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Companies aren’t prepared to discuss ESG commitments with key stakeholders, despite increasing demand from consumers and investors
The importance of economic, environmental, racial and social justice has grown significantly in the last year and there has been a verifiable surge in consumer and investor interest in brands that take purpose and ESG—environmental, social, and governance—seriously. As a result, companies must be more agile and prepared to act and report on their values and ESG commitments with key stakeholders, including employees, customers and investors.
“Consumers have never been more concerned about the state of the world. They are voting with their wallets to support brands that lead with value and are sustainable,” said Lindsey DeWitte, Barkley EVP of Purpose + Sustainability. “However, we also know there is a trust gap and consumers are looking at what brands are doing to prove their ESG efforts. Engaging in these issues is now a part of every CEO’s job description.”
Marketing Technology News: AtScale Delivers “Live” Connection Experience for Microsoft Power BI
“We are living through a sea change in consumer preferences regarding sustainability, and we are just at the beginning”
The Purpose Action Gap: The Business Imperative of ESG, a new joint research effort between Barkley and Jefferies, reveals the majority of today’s brands are not prepared to meet these expectations.
- 98% of businesses say acting on ESG-related issues is more or much more important than it was 12 months ago.
- However, only 20% of companies say they are very ready to talk to Investors and only 10% are very ready to speak to consumers about ESG-related topics.
Marketing Technology News: MarTech Interview with Armen Adjemian, Co-Founder and CEO at DISQO
In contrast, stakeholder demand and expectations continue to rise.
- More than two-thirds of consumers are more committed to supporting socially and environmentally responsible companies than before the pandemic started.
- 60% of consumers are willing to pay more for products and services offered by socially and environmentally responsible brands.
- 75% of consumers are more likely to recommend socially and environmentally responsible brands to friends and family.
- More than 50% of consumers actively research brands and 66% are more likely to support brands if they provide proof of their socially and environmentally responsible behavior.
- More than half of respondents said it’s important to work at a company that aligns with their values, but less than half felt that their companies’ performance was very good.
Consumers and investors are ahead of companies in how they value and act on ESG issues. The research is clear: it’s imperative modern brands share ESG commitments and actions with key stakeholders or they’ll be left behind.
“We are living through a sea change in consumer preferences regarding sustainability, and we are just at the beginning,” said Aniket Shah, PhD and Jefferies Global Head of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Sustainable Finance Research. “The winners of tomorrow will be the ones that embrace sustainability deeply and authentically today. The results of this report should help guide the decisions of CEOs for the next several years.”


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The wait is finally over. And while the app did have its fair share of technical difficulties on drop day, Disney Plus is here and is already getting rave reviews.
Variety reported that the streaming service was downloaded an estimated 3.2 million times in the first 24 hours of its launch day on Nov. 12.
Its interface is similar to Netflix with rows of selections from different categories, which makes it aesthetically pleasing and easy to use.
The only complaint I’ve seen so far is that there isn’t a row at the top dedicated to shows that have been started to conveniently pick up where you just left off.
Along with the hundreds of already released Disney titles on the service, 11 Disney Plus Originals debuted on launch day and there’s many more to come. These original works set the service apart from all the others.
Except for the new Apple Plus that premiered earlier this month, Disney Plus is one of the first streaming services that was intentionally made for original content.
While Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu all produce original content now, it was not what they were intended for and have arguably had their fair share of hits and misses.
There is not one miss in the Disney Plus Original selection, except maybe “Forky Asks a Question,” which was not exactly targeted at my demographic.
My personal favorite of the new releases is “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.”
While the show got a lot of heat for being a reboot of the Disney Channel Original classic “High School Musical,” and its silly name, it ended up surprising audiences with its authenticity and sincerity.
The show is a comedy that follows the students from the high school that was used in the original film as they embark on their first production of “High School Musical: The Musical.”
Main characters Nini and Ricky tackle teen dating in this digital age in a way that is relatable to the high school experience now, which can’t be said for many other teen shows.
Instead of dumbing down the characters and humor for its targeted audience, the show speaks to the viewer with a sense of maturity that I think is important for tweens to have to relate to.
Another title I was excited for was “The Mandalorian.” The series was everything and more than I could’ve asked for out of franchise’s first live-action show.
It’s representative of the new, old and animated “Star Wars” all in one — it’s the epitome of “Star Wars.”
Another way the show succeeds is because you don’t have to necessarily be a Star Wars fan to enjoy it. The story is independent of the main plot in the films.
Disney Plus original films “Noelle” and live-action “Lady and the Tramp” also premiered and received mostly good reviews.
While the films weren’t groundbreaking, there was something satisfying about being able to watch them right from my home and not suffer any transaction costs to see them. I had a good time watching the films and I didn’t feel the need to be particularly critical toward them due to the accessibility of the titles.
With successful offerings like “The Mandalorian” and “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” I can see Disney Plus being a good outlet for Disney to produce more experimental content in the future.
Considering how immensely successful the service has already been, it will be interesting to see how other services fair against this new competition. Netflix already made a big move by partnering with Nickelodeon, but only time will tell if that will that be enough to keep people subscribing.

domain: news


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This year, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has made job offers to around 30,000 college students, the highest in three years. In the past two years, it had job offers to only 20,000 students each year.
TCS’ increased hiring is based on the 15.8 billion USD worth of deals that it had made in the current financial year. A large number of businesses in banking, financial services, and retail have approached the company with several large projects. As a result, TCS has ramped up its recruitment drive to complete these projects on time.


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Western Digital Corp. has announced that Peter Edinger (pictured) has joined the company as vice president of sales for Europe, Middle East & Africa. Reporting to Scott Davis, vice president worldwide sales.
Mr. Edinger is responsible for the sales management and market-growth strategies of the EMEA region. Expansion of WDs regional market presence, including in emerging and high growth markets such as Russia, Middle East and Central Eastern Europe will be one of his areas of focus.
The EMEA region is a diverse and dynamic market, and is critical to WDs continued growth, said Scott Davis. Peters broad technology background and keen customer relationship skills will benefit WD as digital storage becomes increasingly prevalent in virtually every part of our consumer and commercial lives. His leadership will be instrumental to WDs ongoing expansion into new markets for its products and increased penetration into traditional segments in the region."
Mr. Edinger has held a number of executive positions in technology-oriented organisations. For the past five years he has been ATIs managing director and vice president of the EMEA region. He also held senior positions at Sanyo, Japan, NEC, Japan and Media Vision, USA.
It is an exciting time to join WD, said Peter Edinger. The company is applying its strength of addressing high-volume markets with high-quality, reliable products at low cost into fast-growing new markets such as mobile, consumer electronics and branded products. WD is also investing in the advancement of its technology and product portfolio. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to work closely with the WD team and its customers, and about WDs future.
WD, one of the storage industry's pioneers and long-time leaders, provides products and services for people and organizations that collect, manage and use digital information. The company produces reliable, high-performance hard drives that keep users' data close-at-hand and secure from loss. WD applies its storage expertise to consumer products for external, portable and shared storage products.
WD was founded in 1970. The company's storage products are marketed to leading systems manufacturers, selected resellers and retailers under the Western Digital and WD brand names.


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TGSCom, online firearms and accessory retailer based in Green Bay, Wisconsin, closed its doors last week. The owner, Eric Thompson, said it was due to financial issues but there have also been fraud complaints against the company. According to a WTAQ article, the Green Bay police are looking into pressing criminal charges against Thompson for theft by fraud for intentionally accepting internet orders and payment without providing products. According to Thompson, they are actively trying to get new investors for the business and hopes to get things turned back around and “get it going once again real soon”. He also denied that orders have not been fulfilled.
If you are unfamiliar with TGSCom, they own many sites such as OutdoorSportsUSA.com and TopGlock.com along with many other online storefronts.
They also ran an affiliate program called TheOutdoorAffiliate.com which I promoted which is where my part of the story comes in. I have been promoting their affiliate program for the past few months. Everything seems to be going fine. I saw orders going through, being marked as shipped and then received commission checks on those orders. Some orders were marked as pending which I assumed were just backordered items that haven’t been shipped yet. (Note: they do not pay out on pending orders, only shipped orders after 45 days of the ship date.)
Starting around the beginning on May 2012, I was unable to check my stats. All I would receive is an error message which I am still receiving as of this writing:
Error Certain features of the website are currently undergoing routine maintanence. Please try again later.Thank you for your patience.TGSCOM, Inc IT Team
I tried to email their Affiliate Manager but received no response. After sending a few emails with no response I figured I would call them to find out what was going on. It was to my surprise that I was unable to find any phone numbers listed on their websites. So I did a look up on their domain name to find their toll free number 800-518-3808. After calling, I received the following recording:
Thanks for calling TGSCom. Your leading online supplier of firarm accessories and outdoor gear.
We are having technical difficulties with our systems. We hope to respond to every concern as quickly as possible.
After the message the phone is disconnected. That’s when I started to get worried and searching around the net to see what I could find. And it didn’t take long to find many customers complaining about orders they have placed and never received. A quick Google search on TGSCom brings up forum discussions about these issues. The wall on their Facebook page has many complaints about this as well with most of them not being responded to.
Next was a search for their BBB status which at the time was a D-. The BBB received 2,258 within the past year and continues to receive hundreds of calls per week. Now the BB shows the following message:
On May 30 2012, BBB was informed by the Green Bay, Wisconsin Police Department that Eric Thompson, owner of TGS.Com, stated that the company was no longer in operation.
According to information in BBB files, it appears that this business is no longer in business.
After doing some more digging, I was able to find out that the only people left at the company at that time was Eric Thompson and maybe his accountant. I emailed them both on May 30, 2012 asking for a status of the company and why customers were complaining about not receiving orders they had purchased but received no response.
This morning is when I found the WTAQ article stating that they have closed down.
This has taught me a very good lesson, research the companies you are buying from and promoting. When I was contacted by them to promote OutdoorSportsUSA.com through their affiliate program TheOutdoorAffiliate.com, I found no complaints and assumed they were a reputable company. What I should have searched on was the parent company TGSCom which bring up many complaints, some going back as far as 2006.
As of this morning I have filed my own complaint to the BBB and will be contacting the Wisconsin Department of Justice Monday morning. If you have placed any orders with them, been charged and not received your order I would suggest contacting your credit card company, filing a BBB report and contating the Wisconsin Department of Justice as well.
You can find a list of their partner sites on their website here, all of which seem to list every product as Out of Stock.
Update 6/2/2012 8:26AM CST – Here’s a story and video from FoxNews11:
Update 6/2/2012 8:32AM CST – Green Bay gun shop faces fraud complaints


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UH Advises: Rinse Foods Well
A pattern of recent cases of disease in Hawaii caused by eating fresh produce has drawn attention to a new food-borne threat in the Islands: the nematode parasite Angiostrongylus cantonensis— the rat lung worm.
The UH Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources recently warned that eating fresh produce contaminated with snails or slugs infected with rat lung worm can cause eosinophilic meningitis. A publication on measures to reduce the spread of the infection on farms is now available from its Web site, www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/fre epubs/pdf/FST-39.pdf.
Slugs and snails become infected with rat lung worm in two ways, the publication explains. Most commonly, the slug or snail will eat contaminated rat feces. Less commonly, the nematode burrows into the slug or snail through the body wall or enters through a respiratory pore when the animal comes into contact with the contaminated feces. Other vectors of infection are frogs, freshwater shrimp and land crabs.
Commercial growers are urged to take precautions to reduce the risk of transferring the pathogen to consumers. Mitigating contamination is vital on both farms and in home gardens. Remove the pests’ hiding places, trap and kill them and discard any produce with visible pests or their slime.
To avoid infection, consumers should carefully rub, while rinsing, all produce before eating it, sanitize food-contact surfaces and cook potential hosts — such as culinary snails or freshwater prawns — to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before eating.


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Lordstown Motors CEO Assures Public the Endurance Will ‘RIDE’ in September
LORDSTOWN, Ohio – In an indirect rebuttal to a blistering research report issued last week that accused his company of misleading investors, the CEO of Lordstown Motors Corp. Monday assured the public that its new all-electric Endurance pickup truck would be in production and on the road by September.
“Whatever anybody thinks of us in the world, the main thing is we are going to be the first electric pickup truck in the United States, full-size, and that starts in September,” declared Steve Burns during a press event at the automaker’s manufacturing plant.
Hindenburg Research, a firm renown for taking short positions on company stocks, published a report Friday that alleged Lordstown Motors’ preorders for its vehicle, the Endurance, were “fictitious” and said the company has misled investors. It also alleged that the company was behind schedule in meeting its production targets.
Short sellers realize profits when a particular stock declines. In the wake of the report, shares of Lordstown Motors tumbled by 16.5% to $14.78 per share by the close of regular trading on Friday.
“We will be sharing a full and thorough statement in the coming days, and when we do we will absolutely be refuting the Hindenburg Research report,” the company said in a statement.
Lordstown Motors’ stock bounced back on Monday, gaining 9.74% to $16.22 per share.
The company merged with DiamondPeak Holdings Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, in October, propelling it to a public offering that month under the ticker RIDE.
Media were invited to the plant as Burns hosted Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who toured the facility earlier in the afternoon.
Burns told reporters that he wouldn’t discuss the Hindenburg report, but vowed that the company’s beta tests would begin in 10 to 12 days, move into preproduction during the summer, and then into full production by September.
“We’re in betas in 10 days and have started production of the world’s first electric pickup truck,” Burns said. “There are always haters.”
The beta models displayed Monday are robotically welded body skeletons of the Endurance’s cab. These models will be used for mostly safety validation, such as crash testing.
“This are a lot of pieces of metal held together, welded together by the robots here,” he said. “All these pieces – if it’s not perfectly square – you throw it away. You have to have robotic precision in holding it and welding it.”
The plant plans to produce a total of one per day for 57 straight days once beta production begins, Burns said. “These are the bones,” he noted.
Burns said that Lordstown Motors has entered into probably the most competitive auto market in the country – the utility pickup truck segment.
“We’re a small car company – a startup culture,” Burns said. “But we have the assets of a very mature company.”
That’s because the company purchased General Motors’ former Lordstown assembly plant in Nov. 2019, which also included much of the production equipment intact. GM has about a 4.5% stake in the company, $50 million of it in-kind contributions through the plant transaction. “That’s why we’re so excited to be at this point,” he said.
Rich Schmidt, Lordstown Motors’ president and a 32-year veteran of the industry with experience at Tesla, gestured to a particular beta build that will be used strictly for head-on collision testing at 25 miles per hour.
The weld shop has about 900 robots programmed to fasten the beta models together, he added. “We build it here by hand and run it through a complete line, and do the manufacturing of that in assembly in the next two weeks,” he said.
Burns also said that production has started on the vehicle’s battery cells, which is underway in a room inside the complex’s East plant – better known as GM Lordstown’s former assembly operation.
GM closed the plant in March 2019, eliminating more than 1,600 remaining manufacturing jobs.
Burns said Lordstown Motors employs about 500; it expects to be at 1,000 when production of the Endurance is in full swing.
LaRose said he decided to visit Lordstown Motors because he wanted to see firsthand the progress underway at the former GM plant, which once employed thousands.
“I’ve really taken on the role of being an advocate for entrepreneurship,” he said. “I think this is incredible,” he said of Lordstown Motors. “This is an opportunity to take a challenging circumstance from just a few years ago and turn it into a truly unique and amazing opportunity for not only right here in the Voltage Valley, but all over Ohio.”
Pictured at top: Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose joined Lordstown Motors CEO Steve Burns for a press event Monday evening.
- March 15: 3 Minutes With | LaRose Visits Lordstown Motors
- March 15: Lordstown Motors to Refute Short Seller’s Report
- March 13: Who Is Short Seller that Slammed Lordstown Motors?
- March 12: Source Cited in Hindenburg Research Report Refutes Its Claims
- March 12: Shares of Lordstown Motors Plunge on Short Seller Report
Copyright 2023 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.


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One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and sometimes that treasure is hiding in a barn. Those who keep up on automotive news likely know about this rare but exciting occurrence when some old gem of a car is found tucked away in a garage or a barn. While these vehicles show the wear of age and stasis, behind the old paint and the rust spots they’re still one-of-a-kind.
The most recent of these exciting finds was a 1970 Ford Mustang Convertible that features factory-installed all-wheel drive. There was a brief period of time in the Ford Mustang history where Ford tried a partnership with a tractor company called Massey Ferguson which was installing AWD systems on race cars. This specific convertible would have been from around that since-forgotten time. That little detail is what makes this particular Mustang so remarkable, being that it might be the only one like it around today. So, even while this particular barn find isn’t famous from the big screen as some other barn finds have been, it’s still a pretty special thing.
This 1970 Ford Mustang convertible is now for sale by the private owner and will hopefully be bought by someone who can understand its unique status. For the rest of us, there’s the latest 2017 Ford Mustang on the lot at Mountaineer Ford. It may not be quite as unique, but it’s still a remarkable car.


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article looking at a new fast food venture co-founded by Mike Roberts, McDonald's former president and chief operating officer.
"At Lyfe Kitchen (the name is an acronym for Love Your Food Everyday), all the cookies shall be dairy-free, all the beef from grass-fed, humanely raised cows. At Lyfe Kitchen there shall be no butter, no cream, no white sugar, no white flour, no high-fructose corn syrup, no GMOs, no trans fats, no additives, and no need for alarm: There will still be plenty of burgers, not to mention manifold kegs of organic beer and carafes of biodynamic wine."
"Lyfe’s ambition is to open hundreds of restaurants around the US, in the span of just five years."
"The former Golden Archers hope to transform the way the world produces organic ingredients, doing for responsibly grown meat and veggies what McDonald’s did for factory-farmed beef."
"Yesterday’s supply-chain infrastructure, the one that Roberts and his colleagues helped to perfect, was based on boxed patties and buns that had been treated with preservatives and designer enzymes. But new flash-freezing and high-pressure-pasteurization methods have enabled retailers like Lyfe to deliver dishes free of magnesium lactate, triammonium citrate, and other preservatives."


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- Electrify America will install 30 fast chargers for electric drayage trucks in the Port of Long Beach, California, as part of its Green Cities investment.
- The chargers will feature battery energy storage systems, which makes them capable of storing energy for later use during peak hours, to lessen stress on the grid.
- 4 Gen Logistics has a fleet of 60 electric trucks in the Port of Long Beach conducting drayage operations, which makes this type of trucking ideal for an electric fleet.
We hear a lot about the progress being made by EV charging station builders to provide coverage to remote towns in the west and along major interstate routes, allowing for easier coast-to-coast travel for electric car owners.
Another type of EV charging infrastructure we don't hear as much about are EV stations for trucks, just as several truck makers roll out their first mass-produced electric models.
This month Electrify America revealed plans to build 30 electric fleet-dedicated chargers at the Port of Long Beach, California, that will be coupled with battery energy storage systems (BESS). This will be among the largest EV station projects aimed solely at trucks in North America to date, and a part of the company's Green City investment program in the greater Los Angeles area.
The stations will be aimed at powering 4 Gen Logistics' fleet of 60 electric trucks conducting drayage work in this part of the state, including those built by Volvo and Kenworth. Another 14 chargers are planned for the Rialto, Calif., charging station, due to open next year, that will recharge drayage trucks based out of the Ports Complex.
"Electrify America's expertise in building charging infrastructure will help us achieve our goal of having a 100% zero-emission fleet in 2025, 10 years before California law requires it," said David Duncan, principal at 4 Gen Logistics.
The 30 chargers slated to be installed by Electrify America will offer 150- and 350-kW charging speeds, and will also feature batteries to store power when electricity costs are at their lowest in a 24-hour cycle, vending it out during peak hours to minimize stress on the grid.
Just what that stress on the grid looks like was very evident earlier this month, when California experienced a heat wave that necessitated greater electricity usage by residents and businesses to keep air conditioners running. BESS is one of the technologies that station builders, including brands within the VW Group, are developing to remain independent of the grid when needed.
Electric trucks are well suited to port work. The trucks conducting drayage operations typically don't have very long routes, carrying containers from ports to warehouses in the area, and they all tend to stay within a given geographic space, making their needs easy to predict. They also all tend to recharge at their home bases, and this has been true for gasoline and diesel as well.
The limited travel radius and their routes make drayage trucks the perfect candidates for going electric first, as opposed to many other types of trucking operations.
"We can have a tremendous impact by bringing electric vehicle charging technology and zero emissions trucks together to provide a more sustainable way to transport shipping containers to and from the Long Beach Port," said Rachel Moses, director of Commercial Services, Green Cities & Business Development at Electrify America.
In all, Electrify America plans to invest $200 million in the state's Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure as well as EV education programs over the course of 30 months, as part of its Green Cities program in this investment cycle.


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Silicon Valley Bank, the bank of the world’s most innovative companies and their investors, and First Data (NYSE: FDC), a global leader in commerce-enabling technology, have selected five startups to participate in Class 9 of Commerce.Innovated., an accelerator program designed to help commerce, payments, and fintech companies grow their businesses. The four-month program provides participants with operational mentorship from Silicon Valley Bank, First Data, and their respective networks. Silicon Valley Bank also welcomed a new head of the program, Armand Patella, founder of Nowsta and a former Commerce.Innovated. graduate.
Commerce.Innovated. launched in 2014, and has worked with 37 commerce, payments, and fintech-focused startups including Alloy, Candex, Domuso, Earny, FutureFuel, QuadPay, Qwil, and Splitwise. Since graduating from the program, more than half of participating companies have raised funding or been acquired.
The five companies selected to participate in the current class provide a variety of solutions for businesses and consumers:
- BridgeCare: AI-powered employee benefits for childcare and education, based in San Jose, California
- FanAI: Audience monetization platform for esports, sports & entertainment, based in Santa Monica, California
- Flow Commerce: A technology platform that simplifies the management of cross-border e-commerce, based in Hoboken New Jersey
- Mudflap: Next-gen payments platform for the trucking industry, based in Palo Alto, California
- Unit21: Detection and investigations platform for anti-money laundering, based in San Francisco, California
“I’m thrilled to join the Silicon Valley Bank team and be a part of Commerce.Innovated.,” said Armand Patella, Head of Commerce.Innovated. at Silicon Valley Bank. “Commerce.Innovated. was extremely helpful for my startup and our payments strategy. It’s a privilege to be in a position to support the growth of other founders, advise on the challenges they face, and provide them with resources to succeed. The companies in the current class are creating solutions that will make a positive impact for multiple industries including HR, esports, ecommerce, trucking and financial services.”
“First Data welcomes the new class of startups, aspiring entrepreneurs, and growing businesses to Commerce.Innovated.,” said Chris Foskett, Head of Corporate and Business Development, and Co-Head of Global Financial Solutions at First Data. “Startups are synonymous with creativity and innovation, and our Class 9 participants have the opportunity to leverage Commerce.Innovated.’s world-class resources to build innovative solutions that bring simplicity and automation to our industry.”
Commerce.Innovated. welcomes new applicants semi-annually and will accept applications for the next class starting later this year. Commerce, payments and fintech-focused startups are encouraged to learn more about the program and apply to participate at www.commerceinnovated.com.
SOURCE Silicon Valley Bank
Wirex Launches Enhanced Cryptoback™
Today, payments platform Wirex launched a supercharged update of their revolutionary Cryptoback™ rewards programme. Customers can now earn up to 1.5% back in Bitcoin on Wirex Visa card purchases.
Released in 2018, Cryptoback™ was the world’s first rewards programme that paid out 0.5% in cryptocurrency for all in-store spending with the Wirex Visa card. Thanks to the recent launch of the Wirex Token (WXT), customers can now triple the amount of BTC they earn – making investing in cryptocurrency easier than ever before.
Depending on the amount of WXT held, in-store Wirex card purchases now generate up to 1.5% in Bitcoin. There are three levels of crypto rewards available:
- 500,000 WXT = 1.5% Cryptoback™
- 100,000 WXT = 1.0% Cryptoback™
- 50,000 WXT = 0.75% Cryptoback™
Wirex have calculated that the average UK consumer stands to earn more than £300 in Cryptoback™ every year, just by using their Wirex Visa card for day-to-day spending. Unlike many other cashback programmes, Wirex doesn’t impose restrictions on what customers can do with their rewards. Cryptoback™ can be redeemed instantly into their Bitcoin accounts, or quickly and easily exchanged into fiat for spending.
Enhanced Cryptoback™ is just one of the ways that holding Wirex Tokens allows customers to get even more out of their account. They can also enjoy heavily discounted fees based on the same structure, with access to premium products, merchant offers and airport lounges coming soon. As Wirex co-founder Pavel Matveev explains:
“We created the Wirex Token to be something that provides tangible value and benefits for holders beyond its market trajectory. Enhanced Cryptoback™ is the perfect example of this, as it allows customers to earn and invest in digital currency with a minimum of fuss. We’re looking forward to introducing even more benefits for WXT holders soon.”
Aegis Capital Corp. is pleased to announce its commitment to Equity Research
Aegis Capital Corp. continues to expand its equity research platform with the addition of Benjamin Zucker and James Jang. Benjamin joined in May 2019 as Head of Specialty Finance and James joined in June 2019 to head up the Maritime & Special Situations. These new coverage areas will bolster Aegis’ existing research footprint in the Internet/TMT and Healthcare sectors.
Mr. Zucker joined Aegis from BTIG LLC, where he was a Director and lead analyst covering Mortgage REITs and real estate finance companies. Prior to BTIG, Mr. Zucker was a Vice President at JMP Securities LLC where he covered similar sectors. Benjamin began his career in equity research at Pritchard Capital Partners. At Aegis, Mr. Zucker’s coverage will span across several Specialty Finance sub-sectors including Mortgage REITs, Equity REITs, Business Development Companies (BDCs) and Financial Technology firms (FinTech). Benjamin’s current coverage list includes: Medalist Diversified REIT (MDRR), Sachem Capital Corp. (SACH), and Saratoga Investment Corp. (SAR).
Mr. Jang joined Aegis from Maxim Group LLC, where he was a Senior Vice President and lead analyst covering the Industrials, Infrastructure and Clean-Technology sectors. Previously, Mr. Jang was a senior analyst at Sidoti & Co. covering furniture and textiles and was an equity research associate at Canaccord Genuity covering Maritime and Upstream E&P companies. Since joining, Mr. Jang has expanded Aegis’ research platform into the Agriculture, Oilfield Services, and Industrial Technology sectors with coverage of Profire Energy (PFIE), Marrone Bio Innovations (MBII), Yield10 Bioscience (YTEN) and Sigma Labs (SGLB).
Michael Pata Aegis’ Head of Business Development commented: “Hiring Benjamin and James continues to show Aegis’ commitment to equity research, which brings institutional quality analysis to the small and mid-cap universe.”
SOURCE Aegis Capital
LexinFintech Announces US$300 Million Private Placement of Convertible Notes with PAG
LexinFintech Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: LX) (“Lexin” or the “Company”), a leading fintech platform for educated young adults in China, today announced that it has entered into a convertible note purchase agreement with PAG, a leading Asia-focused private equity firm with over US$30 billion in capital under management, pursuant to which the Company will issue and sell convertible notes in an aggregate principal amount of US$300 million to PAG through a private placement. The private placement is subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions and is expected to close on or around September 16, 2019. The gross proceeds raised from this placement will be approximately US$296.4 million.
The convertible notes will mature in seven years, bearing interest at a rate of 2.0% per annum. The notes will be convertible into fully paid Class A ordinary shares of the Company or ADSs at a conversion price of US$14 per ADS at the holder’s option from the date that is six months after the issuance date. The holder of the notes will have the right to require the Company to repurchase for cash all or any portion of the notes on the fourth anniversary of the issuance date.
At closing, the Company will appoint to its Board of Directors one person designated by PAG.
Mr. Jay Wenjie Xiao, Founder, chairman and chief executive officer of the Company, said, “We are excited to have PAG as our new investor. This investment will enable Lexin to further develop and enhance our consumption-based ecosystem, improve product offerings to our educated adult customers, continue to invest in technology, build up additional consumption scenarios, and provide more consumer benefits to our customers.”
“PAG has a strong commitment to and deep understanding of China’s financial services industry, and we have a demonstrated track record of seeking out and engaging with the industry’s leading companies,” said PAG Chairman & CEO Weijian Shan. “Lexin has an unparalleled platform for meeting young consumers’ credit needs while strictly controlling and minimizing credit risks, which makes it unique, and we are looking forward to supporting the company as it embarks on its next stage of growth.”
Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C., BofA Merrill Lynch and China Renaissance acted as the private placement agents to Lexin on the transaction.
SOURCE LexinFintech Holdings Ltd.
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FIDO is a new authentication technology intended to supersede passwords. Here, passwords are replaced with a biometric input: for example, FaceID or TouchID on Apple devices. iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows are all getting this soon due to an alliance between Apple, Google, and Microsoft.
I think it’s unequivocally great: an open standard that provides better security for end users while simultaneously providing a better user experience. Yay!
But spare a thought for the fintech industry. It’s an open secret that the US financial industry widely uses screen scraping to enable data sharing integrations between entities. As a sector, it’s been incredibly slow to adopt open APIs and other mechanisms that would protect user safety.
Davis of Atomic said the company has used screen scraping "when user-permissioned APIs are not available." One example is when Atomic needs to connect with state unemployment systems, which typically don't have API connectivity. A Plaid spokesman said the company uses "a combination of API access and screen scraping at the direction of customers."
Technically, it’s not a great solution: by definition, screen scraping requires storing a user’s financial system passwords in clear text. Nonetheless, you can bet that every system that integrates with payroll systems, and almost every system that integrates with banks (at a minimum), uses the technique. The US has badly needed open banking style standards for years.
FIDO is likely to bring an end to this practice: when financial services use FIDO passkeys for authentication, screen scraping becomes impossible. Based on their historical precedent implementing new technologies, it may take years before financial services adopt the standard for authentication. But when they do, it will become impossible for third parties to access those systems without the service provider’s consent.
At this point, one of two things will happen: a set of open APIs for integration will appear and begin to reach adoption, or a whole generation of startups will die. It might be both!
If I was a fintech startup, I’d be establishing a set of open source APIs, forming an alliance with other fintech companies and financial institutions, and doing whatever I could to get traditional financial companies to adopt it before they transition away from password authentication. If I was a fintech investor, I’d be bankrolling this endeavor. If I was the government, I would be enacting strong legislation to force the industry forward (which may require lobbying from companies, investors, and consumers alike). Because otherwise, greater security and a better user experience for consumers looks a lot like an existential threat.


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The commerce ministry has decided to review the eligibility criteria for the election of office bearers of export promotion councils (EPCs) and apex exporters body FIEO to make them more inclusive and representative.
According to an office memorandum, a three-member panel has been constituted to review the existing guidelines and make suitable recommendations about representation of different stakeholders in the managing committee and other posts.
The panel is likely to take about two months to complete the exercise and submit its recommendations.
The memorandum said that till amendment of the existing guidelines on the basis of the recommendations of the committee, EPCs/FIEO (Federation of Indian Export Organisations) may put on hold all the elections which are in process, including those where no results have been declared with immediate effect.
FIEO already elected a vice-president in March. Election for the president post was due this year.
Different export promotion councils include EEPC India, Export Promotion Council for EOUs & SEZs, Project EPC, Basic Chemicals, Cosmetics and Dyes Export Promotion Council, Chemicals and Allied Products Export Promotion Council (CAPEXIL), Council for Leather Exports, Sports Goods Export Promotion Council, and Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council.
India should target $350 bn exports through e-commerce by 2030: GTRI
Economic Survey highlights India's diversifying merchandise trade: FIEO
Foreign trade policy: Exporters seek 3 months from Centre for transition
India's exports may rise by 3-5% this fiscal to $435 billion: FIEO
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The other councils include Shellac Export Promotion Council, Cashew Export Promotion Council of India, The Plastics Export Promotion Council, Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council, Indian Oil Seeds And Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC), and Services EPC.
FIEO was set up in 1965 as an apex body of export promotion in the country. It has been designated as registering authority for status holder exporting firms and other exporters dealing in multi-products.
It also issues Certificate of Origin which is required by many countries as proof of origin of the goods.
Commenting on the exercise, former FIEO President S C Ralhan said the changes should be implemented prospectively.
"There should not be any major change in the existing guidelines," he said.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


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In spite of the fact that California passed SB 551, a statute that was designed to stop steering in the state, several autobody shop owners showed up to testify about their continuing problems with steering at the Senate Banking, Finance and Insurance Committee Oversight hearing on November 23.
The Administrative and Enforcement Monitor of the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) has presented a draft of its first report on the performance of the BAR to the Department of Consumer Affairs and the California legislature.
Concerns about the estimating databases, the reversal of the decision in the State Farm non-OEM parts lawsuit, the collapse of another consolidator and an ongoing battle over the "right to repair" were among the most talked-about topics in the collision industry this past year.
The South Coast Air Quality Manage-ment District (AQMD), the Southland's air quality agency, has adopted stricter standards to significantly reduce smog-forming emissions from coatings used in nearly 1,800 auto body shops in the region. The standards will take effect in 2008.
There's a simple rule in business that if you want to increase profits, you need to either increase sales and revenue, or decrease costs and expenses.
State Farm is rolling out a new DRP program. The program calls for State Farm to get as good a rate as a shop charges any other insurance partner and asks for preferential treatment for State Farm insureds.
Award winning auto designer Chip Foose will be the featured luncheon speaker at the California Autobody Association (CAA) 1st quarter meeting on February 18, 2006, at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. Foose is also the creator and host of the popular television series Overhaulin, airing on theTLC Network. In a relatively short career, Foose has created a legacy of designs and accomplishments beyond his years.
California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi announced a $1 million fine against Farmers Insurance Group on January 23 following settlement negotiations over how the company handled consumer claims. According to a spokesman for Garamendi, the claims involved both homeowners and automobile policies.
Concerns about proposed new state and federal controls on the sale and use of automotive refinish paint products have kept environmental issues among the key topics being addressed by the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in 2006.
Activity has been heating up around proposed Assembly Bill 303, known in the industry as the "Concierge" bill because it is backed by Progressive Insurance. Progressive has a repair program known as "Concierge" because of its drop off and delivery services.
Shop owners struggling to remain profitable say they are increasingly focusing on the paint side of the shop, looking for innovative ways to squeeze even more productivity out of paint booths, paint products and paint personnel.
In the three years since "event data recorders" (often referred to as "black boxes") in vehicles really began to arise as an issue of interest for collision repairers, there has been significant activity related to EDRs on a number of fronts:
Last month State Farm, the nation's largest auto insurer, announced that it was beginning the rollout of a new program for its preferred body shops. The contract for that new program was sent to body shops in the test markets of California, Illinois and Michigan. Predictably, the response was mixed, but the "vibe" was definitely negative. Shop owners who admitted that they depend upon State Farm business for a large percentage of their volume either said nothing or said they were taking a wait and see attitude.
Hurricane losses and loss adjustment expenses totaling $6.3 billion (after reinsurance) contributed to a reduction in State Farm's 2005 net income. The company is reporting an after-tax net income from all sources of $3.24 billion, down 39 percent from the $5.31 billion in net income for 2004.
California State Senator Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco) has introduced SB 1492, groundbreaking legislation that would make the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) responsible for conducting an annual survey of body shop labor rates for the purpose of establishing prevailing rates in different parts of the state.
Battle lines are being drawn in California over Assembly Bill 1852, a measure that would have the effect of legally sanctioning certified aftermarket crash parts by declaring that, once certified, they are of like kind and quality to OEM. Such sanctioning would presumably cut off consumers from taking legal action against their insurers for mandating the use of aftermarket parts in collision repairs.
The California Autobody Association (CAA) will be holding its own Legislative Day this year on March 29 at the Capitol in Sacramento. All body shops are invited to attend a short update session and participate in scheduled meetings with their legislators. Further information will be available at www.calautobody.com.
Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi has issued a Cease and Desist (C&D) Order on The Global Healings Society of Puyallup, Washington, following an investigation by the California Department of Insurance (CDI) Investigation Division. The Order demands The Global Healings Society to cease and desist transacting any and all insurance business in California.
For the second year in a row, the White House budget request eliminates the federal investment in career and technical education authorized by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act. The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) expressed disappointment with President Bush's budget request and will work with the Congress and administration to seek restoration of Perkins funds during the appropriations process.
The Lazarus bill - AB 303 - appears to be making a miraculous recovery. Last month, the legislation was declared to be on life support, alive in committee as a technicality for "emergency purposes" only. Despite new statements to the contrary, there is still no written documentation regarding the renewed status of the legislation.
At first glance, it's hard to fathom what Eliyahu Goldratt, a 58-year-old Israel-born physicist, has to offer the collision industry. But more than 20 years after Goldratt authored (along with Jeff Cox) a "business novel" entitled "The Goal," his theory of process improvement is increasingly being discussed within many shop "20 groups" and implemented by a growing number of collision repair businesses.
Results are in for LKQ Corporation's (Nasdaq: LKQX) fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2005, with revenue of $143.9 million for the quarter and $547.4 million for the year. Net income was $8.3 million for the quarter and $30.9 million for the year, representing growth over 2004 of approximately 64% and 50%, respectively.
The U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, has issued a long-awaited opinion on the Texas insurer-owned shop law. HB 1131 put a halt to insurer-owned shops in the state of Texas. Texas state Senator John Carona along with a strong grassroots effort on the part of collision repairers across the state assured the passage of the bill in June 2003.
Yohannes "John" Mesfine feels like he has been through hell and back - compliments of the California Department of Insurance (DOI) and the San Mateo County DA's office. Mesfine, owner of Mesfine Auto Body & Paint in Redwood City, California, was arrested in February 2005 and charged with insurance fraud in a sting operation run by the Department of Insurance.
The second shoe has finally dropped in the saga of AB 303 - legislation that would allow insurance programs like Progressive's "Concierge" to "step into the shoes of the insured." Amendments have been issued by the proponents of the bill to address the complaints made during the Senate Banking, Finance and Insurance Committee hearing last year.
California State Senator Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco) introduced last month SB 1492, groundbreaking legislation that would make the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) responsible for conducting an annual survey of body shop labor rates for the purpose of establishing prevailing rates in different parts of the state.
The U.S. Supreme Court denied the petition of Michael E. Avery, et al in their suit against State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. After almost 10 years of dueling between Avery, et al and State Farm, the U.S. Supreme Court put an end to the national aftermarket parts class action lawsuit March 6.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued new standards to the existing standards that limit workplace exposure to hexavalent chromium. It has been determined by OSHA that the current level of hexavalent chromium that workers are exposed to puts workers at a significant health risk.
For anyone in this industry who started out hustling sales - whether that means collision repair jobs, cans of paint or tools and equipment - pulling back from a focus on growth in gross sales can be a challenge. Increasing the top line, after all, is often a key ingredient in increasing the bottom line. More sales equals more profit, right?
The hail storm that struck Central Texas on April 21 is expected to exceed $100 million in insured losses. Baseball-size hail pounded the city of San Marcos smashing vehicles at car dealerships and shopping malls.
Representatives from the vehicle manufacturers, steelmakers, vehicle dismantlers, vehicle shredders, environmental community, states and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have reached agreement on a statement of principles detailing the elements of a national program for recovering mercury switches from scrap cars and light trucks before they are shredded for recycling. The parties are now working to complete a formal agreement.
Allstate has filed a Notice of Appeal with reference to the recent decision in Allstate Insurance Company, et al. v. Greg Abbott, et al. issued by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. The court held that specific provisions preventing insurer-owned shops from doing business in the state of Texas were constitutional.
"State Farm does not think it is reasonable to pay more for repairs than our competitors," stated George Avery, State Farm Claim Consultant, speaking to over 200 attendees at April's Collision Industry Conference in Portland, Oregon. Avery offered a 30-minute high-level overview of the changes the industry can expect from State Farm.
3i Group Plc and funds advised by Euroventures Management AB, incl. Sjätte AP-fonden, have entered into an agreement to sell all of the shares in Alignment Systems AB, parent of Car-O-Liner and Josam subsidiaries, to FSN Capital Limited Partnership II.
California collision repair industry professionals took matters into their own hands to impede the progress of AB 1852, the CAPA-sponsored non-OEM parts bill. Members of the California Auto Association (CAA) and several individual shop owners met in Sacramento with legislators to discuss the various legislative issues facing the auto body industry.
The California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) recently amended its signage regulation, altering the required design to include the BAR website address. Automotive Repair Dealers (ARDs) must comply with the new design requirement by June 30, 2006.
An anti-steering bill has been introduced in the Arizona legislature by a last minute tactic know as a "strike everything" amendment. HB 2385, which started its life as a bill concerning eminent domain (the taking of private property by the state) was changed on March 24 to a transportation bill dealing with consumers' rights to select their own repair facilities for auto body repair claims.
U.S. Senator Mike Enzi's (R-Wyo.) Health Insurance Marketplace Moderniza-tion and Affordability Act, S. 1955, failed to advance after being just five votes short of a motion to invoke cloture.
"Despite the attempts by the car companies and their car dealerships to kill "The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act, HR 2048," motoring consumers and the independent auto repair industry won the first round in a 14 to 13 vote in the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection," stated David Parde, president, the Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE).
The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, which represents two brands of private passenger auto insurance, Progressive Direct and Drive® Insurance from Progressive, has opened its third Houston-area Concierge Service Center.
Five of the nation's largest auto insurers began airing an expensive TV advertising campaign in order to mislead Californians, mostly in rural parts of the state, about the effects of Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi's proposed Good Driver pricing reforms, according to the non-profit non-partisan Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR).
A lot of hard work could go down the drain in Sacramento because the California Senate Appropriations Committee has placed a bill that deals with resolving collision repair disputes between insurance companies and their customers, SB 1492, in the "suspense file." Action on this bill is suspended while the fiscal impact of this and other new legislation is determined. Hearings are currently being held to decide which bills will be released from the suspense file.
Effective May 17, the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) adopted a new regulation that will add flexibility to the process under which additional repairs may be authorized. The new regulation [Title 16 CCR3353(f)] permits the customer to designate another person to authorize additional parts and labor written estimated price.
Darrell Amberson, AAM, Lehman's Garage, Bloomington, Minnesota, has been re-elected as Collision Division director of the Automotive Service Association (ASA). As such, Amberson serves on ASA's board of directors and chairs the ASA Collision Division Operations Committee. The position of Collision Division director is a two-year term. Jerry Burns, AAM, Automotive Impressions Inc., Rio Rancho, N.M., has been chosen to serve assistant division director.
Allstate and Audatex, a Solera Company, (formerly ADP Claims Services Group) have entered an agreement for Audatex to provide mobile estimating tools and valuation services to Allstate. Under the agreement, Audatex will continue to provide Allstate's auto adjusters with PenPro® software and Autosource® valuation services.
Former NFL quarterback and Hall of Fame member Troy Aikman will be the NACE 2006 keynote speaker. DuPont Performance Coatings is the sponsor of the Aikman ap-pearance on Thursday morning, November 2 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
Hiring a new employee can be tricky business. One West Coast shop owner found that out recently when within two days he suddenly found himself down three technicians. Before he could even get a 'help wanted' ad place, a man came in looking for work.
Here's your assignment: Pretend you have 45 seconds to talk about your business in front of a group of people you'd love to have as customers. Could you tell them something that's unique about your business, something that no other shop in your area could or is likely to tell them?
The hailstorms that pounded central Texas this spring were costly. The final tally for insured losses reached $160 million. The city of San Marcos bore the brunt of the storm. Hundreds of homes and businesses were damaged as well hundreds of new and used cars, some of them totaled.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has instituted an asset freeze and temporary restraining order against the owner of a Houston auto auction, seeking an accounting for millions of dollars in fees fraudulently assessed against those who participated in auctions to purchase vehicles.
With the opening of the first Concierge Program service center in California, located in San Diego, Progressive Insurance has created a furor over what type of collision repair activities require registration with the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) and reopened the question of whether an insurer can stand in the shoes of its insured in negotiating and authorizing collision repairs.
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing recently to discuss "The McCarran-Ferguson Act: Implications of Repealing the Insurers' Antitrust Exemption." According to Senator Arlen Specter, R-Pa., committee chairman, this is the first hearing on McCarran-Ferguson by the full committee since 1989.
In response to concerns of collision repairers raised at the annual National Industry Issues Forum (NIIF), hosted by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), Mitchell International has issued an open invitation to the collision repair industry to come see how the company develops, verifies, and maintains labor times. In a press release, Mitchell said it looks forward to demonstrating complete transparency to collision repairers, SCRS association leaders and members, along with collision repair industry press and analysts, so all can understand how the company derives and maintains its labor times database.
Supporters and detractors continue to vie for position as the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee prepares to hold a markup for the Motor Vehicle Right to Repair Act (HR 2048). This legislation, which is expected to be considered this year, will make it mandatory for automobile manufacturers to disclose to car buyers and independent repair shops the information needed to repair or maintain their vehicles.
The redesigned Chevrolet Impala and Toyota Avalon, both equipped with standard side air bags, earn top ratings of good in side crash tests that simulate an impact from an SUV or pickup truck. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (Institute) recently conducted side tests of eight large family cars. The Buick Lucerne and Hyundai Azera, also equipped with standard side air bags, earn the second highest rating of acceptable.
Farmers Insurance Exchange and Mid Century Insurance Company have sued two California body shops and their owners, accusing them of taking part in a scheme designed to defraud Farmers and its policyholders.


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2020 Dodge Ambulance Price And Release Date – 2020 dodge ambulance
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ —
Ten years ago, in the bosom of a convalescent U.S. automotive industry, a new administration aggregation absitively to do the absurd – barrage a new brand.
The advertisement came in October 2009. The Dodge brand, which consisted of Dodge cars and Dodge trucks, would be “unbundled” and the Ram cast was born.
Today, the Ram cast appear almanac sales of 703,023 cartage for 2019. It is the accomplished akin of full-year sales anytime for the cast and an 18 percent access over 2018.
Ram full-year auto barter sales additionally rose to a almanac akin of 633,694 vehicles. It is an 18 percent access over 2018.
All this comes as the boilerplate transaction amount of the Ram 1500 has jumped about 50 percent from 2010 to about $50,000. Meanwhile, the boilerplate transaction amount for the Ram Heavy Duty has added added than 20 percent to about $55,000.
“These after-effects accentuate two cogent decisions we accept fabricated back it comes to Ram – advance in technology and accept a three-truck strategy,” said Reid Bigland, Head of Ram and U.S. Sales. “It has taken some adamantine work, but it has been a accurate accolade to see how Ram has acquired over the accomplished 10 years.”
TechnologyFCA absitively to leapfrog the antagonism in 2018 by introducing a new Ram 1500 able with the new Uconnect 4C with a massive 12-inch touchscreen in the centermost console. It leads the auto apple in technology, featuring split-screen capability, 360-degree camera angle and absolute agreeable from SiriusXM with Personalized Stations Powered by Pandora, which delivers ad-free personalization not begin on any added audio ball service. The move was predicated on the acceptance that Americans were spending added time in their trucks and they capital the aforementioned accessibility to all things cyberspace they could get in their homes. Meanwhile, the abstraction of befitting a abstracted “work truck” has faded. People are now authoritative their trucks the ancestors vehicle.
Three-truck StrategyWhen FCA alien the new Ram 1500 in 2018, it was absitively that assembly of the antecedent bearing would continue. The Ram 1500 Classic now provides consumers added best back the entry-level barter represents the best full-size amount in America.
Consumers who appetite added appearance and technology now boutique the new Ram 1500. This year, FCA followed the Ram 1500 success by introducing a redesigned able Ram.
“We are still in the aboriginal canicule for Ram,” Bigland said. “There are still assorted opportunities we will abide to analyze as we attending to accelerate both our loyal Ram owners and the Ram buyer yet to come.”
The Ram Heavy Duty and the Jeep Gladiator are both finalists for the 2020 North American Car and Barter of the Year. Winners will be appear Jan. 13 in Detroit.
The Ram 1500 took home the coveted accolade in 2019.
About FCA US LLCFCA US LLC is a North American automaker based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It designs, manufactures, and sells or distributes cartage beneath the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, FIAT and Alfa Romeo brands, as able-bodied as the SRT achievement designation. The Company additionally distributes Mopar and Alfa Romeo genitalia and accessories. FCA US is architecture aloft the celebrated foundations of Chrysler Corp., accustomed in 1925 by industry abstracted Walter P. Chrysler and Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (F.I.A.T.), founded in Italy in 1899 by beat entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli. FCA US is a affiliate of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) ancestors of companies. (NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA). For the alignment of free FCA US LLC account sales, click here.
View aboriginal agreeable to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ram-brand-reports-record-sales-for-2019-300980887.html
SOURCE FCA US LLC
12 photos of the "2020 Dodge Ambulance
Price And Release Date"


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EndoGastric Solutions, Inc. (EGS), the world leader in endoluminal intragastric surgery, announces that over 120 surgeons and gastroenterologists from more than 50 hospitals across Europe came together to discuss the evolution of incisionless transoral digestive surgery for the treatment of GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and Obesity.
During the two-day meeting, EsophyX Users presented their findings, examined their field experiences, and asked questions of their colleagues in a collaborative environment intended to help guide the development and evolution of the company’s technology and procedures.
“The Phase I data surpassed the key endpoints for efficacy and safety that we established when we began clinical trials over 20 months ago and has demonstrated that the procedure is robust and stable,” said world-renowned surgeon Prof. Guy-Bernard Cadiere, Professor of Surgery at University of Brussels & primary investigator for the Phase I Clinical Study. “With more than 50 centers throughout Europe beginning to adopt the EsophyX ELF approach, this was the perfect time to come together to discuss refinements and improvements to the device and procedure.”
“Despite the fact that endoluminal surgery is only in its infancy, the fact that these procedures mimic many of the same principles of Nissen Fundoplication, and have been shown to produce similar results, makes me very optimistic about this technology,” said Prof. Cadiere.
“The results are quite impressive,” said Prof. Michel Buset, Chief Gastroenterologist at St Pierre University in Brussels, Belgium who presented the Phase II Multicenter Study data publicly for the first time. “Over 95% of Phase II patients are experiencing a significant increase in quality of life and they love the incisionless approach. Because the procedure is non- invasive, they are able to get back to their daily activities almost immediately.”
In addition to the EsophyX ELF data, EGS’s second product, StomaphyX, was introduced with a presentation of recent obesity case experiences of surgeon Dr. Jacques Himpens and gastroenterologist Prof. Michel Cremer.
“It is exciting partnering with a company that has developed a family of endoluminal products for the treatment of GERD and Obesity,” said Maastricht University Hospital surgeon Dr. Nicole Bouvy, who has performed close to 40 ELF procedures under the company’s Registry for EsophyX Fundoplications for the Elimination of Reflux (REFER). “EGS is very open to feedback from customers and this first Users Meeting was well attended. I hope they do it again next year as the series of products seem very interesting.”
“EGS must be congratulated on having the right strategy and technology to deliver the portfolio of products that will revolutionize endoluminal intragastric surgery,” said Dr. Alessandro Repici, Professor of Gastroenterology at Humanitas in Milan, Italy. “I am quite certain that endoluminal fundoplication will continue to evolve into a mainstream operation.”
“The early customer feedback is crucial for us to incrementally scale our business and create safe, reliable products that are effective,” said Thierry Thaure, EndoGastric Solutions President & CEO. “We believe that our customers will best guide the development of our endoluminal procedures and we are committed to continuing to invest in Users Meetings and Focus Groups in the initial years of our rollout to fine tune the development of the EsophyX ELF, StomaphyX and other transoral endoluminal procedures.”


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Regulatory & market intelligence for alternative tobacco & nicotine products
NO Content Types
Brussels insiders admit the need for a quick fix to harmonise tobacco taxes Brazilian deputies consider HnB ban as doubts remain over alternatives’ future Spain’s health ministry ready to ban HnB on outdoor terraces in anti-Covid plan Broad industry support for extending UK tobacco regs to include alternatives Value and accuracy of information on reduced risk products is a burning issue China’s popular WeChat platform kills off ‘cool’ smoking soldier emoji UK should take the harm reduction message to WHO conference, MPs told Brussels planning ahead for harmonised EU taxation of HnB late next year Podcast: the future of the Tobacco Products Directive and EU taxation Small packet label exemptions: a guide to European CLP regulation, part 3 PMTA deadline put back as US judge grants FDA the extra time it asked for US FDA opens up nicotine toothpick question with health claim warning
Global revenues down, but BAT enjoys 15% increase from ‘new categories’ PMI insider Olczak set to take the reins and drive product transformation Ban public use, advertising and reduced-risk claims for HnB, says WHO group Looking back over TobaccoIntelligence’s Year 1 – it wasn’t all bad news HnB growth provides the silver lining to PMI’s declining overall earnings PMI lowers expectation of IQOS uptake by half as lockdown hits Heets sales Did heated tobacco give early humans a head start in the evolution race? EU states give a big thumbs up to tax harmony on heated tobacco and e-cigs Next-generation products drive profits for British American Tobacco China Tobacco launches new HnB system on South Korean market PMI and Juul launch legal action against Chinese copyists No softening likely in WHO’s antagonism to e-cigs and HnB EU urges WHO to focus on heated tobacco, suggests advertising bans COP8 tackles ‘growing challenge’ of vaping and ‘industry interference’ Heated tobacco products: the basics explained Beyond Kungfu – China Tobacco ready to move further into vapour and HnB Heated tobacco usage in South Korea: a consumer survey ECigIntelligence heated tobacco market database
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Govt must provide incentives, tax breaks to curb cyber crimes
In order to promote global cyber security cooperation, India must ensure active collaboration with other countries and global cyber security agencies.
By Press Trust of India: To check cyber crimes, government and regulators must design policies entailing incentives and tax breaks to encourage private sector participation in curbing the menace, a report has suggested.
Besides, the government must increase budget for cyber security related initiatives such as capacity building, training of the workforce, implementing awareness programmes, and promoting research and development, it said.
"The government and regulators should develop comprehensive cyber security policies and frameworks from the perspective of incentives, tax breaks and technological development," the Assocham-PwC report said.
It further said the policies (made) should be such that they must encourage private sector participation in public sector research and promote the commercialisation of research and development and intellectual property.
In order to promote global cyber security cooperation, India must ensure active collaboration with other countries and global cyber security agencies through international treaties, bilateral agreements and MoUs to understand the latest threats and take proactive security measures, it added.
"A framework needs to be established to effectively curb cyber incidents and reduce response time by promoting seamless sharing of information between state intelligence agencies, central intelligence agency, and various departments.
"It is important that the government, industry and security vendors come together on a common platform to formulate and implement policies and procedures for cyber security as cyber threats are among the most urgent dangers to India's economic and national security," the report suggested.
It also recommended that government and regulators should look at developing sector-specific policies and frameworks tailored to meet the requirements of a particular sector in order to strengthen cyber security in that domain and ensure compliance with defined security standards.
"The government should allocate adequate budget for cyber security related initiatives such as capacity building, training of the workforce, implementing awareness programmes, and promoting research and development," the report said.
It also suggested that the industry needs to expand efforts to attract and retain qualified cyber professionals.
"Government should look at developing comprehensive and mature security policies to ensure that emerging technologies such as cloud and Smart Cities are protected from cyber threats and risks," it pointed out.
There is need for law enforcement agencies personnel to be trained in requisite cyber skills to ensure that digital evidence is secured efficiently and properly used in criminal proceedings, the report said.


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You get the sense that luxury fashion label Burberry very much regrets its decision to burn $38 million of unsold stock rather than let it fall into the wrong hands.
It was embarrassing. The Burberry burn — #burnberry on social media — broke as a huge story in July, just two months after the brand announced it was a core signatory to Making Fashion Circular, an initiative aiming to design waste out of fashion and keep resources in circulation. When you cremate clothes, that’s obviously not going to happen. The materials are lost. It’s the antithesis of the circular economy.
The company moved to stem the fierce criticism and this month announced it would immediately cease incinerating clothes. But the backlash shined some light on the practice of destroying fashion. Burberry had not tried to hide its use of incineration, which was listed in its 2017/2018 annual report under “finished goods physically destroyed during the year.” But most brands don’t talk publicly about the practice, which they have no obligation to disclose.
So why do they do it? Most often, the reason is to avoid devaluing the brand; there is a terror of what discounting would do to prestige. Some brands, such as Chanel, never discount. The idea is, keep it scarce and you keep it exclusive.
Over the last two years, Cartier owner Richemont, for example, has bought back about $575 million worth of watches from retail partners to avoid having the timepieces sold more cheaply on the gray market of unauthorized retailers. Most were destroyed, and the parts were recycled.
It’s not just high-end brands that are destroying their stock. Fast fashion is at it too. In 2017 it was revealed that fashion behemoth H&M — which has made much of its green agenda with recycling points in stores and what it calls a Conscious Collection — burned about 19 tons of obsolete clothing (the equivalent to 50,000 pairs of jeans) in a waste-to-energy facility run by one of Sweden’s energy giants, Mälarenergi.
H&M said that the clothes were unsellable for safety reasons — for example, they didn’t meet restrictions on chemicals or had been damaged by mold. The company used the same defense again this month after the German current affairs program “Frontal 21” dedicated a show to an investigation into the burning of unsold H&M stock in Germany, alleging that the brand destroyed 100,000 pieces of clothing unsold from multiple seasons.
And Nike was the subject of a New York Times article in 2017 that alleged the company slashed clothing and shoes to render them unwearable before disposing of them.
Public outcry over the destruction of fashion overstock shows that these methods of disposal carry an unofficial public approval rating close to zero. To input all the resources, emit so much pollution and waste and then destroy those clothes is pure madness, given the ecological emergencies we face.
Waste and fashion go hand in glove. The industry continues to pump out a swelling inventory; each year, north of 100 billion new garments from virgin fibers are pushed onto the market. H&M alone was reported in March to have $4.3 billion worth of unsold clothes.
The energy needs of fashion are incredible. More often than not — particularly in fast fashion — these demands are shouldered by developing economies with scant or patchy energy cover. A Cambodian factory producing garments for export, for example, needs power to iron and dye clothes. The French environmental organization Geres estimated that garment factories in Phnom Penh burn through 2.3 million cubic feet of wood every month. To feed wood-fired boilers, factories are clearing old-growth forests.
There are moves to change the practice of destroying fashion overstock, although few address the issue in any systematic way. An insider from the luxury goods sector who wished to remain anonymous said that the days of luxury design houses’ incineration of substantive collections that have failed to sell is probably gone. “Instead, there’s a cascade. Unsold stock is put through outlets, or garments and accessories disassembled and used in different ways. For example, the hardware like the zips and buttons can be removed. Incineration is the last resort.”
When it comes to this cascade, luxury goods brands have more options and more leverage than fast fashion brands. There are arguably more opportunities to reclaim their products and re-enter them in the supply chain. But fast fashion brands, already at low price and high volume, shouldn’t expect to be invited into discount luxury outlets anytime soon.
Because fast fashion makes up the lion’s share of the average wardrobe and is bought and discarded quickly, when we talk about today’s out-of-kilter fashion consumption and disposal, we are really talking about this market.
Many people look to clothing recycling as a more acceptable and promising way of managing our fashion waste. Sure, there is vast potential; that is a given when the entry point is runaway consumption and resource use. But anybody who thinks we can miraculously scale up fashion recycling to counteract overproduction is verging on the delusional.
There is progress being made in the pursuit of recycled fiber. You might have noticed a big increase in the amount of fashion on the market made of yarn from recycled waste fishing nets, for example.
But this is still mostly tinkering around the edges. What’s important to understand: It’s not exciting innovation that will make recycling viable but dull old legal curbs on retailers, manufacturers and distributors. Here, France leads the way.
Regulation there now means that fashion producers must take responsibility for the end of life of the clothing they put on the French market, usually through participation in collecting and recycling programs. Other French initiatives are trying to limit the amount of different sorts of fibers that fashion producers may place on the French market. Complexity is the enemy of all recycling schemes.
But this French revolution is an anomaly. Elsewhere, including the U.S., there seems to be little appetite to curb the unsustainable habits of brands and get them to take real responsibility. The fact is that with a global fashion inventory this huge, even with an injection of good ideas and innovation, recycling will never triumph.
This brings us to a difficult conclusion as consumers. We hate incineration and destruction generally, but we’re continuing to prop up the low-cost, high-volume system that makes it an inevitability. It’s estimated that we buy about 60 percent more clothes annually than we did in 2000 and wear each item less before ditching it. Per capita, Americans send about 70 pounds of textiles a year to landfills. When are we going to look at our own consumption habits and demand that fashion brands produce fewer clothes?
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In 2000, Ecuador moved to ditch its stumbling currency for the U.S. dollar. Now more than 15 years later, the South American country is revamping its monetary system again—using digital currencies.
Ecuador’s Sistema de Dinero Electrónico (electronic money system) kicked off in December by allowing qualifying users to set up accounts, and it will begin acting as a real means of transaction this month.
Once the government flips the switch, the South American nation of 16 million will host the first-ever state-run electronic payment system. (Other countries, such as Sweden, use digital currencies widely, but they’re not state-sponsored.) But the Ecuadorean government says the scheme is designed to support its dollar-based monetary system, not replace it.
“Electronic money is designed to operate and support the monetary scheme of dollarization,” economist Diego Martinez, a delegate of the President of the Republic to the Board of Regulation and Monetary and Financial Policy, wrote to CNBC in a comment provided by a central bank spokesman.
Martinez said that Ecuador law expressly states that economic transactions are conducted in U.S. dollars.
Electronic money will not only help the poor, he added, but will act as a cost-saving mechanism for the government: Ecuador spends more than $3 million every year to exchange deteriorating old notes for new dollars, Martinez said. There would presumably be less wear and tear on the currency if much of it was stored at the central bank while citizens relied on mobile payments.
“They keep linking it to their frustration to being on the dollar standard.”
Still, others both inside and outside Ecuador have speculated that the country has broader goals. Claiming that there’s no plausible reason for Ecuador to provide “an exclusive medium for mobile payments,” Lawrence White, a professor of economics at George Mason University, wrote in a recent paper that “it is hard to make any sense of the project other than as fiscal maneuver that paves the way toward official de-dollarization.”
White told CNBC that the government’s bitcoin ban in July and its barring of competing e-money systems demonstrate Quito’s intentions. Although Ecuadorean officials haven’t publicly said they view electronic money as a potential exit from the U.S. currency, “they keep linking it to their frustration to being on the dollar standard,” White said.
A digital currency would, in theory, allow Ecuador’s central bank to issue new money that isn’t directly tied to its U.S. dollar reserves. But Ecuadorean officials have repeatedly denied that there are any such plans.
In a letter posted in Spanish on the Banco Central del Ecuador website in August, officials said the proposed payment system is not intended to address the country’s bills, that it will not be used to pay government workers and contractors, and that it will not lead to capital flight.
At the very least, White said, the government is looking to turn a profit from holding a monopoly on all electronic payments—and if they really wanted to benefit the poor, Quito officials would allow for competing private-sector systems to drive down costs.
The Central Bank of Ecuador announced earlier this week that it had signed a deal with a 60,000-member taxi organization to accept the electronic money. The project’s second phase—in which users will be able to pay for select services and send money between individuals—will begin in mid-February.
Jorge Calderón, the taxi organization’s president, praised the electronic money system as potentially improving service, since it will not require drivers to stash as much coinage.
“I think quite rapidly people will be using it all over the place…The plan is quite aggressive—they really want the whole population to use it as soon as possible.”
A third phase of the electronic money system will begin in the latter half of this year, according to government announcements, and will allow users to pay for public services like taxes through mobile payment.
Fausto Villavicencio, who is overseeing the project for the central bank,said the government expects about 500,000 people to sign up in 2015, according to several Ecuadorean reports.
“I think quite rapidly people will be using it all over the place,” said Paul Buitink, a cryptocurrency expert who teaches at Universidad San Francisco de Quito. “The plan is quite aggressive—they really want the whole population to use it as soon as possible.”
Buitink said the project has been relatively well received by the Ecuadorean public. There are some concerns about privacy, he said, but it has generally been seen as a positive step.
Not to be confused with bitcoin
Despite several headlines to the contrary, Ecuador’s electronic money system is dissimilar from bitcoin. While the world’s most popular cryptocurrency is a digital token running on a decentralized (yet cryptographically secured) electronic network, Ecuador’s new project would be controlled by the government and tied directly to the local currency—the dollar.
The project initially created buzz in in the bitcoin blogosphere, but that interest faltered once it was clear that Ecuador’s project would not present a competing alternative. Not only is the technology importantly different, but Ecuador’s electronic money system currently can be accessed only by qualifying citizens and residents.
In fact, Ecuador’s project is more similar to M-Pesa, a mobile phone-based money transfer service started by Vodafone, according to Pete Rizzo, the U.S. editor for cryptocurrency site CoinDesk.
How does Vodafone Money Transfer work?
From the website of Vodafone:
Customers register for the service at an authorised agent, often this is a small mobile phone store or retailer, and then deposit cash in exchange for electronic money which they can send to their family or friends. Once they have registered all transactions are completed securely by entering a PIN number and both parties receive an SMS confirming the amount that has been transferred. The recipientreceives the electronic money in real-time and then redeems it for cash by visiting another agent. The service is network agnostic so the recipient does not have to be on a Vodafone or Vodafone partner network.
In many ways, the new system will be a government-run version of Venmo—users will be able to make payments with the aid of a cellphone and store value in their accounts. But unlike the popular smartphone application, the Ecuadorean version will be able to run on “dumb” mobile devices too.
The electronic money system does not require Internet access or an account with a financial institution, and it can be redeemed for physical money at any time, the central bank’s website said.
Join us at: He Is Coming -Are You Ready?
Jesus Christ was born, lived, died, and rose again for the sole purpose of saving us from our sins. Are you saved? The bible declares that “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” – Romans 10:13 (KJV). Salvation is turning your life over to Jesus Christ, believing that Jesus is the son of God, and renewing your mind with his spirit, that is done through repentance of sin, and following JESUS with all your heart, mind and soul. JESUS transforms lives, if you are ready for this life saving step, call upon your savior TODAY! Learn more here.
“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. ” -Revelation 13:16-17 (KJV).
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not- 2 Peter 2:2-3 (KJV).
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage – 2 Peter 2:19 (KJV).


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THE TIME IS NOW
Gen Z finds the time for luxury watches
Gen Z approaches luxury differently. They are looking for stylish items, yes, but also those that have a story behind them and cater to their sense of value. In an effort to capture this cohort, luxury watchmakers are employing the help of Snapchat and Bitcoin, believing younger buyers are a powerful driver of sales growth for top-end timepieces. And even in our digital age, 23% of Gen Z report wearing a traditional watch (as opposed to a smartwatch), and 33% say that owning a watch has become more important to them in the last few years. Clearly, younger buyers can be an important target for high-end watches, particularly as luxury spending among Gen Z and Generation Alpha is expected to grow three times faster than other generations through 2030. Let’s look at what’s keeping this timepiece trend ticking.
In the year since it was created, Switzerland-based - and 11-year-old Amandine’s Instagram account watch_it_with_amandine has accumulated over 4.2k followers. Her posts, in French, are described as “a refreshing, uninhibited and wondering look at contemporary watchmaking, yet without taking herself too seriously.”Already making quite a name for herself within the industry, she has been interviewed by online sites like the Hong Kong-based Wristcheck and had one of her IG posts praised by industry watchdogs - Watchonista.
— George, 35, TX (Cassandra Collective)
The new wave of young female watch enthusiasts is a relatively new phenomenon. However, what started as an Instagram gallery of watch sightings in pop culture for Brynn Wallner, has now amassed nearly 43k followers and has since spurned the Dimepiece website with a focus on informative posts including “The Basics: Watch Parts,” “Four Iconic Watches to Know If You’re Considering Investing” and the First Dimers series, with Ms. Wallner interviewing “girls, gays and theys” about their first watches.
— Joshua, 18, (Cassandra Collective)
TIKTOKING WATCH COLLECTORS
Up until recently, second-hand watches and retailers have carried a certain stigma. However, with the pre-owned luxury watch segment expected to surge by 75% by the end of this decade, younger buyers are fueling the trend, thanks in part to brands such as Rolex and Cartier developing their own certified pre-owned and trade-in programs to cater to the younger generations buying habits, and the rise of TikTok dealers and collectors that are carving out a growing niche for horological content by becoming unlikely influencers who like @BuyingTime, (starring 22-year-old Tyler Mikorski), Nolan White, and Julia Azer shed light on the world in which these watches are bought and sold.


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Visitor registration opens for industry-leading Cenex-LCV and Cenex-CAM
Visitors are invited to register their attendance at this year’s Cenex-LCV and Cenex-CAM events for the opportunity to see the innovative technologies that are lowering emissions across transport and energy infrastructure.
We’re excited to welcome @BuntingBerkham back to #LCV2022 this September. Bunting designs, manufactures & supplies a wide range of magnets, magnet setters, magnetisers & magnetic assemblies, essential for transport electrification and the focus on its stand C4-607 at Cenex-LCV. https://t.co/vfo8uepccs
Cenex powers up ahead of the 15th anniversary of its Cenex-Low Carbon Vehicle event
With diary dates booked and exhibitor sales at pre-pandemic levels, this year’s Cenex-Low Carbon Vehicle (LCV), along with co-located Cenex-Connected Automated Mobility (CAM) is set to be the most significant in the event’s illustrious 15-year history.
What people are saying...
“We have been exhibiting at the LCV for the last 10 years. The event is very well organised and the marketing and PR services provided to us have led up to all the positive results gained from the show; including networking, promoting our brand and initiating new business.”
Mahdieh Mehrabi, Technical Marketing and Business Development