred percent tip on top of the bill cost," Faw said.
Faw thought she was hearing things but according to the CEO of its parent company, it's a policy Toter is following across the country.
"So we implemented once a week that all of our locations order lunch from a restaurant and leave a hundred percent tip," Marty Bryant, CEO of Wastequip, said.
That means a lot for a business the size of Sub Express.
"And that certainly gave us the shot in the arm we needed," Faw said.
In fact, the tip made up almost an entire day's sale. And it brightened the day of people on both sides of the transaction.
"When a company steps up and helps us, it makes you realize that you must be doing something right for them to help you as much as they have," Faw said
As for the folks of Toter, they'll keep spending their money where they live, pandemic or not.
"We're thankful for the communities and we hope its a short term blip that we recover from and we don't wanna forget who are customers are," Bryant said.
It's unlikely the staff of Sub Express will ever forget them
If you've witnessed great acts of generosity in the time of COVID-19, let us know about it. We'd love to show everyone how Carolina Has Heart.
OTHER STORIES ON WCNC
- RELATED: Patient at NC Veterans Home dies from COVID-19: Real-time Coronavirus updates Tuesday, April 7
- RELATED: President Trump removes inspector general set to oversee $2 trillion stimulus spending
- RELATED: Charlotte food bank asking for monetary donations during coronavirus pandemic
- RELATED: Schumer proposes $25,000 'heroes' pay for frontline workers


text:
Is Something Wrong With Amazon.com?http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2011/10/26/is-something-wrong-with-amazoncom.aspx Evan Niu (TMFNewCow)
October 26, 2011
There's been a theme going around lately when it comes to Amazon.com's (Nasdaq: AMZN ) quarterly earnings releases, and it's that right now the bottom line is taking a back seat to top-line revenue gains and investing in future growth.
Despite this recurring notion, investors are still dumping the stock today from the knee-jerk reaction that net income plunged far more than what analysts were expecting, with the stock down almost 13% at the end of the trading day.
The cold, hard numbers
Going forward, Amazon even projected the possibility of an operating loss next quarter, with a pretty wide range of what to expect because of difficulty in predicting seasonality. The company may generate an operating loss of $200 million, or income of $250 million. Meanwhile, revenue is forecasted to keep chugging higher to an altitude of $16.5 billion to $18.7 billion, representing between 27% and 44% year-over-year growth.
Hey, big spender
Amazon has been aggressively growing its video-streaming offering -- which now boasts more than 12,000 movies and TV shows -- for Prime members, keeping Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX ) on its red toes, while the Kindle Fire is estimated to cost Amazon more than its $199 retail price tag, in contrast to the healthy margins Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL ) enjoys on the iPad.
Key phrase: millions more. Research In Motion (Nasdaq: RIMM ) hasn't even shipped a single million PlayBooks in more than two quarters, and Amazon is upping production by the millions before the Kindle Fire has even reached its first consumer. While each one of those Kindle Fires will undoubtedly generate additional upfront losses, each unit also represents the fact that Amazon is on track to


text:
The punishing past month for stocks worldwide has sparked a dash to cash.
It also may have helped create bargains in the cash-handling industry, where bulls see an encouraging—and underappreciated—push into higher-end services.
The industry’s bread-and-butter for decades has been armored vans that move bags of money from stores to banks, as well as other traditional cash-management offerings. Such services aren’t exactly a high-growth area, given the relentless shift to payments made with a card or mobile app.
But cash-handling companies are adapting by selling end-to-end solutions to retailers, along with high-tech safes. In addition, further deal-making and consolidation could help boost returns for the major players’ shareholders.
This global industry’s “Big Four” are the United Kingdom’s G4S
, Sweden’s Loomis
Spain’s Prosegur Compañia de Seguridad
“We believe G4S has developed closest to what we regard as a complete end-to-end solution for the market,” UBS analysts Bilal Aziz, Bosco Ojeda, and their colleagues wrote in a recent note, referring to G4S’ Cash360 offering, which lets retailers outsource their backroom cash operations. Nearly all of Walmart’s
G4S isn’t a pure play on cash handling, since it generates most of its revenue from providing private guards and other security services. To be sure, the company is still remembered in Britain for high-profile flops, such as its failure to provide enough security guards for the 2012 London Olympics, forcing U.K. military personnel to step in. But the market might be underestimating its cash-handling business. “We believe the cash assets are [about] 30% undervalued, relative to pure-play listed peers,” the UBS analysts wrote. They see potential for a sale or IPO for the cash-handling unit, which they estimate “could unlock +50p of value.”
Loomis looks likely to catch up to G4S and its Cash360 offering, the UBS team adds, highlighting the Swedish company’s recent move to boost its software capabilities. They’re also upbeat on Loomis’ SafePoint smart safe, which “acts like a reverse ATM.” “The major benefit for the retailer is that, once daily cash has been deposited into SafePoint, the bank adds that amount to the client’s account within hours,” they write. “Loomis has seen strong double-digit growth in volumes for its SafePoint solution.”
Loomis shares have slumped this year, weighed down by worse-than-expected quarterly results that came out on Jan. 30. Weakness in Europe, especially France, was largely to blame. But Goldman Sachs analysts argue that the company is addressing negative trends in Europe’s third-largest economy.
Goldman has a Buy rating on Loomis, which was spun off a decade ago from Swedish security firm Securitas
The other Europe-based player among the Big Four— Prosegur—doesn’t look like a great bet, especially given its relatively lofty valuation, say UBS analysts. They have a Sell rating on the stock and a price target of 4.80 euros ($5.99), more than 20% below the recent €6.50. “Prosegur is a well-managed, family-owned company with a good technological edge and strong exposure to LatAm,” they say. But the Spanish company is “excessively exposed” to conventional services, and this “will weigh on growth prospects.”
This report first appeared at Barrons.com on Feb. 17, 2018.


text:
Once upon a time in the future, on January 1, 2010, The New York Times announced that it would charge $149 yearly for access to its online content. The company's CEO, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., also announced that the venerable "newspaper of record" would cease printing the paper and "from now on it will be available only on the Internet."
"We did not make this decision lightly," Sulzberger said in a press conference, choking back tears, "because, I, like my close friend Rupert Murdoch, was born with ink in my veins. But we could no longer ignore the economic realities. We are bleeding money as well as ink, Carlos Slim won't lend us any more money, no one is dumb enough to do a sale-lease-back agreement on our printing presses, and Canada is running out of trees to cut down."
"For our loyal, aging readers who don't have computers or for those who just like the sensation of holding paper and getting their fingers dirty, we have a program we've developed jointly with HP to give them color printers so they can print out a specially formatted version of The Times." In a typically lame attempt at humor, Sulzberger added, "we've transferred the addiction to and cost of paper and ink to our readers, should they chose to accept it"
A task force led by Sulzberger and Martin Neisenholz, senior vice president, digital operations, considered whether or not to charge for online content, how much to charge, and whether or not to continue printing the paper The task force sought the advice of leading newspaper, journalism, academic, and Internet experts before making a decision. Among those consulted was blogger Jeff Jarvis, the author of What Would Google Do? Jarvis has pontificated for years that content on the Internet should be free and that when companies contemplate an Internet strategy, they should ask "What Would Google Do?"
Apparently, Sulzberger did just that and called Google's CEO, Eric Schmidt, who had gone on record in 2008 as indicating that it was important for The Times to survive. Sulzberger asked Schmidt that if Google owned The Times, what would it do. He asked this question after he asked Schmidt if Google would be interested in buying The Times and turning it into a non-profit organization.
Schmidt's answer to the first question was, "Are you kidding," and to the second question was, "Charge for your valuable content. Google would have gone out of business if we hadn't figured out how to charge for our valuable search results." Sulzberger was concerned that they would lose a lot of traffic and could therefore charge less for online advertising. However, Schmidt said that they would save enough by discontinuing the incredibly wasteful printing and distribution process to be able to survive.
Schmidt's most persuasive comment was, "Look, you have no choice. Your content is valuable and by charging for it you will lose casual, free-loading readers who don't really value your content. These readers are more than likely of less value to advertisers, so you can charge a higher rate for lower but more desirable ad impressions online. You will force people to make a choice between The Times and other publications that charge for subscriptions. Others will be hurt, not you."
Sulzberger said that The Times had a bad experience charging for content with Times Select, which charged readers to access The Times' columnists such as Maureen Dowd, Frank Rich, Paul Krugman, Gail Collins, David Brooks, Bob Herbert, Thomas Friedman, and Nicholas Kristof. Schmidt replied with uncharacteristic sarcasm, "Why are you surprised that few people were thrilled about paying to read Maureen Dowd? They might read her if it didn't cost anything, but weren't willing to pay for the privilege. That might be more of a comment on the quality of your columnists than on the willingness of people to pay for content. Lots of people who hate its editorial policy pay for the Wall Street Journal's online content because overall they find it valuable."
"It's time to realize that the newspaper business is not in the manufacturing business. The Times has been run like General Motors too long, allowing the unions too much power. Get out of the printing business. Get into the news business - online."
And so The New York Times stopped printing a paper, charged for its online content, and everyone expect those who liked dirty fingers lived happily ever after.


text:
The name of Beringer Vineyards' successful "Pop-Premium" brand, Napa Ridge, may soon be changed to Coastal Ridge.
Michael Moone, president of Beringer, said the Coastal Ridge name will be test-marketed in Colorado, Arizona and Georgia in early 1991, and if the test is favorably received, the brand will be changed nationwide. Moreover, the name of the wine already has begun transition in that direction, he said.
"Our first tests with the name in focus groups was very positive," said Moone, "so we're already phasing it in." Bottles of the current releases of Napa Ridge wines now have the name as "Coastal Napa Ridge," with the word "Coastal" in script type. If the test proves successful, the word Napa will be dropped.
Moone said the Coastal Ridge name "tested with consumers better than Napa Ridge--they thought it was more indicative of a high-quality wine."
The Napa Ridge brand recently has created some headaches for Wine World, Beringer's parent company, though at the beginning, he said, the name was logical. "When we started out with Napa Ridge, we were using Napa wines. It was a time when there was a surplus of Napa wines, and we were a Napa product," said Moone. "But as the brand grew and the supply of Napa wine shrunk, we began to use more and more grapes from other coastal regions, and we became a non-Napa wine."
He said the wine in the bottle soon wasn't a product of the Napa Valley, so he felt the name inappropriate.
Moreover, federal law says wines that carry in their brand names the name of a regional appellation (in this case it was Napa) cannot blend grapes from other regions as flexibly as if a broad appellation such as California were used. This meant that making Napa Ridge wines was logistically more difficult. Also, the rules made it more difficult to make consistently styled wines.
Changing to an appellation that doesn't hamstring the wine maker will permit more blending and thus make for more consistent wines, Moone said. Moone said the testing would run through 1991.
The Napa Ridge line is the nation's sixth largest Pop-Premium brand after Sutter Home, Glen Ellen, Gallo, Sebastiani, Mondavi and Fetzer. Under the Napa Ridge name, Beringer produces about 750,000 cases of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Zinfandel and non-varietal red and white table wine.
Moone said the Napa Ridge brand is growing rapidly, but he said Wine World's other low-priced brand, Los Hermanos, is down to 200,000 cases as the winery phases it out.
The Robert Mondavi brand is the top-listed brand in Newport Beach restaurants, but Kendall-Jackson is fast moving up to challenge, according to Scorecard, a monthly publication that analyzes trends in Southern California's retail and restaurant wine sales.
In a survey of 58 restaurants, Scorecard found 152 brands of Chardonnay, with Kendall-Jackson the leader, listed by 41 of the 58 restaurants. Chateau St. Jean had 36 placements and Robert Mondavi 31. Raymond had 28 followed by Far Niente (25) and Callaway (24). Mondavi was the out-front leader in Cabernet listings, with 46 to Beaulieu's 32 and 22 for Jordan.
Cumulatively for the two most popular varieties, Mondavi had 77 placements with Kendall-Jackson at 48.
Overall, Mondavi brands (including Vichon and Opus One) accounted for 12% of the American wine listings of Chardonnay and Cabernet, the publication said. Moreover, Mondavi Fume Blanc led in Sauvignon Blanc listings with 32 and also was the leader in Pinot Noir placements.
Gary Eberle, owner and wine maker of Eberle Winery in Paso Robles, and Joe Carrari, a grape grower in Los Alamos Valley, have been presented with awards from the Central Coast Winegrowers Assn. Eberle was named Wine Maker of the Year and Carrari Wine Grower of the Year. Birtice Card of Hampton Farms, who helped establish the Central Coast wine-growing region and the Los Padres Grower Foundation, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
A group of wine makers and grape growers on California's Central Coast is supporting a proposal for an appellation to be called Santa Barbara Coast, an area encompassing most of Santa Barbara County as well as a portion of southern San Luis Obispo County.
At an informal meeting held at Brander Winery in Santa Ynez Valley, about a dozen of 18 wineries attending the late-August meeting said they favored the appellation, which comprises about 8,000 acres of vineyard land, including 6,000 in Santa Barbara County.
Two San Joaquin Valley men have been indicted for conspiring to obtain higher prices for cheaper grape varieties by misrepresenting them as expensive varieties.
The indictments stem from a grape-pricing scandal following the 1988 harvest in California, according to federal government charges.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said that brothers Frank and Nick Bavaro were charged with misrepresenting 6,500 tons of wine grapes, representing more than 1 million gallons of wine valued at more than $20 million.


text:
Center Stage May 2-4, 2019Details
The SCT Guild’s 33rd Annual Geranium & Plant Sale will be on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 in the SCT lobby from 8 AM – 8 PM. All kinds of bedding plants, vegetables and French gardens can be purchased at the sale, as well as potting soil, hanging baskets, and planters. This year’s special…Details
The June 2018 issue of the SCT Spotlight Newsletter is now available.


text:
Google released its latest mobile operating system last week at the Google I/O Keynote 2015. Android M was expected to be an incremental update with no wonders inside like we saw in Android Lollipop. The operating system has built upon the design language of Lollipop and Material Design adding more functionality and usability in the OS.
Android M vs Android Lollipop comparison:
In a latest pictorial comparison of Android M vs Android Lollipop, you can spot the visual differences brought in the latest OS. Note that Google hasn't included many design changes in the latest build focusing more on new features and functions. Some of the most notable Android M features include granular app permissions, support for fingerprint sensor, USB-C support, Android Pay and more.
Google is expected to release around three updates before the OS becomes available for public. In the meantime, developers would take benefit from the different features including them in their apps for Android M. Android M is currently in the developer preview phase available for Nexus 5, 6, 9, and Nexus Player. You can install the DP on these devices and root your Nexus device too using our guides.
While new features may be added and removed from the OS, here is a comprehensive visual Android M vs Android Lollipop comparison thanks to the folks at PhoneArena.
As you too can spot in these Android M vs Android Lollipop images, there have been various tweaks in the user interface too. Adding some shortcuts replacing others, adding new functionality and somewhere improving user experience - here's the Android M vs Android Lollipop visual comparison. Android M shots are at the right side.
- You can view all the images and read about the differences at PhoneArena.


text:
As promised, Google is releasing the last new games for Stadia for 2019 this week. Stadia already has more than 20 titles on the service, and Google is releasing three new games this week to expand the library.
Google is releasing Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, Borderlands 3, and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint this week.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is already available on Stadia for $49.99, while Google is offering a reduced price for Borderlands 3 on Stadia for a limited time. Gamers can get up to 35% off the Standard Edition or Deluxe Edition of Borderlands 3, for example.
As for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Google is offering up to 50% off all the editions for a limited time on Stadia. But here’s the thing: this is also the first game to support Stadia Connect, the feature that allows users to stream each others’ screens with their teammates. “Many games have become so complex that the utilization of split-screen technology has declined because rendering two or more scenes at the same time is too taxing on consoles. Because Stadia resides in the cloud, there aren’t the same challenges you’d have on a local machine, and you can see multiple screens without any performance penalties,” Google said.
This is most likely the last set of games for Stadia in 2019, so you will have to wait till 2020 for new Stadia games. Still, considering the troubled launch of Stadia, Google has managed to recover quite a lot, and it should be interesting to see if the company can keep that up in 2020.


text:
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Commission on Monday will present guidelines on border measures to prevent controls designed to stem the spread of coronavirus from blocking the supply of essential goods and medical staff.
The head of the EU executive, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Sunday that the 27-member European Union needed to keep goods flowing across Europe without obstacles.
“Tomorrow we will present guidelines to national governments on border measures. Protecting people’s health should not block goods and essential staff from reaching patients, health systems, factories and shops,” she said in a video address.
Countries such as Poland have banned foreigners entering the country and Austria has closed its borders to most arrivals from neighboring Switzerland and Italy.
Von der Leyen said the EU executive was urging industry to ramp up production of protective equipment and that exports of these products outside the bloc would only be allowed with explicit authorization of EU governments.
The EU will on Monday also launch joint procurement with EU countries of testing kits and respiratory ventilators.
She said EU countries needed to share such equipment, with Italy in greatest need now but other countries likely to need it later. It was of utmost importance, she said, that the EU single market continued to function, allowing goods to flow without obstacles.
“Just imagine, as we increase production of medical equipment, factories cannot get the components they need in time, thousands of bus and truck drivers are stranded at internal borders on parking lots, creating more health risk and disrupting our supply chains,” Von der Leyen said
Source: Read Full Article


text:
WhatsApp to stop working on these phones
WhatsApp’s latest announcement that it is slated to cut support of its service on older iPhones and Android smartphones, is set to affect millions of users worldwide.
From 1 February 2020, WhatsApp will no longer function on older operating systems including Androids older than version 2.3.7, Nokia S40 and iPhones running iOS 7 or older phones.
According to Google figures, 0.3 per cent of Android devices still run this operating system – amounting to around six million smartphones and tablets. Those using these devices will no longer be able to create new accounts but will still be able to continue using WhatsApp until the deadline.
“Because we’ll no longer actively develop for these operating systems, some features might stop functioning at any time,” WhatsApp said in a blog post quoted by Independent.
The Facebook-owned app is used by close to half a billion people around the world but it is unclear how many users will be affected by the recent announcement.
However, WhatsApp announced in December that it will cease support for Windows Phone 8.0 and on the older versions, as well as for the Nokia Symbian S60, Blackberry OS and Blackberry 10.


text:
Pendleton-based beverage company Graybeal Distributing has changed ownership and will function as Columbia Distributing as of late February. Graybeal supplies more than 500 brands of beverages to companies in Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Baker and Wallowa counties.
A press release from Columbia Distributing, which supplies to companies in all three West Coast states, said that there will not be much change to the company's day-to-day operations in Eastern Oregon.
Lindsi Taylor, a spokesperson for Columbia, said the company would not release the amount that Graybeal sold the company for. She said some of the Oregon brands Columbia supplies include Deschutes Brewery and Hop Valley.
Taylor said the company has about 50 employees in Eastern Oregon, and they don't anticipate any changes in employment.


text:
Small Business Advocate Jim Blasingame warns small business owners (and hopefuls) of four ownership myths. » More
Build quality service on the foundation of a quality process
Do you deliver quality service? Jim Blasingame to reveal how to have a quality process, and that that quality service without it is robbing you of profits and probably long-term customer relationships.
More interviews with Jim Blasingame »See all
Jim Blasingame shares his thoughts on why we can never forget the attacks of September 11, 2001.
Jim Blasingame reports on the results of a recent survey of small business owners about what party they will be most likely to support in the upcoming mid-term elections.
Jim Blasingame reveals some statistics and some personal perspectives on the generation gap between Generation Y and Baby Boomers.
Jim Blasingame reports on a recent online poll that shows how small business owners feel about using crowdfunding in their businesses.
Jim Blasingame proposes that if there’s a national day for labor, there should be such a day for those who employee over half of all workers.


text:
Regular readers of Kitguru will already be aware that Google passed over some patents to HTC recently, in a case to help them fight against Apple. The latest news to reach us is that Google have taken over a thousand patents from IBM.
The reason for this is similar to the above, many believe that they are strengthening their defense against competitors such as Apple – who are on the rampage lately. The 1,023 patents which were passed over have been listed by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
No financial information has been listed and recently CEO Larry Page said that they would rather concentrate on developing their own patents, rather than buying others. That said, this purchase from IBM shows that they want a strong foundation to move forward with.
Apple have targeted some companies who use Android as a platform and there are currently many lawsuits in action across the globe. Google chairman Eric Schmidt has said before that the lawsuits have been inspired by jealousy due to the organisations overall success in the industry.
Kitguru says: Building fortifications is a good way to move forward.


text:
Editor’s Note: This holiday season, Gazettes Newspapers has highlighted 30 different local retailers that offer Long Beach residents unique opportunities to shop close to home.
This is the final week of showcasing these mom-and-pop retailers, but there are many more outstanding businesses than there was room in this newspaper. That means we will have plenty more to profile next year.
419 Shoreline Village Drive
“Everybody wants to be a pirate,” says Maureen Bennett, owner of Pirates Cove in Shoreline Village.
For more than two decades, Bennett has been selling mostly pirate-themed merchandise – in addition to some nautical retail, touristy items and some miscellaneous collectibles – to customers young and old.
The 1,200-square-foot store is flanked by life-sized pirate statues on the boardwalk that visitors often see as a chance for a photo op.
“There’s something about pirates,” Bennett said. “Everyone who walks in here loves pirates. Why not?”
Bennett, who said she feels fortunate to have met members of the cast from “Pirates of the Caribbean,” emphasized that her store is a place where people can enjoy themselves and have fun purchasing something unusual that may help them forget about the “real world” and life’s stressors.
“Not long ago, we had a man come here, he was a cancer patient, and he bought a pirate hat with the hair,” the businesswoman explained. “He was able to have a little fun and forget for a moment about the cancer…
“He died a week later … his sister sent me a letter about how much he had loved my store and how happy he was to have that hat.”
Experiences like that, Bennett said, are what keep her coming to work happy.
“I’m 66 years old, and I’ve had a lot of jobs, but my favorite position is being with people because I love to talk to people,” she said.
One of the busiest times of year for Pirates Cove is the annual Pirate Festival in Shoreline Village, but the holidays bring in customers, too. Bennett said Pirates Cove is selling Christmas flags with pirates saying “Yo-ho-ho” similar to Santa Claus, in addition to other gift items, some of which are available for purchase online.


text:
FOR many Filipinos, online shopping proved to be a boon during the pandemic. With the world returning back to normal, Lazada is ironing out strategies to maintain its pandemic shopping wave.
“I think it’s all about customer experience and how people feel when they buy online,” Carlos Barrera, CEO of online e-commerce platform Lazada Philippines, told BusinessWorld. “The habits have already been built, but we need to continue innovating to offer a better service, and improve how customers feel. We spend so much to make sure that we can deliver faster than anyone,” he said.
“E-commerce in the Philippines continues to grow. We think it will expand to meet other countries, like the penetration you have today in China, or Korea, or even Europe. What’s important is to cater to more people, to continue onboarding more customers, and to serve your sellers and your brands well,” he said.
Fast deliver is one of the reasons that actress Anne Curtis shops on the platform, she said during a press conference last Friday in Makati.
The actress and television host was chosen as the official face for the platform’s 11.11 sale.
Mr. Barrera said during the event, “We have always wanted three things. We knew that we wanted someone who was a businesswoman, who has that drive to always succeed. Then we wanted a mom that was also successful. And then, beautiful, fashionable, and trendy, because that’s what we are all about. There was only one option.”
For her part, Ms. Curtis said that the most recent item she purchased from Lazada was a Halloween costume for her child, Dahlia (whom she raises with her husband, fellow celebrity, and entrepreneur Erwan Heussaff). She also spoke about her attraction to the platform: “For me, most important ‘yung fast shipping. As fast as three days on Lazada, you can get your items.”
She gave a few tips for online shopping: waiting for sale days, shopping around different sellers, and reading reviews. She also noted that “It helps if sometimes, it’s straight from LazMall, so you can be sure,” she said in a mixture of English and Filipino.
The Lazada 11.11 sale will run from Nov. 11 to 13, with deals from BLK Cosmetics, Maybelline, Kiehl’s, and all across the platform. — JL Garcia