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More retailers could be seeking insolvency advice in the months ahead as new figures show shoppers are abandoning the high street.
Data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) shows that overall footfall fell by one per cent in July compared to May.
In the last 12 months, shopper numbers have dropped by 2.6 per cent, with Wales and the West Midlands seeing the biggest declines.
Greater London, the South West and Scotland were the only three regions to see footfall increase during the period.
Stephen Robertson, director general of the BRC, said decreases have been seen across all shipping locations in the last year.
"Fewer people are shopping because households are facing high inflation, low wage growth and uncertainty about future job prospects," he remarked.
"Generally, the parts of the UK where the public sector is a bigger proportion of the economy are the ones where customer spending is most likely to be hit by worries about job prospects and cuts."
He said this means people in these areas are shopping less and more retail businesses are failing as a result.
The riots that occurred in London and other major UK cities earlier this month are also expected to have had an impact on retail footfall.
While many consumers are determined to support their local businesses, some retailers have been forced to close their doors to carry out repairs, while others have lost large amounts of stock as a result of looting.
Meanwhile, retail sales figures from the Office for National Statistics have shown that consumers bought fewer goods in July than they did in the same month a year earlier.
Commenting on the government's data, Mr Robertson said: "Conditions are increasingly difficult for customers and retailers.
"Customers' ability to spend is being squeezed by rising costs, particularly utilities and low wage rises."


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Room 8 unveils Highlight QA
The new studio joins the firm's QA Service Line as it launches in Poland and Romania
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Services provider Room 8 has launched Highlight QA, its new quality assurance studio.
The division will be a part of the firm's QA Service Line, which the head of QA SL Octavia Vasilescu, QA director Martyn Sibley and QA director Robert Lato will oversee.
Room 8 said the new label's business will launch in Poland and Romania initially. The games firm aims to expand its business operations to Western Europe and America.
"With the gaming industry expanding rapidly and becoming increasingly competitive, the importance of game quality cannot be overstated," said Vasilescu.
"Therefore, it was a logical and long-awaited move for Room 8 Group to establish a QA service. Our goal is to surpass our client's expectations and set a new standard for quality assurance."
The news comes weeks after Room 8 revealed its new production studio, Heroic.

domain: news


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Starbucks opened its first licensed cafe in Russia fifteen years ago. The market was seen as an emerging opportunity for the globally famous coffee brand. With Putin’s ongoing and unprovoked war against Ukraine receiving major international backlash, the chain has now decided to end its operations in the controversial nation.
Starbucks joins McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, and several others who faced stiff pressure from the public to stop doing business with the rogue state. The company will offer a transitional period so that its Russian employees are not left out in the cold. Starbucks will continue to pay its 2,000 Russian workers for six months and assist them to transition to new careers.
NBC News reported that Starbucks plans to have no further brand presence in Russia. All 130 locations will be closed. At the time of the announcement, Russia accounted for less than one percent of Starbucks’ annual revenue.
The official announcement comes months after Starbucks suspended business operations in Russia. In response to the invasion of Ukraine, the company placed a pause on their Russian business interests. Now, that pause will become permanent.
Starbucks has been quiet on the potential impact of their suspension of business in Russia. Former CEO Kevin Johnson pledged to donate any royalties from those businesses and franchises to humanitarian causes. Those royalties will no longer trickle in once the pull-out is complete.
Starbucks is just the latest in a long line of western corporations who are refusing to do business in Russia. While they didn’t take the huge financial hit that McDonald’s has, it is refreshing to see them showing support. Time will tell how many more companies decide that dealing with the Russians just isn’t worth it.
What do you think of this story? Let us know in the comments!


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What’s the first thing you think about when it comes to Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ: GOOGL)? There’s a good chance that Search is at the top of your list. After all, its former namesake search site has been driving the cash flows and profits at GOOGL stock for years. Especially since it has data-mined those results to sell plenty of ads and generate significant advertising revenues.
But Google isn’t a one-trick pony.
Like rivals such as Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), GOOGL has become one heck of a device and products maker. And while it’s easy to dismiss these gadgets as “hobby business” or non-core operations, the reality is, they are paramount to Google’s underlying mission and business.
In the end, device growth — and what Google does with those devices — is the real driver for GOOGL stock.
Over 157 Products at Google
In total, GOOGL makes over 157 different products for customers. And while the vast bulk of them are Web-based applications — Gmail, Maps, Chrome, etc. — the firm has continued to plow some big-time dollars onto the physical device market.
That may make GOOGL investors a tad bit nervous considering how poorly of an investment Motorola turned out to be for Google. If you remember, GOOGL paid more than $12 billion for the cellphone manufacturer, only to sell it at steep $10 billion loss a few years later. But what Google kept in the sale — some valuable technology patents and applications — is what is going to drive Alphabet’s dominance over the device market.
In recent months, Alphabet has launched new home artificial intelligence equipment, smartphones, virtual reality headsets and home WiFi units. These products join GOOGL’s cadre of Nest WiFi-enabled thermostats and home automation products, Chromebooks and tablets. You name it.
And while many of these items are very impressive in their technology and have caught on with consumers — Nest and its Pixel phones in particular — none of these devices have become huge money makers for Alphabet. Revenues for Google’s physical tools are pretty non-existent and in some products, are actually losses.
So why would Google want even to dabble in device market? It seems that it should just be focusing on ways to continue generating ad sales from is core search operations. But building out ad sales is exactly what GOOGL is doing. To understand why we just need to look at one of its competitors.
Big Data Opportunity for GOOGL Stock
Amazon’s Fire Tablet and new Echo home device aren’t really about making your life easier — it’s about selling you that next movie or book. It’s a way to distribute Amazon’s content and products. In all of this, Amazon is collecting tons of data on your preferences — by what you click and say — to sell you more items down the road.
And that is exactly what GOOGL is doing.
If you’re not searching for something or checking your email, Google has no idea what you’re up to. But slap a home automation device on your wall, smartwatch on your wrist and AI chip in your car, and suddenly Big Brother knows what you’re all about. And in that data collection is where Alphabet is going to thrive.


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It is a triumphant time for Neovia. The logistics company has won recognition as one of Britain's Healthiest Workplaces, a prestigious award cementing Neovia's status as an employee-driven company and the culmination of a long journey to their current status.
Employee experience, you've probably heard about it. It's a pretty hot topic of late.
We entered 'employee experience' into our favourite search engine and it delivered 350 million web results! We're one more employee experience article away from breaking the internet (Kim Kardashian would be jealous).
So, rather than sifting through the many search results we thought we'd save you a little bit of time (and sanity) by explaining the 'employee experience' to you. Why it matters and how the company can benefit from making its employees fall in love with everything it does.
During their time with a company, employees will go through two significant practices; engagement and experience. Now, in some cases, given the whole point of a job is getting the best out of an employee, these two practices may go hand in hand.
Others… not so much.
“We cannot allow free movement to carry on as it is” - Theresa May, UK Prime Minister
While the UK referendum has come and gone, it could be years before EU relations are fully dismantled and we can literally consider ourselves ‘out of the EU’. Of course, the referendum is not the only potential exiting that people should be concerned with. Another heavily debated issue – further amplified by the vote – is immigration. Not only in regards to the UK’s future stance on immigration, but the status of migrant workers currently living in the UK.


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In the past decade, impact investing has seen an exponential increase in emerging markets such as India, China, Philippines, and Vietnam – regardless of the risks involved. In this article, our Economic columnist attempts to identify the true driver of impact investment – a commercial opportunity for returns; or a Gen Zer’s guilty conscience?
The Covid-19 pandemic has added fuel to the fire of The Retail Apocalypse. Some of our favorite brands have decided to close up shop. Yet, some seem to be thinking ahead. Our Economic Columnist discusses ways tech, fashion, and coffee giants are strategically pivoting during the peak of the retail apocalypse.


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It's that generous time of year, when people get a warm, fuzzy feeling from buying gifts for their loved ones.
Or for themselves.
The practice of "self-gifting" is on the rise as retailers offer deep discounts in the days leading up to Christmas, reports the National Retail Federation.
Six in 10 Americans, or 59 percent, say they will take advantage of discounts over the holidays to buy non-gift items, according to the retail group's 2012 holiday spending survey. And those are only the ones who admit to it, said retail federation spokeswoman Kathy Grannis.
These shoppers plan to spend an average of $140 on themselves during the holidays, the most in the decade since shoppers have been surveyed about the trend.
In 2004, the average amount shoppers spent on non-gift items during the holidays was $89.
The one-for-them, one-for-me philosophy was on display last week in Sacramento-area malls.
"Everything is such a bargain out there, I can't resist," said Sacramento resident Patty Dill, who was shopping at Arden Fair mall.
Dill said she feels a slight pang of guilt when she fills her shopping bag with goodies for herself, but added, "I can live through the guilt."
Retailers know all about self-gifting. In recent years, they've targeted such shoppers by shifting markdowns more to the days before Christmas, rather than focusing on post-holiday sales.
Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year, is a prime example. Over Thanksgiving weekend, eight in 10 holiday bargain-hunters surveyed by the retail federation said they planned to scoop up online and in-store deals for non-gift uses.
"Black Friday was all about us," said Rose Cholewinski of Davis, who was shopping at Arden Fair recently with her 21-year-old daughter Krysten. "I don't think we bought anything for anyone else. We bought a TV. And clothes."
"Lots of clothes," Krysten agreed.
While overall holiday retail sales are brisker than in the past few years, retailers are slashing prices in the weeks just before Christmas to keep momentum going during the post-Thanksgiving lull.
Gift-giving in general seems to be on the upswing after several shaky economic years held consumers in check, Grannis said. That's good news for retailers, since some capture up to 40 percent of their business in the holiday season.
From 2007 to 2008, holiday sales dipped by 8 percent, and in 2009, it was about the same, Grannis said. Holiday sales in 2010 and 2011 started lumbering upward.
Consumers this year plan to spend more on people outside of families, Grannis said. The average person buying gifts for their "besties" this year will spend $104, up from $97 last year.
People buying presents for pets and "community acquaintances," such as postal workers and baby-sitters, will spend an average of $63 on each of those special people, up from $56 last year.
And even special co-workers can expect a little extra under the tree this year. Grannis said spending on colleagues will rise to more than $73, compared with $69 in 2011.
Figures released by the U.S. Commerce Department on Thursday suggested a solid start to the shopping season. Retail sales for November – excluding gasoline sales – rose by 0.8 percent from October. Online retailers posted particularly strong gains of 3 percent, and sales at electronics and appliance stores registered a 2.5 percent gain.
But some analysts say holiday spending may stall. Jeff Michael, an economist at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, said vigorous sales over Thanksgiving weekend and the early start to Black Friday may have drained some of the shopping demand from the rest of the run-up to Christmas.
Overall, he said, sales may top out slightly above last year, but with reports of a federal showdown over tax issues, shoppers are also getting skittish.
"There's a general weakness in consumer confidence, with the talk of federal cuts and what that could mean," Michael said. "Payroll tax deductions, Social Security taxes, extended unemployment benefits, these may all be severely curtailed. They are all on the chopping block in January, and that could take a chunk out of the revenue stream. That is weighing on consumer psychology."
Sacramento-area retailers may get a boost from declining gas prices, which make consumers more comfortable, and with the easing of home foreclosures in the area.
"The real estate picture is improving, so people are more optimistic about the value of their homes," Michael said.
Still, he added, "We're a long way from having the home equity cash machine open up again."
Retailers are trying to keep the money rolling in by offering deep discounts.
That phenomenon wasn't lost on Bob and Diane Hirsch of Sacramento, who were strolling through Arden Fair on a recent holiday shopping trip.
"There are better sales this year than I've ever seen," declared Bob Hirsch. "It's a good time for shopping. The weather is nice, and people will be able to choose from some very nice gifts."
Hirsch also noticed a dearth of customers at the mall, following national trends. The International Council of Shopping Centers reported a slowdown of shopping in malls, compared with this time last year.


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Isolating computers from the Internet, called "air gapping," is considered one of the best ways to defend critical systems and their sensitive data from cyberattacks, but researchers have found that can be undermined using an all-in-one printer.
A cyberespionage group operating out of Russia has launched malware attacks against the Ukrainian government and at least one U.S.-based organization through a previously unknown vulnerability that affects most versions of Windows.
The CEO of a Pakistani company has been indicted in the U.S. for selling a product called StealthGenie that buyers could use to monitor calls, texts, videos and other communications on other people's mobile phones, the U.S. Department of Justice said...
Salesforce.com users are being targeted by a new version of a computer Trojan that has typically attacked online banking customers until now.
A group of hackers known for past cyberespionage attacks against the U.S. Defense Industrial Base, as well as companies from the electronics and engineering sectors, has recently started using a backdoor program to target Mac OS X systems.
Cybercriminals are increasingly infecting computers with malware that resides only in memory in order to make their attacks harder to detect.
Attackers deploy Web-based reconnaissance tool to gather information about potential targets in different industries
The cybercriminal gang behind the Kelihos botnet is tricking users into installing malware on their computers by appealing to pro-Russian sentiments stoked by recent international sanctions against the country.
Cybercriminals are using a new information-stealing malware program to target companies from the automobile industry in Europe, security researchers warned.
A group of attackers with links to the Chinese hacking underground has been targeting companies from the entertainment and video game industries for years with the goal of stealing source code.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital privacy rights group, has released a downloadable plugin for Chrome and Firefox designed to stop third parties from tracking people's Web browsing.
A new Trojan program designed to steal log-in credentials and other financial information from online banking websites is being advertised to cybercriminal groups on the underground market.
Police from eight countries together with several private security companies disrupted the online infrastructure used by cybercriminals to control computers infected with a malware program called Shylock.
There is yet another reason to be wary of spam email about bank transfers or invoices -- it could be carrying a new, cleverly designed malware program that steals financial information.
A malware threat previously used in attacks against energy sector companies is now being aimed at organizations that use or develop industrial applications and machines.
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For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
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My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
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DTLA - The signs are everywhere. Literally. From a string of spaces in developer Hanover Company’s South Park apartment buildings, to the base of the office tower at 615 W. Sixth St., to the Spring Arcade Building in the Historic Core, the “Retail For Lease” signs have bloomed across Downtown Los Angeles.
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The surge of both new development and upgraded older buildings in Downtown has brought not only thousands of residents, but hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail space. This comes as a number of high-profile stores have already opened and found a clientele, with chains such as H&M and Zara settling in the FIGat7th shopping center, and Urban Outfitters and Ross Dress for Less landing on Broadway.
The residential rise and the new retail arrivals have a number of market analysts and Downtown stakeholders feeling rosy about the future. In their eyes, the “For Lease” signs hint at further growth and additional activity.
Others, however, are urging caution. While local real estate experts are not using the B word — bubble — more than one pointed to storefronts in seemingly attractive areas that have stood empty for six months or longer, whether because of supply issues or price. This comes as a wave of huge retail projects are on the horizon.
Avison Young Principal Derrick Moore has been helping fill retail space in Downtown for a decade, and he’s among the first to laud the real estate boom. Yet he remains concerned that landlords both new and old are asking for rents that will prove unsustainable in the long run.
“Simply put, residential density hasn’t caught up to pricing,” Moore said. “The pricing for retail space is better suited for a more mature market, because it’s too expensive. A lot of new tenants are coming here, but there’s a lot being left on the table.”
Rents, much like housing costs, are largely determined by supply and demand. While some observers blame landlords or developers for jacking up prices and kicking out older tenants, there’s only so much a property owner can ask for before they hit the limits of the market, said longtime Downtown developer Yuval Bar-Zemer, principal of the firm Linear City.
[Feature: The Rising Cost of Living Downtown]
That said, Bar-Zemer sees increasingly aggressive deals that he believes are likely to backfire for landlords and tenants alike.
“The inflation of rent has been so radical that whoever entered in the last two years is probably the most vulnerable,” Bar-Zemer said. “Within the next year, we’re gonna see casualties.”
Asking retail rents in Downtown have increased from an average of $2.16 per square foot in the first quarter of 2013 to $2.85 in the same period this year, according to an analysis by real estate firm CBRE. Though prices are rising, they still lag submarkets such as West Los Angeles (averaging a staggering $7.31 per square foot) and Mid-Wilshire ($3.55).
Although the “For Lease” signs are spread across the community, major shopping centers are filled. The CBRE report found that the vacancy rate in Downtown malls with more than 50,000 square feet of space is just 3.1%, tied for the lowest in the Greater L.A. region. What’s more, absorption of new retail space remains strong, said Petra Durnin, research and analysis director for CBRE.
Although at least eight projects with a major retail component are in the pipeline (see sidebar), Durnin is bullish on the future.
“Even between the large projects we track like the Arts District’s At Mateo and the ground-floor retail space in housing complexes coming online, there’s plenty of room to grow in Downtown. The residential and employment base hasn’t hit its ceiling and that’s only a good thing for retail,” Durnin noted. “We’ve seen a lot of product come online, but overall, it still remains pretty low.”
The Downtown Center Business Improvement District’s second-quarter market report shows similar optimism. It found a 4% vacancy rate overall, down from 6% in the BID’s report from the end of 2015.
That’s a big reason why landlords, especially in new projects, are asking for prices far beyond the $3 mark, said Avison Young’s Moore. Demanding $5-$7 per square foot is becoming common, he said, with some mega-projects looking for per-square-foot rents upwards of $10, with an eye toward luxury shops and brands with international cachet.
Some of the hottest action in the past two years has come in the Arts District’s retail market, which Bar-Zemer calls “hyperinflated.” He thinks it could be a barometer for other areas of Downtown.
“There’s a sense of scarcity where people think they have to open a store Downtown, and that typically drives an escalation of rents and expectations. Existing landlords that had $1.50 per square foot, if they hear a rumor of $3 around them, that sets an internal standard,” he said. “Plus, new projects are coming to the market with the advice of brokers, but I think pricing is higher than the market can afford. It’s a formula for disaster.”
Not all retail space is financed and marketed the same. National housing developer Forest City is looking for rents in the $3.50-$4 per square foot range in its coming Blossom Plaza complex in Chinatown. While that is high for the neighborhood, the company isn’t relying on its 18,000 square feet of retail as a major component of turning a profit, said Vice President of Development Frank Frallicciardi.
“We choose a realistic approach when underwriting retail,” he said. “When you have hundreds of units of apartments, a little per-square-foot boost in income from those is far more impactful.”
Getting financing from hesitant partners in a post-recession climate may have inspired some developers to push their estimates of how much retail rent could boost the bottom line, said Rob Murphy, vice president of the structured finance group at real estate firm Transwestern. There are other factors in play, such as lagging foot traffic in certain neighborhoods and parking shortages, he added.
Moore has noticed the same problems, and believes high rents are turning away prospective brands, especially mid-market ones like outlet shops or Pottery Barn.
“Brands aren’t taking chances. It’s about $250-$300 a foot for the build-out for the tenant. So then they have to subsidize costs to get customers,” he said. “An increase in the minimum wage is also going to kick in. After that, how are you going to justify $5-$7 a square foot?”
Moore believes this is why Downtown is seeing an influx of high-end boutiques filling small spaces — think of the corner of Ninth Street and Broadway near the Ace Hotel — rather than more mid-market options. He calls it an “atypical trend.”
Changing the Mindset
As time goes on, property owners will need to adjust their expectations, said Hal Bastian, the former longtime head of economic development for the Downtown Center BID who now works as an independent business consultant. He added that property owners will need to work harder and invest more in research and marketing.
“If you build it expecting them to come, you are mistaken,” Bastian said. “The community could be doing better than it’s doing. It’s common through every real estate cycle. When markets get hot, people get overconfident and they stop doing the work.”
Then there’s the question of how gentrification in the retail market will change the character of Downtown.
[Feature: A Bruising Building Battle at Fourth and Hill]
The influential urban theorist Jane Jacobs supported the possibility of “good” gentrification. In her 1961 book The Death and Life of Great American Cities, she wrote that economic growth from within the community and from outsiders brings “new blood, new disposable income, and often helps the pride of the neighborhood because some things are visibly improved.”
Jacobs stressed, however, that economic diversity is key for the health of an urban core. Indeed, a number of Downtown stakeholders hope to see the community retain its mix of new and old, even if they themselves are agents of change.
“All the old stuff can’t stay the same, but it can’t all become new stock. Older uses is what makes Downtown unique compared to Santa Monica,” said Forest City Director of Development K.C. Yasmer. “Quite honestly, new concepts are trying to emulate pre-existing Downtown innovators.”
The irony of that is obvious, considering that plucky owner-operated shops and restaurants are less attractive to larger developers who want tenants with high revenues and a track record of success, Bastian noted. Fewer landlords seem willing to take a chance on less known, but possibly fresher, concepts, Moore added.
“A place like RiceBar or The Last Bookstore can’t get off the ground without rents even lower than what mid-range brands want,” he said. “We’re ultimately going to lose innovators. As a community, are we comfortable with that?”
That question weighs heavily on Sandy Bleifer, who founded the consulting firm DownTown Enterprises in 1995 and the real-estate business Downtown L.A. Realty in 2005.
The demographic of new residents moving to Downtown has a higher median income than in Beverly Hills, she said. Now a Venice resident and artist, Bleifer remarked how Abbot Kinney Boulevard has become home to major luxury and international brands, with some longtime property owners shutting their own independent businesses to collect big rents instead.
Bleifer is concerned with how difficult it will be to support offbeat tenants or less flashy uses in Downtown — she pointed to the difficulty in finding a long-term home for the Metro Charter Elementary School.
“One needs to wonder whether these new high-end retail trends will have a short shelf life and fizzle out in a downturn, or whether we are just being nostalgic for times past,” she said. “Maybe we just have to let it go.”
10 Coming Retail Additions
The Downtown Los Angeles retail scene has expanded in the past five years, but that’s nothing compared to what is proposed for the next five. There are more than a dozen projects either under construction or in the works that will have a major retail component. All told, Downtown could see more than a million additional square feet of retail and restaurant space. Here are 10 of the biggest projects:
Metropolis: The two-phase, $1 billion mega-project just north of L.A. Live will feature four towers sitting atop more than 70,000 square feet of retail space on two levels along Francisco Street. The first phase, a 350-room Indigo hotel and a 38-story condo tower, is slated to debut this year.
At Mateo: A massive office and retail complex is rising at Mateo and Palmetto streets in the Arts District. When it opens next March, it will tout 130,000 square feet of retail space and parking for 540 cars.
Row DTLA: Developer Atlas Capital is renovating the factory buildings and warehouses on 30 acres at Seventh and Alameda streets, with plans to ultimately have several hundred thousand square feet for retail, comprising about 100 shops and 15 restaurants.
The Bloc: The $180 million renovation of the old Macy’s Plaza from developer Ratkovich Company is nearly complete, with 400,000 square feet of retail in one of Downtown’s busiest corridors. Macy’s occupies 240,000 square feet square feet of space. The movie theater Alamo Drafthouse will open next year.
Wilshire Grand Tower: The tallest tower in Downtown is headed toward a March 2017 opening, and will debut with 45,000 square feet of retail space on its ground floor. Plans call for high-end dining and luxury shops.
Broadway Trade Center: The redevelopment of the huge building at 830 S. Hill St. is underway, with plans to create more than 70,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor and additional shopping, offices and hotel rooms above.
Oceanwide Plaza: The three-tower project from Chinese developer Oceanwide is rising in South Park. A 100-foot-tall podium will house an open-air shopping galleria with more than 166,000 square feet of retail space on two floors. It is on track to open in 2018.
Circa: Just south of Oceanwide Plaza is the two-tower Circa, which will create 48,000 square feet of retail space on its ground floor. It is slated to debut in late 2017.
Shenzhen Hazens South Park: Yet another Chinese-funded massive mixed-use development in South Park. The project from Shenzhen Hazens is scheduled to break ground in 2017 and create three towers (condos and hotel) with 80,000 square feet of retail just north of Oceanwide Plaza. The Luxe Hotel is there now.
City Market: The first phase is nearly ready to debut with 75,000 square feet of retail space at one of Downtown’s most ambitious developments. City Market could take two decades to complete, but plans ultimately call for 225,000 square feet of retail space.


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Fraser Ross has confirmed rumours that his Los Angeles boutique is in talks with Cheryl about a fashion collaboration.
If the negotiations reach a successful conclusion, Kitson would sell a line designed by the X Factor judge – something which could make her a household name in the US.
Ross, who helped to launch Victoria’s dVb fashion brand, told Now there is plenty of room for a “stylish, elegant, beautiful woman” like Cheryl on the US fashion scene.
The fashion supremo added: “Cheryl comes across as a team player, very likeable and professional.
“Would she be a bigger star over here than Victoria? I’m sure she would. She’s down to earth and likeable.”
The Daily Star previously suggested Cheryl would do far more than simply lend her name to a fashion line to be sold by Kitson.
She is also likely to design the range herself, as well as modelling the clothes in a high-profile advertising campaign for the store.


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Linder Village Development Approved
The Meridian City Council approved the Linder Village development this past week.
The approval comes after a year of public meetings and design changes.
Linder Village will be located at Chinden Boulevard/Linder Road, across from the existing Fred Meyer store.
The development will be built on 81 acres with a Winco grocery store as the anchor tenant.
Other approved uses include additional retail stores, office space, and two-story residential areas.
The Winco store will feature a new, attractive design that’s consistent with other stores in the development.
Winco stores are often accompanied by PetSmart and The Home Depot stores, but no other tenants have been announced.
The Winco store will have loading docks on the west side of the store vs. to eliminate backing to residential areas.
The Meridian Library District is currently in talks with the developer regarding plans for a 15,000 square foot branch library in the development.
Chinden Boulevard will be widened to five lanes to handle increased traffic from Linder Village and the new Costco store at Chinden Boulevard/Ten Mile Road.
Image Credit: Meridian Press


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Reflections on the 19th Annual Fash Bash at the Detroit Institute of Arts: Echoes of Black Brilliance Resonating in Gold
The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) hosted the 19th annual Fash Bash sponsored by Neiman Marcus on Thursday, solidifying its reputation as the heartbeat of Detroit’s fashion and cultural events. The Fash Bash, birthed originally in the womb of the iconic Fox Theatre two decades ago, now calls the iconic DIA its home, a fitting venue that mirrors the rich tapestry of art and culture intrinsic to Detroit.
Upon entering the DIA, attendees were met with a captivating ambiance, featuring a vibrant photo opportunity, strolling cocktails, appetizers, and melodic music. The evening pulsed with a blend of haute couture grace and spirited fervor. Attendees, adorned in their most exquisite attire, seamlessly melded into a night dedicated to the art of fashion.
Now, as we embark on the voyage through the 2023 Fash Bash, our compass will be set firmly on the rich tapestry of the Black experience. Every shimmering fabric, every poised stride on the runway, every resonating note of music was an echo of centuries-old tales, struggles, triumphs, and dreams. This wasn’t just a celebration of fashion; it held an undertone of the profound exploration of Black heritage, creativity, and resilience. Through this lens, the event transformed from a mere showcase of couture into a living, breathing narrative, capturing the essence of Black culture’s indomitable spirit and its immeasurable contributions to the world of art, fashion, and beyond. Thursday evening’s journey was more than a spectacle; it was a soulful immersion, a dance with history, and a poignant pause that reminded us that the present is indeed a gift.
The evening’s attire was a visual symphony of Black elegance and creativity. Men, standing tall and proud, wore suit jackets that seemed to capture the very essence of Detroit’s nights – glimmering and unpredictable. Women, queens in their own right, shimmered in evening gowns, each sparkle echoing tales of ancestors, dreams, and futures waiting to be written.
This year’s Art of Fashion runway show featured an assortment of the most distinguished Neiman Marcus brand partners like Carolina Herrera, Brunello Cucinelli, Tom Ford, Etro, Monique Lhullier, Dries Van Noten, Michael Kors, and more. The passionate vision of the Fash Bash has always been nurtured and fiercely protected by the Founders Junior Council. A collective of young professionals, they weave dreams and aspirations, connecting young souls to the sprawling embrace of the DIA, ensuring the heartbeat of Detroit’s art remains not only alive but fervently palpable.
Detroit, our beloved city, has always been the crucible of art, architecture, and fashion resonating deeply with its historic contributions and ongoing trailblazing by Black creatives. It stands as the epitome of Black contribution and excellence in the American narrative. Nationally, Black individuals have been pivotal in shaping and revolutionizing the realms of fashion and culture. From Harlem’s renaissance to Detroit’s rebirth, Black creatives have painted, sung, designed, and written tales of sorrow, joy, passion, and perseverance. On Thursday evening’s runway, Black models didn’t merely walk; they danced to the rhythm of history, their natural hair flowing like the Nile, paying homage to the strength and beauty of our roots. They exuded contemporary majesty, and their natural hairstyles – ranging from afros to French braids – highlighted the richness and versatility of Black culture, which remains an inspiration to many in the fashion world.
“All That Glitters is Gold,” the theme of the night, was a proclamation. With leaders like Dexter Mason president of the Founders Junior Council board of directors and Lane Coleman president of the DIA board of directors, both Black men, at the helm, was a reminder that our value isn’t determined by external validation but by the weight of our stories, struggles, and successes – a testament of what truly makes us golden.
Black women were also bursting out the seam as 2023 Fash Bash co-chairs Jenice and Jasmine Williams, alongside their mother, Denise Brooks-Williams, showed that leadership and legacy run deep in our veins. The echoing voices of Dr. Charles Boyd and his daughters from the previous year served as a testament that we, as a community, lift as we climb.
“Just our leadership, first and foremost are Black and my mom, myself, and my sister, we’re co-chairing together representing Black women and Black Detroiters,” said Jenice Williams. “We’re third generation Detroiters on both sides of our family, so the intentionality was very important for us. Being able to have our voices as Black women included and feeling like we really were heard and championed in this process has been a beautiful experience for me, so that has been my experience as a Black woman leading this work.”
Yet, this isn’t the inaugural moment where Black individuals have led as co-chairs for Fash Bash. In the previous year, Dr. Charles Boyd, alongside his five daughters, took the helm, paving the way for the familial leadership that the Williams embrace this year.
“The Boyd family were absolutely picture perfect last year,” Williams shared. “Dr. Charles Boyd and his five daughters co-chaired last year and that was a beautiful family experience that we were able to integrate this year – majority of our co-chairs are families, mothers and daughter duos.”
Beyond the lights, the glitter, and the music, Fash Bash served a noble cause – benefiting the DIA, a sanctuary of art. Through its corridors, you feel the pulse of Detroit, a city that has seen trials yet stands tall, shimmering in its brilliance. Fash Bash stands as a beacon of support for the DIA, facilitating personal connections to art for over 300,000 visitors each year. Since its beginning, this highly-anticipated event has garnered upwards of $4 million for the DIA.
Closing the night, DJ Donovan Glover brought the crowd to the dance floor with his vibrant beats, a musical journey echoing the rich tapestry of Black culture through line dancing including the renowned Detroit ballroom hustle to the intricate ‘pick up the money hustle,’ an ode to the true culture of Black Detroiters.
“Seeing the city come out and support an event such as this and seeing the diversity that we draw in as we celebrate fashion and creativity is such a pivotal moment for the city of Detroit,” echoed Jasmine Williams.
The 2023 Fash Bash wasn’t just an event; it was a narrative, a tale of Black beauty, resilience, and magnificence. Through its corridors and runways, we were reminded of who we are, where we come from, and where we’re headed. In the proud tapestry of Detroit and beyond, every thread, every color, every note sings of the Black experience – an unending symphony of power, passion, and promise.
Ebony JJ is a master journalist who has an extensive background in all areas of journalism with an emphasis on politics, community, and social justice. She serves as senior reporter and can be reached via email: firstname.lastname@example.org Keep in touch via IG: @thatssoebony_


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A quarter of all US surfers now regularly visit social networking sites, according to statistics released by the Consumer Internet Barometer.
Around half of these visit sites such as Facebook and MySpace on a daily basis, and a quarter log-on several times a day.
Among household members those aged 12 to 17 are more likely to be daily users, and 57 per cent say that they visit social networking sites at least once a day.
The Consumer Internet Barometer is based on a quarterly survey of 10,000 households and is produced by The Conference Board, a global business research and membership organisation.
"Online social networking is an integral part of many people's lives and a natural extension of our means of communication which the internet has created, " said Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board Consumer Research Center.
"The next growth wave will be expanding and incorporating these networks into our business lives."
Four out of five online consumers cited 'connecting with friends' as the number-one reason for visiting social networking sites.
About half of all users reported using sites like MySpace and Facebook to update and maintain their online profile, send email and connect with family.
At least one in five social network users logs on to blog or meet new people. Among the 30 and over working-age population, one in eight uses social networking sites to conduct business.
The spacecraft found traces of hydrogen and oxygen molecules, known as hydroxyls, embedded in the rocky surface of the asteroid
The skeleton was unearthed more than 20 years ago in South Africa
Moon's dark side is mountainous, rugged and never visible from the Earth
The groundwater basins in some areas of Tehran have been damaged irreversibly


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Sri Lanka launches innovative line of organic Kithul-based brewing and canning factory
Daily News: Raga an innovative line of organic, Kithul-based products brewing and canning factory was launched by Agri Deshiya (Pvt.) Ltd.– a local company at the Nalanda Ellawala Industrial Zone, Ratnapura committed to elevate Sri Lanka through value-added agricultural products for exports. For the first time the company made beer from toddy for the export market.
Driven by local innovation, sustainability and ethical production, all rāgā products are 100% natural, with no added preservatives. The technology partner, Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) has played a critical role in providing pioneering and unique technologies that have been incorporated at each step of the production process. The new facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, enabling rāgā products to revolutionise one of Sri Lanka’s most beloved yet, severely under-utilised foods: Kithul.
“We are extremely proud of the fact that, through rāgā, we have not just remained the potential of our island nation’s underappreciated agro-resources such as Kithul, but we have also paved the way for the traditional, village level Kithul tapping trade to become an internationally recognised industry,’’ said Prabath De Alwis, Chairman of Agri Deshiya (Pvt.) Ltd. The entire factory is also backed by internationally recognised standards such as ISO 22000 – Food Safety Management System, GMP and HACCP, in addition to the continuous quality testing conducted in-house.
Minister of Industries Wimal Weerawansa said that when the country needs dollars this export will help that cause.
“We do not want to send our women to work as housemaids in foreign countries. This is a time when people with wisdom and aspirations, and financial ability, are needed more and more in order to add value to what nature has given us in more than enough quantities. We are encouraging local industrialist enterprises of this nature that bring foreign exchange into the country while also generating employment.”
Sri Lanka’s manufacturing and exports sectors have shown a steady growth despite facing pandemic challenges. Among the growth in the manufacturing sector are the manufacturing of local industries. The impressive growth rates recorded by Sri Lanka’s manufacturing and exports sectors have been supported by the many trade agreements as well as concessions enjoyed by the country. Sri Lanka’s Exports Development Board is engaged in many programmes to develop local industries as well as source products to export markets. With Sri Lanka’s manufacturing and exports sectors on an upward path, foreign businesses/investors could explore the growing opportunities in Sri Lanka’s manufacturing and exports sectors.
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The Facebook IPO last Friday was a major milestone event for the social media industry and helped legitimize the market financial bonafides. Its $104 billion valuation speaks volumes about the market potential, and this rising tide has the ancillary benefit of lifting all other boats in the social media space.
Instagram has been the biggest story as of late, with its lofty $1 billion acquisition by Facebook. For a 3-year old company with no profits, it’s an eye-popping number – but one that makes sense when you understand that one of its core value propositions is passionate usage via mobile devices.
Mobile is quickly becoming the next frontier in social, and with the average person spending more time on their favorite social networks on their mobile devices than on their PCs.
While Instagram didn’t invent social photo sharing, it did reinvent the experience and help it resonate on a more emotional level among users by capturing a certain style – even nostalgia – with its various photo treatments. It is only natural given Instagram’s success that the tech community would look for a similar evolution in social video-sharing.
Most of us are probably familiar with social video sharing, even if we don’t recognize all of the services rapidly entering this space. The main ones popping up in my Facebook Newsfeed of late are Socialcam, Viddy, and Chill.
The simple apps can be downloaded to your smartphone, and you can go from recording a video, to editing it with cool music and a retro look, to posting it to your social media feeds instantaneously. It’s no surprise that many of these catchy videos are quickly going viral.
Based on how ubiquitous these services have become almost overnight, we can expect the VC money will be flowing in and some leading Internet companies might begin thinking acquisition.
As we saw with Instagram, establishing a leadership position is critical and it is no different in the fast-emerging video-sharing market. If your offering is somewhat similar to the others (think Hipstamtic to Instagram), then which metrics are most important?
While active users are the ultimate test, in the gold rush days of a new market it’s critical to acquire those potential users, making app downloads and registered users especially important. Although there are plenty of organic ways to increase your user base, there is no substitute for press and celebrity adoption to drive huge spikes in interest.
If you’ve ever wondered why public figures get paid thousands of dollars for product related tweets, or PR professionals fall all over themselves to get a write up in the right publication, the Socialcam and Viddy search data should answer your question.
Prior to April 2012, there was almost no discernible interest in Socialcam or Viddy being expressed in terms of searches. But then Facebook announced its Instragram acquisition on April 9 and suddenly the universe goes crazy, with every reporter and pundit speculating about the next billion-dollar startup.
It took about 5 minutes before stories on Gizmodo, The New York Times, and CNET popped up around Socialcam. You can see the impact that such media attention had on branded search volume for “Socialcam”:
Although Socialcam seemed to get the most of the post-Instagram press, it was Viddy that benefited from direct celebrity investment and even indirect endorsement.
The largest spike in Viddy’s search activity coincided with announcements by major celebrities that they were investing in Viddy, including Shakira and Jay-Z, as well as an indirect endorsement by Mark Zuckerberg signing up for the service and posting a video of his dog, Beast.
Search ends up offering a strong reflection of the media and cultural buzz that comes with the territory of being cast as ‘the next big thing.’ And while search can help direct new users to these services, whether they fulfill that promise has much more to do with the quality of the experience and meeting the needs of the customer. So, will SocialCam or Viddy be the one eventually anointed the Instagram of video? Only time – and search – will tell.


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Yesterday afternoon I received and email from one of our most loyal readers. BoB was quick to let me know that his Samsung Chromebook Plus was downloading an update as he typed the email. I quickly responded and told him I was eager to see if Chrome OS 58 was finally coming to the Android-enabled Chromebooks and that I looked forward to his report.
Sure enough, not ten minutes later, BoB messaged me back excited to share the news. The Samsung Chromebook Plus has officially updated to the latest version of Chrome OS. I immediately took to the web and pinged other Chromies with Android-enabled devices that had been left out of the recent roll-out.
As of this morning, we can confirm that the Acer Chromebook R11, ASUS Flip C100, AOpen Chromebox Mini and of course, the Samsung Chromebook Plus are all updating to version 58.0.3029.112 of Chrome OS. While this update didn’t bring any major changes, users have been anxious to receive the latest version. Many have expressed concerns among forums, reddit threads and even here on Chrome Unboxed surrounding the delay.
Thankfully, it looks like most, if not all of us, are on the same page now. All of this just in time for tomorrows start of Google I/O 2017 where we are sincerely hoping to hear more on the state of Chrome OS and Android Apps. We’ll be watching live and you can too. Check out the live stream here and join the discussion in the comments section or on Twitter. #GoogleIO
*UPDATE– We have now confirmed that the Acer Chromebook R13 has been added to the list receiving the update to 58. This is great news as the R13 seems to have been left in the dark since it’s release last year.
Special thanks to BoB for keeping us in the loop.


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The iPhone 14 Pro might feature a larger camera bump
Bigger camera, bigger bump. Funny how that works…
Any dreams of the iPhone 14 having a flat back unmarred by a camera bump are now dead. New CAD renders shared by Max Weinbach show that the camera bump is still here, and it’s even bigger than before.
It’s not just the camera bump that’s getting, ahem, a bump in size. The overall thickness of the iPhone 14 Pro models is also increasing. That makes the total thickness 12.02mm if these renders are accurate.
Compare that to the iPhone 12 Pro, which is just over 11mm thick in total. Yes, Apple’s usual mantra of “less is more” when talking about slimness isn’t in effect here. Why?
Well, to answer that question is the ever-dependable Ming-Chi Kuo. He took to Twitter over the weekend to explain exactly why. Long story short, it’s the new 48-megapixel camera.
READ MORE: How much is the iPhone 14?
That’s a big sensor, and the physics involved to get optimal image quality means it needs more space for the camera lens.
So, a slightly thicker device is made to look like it has a thinner camera bump by increasing the depth of the rest of the handset.
That’s good news, as it will be both easier to carry while having a little more space for the battery.
The upshot of all of this? Expect the next Apple phone to look very much like the iPhone 13 Pro. Smaller bezels around the screen and the removal of the ‘notch’ are also expected. Allegedly.
Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.
- Apple TV Plus becomes first streaming service to win Best Picture at the Oscars
- Apple might offer subscriptions for iPhones and more in 2023
- Google I/O 2022 kicks off May 11 – Android 13, Pixel 6a, and everything else to expect
- Google Pixel Watch: news, rumors, price, release date, features, and everything you need to know


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Speaking at a summit organised by industry chamber, PHDCCI, Sinha, emphasized the contribution of the Indian steel industry to the country's economy, accounting for over 2% of the GDP. He highlighted the transformative potential of Industry 4.0 for the steel sector, which has already propelled India to become the second-largest global crude steel producer within a short span.
He urged the Indian steel industry to explore global opportunities, particularly for secondary steel players, and mentioned various avenues for support and training available through institutes under the ministry's purview.
Vijay Mittal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India, discussed the Ministry’s role as the nodal ministry for Industry 4.0. He highlighted the SAMARTH centers, which aim to enhance competitiveness by promoting Industry 4.0 adoption among MSMEs. Over 70,000 MSMEs and industries have already registered with these centers. He stressed the importance of transitioning from conventional manufacturing to Industry 4.0, especially for MSMEs, and finding cost-effective solutions for this transition.
Nitin Jain, Co-Chair, New Age Business Committee, PHDCCI & Co-Founder, Ofbusiness, noted that while large OEMs are already Industry 4.0 compliant, the focus should be on helping MSMEs transition into this new era of manufacturing. He highlighted India's increasing steel production and the need to leverage Industry 4.0 to enhance steel exports. However, challenges such as high raw material costs and slow industry adoption of Industry 4.0 remain. He emphasized the importance of investing in new-age technologies for long-term benefits.
Ravi Gupta, Co-Chair, Minerals & Metals Committee, PHDCCI, discussed how Industry 4.0 has transformed manufacturing by reducing costs, improving quality, and enhancing efficiency through automation. He highlighted the safety and security benefits of these technologies and their role in informed decision-making for businesses.
Thursday, 07 Dec, 2023
- Adani Looks to Buy SP Group’s Gopalpur Ports
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, India’s biggest maritime company by market capitalization, is in advanced talks to acquire Shapoorji Pallonji Group’s Gopalpur Ports in Odisha for up to ₹1,100-1,200 crore in equity value as part of a string-of-pearls strategy that involves owning considerable facilities along both eastern and western water margins.Cars, 2-wheelers Tow Vehicle Sales to a High
Vehicle registrations, a proxy for retail sales, rose 18% on-year last month to their highest level, amid robust festive demand. As many as 2.85 million vehicles were registered in November, surpassing the previous peak of 2.41 million in November 2022, according to Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) data.Japan Big on India’s Consumer Mkt, Mfg
Japanese companies see India as a credible long-term partner for manufacturing as well as a top consumer market, Masahiro Goto, global head of investment banking at Nomura, told Swaraj Dhanjal in an interview.


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Microsoft has announced that the next Xbox Games Showcase will take place this month, July 23rd. After the recent Inside Xbox that offered the spotlight for third-party studios, this upcoming event will be centered all about Xbox’s own gaming studios and their titles for the Xbox Series X.
The cat and mouse play between Sony and Microsoft is heating up. After Microsoft steering the entire next-gen conversation for months, Sony put their put onto the tracks in a massive way last month. In their Future of Gaming event, Sony not only blew viewers away with the unveiling of the PS5 console design but the show was chock-full of exciting game reveals.
Now, it’s Microsoft’s turn once again to win over the mind share for next-gen with the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase. And as the title already implies, it’s all about games baby! The aspect Microsoft has been criticized the most. Microsoft and the Xbox team have a lot to prove after the somewhat disappointing Inside Xbox event that was lacking in both major game appearances and actual gameplay.
As such, we expect the Xbox Games Showcase to deliver on all fronts in those regards. After all, Microsoft openly admitted to its past mistakes and promised to improve according to fan feedback. And if it’s one thing Xbox gamers are yearning for, it’s mind-blowing first-party games. An area where the Xbox has been arguably struggling the most against its most direct competitor Sony.
With the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase focusing on the talent of the Xbox Game Studios, we are expecting major game announcements. One heavy hitter that is confirmed to make an appearance is Halo Infinite. Arguably the biggest Xbox Series X launch title that is also poised to take the iconic franchise into an interesting new direction. But there are plenty more surprises left with which we could be surprised.


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Indonesia moves closer to FLEGT licences22 April 2016
Indonesia is moving closer to being the first nation to start a licensing scheme for legal timber exports to the EU as part of the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) process.
WWF has welcomed an announcement by the EU and Indonesian government on April 21 which states that the EU and Indonesia are ready to move towards starting the licensing of timber exports.
The announcement was made by Indonesian president Joko Widodo, European Commission president Jean Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk.
The announcement is based on the joint assessment that Indonesia is fully ready to implement the Indonesia EU Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), based on the inclusion of all relevant product groups in the scope of the agreement, which effectively overcomes the final hurdle to licensing being implemented.
FLEGT-licensed products automatically meet the requirements of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which prohibits EU operators from placing illegally harvested timber and timber products on the EU market.
Indonesia supplies 33% of the EU’s tropical timber imports by value.
The EU-Indonesia VPA is one of 15 such agreements the EU is negotiating or implementing with timber producing countries in South East Asia and Africa.
Together these countries cover 24% of the world's tropical forests and supply 80% of the EU’s tropical timber imports.
Beatrix Richards, WWF’s head of corporate stewardship and sustainable commodities, welcomed the news.
“Thanks to years of work and commitment at local, national and global level, Indonesia’s people, businesses and wildlife face a brighter future,” she said.


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Straw Hat Pizza Franchise News
Browse the latest corporate news from Straw Hat Pizza.
Straw Hat Pizza, the original California Pizza since 1959, is proud to announce it will celebrate "Honor Our Heroes Month" during the month of May to serve as a reminder of Memorial Day and provide appreciation and recognition to members of the Armed Forc
Straw Hat Pizza, the original 'California Pizza' since 1959, announced it has earned the 185th spot on the "2011 Franchises in Social Media Ranking: Franchises on Facebook" by franchisehelp.com. According to the ranking, Straw Hat Pizza is named as one of
Straw Hat Pizza, the original California Pizza since 1959, announced plans to open several new franchised locations in California in the first quarter of 2011. Alameda, Chatsworth, Livermore, Sacramento, San Jose, San Pablo and Vallejo will each boast a n
Straw Hat Restaurants Celebrates 50th Anniversary in July with Plans to Double in Size by End of 2010
As Straw Hat Pizza Restaurants celebrates its 50th anniversary in July, it is announcing aggressive plans to double in size to more than 100 eateries by the end of 2010. Straw Hat, which has historically been in California, is embarking on a national...
Ho, ho, ho...Santa's got an extra gift this holiday season for Straw Hat diners. Despite tough economic times, Santa and his team are turning Straw Hat's 58 stores into a "Candy Land" thanks to a special promotion where children, young and old, will...
Straw Hat Restaurants Rise Above Economic Slowdown to Roll out Nationally California-Based Chain to Nearly Double in Size and Open New Restaurant in A
Despite tough economic times, Straw Hat Restaurants plans to nearly double in size by the end of 2009, with roughly 42 new eateries in the pipeline. The 58-store chain, which has historically been in California, is embarking on a national expansion to...
Straw Hat Pizza Case Study: In Shaky Economic Times, California Franchisor Rides the Wave of Success to Significance
In a shaky economy, as more people interested in running a business turn to franchising, California pizza maker Straw Hat Pizza is boasting a built-in roadmap to success, one that has driven business growth up 30 percent in the last six months to 52...
Straw Hat Pizza Serves up a New Twist to Traditional PR Campaigns With a Cutting-edge Approach to Social Media
Good news, Internet savvy pizza lovers. Straw Hat is serving up a fresh heaping of PR with Internet goodness.
Straw Hat Pizza was named one of the "hottest franchises" when America's Hottest Franchises (AHF), a show celebrating the best and brightest franchise opportunities presented its inaugural awards on its pilot show.
Sign-up and we will contact you when Straw Hat Pizza franchise opportunities become available on Franchising.com.


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Networking analyst Ryan Hutchinson, formerly with Pacific Crest Securities, today makes his debut at Guggenheim Securities, initiating on nine names, with his most positive words reserved for those he sees as “high growth secular share gainers,” those being F5 Networks (FFIV), Ruckus Wireless (RKUS), and Infoblox (BLOX).
Hutchinson notes that “mature” vendors did better as far as stock performance last year, and offers that “We believe that investors should revisit growth companies, around which sentiment has been negative – In our view, investors should seek out secular share gainers with superior market positioning.”
Among the large trends he sees, software is taking over from hardware as cloud computing and software-defined networking (SDN) take over from hardware as the focus, and there is another wave of M&A that is commencing:
New technologies, architectures, and delivery models are disrupting traditional business models as enterprise seek ways to reduce IT capex and opex. These include cloud computing, software-defined architectures, network function virtualization, white box hardware, and open-source software – Historical partnerships between legacy IT vendors are losing relevance – Software will continue to eat away at hardware. “Cloud titans” (e.g., Facebook, Google, and Microsoft) have led the charge, but the broader enterprise is close behind • We expect continued consolidation, restructuring, and reorganization of the IT landscape, with activists leading the charge. Our coverage list is a tale of two cities: high growth secular share gainers versus slow growth technology value plays. We are neutral on the data networking and communications space and believe that investors should pick their spots carefully, but there are hidden gems to be found; we recommend secular share gainers.
Regarding the “next wave of consolidation,” Hutchinson writes,
M&A in this group was active in 2009–2010 with Data Domain, Compellent, Isilon, and others acquired – In our view, Thomas Bravo’s acquisition of Riverbed and HP’s purchase of Aruba Networks kick-started the beginning of the next cycle of M&A.
Reviewing his top three picks, Hutchinson writes,
Today, shares of Infoblox are up 13 cents, or half a percent, at $23.95; Ruckus is up 16 cents, or 1.3%, at $12.33; and F5 is up $1.36, or 1.2%, at $113.59.
Shares of BlackBerry (BBRY) are up 26 cents, or 3%, at $9.56, after the company this morning reported fiscal Q4 revenue that missed analysts’ expectations but also beat on the bottom line with a surprise profit.
Revenue in the three months ended in February fell 32%, year over year, to $660 million, yielding EPS of 4 cents.
Analysts had been modeling $778 million and a 4-cent loss.
Gross profit margin slipped from 51.7% in the prior quarter and 56.7% to 48.2%.
Operating loss in the quarter improved to $106 million from a $139 million loss in the prior quarter and a $537 million loss a year earlier, while income from investments of $105 million helped the company come close to operating profitability.
BlackBerry had sales of 1.3 million handsets, making up 42% of its revenue, with 47% of revenue from services and 10% from software. The company worked down inventory, with actual sell-through of 1.6 million handsets, which analysts noted was down from 1.9 million a year earlier.
31% of revenue came from North America, 43% from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, 9% from Latin America, and 17% from Asia-Pacific.
BlackBerry had positive cash flow of $76 million, it said, versus cash burn of $784 million in the year-earlier quarter.
CEO John Chen, speaking on a conference call following the report, said the company had completed one phase of its transformation and was moving on to the next:
Our software business had a particularly strong quarter, growing 24% quarter-over-quarter and 20% on a year-over-year basis. With the fourth quarter under our belt, we are now halfway through our two-year turnaround effort, and I’m very pleased to report that our financial house is in order. Our cash balance reached $3.27 billion, now matches the highest balance in the Company history, which we last achieved in May of 2010 and an increase of $608 million compared to the end of FY14. Our financial viability is no longer in question. We are now turning our attention to revenue stabilization, or staying cash flow positive, and achieving sustainable profitability sometime starting this year, this fiscal year. So we will accomplish this by growing our high-margin software business and focus on profitability in the device business.
Regarding its outlook, BlackBerry said merely that it “continues to anticipate positive free cash flow.”
In early responses from the Street, RBC Capital’s Mark Sue, who earlier this week predicted a big top-line miss by the company, this morning reiterates a Sector Perform rating, and an $11 price target, writing that the gross profit was ”below our 55.5% estimate, yet represented the third quarter in a row of positive hardware gross margins with the higher mix of Foxconn-manufactured smartphones, weighed somewhat by the timing of new device launches.”
Adds Sue, ”Services dropped -15% QoQ to $310M, broadly in line with our estimate for $311M (-15% QoQ). The services miss may continue to sustain lingering concerns about BlackBerry’s declining subscriber base.”
Maynard Um of Wells Fargo reiterates a Market Perform rating, and a $9.50 to $10.50 “valuation range,” writing that the gross profit of 48.3% was below his own 51% estimate, and “our first take would suggest Hardware gross margins declined sequentially despite an implicit higher mix of BB10 devices.”
Amitabh Passi with UBS reiterates a Neutral rating, and a $10 price target, writing that the hardware number was below his own 1.5 million-unit expectations. He wrote investors should focus on Chen’s remarks about the software business.
Cowen & Co.’s Bryan Prohm reiterates a Market Perform rating, and a $10 price target, writing that “The magnitude of the Hardware miss suggests smartphones may prove a less significant F2016 growth driver than expected.”
Citigroup’s Ehud Gelblum, reiterating a Sell rating, writes the revenue number was “very weak,” missing even his low $696 million estimate. The unit shipments for devices were a little better than his 1.2 million estimate, but below the Street’s 1.86 million consensus.
Facebook (FB) shares today rose 9 cents to close at $83.01 as the Street contemplated the various enhancements and partnerships for its “Messenger” program announced yesterday by CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the company’s “F8″ developer conference in San Francisco yesterday.
Other announcements followed today, such as discussion of the forthcoming consumer release of the Oculus Rift virtual reality gear; something called “FbStart,” a program to sign up developers and offer them tools such as “Parse,” an Internet-of-things development library; and something called “Share Sheet,” to allow users to link content across various parts of the Facebook empire, including Instagram and WhatsApp.
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey’s Rob Peck reiterates a Buy rating, writing that Messenger and such apps are “the new portal” for the Web, and that coupled with things like a payments service, it can mean a lot of additional revenue for Facebook:
Internet 1.0 was popularized by portals like Yahoo! and AOL. The traditional portal was where everyone started their day. On PC, Facebook eventually morphed into a portal-like service. On mobile however, it is different – Messaging is becoming the next generation of portals. Consumers start their day checking messages, they are also consuming more and more general news, pictures, and videos. Moving across the verticals, one of the next logical steps is eCommerce and payments, which Messenger Platform would enable. Further, Facebook would not only help create deeper relationships for brands, but have access to direct sales information, “closing the loop” in advertising allowing Facebook to demonstrate direct ROI from various types of ads. Lastly, enabling app discovery through Messenger could also present further monetization opportunities. We estimate that the eCommerce and Payment opportunity alone could present a >$2B opportunity.
Peck likes the IoT implications of Parse:
With over 400K developers and 1.4B users, we believe the Parse technology that helps connect these devices has the potential to make Facebook the “OS” for them, as they track and communicate information to consumers via Facebook.
Piper Jaffray‘s Gene Munster reiterates an Overweight rating, and a $92 price target.
It’ll be a little bit before the Oculus device contributes meaningfully to the company’s financials, but it won’t hurt to have the “hype” in the meantime:
We believe VR is the next distributive platform in computing. At F8, Oculus talked about a new level of social interaction (you can be anywhere with anyone, virtually) as a core utility of VR.We expect the price will be between $200-$400, plus a high performance graphics computer, which will be around $1,000 (all-in cost of $1,200-$1,400). Along with this consumer hardware launch, we expect compelling content to ramp early in 2016, which should set the stage for a favorable earlier adopter Oculus buy-in. We expect mainstream adoption in 5-plus years as the all-in cost approaches $200-$400. Oculus Rift is a significant long term (5+ years) opportunity for Facebook, but we believe that before Oculus impacts Facebook’s financials investor hype around the opportunity could move shares of FB higher.
Stifel Nicolaus’s Scott Devitt reiterates a Buy rating today, and a $97 price target, writing that Facebook has become a family of businesses:
Facebook’s evolution from a single core app into a family of unbundled apps that each attract hundreds of millions of users each month marks the company’s biggest shift in strategy in many years. Facebook’s core application is used by 1.4B people every month, but Groups (700mm), WhatsApp (700mm), Messenger (600mm), and Instagram (300mm) each carry impressive reach in their own right.
Devitt is especially intrigued by the Facebook’s intention to spread use of Messenger, and of third-party applications built on top of it, to the business community:
Facebook’s biggest announcement was that Messenger would be opened up as a platform for 3rd parties. Developers can now build richer tools for expression in Messenger than Facebook could have built itself, which can provide enhanced discovery, distribution, and attribution for their apps. More than 40 such apps for Messenger built by notable 3rd parties (including ESPN) are expected to launch in the coming days. Messenger for businesses could potentially become an even more compelling enhancement to the product, as Facebook will provide a streamlined way for users to communicate with businesses and track receipts / shipping info after their purchases.
Shares of video game retailer Gamestop (GME) are down
89 cents, or 2.3%, at $37.90 $1.91, or 5%, at $36.88, in late trading, after the company this afternoon missed fiscal Q4 revenue and earnings expectations, and forecast this quarter’s results, as well as the full year, lower as well.
Revenue in the three months ended in January fell 6%, year over year, to $3.48 billion, yielding EPS of $2.15.
The Street had, on average, been modeling $3.61 billion and $2.16 per share.
Sales declined with the overall drop in gaming hardware purchases, the company said, though sales of software and consumer electronics goods rose.
CEO Paul Raines noted the company’s share gains in game sales, while resolving to take more share this year:
2014 was a year of continued growth, diversification and expansion of the GameStop family of specialty retail brands. In our core video game business, we achieved our highest market share in history with 28% share of next-generation hardware, 46% share of next-generation software and an estimated 42% share of downloadable content. Meanwhile, our Technology Brands segment exceeded expectations, contributing 5% to our operating income and to our highest-ever annual gross margin of 29.9%, as we rapidly expanded the footprint of our AT&T wireless and Apple retail businesses. Together, core gaming and Technology Brands drove an 8% growth in operating earnings and 16% earnings per share growth. For 2015, we are focused on maintaining and growing market share in physical and digital gaming and, based on their superior returns, expanding our portfolio of Technology Brands by 350 to 550 stores.
For the current quarter, the company sees revenue in a range of down 2% to up 1%, and EPS of 53 cents to 60 cents. The Street has been modeling sales to be up 6.8%, at $2.13 billion, with EPS of 66 cents.
For the full year, the company sees revenue in a range of down 1% to up 4%, and EPS of $3.60 to $3.80. That compares to the average Street estimate for sales to rise 6%, to $10 billion, and EPS of $4.05.
Shares of Linux and open-source software distributor Red Hat (RHT) are up $3.52, over 5%, at $71.97, in late trading, after the company this afternoon reported fiscal Q4 revenue and earnings per share that topped analysts’ expectations, and set a new $500 million share repurchase plan.
Revenue in the three months ended in February rose 16%, year over year, to $464 million, yielding EPS of 43 cents, excluding some costs.
Analysts had been modeling $457 million and 41 cents per share.
CEO Jim Whitehurst called the results “strong,” noting “increased cross-selling in our top 30 deals which were all over $2 million for the first time.”
Added Whitehurst, “We believe that our strategic position as a trusted provider of infrastructure and our execution this past year have positioned us for strong constant currency revenue growth in the next fiscal year.”
Red Hat management will host a conference call with analysts at 5 pm, Eastern time, this evening, and you can catch a webcast of it on the company’s investor relations home page.
Update: Following the earnings release, Red Hat announced its board authorized a $500 million repurchase plan, following on $1 billion worth of purchases in over the past 4 years.
Red Hat plans to make purchases “from time to time on the open market or in privately negotiated transactions.”
Update: During the call, Red Hat projected Q1 revenue of $469 million to $474 million, below the average estimate of analysts of $476 million. EPS is projected at 41 cents, matching consensus.
The stock has held onto gains, currently up $3.55, over 5%, at $72, in late trading.
Shares of telecom software provider Sonus Networks (SONS) closed down $4.46, or 34%, at $8.70, and are up 5 cents at $8.75, in late trading, after the company slashed its outlook this morning, citing missed orders, and received three downgrades.
One fellow coming to the stock’s defense was James Kisner of Jefferies & Co., who reiterated a Buy rating on the shares, and a $25 price target, calling the report “ugly,” but adding that “while these results are obviously very disappointing, we still believe in the longer term story.”
Unlike William Blair‘s Dmitry Netis, who opined that competition from Oracle (ORCL) and others may be affecting Sonus, Kisner thinks Sonus may just have been ensnared in broad just be broad weakness in the telecom sector:
It’s obviously been a tough couple of earnings season for carrier-exposed names; Sonus’ business had slowed somewhat but had generally outperformed other companies with carrier exposure, still delivering Q/Q growth of 5% (+1% Y/Y) in Q4. Our checks (and recent vendor results) have generally reflected a weak outlook for carrier spend in N. America in 2015 as carriers grapple with cash constraints around pending acquisitions or recent spectrum purchases. At this point we are inclined to believe this is just a continuation of the trend as opposed to an incremental softening of the environment [...] This quarter’s results are a reminder that the carrier spending environment can be volatile, and Sonus is not immune to perturbations in capex.
Kisner, looking at executive share buys, thinks management was caught unaware:
We note that CEO Ray Dolan purchased 1m shares on October 31, 2014 (pre reverse split) with a total purchase of $3.4M. On a split-adjusted basis, his cost basis is $17.15. This reinforces the idea that that management got surprised by the marked slowdown in Q1.
Shares of printer maker Lexmark International (LXK) are up $1.86, or almost 5%, at $42.65, in late trading, after the company this afternoon announced it will purchase enterprise software maker Kofax (KFX) for $11 per share, or a total enterprise value of $1 billion, using Lexmark’s overseas cash.
The price is a 47% premium to Kofax’s close of $7.50 on Nasdaq today. Hence, Kofax’s U.S.-listed shares are up $2.68, or 36%, at $10.18 in late trading. (There is a separate listing on the London Stock Exchange under the same ticker.)
Lexmark said the deal “immediately enhances Lexmark’s industry-leading
enterprise content management and business process management offerings.”
Kofax, which is headquartered in Irvine, California, and which has 20,000 customers and reported $297 million in revenue in 2014, sells a variety of enterprise applications, including for document “capture,” as with a scanner; it also offers applications for mobile devices.
Lexmark defended the purchase as being in accord with its goals for capital allocation:
The acquisition of Kofax demonstrates the continued execution of Lexmark’s capital allocation framework, which is to pursue acquisitions that strengthen and support the growth of Lexmark’s solutions capabilities, while returning capital to shareholders. Since the first quarter of 2011, Lexmark has returned 78 percent of its free cash flow to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases. The transaction will not impact Lexmark’s quarterly dividend.
Shares of telecom software provider Sonus Networks (SONS) are down $4.-5, or almost 32%, at $9.01, after halted this morning before the company slashed its outlook for its fiscal Q1 ending this month because of missed orders, and said it would review its cost structure.
Revenue in the quarter is now expected in a range of $47 million $50 million, versus a prior expectation for $75 million. The company now expects a net loss per share of 29 cents to 34 cents, excluding some costs, versus its prior forecast for a 3-cent profit.
Analysts have been modeling $71.2 million and a 1-cent loss.
For the full year, the company sees revenue coming in 25% below its prior forecast of $326 million to $330 million.
Analysts have been modeling $349 million.
As the company explained, “The Company no longer expects to receive certain orders this quarter that had been expected to be received at the back end of the first quarter.”
Discussing plans to review its costs, Sonus stated,
The Company has also initiated a company-wide review of its cost structure to help ensure that it is well-positioned to continue investing in its technology development and growth initiatives, while also driving positive financial returns. and believes its planned cost reduction initiatives will help better align the Company’s cost structure in light of these longer decision cycles. The Company expects to announce the results of this cost reduction review when it reports its financial results for the first quarter on April 22, 2015.
CEO Ray Dolansaid the company was “fully engaged on successfully moving the Company through the current operating environment,” adding Sonus “expects to achieve a cost structure that will ensure we are well-equipped to return to positive cash flow by the end of this fiscal year despite the volatility we are facing.”
Dolan said the company continues to see “strong business fundamentals that are underpinned by solid relationships with a growing number of tier one service providers around the world, leading technology and a strong balance sheet.”
The stock has gotten three downgrades thus far, as far as I can see, from Wells Fargo, William Blair, and Barrington Research.
William Blair’s Dmitry Netis, cutting his rating to Market Perform from Outperform, writes that the scale of the miss is “shocking” and that “We were unable to gather more information from management, which has been unresponsive, leaving us in the dark until April 22 when it is scheduled to announce its first-quarter earnings results
Netis thinks the cost-cutting language means “the issue is broader than just one large customer miss.”
This is probably not an industry issue regarding telecom, he opines, but rather something company-specific. “We do not know whether the miss came from legacy or growth products, but we suspect it was both (this color would help describe Sonus’s competitiveness in the market).”
While management may have been overly optimistic on the guidance, the added surprise may have come from competitive pressures as Oracle and Mavenir maintain their aggressive stance in the market. With many large TDM-IP transformation projects finally coming on line (as telegraphed recently by BroadSoft. Oracle, according to our industry contacts, seems to be winning the bulk of these deployments, given their early market incumbency. (Our Mobile World Congress highlights are on the following page.)
With BlackBerry (BBRY) set to report fiscal Q4 results Friday morning, March 27th, before market open, Rosenblatt Securities’s Brian Blair chose this morning to publish to clients his initiation of coverage of the stock, starting with a Sell rating, and a $7 price target.
Writes Blair, “We believe BlackBerry’s latest product path is doomed to fail for the same reasons BlackBerry’s hardware efforts have fallen short over the last three years.” Furthermore, Blair doesn’t believe “the company has the potential of seeing any meaningful success as a device player in the smartphone market going forward.”
Blair writes he’s been looking “for any evidence of a pickup in sell-through of new BlackBerry devices to gauge the potential for a turnaround in company fundamentals. It hasn’t happened.”
BlackBerry is simply on the wrong track trying to get support from users and developers for a software platform, its “BB10” operating system, that no one wants, he writes, as seen with the “Leap,” a touch-screen smartphone introduced by BlackBerry earlier this month at the Mobile World Congress trade show:
We have seen this movie before. Last time we saw it, it was called the Z10 (launched in early 2013) and it didn’t sell many units or prop up BlackBerry fundamentals. We see the Leap as having the same problem: it is elegant hardware and has specs that are generally competitive in the smartphone sector, however its fatal flaw is that it runs BlackBerry software which consumers and enterprise customers have moved on from. It also lacks one critical component – apps. With no meaningful BlackBerry unit vol- umes in the market and no standardization of a single screen size across its device of- ferings, developers have no incentive to create applications for the platform. With no apps, there will be tepid consumer interest and no ecosystem can evolve. These same principles are as clear now as they were 3-4 years ago. Microsoft (MSFT: NR) has at least offered cash incentives for developers to create applications for the Windows Phone, but even that is a challenge. Developers generally start with iPhone, then Android and they stop there. The Leap won’t change this.
Blair argues that after multiple failed devices, the company should get out of selling hardware devices, which make up 46% of its revenue:
Following the Z3’s failed efforts, BlackBerry has taken to experimenting with device shapes and sizes. The Passport is the best example of this, with its large square touch screen and oddly wide keyboard. The device may have repre- sented an original idea, but it further alienated potential developers in our view and hasn’t moved quarterly units up- ward. More recently, the company introduced a nod to legacy BlackBerry success with the Classic model. We expect it to find some vintage-loving fans, but global volumes will most assuredly remain low. One of the expected company efforts later this year is expected to marry the keyboard to the Leap – yes, a keyboard slider. Again, we don’t expect the device to sell many units. While we have applauded the attempt to find a place for BlackBerry hardware in the mar- ket, we believe it’s time to move on.
Blair’s estimate for Friday’s results is $785.1 million in revenue and a whopping 23-cent loss, versus the consensus for $800 million and a 3-cent loss per share.
BlackBerry shares today are down a penny at $9.51.
Previously: BlackBerry: Will Big Miss on Friday Prove Tipping Point? Asks RBC, March 24th, 2015.
Piper Jaffray‘s Gene Munster today reiterates an Overweight rating on shares of Facebook (FB), and raieses his price target on the stock to $92 from $84, offering clients a preview of what to expect this Wednesday at the social networker’s annual developer conference, F8, taking place at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco.
According to Munster, areas of focus include the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset, enhancements to video on Facebook, and giving developers hooks into the Facebook Messenger program:
We expect Facebook to provide updates at its F8 conference in four core verticals: News Feed, Messenger, adtech, and Oculus. First on the News Feed, we expect potential improvements to the video platform and potential design changes. Messenger is likely to be the core announcement as Techcrunch has reported that Facebook plans on making Messenger a platform more similar to WeChat. This means Facebook will likely enable third party developers to build apps to function within the Messenger platform which could include games, premium accounts, and rich media experiences (like Snapchat Discover). For adtech, Bloomberg has reported that Facebook is working on a Mopub (Twitter) competitor that would enable mobile publishers to manage their entire ad business on a single Facebook owned platform and sell inventory via a real-time exchange. We have previously noted that we expect Facebook to push to build a full ad stack possibly including the clearing of third party real-time inventory. Finally, we continue to view Oculus as an important long-term theme for FB and believe the company could have some updates in terms of the next version of Oculus and content on Oculus.
The increase in target price has nothing to do with any of that. Rather, Munster is increasing his valaution to 30 times projected Ebitda from a prior 27 times to accomdoate “an overall increase of Internet group multiples.”
Tech Trader Daily is a blog on technology investing written by Barron’s veteran Tiernan Ray. The blog provides news, analysis and original reporting on events important to investors in software, hardware, the Internet, telecommunications and related fields. Comments and tips can be sent to: firstname.lastname@example.org.


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In this economy all manufacturers are struggling to sell new cars and all are trying some new angles to bring the customers in. Recently we’ve seen such deals where a manufacturer will buy your car back if you lose your job or even another will make your payments for you if you lose your job. The latest gimmick is from Hyundai and it might make you choose them over the other players in the field for your next new car purchase.
Hyundai has announced the Hyundai Assurance Gas Lock which will fix your gas price at just $1.49 per gallon for 12 months. This assurance program is being offered to all new Hyundai buyers or the option of taking $1000 cash. Estimates put the number of new Hyundai buyers at 1/3 that take the cash over the gas card. But why?
Because most Hyundai vehicles get such good gas mileage it will be very difficult to save more than $1000 in gas savings. Industry analysts believe gas will remain below $3.00 per gallon for the next year. This means your savings per fill up will be less and less and most estimates put the figure around $580 in a year. Well, the $1000 sounds a lot better than $580, which is average if you are driving around 12,000 miles per year.
Whichever incentive you choose it’s still thinking outside the box and if prices hit $5 per gallon you know you’ll be covered. 😉


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A question of loyalty
Loyalty has become a point of contention over the past 10 years. There are plenty in the Ehrenberg Bass camp that question the notion of customer retention, while the 2010 book How Brands Grow dismissed the importance of loyal customers in generating sales growth.
Despite evidence to back up this assertion, brands have continued to invest in initiatives to encourage customers back for more. But the discussion over whether this is the right strategy has intensified this year. The shock to the system caused by the pandemic has thrown up all manner of considerations and fresh debate.


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One of our top brand’s from the #ENKshow in Las Vegas, Asilio is one to watch! @asiliothelabel infinitycre8ive
We’ve shared our favourite denim Tumblrs from across the globe! Crawford Denim from the USA is just one of them and subscribers can check out the rest by clicking HERE!
Artist Billie Achilleos crafts a giant sea turtle named Honu, out of Louis Vuitton accessories for the brand’s store in Waikiki, Honolulu.
Check out our autumn/winter 2013/14 Bright trade show report, highlighting the top brands, themes, key items, colour and print and graphics
A Kind Of Guise let the sun, rain and wind work their magic on their denim to create these limited edition, naturally weather-beaten shirts!
Beautiful new kidswear store in Milan, Lelefante con le ghette, stocks an impressive range of home-grown and international brands as well a small selection of handmade products by local artists.
Great interview with uber menswear stylist Simon Foxton about the fashion appeal of sportswear brands. Read it all in Manufacture magazine.
Burberry launched its new store in Taipei last night with a multisensory 360-degree experience that featured holograms, rain and live music.
The event marked the first in a series called ‘Burberry World Live’, which will tour to cities including London, Hong Kong and Chicago during the rest of 2012.
WGSN spots the Dior x Anselm Reyle bags appeared in the window of Saks Fifth Avenue, New York. Check out what other accessories are in store this month by clicking in here - What’s In Store, New York women’s footwear and accessories
It’s all about nautical over at Kate Spade this season - got to love the always-classic stripe (via Kate Spade, Behind the Curtain)


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It turns out boomer women do play computer games.
And do they ever. The business of cranking out casual games is mushrooming. Consumers paid $2.25 billion for such games last year, and the demand for titles like "Diner Dash" is growing 20% year-over-year, according to the Casual Gaming Association.
And while casual games appeal to everyone from pre-teens to old men, women over 35 are the most likely to pay for them; 75% percent of those who pay for casual games are women, and 72% are over 35 years old.
The result: The gaming industry -- from Microsoft and Nintendo to social networks like Facebook and Bebo -- is hustling to remake itself to please these growing numbers of paying customers who are not going to buy "Grand Theft Auto IV".


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18th February 2019
The post-summer fruit sorrows have begun as the weather seems to be getting colder and colder. No need to worry, there are many fruits that flourish during the winter, including the all-important pomegranate fruit.
Also known as the “miracle fruit” because of the rich antioxidants, pomegranates can be consumed in a variety of ways. Pomegranates can either be ingested as a juice, or you can eat the seeds as a pick me up throughout the day.
Aside from being a delicious treat for your taste buds, the benefits your body receives from this miracle fruit are worth every bite. With hefty servings of fiber, protein and other vitamins and nutrients, pomegranates are clearly beneficial to your health and heart.
With heart disease being the leading cause of death in the United States, people are always looking for heart healthy foods to consume. Pomegranate juice contains higher levels of antioxidants than other juices and it is proven to help the well-being of those who are at a high risk of heart disease.
Laura Rosselit, a University Of Kentucky nursing student, said more about the benefits of pomegranates and why people should add them to their everyday diet.
“Pomegranates are proven to reduce joint and arthritis pain as well as provide healthy nutrients for our bodies,” Rosselit said. “In many cases, they have shown to fight bacterial infections and help your body maintain a healthy heart, too.”
Pomegranates are a necessity to add to your daily diet and you don’t have to eat them by themselves either. By adding the seeds to your smoothie, yogurt or grabbing a glass of juice to-go, your body will receive the nutrients and benefits of pomegranates.
While many of our favorite fruits are going out of season for the winter, pomegranates are stepping in and will fulfill your fruit needs. Pomegranates provide an essential form of nutrients and other health benefits to keep your body healthy and active. By either drinking pomegranate juice or eating the seeds from the fruit, your body will engulf in nutrients and other health advantages.


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For Immediate Release
Jill Cashen, UFCW, 202-728-4797 or email firstname.lastname@example.org
Walmart Denied the Option to Defend Gender-Discrimination Claims on a Case-by-Case Basis
Largest Gender-Discrimation Case Set to Proceed in Court as Class Action Suit
WASHINGTON - The following statement was released today by Wake Up Walmart:
"Today, the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that Walmart's women workers can vindicate their rights together in a class action case, instead of facing the company one case at a time. Today's ruling holds the nation's largest private employer accountable to a class-action claim that could cost the company billions of dollars in lost wages and benefits owed to female employees who have lost opportunities as a result of Walmart's discriminatory actions.
With more than 1.4 million associates nationwide, Walmart has single-handedly transformed the American economy by setting workplace standards by which all other retailers and employers are forced to compete. Walmart argued against the class-action status by claiming the class was too big. But as the banks were too big to fail, Walmart's employment practices are too influential to let them remain unexamined and unchallenged in court. We congratulate the brave women who initiated this complaint and who seek to create a Walmart workplace that treats all associates equally."
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