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As part of city of Vancouver plan to license medical marijuana related businesses, which started in 2015, unlicensed dispensaries were given until the end of April 2016 to close up shop. The city has stated there are several enforcement options they will take to ensure unlicensed dispensaries adhere to the guidelines, starting with bylaw fines of $250 a day and, if necessary, a court injunction against these businesses.
This approach is not without precedent, and one notable example has some interesting parallels for the current cannabis market.
In 2009 a business owner purchased a video rental store at 701 Kingsway and turned it into an adult entertainment shop, called the Fantasy Factory, violating the city's zoning bylaws. In early 2010 a city inspector concluded the business did not have the proper development permit under Vancouver city bylaws for so-called 'sex shops'.
He applied for a permit, but the city refused, citing proximity to a park and opposition from neighbours. By late 2010 the city had ordered the owner to close, with the owner, Anthony Perry, disputing the order via the Board of Variance. City guidelines say adult retail stores should not be within 305 metres of any parks. Fantasy Factory was 55 metres too close to Robson Park.
After the Variance appeal, Vancouver city council decided to proceed with a court injunction. By mid 2012, the case was in BC Supreme Court where Perry claimed the city's actions against his business were discriminatory, pointing out there were at least 17 other stores, including London Drugs, that were technically operating as 'sex shops' without relevant zoning and licensing.
In response, the then city director of licences and inspections, Will Johnston, said city staff to meet with the businesses in question and, if necessary, would use similar measures to bring hem into compliance with the regulations, as well.
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Peter Voith, who heard the case, ruled that he did not find the city was engaging in discriminatory behaviour, calling the city’s statement to Perry “clear and unambiguous”. He ordered the store to close within 90 days.
At the time, Perry owned seven other Fantasy Factory sex stores in the city that the city found no bylaw infractions against. The store was finally closed a few months later.
Current Vancouver City Director, of Licensing, Property Use Inspections and Animal Services at City of Vancouver, Andreea Toma, has issued similar statements in regard to unlicensed Vancouver dispensaries.
“There’s nothing to stop us from taking all of the businesses that need to be closed by the end of April and going to injunction and imposing fines through the court system, said Toma earlier this year. "No business in the City of Vancouver should be operating without a business license. The six month term was really just to bring the industry along.”
In early April of this year, Vancouver began issuing $250 bylaw fines against 3 dispensaries who had recently opened and not applied for a business license with the city. Nearby, Abbottsford recently employed a similar court injunction against an unlicensed dispensary in their city limit.
The City of Chilliwack BC began levying $1,000 daily fines against WeeMedical, a dispensary, when it opened in March. They also issued $500 daily fines to each of the 2 landlords. The RCMP has raided the business twice, with the dispensary re-opening each time. It is now open, but not selling cannabis.
Currently, only 8 dispensaries have received a development permit with the city, the final step before a business licence. Another 12 have received a 'conditional permit', the step prior to a development permit. 176 dispensaries initially applied. 45 are still awaiting Variance Board hearings schedule until mid November. City Councillor Kerry Jang recently said that even those awaiting a variance hearing will have to close or be subject to fines and possible court or police enforcement.
“The only people who are okay are those who are actually in the development permit stage or have been given an exemption by the board of variance," said Jang. "People who are waiting for their board of variance hearing, they will have to shut in the meantime.”
Featured image via thethunderbird.ca


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It looks like the Norse based continuation of Kratos’ story was accidentally leaked earlier than expected, and it was done by the US PlayStation Store. Twitter user Wario64 first spotted the release date of March 22,2018.
US PSN lists March 22, 2018 for God of War release date https://t.co/VK6dio3pOv pic.twitter.com/wvpW6xLqo2
— Wario64 (@Wario64) December 5, 2017
Digging into the release date, even more, Wario64 found this Amazon listing for “The Art of God of War,” with a scheduled release date of March 15, 2018.
I’d take this all with a grain of salt, as Sony has now removed the March release date and replaced it with a placeholder date of December 31, 2018.
This is pretty big news if true, but it’s also a big mistake. I don’t think this should be an issue for Sony, I mean the hype for God of War is there, people are invested in the series, but the only issue I notice is the leak comes days before the Video Game Awards and the PlayStation Experience, both set for the next week.

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May 19, 2015
We couldn't have asked for a better day for our customer appreciation event at Thompson Farms, held Thursday, May 14th. Thompson Farms, an agritourism site in rural Horry County, was the perfect spot for delicious food, good company, and the fine tunes of Walker Godwin's guitar. Thanks to all who came and congrats to Mr. Jimmy McColl, our grand prize winner from the customer appreciation events. Mr. McColl, one of Bill Aston's customers in Clio, won a brand new drone!
May 05, 2015
ArborOne cautions our customers to be wary of calls seeking money on overdue accounts. AgFirst was recently made aware of borrowers being contacted by someone claiming to be from AgFirst and requesting payment on overdue accounts. The caller ID was 800-845-1745 which is one of AgFirst’s toll free lines. This caller either leaves a message to contact a number, in this case it was 940-488-6690, or will attempt to con the user into paying some amount of money.
April 30, 2015
Annie's Project, a farm education program for women, is coming to the Pee Dee Region this summer, and ArborOne is proud to be the presenting sponsor.


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Spring Hill Walmart opens Wednesday
By Carole Robinson, Senior Staff Writer
For those who have battled traffic between Spring Hill and Cool Springs, it’s been a long wait, but finally the Spring Hill Walmart opens for business Wednesday following a 7:30 a.m. ceremonial ribbon cutting.
Stock has been arriving for weeks and more than 200 new full and part-time employees are busy learning their way around the 180,000-square-foot superstore.
Located across from Campbell Station, the full-line superstore will also have a comprehensive selection of groceries, including organic and natural selections, a Subway restaurant, a bank, garden center, hair salon, vision center and pharmacy, said General Manager Martin Padgett.
Just as in the other stores, the “Walmart Walkers” are welcome, he added
“Walmart is big on saving people money so they can live better. A one stop shopping experience with low prices is now in Spring Hill.”
One feature that differentiates Spring Hill from other stores is the eco-friendly refrigeration system.
“Walmart has a goal, by 2025 it will be 100 percent eco-friendly with zero waste,” Padgett said. “We are one of 12 stores countrywide to have an eco-friendly refrigeration system. Instead of CO2, we use glycol. I am proud to say that. It’s a great step moving forward.”
With Halloween just around the corner, Walmart will open with plenty of supplies, and Christmas items are already arriving.
Padgett will present $8,000 in grants to area community organizations during the grand opening festivities.
This is part of the Walmart Foundation’s $2 billion pledge to fight hunger through 2015.
Padgett, who began his career with Walmart in 1988 as a temporary “associate,” said the store recently “partnered with The Well and Second Harvest Food Bank at Spring Hill High School. We will be involved with the community in anyway we can. That’s what we are here to do. We’re so excited to be here. This is a wonderful community.”
The public is invited to a special “Retailtainment” event, Saturday, Oct. 19 from noon to 3 p.m. that includes family fun activities and food samples.
Posted on: 10/10/2013


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KOLKATA: Tata Steel BSL, formerly Bhushan Steel Ltd, reported a 9.4% increase in crude steel production, which crossed the 4-million tonne mark during FY19. The company, which was acquired by Tata Steel in May 2018 under the NCLT-led auction of stressed steel assets, attributed the hike in output to higher mill availability with improvement in maintenance practices and uninterrupted raw material supply. In Q4FY19, Tata Steel BSL said crude steel production touched 1.02 mt (provisional figure) against 0.99 mt in Q4FY18.
Tata Steel BSL has an existing capacity of 5.6 million tonne and was India’s fifth largest steel producing company as on March 31, 2018. It is also one of the largest suppliers of automotive grade and high carbon steel in the country.
In step with higher production, Tata Steel BSL also posted a 6.5% rise in (provisional) sales in FY19 to 4.05 million tonne over 3.8 mt registered in the previous corresponding year, an official statement said. The company said along with higher production, the sales growth was led by many new initiatives taken in the marketplace like launch of branded products, value added products and new customer acquisition. In particular, (provisional) sales in Q4FY19 increased by 23% year on year to 1.14 mt and 25% quarter on quarter.


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Because the vaccine rollout continues throughout the nation and the world, a variety of companies, from Amazon to Starbucks have supplied to help with distribution.
Now, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) is popping towards supermarkets to assist administer these vaccines on a bigger scale. Dozens of grocery shops have already joined the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program Companions. By way of this program, collaborating shops will obtain their vials throughout the week of February 8, and people who are eligible could be inoculated at their native grocery store the subsequent day.
Twenty-one companions are collaborating in this system, and plenty of of those corporations personal a wide selection of subsidiaries. To this point, grocery chains enrolled embrace Kroger, Publix, Albertsons, Hy-Vee, Meijer, H-E-B, Retail Enterprise Providers-owned chains similar to Cease & Store and Large, Southeastern Grocers-owned chains similar to Harveys and Winn-Dixie, and Topco Associates-owned chains similar to ShopRite and Worth Chopper. Participation varies from state to state.
“By way of our preparation efforts, now we have the power to start out vaccinating eligible populations lower than 24 hours after receiving allocations,” mentioned Hy-Vee CEO Randy Edeker in an announcement. “The difficulty so far has been demand far exceeding provide, and we imagine this partnership helps strengthen our advocacy efforts to obtain extra of the vaccine.”
By collaborating on this program, supermarkets are to a sure extent taking their future into their very own fingers. Accelerating the vaccine distribution might assist carry buyers who could have been counting on distant digital deliveries again into grocery retailer aisles. Nevertheless, even after the pandemic subsides, many shoppers’ purchasing behaviors will seemingly be perpetually modified. Groceries should adapt to the digital way forward for commerce, whether or not or not shoppers are basing their choices on contagion issues.
Raley’s Incubator Fosters Meals Innovation
A brand new “Meals Innovation Lab,” sponsored by West Coast grocery store chain Raley’s, will quickly supply services for entrepreneurs to develop new meals merchandise, flavors and applied sciences, Grocery store Information reported. Raley’s Meals Lab might be positioned within the [email protected] incubator within the metropolis of Woodland in Northern California.
The Meals Lab will characteristic a convection oven and a gasoline vary, utensils and kitchen tools, and fridge and freezer storage. AgStart described the lab as a “licensed meals facility appropriate for brand new meals merchandise and components and new meals recipes,” calling it “the right location for brand new meals product innovators.”
“The Raley’s Meals Lab will assist meals entrepreneurs, who will paved the way to a greater meals system,” Raley’s proprietor Michael Teel informed Grocery store Information. “We look ahead to discovering new merchandise and serving to to carry them to our retailer cabinets.”
The [email protected] will open April 1, and it’ll deal with bridging commerce and sustainability. A part of the purpose of the incubator might be to assist startups discover methods to make earth-conscious improvements commercially viable. Entrepreneurs at Raley’s Meals Lab could have entry to all of [email protected]’s services, together with work area, mentoring applications, and the Moist Lab’s agtech devices.
Small CPG Corporations Acquire On Trade Giants
An evaluation by market analysis firm IRI has discovered that customers have been turning more and more towards small shopper packaged items CPG manufacturers, in response to a press launch. In reality, massive CPG producers misplaced gross sales totaling $12.1 billion (1.three share factors) to those smaller corporations in 2020.
The trade as an entire grew by about 10 % throughout the yr, and smaller corporations, which included any producer with “annual measured channel gross sales of lower than $1 billion,” drove a couple of third of that progress the discharge acknowledged. Personal label merchandise accounted for a couple of sixth of that progress.
“The buyer shift towards smaller producers and personal label merchandise is one thing that IRI has been documenting for a number of years, and we noticed the pattern speed up throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” mentioned IRI’s president of strategic analytics, Krishnakumar (KK) S. Davey, within the launch. “Many massive producers weren’t in a position to meet the surge in demand brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic within the second quarter once they misplaced most share to smaller gamers who seized on this chance.”
Smaller producers gained shares in virtually all CPG classes, together with alcohol, frozen meals, and shelf-stable meals. The one division during which massive producers retained their lead utterly was the house care division. Looking forward to the remainder of 2021, Davey predicted, “We anticipate smaller and mid-sized gamers to proceed to realize share from massive producers.”
Unattainable Meals Cuts Its Grocery Retailer Costs By 20 P.c
Plant-based meat firm Unattainable Meals has had fairly a yr, elevating cash and rising quickly, showing on menus at Starbucks and on cabinets at Walmart and Kroger. Now, because of the operational effectivity made potential by this progress, the corporate is recommending a 20 % lower in grocery and grocery store costs for its merchandise, in response to a weblog put up from Unattainable Meals president Dennis Woodside.
“Our acknowledged purpose because the founding of the corporate has all the time been to drive down costs by way of economies of scale, attain value parity after which undercut the value of standard floor beef from cows, and that’s precisely what we’re doing,” Woodside mentioned within the put up.
At scale, producing plant-based meat is extra cost-efficient than elevating and slaughtering cows, the corporate identified, saying within the put up, “We don’t want pastureland, feed crops, slaughterhouses or practically any of the opposite monumental prices related to livestock.”
The corporate additionally lowered the value for restaurant distributors by 15 % final month, following a earlier discount in 2020. Woodside acknowledged within the put up his intention to cut back the value additional sooner or later as gross sales proceed to develop.
“The extra Unattainable Burger you purchase, the much less it prices us to supply per pound, and we select to cross these financial savings on to our community of distributors and retailers, with the purpose of finally reducing costs for shoppers,” he mentioned within the put up. “This in flip accelerates our speedy retail progress — a virtuous cycle.”
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Why pay now when you’ll be able to pay later?
Whether or not it is vacation presents or groceries, it is simpler than ever to postpone funds on purchases.
“Purchase now, pay later,” or BNPL, lets buyers break their purchases into equal installment funds, typically interest-free, which may make even the biggest-ticket objects appear reasonably priced and the smallest purchases appear nearly negligible. It is much like old-school layaway plans, besides customers get the product up entrance and pay for it in incremental quantities.
As installment funds acquire momentum together with a surge in on-line buying, typically, within the wake of the Covid pandemic, about one-third of buyers have already financed purchases this manner and amongst these customers, almost two-thirds have finished so 5 or extra instances, based on a current survey by LendingTree.
Suppliers comparable to Afterpay, Affirm, Klarna, Sezzle and Zip are paving the way in which and massive corporations are additionally leaping on the bandwagon forward of the vacations, with PayPal beginning its personal product, Amazon and Apple partnering up with Affirm and Goal’s current team-up with Sezzle.
Whereas spreading out the price of a big-ticket buy like a Peloton typically makes monetary sense, particularly at 0%, this kind of financing is more and more in style for small objects, too.
“Our core was actually smaller, on a regular basis kind purchases,” mentioned Sezzle’s CEO, Charlie Youakim. With Goal, Sezzle will get to check out installment purchases for meals and different classes, he added, “to see how broad this may be.”
Today, most customers will see a purchase now, pay later choice when buying on-line at retailers like Goal, Walmart and Amazon, however many BNPL suppliers at the moment are introducing browser extensions, as nicely, which you’ll be able to obtain and apply to any on-line buy. Then there are additionally the apps, which allow you to use installment funds when shopping for issues in-person, too — identical to you’ll use Apple Pay.
Meaning buyers can faucet a short-term mortgage to purchase absolutely anything, anyplace.
One potential draw back is that installment shopping for may encourage customers to spend greater than they’ll afford. A report by one shopper advocacy group within the U.Ok. found that almost a quarter of installment users spent more than they initially intended to because the service was available.
According to LendingTree, nearly half of shoppers said they wouldn’t have made the same purchase if they didn’t have the option to finance.
More from Personal Finance:
How to avoid holiday debt
A budget is the first step to financial wellness
How to tackle holiday gift buying with fewer deals
Sezzle’s Youakim argues that the same is true of credit cards and, in fact, BNPL has some of the benefits of credit, as well, such as being able to spread out payments but without revolving debt. “You can think of this like ‘creditizing’ a debit card,” he said.
On the flipside, most BNPL lenders don’t report your on-time payments to the credit reporting companies, as credit cards do, which means you may be forgoing the chance to build positive credit — while failure to pay could ding your credit score.
“If you are trying to build a good credit history or improve your credit history, most of the buy now, pay later programs won’t do you much good,” said Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst with DealNews.com.
For consumers, there’s always a catch, according to Matt Schulz, chief industry analyst at LendingTree.
“It’s just another case of retailers and lenders making it as easy as possible for people to spend and anytime it gets too easy for too many people, that’s when you have to be careful.”
Miss a payment and there could be late fees, deferred interest or other penalties, depending on the lender. Afterpay, for example, charges a late fee up to $8, in line with other providers. (CNBC’s Select has a full roundup of fees, APRs, whether a credit check is performed and if the provider reports to the credit scoring companies.)
Further, “if you have a half dozen of these open in a short amount of time, that can be complicated to manage,” Schulz added.
Since these loans often require repayment every two weeks, rather than once a month, it’s even easier to get tripped up, he said.
In fact, about 7 in 10 buy now, pay later users have been charged interest or fees for missed payments, LendingTree found.
Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.


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By Phil Franz-Warkentin, MarketsFarm
Glacier FarmMedia staff
Canadian organic markets largely held steady in June, as the industry works through previously contracted old crop grain and awaits the upcoming new crop.
“We’re sort of flat-lined right now,” said Michael Messer, of Rein Agri Food in Saskatchewan on the lack of significant activity in the markets. He said some end-users had purchased what they needed earlier, and were now sitting on product.
“The whole world has come to a hand-to-mouth business,” said Messer.
- Read more: Organic price quotes: Late June
Jason Breault with RW Organics in Mossbank, Sask. said activity was steady on the grain front. While the market was relatively flat for now he expected to see more movement in July.
“People will either be building bins or selling their grain, one of the two,” said Breault. He added that there were still large supplies of old crop grain, as farmers continue to hold out for higher prices.
“There’s a good balance between supply and demand right now, and that will continue into the new crop,” said Jason Freeman of Farmers Direct Organic Foods, adding that “all of the old crop in the bins won’t be purchased before the new crop (is available).”
…the good thing about organics is that you’re playing the long game. – Michael Messer
As far as the new crop is concerned, acreage seeded to organic crops was largely steady on the year, with no large increases or decreases on any particular crop from Messer’s perspective.
“People have their rotations and they stay with them,” said Messer adding that “the good thing about organics is that you’re playing the long game.”
Crop conditions were varied across the Prairies at the end of June, with excessive moisture in parts of Alberta, and dryness concerns in some areas of Saskatchewan.
Breault said some farmers may have put in extra wheat, because the lower prices may have them to make up for that on quantity.
The COVID-19 pandemic has added new layers of uncertainty to the industry. Messer noted that many competing countries were dealing with increased caseloads compared to Canada. “Will they continue to be able to produce and process that product, or will they step away from the market?” he asked, noting that some contacts in Africa were reporting unseeded crops.


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A restaurant has used a battery-powered robot to serve food and drink to punters – but experts warn of ‘inevitable’ jobs threat
By: JEFF PARSONS
A battery-powered robot serves dishes up to 8 hour a day in a restaurant in Shenyang, capital of northeast China’s Liaoning Province
How would you feel about being served food by a robot ?
One restaurant in China has done exactly that – swapping a human waiter for a 140cm-tall robot counterpart.
Using a battery, the robot is capable of serving diners at a restaurant in Shenyang, capital city of China’s Liaoning Province, for up to eight hours.
The robot takes customers their food and drinks and, thanks to a mix of sensors and navigation hardware, is able to avoid spilling anything.
It can carry up to 7kg of food or drink at one time and, better yet, doesn’t require wages – or even a tip.
A robot serves food without asking for wages or a tip – but does it put jobs under threat?
Good for restaurant owners, but not for anyone looking for a job in the catering industry.
Thankfully, tech experts reckon it’ll take a while for robot waiters to replace a human face .
“I think there are several generations of development yet before the physical world of humans is replaced with cyber alternatives,” Mark Skilton, from Warwick Business School told Mirror Online.
“But it is right to consider the ethical and economic repercussions of this inevitable technological scaling of computing,” he said.
The robot can carry up to 7kg worth of food and drinks to diners at the restaurant
In January, the World Economic Forum estimated that 7.1 million jobs could be lost in the future thanks to redundancy from technology.
They did say that would be offset by 2.1 million jobs created in specialised areas such as maths, computing and enginnering.
But even lofty white-collar jobs might be under threat – not from robots but from artificial intelligence (AI).
“[AI] could potentially see complex jobs that were once thought untouchable taken over by computers thanks to emerging creative mathematical research and advanced massive scale supercomputing to model human brain function,” explained Mr Skilton, who spent 30 years as an IT strategy consultant.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos (pictured) predicted many jobs will be lost thanks to robots and artificial intelligence
Those in favour of automated workforces point to the benefits for mass production as well as increased leisure time for all of us .
But according to Mr Skilton, measures need to be taken now to make sure that robots are a help not a hindrance to the workforce.
“Putting in place controls now could well help economies make sure robots and computers add growth rather than destroy jobs.”


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It's been a pretty good year for healthcare stocks across the board, and a handful have soared to all-time highs. You shouldn't buy stocks just because they're going up, but there's a chance Zoetis Inc. (ZTS 1.52%), Baxter International Inc. (BAX -1.04%), and Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG -0.37%) could continue climbing.
Let's look at factors driving growth for this diverse group of health-related businesses to see which, if any, still have enough fuel in the tank to propel them even higher.
Climbing on four legs
Often overlooked, demand for animal-health products is growing faster than a newborn puppy, and Zoetis Inc.'s stock price is along for the ride. Global animal-health spending reached an estimated $34.5 billion in 2015, and by 2025 the market could swell to $58 billion.
This top animal-health stock has roughly doubled over the past three years, and it's currently near an all-time high. Impressive bottom-line growth is largely responsible for the stock's run-up. Over the past four years, trailing earnings have more than doubled to $1.72 per share, and management expects to report between $2.08 and $2.20 per share for the full year.
Since the company was spun off from Pfizer in 2013, top-line growth has been somewhat sluggish, but years of investment in research and development of new medicines has begun to bear fruit. For example, canine eczema treatment Cytopoint became the first biologic drug to earn FDA approval for treatment of pets last December. Cytopoint and other products exclusive to Zoetis pushed first-quarter pet product sales 11% higher than the previous-year period to $517 million.
While increased spending for the care of pets is surging, Zoetis investors will want to keep an eye on U.S. livestock sales. The recently implemented Veterinary Feed Directive requires farmers to secure written authorization from licensed vets before they can use antibiotics. In the first quarter, sales of livestock products in the U.S. slid 2% over the previous-year period to $282 million.
If pet product sales continue surging, and antibiotic sales stabilize, Zoetis stock could keep soaring.
Rates of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes are on the rise across the globe. All three conditions tend to lead to kidney damage and raise demand for Baxter International's dialysis equipment.
Baxter is a longtime leader in the dialysis-equipment space, and rising popularity of its new automated systems for home use are cementing the company's position. The company's cloud-enabled dialysis cyclers allow healthcare providers to monitor patients remotely, and this cost-effective option is just beginning to take off. Baxter thinks its automated home systems could serve about 40% of the world's dialysis patients, but at the moment roughly 13% are taking advantage of the convenience.
While innovative product offerings are expected to keep renal-segment sales marching in the right direction over the long term, hospital product sales are surging. First-quarter U.S. sales of cyclophosphamide, a popular cancer therapy, have been under pressure since the entry of generic competition several years ago. Despite the headwind, total hospital product sales rose 7% over the previous-year period to $1.58 billion.
Now that the dust has settled following the spinoff and subsequent sale of the company's pharmaceutical operations, management is laser-focused on improving profitability. It looks like trimming unprofitable operations is working even better than expected. First-quarter adjusted earnings came in about 61% higher than the previous-year period, which was well above the company's previous expectations.
With sales and profit margins steadily moving in the right direction, it's no wonder Baxter's shares have risen about 30.2% this year to a new all-time high. If the company can meet recently boosted full-year expectations, this high-flying stock could soar even further.
Small incisions, huge gains
Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci surgical robots have given long-term investors plenty to be thankful for. The devices have progressed from novelties to necessities in hospitals around the globe, making Intuitive Surgical one of the best-performing healthcare stocks of its time. So far this year it's risen about 41% to another all-time high, and it looks like there's still plenty of fuel in the tank.
Intuitive Surgical employs a razor-and-blades business model that has an interesting twist. Surgeons keep finding new uses for the surgical robots, and that's driving up demand for the instruments and accessories consumed with every procedure performed. As my Foolish colleague Brian Stoffel recently noted, hernia repair wasn't even on the radar in 2013, but consumables sold to perform these procedures are one of the company's leading growth drivers today.
A recent study showed hernia repair procedures performed with da Vinci robots led to significantly shorter hospital stays, at a time when U.S. hospitals are under increased pressure to reduce total costs associated with standard procedures. When you consider the long-term savings, it's no wonder hernia surgeries performed without robotic assistance are quickly becoming a thing of the past.
In the first quarter, the total number of surgeries performed with da Vinci systems surged 18% over the previous-year period, and sales of consumables rose in step with procedures. If hospitals continue to use their installed base of da Vinci systems to perform a wider array of procedures, this highflyer could soar right past the clouds into the stratosphere.


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Nintendo Switch Gamescom lineup
Nintendo Switch fans might want to get a ticket to Gamescom, because the console is going to be highlighted in a big way.
Ahead of the rumoured Nintendo Direct presentation for August, the company has revealed its lineup for Gamescom.
Taking place in Cologne, Germany, the European gaming expo runs from August 21 until August 25.
Nintendo will showcase upcoming Switch exclusives like Super Mario Party and Super Smash Bros Ultimate.
"Visitors to Nintendo’s booth at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany this year are in for a treat, as they’ll be the first to try some of the fun new minigames in Super Mario Party, as well as being able to go hands-on with other upcoming Nintendo Switch software, including Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and more," Nintendo explains.
Super Mario Party is said to take the board game mode back to its roots.
According to Nintendo, there's even a strategical element thanks to the addition of individual Dice Blocks.
The post continues: "Additional game modes, such as Toad’s Rec Room that pairs up two Nintendo Switch consoles, plus the Online Mariothon minigame gauntlet, make this one party where everyone can enjoy themselves, and visitors to Nintendo’s booth in Hall 9 can try out five of the new minigames themselves as a taster of the fun that awaits."
And Super Mario Party isn't the only game on show at the event.
Other playable titles are said to include...
• EA SPORTS FIFA 19
• Dark Souls: Remastered
• Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes
• DRAGON BALL FighterZ
• Starlink: Battle for Atlas
• Killer Queen Black
Nintendo has also announced plans to broadcast a series of videos live from the showfloor.
"Those who can’t attend the show in person can get a deeper look at a selection of already-announced upcoming games on Nintendo’s YouTube channel, with a series of videos recorded at its RedCube studio on the gamescom showfloor throughout the week.
"Fans can tune in to see new gameplay from a selection of games, including Super Mario Party, Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country, and DAEMON X MACHINA from Marvelous, featuring the game’s producer Kenichiro Tsukuda."
It's possible that more games will be revealed if the company holds a Direct conference ahead of Gamescom.


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To mark the first anniversary of the EU Referendum, Farmers Guardian has asked a number of key figures from the NFU to explain how things have changed for the industry over the past 12 months.
Livestock board chairman Charles Sercombe continues our week-long mini-series with an in-depth look at the beef and sheep sectors.
The key issue for the UK sheep sector is being able to maintain our ability to export to the European single market. France, followed by Germany and Belgium are our biggest markets by some distance – we export around 38-40 per cent of our total production there.
Without tariff-free access, our lamb we would simply lose this market which would have a dramatic impact on farm gate prices.
We are also concerned by the gradual decline in lamb consumption, so the whole supply chain needs to work harder to ensure the consistency and quality of the product, and to promote new cuts of lamb to a wider demographic which encourages younger people and families that do not currently eat much lamb.
The halal sector is extremely important here in the UK, but also in Europe. Muslims tend to eat around 4 times as much sheep meat when compared to the UK average of just 4.9kg per person per year.
We are also challenged by imported product, especially from New Zealand and less so from Australia. We have seen this trade change over the years as New Zealand send in added value cuts, which because of price, compete very well with British lamb and displace British in retail and especially in food service.
We would like to understand what the status of the existing EU-New Zealand tariff rate quota (TRQ) will be when we leave the EU.
We would also ask the UK Government to consider a TRQ for sheep meat imports which could draw down quota depending on domestic production, UK export volumes, domestic consumption and consumer demand, allowing imported product to make up any shortfall.
With have a slightly different situation for beef as we are only around 60 per cent self-sufficient, so we import around 270,000 tonnes per annum from Ireland alone.
However, we also export beef to Ireland and the Netherlands, only for it to return following further processing, so tariff barriers between the UK and EU could have a significant impact on trade flows.
We know Irish production is heavily reliant on the UK market. If access was restricted in any way, it will find its way onto the European market and displace EU domestic product, causing significant issues for producers in other member states.
In the EU, beef is deemed to be a sensitive product which has afforded it some protection from third country imports, particularly from south and north America.
We would like to see UK beef and lamb afforded sensitive status which might help limit imports produced to lower animal welfare and food safety standards.
This has come into focus more recently with the Brazilian meat scandal which highlighted long-term systemic fraud. Our aim must be to develop short and transparent supply chains where possible.


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DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government’s road safety agency has paid more than $24 million to a whistleblower who reported that Hyundai and Kia moved too slowly to recall over 1 million vehicles with engine problems.
We previously reported that Hyundai and Kia recalled over 591,000 vehicles in the U.S. for leaks that can cause fires.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the award is the first it has paid to a whistleblower.
It’s also the maximum percentage allowed by law of penalties paid by the automakers. In November of 2020, the agency announced that Hyundai and Kia would pay $137 million in fines and for safety improvements in an agreement to resolve the engine problems.


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The order of the Big 3 in that title is the order of their financial health according to United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger.
While Toyota may be struggling with a shrinking economic forecast it is still turning a profit. The people in Anna, Ohio seem to think Honda is doing well with its engine manufacturing plant.
["I don't think they should bail them out because ... obviously something's not right in the way they're running their business, and why should the American people have to bail them out if they can't figure out how to do it right?" September Quinn, the busy waitress, said after the lunch rush at the Inn Between.] I think September needs should be a consultant for the boards of the Big 3.
Ohh..the question. If your competitors are doing it right why should be help continue doing it wrong?


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Next is one of the most successful UK fashion retailers, so when it downgrades profit guidance that it only upgraded last month, you know the sector as a whole is facing tough times. And that’s what it did Thursday.
The Spanish label is getting stronger. The proof is that the Kering group is moving the brand into new parisien premises, at 16-18 rue Vaneau, in the 7th arrondissement, covering almost 4,000 square meters, FashionNetwork.com has learned.
Tradeshow Coterie New York is set to take place in the Big Apple this month, with a schedule that will bring thousands of top-tier retailers and premium brands together to display upcoming collections.


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Spanish petfood brand Compy has removed its products from some Mercadona supermarket shelves in Spain after complaints that the petfood is allegedly linked to kidney failure in pets, according to a report.
The petfood products are being tested by Compy's technicians to determine whether or not the petfood is connected to the kidney failure reports in dogs.
“At this stage we have only removed the product as a precaution," said Mercadona spokesman, Jorge Romero. “We have received various calls, six complaints, and it has been removed from shops in Albox, Garrucha and Mojacar. This is not all over Andalucia."
According to the manufacturer, the products in question are only wet petfood products for cats and dogs produced by Escuris, in Tetra Brick (cartons of 375ml). Compy said that a test was done in 190 out of 1365 Mercadona stores with wet food in tetra brick as a substitution for canned wet petfood. Consumers who are concerned can call a helpline, in English and Spanish, at +900500103.
Why these companies lead the global petfood industry in
sales, growth and innovation
Learn about more companies and how they are lending a helping paw and claw to their own cause campaigns
The company builds on its boutique business with three new lines for pet stores, including baked dog food and treats
Smaller lobbying groups employed most often to fight for clients' interests
What you need to keep your manufacturing line clean, safe and contaminant-free
Safe, nutritious, tasty petfood requires careful handling and processing of raw meat ingredients
The mid-year meeting addressed several regulatory matters affecting petfoods
It gives more direct control to CVM in establishing and maintaining ingredient definitions
Public meetings invited comments and provided updates
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NetEnt Launches the New Mobile Roulette Interface
This latest addition to the company’s line-up of live roulette content should offer players a much better experience, while at the same time optimising the game’s performance across different mobile screen orientations.
Focusing on Mobile
The new interface will also include 18 Recent Numbers, developed specifically for portrait gameplay. According to the Swedish technology giant, this overhaul should improve the game’s overall usability, while players will be able to enjoy a significantly enhanced experience.
Thanks to the new changes, the game will offer several dynamic camera angles, in addition to new options whose list includes quick access to favourites and statistics. It should be noted these options will be available in both portrait and landscape views.
Players who play NetEnt’s Roulette on the go will be able to enjoy a video view at both 50% and 100% of the screen of their mobile devices, no matter whether they play the game in portrait or landscape views.
Using a new functionality, all Roulette fans will now be able to place their wagers at Racetrack. Wagering can be done seamlessly, with players having options to bet on groups and sections of numbers, but without resetting the main felt every time the new game starts.
The fresh arrival represents the latest in a line of innovations introduced by the Stockholm-based gaming company. NetEnt has been very busy recently, launching new releases and signing partnership agreements to further expand its market presence.
Players Will Benefit from an Unrivalled Experience
Commenting on the recent launch, Andres Rengifo, Director at NetEnt Live, explained the company was expanding its offering with new additions aimed at providing the customers with unparalleled playing experience.
Rengifo pointed out that the new user interface for Roulette showed NetEnt had once again raised the bar. He also added the product would benefit from the increasing popularity of mobile.
This launch comes a month or so after the introduction of the new live roulette product called Auto Roulette Studio that brought together three roulette wheels to create an immersive and exciting atmosphere.
The list of Auto Roulette Studio features included dynamic camera angles, HD streaming and other innovative technologies. Players were given the chance to enjoy Classic Auto-Roulette, Rapid Auto-Roulette, and VIP Auto-Roulette at the same time, and in a single environment. The option of switching between the wheels further added to the excitement.
Auto Roulette Studio was designed to fulfill the needs of demanding players in various markets around the world. The product features voice-overs in a dozen languages, while more are to be added in the coming period.
One of the products added to NetEnt’s offering in 2019 was the new Network Branded Casino solution that allowed the company’s partners to pick from 3 product tiers. Each of these tiers offered a different level of customisation, enabling them to create distinctive and instantly recognisable offerings.


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Maputo — Shops and other businesses who sell basic foodstuffs that have not been fortified with micro-nutrients risk seeing their merchandise seized and removed from the shelves as from March 2018.
Rita Freitas, the general inspector of the government's National Inspectorate of Economic Activities (INAE), gave the warning on Friday at a seminar on progress made so far in the National Food Fortification Programme. The programme is aimed at promoting consumption of food fortified with micronutrients in order to reduce chronic malnutrition, mainly among children under five years of age.
Freitas said that, as from March next year, all maize flour, wheat flour, vegetable oil, sugar and salt sold in the country must be fortified. She promised that INAE will check on the sale of these products in shops and markets.
In September the Mozambican authorities banned the import on non-fortified basic foods. But there are believed to be many stocks of non-fortified foods, and the owners have been given until March 2018 to dispose of them.
The National Coordinator of the Food Fortification Programme, Eduarda Mungoi, told the meeting that this year over three million Mozambicans have consumed fortified wheat flour. She expected this number to rise to 14 million in 2018.
Around 43 per cent of children in Mozambique suffer from chronic malnutrition. This is caused not only by an absolute shortage of food, but by a poor diet, lacking in key nutrients. The micro-nutrients added include vitamin A, folic acid, iron, zinc and iodine (the latter is usually added to salt).
Although the micro-nutrients are added to foods in very small amounts, and are usually consumed at a rate of less than 100 milligrams per day, they are critical for good health, For example, vitamin A deficiency can cause blindness and reduces the body's ability to fight infection. Iron deficiency causes anaemia, while zinc deficiency can increase the risks of diarrhea and pneumonia, and iodine deficiency can lead to goiters.


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On January 13, 2020, Thora Johnson was quoted in Report on Medicare Compliance about inflection points in data privacy and security in healthcare to expect in 2020. According to the article, new state laws take effect in California and New York state that apply both to companies in those states and and to companies that have consumers there, while the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services pushes ahead with its Right-of-Access Initiative.
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) also allows patients and other consumers to sue companies privately for breaches, says Johnson.
Meanwhile, OCR has already brought two right-of-access enforcement actions, Johnson says.
Click here to access the article.


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Paytm Jobs: Paytm is looking to hire 20,000 students at a salary of Rs 35,000 per month. According to business representatives, anyone over the age of 18 who is a 10th pass, 12th pass, or a graduate can apply for this position. The following are the complete details.
If you're looking for work, there's some good news for you. Paytm, India's largest digital payment platform is planning an IPO for Rs 16,600 crore ahead of Diwali. It is projected to be the biggest initial public offering ever. Before launching the IPO, the firm wants to be ready in every way. Paytm now intends to expand its workforce to achieve this goal.
Paytm is a term that everyone who owns a phone is familiar with. Paytm began as an online wallet and has now expanded to include payment banking and other services for its users. It has decided to employ 20,000 field sales executives around the country. Paytm has established the Field Sales Executive (FSE) programme to give undergraduates new job possibilities. This employment is open to anybody who has finished at least 18 years of age and is a 10th pass, 12th pass, or any graduate.
The Paytm App on an Android smartphone may be used to apply for these jobs. Those who possess two-wheelers, are comfortable travelling, and have past sales experience will be given preference. Applicants should be fluent in the local language and know the area well. With so much competition in the industry, Paytm appears to have made a critical choice in the lead-up to its upcoming public offering. Paytm, QR Code, PVOS Machine, Paytm Soundbox, Wallet, UPI, Paytm Postpaid, Merchant Loans, and Insurance Schemes are intended to be pushed through these employees. The company intends to expand its business significantly as a result of this.
Paytm has just an 11 per cent market share in the current UPI market, according to data from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), followed by PhonePe with 45 per cent and Google Pay with 35 per cent. It appears that the decision was taken to compete with several fintech businesses, including PhonePe and GooglePay. In the form of an executive commission, the hired field sales executive will be able to earn a monthly income of 35,000 and above.


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According to the latest edition of the cost of living survey issued by Economist Intelligence Unit, Singapore has been named the most expensive city for the fifth consecutive year.
Singapore has an index score of 116 followed by Paris and Zurich with a score of 112 each.
Hon Kong, Tel Aviv, Sydney, Copenhagen are some of the other cities which feature in top 10.
The survey was conducted across 133 major cities in the world. The index was calculated based on prices of basic 160 goods and commodities in each city. These basic commodities and products include food, drink, clothing, household supplies and personal care items, home rents, transport, utility bills, private schools, domestic help and recreational costs.
The currency devaluation was also considered during index evaluation.
Singapore is undoubtedly one of the strongest economies of the world. The Singaporean government is open to foreign investment. One-third of the workforce in the country comprises of foreign nationals. This has inevitably raised the cost of living and some of the basic commodities.
Also, Singapore city is a country too. With the constraint for land space, the accommodation prices have gone up. Most of the food products are imported. The public transport is cheap though but the price of cars in extremely high making it the most expensive commodity. It is not easy for an ordinary citizen of Singapore to own a car. It would take the minimum of $100,000 to buy a sedan. Also, the fossil fuels are being imported. The taxes are also high whereas the education is cheap.
The survey also includes top 10 cheapest cities to live in. Damascus (Syria) is the cheapest city to live in and Chennai, Bangalore, and New Delhi features in this list of top 10.


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Miami, FL. August 2020 – Combo Kitchen, headquartered in Miami, FL, has announced an aggressive national expansion campaign of its ghost kitchen model, beginning with its first location in the historically important neighborhood of Little Havana. The delivery region will service the greater Brickell and Downtown areas.
Combo Kitchen CEO and founder Hossein Kasmai, a nationally renowned franchise and restaurant expert featured by Entrepreneur Magazine, NBC, and CBS News, conceptualized a unique franchise opportunity to capitalize on the growing trend of food delivery. “Combo Kitchen offers a COVID-proof solution to save the restaurant industry from the devastating hit it has taken in 2020,” says Kasmai.
A franchisee chooses several restaurant concepts from Combo Kitchen’s extensive list of top restaurant brands in the nation and operates them from a single location, thus reducing the three most expensive components of running a restaurant; labor, rent, and food cost. Combo Kitchen has partnered and is looking to partner with well-recognized restaurant brands seeking to expand their footprint and increase revenue. Additionally, Combo Kitchen is partnering with restaurants that are currently operating to add more brands to their existing kitchen and maximize their revenue in their delivery geographic area. “One of the most exciting things about Combo Kitchen is that we could come in and not only provide exciting new food options to a neighborhood, but we could also save a lot of restaurants from closing by offering more brands from their existing location,” says Kasmai.
The global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus has irreversibly impacted restaurants around the world. Fortunately, advancements in technology allowed restaurants to incorporate delivery or curbside pickup business models through online ordering apps such as UberEats, GrubHub, and DoorDash. Restaurateurs everywhere recognized the changing market, resulting in the emergence of ghost kitchens. Ghost kitchens are professional food prep and kitchen facilities shared by multiple restaurant concepts to provide delivery and to-go orders only. The process is simple. After purchasing a Combo Kitchen franchise, a franchisee chooses multiple restaurant brands from our network. The franchisee then operates the ghost kitchen, offering multiple brands while only utilizing the same infrastructure as a single one. The combination of higher sales from multiple concepts with the expenses of just one is how they have the ability to increase their ROI at a faster rate.
Statistics prove that ordering food online isn’t a trend that’s going away anytime soon.
Before the pandemic, takeout and delivery accounted for 40% of all food orders. Today, they account for 75%. The current market for food delivery is a $250 billion industry and by 2030, it is anticipated to reach $900 billion.
About Franchise Creator
Combo Kitchen is a subsidiary of Franchise Creator – the largest franchise consulting firm in the nation. CEO Hossein Kasmai is a recognized expert in the franchising industry with decades of experience launching over 450 businesses into franchises boasting thousands of locations between them, including multiple companies of his own. Among those, several have been recognized and ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine among the Top 500 franchises for six years in a row and the Top 100 fastest-growing franchises for two years in a row. Contact Combo Kitchen today on getting a head start on what should be one of the most lucrative business opportunities in the restaurant industry. For more information, please visit the company website at www.combokitchen.com or call 305-592-9229.


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One year on: How one man gained the freedom of being his own boss after redundancy
David Wallace explains that after being laid off again, he is now a home-working travel consultant with Not Just Travel, helping to plan holidays for the deaf and hearing impaired.
“After being made redundant twice in six years, I knew I needed a total career change,” he said.
"I wanted something different from life – something that I was in control of. You can’t be made redundant when you’re your own boss.”
Mr Wallace is already racking up bookings after starting his travel firm just three weeks ago.
It comes after he in February spent £15,000 on buying a travel franchise. The purchase, through The Travel Franchise, gave him “everything” he needed to set up his own travel consultancy from home – training, booking systems, a website head office support, ABTA and ATOL protections, and a personal business mentor.
After completing his training, Mr Wallace has since been carrying out Facebook live sessions, with his wife doing sign language in the background.
He adds: “I had two holiday enquiries arrive in my inbox the moment I finished the Facebook live, it was great. My wife works with a deaf charity in Scotland and the plan is that my new travel business will help plan dream holidays for deaf people, to help this often-overlooked community.
"Hotel chains are not doing as much as they should be and I want to be a part of this drive for change. My first booking was from a friend. She was looking to take her family to Orlando. That first-ever booking feeling was incredible.”
Since then, Mr Wallace has helped organise a honeymoon and various trips in the UK and abroad, with social media helping the business extend its reach.
He believes that now “is the perfect time to be a travel consultant as people are desperate to get away”. The businessman has already booked his own holiday, travelling to Jamaica in July. He will also participate in familiarisation trips offered by holiday companies so he can experience resorts himself.
His time before starting the business includes having joined the army straight from school, then working as a driver for security company G4S, as well as delivering luxury cars and working in various management roles – “worlds apart from owning my own business or working in travel”.
A survey published earlier this year by accountancy software firm FreeAgent revealed that Scotland was home to the highest proportion in the UK of budding entrepreneurs as a result of Covid-19.
Just over a tenth of respondents said they hadn’t previously planned on starting a business, but the impact of the pandemic had them want to go freelance or launch their own venture.
Additionally, Small Business Prices, which provides information for owners of such firms, said it found that it costs £1,680 to set up a remote business, including everything from registering your business, buying a new laptop and a web domain, to invoicing software and business phone numbers.
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Signs are that the future of M-PESA in Kenya is downwards
M-pesa celebrated its 9th Anniversary in early March this year, with a colourful reminder of how it has managed to change people’s lives for the time it has been in existence. Launching in 2007 as a money transfer service, M-Pesa has transformed to accommodate banking services, different payment services and has won various awards along the way. The mobile money transfer and payment service has now become, by far, a revolutionary innovation that is causing a stir globally and contributing greatly to Kenya’s GDP.
Most recently, Michael Joseph, the former Safaricom CEO and current director of Mobile Money at Vodafone, was ranked 3rd by Business Insider in their Creators List. Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook was first and Starbucks’ Howard Schultz came in second. This was another reminder of how M-Pesa has contributed to the financial sector and changed many lives along the process. It is an effective mobile platform that brings convenience where banks continue to lack and security where moving around with cash is a great risk. But with all the good things M-Pesa has to offer, could this globally recognized platform become the innovation that was?
Before you dismiss this thought, allow me to make a case. M-Pesa functions best where delivery of financial services is a great concern, and this is why it has managed to do so much in the 9 years and counting that it has been operational. Through M-Pesa, people have managed to open up small businesses that they never thought they could, financial inclusion has been extended to cover the greater unbanked Kenyans and economic interactions have greatly shifted. For these reasons, the mobile based platform continues to thrive in places that lack in financial inclusion such as Kenya, Tanzania and other markets, but fails in countries with better inclusion.
South Africa is a recent example where M-Pesa has failed to make it in terms of subscriber base, with the mobile money service amassing only over a million customers in the years it has been operational in the country. Since launching in 2010, the service had a little over 70,000 as active subscribers. According to Vodacom, the mobile network under which M-Pesa was available in South Africa, the success factors that exist in Kenya and other markets were not present in the country. The larger population already has access to banking services. “South Africa banks have made it a priority to offer banking services to the economically disadvantaged…and M-Pesa didn’t offer much on top of that to make it attractive.”
Why M-Pesa Could Be Counting It’s Glory Years
While M-Pesa closed its doors because it could not offer anything more attractive to already banked consumers in South Africa, Kenyans are already interacting with an attractive alternative. Now, we already know that Kenya is the largest market for M-Pesa. It’s the home country to this life changing innovation, with about 19 million active subscribers to show for and registering trillions annually in terms of deposits, withdrawals and transfers to date. But let’s talk the bad news. According to the Communications Authority, all telcos except Safaricom gained subscribers in the quarter ending 2015. The mobile operator has since overturned that to grow subscribers in the quarter ending March. But that’s where a dark shadow starts to cast on M-Pesa in Kenya.
In the same quarter ending March, Equitel – the attractive alternative for economically disadvantaged Kenyans – has been recording significant growth. When Safaricom lost about 425, 000 subscribers to the end of last year, Equitel went ahead to gain subscribers by a 24.3% margin in only three months. Currently the number of Equitel subscribers since launching last year stand at over 2 million and the platform has recorded about 62.4 billion worth of transactions. The actual number of transactions was at 44.7 million by March end. This is confirmation that Equity bank’s mobile transfer service is indeed picking up at a fast pace and could become a direct competitor to M-Pesa in no time.
From the very start, it was clear that Safaricom was afraid of what could become of equitel once it launched in the country. The telco challenged the bank’s thin-sim technology to which it lost, and proceeded to increase charges for those using the new service. When Equitel launched in July of last year, users were initially disappointed by increased charges for transfers between the service and M-Pesa. Equity bank later clarified that the added charges were from M-Pesa side, demanding explanations from both the telecom and CBK. Safaricom later retracted the charges. Today, for one to send money on equitel lines, transactions are free of charge, with the only existing charges aside from tax being to Safaricom subscribers.
Equitel currently offers most of the services that the M-Pesa platform offers, and it continues to grow to accommodate more. Towards the end of June, Equity Bank’s CEO James Mwangi announced that the bank would be loaning its customers money to buy a dual SIM phone, as long as one of them was an equitel line. This may not appear as a big deal to many, but then again Equity designs its products for the common mwananchi or what South Africa would call, “economically disadvantaged”. The benefit of this is that Equity will be selling a good option to a large number of Kenyans and at the same time increasing the doubt that already exists among M-Pesa users (based on pricing differences) and affirming the promise of equitel.
Equitel’s growth is just a tip of the iceberg, and while most may shy from highlighting how fast the service is growing, either from ignorance or denial, the fact is Kenya’s mobile money sector is evolving to great heights. M-Pesa does not enjoy a monopoly as does the likes of Kenya Power. It is a near-monopoly – yes – but it is not one, and could soon become just another mobile money service among many. It could continue to do well, especially with the growth in other markets outside Kenya and the projects it continues to become part of, but its glory in Kenya may be reaching a saturation point in a few years.
Airtel money may have failed at gaining a competitive advantage against M-Pesa, but then again Airtel has always struggled to attract subscribers as a mobile network. Most of the operator’s subscribers were the first to move to Equitel when it launched last year and its subscriber base continues to drop, as equitel’s goes up. The mobile money evolution stage is already set and all we can do is watch as it unfolds. Changes in fees may arise along the way and law suits may continue to exchange in court rooms, nonetheless, the much awaited shakeup is bound to happen.


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By launching the Autograph Collection, Marriott International hopes to go after travelers who'd rather not stay in cookie-cutter hotels and, instead, usually hunt down interesting boutique hotels when staying in a new city.
Yesterday's coverage provided a few details, such as the fact that Marriott hopes to have as many 30 independent hotels in the Autograph Collection by late 2010, and that Marriott wouldn't force these hotels to significantly alter their identity. But what kind of hotels can we expect, and just how involved will Marriott be in their business?
Yesterday, my colleague Roger Yu talked to Marriott's Don Semmler about the Autograph Collection in an exclusive interview. Semmler is Marriott's executive vice president of brand management. Highlights from his interview:
So why is Marriott, which is know for requiring hotels to adhere to strict rules to make hotel stays predictable, taking this route?
It wants to target people "who are seeking high personality hotels, the anti-chain experience," Semmler told Yu.
"There is a growing segment of people who are looking for individual experiences today. Some of the brands are down the middle of the road," he told Yu. " They're all good, but they're pretty much the same."
Marriot will first target higher-end hotels that have opened recently and are struggling due to the economy.
Readers: What do you think about the Autograph Collection concept? Good idea?


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Adobe launched its first Alexa skill last week. The Adobe XD skill and related plugin connect the voice assistant to..
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Report says that the Xiaomi Mi 7 could be first Android phone with 3D sensing; Q3 release expected4
The report says that suppliers of 3D sensing modules are having a problem combining the software and hardware needed to make the technology work. The most seasoned module is made by a joint venture run by Qualcomm, Himax Technologies and Truly Opto-electronics. This system works only with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 mobile platform, which is the chip maker's current top-of-the-line SoC. Since Samsung and Huawei prefer using their own Exynos and Kirin chipsets on their high-end models, respectively, both of these firms will most likely not be among the first Android phone manufacturers to offer an Android handset equipped with 3D sensing. Samsung might not offer such a feature until 2019, according to the report.
It was believed that the upcoming and unannounced Xiaomi Mi 7, expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 845 mobile platform, would launch in the first half of the year with 3D sensing on board. But today's report suggests that the phone has been delayed to Q3 because of poor results with the facial recognition system. The Mi 7 could be the first Android handset to come with 3D facial recognition.
Last December, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller told a Dutch website that when it comes to all Android attempts to copy Face ID, "They all stink."


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Luxury preloved dress agency opens its doors in town salon
More than 30 people attended a launch night for a plush new dress agency last week.
The White Dress Agency sells luxury pre-owned high end women’s clothing and boasts all the top brands including Jimmy Choos, Ted Baker, Whistles and Vivienne Westwood. It opened its doors in Grantham for the first time last Thursday.
Owner Fiona White, from Bottesford, hopes to appeal to those shoppers who want the designer experience but at a fraction of the cost.
She said: “Many of us spend alot of money on an outfit for a special occasion like a wedding or an anniversary that will then end up hanging up at the back of your wardrobe for months afterwards, as it costs too much to throw away or donate to charity. I display it in my shop for eight weeks. If it sells in that time, we each take 50 per cent of the commission but if it doesn’t, the customer can either choose to take it back or donate it to charity. I am quite strict in that all clothing and shoes need to be new or nearly new.”
Opening her own business has been a long time coming for Fiona, who started off in retail before moving to Singapore and becoming a model.
She added: “I was dealing with different fashions and designers on a regular basis and knew it was something I wanted to continue in the future.”
After moving back, the mum of three started working part-time for East Midlands Taylor Wimpy but always planned to get back into fashion and spotted her opportunity last September.
She said: “It was by chance that I got speaking to the owners of AUK at a time when they were refurbishing their building. I’ve been a customer of theirs for many years, so knew the area well and when they offered me a room, I knew it was meant to be. I think our businesses really complement each other.”
Although Fiona found sourcing her stock simple, she struggled when it came to naming her business adding: “I wanted something simple and that says exactly what it is. I didn’t want people to have to guess. As my surname is White, I thought The White Dress agency was extremely fitting.”
Since opening last week, Fiona has enjoyed getting to know her new customers. She added: “The first week has been fabulous. I’ve sold pieces everyday.”
The White Dress Agency is located upstairs at UK Hair and Beauty on Commercial Road and is open from Thursday to Saturday from 10am to 4.30pm.


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Manufacturing, retail-wholesale trade, and government services are the Top 3 most critical economic sectors in the Philippines during the pandemic, a recent study bared.
The study on “Mitigating Economic Losses from COVID-19: Insights from Input-Output Analysis” which was presented in a webinar on “COVID-19: Where We Are and Where We Want to Be” looked at the economies of Malaysia and the Philippines.
The webinar is a part of a series organized by the Department of Science and Technology-National Academy of Science and Technology (DoST-NAST).
With an analysis on five factors – economic impact, connectivity, sector size, income multiplier, and employment – the researchers identified the critical sectors for the economies of both countries.
The mathematical models they developed account for network effects, where changes in a particular sector cause “ripple effects” in other sectors of the economy.
“When a firm goes bankrupt, it disappears from the economic picture. The question is, how far below normal can a certain economic sector dip, because percentage-wise, below a certain threshold level, bouncing back to pre-pandemic level becomes difficult or even impossible,” Raymond Tan, a professor at Dela Salle University (DLSU) and member of the research team, said.
DoST said that Tan illustrated that economic sectors are not monolithic entities, but consists of individual firms. In a given crisis like a pandemic, what happens for instance, in hotels and restaurants, is that these large number of corporate entities might end up going bankrupt because of percentage loss of business, and it is this percentage or fraction of loss that is significant.
He also added that the tourism and travel industry are among the extremely hard-hit sectors in this pandemic but sectors such as telecommunications, finance, logistics, and delivery are booming.
Krista Danielle Yu, also a member of the research team for the country, developed an enhanced input-output model of analysis can help the government identify the critical economic sectors to be prioritized, so that given the limited resources, the government would know where to distribute the stimulus package across sectors of the economy to maximize the benefits.
"The team presented several scenarios for computer-aided allocation of economic stimulus, a scientific approach to maximize the social benefits per peso spent. Effective exit strategies are needed to revive economies during the COVID-19 pandemic," DoST said.
"The Philippine economy has been doing good, due to sustained decades-worth of over six percent growth in GDP. However, there’s been a 16.5 percent contraction during the second quarter of the year because of the pandemic. Compared, though, with Malaysia’s drop in GDP by about 20 percent during lockdown, the country fared slightly better," it added.
“There will be limited resources, but with the use of computer models and with the best available techniques, we can make better decisions and restart the economy in the best way possible,” Tan said, acknowledging the importance of a scientifically-based policy support for planning in the government, which has been what the DoST has been doing.
The research was based on outputs from a project supported by a special COVID-19 grant from Heriot-Watt University’s Global Challenges Research Fund (CGRF). The project involved a team of researchers led by Dr. Viknesh Andiappan from Heriot-Watt University Malaysia, University of Nottingham Malaysia, and De La Salle University.


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VI Incorporated, a world leader in laser optics and subsystems, today announced the introduction of its freeform
beam shaping laser optics for fiber and direct diode laser applications.
The "Black-ish" spinoff that's gaining mega buzz on social media has been renewed for another season by Freeform
We haven't been able to get it to work, but hidden in the code of Android N are references to an "experimental freeform
Entertainment and media company Disney's publishing arm, Disney Publishing Worldwide, plans to launch Freeform
, a new imprint for young adults, literary news company Publishers Weekly revealed on Thursday.
On the left is the freeform
foundation and on the right is the traditionally pieced foundation.
Wire Jewelry provides a lovely step-by-step guide to making freeform
wire jewelry and covers everything from earrings and bracelets to pendants.
The Leeds company now offers the latest generation freeform
multifocal lenses and its own MAR product 'Smar.
recently released a paper that advises CAD users on the aspects of the tools that allow them to design complex, freeform
TELECOMWORLDWIRE-10 September 2009-Samsung's Freeform
handset released in the US with AllTel Wireless(C)1994-2009 M2 COMMUNICATIONS http://www.
FIVE head to Edinburgh next week to headline the massive Stereotype party as part of the Festival.
Deciding whether poetry, especially freeform
poetry, is good is so subjective.
ProMetal RCT combines standard foundry materials and digital freeform
fabrication technology to create complex cores and molds direct from CAD data.


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New 10p Plastic Tax Could Be In The Bag
After agreement between London authorities leaders
The prospect of a plastic bag tax came closer to fruition this week after an agreement by the leaders of London's 33 boroughs.
The Leaders' Committee of local government umbrella group London Councils approved a range of environmental proposals – including a suggested total ban on plastic bags - to be incorporated in the 10th London Local Authorities Bill, which is due to go before Parliament in November.
The 10p tax for each plastic carrier bag given to shoppers is similar the successful system operated in Ireland and is designed to raise funds to create new recycling facilities.
A spokesperson for Ealing Council said, “The proposals are at their earliest stage and boroughs have not yet been formally consulted on the bag tax. The proposals will now be drafted into a preliminary Bill. Stakeholders and government will then be consulted over the summer for any final observations before it is signed off, with boroughs asked to pass a motion supporting it."
However, the proposals are unlikely to gain approval from Parliament after “concerns” were expressed during an initial consultation into the Bill. Undeterred, London Councils remain committed to pushing for the tax to pressure the government into tackling the issue of plastic bags.
London Councils chairman Cllr Merrick Cockell said, "The proposals for a plastic bag tax levy or borough-led charging points for electric vehicles underline our commitment to addressing these concerns. We hope Londoners will join with us in commending these proposals to Parliament to create a greener, safer city."
Earlier this year Modbury in south Devon became the first town in Europe to ban plastic bags from its shops. From the butchers to the supermarket, none of the town's 43 traders uses plastic bags.
Inspired by this dedication to the environment, local resident Gavin Jones came up with an idea to create a new it bag for Chiswick along the lines of "I’m an e-bag. Not sold for profit. Well apart from saving the environment."
Speaking about his plans, he said “We could start small say in Turnham Green Terrace and ask the shops to sell them at cost instead of plastic bags. They could be made from canvas with soft rope handles, printed with a suitable message one side and local shopping advertising on the other. Like ‘Shop in Turnham Green Terrace - The eco-Friendly Alternative’”
Just like the London Council's proposals, Gavin's bag is in its early stages nevertheless, as Ireland and Anya Hindmarch have shown us, they both have the potential to happen.
July 19, 2007


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Willie Nelson Bus Pelted With Bottles at Bean Store
A group of drunken teen-agers pelted Willie Nelson’s tour bus with bottles when the country music star’s caravan stopped at the L.L. Bean retail store, police said Tuesday.
Nelson’s entourage clashed with the teen-agers, sending one of the youths to a local hospital with a concussion, Freeport patrolman Terry Carter said. No charges were filed as a result of the incident, which occurred early Sunday.


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The average age of a US or UK mobile device owner who has played a game on the device in the past month (“mobile gamer”) is 39.5, while among those only playing games on a tablet, the average age is 44.7, per findings [pdf] from a PopCap Games report released in June 2012. 16% of mobile gamers are 55 or older, while roughly two-thirds are less than 45 years old. Interestingly, among the age groups, those older than 65 are far more likely to play only on a tablet than only on a mobile phone (26% vs. 4%), with 55-64-year-olds displaying a similar preference (23% vs. 9%).
Half of Time Spent is With Handheld Device
Data from the “2012 PopCap Games Mobile Gaming Research” indicates that half of all game playing time spent by mobile gamers is with a handheld device, such as a mobile phone (33%), tablet (13%), or handheld game player (4%). Desktop or laptop computers (32%) and game consoles (18%) account for the remaining time spent playing games.
Limiting responses to just mobile devices, two-thirds play only on a mobile phone, while 12% limit their play to a tablet, and 21% play on both devices.
Proportion of New Gamers on the Rise
The proportion of new mobile gamers – those who have played for less than 1 year – continues to rise when compared to previous years. 44% this year said they were new to playing mobile games, including 29% who have only been playing for between 1 and 6 months. This represents an almost 30% increase from 34% in 2011 who had been playing for less than a year, and is double the proportion in 2009 who had been playing for that amount of time.
Overall, 44% of the US and UK mobile device owners surveyed said they had played a mobile game in the past month. This compares to comScore data released in June, which found that 1 in 3 US mobile phone subscribers played a game on their device during the 3-month average ending in April 2012.
- Mobile gamers who play on a mobile phone and a tablet spend more time playing on each device than those who limit their play to either one.
- Three-quarters of gamers who only play on a tablet never previously played games on a mobile phone.
- Among mobile gamers who play on a phone and a tablet, 40% say that their game play on their phone has declined and shifted towards their tablet.
- 57% of mobile gamers say that this activity is a regular part of their day.
- 42% of mobile gamers report spending at least 1 hour per week playing games on their devices. This is up from 29% in 2009.
- 3 in 10 mobile gamers say they never play social games on their device, an increase from 26% last year.
- 85% of respondents say that their mobile gaming activity has either stayed the same (39%) or increased (46%) over the past year.
- A slight majority have spent real money to purchase a mobile game, game currency, and/or game content in the past year. The average amount spent on mobile gaming was $21.24 in 2011, down from $29.21 a year earlier. That amount is expected to increase to $29.04 this year and $30.60 next year.
- Smartphone ownership among mobile gamers has increased 16% over the past year, and 36% of mobile gamers own a tablet.
About the Data: The PopCap research was conducted by Information Solutions Group (ISG) exclusively for PopCap Games. The results are based on 2,301 online surveys completed by members of the world’s largest online ePanel (Toluna) in the US and UK between April 25 and May 1, 2012. To qualify for participation in the survey, individuals had to own and use a mobile device (phone and/or tablet). Among these mobile device owners, 1,004 were identified as mobile gamers (those who played a game on their mobile device in the past month).


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Predicting a gloomy economic future, a top United Nations trade and development agency said on Wednesday that the governments still have a long way to go to tide over the financial crisis.
"The outlook is bleak," United Nations conference on trade and development director of division on globalisation and development strategies, Heiner Flassbeck told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York after releasing a report.
The world is still mired in a deep economic crisis and not much has been achieved in regulating the financial markets, Flassbeck said.
The real questions in that regard had not even been recognised, but thanks to the good reactions of some governments, the economy had stabilised somewhat and the decline had bottomed out. However, the perspective for growth was lacking, he noted.
Flassbeck said on the global level, private sector demand could only grow through consumption and investment, but rising unemployment and depressed wages depressed growth in consumption.
"Because capacity utilisation is 10 to 15 per cent below normal, there is no demand for new investments, and profits had in turn declined due to falling demand, he said urging governments to continue to stimulate the economy, stressing that talk of an 'early exit strategy' was premature."


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But media buyers’ appetite for in-game ads remains middling—for now.
The arrival of a major new ad-seller wouldn’t immediately create a buyer’s market, but it could yield creative new approaches.
Advertisers embrace the opportunity to reach the streaming giant’s younger, more affluent viewers.
Omnicom Group Inc. said its organic revenue grew 11.9% in the first quarter of 2022 and that it is confident in its growth “despite uniquely challenging global events,” including the war in Ukraine, the Covid-19 pandemic, rising inflation and supply-chain disruptions.
Kraken has named Gannett executive Mayur Gupta its first chief marketing officer as competition in the fast-growing category heats up.


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YELLEN: Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen told Congress's Joint Economic Committee that she expects low borrowing rates will continue to be needed for a "considerable time." She also said stress in emerging markets and a faltering housing recovery are potential threats.
FRESH SQUEEZE: Whole Foods plunged $9.62, or 20 percent, to $38.32 after the company cut its profit outlook late Tuesday. The company said it's facing increased competition as supermarkets, big-box stores and even online retailers step up their offerings of organic foods. It's the third time the grocery chain has trimmed its profit forecast in the last six months.
PERCOLATING BUSINESS: Mondelez surged following news that it will combine its coffee business with D.E. Master Blenders to form a new company, Jacobs Douwe Egberts. The new company will sell Gevalia, Tassimo and Jacobs, among other coffee brands. Mondelez rose $2.78, or 8 percent, to $37.95.
IT'S ELECTRIC: Electronic Arts jumped $4.71, or 17 percent, to $32.73 after the video-game maker turned in stronger results late Tuesday. The maker of "The Sims" and ''Madden NFL" reported higher profits and revenue than Wall Street expected and forecast stronger earnings over the next year. Electronic Arts has soared 43 percent so far this year.
SUDSY: Beer maker Molson Coors Brewing reported better results than analysts expected on Wednesday. Quarterly earnings rose as it benefited from payment it received from Modelo for a joint venture that ended early. Molson's stock rose $1.77, or 3 percent, to $61.54.
OTHER MARKETS: The yield on the 10-year Treasury note edged up to 2.60 percent from 2.59 percent late Tuesday. Crude oil rose $1.29 to $100.79 a barrel.


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The member countries of BRICS, an informal association of the world’s largest emerging economies, back the idea of developing a common payment system, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev has said, according to RBC.
Russia and its BRICS peers, Brazil, India, China and South Africa, have advocated using their national currencies in mutual trade as a way to decrease their dependence on the U.S. dollar.
“Increasing non-market risks of the global payment infrastructure” was behind the plan to integrate the group’s national payment systems, Dmitriev said.
“An efficient BRICS payment system can encourage payments in national currencies and ensure sustainable payments and investments among our countries, which make up over 20% of the global inflow of foreign direct investment,” Dmitriev, a member of the BRICS Business Council, told reporters.
He did not give details about the payment system envisaged, but Russia began developing a national payment system as an alternative to the Belgium-based SWIFT financial messaging service in 2014 after Western sanctions aimed to punish Moscow for the annexation of Crimea and its role in the Ukrainian crisis were imposed on Russia.
Dmitriev said the five BRICS nations had also discussed creating a common cryptocurrency for mutual payments as the grouping was reducing the share of payments in the U.S. dollar.
The share of the dollar in Russian foreign trade payments has fallen to 50% from 92% over the past few years, while the ruble’s share has risen to 14% from 3%, he said.
Dmitriev did not say whether Russia supported the idea of the common BRICS cryptocurrency. Previously, Russian officials spoke against any cryptocurrencies, warning that they could be used in money laundering or financing terrorism.


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Table of contents
In 2022, Bulgaria experienced a significant increase in procurement prices for raw milk
Due to rising world market prices and increased costs of animal husbandry (that’s the old, bad news), raw milk procurement prices in Bulgaria increased by about 33%. Nevertheless, they remained among the lowest prices in Europe. Only in France, Slovakia and the Baltic States they were even lower.
A case of unusual mad cow disease has been detected in Spain
A dead cow in the northwestern region of Galicia was found to have atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). It was announced that this particular case does not pose a public health risk. Such atypical cases of mad cow disease occur sporadically and spontaneously in older cows. The second variant, the typical sort of infection, is usually caused by contaminated animal feed.
smaXtec, a software developer based in Austria, has created an application to increase herd fertility
The technology developed by the company makes it possible to take precise measurements of the body parameters of a particular cow. On this basis, it is possible to detect estrus and determine the optimal time for insemination. As a result, breeders can monitor herd health, increase herd fertility and optimize production. Is there anything that cannot be improved with a smartphone app?
USDA forecasts a decline in milk production in the United States
The department predicts that both lower milk production per cow and a smaller herd will result in a decline in U.S. milk production in 2023. That’s pretty simple math… In the latest report, USDA also lowered cheese prices due to large inventories and soft domestic demand. In addition, nonfat dry milk and whey prices were lowered due to increased export competition and lower global demand.
All eyes are on Canada and its strategy to solve the milk dumping problem
Recently, a Canadian dairy farmer posted a touching video online that was viewed by 3 million people. Canadians were shocked to see a farmer dumping milk while food prices skyrocketed. The Canadian dairy industry is regulated by the government with a quota system that appears to be too low for the herd’s production capacity. Many Canadians, especially farmers, apparently believe there is a need to cry over this particular spilled milk. There is currently a heated discussion on the Internet and elsewhere about how the widespread milk dumping in Canada should be resolved.
USDA has announced another round of aid to dairy farmers
The Department recently announced details of the second round of payments under the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program (PMVAP) and the new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP). The upcoming activities and programs are designed to assist small and mid-sized dairy farmers who survived the pandemic but now face other challenges. The next round of PMVAP assistance is expected to be nearly $100 million. A nice financial boost, no doubt!
Asia & Oceania
New Zealand saw a decline in milk production in 2022
The latest figures indicate that production fell by about 3.8% compared to 2021. Experts point primarily to the reduced number of dairy cows as the main reason, as well as too much moisture on an annual basis. Farmers add that the strict production and environmental regulations were also not insignificant…
Iran will export dairy products to Japan
Japan recently added Iran to its list of authorized dairy suppliers. This could be significant for the Iranian economy, especially for the dairy industry. The Iranian Ministry of Agriculture has announced that companies that undertake to export dairy products to Japan can count on its support.
India: the capital of dairy
India remains one of the world’s largest milk producers in the 2021-2022 season. In the last eight years, milk production in India has increased by as much as 51%. Such a result is impressive, no question about it. This success is primarily due to the hard work of farmers and producers, as well as the government programs that support them. Perhaps India is the famous land of milk and honey?


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Vodafone deal streamed information
Vodafone 3G consumers can currently see a real-time streamed tv news flash on their 3G mobile similar to one they would certainly see on package in your home.
In a New Zealand initially introduced today, Vodafone in collaboration with Prime News will certainly provide 3G consumers “Prime News: First at 5.30″ daily as component of the Sky News streamed network. Prime is possessed by Sky in New Zealand.
Tim Nichols, Head of Vodafone live! states this is a significant turning point for Vodafone live! Mobile TELEVISION and also notes the initial advancement of the solution given that launch 8 months back.
” For the very first time we can currently use an entire program to enjoy on your mobile at the very same time it evaluates on the TELEVISION network. The reality that it’s an information program is specifically appropriate in today’s rapid paced globe as much of us require to maintain to day however do not commonly make it residence for the information,” claims Tim.
Vodafone has actually been carefully keeping an eye on seeing fads considering that releasing 3G to supply a solution customized to client behaviors. Considering that launch, numbers reveal the Sky News made-for-mobile network is one of the most preferred among clients, with seeing times increasing around lunch break, the very early night and also late during the night.
” As an outcome of these patterns Vodafone has actually partnered with Prime to supply clients a streamed notice solution throughout a time when they require information most – the very early night,” states Tim.
” Vodafone live! Mobile TELEVISION with 3G suggests you can obtain information in such a way that fits your way of living. Whether you’re waiting on the bus in web traffic or burning the midnight oil, the information is right within your reaches.”
Mad4mobilephones.com has actually examined the solution and also it is outstanding from a customers viewpoint. Vodafone Live remains to offer advancement in 3G solutions.
Tim Nichols, Head of Vodafone live! Mobile TELEVISION with 3G implies you can obtain information in a method that matches your way of life. Whether you’re waiting on the bus in website traffic or functioning late, the information is right at your fingertips.”


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New York, NY,
May 3, 2017 (Newswire.com) –
Mediametric has analyzed top US retailers (according to Deloitte research) and their PR efforts in this difficult economic environment. With consumers changing their behavior and leaning more and more toward buying online, it is clear that retail is undergoing a revolutionary change and retailers big and small are forced to announce closures. While Amazon is thriving in this new circumstances, nearly every major department store, including Macy’s, Kohl’s, Walmart, Sears and CVS, is closing hundreds of stores in order to prevent losses from unprofitable stores.
Mediametric’s media analysis shows (see the Table below) that Amazon is way ahead of the game with 176K articles mentioning the brand, of which 20.5K articles have positive sentiment.
It is interesting to compare Walmart and CVS. Both retailers had to close down stores; however, Walmart has 48K articles written about them with only 3.2K having negative sentiment. Meanwhile, CVS is not only struggling with keeping their stores open but also with keeping up with media as the total amount of mentions numbers 2.4K.
Therefore, it is important during difficult times to use all available PR tools to investigate what press writes about you, and most importantly remind customers about your brand and business. For this reason, Mediametric has created a new tool for you to be able to find relevant journalists who cover your industry, build media lists with just one click and pitch the most relevant journalists in a very easy way.
Mediametric is a media monitoring and analytics company. It allows clients to analyze PR performance, monitor news, build media and journalists’ ratings, create media lists and pitch relevant writers who cover specific industry.
Phone: +1 347-474-0133