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Apple Stores in Italy Will Begin Reopening on May 19
Apple today indicated that its retail store at the Nave de Vero shopping mall in the Venice area will reopen on Tuesday, May 19, with reduced operating hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time and other health and safety measures in place.
Italian website iSpazio today reported that Apple plans to reopen 10 of its 17 stores in Italy on May 19, excluding locations in the Piedmont and Lombardy regions.
After closing all of its retail stores outside of the Greater China region in mid-March due to the global health crisis, Apple is in the process of reopening locations in some countries, including Australia, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, South Korea, and the United States. However, the majority of its stores around the world remain closed.
MacRumors shared a list of guidelines that Apple Stores are following upon reopening, such as social distancing and checking the temperatures of customers.
Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the update should be released "in the next three weeks or so," meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April.
iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features ...
Apple is tracking the attendance of its employees at offices using badge records in order to ensure they are coming in at least three times a week, according to Platformer's Zoë Schiffer.
Since April 2022, Apple employees have been operating on a hybrid home/office work policy as part of a gradual return strategy following the pandemic, with staff required to work from the office at least...
While the iPhone 15 series is still around six months away from launching, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes have been rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in particular.
Below, we have recapped 10 changes rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A1...
This year, all iPhone 15 models will include Apple's Dynamic Island that unifies the pill and hole cutouts at the top of the display, but there will also be a material change to the feature that wasn't included in the iPhone 14 Pro models.
According to a new tweet by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the proximity sensor on the iPhone 15 series will be integrated inside the Dynamic Island ...
Nothing today announced the launch of its second-generation wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear (2), which offer many of the same features as Apple's AirPods Pro 2 at a lower price point. We went hands-on with the Ear (2) earbuds to see whether they're a viable alternative to the AirPods Pro 2 for those who want to save some cash.
The Ear (2) earbuds are the successor to the Nothing Ear (1),...
The iOS 16.4 update that is set to be released to the public in the near future includes voice isolation for cellular calls, according to notes that Apple shared today.
Apple says that Voice Isolation will prioritize your voice and block out the ambient noise around you, making for clearer phone calls where you can better hear the person you're chatting with and vice versa.
Apple is no longer allowing customers who purchase an iPhone, cellular iPad, or Apple Watch to activate a device with now-defunct mobile carrier Sprint. Apple has also removed remaining references to Sprint from its online store.
When checking out with a new purchase, Sprint is no longer an option for connectivity, a change that Apple appears to have implemented today. Prior to now, Sprint...
The iOS 16.4 release candidate version that was provided to developers today appears to hint at a new set of AirPods that could be coming in the near future. According to @aaronp613, the beta features references to AirPods that have a model number of A3048 and an AirPods case with a model number of A2968.
There have been no rumors that new AirPods are on the horizon, and it is early for...
Top Rated Comments
Apple choose not to reopen in the two most critical areas. This absolutely makes sense and it would be odd to see Apple keeping stores closed here.
Now that time has passed and we can see numbers on how it is spreading, (it's not out control) it only makes sense to open up a little more and try to get back to life. We can't all stay cowering in our homes forever. That'll wipe out mankind faster than the virus.
Italy virus map ( in italian sorry) ('https://opendatadpc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/b0c68bce2cce478eaac82fe38d4138b1')
Official Government virus website information (english) ('http://www.protezionecivile.gov.it/risk-activities/health-risk/emergencies/coronavirus') - daily updated -
official pdf with detailed numbers about the virus in italy (in italian sorry) ('http://www.salute.gov.it/imgs/C_17_notizie_4745_0_file.pdf')
One of the biggest electronics shop in Italy has been opened for weeks, so many of the Apple premium resellers. They could, as they were considered strategic since people are working from home and need to buy/repair PCs and smartphones.
However, some regions in Italy could impose more restrictions, the iconic store in downtown Milan will likely stay closed for a while.
Most of the infection and casualties are concentrated in 3 regions in Italy, in particular the northern area. Elsewhere the situation is way better.
Restrictions are still in place to travel between regions in order to avoid spreading the virus, but inside each region people are allowed to travel to go to work and visit relatives and as I said retail stores are going to open next Monday
No one does not expect a "surge in mortality", or even in cases. We all know that it's going to happen, and it was never claimed by anyone that we would prevent that, lockdown or not.
What we tried to do for months, was to avoid the overwhelming of the healthcare system (the so called "flattening of the curve"). Now, we had months to study this virus, we had months to prepare, and we had months to understand the best behavior. In the US there is a big overstock of ventilators and respirators. The EU also is now in decent shape. Is everything perfect and under control? No, but now we can handle this horrible virus in a way that does not also destroys everything else.
You know, life has to go on somehow.


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Summer holidays possible in Europe with social distancing
Posted on April 25, 2020
A month back, the prominent question from individuals thinking of a trip to Europe during the summer was whether it was safe to travel to the country at all. This was but natural because many European countries have been worst hit by the Coronavirus pandemic. These include countries like Italy, Spain, Germany and France.
The good news is that the Coronavirus epidemic is showing signs of slowing down in some of the worst affected countries in Europe. This has made the European Union reconsider the travel advisory it had given earlier warning travelers to avoid traveling to Europe in the next few months for a summer trip.
The travel advisory issued around ten days back warned travelers to temporarily stall their travel plans to Europe because it predicted the effect of the virus could probably last for a year. However, the recession of the pandemic in the past few days has led some countries to lift certain restrictions while some other countries are afraid of lifting restrictions fearing a resurgence of the epidemic.
Spain witnessing a reduction in the number of cases, allowed many its workforce to return to work since the outbreak of the pandemic.
Austria has also planned to reopen shops, malls and large stores by May 1st and Switzerland too is planning to ease restrictions by the end of April. Germany too is keen on lifting restrictions as soon as possible.
Meanwhile most of the Schengen countries have no plans to lift the internal border controls that were implemented to stop the spread of the virus and control the epidemic.
Safe to visit Europe during summer:
Given the reduction in the number of Coronavirus cases in many European countries and the decreasing rate of infection, the European Union is now hopeful that travel plans to Europe can be made this summer.
The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has recently said that the implementation of social distancing norms and the use of hygiene measures can make it safe to travel to Europe. While expressing her happiness at the lifting of certain restrictions by some European countries, she felt that restrictions should be lifted only after careful consideration.
The president of the EC said that Europeans are beginning to learn to live with the virus and is impressed with the solutions the various sectors are using to deal with the crisis. These include working in shifts with smaller groups, maintaining social distance and using hygiene measures.
The adoption of such measures could be the key to reopening the tourism sector on which many European countries are dependent for their revenue.
Countries such as Italy and Spain rely heavily on tourism for their income.
If the Coronavirus pandemic slows down, Europe could see tourists coming in for the summer.
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General Motors is confident it has a winning agenda to cement its future as a dominant player in the ever-changing automotive industry. Once a year, GM releases its sustainability report to look at how the automaker has affected the industry and to highlight the changes taking place at the company.
This time, it’s all about efficiency and mobility—two hot buzzwords in the industry, no doubt. GM listed a handful of near-term results beginning with a big one: a lower-carbon future.
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV encompasses the beginning of a future less reliant on fossil fuels and GM’s Maven now employs 100 Bolt EVs. Together, they can cover 250,000 all-electric miles per month. Additionally, lightweight materials shaved 3,600 pounds from 10 vehicles throughout GM’s portfolio of vehicles. Less weight equals greater efficiency.
Autonomous vehicles are another important area and GM plans to begin testing of such vehicles in its home state of Michigan this year. In the meantime, GM is working to make important safety features standard in many cars and encourage safer driving practices.
On the environment side, GM reiterated its commitment to being a part of a clean-energy economy. GM used 199.8 megawatts of renewable energy in 2016, surpassing its 125 mw commitment four years early. The company saves $5 million a year from these efforts. Looking ahead, GM has stated its plans to be completely fossil fuel free by 2050.
In one final pillar, GM is working to transform the industry through talent. Every 26 minutes, GM filled an STEM-related position last year. Five percent of new hires were United States veterans as well.
These are highlights from GM itself, but you can read the entire report by following the link here.


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As the historic United Auto Workers (UAW) strike officially commences, experts weigh in on the potential effects on the US economy. While there are concerns about the strike’s economic impact, it is unlikely to push the nation into a recession. Gabriel Ehrlich, an economic forecaster at the University of Michigan, pointed out that the unionized segment of the automotive industry, although significant, no longer holds the same sway over the national economy as it once did.
However, the consequences of the strike will largely depend on several factors, including its duration, potential layoffs at other manufacturing plants, the number of workers participating, and the negotiation timeline. UAW President Shawn Fain emphasized that their goal isn’t to cripple the economy but to address income inequality, stating, “The truth is we are going to wreck the billionaire economy.”
Estimates suggest a considerable economic impact without causing economic collapse. For instance, if all United Auto Workers at Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis strike for ten days, it could cost the US economy an estimated $5 billion. Another estimate by Ehrlich suggests a smaller immediate spillover effect, estimating that $440 million in income would be lost nationally if all UAW members strike for two weeks. Should the strike persist for eight weeks, it could result in a $9.1 billion income loss nationwide.
Here are some potential ways the US economy could be affected by the strike:
- Local Business Revenue: Businesses near strike sites may experience a slowdown in revenue since striking UAW members may reduce their usual spending during the strike. This could affect restaurants, retailers, and other establishments dependent on the workforce’s spending.
- Supplier Layoffs: Suppliers working with the Big Three automakers may have to lay off workers if production halts. While automakers are expected to delay canceling orders for necessary parts as long as possible, a prolonged strike may force tier one suppliers to consider layoffs, which could have a cascading effect on tier two suppliers.
- Tax Revenue Decline: With fewer people working due to the strike, the government’s ability to collect tax revenue could be hindered. Reduced tax revenue may impact various programs and services at the state and local levels.
- Higher Car Prices: A prolonged strike could disrupt vehicle production, leading to higher car prices, especially considering the already tight inventory. Consumers may face increased costs when purchasing new vehicles.
It’s worth noting that while the strike’s impact is expected to be significant, it is not anticipated to reach the scale of previous disruptions, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the computer chip shortages. According to the August Consumer Price Index, new vehicle prices have already risen by almost 3% compared to last year.
As the strike unfolds, economists and industry analysts will closely monitor its developments and assess its broader economic implications. While there are concerns about short-term disruptions, the US economy’s overall resilience and diversification are expected to mitigate the strike’s long-term effects.


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What’s the boldest automobile ride of 2013? Jeff Perez says it’s the Chevy Camaro Z/28. Why?
The Z/28 has proven to be the one of the most track capable Camaros ever built. And for 2013, Chevrolet made sure that the new Z/28 was exactly that; handsome, nostalgic, and able to perform on and off the track.
I wonder how many Camaro owners run their car on a track.
Under the hood sits a monstrous 7.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 with 500 horsepower.


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Afterpay, the leader in “Buy Now, Pay Later” payments, recently announced that it has partnered with Fashion Nova, a leading e-commerce fashion platform, to offer shoppers a more flexible way to pay – just in time for the fall shopping season. Now, consumers who shop Fashion Nova online will have the option to pay responsibly with Afterpay at checkout, in four interest-free installments.
The addition of Fashion Nova comes after a highly successful year-end for Afterpay, during which the company’s customer base in North America grew to nearly 20 million – with 90% of orders made by repeat customers. Afterpay’s customer base is largely fashion-forward Gen Z and Millennials, and in fact, Gen Z represents the fastest growing demographic on the platform. The partnership is a joint effort by the brands to make fashion more accessible to these younger consumers.
Fashion Nova values accessibility and affordability – it is part of the foundation on which the company was built. Founder & CEO Richard Saghian said: “We’ve always prided ourselves on providing consumers easy and affordable access to the trendiest styles. The partnership with Afterpay further enables our customers to buy their favorite looks in a way that is both seamless and convenient.”
Zahir Khoja, General Manager of Afterpay North America, said: “As we head into fall and the busy holiday season, it’s the perfect time to bring Fashion Nova onto the Afterpay platform as shoppers look to update their wardrobes. This partnership stems from our shared desires to cater to the very powerful Gen Z consumers, who prefer to spend their money responsibly and pay over time with Afterpay.”
Fashion Nova joins Afterpay’s already wide network of nearly 100,000 global retailers, which allow customers to receive items immediately and pay over time, without revolving debt or paying interest. Merchants benefit from the company’s highly-engaged customer base, as the Afterpay Shop Directory generates an average of one million merchant referrals globally per day.
Fashion Nova is the world’s leading quick-to-market apparel and lifestyle brand. It is renowned for delivering the season’s most wanted styles to millions of people worldwide, which earned it the title of the #1 Most-Searched Fashion Brand on Google in 2018. As a Los Angeles based company with 5 retail stores throughout Southern California, Fashion Nova sells collections for women, men, curve, and kids.


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Watershed Distillery Adds Bourbon to the Lineup
Locally-based Watershed Distillery has had a busy year. Their product lineup has doubled in 2012 with the launch of their Bourbon Barrel Gin in August and the upcoming launch of Bourbon on October 31st.
“My partner Greg Lehman and I have always had a fascination with aged spirits,” says Dave Rigo, Co-Owner and Distiller at Watershed. “We’ve put away a few barrels per month ever since we started the distillery in 2010. We love sharing all of our spirits, but there is a special bond with the one you’ve stared at for two years and haven’t been able to share until now.”
Rigo says that their bourbon falls somewhere between sweet and spicy as they use a mash bill that includes both wheat and rye, though a heavier portion of wheat. He says that it should stack up nicely along side other wheated bourbons on the market.
“We haven’t reused any of our own Bourbon barrels for our Bourbon Barrel Gin as we just are dumping these now,” says Rigo. “We will start filling these soon for the next batch of Gin.”
Watershed is hosting a Halloween Party at their distillery for their bourbon release on October 31st, starting at 11pm. Costumes are encouraged, and food trucks Ajumama and Swoop will be on site to sell snacks. Bourbon tasting and sales begin at midnight.
More information can be found online at www.watersheddistillery.com.
Update: Great news for local bourbon drinkers, Middle West Spirits is also launching a Bourbon. READ MORE HERE.


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By Guest Columnist Steve Koering
Everything about autumn is enjoyable, from the temperatures to the colors and, of course, the launch of the holiday season.
Avid decorators may have already begun unpacking holiday decorations. All of this preparation is important to create the ideally festive atmosphere for family and friends, but safety is also important to consider at this time of year. This is the height of the fire season in single-family homes, condominiums, townhomes and apartments. The majority of these fires and loss of life are preventable with just a few simple precautions.
According to ServiceMaster, which specializes in after-fire cleanup, 85 percent of its agents report homeowners don’t own a fire extinguisher. This is easily remedied with a quick trip and about $40 dollars spent at the local home improvement or hardware store. Keep a 5- or 10-pound ABC extinguisher near your grill, in the kitchen or wherever there is a fire risk.
Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors should be tested for operation and all batteries replaced as part of your daylight saving routine. Most homeowners do not have enough detectors in their home to buy the time they need to exit or be warned in event of a fire, and many have not checked the batteries.
The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) strongly urges against the use of gas-powered hot oil turkey fryers. The injury and loss of property caused by these devices, even for the most seasoned user, is preventable.
Most importantly, don’t leave cooking unattended. The NFPA says 34 percent of holiday fires are caused by unattended cooking equipment.
Consider using LED holiday lights. They use less energy and create less demand on a home’s electrical service and also operate at a lower temperature than traditional lights.
Decorative trees should be placed at least three feet from any heat source. Live trees should be watered regularly and discarded as soon as they are dry.
Open-flame candles accounted for nearly 11,000 structure fires from 2007 to 2011, according to the NFPA. One-third of these fires started in a bedroom, accounting for 39 percent of deaths and 45 percent of injuries. Never leave open-flame candles unattended. Even better, consider using battery-powered flameless candles.
As I mentioned in my last article, a component of resiliency is preparation. Does your family have an evacuation plan and have they practiced it? The holidays bring guests to the home who should also be accounted for in any plan.
Lastly, this time of year also marks the start of the cold and flu season. Take precautions to limit vulnerability by getting a flu shot, using effective hand-washing and covering when coughing.
We want this to be a season of great celebration and connection with family and friends. An intentional effort to focus on these few items can result in a safe and happy holiday season. For more information, visit nfpa.org.
Steve Koering is the St. Louis Park fire chief. He wrote this as part of a monthly St. Louis Park public safety column.


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Yesterday we announced that somehow Rogers has unfairly discounted the upgrade cost for Rogers Wireless customers compared to Fido customers. This morning we see more issues with the price of the new device.
The Fido system is listing the new iPhone 3G S at $3500. Customers are unable to complete their purchase of the device and retail stores are taking information down manually and will call customers back to pick up their receipt. Thankfully you can still leave with an iPhone.
Another issue is the absence of an iPhone value pack which includes MMS. Rogers has announced the upgrade from the $15 value pack to a $20 value pack which includes MMS. This plan is not on Fido's system and retail staff is unaware if it ever will be. If you are a Fido customer be very careful sending MMS as it might cost you heavily.


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Without a forecast, the Bank of England is without a clue about whether there will be inflation on March 29, or thereafter.
The ECB’s plan for ending asset purchases hinges on a questionable CPI forecast.
Maybe the U.S. economy can sustain an unemployment rate as low as 3.5% without a persistent upward bias to inflation, but we are highly skeptical.
The possible need for policy to get restrictive, not just neutral, is likely to become a regular talking point for Fed officials in the months ahead.
Could a sales tax hike in October 2019 help the BoJ finally reach its inflation goal?
Could a rise in the U.S. labor market participation rate help stop the uptrend in inflation? Not likely.
How much do changes in oil prices and exchange rates affect inflation? Not much.
Our bet is that the ECB will maintain accommodative monetary conditions into 2019 at least.
HFE’s Chief U.S. Economist Jim O’Sullivan answers questions about the outlook for wages, inflation and Fed tightening this year and next.
The CPI rises every time there is inflation and falls when there is deflation, but every change in the CPI is not due to inflation or deflation.


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AT&T Answers the Call on Meeting Sustainability Targets
The well-known telecommunications company has shown initiative and taken clear action steps to become an environmental leader.
Solidifying a Sustainable Concrete Industry
Holcim has identified a way to keep the concrete industry thriving while also remaining environmentally friendly.
Starbucks is expanding their “Greener Stores”
Starbucks "Greener Stores" are accelerating the global movement towards a better future. Their aspiration is to set a new, accessible standard for green retail.
WasteShark: Drone Aims to Solve Plastic Pollution
The WasteShark is an aquadrone that removes plastics and other floating debris from the water surface.
Fishless Fish: Plant-Based Seafood Alternatives are Here!
Ever wanted to try seafood but were unable to due to allergies? With new plant-based seafood, everyone can partake in this dining option!
How and Why Companies are Going Net-Zero
Why are companies pushing towards net-zero now? And what is the impact, if any, on their business? Let's find out.
Lab Grown Meat: The Future or a Flop
There is potential for a new way of “growing” meat to help solve several problems in the food industry.


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Apple Inc. has licensed the Swiss Federal Railways clock design that it was accused of copying in iOS 6.
According to TechCrunch, Apple licensed the design of the 1940s Swiss Railroad Station Clock that it was already using in iOS 6. Apple was accused of copying the design in late September.
The press release from Swiss Federal Railways did not release terms of the agreement but the license covers the design "for use on devices like the iPhone and iPad," according to TechCrunch.
Written by Lisa Ward. To contact someone about this article, Shana Lynch can be reached at 408.299.1831 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Travel company Jet2holidays almost doubled its Ad Awareness in the United Kingdom, registering an 11.4-point rise in March.
Jet2holidays has built a highly-recognisable identity around its TV commercials. Since 2015, it has followed a templated approach of combining stunning visuals of tourist destinations with singer/songwriter Jess Glynne’s catchy track Hold My Hand (which became a UK No.1 hit in 2015).
With coronavirus-related travel restrictions loosening up and UK consumers becoming increasingly confident in the wake of the phased rollout of vaccinations, Jet2holidays has achieved its highest Ad Awareness peak since the coronavirus pandemic was declared last year.
Ad Awareness scores for Jet2holidays had only previously reached these levels in the days before coronavirus was declared a pandemic - but scores understandably plummeted sharply thereafter as strict travel restrictions were imposed in several parts of the world and brands scaled back campaigns. According to YouGov BrandIndex, the brand did see peaks in August and in January without reaching pre-pandemic levels.
(Jet2holidays did not top the Ad Awareness change in score measure in March but finished third behind Red Nose Day and Comic Relief, which are both CharityIndex brands. But because we wrote about them last month, we chose to focus on third-placed Jet2holidays for March.)
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Methodology: BrandIndex collects data on thousands of brands every day. A brand’s Ad Awareness score is based on the question: “Which of the following travel or leisure services have you seen an advertisement for in the past two weeks?” and delivered as a percentage. Scores are based on an average daily sample size of [average of daily volume] UK adults between 30th December 2020 and 29th March 2021. Figures are based on a 4-week moving average. Learn more about BrandIndex.


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- Created: Wednesday, 29 February 2012 08:50
- Hits: 1722
Turkish appliances manufacturer Arcelik, who are known as Beko in the UK, is expecting sales growth of around 20 percent this year, down from 22 percent last year, it said when announcing its annual results.
Reuters also reported that the company also said it sees a 20% growth rate in sales for its international whitegoods unit and 5 percent growth for its home market whitegoods unit this year.
Arcelik said net profits last year fell 2 percent to 506.5 million lira ($286.4 million), missing market expectations for 553.2 million lira, according to a Reuters poll of analysts.
The company said sales rose last year to 8.44 billion lira from 6.94 billion lira in 2010, just ahead of the market forecast of 8.3 billion lira, according to the poll.
This is in line with what we've been hearing with many manufacturers saying that there has been a general downturn over the past year.


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A blockchain-tracking platform says that one trader has netted more than 1,300% profit on a Shiba Inu (SHIB) imitator.
According to Lookonchain, when Ethereum (ETH) founder Vitalik Buterin sold Shikoku (SHIK) this week, the transaction triggered an arbitrage opportunity.
“Due to Vitalik Buterin selling SHIK yesterday, a SmartMoney made ~96ETH ($150,000) with 14 ETH on SHIK, and an arbitrageur made 89.6 ETH ($140,000) with six ETH on SHIK.
How did they do it?”
The blockchain-tracking platform says the arbitrage moment was created when Butern’s SHIK selling caused the meme token to plummet in price. Arbitrage trading is when an investor takes advantage of the difference in an asset’s price in varying markets, pocketing the discrepancy.
“The price of SHIK plummeted nearly 80% after Vitalik Buterin sold 500 trillion SHIK. The SmartMoney and arbitrageur noticed this sell-off and immediately bought SHIK at very low prices, then sell.”
The trader took advantage of the SHIK price plummet by turning six ETH into 89.6 ETH, a 1,393% gain, according to Lookonchain.
“The arbitrageur bought 38 trillion SHIK with six ETH and sold 38 trillion SHIK for 89.6 ETH.”
The other trader who seized the moment to turn 14 ETH into 96 ETH, a 585% increase, did so through several transactions.
“The SmartMoney bought 34.2 trillion SHIK with 14 ETH immediately after noticing it. Then:
– Sold 12.2 trillion SHIK for 38.36 ETH
– Sold 10 trillion SHIK for 26.24 ETH via address”0xaBB6″
– Transferred 10 trillion SHIK (~26 ETH)
Currently holds 2 trillion $SHIK (~6 ETH).”
Shikoku is trading for $0.00000000955 at time of writing.
Featured Image: Shutterstock/marrishuanna/Fotomay
Read the full article here
Discussion about this post


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Ten years after coming to the Sand Hill shopping plaza, Jim and Toni Glynn have decided to close their popular Just-a-Buck franchise store in order to have more time for their family.
"It's hard because we've been a part of the community for so long," Toni Glynn, 57, said this week.
The store, which is set to close Sept. 29 when its lease runs out, is having a closeout sale – each item is selling this week for $.80 rather than $1. The discount already is leading to brisk business as loyal customers swing by the store to say goodbye and check out the dwindling inventory.
"Ever since we put that sign up, it's been hopping," Glynn said of the steady stream of customers.
At one time the couple ran two different Just-a-Buck franchises but then they decided to close down the Danbury one in 2006. The couple had looked into selling the Newtown store but the sale fell through and with the lease about to run out, the Glynns said they decided they would just close up shop.
Although the Newtown store is profitable and could continue operating, Toni Glynn said she is looking forward to getting a job with regular hours that will allow her to spend more time with her family.
"I want to find something that doesn't consume my time, seven days a week," she said.
Part of the store's draw is its cleanliness and neat organization, a setup that requires constant attention. The work has paid off in the form of customers who continue to come back, Glynn said.
"If something is disorganized, they may not want to come back," she said of customers.
In addition, the store has tried to cater to community needs, providing discounted supplies to school groups and others, Glynn said. The store is best known for its party favors, balloons as well glasses, all of which cost just a buck.
"It's my favorite dollar store," said Nora Lundgren, 50, of Newtown, who was picking up foam rods this week to turn into croquet sticks for students at Children's Adventure Center where she teaches.
Lundgren said the store is neat and that is one draw for her when evaluating stores.
"If it's a mess, I don't go back," she said.
When Lundgren learned that the store was going out of business, she decided she had to check it out.
"I better check it out before it goes, and it's going fast," Lundgren said.


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Intercom, the Irish-founded customer communications platform, has announced new senior hires to bolster its leadership team.
Sanj Bhayro (pictured), former Google Cloud VP and Salesforce COO for the EMEA region, has been appointed as VP EMEA Sales.
Intercom CEO Karen Peacock said that as a respected leader within the SaaS industry, Bhayro has experience of scaling sales teams at growing businesses and for companies of Intercom’s size.
Former Smartsheet CMO Anna Griffin has been appointed Chief Marketing Officer. Peacock noted that at Smatsheet Griffin helped the US firm expand ARR to $500m.
Peacock said that Intercom wants to expand Intercom’s presence with enterprise customers. Customers include Amazon, Microsoft and Lyft Business, and the company recently brought on new customers, including H&R Block, and expanded customer deals with URBN, the parent company of Nuuly and Urban Outfitters, Notion and Culture Amp.
“The traditional ways that companies communicate with their customers are broken,” said Peacock added. “Companies need to meet customers where they are, on the channels they prefer. Intercom is reinventing how companies engage and support their customers to be real-time, in-context, personalised and supported with the right automation.”
Another new appointment is General Counsel, Cheree McAlpine. She was formerly Chief Legal Officer for Lumileds, where she acted as the General Counsel for Avnet Americas.
Fred Ball, formerly Marketo’s CFO, is joining Intercom’s board of directors to advise on overall direction and business strategy. Ball is a director of Contentful, Advanced Energy and FirstMark Horizon Acquisition Corporation.
Other recent senior appointments include hires from Okta, Zendesk and Dropbox, and the company says it now employs over 700 people globally. The venture is backed by Kleiner Perkins, Bessemer Venture Partners and Social Capital.


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Netflix didn’t have much time to enjoy being the exclusive, post-theatrical release home of Disney movies before Disney decided to part ways and launch its own stand-alone streaming service.
When Disney announced in August that it would remove all of its theatrical releases from Netflix by 2019, Netflix executives didn’t say much. During an investor’s interview yesterday, however, CEO Reed Hastings and chief of content, Ted Sarandos, finally addressed Disney’s departure.
Hastings admitted that, although the Disney brand — and the films that Disney produces — is significant, it’s not a major part of Netflix’s growth plan. Instead, the streaming service is focusing on developing content for international territories, and Hastings pointed out that Disney’s international offering through Netflix isn’t big enough to make its departure a concern.
“Disney is a great brand with great content but internationally we only have it in the Netherlands, Australia and Canada,” Hastings said. “You saw how big our international growth was in most of the world without the Disney content. So although it’s got an enormously significant brand, in terms of its significance relative to growth, you can see that we’ve done very well in international without it.”
Sarandos feels similarly, although he said that Netflix would be “thrilled to partner with [Disney] when they’re ready to.” Sarandos said this is all part of an ongoing trend that he’s seeing other studios and networks work toward. Instead of linking up with a platform like Netflix to distribute their content, studios and networks — like CBS does with All Access, or HBO with HBO Now — are launching their own competing services.
“I think that everyone is going to have their own strategies and it’s exciting that everyone is trying to make over-the-top (OTT) television better and better,” Sarandos said. “I think that is good for all of us. And we just have to worry about creating content that our members can’t live without and get excited about every month. Whether or not one of our partners decide to produce for us or compete with us, that’s really a choice they have to make based on their own business.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger spoke more about the company’s streaming service, which will be released in 2019, during a conference in Los Angeles. Iger said that Disney had a “very rich treasure trove of content for this app," according to a report from CNBC, adding that the company was “going to launch big, and we're going to launch hot.” Along with the sole rights to movies from Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm (Star Wars), the service will host four or five exclusive, Disney-produced shows, along with some films from studios other than Marvel and Lucasfilm.
Movies from both Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm will remain on Netflix until Jan. 1, 2019.


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New Trains in the Midwest
By Rick Harnish
The Illinois Department of Transportation and Amtrak did a soft launch of the new Siemens Venture coaches on Tuesday, February 1. The official launch will be in mid-February.
The cars are being introduced at a rate of 8 cars per month starting with the Chicago - St. Louis Lincoln service then expaned to other routes as more cars become available.
These are the first new coaches to come to the Midwest in about 30 years and offer many new features that have been standard overseas for decades.
I rode on that first revenue run to Joliet. Here's a quick overview of what makes these cars a big step up from the Amfleet and Horizon cars they are replacing.
The first thing you notice are the retractable steps, which make it safer to board. Soon, step boxes will be a thing of the past.
The steps can be set for 8 or 15 inch platforms. "Traps" make level boarding at 48 inch platforms possible.
Automatic "plug" doors are weather tight.
The steps and the doors can be controlled by a single crew person, and since the steps are so much safer, all the doors can be opened at once, cutting dwell times at stations.
The cars feel more open and inviting. The windows are much bigger, letting in more light and better views.
The interior paint scheme and upholstery is well done.
The wider aisles make passing people much easier.
More importantly, they allow wheelchair users to access the entire train from a single lift that will be on the cafe cars.
The seats seats all face the middle. With the middle set facing a table. Most seats have a fold-down tray table.
The seats slide forward to recline rather than the back moving into the space behind.
I found the seats to be perfect for my back in the reclined position, though other regular passengers missed the full recline.
There has been concern about the seat being slightly smaller at 19.1 inches vs the Amfleet and Horizon cars 21 inches. This is made up for somewhat with space between them for standard electric outlets and USB plugs. Southwest Airlines seats are 17 or 17.8 inches wide.
Each end of the car has a luggage rack. One has space to store wheel chairs, the other can be converted to carry bikes.
The attractive paint scheme will help market the service.
And, the big red reflective stripe will make them more visible at un-signaled rural crossings.


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The Philippines is still the Social media capital of the world and us Filipinos was acknowledged as the most active users on a number of web-based social network sites such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. The extensive use of social networking website among Filipinos is so evident, especially Facebook. Facebook users maximize the said social networking site for different purpose such as entertainment, business, means of communication and even election campaign material.
According to Facebook’s official data, as of March 2015, the monthly active users of Facebook in the Philippines have reached 43 million.
Facebook user in the country is not limited; everyone who is at least over 18 years old can create an account and start using the service. Because of this, Facebook has been a household thing and even the first thing to do in the morning or the last thing to do before tucking into bed. The “facebooking” term has been popular among its users and Facebook plays a major part in our digital lifestyle, that we seek for internet connection wherever we are at any time to upload pictures, update status or play games or simply browsing the Facebook news feed.
The country’s leading mobile brand Globe Telecom is reinforcing its drive to boost internet penetration in the Philippines and is continuing its commitment to enabling the Filipino digital lifestyle with access to social networking to connect with people around the world.
Globe introduces more ways to get Filipinos connected to Facebook with the launch of a complete suite of access to the social networking site without data charges. Globe is offering a new in-app feature that allows customers to choose the type of Facebook access, Free Facebook for 7 Days for TM customers, and Free Facebook with a GoSURF subscription.
“We are thrilled to connect more Filipino users to their favorite social networking site and drive the country’s positioning as the Digital Lifestyle Capital of the World. As more customers are embracing the digital lifestyle, we want to provide Filipinos more ways to access Facebook with free data and connect them to the rest of the world,” says Dan Horan, Senior Advisor for Consumer Business at Globe.
The following will serve as your guide to your free Facebook experience:
FACEBOOK WITH FREE DATA
Facebook with free data is a zero-rated, lightweight version of Facebook with limited access to photos and videos. Developed for people who are conscious of spending their mobile data, Facebook with free data will give customers more control over their data usage.
To use Facebook with free data, Globe customers will download and launch the latest version of Facebook for Android. They can also visit www.facebook.com in a browser on their mobile. They will then be prompted to opt in or out of Facebook with free data. If they opt out, they will automatically be directed to the full version of Facebook and charged their regular data rate. Those who opt in can begin browsing Facebook for free.
People using Facebook with free data will also get a data control button at the top of Facebook, which lets them easily switch between the free and the full versions of Facebook at any time. This button clearly indicates which version of Facebook the customer is currently using, and can be dismissed so as not to disturb browsing.
When a customer clicks a photo within Facebook, an external link, or any content that leads outside the Facebook app, they will be notified that they are leaving Facebook with free data and will be charged for data usage.
FREE FACEBOOK VIA TM CHOOSE-YOUR-NUMBER SIM
Available for the value of only P30, customers who have purchased the TM® Choose-Your-Number SIM will also receive the bonus of free access to the full Facebook experience for 7 days. Besides allowing customers to choose their own mobile number, the SIM also allows customers to register to different call, text, and mobile internet promos.
Mobile devices must be internet-capable and have a maintaining load balance of P1 in order to access free Facebook on TM® SIM cards.
FREE ACCESS TO FACEBOOK VIA GOSURF
For customers who want a full experience of Facebook with photo and video streaming access, they can register to a GoSURF data plan to access the social networking site for free. GoSURF is the Telco’s consumable data plan which paved the way for mobile users to embrace the habit of mobile browsing, with subscriptions growing by 131% and revenues by 124% over the last year.
As the only Telco in the country to offer free access to Facebook with a complete browsing experience with a GoSURF subscription, Globe gives customers access to a full experience which includes viewing of photos, streaming of videos uploaded on Facebook, as well as posting, liking, sharing and making comments on the social networking site. Access to the Messenger app, excluding calls, is also free.
Available to Globe Prepaid and TM customers with a GoSURF subscription and to Globe Postpaid customers who will opt-in to the free Facebook promo, free access to Facebook works on any mobile platform, including the Facebook Android app and browsers (via m.facebook.com), without any maintaining balance.
Postpaid customers can access Facebook for free without any purchase requirement while Prepaid and TM customers will automatically get access upon purchase of any GoSURF promo. The validity of the free access to Facebook offer is the same as the subscribed GoSURF promo.
Customers who have successfully registered on GoSURF will receive a text message notifying the availability of the free access to Facebook service, and will also see the “Facebook with Free Data” banner at the top of the mobile site or app once the free access to Facebook promo is activated.
Aside from Free Facebook, customers also get free access to premium content such as Spotify and top mobile games with GoSURF. With GoSURF50, customers get 300MB of data to access the internet and an additional free 400MB for music streaming and online mobile gaming for only P50 valid for 3 days. The games include Clash of Clans, Candy Crush Saga, Candy Crush Soda Saga, Summoners War, Hay Day, Boom Beach, Soul Seeker, Dungeon Hunter 5, and Asphalt 8: Airborne.
Kudos to Melvin Ponce, Retail Specialist at Globe Store V-Mall Greenhills Branch. He provided me a stellar customer service when I opted to change my sim to LTE so I can access and enjoy Free Facebook only from Globe!
Thank you for the extra smile and taking the extra mile to satisfy me as a customer by always providing excellent service at all times. Kudos to Miss Jaena Meriza Padilla-Regio, Retail Manager at Globe Store V-Mall Greenhills Branch.
To get free access to Facebook on prepaid or TM via GoSURF, simply register to any GoSURF promo and wait for the Facebook activation notification which will be sent via text message.
For customers who wish to avail of the bonus FB trial for TM® SIMs, simply text BONUS FB to 8888. Facebook with free data launches once a customer has updated their FB app to its latest version and will automatically be available to those who are not on Postpaid or any GoSURF plan. For Postpaid customers, opt-in to free Facebook by texting FREE FB ON to 8888. For more information, text FREE FB to 8888. To inquire about the promo, text FREE FB HELP to 8888. To check status, text FREE FB STATUS to 8888.
To know more or to keep updated about GoSURF, text GoSURF to 8888 or text “GoSURF FREE” to 8888 to get detailed information about the different freebies you can get with the promo. For more information, visit www.globe.com.ph/gosurf.
Karina is not your ordinary supermom. She juggles her time bonding with her three amazing kids while being in the loop on the latest happenings in the tech and lifestyle scene. Follow me on Instagram (@digitalfilipina) regularly visit www.digitalfilipina.com for daily dose of updates not just for moms but for everyone!


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Casual game developer Big Fish today announced it is joining with Betable and bringing real-money gambling to the United Kingdom with Big Fish Casino, a re-branded version of the social mobile casino game Card Ace: Casino.
Big Fish Casino is developed by Self Aware Studios, which Big Fish recently acquired. The game includes gambling like slots, blackjack, Texas Hold’em Poker and roulette, as well as real-time socialization features. Players who are in the U.K. will be able to engage in real-money gaming, powered by Betable. Betable’s real-money gaming platform allows developers to implement real-money gaming with a minimal amount of effort. Because the company’s servers are based in the U.K. the service can operate on a global scale, except in countries where online gambling is explicitly prohibited.
Although real-money gaming is still illegal in the United States because of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, it’s very much a part of U.K. culture. As a result, several companies are starting to double down and create social casino games that allow players to gamble with actual cash. Two weeks ago, Gamesys launched the first such app on Facebook with Bingo Friendzy.
This article originally appeared on our sister site, Inside Social Games.


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WASHINGTON, July 20 (Reuters) - I wasn’t one of those people who lost a bunch of money when dot-com stocks blew up in 2000, but to be honest, that’s because I didn’t make a lot of money in the bubblicious run up, either.
I still remember naively waiting for new companies like Amazon, AOL and Pets.com (remember that one?) to show a profit before jumping in.
By the time any of those companies achieved profitability -- or didn’t -- their share prices had gone through the roof and I had missed my chance for wealth -- or ruin.
Today, companies like LinkedIn LNKD.N, Groupon, Zynga and Facebook are partying like it’s 1999, making plans to come to market or already trading at valuations that put them among the blue chips.
For example, LinkedIn, which went public in May, reached its year’s high of $121.97 on May 19, and had a market capitalization in the neighborhood of $10 billion, even though it is expected to lose money this year. Maybe it will shake up the world of recruiting and business marketing, but still, that is kind of nerve racking. LinkedIn shares fell 7.5 percent in one day this week after the company was downgraded by a JPMorgan (JPM.N) analyst.
Some folks want to throw their wallets at those new household names, and others -- perhaps more scarred than I was back in 2000 -- wouldn’t touch an Internet stock ever again.
“People got burned so badly that they have been virtually ignoring that area,” says Tom Roseen, head of research services at Lipper, a Thomson Reuters company. Ironically, that might make them a good investment.
Stock market watchers don’t know what to do. Is this a new bubble or a buying opportunity? The right answer probably lies somewhere in between. Here are some thoughts:
-- It’s not 1999. Back then, there were several new companies across the tech spectrum going public every day without any profits, and immediately they became objects of bidding wars, remembers Scott Kessler, head of technology sector equity research at Standard & Poor‘s. The frenzy now seems concentrated in a narrow band of Internet/social networking companies. “It seems like a handful of companies at best,” he said.
The bulk of technology companies, defined more broadly, may actually be conservatively valued. U.S. science and technology mutual funds have returned 2.14 percent year to date through July 14, reports Lipper. That’s less than half the 5.16 percent logged by the S&P500 during the same period.
-- Keep emotions out of it. “Don’t be too scarred by what happened a decade ago,” says Kessler. But he also cautions investors not to “get caught up in the excitement and emotions that surround these companies.” Instead, follow the same numbers that serious investors have used for years. Are there earnings? How do the earnings compare to the share prices?
-- Think about corporate investments. Big U.S. companies are sitting on more than $850 billion in cash. And it’s pretty clear, given the slow (or nonexistent) recovery in hiring, that they are not spending that money on people. Maybe they’ll spend some of their cash reserves on productivity-improving technology, boosting the tech sector.
-- Advisers like tech now. “The overall health of the technology sector remains very strong,” says John Challenger, an outplacement consultant who watches employment trends. “In fact, it is one of the best performing industries in the economy at the moment.”
Kate Warne, a market strategist for St. Louis brokerage Edward Jones, says her firm is recommending traditional tech stocks such as Intel (INTC.O) to their clients. “We think many investors need to be adding dollars to this sector. Many of these tech stocks are paying dividends and have very attractive valuations.”
-- Use tried-and-true analysis techniques. People got in trouble in 1999 because they stopped looking at bedrock figures like earnings, and instead started paying for things like “clicks” and “eyeballs.”
Kessler says: “When companies pick and chose what metrics they think are most appropriate, that suggests the other metrics that people have historically used for decades are not as favorable.” Meaning that if you actually judged a company on the basis of its earnings, you probably would not buy that company.
That’s telling you something, says Warne. “If they aren’t making money, they probably aren’t something you would want today.” So while the market isn’t the same as 1999, the applicable advice may be: Keep your eye on the bottom line. You may miss the froth, but you can still make money. (The Personal Finance column appears weekly. Linda Stern can be reached at linda.stern(at)thomsonreuters.com) (Editing by Maureen Bavdek)


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Staff from UCLan's Allied Health Research Unit (AHRu) showcased their work at Preston's inaugural Best of Britannia (BOB) North event.
Over 3,500 people visited the pop-up department store which had set up outside of London for the very first time.
UCLan was a key sponsor of the event which took place in the historic Post Office building and Market Square in the heart of the City.
The AHRu team were joined by a variety of current and previous partner companies who helped to demonstrate a range of work relating to design for sport and rehabilitation.
These included Optifit Bra Company, who the team have been working with to conduct research into the effect of breast support garments on back pain.
CERAGEM Preston UK, who collaborated on a previous study into the effectiveness of their V3 bed for individuals with non-specific back pain, were also on hand throughout the weekend.
CERAGEM'S Julie Gyi commented: "We were proud and happy to be showcasing innovative therapy products that really do make a difference. So many visitors tried and loved the Ceragem thermo-therapeutic massage bed. There was a real buzz in the air and we had lots of fun too. Thanks to the Allied Health team for the opportunity to reach out and help even more people."
Other companies in attendance included Rophi Cushions, MDTi and Leeds-based bed manufacturer Harrison Spinks, with whom Professor Jim Richards has developed the innovative P 1.0 Trainer which is due to be released in the UK this summer.
The team also displayed a range of other products they have previously tested, including Lift Slings, Lumbacurve and many DJO Global products.
The AHRu performs applied research which includes the design and development of new products for sport and rehabilitation.
The unit works with Small Medium Enterprises (SME) and large international companies across the healthcare products, medical devices, sports and outdoor equipment sectors. Its advanced biomechanics, healthcare technology, sports and outdoor testing facilities have hosted a range of product testing.


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If you’re not following Steak-umm on Twitter yet, you should get on that.
The Quaker Maid frozen sandwich steak brand’s amusingly strange account—which described itself to Adweek as a cross between Nihilist Arby’s, SpongeBob, Joe Rogan and Rick Sanchez—has amassed just 4,593 followers as of this writing. But that is sure to skyrocket as its @MoonPie-esque antics become more widely known—and its desperate yet goofy campaign to get Twitter-verified gathers steam.
What does @steak_umm post about on Twitter? Mostly beef, and beef-related inspirational talk, and random stream-of-consciousness humor, often signed with the cryptic phrase “Steak-umm bless”:
Part of @steak_umm’s weird appeal is that it feels thrown together and supremely uncalculated. It even pretends not to really understand Twitter:
But it understands Twitter well enough to want to get verified, and have that blue check mark as a seal of approval. Recently, it launched a #VerifySteakUmm campaign, which provides fodder for lots of underdog-style tweets:
It’s even been pestering @jack directly, supposedly:
Cynics might assume @steak_umm is staying unverified on purpose, as a marketing ploy to get attention. Not true, says @steak_umm, which says it’s reached out to Twitter many times and just hasn’t heard back:
Besides, it has other, stupider marketing strategies to focus on:
That last strategy—trolling other brands—is one @steak_umm employs regularly. It often name-checks other offbeat brand accounts, hoping to draft off their success:
And it’s worked, to a degree. Along the way, @steak_umm has developed a small but devoted fan base, a kind cult following. Even @dril got on board recently:
So, what’s the real story behind @steak_umm?
Turns out it’s the work of Allebach Communications, an agency in the Philadelphia suburbs that’s been working with Steak-umm parent Quaker Maid Meats (based up the road in Reading, Pa.) for the past two years—crafting offbeat ads like the one below.
Allebach account director Jesse Bender tells us the agency was given the green light in August to start managing the @steak_umm Twitter account. The goal was to begin a dialogue with consumers and create a community.
Within a month, the account got some traction thanks to some back-and-forths with William Shatner and a few other celebrities. Steam-umm was also mentioned on Joe Rogan’s 1,000th podcast episode, leading to engagements with comedians Joey Diaz, Doug Benson and Brian Redban. But momentum really shifted in October, when @steak_umm got involved with a Twitter group called “twinja,” which is derived from the blogging site kinja.
“Almost overnight we had a few hundred new, very enthusiastic followers that were generating content and promoting our page,” says Bender. “We made it a point to create authentic relationships with each of them so they knew they weren’t being tricked by a marketing scheme.”
At the end of October, after making sure the page met all requirements for verification, they launched #VerifySteakUmm. They were denied five months in a row, with no explanation, says Bender.
“Once we started posting about this, people got on board. Everyone loves an underdog,” Bender says. “By November, the page had taken off.”
The brand has also ramped up its tweet volume significantly—154 tweets in August, 381 in September, 598 in October, and a whopping 3,604 in November.
Allebach’s approach to @steak_umm isn’t revolutionary. Lots of brand accounts adopt a freewheeling voice on Twitter. But @steak_umm’s voice is particularly refreshing and disarming—certainly more Nihilist Arby’s than Wendy’s or Denny’s. On a site where brands are routinely ridiculed for trying to sound hip, @steak_umm has managed to win over even most cynics—no small feat, and a testament to its sincere efforts at community building.
Mostly it’s about acting more like an eccentric yet friendly person than a brand, while recognizing, too, that it is a brand. This is why the verification stunt is so clever. The account is caught between being official and unofficial, and it plays that tension perfectly.


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On the rocks? ‘Halal’ whiskey to hit UK supermarkets
An alcohol-free whiskey, produced by Florida-based ArKay will sell for a little less than $16 a bottle
A halal version of an iconic alcoholic drink made by a U.S.-based company is expected to hit supermarket shelves in the UK this December, the Independent reported this week.
An alcohol-free whiskey, produced by Florida-based ArKay will sell for a little less than $16 a bottle, much to the dismay of the Scotch Whisky Association, which labeled the product in a 2011 Daily Mail article as an effort to capitalize on the drink’s reputation.
However, the company welcomed the criticism, claiming that the association had tried to stop them but failed.
“The mistake they made is that ArKay is a soft drink and the Scotch whisky association does not have any jurisdiction over soft drinks, they can only oversee the liquor makers , and not the soft drink makers,” Sylvie Grattagliano, president of the company, told Al Arabiya News.
The company has produced at least 13 non-alcohol renditions of famous liquors such as limoncello, tequila, rum and gin.
However, the whiskey has gained special attention due to the drink’s iconic status in the British Isles.
“We are not pretending to make real Whisky or real Scotch,” Grattagliano said in an emailed statement.
“ArkAy’s philosophy is to help millions of peoples with a drinking problem to get away from liquors,” he explained.
Talha J. Ahmad, a member of the central working committee of the Muslim Council of Britain, said people may welcome the product, “especially Muslims who drink who might see it a way of maintaining a drinking habit without having to drink alcoholic drinks.”
However, he maintained that he does not think “it makes a difference…those who don’t drink whisky would not suddenly want to drink whiskey, whether its halal or not.”
The drink is being marketed not only as halal alternative, but the company also aims to reach those who simply (cannot or do not want to) drink for any reason.
Grattagliano emphasized that his company aims to reach those who do not want to drive.
He explained that bars offering non-alcoholic drinks that taste like the classics would decrease the risk of an accident as the designated driver for a night out would still be able to enjoy a few drinks.
The company expects to reach $100 million in U.S. sales by the end of the year and plans to hit the one billion mark by 2017.
“ArKay is not at war against the liquor manufactures,” he reiterated, adding that the company’s products are “a good solution for liquors makers as well.”
'Halal wine' with 24-carat edible gold leaf released in DubaiThe “Lussory” wine is said to be completely halal because it contains no alcohol Variety
Norwegian Halal reindeer meat to go on saleFirst-ever reindeer meat for Muslims could be sold around the world Variety
Japan to import Halal products from MalaysiaThe Malaysian products will be certified as Halal by the Department of Islamic Development in the country Economy
Moscow hotel goes ‘halal’ in bid to woo Muslim visitorsTwo prayer rooms – one for men and one for women – have been set up and a separate kitchen will be cooking exclusively halal food Travel and Tourism
Mix-up as KFC customer is refused hand wipe in halal-only UK branchThe halal KFC branch has stopped stocking on alcohol-based wipes and started using lemon-based wipes Variety
No Burkinis! Morocco hotels ban ‘halal’ suitSeveral resorts in the touristic city of Marrakesh have reportedly banned the burkini in their private pools Variety
Malaysia offers ‘halal treatments’ for Muslim medical touristsThe number of foreigners seeking care in Malaysia more than doubled over five years to 770,134 in 2013 Travel and Tourism
‘Halal hysteria’? UK's Pizza Express defends menuExperts argue tabloid story over Halal products is part of growing anti-Islamic sentiment in the UK Features
French prison ordered to provide halal food to MuslimsThe French government is arguing that the prison was doing enough to ensure the respect of religious freedom World News
Demand grows for halal food as industry evolvesThe global industry for halal food and lifestyle products is estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of dollars Financial Markets
Ban on halal products in Denmark expected to cause financial lossesDanish trade and tourism markets could lose millions of dollars in trade with Gulf states due to the ban Economy
UK top vet urges to end halal slaughter of animalsJohn Blackwell says the ritual killing of poultry, sheep and cattle by cutting their throats causes unnecessary suffering to animals World News
Malaysia tops ‘halal holiday’ destinations for MuslimsMalaysia was followed by the UAE, Turkey, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia in this year's rankings for "halal" friendly holidays Travel and Tourism
Halal food lovers fill up at London exhibitionThe world’s largest halal food festival was held in London this week, reflecting the fast growing halal market in Britain. The three day halal ... Healthy Living


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- The hot-button topic of 2024 SEO predictions is artificial intelligence – what should we expect, and how will human-generated content stack up?
- While AI will continue to prove prominent, we predict that original, informative, and authentic content will come out on top.
- Social media changes, including video content integration, may alter how brands approach their marketing strategies.
Another year is in the books, and with it goes the changes that 2023 brought to the world of SEO. Through Google algorithm updates, the changeover from Google Analytics to GA4, and AI’s continued rise to prominence in online creation, there are plenty of things to talk about as we unpack the year that was.
While we reminisce about the past, it’s always important to look forward to the future – especially regarding digital marketing. We asked members of the Redefine Marketing Group team to scry into the future and lay out their predictions for what we might be able to expect as 2024 rolls onward in the world of SEO.
All eyes on AI
As we look back at 2023, the phrase on everybody’s lips is artificial intelligence (AI). A few Redefine Marketing Group team members had an opinion to share on it.
“From a content standpoint, I think,” and she clarifies that she’s actually certain, “2024 will bring a lot of questions about AI.”
“We can expect questions like: “Is this content I paid a freelance writer for actually written by AI?” “Can Google tell if content is written by AI?” “Will clients pay more for content that’s written in-house, by us, and without the use of AI?””
While AI’s ability to write content is still speculative, its abilities are slowly improving, and Redefine Marketing Group hopes to find the answers to these questions eventually. In fact, we recently put ChatGPT to the test to see just how good it was at creating a blog post.
However, Stephanie posits: “Only time will tell how Google interprets AI-assisted content, or if it can even determine if the content is AI-generated.”
Write with passion, and find what works
From a general content perspective, the outlook suggests that more informative, long-form, and in-depth content will reign supreme, particularly over, quote, “shorter, ‘fluff’ pieces, especially since it’s difficult for current AI technology to write the former.”
“Generally speaking, I think SEO that’s done by passionate people like us will continue to shine. Staying on top of trends and testing what works (and doesn’t work) is even more important than ever in the current landscape, and our clients will see the difference it makes.”
Finally, Stephanie laughingly adds that she’s positive that in 2024, we’ll be inundated with the same influx of clickbait articles sounding the bugle for “THE DEATH OF SEO,” just as we’ve been seeing for the last ten years.
Account Manager and Content Specialist Michael Gomez also shared a few words about AI, its prevalence, and how search engines may handle it.
“The elephant in the room is AI,” he begins, “It’s gotten to the point that “integrated AI” is a buzzword where it feels inevitable that your blender will soon have AI integration to improve the consistency of a smoothie by 5%.” Though he meant it in jest, he might not be wrong about AI moving into the kitchen as ‘smart appliances’ make their way onto countertops worldwide.
“Jokes aside, its effect on content is undeniable. From AI-generated images to blogs and on-page copy, it’s changing the face of the internet and marketing.”
Though, much like Stephanie, Michael reminds us that at the end of the day, Google and other search engines will have the final say about what ranks and what doesn’t. “Google has been emphasizing content with real hands-on experience, which will continue to be a point of emphasis in algorithm updates moving forward.”
Authenticity will rule 2024
It’s not just the almighty algorithm that prefers hand-written content over the work of an artificial intelligence platform. Michael suggests that the general public will trend toward the more ‘organic’ content option, and he does so while referencing the online sensation that swept through the summer of 2023.
“Authenticity seems to be a rarity, and people flock to it. That’s why the Barbenheimer phenomenon was a thing: it just happened. It wasn’t planned, and as much as marketers will try to force the next Barbenheimer for the next few years, people want something genuine.”
“People still shop and look for information much the same way they always have. They’re looking for authentic messaging and want to know others have used it and can attest to its quality.”
He rounds out his thoughts by keeping the human audience in mind, which Google also emphasizes. “2024,” he says, “will be all about finding how to appeal to humans with the tools available, be it AI, videos, informative think pieces, et cetera.”
Finally, he leaves us on a poignant note: “You start seeing that as things change, they tend to stay the same.”
James Taylor, SEO Specialist at Redefine, also weighed in on artificial intelligence. In his vision for 2024, he foresees that language learning models (LLMs) will be “slowly integrated into most of the internet.” LLMs are vast, ‘deep-learning’ models used in creating artificial intelligence outputs trained on immense quantities of user data. It may be true that, in the interest of scooping up more data to train an AI on, we may see these systems lurking in the background of many user interfaces.
As with his peers, James goes on to press on the importance of writing original, engaging, and quality content. He speculates that search engines may place a more significant value on this: “as an over saturation of bad AI content will flood the internet.”
Jason Martinez, Redefine’s Brand Marketing Manager, kept up the trend of AI speculation for 2024.
A boon to productivity…
“In 2024, I believe artificial intelligence will begin to make more of a headway into the day-to-day lives of digital marketers. 2023 seemed to be an inflection point for artificial intelligence, and it made significant strides in organizational workflows.” He’s not wrong; organizational tools powered by artificial intelligence are leaping into the B2B and SaaS landscape, changing how everyone, including content and SEO teams, works. This may continue as 2024 presses onward.
…and to creativity
Jason goes out with an optimistic prediction for AI in 2024: “I believe more digital marketers will become more open and comfortable with harnessing these tools in completing tedious tasks, or to help spark creativity. For example, content marketers may use it to build blog outlines, and social media managers may use it to develop broad trending content themes to explore within monthly social media posts.”
Casey Lea Pridemore, Redefine Marketing Group’s Content Manager and the writer of this blog post, will stop speaking about herself in the third person to share her thoughts on AI’s prevalence in content marketing and management.
I will be candid here and share that I am not the biggest fan of AI-generated content. While it has incredible potential and outstanding capabilities, it is not bringing any ‘new’ thought to the table at a time when originality is key – especially in SEO.
While I don’t believe it will fade away – it’s here to stay whether any of us like it or not – I do believe that in 2024, we will begin to shift AI’s functionality away from creative spaces, like creating web content or art and music, to solving more complex problems on a broader scope, thus redirecting SEO’s focus away from the looming threat, or promise, of computer-generated content.
As others pointed out in their 2024 SEO predictions, I firmly agree that helpful, authentic, high-quality content will always come out on top in the eyes of search engines who aim to deliver the best content possible to their users.
BARD may pose challenges – and opportunities
“Getting picked up by Google’s search engine AI BARD will become a new piece in the search engine marketing puzzle. Although in its infancy, its popularity as a web surfing tool will likely grow as its ability to curate information improves. This will probably bring new ranking factors to consider or, at the very least, adapt how we think about our current strategies. “
For the uninitiated, BARD is how Google is getting on the artificial intelligence train. If you were looking up that niche hobby of your cousin’s while holiday shopping last December and noticed a popup asking if you were looking for gifts, you had a run-in with Google BARD. It aims to act as a sort of ‘search assistant,’ with the official site suggesting the tool will help “brainstorm ideas, spark creativity, and accelerate productivity.”
We can only speculate how getting one’s site chosen as the lucky few recommended by the virtual assistant will turn the tides of SEO, but we’re sure we’ll hear more about it in future algorithm updates.
Regarding the algorithm, massive changes to the search engine can upheave even a solidly built content plan, so we always encourage marketing teams to stay ahead of the curve of those updates.
Social media changes
Social media still has the internet in an iron grasp. It’s essential for marketing, can be an SEO goldmine, and is a fantastic way to connect people worldwide. Here’s what members of the Redefine team are predicting for the realm of social media in 2024.
Jason notes the importance of social media for SEO, especially regarding platforms like TikTok and Instagram, which he believes will “play a larger role in user search behavior.”
Furthermore, Jason believes that “more online users will prefer to use social media to search for things like tips and tricks, recipes, or design ideas.” This harkens back to Michael’s 2024 SEO prediction about authenticity – people on social media are usually not writing with a search engine in mind, and, in some cases, are simply sharing their thoughts and ideas into the faceless void of the net. With that comes much-needed candidness in a world of salesmanship.
“Web developers and search engines should embrace this,” he says, “and figure out how to wield social media content or native video content to their advantage.”
2024 may be all about video content
Jason had thoughts to share on video content on social media as well. “I believe video will play a larger role in web content overall, and be an extremely beneficial tool for influencing purchase decisions. In 2024, brands and business owners should reconsider how to leverage bite-sized, social media-style, video content to sell products on their own sites while not impacting critical SEO factors like site speed.”
We think this has potential – including a short video clip to help show off a product or service might make a huge difference, not only in landing a sale but in how ‘helpful’ and relevant a search engine considers a page.
Returning to chime in about social media, I believe that through this year, we’ll see the continued decline of Twitter/X, as more users grow frustrated with the platform’s changes, limitations, and volatility. This may leave brands who have relied on Twitter for getting the word out about their products or services scrambling to either jump to the newest thing and hope it sticks, like the short-lived Threads or new players on the scene like BlueSky, or keep a foothold in other social media hubs like Instagram or TikTok.
Finding out where to focus a social media presence is crucial. Brands who are worried about the future of Twitter/X should ensure that, for the time being, they’re balancing their efforts across multiple platforms.
The fate of TikTok
While opinions on the video platform vary, with one of James’ 2024 predictions being that TikTok will collapse under its staggering weight, it did see a 16% increase in users over the previous year, and its trajectory doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
What will 2024 bring to your brand?
No matter what 2024 brings, beginning the year on the right foot will lay a foundation for a successful twelve months. By partnering with Redefine Marketing Group, brands can proceed through the shifting online landscape armed with a passionate, experienced team that knows how to stay ahead of any SEO bombshells that might be coming down the road. We equip our clients with the tools, strategies, and support to foster organic growth and SERP success. Contact us today to see how our team can support yours!


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VF Corporation – a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories – who joined Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) as a fast-track member in 2012, has decided to use 100 per cent sustainably grown cotton in its brands — a goal VF brands have embraced and started working to achieve.
Cotton is an integral material comprising much of the apparel consumers wear today. Since joining BCI, VF has invested to increase the supply of sustainable cotton. At the end of 2016, approximately 13 per cent of VF’s cotton was sourced as “Better Cotton”. The partnership helps make global cotton production better for people who produce it and the environment in which it grows.
As one of the largest apparel companies in the world, VF uses about 1 per cent of the world’s entire cotton yield annually to produce its apparel and footwear.
This scale of cotton use, combined with its focus on environmental responsibility, is what led VF to collaborate with the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) and other organizations to ensure the improved sustainability of cotton and to fulfil future generations’ demand.
“As a leader in the apparel industry, we have a responsibility to take a leading role in moving our industry toward sustainable practices,” said Brad van Voorhees, Senior Manager, VF Global Responsible Sourcing, adding, “But more importantly, we can make a measurable impact on farmers across the globe by improving their quality of life.”


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The second-quarter operating ratio of the LTL division of XPO Logistics took a significant tumble, deteriorating significantly depending on the measurement.
The non-GAAP adjusted operating ratio in the LTL sector declined to 90.1% from 80.3% in the second quarter of 2019, the company said in releasing its second-quarter earnings. Excluding gains from real estate sales, the OR slid to 91.4% from 81.5% in the corresponding quarter of last year.
Falling revenue was the primary cause of the weakening of the OR. Excluding fuel, revenue at XPO’s LTL division declined to $792 million from $999 million in the second quarter of last year, a drop of 20.7%. That big of a decline could not be offset by a drop in expenses, which was significant but didn’t match the performance of LTL competitor Old Dominion, which saw a more significant drop in expenses.
For example, at XPO, the category of salaries, wages and benefits in the LTL division was down 7.8%, to $416 million from $451 million. That category at ODFL was down more than 13%.
Purchased transportation fell significantly, to $70 million from $108 million. But “other operating expenses” soared to $126 million from $93 million, a 35.5% rise, which helped offset the declines in other key areas on the expense side of the ledger. Meanwhile, a similar-sounding line item for ODFL, operating supplies and expenses, dropped more than 38%.
The big drop in LTL revenue was fueled by a 19% decline in the pounds per day shipped, down to 61.99 million from 76.52 million a year ago. Shipments per day were down 15.1% to 45.6 million from 53.7 million.
Comparisons to the Old Dominion earnings were not favorable to XPO on several other fronts. Revenue per shipment at XPO’s LTL division dropped to $282.61 from $299.48; at Old Dominion, that number posted a small increase.
Weight per shipment — which in the LTL world is not considered necessarily a good thing if it’s rising but is still an important indication — fell at XPO to 1,359 pounds from 1,425. It rose at Old Dominion to 1,636 from 1,553.
Excluding fuel surcharges, gross revenue per hundredweight at XPO was up 1.9%, compared to a 3.9% increase in the second quarter of last year.
One XPO benchmark did show significant improvement: total average load factor. XPO defines that as freight pound miles divided by total linehaul miles. In the quarter, it rose to 24,551 from 23,619.
Overall, XPO lost money in the quarter. It posted a net loss of $134 million for the quarter compared to a $145 million net income in the second quarter of last year.
However, according to SeekingAlpha, the non-GAAP earnings per share figure of a 63-cent loss was better than Wall Street consensus by 14 cents. Revenue of $3.5 billion for the entire company was better than consensus by $130 million.
“The ramifications of COVID-19 dominated the second quarter,” Chairman and CEO Bradley Jacobs said in a prepared statement with the release of the earnings. “Nevertheless, we beat expectations on revenue, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS, and generated notably high cash flow from operations of $214 million and free cash flow of $121 million. Business trends improved across our segments and geographies as the quarter progressed, and continued in July.”
The LTL division is part of XPO’s transportation segment. That group includes brokerage, last mile, full truckload, global forwarding and managed transportation services, as well as LTL.
For the quarter, that group’s operating loss was $15 million, compared to an operating income of $243 million in the same period last year. EBITDA for the group fell to $112 million from $259 million, with adjusted EBITDA declining to $146 million from $362 million.
XPO’s second main segment is the Logistics division. The company describes its activities as “e value-added warehousing, distribution and inventory management, omnichannel and e-commerce fulfillment, order personalization, reverse logistics, cold chain 9 solutions, packaging and labeling, factory support and aftermarket support.”
That group saw its revenue decline to $1.4 billion from $1.526 billion. Its adjusted EBITDA fell to $83 million from $136 million.
XPO will hold an earnings call with analysts on Friday morning.


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Their doors will open at the stroke of midnight when shoppers can take advantage of 100 Doobuster sales, according to an announcement issued by Sports Authority this week.
Top brand names like Nike, Under Armour, Adidas, Northface and ProForm will be on sale. Customers can also shop Black Friday for deals on fitness equipment, games, bikes, golf gear and more equipment.
This is th first time Sports Authority has opened at midnight on Black Friday, Nov. 23. The Doorbuster deals will be available until 3p.m. on Friday, while supplies last. Sports Authority is also hosting a 2-Day Sale that will run through Saturday, November 24.
Customers who want to get a head start on shopping can also take advantage of Sports Authority’s Black Friday Pre-Sale event which takes place November 11-17. The Pre-Sale includes Black Friday pricing on more than 25 products that can purchased in-store two weeks prior and picked up over Black Friday weekend.
"Sports Authority is excited to provide these outstanding values even earlier this Black Friday," said Darrell Webb, President and CEO of Sports Authority in the announcement. "We are eager to open the majority of our stores at midnight so that customers can get a head start on their holiday shopping. We’re confident that customers will find the best deals on all things sporting good at Sports Authority this holiday season."
Sports Authority is located in Citrus Park at 12601 Citrus Plaza Dr.
Sports Authority Black Friday Doorbuster highlights:
- The first 80 people in line at each Sports Authority location on Black Friday will receive between $10 and $500 in Bonus Bucks! (valid for use on Black Friday only)
- $25 in S.A. CASH with the purchase of Columbia and The North Face products totaling $125 or more: 2 days only! (valid for a use on future in-store purchase)
Doorbusters (available midnight-3p.m. unless otherwise noted):
- 50% off All Balls
- Buy One, Get One 50% off Footwear and Socks* (available all day on Black Friday)
- Sale $99 for Razor E100, E125 or E150 Electric Scooters (a savings of $50)
- 35% off NCAA, MLB, NBA, NHL and MLS Fan Apparel and Accessories (men’s, women’s and children’s)
- 25% off Under Armour Hoodies (men’s and women’s)
- Sale $159.99 for Chelsea Foosball Table (a savings of $240)
- Sale $799.99 for Pro-Form 18.0 RE Elliptical (a savings of $1,200)
- Sale $199.99 for Tommy Armour Silver Scot Complete Golf Set (a savings of $400)
- Sale $209.99 for Parkside 12’ Trampoline with Enclosure (a savings of $170)


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Thanks to the knock-on effects of the covid pandemic, as well as rising inflation levels, businesses are now being faced with a new struggle in the form of ‘quiet quitting’.
Across Australia, workers are seeing a decline in real wages. While their workloads are increasing, companies are refusing to grow their pay accordingly, worried about the long term impacts on their profits.
But continuing down this path may be more damaging in the long run, negatively impacting the economy for all.
The quitting alternative
The slow-it-down movement of ‘quiet quitting’ is currently trending across social media. Particularly relevant for Millennials and Gen Z workers just breaking into their industries, this new form of protest can be seen as a rejection of hustle culture.
‘Quiet quitter’ is the label given to those who want to maintain their job, yet refuse to put in extra effort above the basic job description. Instead of committing to longer hours, unpaid overtime, or even just an enthusiastic dedication to the role, many employees are now filling out the bare minimum requirements to remain employed.
And this is all thanks to the effects of the pandemic. During lockdowns, many workers found themselves with increased workloads, more stress, and damaged mental health. However, they were being paid just as much as before.
With growing levels of inflation, employees are now also facing a change to their lifestyle. Under the same wages, they are able to afford less, leading to a cost of living crisis across the country. According to the Australian Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) will soon hit 7.5 percent, while wage growth has only increased 2.4 percent.
This change in the way workers view their work-life balance has prompted a quiet revolution, one which is now shaping the business landscape. Unsurprisingly, employees are pushing back against these new conditions. They fear that businesses are taking advantage of them, increasing their workload without increasing their pay to match.
While at first, this may seem like a small problem, this new worker’s climate is risking a labour force shrinkflation, with pay staying the same while employees provide fewer units of effort per dollar. This decline in ‘real’ wages has practical implications on the future of the labour market, if not addressed properly.
What can businesses do?
While an initial solution seems to be increasing worker’s pay, it’s not always realistic to expect companies to increase wages, especially when still feeling the effect of covid lockdowns themselves.
However, there are other alternatives. Companies could introduce incentives linked to performance, rewarding those staff members who go above and beyond, or create value in the workplace.
They can also listen to workers’ concerns, understanding the struggles they face to better support their employees.
It’s these small steps which prevent undermining long term profitability, and contribute to a more stable future for all.
Want to learn more about the impacts of inflation? Click here.


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Jakarta, June 25th, 2019 - In 2015, scientists reported Indonesia as second highest contributors of global plastic polluter into the ocean. Considering China’s strict policy and other ASEAN country’s strong position in global plastic waste trade crisis, environmental activists are warning Presiden Joko Widodo on Indonesia’s absence for response and not to let Indonesia replace China’s rank as the first ocean plastic polluters at the end of the year.
World Bank Report reveals marine debris in Indonesia’s waterways consists of 21% of disposable diaper, 16% of single-use plastic, 5% of sachet, 4% of glass and metal, 1% of plastic bottles, 9% of other plastic and 44% of organic waste. Report of the brand audit conducted by Greenpeace Indonesia in mid-September 2018 in three locations in Indonesia, found the packaging of products from Santos, P & G and Wings as the most from beach cleaning activities in Tangerang; Danone, Dettol, Unilever in Bali; and Indofood, Unilever, and Wings products in Yogyakarta.
During the period of 1988-2016, China absorbed around 45.1% of the world's plastic waste. But since March 2018, the Chinese Government has implemented a strict policy on plastic waste import known as the "National Sword" Policy. Hence, this policy makes global waste trade, especially plastic waste, shocked.
Even though ASEAN countries are known as recyclers of plastic waste (approximately 3% of scrap global plastics waste) and exported 5% of plastic waste to global markets, the load-cycle of recycling and waste management become a burden for these countries because of strict import regulations by China.
“There are two kinds of plastic waste and shredded produced by paper mills that we found in Gresik; the first is plastic mixed with paper that cannot be recycled, used for tofu production fuels or other fuels. The second type is plastic waste with various forms, in the form of bottles, sachets, food packaging, body care products, and household products," said Prigi Arisandi, Executive Director of Ecoton. "The companies we monitor are almost all abusing import permits and polluting the environment by moving problems to ordinary people," Prigi added.
Several ASEAN countries have responded to the changes in global plastic waste trade with restrictions on imports. In July 2018, the Malaysian government revoked import licenses of 114 companies and has targeted import bans in 2021. Thailand also targets import bans due to a drastic increase in imports of their plastic waste from the United States by 2000% (91,500 tons) in 2018. Vietnam is no longer issued new licenses for the import of waste, shredded, and / or plastic scrap, paper and metal.
"In principle, import of waste are prohibited in the Law. However, there are complex definitions in assessing whether a commodity is waste or not; and if it is a waste, then excluded from the import ban or not. This is what happened like in Gresik," said Margaretha Quina, Head of the Pollution Control Division of ICEL. "The complexity of this definition must be addressed, because the consequences are different: illegal or legal, obedient or disobedient." For the findings by Ecoton in Gresik, according to Quina, can be categorized as administration disobedience to crime case. "As weak as it is, it can be subject to the obligation of re-importation if contaminated with hazardous waste, and the import approval can be revoked if the issuance is based on incorrect data submission. As hard as it is, importers are convicted of the offense of entering waste into Indonesia Waste Law, against the law can be fulfilled because of the fact that goods imported are in the form of waste, contrary to their permission."
Indonesia imported about 124,000 tons of plastic waste (recognized as plastic scrap) in 2013. This number has more than doubled, around 283,000 tons, in 2018. This transaction volume is the highest point of Indonesian imports over the past 10 years based on BPS data and UN Comtrade.
BPS data shows an increase in imports of 141% but the export rate decreased by 48% (around 98,500 tons). This figure indicates that there are around 184,700 tons of plastic waste still in Indonesia, whose fate is unknown - whether all recycled into pellets or become new products - beyond the burden of the generation of domestic plastic waste around 9 million tons.
“Next year China extends its list of post-consumer products, Thailand also targets to close the doors to import plastic and electronic waste. Meanwhile, Malaysia tightened import controls and the Philippine President politically loudly declared war on imported waste. The sad thing is that Indonesia has no firm attitude and seems to defend the industry without regulation and clear law enforcement, "said Yuyun Ismawati, Senior Advisor of Bali Focus / Nexus3. "Some additives used in all types of plastic are recognized as chemicals that are carcinogenic and are prohibited in developed countries. Recycling plastic containing Hazardous and toxic materials into other products means poisoning circular economy.”
“Importing companies must be responsible for dealing with the inherited pollution from these waste collection, transfer and donation activities. The disadvantage of the uncontrolled import of waste that is more profitable for the corporation is the pollution of the environment and the quality of public health," said Nur Hidayati from WALHI. "Many national and regional programs related to plastic and ocean waste have been or are being made, coordinated and followed by Indonesia, but their implementation is not clear in the national development program. The President must make sure all his staff are working earnestly."
In some areas, Chinese entrepreneurs have become investors or partnered with local people to set up household scale plastic recycling businesses whose permits are questionable.
In various places in Jabodetabek and East Java, AZWI activists also found lands contaminated with various sized remnants of plastic either burned or not, polluting land, agricultural land, and water bodies. Cleaning toxins from plastic pollution is not easy, not cheap and requires serious government intentions.
Micro plastic and plastic fibers are also found in fish in Indonesia, in bottled water and in salt. The state's obligation is to guarantee the right of citizens to live in a safe and healthy environment.


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Saturday, April 12, 2008
VIRTUALLY everyone who carries a credit card is subject to something called a binding mandatory arbitration agreement. So is almost anyone who owns a cellphone or who recently purchased a car from a dealer.
These agreements are often buried deep in the fine print of consumer contracts; they mandate that any dispute between the consumer and the company be resolved through private arbitration. That means a neutral third party -- often a former judge -- rules on the issue, and both sides are bound by the decision. Arbitration is generally cheaper and speedier than litigation. Surveys show that business strongly favors it, while consumers are also generally approving.
Still, binding mandatory arbitration provisions in consumer contracts have come under attack recently, and for some good reasons. Most consumers aren't aware that many of the contracts they sign include these provisions. Even those aware of the provisions are helpless to do anything about them because consumers generally must accept contracts in their entirety. And some provisions -- such as those that force consumers to travel cross-country to attend arbitration hearings -- can be unfair. Courts from time to time have struck down extreme provisions, but there are no uniform national standards. Several bills pending in Congress attempt to address these inequities.
Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) would prohibit binding mandatory arbitration provisions in all consumer and employment contracts; the bill allows arbitration only after a dispute arises and only if both parties agree. This goes too far and risks eliminating arbitration as a serious alternative to litigation for such routine matters as warranty disputes, as even some supporters of the bill acknowledge. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) provides a better framework to improve the system. Mr. Sessions's bill would, among other things, force companies to more prominently display arbitration provisions and provide an explanation of how the costs of the arbitration are to be split between consumer and business. The bill also would allow consumers to opt out of arbitration in favor of small-claims court. Any hearing would have to take place in a location convenient to the consumer, and arbitrators would be required to apply the laws of the state in which the consumer resides.
This week, Sens. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) and Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) introduced legislation to ban mandatory arbitration clauses in nursing home contracts. This narrow exception may be warranted. Nursing home residents are among the most vulnerable in the country, and decisions to place family members in these facilities are often made under the most stressful of circumstances. Allowing residents or their families to sue may be the only way to prod nursing homes to improve care.


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For the first five years of its business, Spacewhite will contribute all its profit to Plastic Oceans Australia.
The new strategy involves working together with suppliers toward zero emissions, zero waste and zero hunger.
According to the company, turning soft plastic back into oil is the only path plastic waste can take if it is to be tran...
The pair will join a study to look at potential sites in Victoria for an advanced recycling facility.
Proceeds from Liquorland, First Choice and First Choice Liquor Market funded the Clean Up Kits.
Inside FMCG interviews Little Green Panda owner Manon Beauchamp-Tardieu.
“Biodegradable” suggests an item is made from plant-based materials. But this isn’t always the case.
The use of plastic is increasing across the world, and will double by 2040.
The Rare Bloom Project will run for three years helping to protect Australia's native wildflowers from extinction.
The zero-waste product range consists of three concentrated pressed bars designed for different cleaning purposes and ac...
Greener Choices features more than 800 products made from sustainable materials.