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You can debate the existence of an “advertising backlash” among consumers, but there’s no arguing with certain facts. According to Forrester Research analyst Chris Charron, 60 million households have signed up for the Do Not Call registry, 54% of households use software to block spam and pop-ups on their computers, and digital video recorders are on average permitting their users to screen out about 60% of TV ads in the programs they see. That may not constitute a groundswell, but at the least it’s a substantial minority of media consumers who have chosen to go on an advertising diet.
How do marketers respond to this consumer reaction? One way is to target their ads carefully, to make sure that the people who view their messages find them relevant enough to respond or at least see them. Online, that’s been part of the appeal of search marketing; linking to search keywords gives your ads a better chance of linking to the searcher’s current interests. And beyond the search page, contextual and behavioral advertising have risen up to infer consumer interest, either by what they’re looking at the moment the ad is delivered or by what they’re viewed on the Web in the recent past.
Web start-up mSpoke is taking a very Web 2.0 approach to targeting, by allowing web viewers to rate not only how closely the content they’re looking at relates to their interests but also how well the online ads they’re viewing have figured out who they are and what they’re interested in.
It’s a new slant on an old Internet idea, says marketing director Matt Fleckenstein. Web personalization has been around since the early ‘90s, when it was mostly folded into CRM tools, he says. Later in the decade, a second wave of companies built on that work and became the basis for a lot of the e-commerce recommendation engines that are out now, used by companies such as Amazon.
Today, consumer-generated content looms larger than ever on the Web; blogs tracked by Technorati have doubled in the last year to more than 33 million, and YouTube and MySpace have opened floodgates for consumer content. “That’s driven a need for ways for consumers to sift through all the stuff that’s online and find things that are truly relevant for them,” Fleckenstein says.
And that drive to personalization also creates opportunities for Web advertisers and publishers, he says—not to mention for next-generation personalization solutions like mSpoke. “We combine technologies like machine learning and consumer input to provide what we claim is the most personally relevant advertising and content on the Web,” Fleckenstein says.
Here’s how it works for consumers: When they go to the Web site of a content publisher that’s using the mSpoke platform, they will be asked if they want to create an mSpoke profile. If so, they enter their birthday, ZIP code and a few keywords that outline their primary interests. Within a few moments, the Web page and its sections will re-shape to fit those expressed preferences.
Once that base information is in the system, the mSpoke platform goes out looking for more articles and ads that relate to those interests. Consumers can take charge of what they see in two ways. They can alter or refine their preferences directly in their profile, telling the mSpoke algorithm, for example, that they always want to see stories about bicycling but only usually want to see soccer items.
Alternatively, they can pass judgment directly on the items the mSpoke platform has served up by clicking on little “thumbs up/ thumbs down” icons next to the content. (It’s very cool; on the My PittsburghLIVE.com page, thumbs-down articles fade slowly to a wispy gray before your eyes.) The mSpoke algorithm will then apply adaptive machine learning and, next time the consumer logs in, will favor the type of content that’s drawn ayes over the stuff that’s earned nays.
The engine is also able to learn implicitly just by looking at what stories the consumer clicks on to read further and what gets ignored. In ad terms, if an ad matches a keyword a consumer has in the profile, it will get served. If it matches the context of an article for which the consumer has expressed a preference, it will get served. And finally, if a consumer has expressed an ad’s relevance behaviorally—in other words, by clicking on other ads from the merchant or on the subject in the last four days—that ad will also get delivered.
One flaw in both personalization schemes of the past and the contextual and behavioral targeting systems used today, says Fleckenstein, is a low level of consumer transparency. “They haven’t really involved consumers in the process,” he says. “Users need to understand why they’re being shown certain content and certain ads, and—down the road—why they’re being recommended certain products.
MSpoke users can click on an icon to learn what about the rules the algorithm has assembled for them has led to their seeing a particular item or ad. They then can refine or discard that rule to suit their preferences, and the algorithm will use that new knowledge in future choices.
Linking both online content and online ads to consumer control is unique to the mSpoke platform, Fleckenstein says. “We’re the only company we’ve come across so far that’s really focused on personalizing both content and ads,” he says. “For a long time, those two areas have been treated as completely separate. But at the end of the day, it’s all part of the user experience, and there are a lot of synergies between the two.” Serving up content and ads on the mSpoke platform can make both more engaging for readers.
That’s good for Web publishers, because it forges deeper bonds with their audience and gets them coming back more often and using the site more extensively. It’s also good for publishers because it’s good for advertisers, Fleckenstein says. More personally relevant ads means more highly qualified clicks and better conversions—and thus more revenue for the publishers.
“It’s important to understand that we’re not giving consumers the Tivo-like power to skip past ads online,” he stresses. “Consumers have come to appreciate that if they want to get free high-quality content, they have to give publishers in exchange the ability to serve up ads.” But that doesn’t mean that they can’t have some power—in fact, ultimate power—over the relevance of those ads.
The mSpoke platform will work for the same reasons that behavioral targeting works, Fleckenstein says. “Because you’re targeting your message to consumers who are in the mindset to absorb it, you’ll achieve greater campaign lift. You’re not wasting impressions on people who aren’t interested.”
The Pittsburgh-based company launched in March of this year after spending months in stealth development mode. Co-founded by CEO Dave Mawhinney and CTO Dean Thompson, mSpoke is building its market to crucial mass by licensing its platform out to both traditional Web publishers and to smaller new media sites and bogs. The Tribune-Review Publishing Co., owner of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, was the first publishing customer signed, and mSpoke is currently in talks with CMP to put a personalized version of InformationWeek.com on the platform.
“As an entry point into the market, we’ve chosen to go out and license our adaptive personalization engine to traditional online publishers,” Fleckenstein says. “But we’re also in talks with Web portals and new media publishers. That’s a way to get lots of consumers using our new technology, but in time we see this platform being relevant not just to text content but to other types of online media—photos, video recommendations, podcasts and videocasts, music, movies.
“Eventually, we envision that consumers will be able to move around sites that use our technology and have the adaptive engine serve up the most relevant content, ads and even products to them using what we’ve learned about them from other sites.”


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Talking tech and the stock market.
Darien Dash knows how to keep up with the burgeoning world of the Internet. The 28-year-old entrepreneur recently catapulted his company, DME (Digital Mafia Entertainment) Interactive Holdings Inc. (OTC:BB: DGMF), into the stock exchange arena, making it one of the first publicly traded African American Internet companies.
On June 22, DME announced its transformation from a five-year-old privately held Internet services concern into a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey-based DME provides network design, e-commerce, maintenance and advertising for clients such as HBO Home Video, the New York Knicks, Lugz and MSBET
Dash started DME in 1994 when he realized that large cable companies were not committed to bringing digital services to urban communities. While working as vice president of sales for Digital Music Xpress, which provided CD-quality music via a regular cable box, Dash was repeatedly turned down when he tried to bring the service to the inner cities. "Cable companies didn't want to underwrite the costs of the hardware because they didn't believe in the profit potential," says Dash.
Shortly thereafter he left the company and formed DME with a mission to expand the hardware and software infrastructure in minority communities. While a laudable goal, getting inner cities wired was not the quickest way to revenues. To pay the bills, DME began consulting with companies on how best to leverage mutimedia and Internet technology. "Our Web development business allowed us to have the cash flow to pay employees and develop relationships with major corporations," says Dash.
DME grossed $250,000 in 1998 and topped $1 million in revenues last year. As a result of his company's Internet savvy and Dash's commitment to the inner cities, he was tapped to be on the board of directors of Heaven, a New York City-based nonprofit organization that goes into schools and trains students in Internet use and development. Being on the Heaven board helped Dash make important business connections, since it includes technology heavyweights such as Ted Leonsis, president of America Online's Interactive Properties Group. However, Dash needed something more than connections and a few accounts to grow the business and continue the mission. He needed cash--or so he thought.
For Dash, going public was more a necessity than an option. "I spoke to angel investors, venture capital firms and institutional investors. Either they wanted too much equity or too much control of the business," says Dash, who funded the company with the proceeds from Roc-A-Blok Records a joint venture deal with Columbia Records. After hearing of Dash's dilemma, Chris Kinsley, president of the Manhattan-based investment firm Mason Hill & Co. Inc., suggested Dash raise capital by taking the company public through a reverse merger.
A reverse merger differs from the traditional initial public offering (IPO) in that the company that is interested in going public acquires the assets of an existing public company. "Reverse mergers are much quicker and more economical than the IPO route, which can cost over $100,000 in accounting costs alone," says Kinsley, whose firm was the lead underwriter for DME's acquisition of Pride Automotive Group, which was a publicly traded automotive leasing company.
At the time of DME's acquisition of Pride, the company was little more than a shell. All of the company's assets had been sold, yet the company was still a publicly traded entity. Rather than being delisted and receiving no more value for the company, Pride gave DME a controlling interest in exchange for a minority stake in the newly public DME Interactive. "For Pride it made more sense to have a small piece of something than 100% of nothing," explains Kinsley. In a cashless transaction, DME acquired a majority of Pride's 14.9 million outstanding shares, at $2.31 to $2.44 per share, and thrust itself onto the public market. According to Thomson Financial Securities Data, a financial information firm in Newark, New Jersey, although the number of reverse mergers decreased from 75 in 1997 to 41 in late 1999, the dollar value of these transactions has increased from $30.4 billion to $115.8 billion.
Once Pride was acquired, DME promptly changed the company name and symbol. DME now holds 66% of the company's shares and approximately 66% of individual voting control. At press time DME's stock was trading around 50 cents, giving the company a $12.5 million valuation for its 23 million outstanding shams. "This will help us to acquire other Internet companies that are either in start-up mode or have existing operations that are looking to grow," says Dash.
DME's second acquisition was Manhattan-based Kathoderay late last year. The three-year-old multimedia consulting firm brought its clients and employees in exchange for stock in DME. "We were complementary in so many ways that it just made sense," says Kathleen McQuaid Packard, former CEO and founder of Kathoderay and now senior vice president of interactive services for DME. In September of last year, DME opened a second office in downtown Manhattan to accommodate a staff that has grown from fewer than 10 employees a year ago to over 30.
Now Dash has his sights on other companies that can help make his vision a reality. "Our mission of expanding the hardware and software infrastructure within minority communities has been a long, hard road so far,' says Dash. With his newfound acquisition power, Dash is in a better position than ever to do good while doing well.
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Local developer Baywater Properties has revealed a new design for the Corbin Project, a proposed redevelopment for downtown Darien spanning 11 acres of property from the Bank of America on Post Road to the Darien Post Office on Corbin Drive. The project, which has adopted the moniker “Your Downtown Darien,” would transform the existing properties into a mixed-use development including apartments, office space, retail shops and restaurants.
Despite earning approval from Darien’s Planning & Zoning Commission earlier this year for buildings of up to five stories and 70 feet in the site area, Baywater has chosen to redesign the project with smaller buildings and a less aggressive parking and traffic design. Under the new proposal nearly all of the buildings will match those existing downtown at three-stories tall with just one four-story building setback from the Post Road.
In addition to smaller buildings the new proposal has a smaller overall impact on the area. Instead of the village green on Post Road that featured prominently in the original proposal, the Corbin Project now features a small market lane and green space that will be tucked between the Post Road and Old Kings Highway. The space can also be enclosed to allow for public gatherings and events without through traffic on the back street. The new proposal calls for a mix of street level and above ground parking as well as a single level underground parking deck, rather than the two-level underground deck originally proposed.
Speaking to the Times last week Baywater Principal David Genovese, a longtime Darien resident, described the project as his legacy. Along with partner Penny Glassmeyer he has worked since 2007 to purchase the properties that comprise the Corbin Project. Baywater is already responsible for some of the more modern developments downtown including the Grove Street Plaza and the building at 1020 Post Road.
Adopting the name “Your Downtown Darien,” the project has a stated goal of improving the quality of life for all Darien residents and a focus on preserving local business. Genovese said the decision to overhaul the Corbin Project was not motivated by zoning constraints; it was inspired by new developments in the realms of retail and transportation as well as the project’s long term impact on Darien.
“It’s easy to get caught in your head, because you’ve got a plan, you’ve got a vision, you’ve got a buy-in,” Genovese said. “It’s not easy to layout a project like I did over 18 months with my entire town and total transparency. Spending all the money to design that; then deciding to throw that in the garbage can because the world is changing quickly. It’s not an easy thing to do. It’s hard, but that doesn’t mean it’s not the right thing to do.”
Baywater’s original design incorporated a single five-story building with three-story buildings lining the post road and four-story buildings along Corbin Drive. To satisfy the increased density of the project Baywater also proposed a two-level underground parking deck with more than 700 spaces. In addition to new streets for increased pedestrian traffic and access to the deck, the proposal featured a large village green space facing the Post Road.
Following the approval of the project’s overlay zone, Baywater’s design team began developing a site plan. As they began running logistics on the cost of the underground parking it was found that the deck might cost 50 to 70 percent more than originally expected due to the added cost of amenities like high quality lighting and multiple elevators for easy access. Considering mounting costs and a $525 million mall, The Sono collection, now expected to open in Norwalk in 2019, Genovese was led to reflect on the viability of the Corbin Project’s original proposal. Knowing that local businesses are already working hard to keep their doors open, Genovese said trying to push the cost of redevelopment onto his tenants was not an option.
“We know that a lot of retailers are closing, you can see a lot of vacancies on Greenwich Avenue, on Westport’s Main Street,” Genovese said. “We work with our tenants to keep the storefronts full, but you can see there hasn’t really been a new retail store… because the internet is hurting retail right now and people are really struggling to figure out what to do.”
Seeing both retail and transportation as rapidly changing markets, Genovese questioned the project’s original commitment to an underground parking deck that may not be needed in the future. As ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft gain popularity and driverless cars approach the verge of deployment, the shelf life of a multi-level parking deck could be limited.
Baywater was faced with the choice of increasing the density to accommodate the cost of underground parking or waiting several years for more market clarity. However, because the project’s density was directly tied to the overall cost of the project, pursuing a more affordable parking plan allowed for less above ground density as well. Left unable to find a satisfying solution with the existing development team, Genovese decided to hire local architect Bruce Beinfield to provide a new design for the Corbin Project.
“It’s a better plan,” Genovese said of Beinfield’s design, stating it simply before continuing.
“This project was at risk of feeling as if it felt out of the sky, but this feels more consistent with what’s around, so I think it’s better,” he said.
Beinfield’s design also brings added flexibility to the project. Because the large excavation needed for a two-level garage is no longer necessary, the project can be completed in phases. Rather than working to relocate local shops, they could be migrated between the completed portions of the development over time, keeping them close to their customers. Additionally, multiple levels of above ground parking housed at building E in the proposal diagram could be removed and refitted to create more retail or office space should the demand for parking decrease in the coming years.
Though the drastically changed plan fits under the guidelines of the Corbin subarea, the new Corbin Project team is working to amend the zone to add the other side of Corbin Drive including the Gulf gas station and Mathnasium buildings. While Baywater does not own those sites they have agreed to help the owners work to redevelop their properties to match the other proposed buildings.
The Planning & Zoning Commission will hear the amendment application from Baywater’s new Corbin Project team and discuss the updated proposal at their meeting tonight.


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Report: 66% Say Online Shopping Has Become Safer In The Last Year
This December, many South Africans will be turning to the convenience of the Internet for last minute holiday season shopping in a bid to beat the crowds at the malls, and secure cheaper deals online. Online travel retailer Travelstart surveyed more than 7500 South African Internet users about their online shopping behaviour, highlighting concerns around scams and what shoppers can do to protect themselves from fraudsters.
Cape Town, 28 November 2014 – Research by Travelstart has revealed that 66 percent of South African Internet users believe online shopping has become safer in the last year, with 37% buying goods and services online at least once a month, 36% once every 3 months, 22% once a year, and 5% saying they never purchase goods and services online.
7511 people aged between the ages of 18 and over 60 were polled in October/November 2014, and the study shows that in spite of the 66% of South Africans who believe the Internet has become a safer place to buy goods and services, banking (30%) and online classifieds (20%) make them feel most uncomfortable when transacting online. To a much lesser degree, travel (9%), electronics (7%), daily deal websites (4%) and fashion (4%) rounded out the categories which make online shoppers most uneasy about fraud. A further 12% said that none of the categories make them nervous, and 32% are comfortable with spending as much as R2500 in one transaction.
As cybercrime becomes more prevalent, savvy shoppers are doing more to safeguard themselves against the threat of fraud, with 53% saying they are above average at protecting themselves from threats posed by hackers.
When asked to rate their awareness of 14 well-known scam tactics used by cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive information, survey participants said they were most vigilant of email phishing scams, Internet lottery scams, credit card skimming and false payment confirmation scams in that order. On the other hand, 419 scams, shortened URL scams, and major event scams are lesser known.
This echoes an article about hacking which appeared on the Times Live website in October 2014. In the article cyber forensic expert Danny Myburgh said, “The FBI has ranked South Africa the sixth-most active country for cybercrime. This is because it is a mix of the third and first worlds. African and Asian syndicates operate here because of the high level of technology. They can send large quantities of e-mails from here. The syndicates piggyback on our constitution, solid business infrastructure and good moral reputation.”
The article went on to state that the biggest cybercrime threats to South Africa included spoof websites or phishing, illegal access to data, hacking cellphones and the footprints left by social media users.
Rodney Davids, Risk Analyst at Travelstart South Africa, commented: “At Travelstart we use a multi-layered approach to combat online fraud. Our fraud prevention tools are designed to complement each other. Some of these tools are internally-developed risk assessment rules, which flag transactions made from high risk countries, credit cards, routes and billing addresses. These risk parameters are linked to a fraud risk score which ultimately indicates whether a transaction is safe to process.”
“Added to our Internal Risk assessment rules is 3-D Secure. 3-D Secure helps identify and confirm that the person entering the card details is the legitimate owner of the card thus preventing the unauthorised use of a credit card.”
3-D Secure is a Visa and MasterCard international secure online transacting mechanism. During the payment process you may be re-directed to your banks 3-D secure page.
“Credit card holders should contact their card issuer to enroll a credit card in the 3-D Secure fraud prevention step.”
Worryingly, 36% of those surveyed say they have carried out credit card sensitive transactions using public Wi-Fi networks such as those available at coffee shops, airports and shopping centres.
The survey also revealed the trust factors and security features local shoppers consider most important when purchasing online. The top 9 in order of most important to least important are:
- The website is a well-known brand
- The website has clearly visible contact details
- The website uses encryption for transactions
- The website is secured by an Internet security authority such as Thawte
- The website has an easily findable office location
- The website offers multiple payment channels
- Industry body trust symbols are displayed on the websites home page
- The website has 3D Secure enabled
- The website has a social media presence with recent activity
Sources: Travelstart South Africa, Cornelius, J. (2014, October 16). SA is a paradise for world's hackers. Retrieved October 30, 2014, from http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2014/10/16/sa-is-a-paradise-for-world-s-hackers
Travelstart tips for safe Internet shopping
- Protect your identity: Do not let a friend or a colleague use your credit card to make online purchases, and don’t use a computer belonging to someone else for online shopping. When it comes to sensitive transactions, avoid Internet cafes and public computers.
- Update your computer anti-virus: Protect against malware by regularly updating your anti-virus software. Better yet, select the update automatically so you won’t have to remember to do it.
- Make passwords long and strong: Combine capital and lowercase letters with numbers and symbols to create a secure password. Change your passwords frequently, and don’t use the same password for multiple online accounts.
- When in doubt, throw it out: Links in email, tweets, posts, and online advertising are often the way cybercriminals gain access to your computer. If it looks suspicious, even if you know the source, it’s best to delete it or if appropriate, mark it as junk. If an email makes you suspicious, mouse-over the link instead of clicking it. Your browser will show you the URL the link is pointing to.
Since 1999, Travelstart has provided the simplest way to book domestic and international flights online. Travelstart's mission is to make air travel easier for customers in the aspects of searching, comparing and booking flights. In addition customers can book hotels, car rental and holiday packages. Travelstart is in South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, Turkey, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE.
Phone: 021 468 4300


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The 28-year-old pop star's new single 'Roar' - which is the first track lifted from her upcoming album 'Prism' - is expected to sell double the amount of Gaga's new single 'Applause' in the United States after they were both released on the same day last week.
Katy's 'Prism' is set for release in October, while the 'Bad Romance' hitmaker will release 'ARTPOP' in November.
According to Billboard, Katy will shift between 525,000 and 550,000 copies of her comeback song, marking her highest first week sales on the US singles chart, while Gaga is set to sell 200,000 to 225,000 copies of her song.
Both Katy and Gaga will use their new singles to launch their third studio albums. Katy's 'Prism' is set for release in October, while the 'Bad Romance' hitmaker will release 'ARTPOP' in November.
Gaga's modest first week sales are a far cry from the 448,000 downloads she sold in just three days in 2011 when she released 'Born This Way', the first single from her second album of the same name.
The 27-year-old star rush-released 'Applause' in the US last Monday (12.08.13) after a snippet of the track leaked online.
In the UK, the song debuted at number five on the singles chart yesterday (18.08.13).


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Thin polyethene bags are illegal in Nepal, but they are still everywhereIn Nepal, one is restricted to consume, import, store, sell and distribute polythene bags, but there are no bans on manufacturers. They are still making more plastic.
In Ason, pedestrians openly carry plastic bags. These bags—thin, translucent and mostly blue—are used to carry daily essentials, and have always been ubiquitous in Kathmandu. They’re waterproof, light, cheap, and versatile.
But Nepal banned polythene bags in 2015. Due to the excess usage of plastic in Kathmandu Valley, one is restricted to consume, import, store, sell and distribute polythene bags whose thickness is less than 40 microns and size is smaller than 20 by 35 inches. Outside the Valley, the ban is applicable to plastic that is thinner than 30 microns. And despite the 2017 budget speech reinforcing the ban and fining people anywhere between Rs 500 to 50,000 for using the bags, polythene bags continue to litter Kathmandu Valley.
“It felt as if the ban was no longer in operation for a while,” says bookstore owner Geeta Shrestha, who had stopped providing polythene bags for nearly seven months following the ban. But around then customers started asking Shrestha for a plastic bag and many shops in her neighbourhood started offering them. Following the demand, shop owners like Shrestha had to resort to using plastic bags. Now, Shrestha has a stock of 30 micron bags at her store.
“I only give plastic bags to people who specifically ask for them, otherwise some have started carrying their own bags,” says Shrestha.
However, as long as plastic bags are freely available in the market, people will still use them, say consumers. Even people who are aware about the negative consequences of plastic consumption don’t think twice before grabbing a bag they’re handed for free at shops.
“It’s easier to use plastic bags over other alternatives,” says Pradeep Baishnav, who is seen carrying packs of plastic bags inside a nylon bag. “But maybe if the government had been strict like it was a few years back, we could have eliminated it from daily use.”
To curb the use of plastic bags, the Department of Environment says it has come up with television and radio advertising campaigns.
“We want to make people aware of the negative consequences of plastics and provide alternatives as much as we can,” says Indu Bikram Joshi, deputy director of the Department of Environment. “Once we have done our job of providing adequate alternatives and information, we plan to strictly enforce the law.”
Back in 2015, immediately after the government’s ban was enforced, proper monitoring of plastics was done in and out of the Valley, especially at the factories. According to Rajeshwor Poudel, an environment inspector with the Department of Environment, 20 factories, retailers, and wholesalers within the Valley were fined for breaking the law. Four-thousand kilograms of plastic was confiscated.
In terms of regulation and enforcement, however, the department puts the onus on local governments. For that, the department expects local governments to collaborate with them.
“The ban was implemented but there wasn’t proper discussion about alternatives,” says Ishworman Dangol, spokesperson of Kathmandu Metropolitan City.
Regarding proper monitoring, KMC realises and takes full responsibility for its weakness. “We do lack consistent monitoring. So we intend to concentrate on it as well,” adds Dangol.
This flies in the face of recent social media outrage surrounding the proliferation of plastic bottles from Coca-Cola, with many criticising the beverage company for introducing a product that’s hazardous for the environment. Efforts have also been put in place for the enforcement of the recently declared single-use plastics ban in the Everest region, which is to take effect from January 2020, but not much effort is seen when it comes to enforcing a ban on plastic bags in the Valley.
According to spokesperson Dangol, a new law is being formulated and the local government is awaiting for those laws to be passed. Dangol says there are plans to discuss how laws can be implemented and that the KMC is looking for viable plastic alternatives.
Plastic, which originally meant “pliable and easily shaped”, is one of the most widely used synthetic polymers globally. By 1979, polythene bags were widely consumed in Europe and were being shipped to the United States. In Nepal, by the early 1990s, plastic bags were beginning to replace their older alternatives, such as paper and jute bags.
However, after decades of its ubiquity, in 1997, concerns about polyethene being hazardous for the environment and health surfaced, because they fall under the ‘number 2’ recycling system—meaning the polymer structure won’t break down even under extreme exposure of sunlight, heating or freezing. Polyethene bags take 10-100 years to photodegrade.
Bangladesh was the first nation to restrict single-use plastic bags in 2002, after polythenes clogged the nation’s drainage systems during heavy flooding. Following the country’s decision, other countries took similar decisions. Today, many nations have forbidden the consumption of single-use plastics—even neighbouring country China implemented a ban on thin plastic bags to battle “white pollution” in 2007 and India aims to eliminate all single-use plastics by 2022.
Nepal too has made several attempts to ban plastic bags, besides its Kathmandu ban in 2015. Hetauda took the lead, in 1998, followed by Pokhara in 2010. Kathmandu Metropolitan City had made its first effort to reduce plastic use in 2013, but it was forcefully withdrawn when the Supreme Court’s buckled under Nepal Plastic Manufacturers’ Association lobbying.
But with the 2015 ban being quite tricky, plastic retailers and wholesalers are often left confused: they don’t know whether the plastic they purchase is legal to use or not, as many plastic bags don’t come with proper labels.
“When we buy the plastic, suppliers sell it to us saying they’re 40 microns,” says plastic retailer Raj Kumar Shrestha. “We don’t check the products properly when we’re buying them and it is only later that we realise that they’re 20 microns thick. I haven’t seen an actual 40 microns plastic bag being supplied.”
Why thickness matters is because: plastic bags with higher thickness could be recycled in the future; however, the thinner the plastic becomes, the slimmer its chances of being recycled. According to the Department of Environment, in the Valley there are plenty of plastic bags that breach the law. In some places, even bags under 10-20 microns are seen in use.
Nepal Plastic Manufacturers’ Association President Sharad Sharma claims the association’s plastic companies have been producing bags over 30 microns thick.
“Since June 5, 2018, as amended in the law, we have been manufacturing polyethene bags thicker than 30 microns,” says Sharma. “We haven’t been making plastics lower than that.”
Sharma says the government has allowed the sales of plastics thicker than 30 microns, but the Department of Environment is still adamant to the initial law that clearly states that those bags can only be used outside of the Valley.
According to Sharma, illegal plastic import comes from China and India—where they have apparently been banned. “But even in Nepal, there are factories that are still creating plastic less than 30 microns for their profit,” says Sharma. “Many are not even registered as legal companies and there are also some illegal import from our neighbouring countries.”
Department of Customs’ data only contains a total value of plastic imports, rather than a comprehensive data of all plastic goods—especially when plastics with certain measurements are banned. But with a law that has forbidden almost all the activities related to plastic bags, having the root of the issue still in action has made it difficult to contain the use of plastic, says the Department of Environment.
“We have a strange law: everything is banned but the production is still ongoing,” says Poudel. “Without the production issue being resolved, we can’t solve the problem efficiently.”
Plastic bag retailers, wholesalers, and consumers echo the same voice. According to vendors, polythene bags only constitute 10 percent of their profit from some plastic shops. Even when they had stopped selling the bags, it didn’t create much of an impact in their economy.
“I only started selling again due to the demand in the market,” says Manika Sthapit, who sells plastic goods. “But it doesn’t add much to my business, I don’t mind if it’s banned.”
The price of plastic bags depends upon weight and quality. One hundred 30 micron plastic bags equates to one kilogram, which goes for Rs 250. For thicker plastics, the quantity decreases for the same price. If a thinner plastic is made up of pure HM grains, it can be more expensive than a thicker looking plastic made by alteration.
According to Sharma, many plastic bags manufacturers have closed since 2015. But for large manufacturers, even if plastic bags are their secondary priority, it is not easy to stop production. Many have taken loans to pay for their investment in the business.
“It’s also hard for us to shift into another business right away,” says Sharma. “If the government ensures to compensate all of us for our investment, we can also head to other alternatives.”
But even after the government of Nepal’s strict law was implemented nationwide, it seems to be failing or has only been able to make only a little impact that gets overshadowed by the widespread use.
According to Sharma, plastic manufacturers have asked the government to lease open land for a recycling junction. Although Sharma says officials sounded interested, the association has not heard from them since. Sharma says he plans to push affiliated companies to include proper labelling on their plastic bags to provide accurate physical measurements.
In terms of creating ideological change, everyone is interested and supportive of abandoning the use of plastics, says 22-year-old activist Hardik Subedi. But when it comes to implementation, there are few who have made concerted efforts—plastic bags still litter the country and people still want to use them. And while some seek large scale changes, the situation seems to remain the same—plastic bags reign supreme.


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During April, the worldwide tablet market shrank for the first time since the release of the iPad in 2010, according to a leading display market analyst.
According to the latest NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Worldwide FPD Shipment and Forecast Report, worldwide sales of tablet devices during April fell to 24.2 million units, down from 25.3 million a year earlier.
While the tablet market continues to be significantly larger than it was before the iPad’s release – with 342 million units expected to be shipped in 2014 compared to just 80 million in 2011 – that growth rate is slowing significantly.
In a statement, DisplaySearch Greater China market vice president David Hsieh warns “no party can go on forever”.
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“Even Chinese white box makers are struggling, as the low cost/price model has been impacted. The benchmarks – Apple’s iPad and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab – did not meet expectations in Q1’14 either.”
Key factors in the decline include growing competition from large-screen smartphones and phablets, a slowdown in consumers upgrading, touch screens being added to notebook PCs and an oversupply of tablets from low-end brands.
The report comes after Apple shocked investors during April by reporting a surprise 16% year-on-year drop in iPad unit shipments.


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The Internet has just claimed another casualty, and some may consider it a surprising one. After five decades, Penthouse Magazine is shuttering its print edition, because why buy in print when you can read (and of course also look) online? It’s yet another blow to the adult magazine world, which has doubtless been feeling the pinch of web-based content’s ubiquity. But don’t fret — Penthouse isn’t gone for good. It’s just going full digital.
“This will be a new way for its readers to experience the world’s best adult magazine,” publisher FriendFinder Network said in a statement. “Re-imagined for the preferred consumption of content today by consumers, the digital version of Penthouse Magazine will combine and convert everything readers know and love about the print magazine experience to the power of a digital experience.”
It’s not of course that pornography has gone out of style — it’s just that its medium for consumption has shifted dramatically since the mid-20th century that marked the heyday of publications like Penthouse, Playboy, and others. But now, consumers have traded glossy pages for websites, and may be in the process of shifting again to virtual reality headsets, with much of the adult industry jumping on top of the VR experience.
The industry at large has experienced some pretty serious changes — Playboy recently announced its decision to stop publishing nude photographs in its magazine, and the mansion associated with the magazine (and with its original publisher Hugh Hefner) is up for sale. Penthouse itself actually went bankrupt in 2004, and remains far from its glorious zenith, when it regularly sold over 5 million copies.
“This move will keep Penthouse competitive in the future and will seamlessly combine our unmatched pictorial features and editorial content with our video and broadcast offerings,” FriendFinder CEO Jonathan Buckheit noted in a statement. So while Penthouse may never again see its full glory, at least it’ll stay relevant for a bit longer.
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People standing around, waiting for a door to open is not an unusual sight in Manhattan, but usually the door opens onto a sample sale or a chic nightclub – not a pizza parlor. So why are 32 people dawdling in front of Lombardi’s in NoLIta on a Sunday morning, some arriving as early as 9 a.m., when the doors don’t open until 11:30? Are they pizza addicts? Perhaps.
The group is waiting to begin Scott’s Pizza Tour, a 4.5-hour bus trip. Every tour is different, but today the group will sample pizza from four of New York’s 1,600 established pizzerias. After Lombardi’s, the group will stop in Luzzo’s in the East Village, followed by J&V in Bensonhurst, before finishing in Sam’s in Cobble Hill.
At 10:50 a.m., the side door of Lombardi’s swings open with a loud clatter as Scott Wiener, bounds towards the group. Dressed casually in a grey, “Scott’s Pizza Tour” hoodie, standard blue jeans and sneakers, he looks more like a casual college student working a weekend job than a 31-year-old pizza expert – but then, what does a pizza expert look like?
Armed with his clipboard and a pizza slice shaped pen, he begins to check off the names, quizzing everyone’s pizza habits as he goes along. “When was the last time you had a slice of pizza?” he asks as he checks off the first couple. “Where’s your favorite pizza spot?” he says to the next group.
As Scott approaches a young couple, his face lights up and he clasps the hand of Ryan Vasan with extra vigor. Ryan is back for the second time with his girlfriend, Liesel Finn. “I’m a doctor and the last time we came, I was called out to the hospital twice,” he explains. “I took Liesel’s parents when they were in town. They enjoyed it so much we had to come back.”
Scott ushers the group inside, pacing on the spot as he waits for the last few to gather around. His dark eyes are animated behind plain and practical glasses as he begins to ream off information about the history of the pizzeria, gesticulating back and forth from the oven to the dining room. Founded in 1897, Lombardi’s claims to be the oldest pizzeria in New York.
After the short lecture, the group takes their seats and waits for their first slice. Scott has laid out a “pizza tour survival kit,” at each place setting. The set includes a notepad and pen –for pizza notes– breath fresheners and other pizza gimmicks, making many of the adults as excited as Hayden, 8, the youngest member of the group. When the first slice is brought out, Scott asks the group to note their thoughts on the crust, sauce and cheese for later discussion. Jim Carver is using his pizza notepad to analyze his friend, Gary Hudes’ reactions to the slice. Gary, 58, organized a group of twelve friends from Long Island to take the tour. “All he eats is chicken, hamburgers and pizza,” says Jim as Gary picks the basil off his slice. “His daughter said she’s never seen him more excited for anything before.”
“I had to diet the whole week so my wife would let me go,” adds Gary, who recently underwent a heart stent procedure.
With the first slice down, the group makes it’s way towards Bowery where a bright yellow school bus is waiting to take them to Luzzo’s on 1st Avenue and 13th Street. Riding a yellow school bus was also one of the motivations for Scott to begin the pizza business.
“When Scott was young, he was obsessed with the idea of owning a yellow school bus,” his brother, Jon explains. “The school bus has always been part of what he wanted in his future, as strange as that may sound.”
Scott grew up in Cranford, New Jersey, the middle child in a house of three boys. “He always loved pizza, but Scott never does anything just to do it, says his mother, Andrea Wiener. “He wants to know why it is and how it is.”
Scott studied television in college, attending the University of Syracuse, which he describes as a pizza wasteland. “I don’t remember eating any pizza that I really loved in college,” he says. “I sort of got into pizza because I was deprived of it.”
After college, he worked for the city of Hoboken while trying to forge his path in the music industry. But, a curious living situation enabled him to begin his pizza business. “I was the caretaker on Yankee, the only surviving Ellis Island immigrant ferry for three years,” he says. “Living on that boat without having to pay rent, that’s when I started doing the pizza tour.”
Scott started the business in 2008 after taking his friends on a pizza bus tour for his 26th birthday. “Even when it was an amateur thing it was very well organized,” says Jeff Rubin, Scott’s childhood friend, who was on the first tour. “Everyone knew we were coming.”
In the beginning, even his parents wondered what to make of the idea. “I guess our thoughts were, how is he going to make a living doing this?” says Andrea Wiener. “We were a little taken a back but we had confidence that if it could be done, he would be the one to do it.”
Despite his parent’s initial apprehension, the tour business has been growing steadily since the first tour on April 27th, 2008. Scott now hosts tours seven days a week for the public, as well as private groups. He offers three tour variations, a crosstown and a Greenwich Village walking tour, which cost $38 each, as well as the bus tour, which costs $60. Over the years, Scott has built a rapport with many of the pizzerias. “I never really ask for a discount but if they offer it, I will gladly take it,” he says. “I don’t go to pizzerias because of discounts. There’s a place in the Bronx I go. It’s very expensive and I would love a discount but it’s never come up in our relationship.”
At Luzzo’s, Ashley Zayat, 23, and her fiancée, Jay Steinmitz, 24, are timing the cooking of the first pizza. As a New York native, Jay is a big pizza fan and while Ashley is indifferent to the cuisine, she bought the tickets for him as a four-year anniversary present. “It’s pay back for the Sex and The City tour she made me go one,” he says, raising his right eyebrow.
The pizza takes just 1 minute and 40 seconds to cook and after everyone has eaten their slice, Scott leads a discussion about the difference between Luzzo’s and Lombardi’s – Lombardi’s crust being crispier and Luzzo’s sauce being sweeter.
Walking back to the bus, Jay turns to the tall man beside him, “I wish it was one pie per place, not just one slice,” he says. “I know I’m still hungry,” says the man, playfully patting his stomach.
With an increased demand in tours, Scott has recently expanded his force of pizza experts for the busy summer season. Matching Scott’s own enthusiasm and expertise is not easy and the hiring process was difficult until he met Miriam Weiskind, 32. “It was love at first slice,” she jokes. “Like two friends finding one another, we’re pizza soul mates.”
A graphic designer by day, Miriam, was not a pizza expert before meeting Scott but she shared his passion. As a two-time winner of the New York City Pizza Run – a four-lap race around Tompkins Square Park with a slice of pizza to eat after each lap –she is a minor celebrity in the pizza world. “Being a triathlete I can eat a lot of pizza, but I try to limit myself to 10 slices a week,” she says.
Like Miriam, Scott also monitors his pizza intake. “He limits himself to 15 slices a week – which is still ridiculous,” his brother, Jon says. Scott admits that he frequently goes over this number but has learned to counter balance his pizza habits. “Every morning, I start with a bowl of oatmeal with raisins, cinnamon and apple,” he says. “At night, I eat a lot of vegetables.”
Scott’s healthy attitude stems from Jon, who became a vegan four years ago after moving to the West Coast. “I was one of those vegetarians who said I would totally be vegan if it wasn’t for pizza and ice cream,” he jokes.
At first, Jon was reticent to tell Scott about his dietary change. “I was concerned because pizza is his life,” he says. “It was the most difficult thing, telling Scott that I wasn’t going to eat cheese anymore.”
Jon’s change in diet has only supplemented Scott’s interest in the variety of pizza available and the pair has co-hosted a number of vegan tours when Jon is in town. “There’s nothing about pizza that is strictly dairy or strictly anything,” says Scott. “In essence, it’s bread with something on top of it.”
The bread at the third stop, J&V pizzeria, looks like a fluffy pillow of cheese and tomato. A square Sicilian slice, it’s airy and thicker than the Neapolitan pies offered at Lombardi’s and Luzzo’s. The effects of cheese and dough have finally taken hold of the group who amble back to the bus, eyes glazed in a pizza stupor. “This is usually the time that people take a quick nap before the last stop,” Scott says, eyeing the group with a grin. Indeed, the bus is quiet apart from the occasional chortle from Gary Hudes and his rambunctious cohort.
With Scott’s hectic schedule, most of his time is consumed with pizza related activities. Aside from the tour, he is also writing a book about pizza boxes. Scott has been collecting boxes for over five years and stores over 460 in his closet. Many of the tourists who take the pizza tour send him boxes when they return home. “I have a really great knock off The Simpsons box from the Netherlands, that’s one of my favorites. It’s a really bizarre box.”
Scott’s friends also share his passion for pizza. Jeff Rubin attended the International Pizza Expo – the largest and longest running pizza trade show with over 6,500 participants – with Scott in 2007. “This wasn’t even his job yet,” he says. “The company we were listed under was Scott’s Pizza Journal, which was just a journal where Scott tested every pizzeria he went to.”
Jon also met Scott at the “Holy Land of pizza” and was astounded by his reputation within the pizza community. “He was a celebrity, people wanted his attention, everyone knew who he was,” he says. “For someone who’s not an owner of a pizzeria that’s kind of a big thing.”
When Scott isn’t busy with work, he enjoys playing board games, like Settlers of Catan with his friends. “We don’t go out partying a lot,” says Jeff.
As well as his childhood friends, Scott has formed relationships with many of the employees in the pizzerias. “When I go and socialize with people in the pizza industry that’s when I feel at home,” he says. “We have a funny camaraderie.”
The interaction between Louis Migliaccio and Scott at the final stop, Sam’s, realizes this sentiment. Dressed in a white polo shirt with a packet of cigarettes hanging from the breast pocket and a gold link chain dangling around his neck, Louis exudes Italian American charm. He slouches in the corner, arms crossed, as Scott talks the guests through the 85-year-old pizzeria. Louis attempts to interrupt and disagree with Scott about the oil consistency of the fresh mozzarella cheese, which Scott brushes aside. “My father opened this place in the 30’s but Scott, he always has to be right,” says Louis with a quick wink.
As the bus pulls back onto Bowery and the group begins to gather their belongings, Scott checks to see which pizzeria came out on top, with the votes split almost evenly between the four places.
But what about Scott, the expert, he has to have a favorite pizzeria, right? “I’ve probably been to over 3,000 places, so it’s difficult to choose,” he says.
“He gets that question a lot, but Scott is too diplomatic to pick one,” says Jeff Rubin. “He probably has a dozen maybe 20 favorites. I don’t think he could ever pick just one.”
Operating a pizza tour business may sound unorthodox to many people. Yet, it takes courage to pursue your passions, let alone make a profitable career out of them and Scott has managed to do just that. As his brother, Jon says, “Scott’s not your ordinary guy.”


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The British agency Punch today issued a public call for Google+ to offer analytics packages. Seattle-based Portent Interactive has also said that analytics are the logical next step for Pinterest as it makes its service more hospitable for businesses.
Brand marketing teams are under increasing pressure to show concrete results for the time and money they spend on social media, and analytics are the major tool they can use to do so, insiders said.
Currently brands using Pinterest and Google+ have to extract their own analytics, based on referrals to their own sites, manual follower counts and other labor-intensive manipulations of publicly available data. By contrast, Facebook offers insights for page administrators.
Google will need to deliver analytics for pages and communities to ensure that brands continue to invest in its fledgling social network, according to Punch.
“Introducing an analytics feature for pages will be key for Google+ to continue attracting brand activity that will make the network an even more engaging environment for users in future,” said Pete Goold, Punch’s managing director.
Google’s need is especially pronounced given “the potential for Google Analytics and also the growing correlation between community activity and visibility in organic search,” Goold said.
But all social networks need to provide numbers for the brands that use them.
“I think that all of the major social sites could seriously improve their relationship with brands and thereby secure future investment into their sites with enhanced analytics,” Goold said.
Pinterest’s need may still be less urgent than Google’s. The upstart social network already shows strong traffic and sales conversions in retailers’ own analytics, and its service lines up well with how consumers buy online, said Brian Solis, an analyst at the Altimeter Group.
Still, brands will want to get more specific information from Pinterest moving forward.
“Ultimately they’ll need to give you some kind of snippet of code so you could actually track which pins are generating revenue,” said Ian Lurie, the CEO of Portent Interactive.
Both companies have analytics products on their radar, but neither has said when they will launch or how much information they will deliver.
A page on Google+ for enterprise users says, “in the coming weeks we will be launching tools to give you access to as much data as possible about your Google+ page and +1 activity.” The company didn’t immediately respond to a request for more information.
Pinterest was less specific.
“We said when we announced the business site and business accounts that we hope to add more features, possibly analytics, in the future to business accounts, but we don’t have specifics,” a spokesperson told SocialTimes.


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- Apple Inc Chief Executive Tim Cook publicly came out as gay, saying in a magazine article that he wanted to support others who find it difficult to reveal their sexual orientation.
Recent Technology News
- Microsoft Corp launched a device called "Microsoft Band" that will allow users to monitor their fitness and exercise regime, marking the world's largest software company's debut into the wearable technology market.
TOKYO - Sony Corp said on Thursday it would appoint senior vice president Hiroki Totoki as the new president of Sony Mobile Communications on Nov. 16, replacing Kunimasa Suzuki at the top of its troubled smartphone business.
- Rebound in FTSE halted by drop in BT and commodity stocks
- RBS to reveal funds held to settle forex probes
- Barclays sets aside 500 million pounds for FX fines as profits rise |
- JPMorgan tops pay table with 461,000 pounds for London bankers - survey
- Next Shell chairman brings U.S. corporate experience, green agenda
- Shell outpaces peers with profit growth, keeps spending
- BT targets big spenders as broadband battle intensifies
- Trade, defence spending buoy U.S. third-quarter growth
- National Australia Bank plans UK exit after slide in annual profit
- Aviva new business rises, UK life shows surprise bounce


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By Ekta Chanana Last Updated:
Nita Ambani and Mukesh Ambani's youngest son, Anant Ambani, is all set to get married to the love of his life, Radhika Merchant. After dating each other for a few years, the duo got engaged in 2023. After a year of courtship, the couple is all set to kickstart their pre-wedding celebration in Jamnagar, Gujarat. While the preparation for their wedding festivities is in full swing, we stumbled upon a sweet detail about their wedding favour.
According to the latest reports, Radhika and Anant's wedding will be held in July 2024. It will be a grand affair, and the family is super busy taking care of the details. Amidst it, we got to know that Radhika and Anant's wedding favours will have a candle exclusively made by visually impaired artisans from Mahabaleshwar. The team of Sunrise Candles, founded by Bhavesh Bhatia, are working super hard to prepare the candles to be added to the wedding favour.
According to several reports, Anant and Radhika have decided to host their pre-wedding festivities in Jamnagar. The report further claimed that Ambanis are expected over 1200 guests, who would be hosted in the Reliance township in addition to several VIP guest houses. According to reports, Diljit Dosanjh would be among the many performers in their pre-wedding festivities.
On December 29, 2022, Radhika and Anant got rokafied in an intimate ceremony at Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara, Rajasthan. For the ceremony, Radhika looked gorgeous in a pink suit with gotta patti work on the yoke of the kurta. She styled her look with a scallop-border dupatta. Another highlight of her look was the floral haath phool. On the other hand, Anant Ambani donned a purple-hued kurta.
We also spotted Nita Ambani looking gorgeous in tones of pink and orange patola suit. She styled her look with a statement-long neckpiece. Kokilaben Ambani was wearing her pink saree. Mukesh Ambani and Akash Ambani were also seen posing with the soon-to-be-married couple.
What do you think about Anant and Radhika's way of honouring visually impaired artisans and selecting candles from them for their wedding festivities?


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The minicar segment in Europe reverses its decline in the second quarter of 2019 as European car buyers took delivery of nearly 340.000 minicars, a 2% gain on 2018 and leading to a 1% loss in the first half, compared to an overall market loss of 3,6%. After a dip below the 30% mark in Q1, Fiat’s dominance in this segment rebounds to 31,2% in Q2 with its two models. The Fiat 500 manages to outsell its sibling Fiat Panda by a slight margin, but not enough to reclaim the segment crown for the first half of the year. These two models are surprisingly resilient considering the 500 is in its 12th year without any major redesign and the Panda in its 8th year but is still the best performer in the segment top-10 for the first half of 2019. Surprisingly, the #3 best selling minicar in Europe in the second quarter was the Renault Twingo, helped by the recent facelift of the model. As a result, the Twingo has passed the long-time #3 of the segment Volkswagen Up! in the first-half ranking to claim 4th place behind the Toyota Aygo, after the Japanese model already leapfrogged the Up! in Q1.
Note: clicking on the model name opens the sales data page for that model; clicking year in the legend turns the display for that year on/off
The Up! and its sister models Skoda Citigo and Seat Mii are already 7,5 years old by now without any major updates, and especially the former appears to have finally run out of steam, while the latter two are perhaps boosted by the news that their petrol-powered versions will be phased out soon and they’ll be turned into EV-only models, a fate that also awaits the Up! with a bit of a delay. Faced with a similar fate, the Smart Fortwo manages to keep its sales stable in the last year that the model will be sold with gasoline engines and it even manages to move past the Peugeot 108. The Kia Picanto continues to do well after its redesign of last year, while its sibling model Hyundai i10 is starting to fall behind as it too will be renewed later this year.
The Opel Karl/Vauxhall Viva will be discontinued later this year but sell-out deals to clear inventory help the model to an 8th place in Q2 to enter the segment top-10, a position it hasn’t held before. That knocks down the Citroën C1 despite a stable performance of that model. That means the PSA-Toyota triplets maintain a 16,3% share of the segment in the first half, staying ahead of the Renault-Smart triplets at 14,5% (down from 14,8% in H1 of 2018) and the VW Group triplets at 11,1% (down from 11,7% in H1 of 2018). Like the Karl/Viva, the Opel/Vauxhall Adam will be phased out by Opel/Vauxhall’s new owner PSA and in fact production ended in May. The Adam had a great first quarter thanks to sell-out pricing, but stocks are starting to dry up as sales were down again in Q2.
The Suzuki Ignis loses 12% in the first half and its sibling Celerio is the biggest loser of the segment at -32% while the Mitsubishi Space Star continues to improve for the third consecutive year and in fact is the segment’s top performer in the first half of the year with a 17% improvement, thanks to a 33% boost in Q2. The surprisingly resilient electric citycars Peugeot iOn, Citroën C-Zero and Mitsubishi i-MiEV at last see an end to their comeback in the late stages of their life cycle, as combined sales are down 7,7% in the first half
There won’t be a lot of news in the minicar segment this year. The i10 will be renewed and the 500 and Panda will (finally) be updated and will receive mild hybrid versions and even an electric 500e for Europe. The two Smart nameplates as well as the Mii and Citigo will be turned into EV-only models.
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It has been a long time coming, but today, Intel finally lifted the veil from their new 10-Nanometer CPU range, Ice Lake, that looks to power your next laptop.
After months of teasing, Intel is finally making their new Ice Lake CPU range avalable to PC manufacturers. After teasing the chips first at CES 2019, and then in Taipai at Computex, Intel is finally ready to make the leap to 10-Nanometer, and it could not come soon enough. The 10-Nanometer dream has been a while in the making. There are many chip makers at 10, and Apple and AMD are now working with a 7-Nanometer process. But with Intel powering most of the laptops currently on the market (including Apples full Macbook lineup), this move is an exciting step forward for mobile computing.
The new 10-Nanometer chips are looking to improve three main areas. Intel is not one to be left out of major industry trends, so Ice Lake was built with AI in mind. 10th Gen CPU’s will also come with a “dedicated instruction set” for neural networks, and it will also include a dedicated engine for background workloads on the CPU.
Intel has never been known for graphics. While they are normally serviceable for light gaming (Fortnite works quite well), it could never compete with a proper discrete graphics option. While it still has a ways to go, Intel has improved the graphics with Ice Lake, now offering “double the performance” when compared to last years offering. This should allow for 1080P gaming, 4K video editing, and rendering when needed.
Finally, further improving on the last set of mobile chips, the 10th gen will offer compliance with the Wifi 6 standard and will allow PC builders to have up to four USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports on laptops.
There is slated to be 11 variants of the new chips when they start hitting this year’s Laptop ranges. Intel has yet to give exact dates when consumers will start being able to purchase laptops with Ice Lake, but they should start being able to buy them the holiday 2019. While few exact models are known to support 10th Gen Intel CPU’s, at Computex, Ice Lake was shown in the Acer Swift 5, Dell XPS 13-inch 2-in-1, HP Envy 13, and Lenovo S940.
We will have a better idea of how Ice Lake fairs under real-world testing when we get our hands on a few of these new laptops and put them through their paces. Although for now, it looks to be a great step forward for Intel, and will ultimately lead to more powerful and useful laptops for consumers this fall.


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The enterprise edition of the LifeSize UVC Multipoint video calling solution is designed to be simpler and more accessible than other options on the market.
This is the view of Simon Claringbold, general manager and vice president of LifeSize Asia Pacific, reports telepresenceoptions.com. He suggested the new product could help build stronger relationships, as it is aimed at customers ranging from work groups to sales teams and vendors.
Mr Claringbold remarked: “As with the standard edition, companies can purchase and scale LifeSize UVC Multipoint Enterprise Edition one port at a time.
“This makes it not only affordable for new customers just beginning to deploy video conferencing, but also for growing enterprises that need to incrementally scale geographically and serve an ever-increasing mobile workforce.”
LifeSize, a division of Logitech, has aimed to provide UVC Multipoint enterprise edition users with a user experience comparable to hardware-based options, while retaining the flexibility of software alternatives.
Mr Claringbold was recently quoted by cfoworld.com.au as saying that the “pervasive” nature of technology has led to consumers expecting a certain level of reliability.
He pointed out that people will not accept that an application does not work in certain conditions, which places the onus on manufacturers and service providers to ensure their product functions in the most common circumstances, in addition to more niche situations.


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Sykkuno is the latest streamer to express concerns about rumored Twitch monetization changes, expressing concern that the change could be particularly damaging to big streamers.
Twitch has amassed over 2 million broadcasters since being purchased by Amazon in 2014, with 50k creators going on to become partners. Many of the platform’s partnered streamers have gone on to have very lucrative careers as a result of a 50/50 or 70/30 revenue split.
Twitch is said to be considering a number of monetization changes. Revenue splits will be capped at 50/50, and streamers will have more ad breaks, according to Bloomberg. Furthermore, Twitch is rumored to be cutting exclusivity deals, allowing creators to stream on multiple platforms.
The rumors have understandably rocked the streaming community, with many creators already speaking out against the changes. Now, Sykkuno has stated that the changes could be “extremely detrimental” to streamers. However, he went against the grain, claiming that the “no exclusivity” plans could be problematic as well.
The report contained several changes that were blasted by Twitch viewers and streamers alike. The idea of cutting exclusivity deals was praised, as it would allow streamers to broadcast across multiple platforms.
Sykkuno claimed it was a “bad” idea. Following a fan’s argument that no exclusivity would be better for bigger streamers, and disagreed claiming that it could be “really bad.”
Sykkuno, like his fellow streamers, expressed concern that Twitch’s reported plans to cap revenue splits at 50% are “really bad,” as creators could “lose a lot of money.”
He also criticized the possibility of more ads being shown during streams. The use of advertisements has become especially contentious in recent months, with Twitch offering $100 to streamers who run two minutes of ads for every hour they stream, much to the chagrin of viewers.


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Tata Motors, BluSmart Mobility partners to expand all-electric fleet in Delhi-NCR
Following a nation-wide launch of the XPRES-T EV in September 2021, Tata Motors has announced that it has signed an MOU with BluSmart Mobility for expanding their all-electric fleet multi-fold across Delhi NCR, and for the same, the company has bagged a contract to supply 3,500 XPRES T EVs.
This contract marks a key milestone in the electric fleet market. as more customers now prefer to travel in environment-friendly vehicles.
Mr. Ramesh Dorairajan, Head – Electric Vehicles (Commercial), Tata Motors said "With the XPRES- T EV, Tata Motors has developed an electric sedan exclusively for the fleet customers. We are delighted to partner with BluSmart Mobility, and we are thankful to them for their continued efforts in growing the electric fleet in Delhi-NCR. The XPRES-T EV comes with optimal battery size, captive fast charging solution, which will ensure outstandingly low cost of ownership in addition to safety and passenger comfort, making it a comprehensive and attractive proposition for fleet owners and operators. We recently crossed a key milestone of 10,000 EVs on road, which is a strong testament to how our innovative electric vehicles are resonating well with customers. This order will further strengthen our roadmap of making EVs mainstream.
Expanding their business with an additional electric fleet, Mr. Anmol Singh Jaggi, Founder & CEO, BluSmart Mobility, stated, "With our recent Series A funding of USD 25 million, we at BluSmart Mobility are well-capitalized and expanding steadily into the Delhi NCR market. Tata Motors has been a great partner for a young startup like us and has supported our growth momentum significantly in times of a global supply chain crisis. This partnership with Tata Motors reinforces our belief in our electric journey and gears us well to achieve bigger scales at a much faster pace."


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A&F Archives - Inside Retail Asia
Abercrombie & Fitch sales rose for the second consecutive year as its restructure and new store format begins to pay off.
Abercrombie & Fitch is on the right road to recovery.
Positive comparable sales numbers indicate momentum at both the Abercrombie and Hollister brands for parent A&F.
After an extended run of decline, Abercrombie & Fitch is finally back with a market-beating 4.5 per cent uplift in total sales.
Same-store A&F sales fell another 10 per cent in the first quarter, driving a US$61 million loss.
Abercrombie & Fitch ended the year in a tailspin, with sales down by almost 7 per cent and operating profit falling 49 per cent.
US casualwear retailer Abercrombie & Fitch is about to unveil its first concept store for 15 years.
The Abercrombie & Fitch Hong Kong flagship store is to be closed.
A&F Singapore has won a legal stoush with a local company over use of its label and its moose head logo.
American clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch plans to aggressively expand its presence in China. The company plans to open more than 100 A&F and Hollister brand stores over the next 10 years in the Chinese market. It will also launch its online store there later this year. Craig Brommers, senior VP at Abercrombie & Fitch, says China represents the biggest market potential for the company globally. “Chinese consumers seem to be looking for something a little beyond just bli…
The hottest A&F guys to make history in Hong Kong.


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Directline holidays wins fast track entrepreneurship award at Richard Branson hosted event
Thursday 20, May 2010
The owners and directors of Britain’s 100 private companies with the fastest-growing sales were recognised last week at the 13th annual Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 awards event, at Sir Richard Branson’s home in Oxfordshire.
At this event online travel agent, Directline holidays, picked up the Fast Track 100 business productivity award, sponsored by Microsoft Office 2010.
This award was presented by Jacob Jaffe, head of Microsoft’s information worker business group, to founder Antony Bradley and chief executive Maria Whiteman of Directline Holidays in recognition of the company’s smart use of software.
Maria Whiteman commented “I am absolutely delighted that our productivity in this field has been acknowledged. The management team has worked really hard this year to enhance and develop our technology and to improve internal processes. Winning this prestigious award is great recognition of our continued commitment to develop innovative product and drive sales.”
More and more travellers think that researching and planning a European city break is half the fun and they're not interested in pre-arranged trips or escorted tours. Self-guided tours offer a lot of advantages but require some guidance and good resources.
With the recent wild fires, disrupting flights and increasing air pollution, environmental quality is a growing factor in attracting tourists.
The hotel price comparison site www.trivago.co.uk has put together a list of the fifteen most spectacular hotel rooftop terraces in the world.


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Sterobank.com, the leading S3D stock footage marketplace, announced today that the biggest catalogue of 3D stock shots is hitting a strategic milestone by adding its latest series of Super Slow Motion 3D footage. With 1,000+ premium S3D indexed clips and tens of hours of creative footage, Stereobank confirms being the essential partner for producers and post-production companies looking for genuine 3D footage to complete their 3D projects in HD, 2k and even 4K definition.
Stereobank.com is the widest catalogue of stereoscopic 3D stock footage. And it is now covering so many topics like lifestyle, nature, aerials, business, sport, macro, super slow-motion and more, that it is a dream come true for any 3D producer looking to enhance a project. The S3D footage from around the world is available in no time and at a flexible license rate.
"The 3D footage we receive from our contributors is getting more creative by the day, these great stereographers understand the needs of the producers for stunning 3D content." says Morgan David de Lossy, Chief Art Director “We are also proud to distribute the most stunning slow-motion and macro shots ever seen. Thanks to the 3D depth you can now fully enjoy this mind-blowing time wrap effect as never before!"


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Garantia Data, the provider of advanced in-memory NoSQL cloud services, today announced it has been named to UBM Tech Channel’sCRN 2013 Big Data 100 list. The inaugural list recognizes innovative technology vendors that offer products and services to help businesses manage “Big Data” – the rapidly increasing volume, speed and variety of information being generated today. The list covers three categories: business analytics, data management, and infrastructure and services. Vendors on this list are industry stalwarts leveraging their products and services to meet the Big Data challenge, as well as startups developing a new generation of products to help businesses address their Big Data needs.
“The 2013 Big Data 100 list recognizes vendors that have shown a dedication to the innovation and advancement of today’s Big Data services, and have evolved to meet the needs of today’s business leaders,” said Kelley Damore, senior vice president and editorial director, CRN. “Companies need technologies that not only help them process and manage all that data, but also offer market insights. The Big Data 100 vendors set themselves apart with the cutting-edge products and services that provide significant growth opportunities for solution providers to build their business and effectively compete in today’s information economy.”
Garantia Data is recognized for its outstanding data management technology that offers developers fully-automated cloud services for hosting and running Redis and Memcached datasets. The company’s Redis Cloud and Memcached Cloud hosting services are used by Web businesses that heavily rely on open-source Redis and Memcached to manage vast amounts of data in rapid-growth stages. With Garantia Data, customers can take advantage of the fastest data store systems and harness infinitely-scalable, in-memory NoSQL cloud services to achieve top performance while avoiding the operational hassles associated with managing their Redis and Memcached databases.
“This CRN recognition underscores our commitment to helping customers effectively deal with growing Redis and Memcached datasets within their IT environments,” said Ofer Bengal, co-founder and CEO of Garantia Data. “We are honored to be named in the publication’s inaugural list of companies changing the way businesses handle Big Data.”
For comments and suggestions, leave a message in the comments section below. Like and Follow our Facebook page for more stories and to stay up-to-date with the latest happenings.


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Sustainability is one of the major market trends identified by Luxinnovation that will shape the post COVID-19 economy. Head of Market Intelligence Sara Bouchon speaks about how the increased awareness of sustainability issues brought by the coronavirus crisis will influence both policy makers’ choices and consumers’ preferences in the next few years.
Digitalisation is one of the four megatrends identified by Luxinnovation that will radically transform business and society after the COVID-19 crisis. Market Intelligence Analyst Mohamed Toumi provides insights into how companies will need to transform their activity in the coming years to retain a competitive edge.
A cooperation agreement was signed between the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) and Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) in view of the creation by the end of 2020, in Luxembourg, of a European Space Resources Innovation Centre, called ESRIC in abbreviated form.
ICT Spring is a global tech conference hosting an array of international professionals. It offers the participants a unique opportunity to deepen their AI knowledge, capture the value of the fast-growing fintech, drive innovation in the supply chain industry, pierce the secrets of IT security and explore the impact of space technologies on terrestrial businesses. Read more
Mission économique, à caractère multisectoriel, « GET2Know Your Neighbours » au sein de l’espace économique EUREGIO Meuse-Rhin. Read more
The 2020s brings the threat of chaos. Can Europe lead the revolution and transform its industries? Will it demonstrate that halving emissions while fostering prosperity is possible? This year’s Cleantech Forum Europe agenda is developing around themes to prepare you for the 2020s. Read more
Latest press releases
For this 2018 edition of Vivatechnology event, the Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the Ministry of the Economy, Luxinnovation and the House of Startups decided to be present at this fair wit... Read more
FIT 4 START 9 - Thank you and congrats!
Ten ICT start-ups, five companies in the healthtech sector and five in space tech were admitted into Luxembourg’s renowned acceleration programme Fit 4 Start at the Pitching & Graduation Day on 3 October. The biggest ever cohort of participants will benefit from intensive coaching, free access to co-working facilities and a subsidy of up to €150,000.
Cross Border Test Bed for smart mobility and 5G connectivity
The cross border test bed is perfect example of a pioneering project between 3 neighbouring countries, Germany, Luxembourg and France.
Fit 4 Start - Are you ready to take off?
The Fit 4 Start programme helps young innovative companies to launch their business from Luxembourg, transforming innovative ideas and the project leaders’strong will to succeed into companies with high growth potential.
Why they chose Luxembourg - SALONKEE
Luxembourg is too small? “It’s a perfect test bed before expanding to bigger markets” says Tom Michels, Founder of Salonkee (smart services).


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Our everyday experience is increasingly blending the physical and digital worlds. The number of Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices in the world is closing in on 7 billion, or nearly one device for every person in the world. Quite simply, we’re more connected than ever. As the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) becomes pervasive, monitoring and analysis will get more precise as more IoT products are put out in the field.
Even before the term 4IR was coined, manufacturers were at its forefront. For example, automakers’ adopted the use of factory robots en masse in the 1970s, and most companies have been collecting operational and machine data for years.
But now manufacturers are in the deep end of the pool adopting advanced technologies. More importantly, they are finally converting all that data into productive insights and automated, closed-loop actions. They’re wading into other innovations such as virtual and augmented reality, 3D and 4D printing, nanotechnology, autonomous and collaborative robots called “cobots”, advanced analytics, and the Industrial Internet of Things. As performance improves and costs decline for these new technologies, mainstream adoption seems inevitable.
Understanding how and where manufacturers are applying 4IR tech—and what they’re getting out of it—offers lessons for many industries, from consumer products and electronics to durable goods makers and energy companies. A recent survey of US manufacturers conducted by PwC and The Manufacturing Institute, which is the research arm of The National Association of Manufacturers, reveals that manufacturers are currently in a phase of measured optimism and adoption.
What manufacturing can teach us about 4IR
Three overarching and cross-industry lessons clearly surface:
- Prioritize 4IR capabilities for products and operations
- Get your workforce 4IReady through re-training and recruitment
- Develop a goal-driven 4IR strategy
How widespread is 4IR?
Manufacturers are spread evenly along the innovation adoption curve when it comes to 4IR. Only about 20% are implementing 4IR technologies at scale, but nearly half of manufacturers report they are in the early stages of transition. Getting to scale is a strategic priority: Nearly 70% of manufacturers plan to increase investments in 4IR tech over the next year and about 60% of manufacturers will have embedded smart sensors in products in the next year.
Long-term goals for this kind of investment include improved operations, expanded products and services, and faster, more proactive customer service. Additionally, manufacturers are adding a layer of connectivity to their product portfolios by creating new products and services.
Scale inside—and outside—the organization
There’s a strong push within manufacturing sector to reach the fully scaled, fully implemented phase by deploying 4IR innovation inside the company (i.e., in operations and through the supply chain). Meanwhile, on parallel tracks, the sector is also breathing new life outside the company by introducing data-gathering capabilities and digital connectivity (i.e., combining sensors, IoT, and data analytics) in both legacy and new products.
How do you build a hybrid workforce?
Automating tasks, especially those that are onerous, tedious, or dangerous, has been a front-and-center ask of technology for some time. That could mean deploying autonomous forklifts and collaborative robots, or increasing asset performance through artificial intelligence.
But US manufacturers know that automation technology will only be as good as the people who drive it. According to our survey, nearly seven in ten manufacturers believe that an increased demand for talent to build and manage the robotic workplace—will have the biggest impact on the manufacturing workforce over the next three to five years.
Manufacturers are working on many fronts to further develop skills. One-third of these companies train employees in-house, one in five provide training outside the company, and the same percentage recruit STEM students from academic institutions.
Takeaway #2: Strengthen your talent through re-positioning and recruitment
As with previous industrial revolutions, the nature of jobs will change. Any industry deploying 4IR technologies and innovation should take a two-pronged approach. That means identifying jobs for automation that do not require human soft skills (i.e. creativity, reasoning, communication) and identifying new roles for employees that move them from doing repetitive tasks to managing repetitive tasks.
How do you measure returns?
Manufacturers are learning to accommodate scalability and longevity as opposed to one-off, ad hoc pilot experimentation. They’re also realizing that bottom-line benefits come through a strategy that’s built on outcomes rather than technologies. One of the biggest questions hovering over 4IR adoption is how to measure returns.
Transitioning from short-term to long-term strategy means enlisting experts across the organization to create a cohesive and inclusive plan. Building out a strategy requires looking outside the organization to draw on skills and strategies to cross that wide chasm separating 4IR pilots and full-on scalability.
Takeaway #3: Let business strategy drive 4IR investments
Focus first on articulating the business outcomes you want, rather than the newest technology. Once an organization begins to see micro benefits from early 4IR investments (e.g., greater workforce productivity, higher production volume, and improved customer service) they’ll be prepared to create macro benefits such as accepting more volume, re-positioning labor, and improved reliability in operations.
Economic cycles will influence 4IR strategy. In a growth cycle, innovations should be used to create capacity and productivity and lessen dependence on a tight labor market. During a downturn, these same tools can carry out market expansion, price protection, product innovation, and increased operational flexibility and responsiveness.
Many organizations trying to go it alone might find that getting beyond the piloting phase requires outside help. Assuming that a solid strategy is already in place, partnering with third-party vendors can enable a company to speed up the process of building a 4IR architecture and ecosystem that enables scaling.
A comprehensive 4IR strategy will go a long way, whether you’re in the early planning stages or have already adopted new technologies. By incorporating technology for both production and oversight, investing in both humans and machines, and letting business needs drive their strategy, manufacturers will be well-equipped for the new digital era.
This article was produced by PwC and not by the Quartz editorial staff. Sources are provided for informational and reference purposes only. They are not an endorsement of PwC or PwC’s products.


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-20,000- the gap on average between the amount of cover people have in place (35k) and what their contents are actually worth
Platform, the intermediary mortgage brand of The Co-operative Bank, has today (Monday 29, January 2018) reduced rates on selected 90 per cent LTV mortgages across two, three and five year fixed rate products by up to 0.15 percentage points for new and existing customers.
Soft credit checks for Decisions in Principle are the latest service improvement introduced by Leeds Building Society.
Here are eleven of our favourite sales tips for selling general insurance… we just couldn’t limit it to 10!
From 13 January, HM Revenue and Customs will no longer accept personal credit card payments for a raft of taxes, including Stamp Duty.
TWM’s Q3 Buy to Let Barometer showcases the latest results from BDRC Continental's Landlord Panel research.


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Sony will be releasing its first-ever ultra-customizable controller worldwide on January 26th. Developed by PlayStation, the new DualSense Edge is built to allow custom controls tailored to a player’s playstyle.
The new controller includes several personalization options like button remapping, options to swap between multiple control profiles, an on-controller user interface, and the ability to fine-tune stick sensitivity and triggers. The DualSense Edge also includes the signature DualSense wireless controller features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
In addition to the controller itself, the bundle comes with two standard caps, two high-dome caps, two low-dome caps, two half-dome back buttons, two lever-back buttons, connector housing, a USB braided cable, and a carrying case.
Sony’s DualSense Edge PS5 controller comes with a $199.99 price tag and will be available for pre-order at select retailers in the US, UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg starting October 25th. It will be available globally starting January 26th and at other retailers from February 23rd.
Visit Playstation.com to pre-order yours now.


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Top executives for American Outdoor Brands — Smith & Wesson’s parent company — suggested the gun industry’s promotion-heavy environment could explain the spring’s unanticipated uptick in background checks and, by proxy, gun sales.
Estimated gun sales in April, when the fourth quarter ended, defied seasonal trends, rising 4 percent over 2016, the industry’s biggest year ever. May sales followed suit, rising 6 percent.
“It’s a pretty promotionally intense environment right now,” Debney said during a June 29 conference call with investors. “What is really difficult to understand is how much is that helping NICS – adjusted NICS, okay, versus the prior year. We just don’t know. It’s tough to understand a lot of noise out there.”
June gun sales plunged 12 percent over 2016 to just over 947,000 estimated transfers, according to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The gun industry uses the system as a proxy measure for gun sales.
He said Smith & Wesson will continue offering rebates as it — and other gun makers — deal with the surplus left behind after November’s election. With pro-gun lawmakers at the helm in Congress and in the White House, the sky-high demand for firearms witnessed under previous administrations appears muted, for now.
“It’s certainly going to be down over last year,” said Jeffrey Buchanan, executive vice president of American Outdoor Brands. “The last year was definitely an aberration. But if you look at the graph of NICS … we expected just to follow with a typical seasonal pattern last year and did not. But this year that’s what we expect.”
The company’s results continue the drumbeat of mixed messages surrounding the gun industry’s overall health, with Debney forecasting as much as a 17 percent decline in 2018.
“Right now, we’ve got to really wait until the fall to understand how strongly that consumer returns to the retailer and their appetite for buying firearms,” Debney said. “So that’s really where we find ourselves right now.”
When paper is too boring and explosive canisters are too much, check out Spüt. These targets are newbies to the shooting industry, but they help you see exactly where you are hitting your target on the range.
Predators are hunters themselves – wary, aggressive, and elusive. Shot opportunities often come quickly, and rounds like the 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Winchester, or .22-250 Remington can make or break your hunt.


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A TikTok creator pointed out that Walmart employs Americans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), but often does not pay them enough to get off the government assistance program.
User gigikov (@gigikov), a self-described 30-something Florida mom, said that Walmart takes advantage of SNAP recipients and the government in a stitch with Danielle Kirk. The video has received over 758,000 views and 104,000 likes as of publication.
Gigikov expounds upon the Danielle’s statement that the company “with the most SNAP recipients on their payroll is Walmart.”
“Not only is Walmart the largest employer of SNAP recipients they also receive a work opportunity tax credit for each employee who they hire whose on SNAP,” Gigikov begins. “But the rub is they don’t have to pay those employees enough to come off of SNAP.”
She continues: “For each employee that they hire on SNAP they can receive up to a $9,600 corporate tax credit, and there is no limit on the number of people they can receive that credit for.”
Many users were shocked, while others pointed out that Walmart screens applicants with SNAP enrollment.
@gigikov #stitch with @Danielle Kirk if you dont already follow Danielle, you must! Shes a fellow #bluedot … #corporatewellfare #eattherich #corporationsareevil ♬ original sound – gigikov
“She is 1000% correct!!!! a WOTC questionnaire is part of the on-boarding paperwork at both Walmart and Sam’s Club,” one claimed.
“The only time I ever qualified for SNAP was the 19 months I worked for Walmart. And it was the only job I got fired from for working over my 5,” a user claimed in response.
“Companies should be penalized for not paying enough and for their employees needing help from the system,” another added.
“Not to mention that Walmart takes snap as payment so it’s a win for them all around,” a third pointed out.
Some pointed out that Walmart isn’t the only company to take advantage of the program.
“I’ve had employers tell me, can’t you sign up for food assistance or gave me a list of pantries! my employer,” one shared.
“When I worked at Walmart and Kroger no one was on full time and like 99% were on snap,” another said.
SNAP is the largest provider of benefits to low-income Americans via an Electronic Benefits Transfer card. These cards are used like debit cards and can be used to purchase food from authorized retailers.
These benefits currently help one out of every 10 Americans, with 70% of all recipients either working full-time or part-time. According to a report, Walmart and McDonald’s are the largest employers of SNAP recipients.
One author in a report titled “Why Walmart Workers Are Still Broke,” explains that though Walmart raised worker pay in 2015, its overall pay is still not enough to cover day-to-day expenses. However, the gesture caused a large crash in the stock market. Upon announcing a pay raise for its workers, Walmart lost $20 billion of its market cap which could discourage the retail giant from raising pay in the future.
The Daily Dot reached out to Gigikov via TikTok comments and Walmart via email for further information.