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Based on Newzoo’s global ranking, NetEase (NTES) is still far behind Tencent (OTCPK:TCEHY) when it comes to video games revenue. So much is at stake because the Chinese video games industry is the biggest in the world. Newzoo estimated that video games revenue in China will reach $27.5 billion this year. It will grow to $33.7 billion by 2020.
NetEase needs to compete better against Tencent’s games if it wants a bigger piece of the lucrative Chinese video games market.
Tencent’s Chinese MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game Honor of Kings remains the world’s top-grossing mobile game. Since early 2016, Honor of Kings consistently beat NetEase’s Android/iOS RPG (Role Playing Game) titles, Fantasy Westward Journey and Onmyoji. Tencent also owns the top-grossing PC MOBA game League of Legends, and the FPS (First Person Shooter) CrossFire.
Catering To Former Heavy Players Of Honor of Kings
Honor of Kings reportedly grossed more than 5.5 billion Yuan ($810 million) in Q1 2017. The MOBA genre is successful on the PC and mobile platforms. It is understandable why NetEase recently unveiled its mobile MOBA game based on Onmyoji. NetEase needs a Chinese game that can directly challenge Tencent’s League of Legends and Honor of Kings.
The RPG/CCG (Card Collectible Game) Onmyoji is the second top-grossing Android mobile game in China. Millions of players are already familiar with Onmyoji’s different heroes. By using the same heroes, NetEase’s MOBA game will find it easier to attract Chinese players. In any MOBA game, familiarity with the best combination of heroes and their skills is a requirement to win in match plays.
After a government newspaper criticized the addictive nature of Honor of Kings, Tencent was forced to limit the daily game time of players 18 years old and younger. The kids that cannot play Honor of Kings for more than one or two hours every day are ideal customers for NetEase’s Onmyoji MOBA mobile game.
In other words, NetEase is taking advantage of the current situation. NetEase is releasing a MOBA game to satiate the daily need of young Chinese players to spend more than two hours on MOBA games. Chinese teens can only play two hours of Tencent’s MOBA game, they will still have enough energy and idle time to play NetEase’s Onmyoji MOBA game.
What’s In It For NetEase
My takeaway is that players of Honor of Kings that used to play 3 to 6 hours every day will be tempted to spend more time on another mobile MOBA game. NetEase will reap long-term benefits if it can get a hefty number of players to spend 2 to 3 hours on its Onmyoji MOBA. The freemium design of games requires publishers to have a sizable number of daily active players.
The more daily active players there are, the more chances that a game can monetize through in-app purchases. Some of those future players of NetEase’s first mobile MOBA game will probably spend $5 to $10 every month. Getting 10 million Chinese players to spend $5 every month on its upcoming Onmyoji MOBA is $50 million of potential new monthly revenue for NetEase.
NetEase’s revenue last year was only $5.79 billion. Taking advantage of Honor of Kings’ China dilemma (limited daily playing time) by releasing an Onmyoji MOBA game can theoretically add $600 million to NetEase’s annual top line. Any product that could add more than 5% to a company’s annual sales is already an important headwind.
I only guesstimated revenue from the Chinese version. Going forward, NetEase will also have to roll out an international version of its upcoming Onmyoji MOBA game. Tencent is busy rolling out international versions of Honor of Kings to maximize the said game’s monetization potential.
Jefferies downgraded NetEase two days ago from buy to a hold. However, I am still long NTES and I rate this stock as a buy. Onmyoji is already a popular mobile franchise in China. NetEase making a MOBA version of it to serve game time-limited players of Tencent’s Honor of Kings MOBA title is opportune and cunning.
NTES currently trades well below its 52-week high of $337.55. It is now even more reasonably priced than TCEHY. The big decline in NTES’s price since July resulted in it having only a P/E ratio of 17.95, forward P/E of 15.92, and P/S of 4.92. Tencent’s P/E is 53.59 and its P/S is 15.12. NTES is clearly an affordable long-term investment if you like the video games industry.
It is also good to see NetEase taking the risk dipping into a new mobile game genre where Tencent currently dominates. Going forward, NetEase cannot rely solely on its core RPG genre expertise to grow its business. Boldness to try new things is necessary towards improving NetEase’s competitiveness.
Further, NetEase has a new hit game to reduce its reliance on Fantasy Westward Journey and Onmyoji. Alibaba's (BABA) new video games unit is now headed by NetEase's former COO and co-founder Zhan Zhongui. The original lead developer of Fantasy Westward Journey Wun Yunyang now also works for Alibaba's new video games subsidiary.
NetEase has no choice but to expand its total addressable market in video games. Catering to MOBA gamers (who keep enriching Tencent) should improve NetEase's long-term prosperity.
Disclosure: I am/we are long NTES, TCEHY, BABA.
I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Editor's Note: This article discusses one or more securities that do not trade on a major U.S. exchange. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.


text: State Senator Dan Feyen of Fond du Lac was among those attending the historic signing of the Foxconn incentives bill. He was a proponent of it from the start. He notes the exact location for the facility hasn’t been announced yet, but there is plenty of excitement surrounding it. It will be located in the Racine area. Ground will be broken in the spring and the plant will be fully operational with up to 13,000 employees by 2022. Thousands of jobs will be created prior to that. He says the economic impact it will create for businesses that are part of the company’s supply chain will be phenomenal. Estimates put that impact at $1.2 billion. He feels the Fox Valley with its strong manufacturing component will play a vital role in that. Feyen believes there will be new business and business expansions created in the area through Foxconn opportunities.

domain: news


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Fuji EnviroMAX Batteries Available Everywhere
- Feb 05, 2009 6:00 PM EST
- [num] Comments
Fuji's new EnviroMAX batteries are free of mercury, cadmium, and PVC, chemicals cited by the European RoHS initiative as hazardous and to be avoided. Fuji claims to manufacture these bad boys under strict ISO guidelines too, packaging EnviroMAX batteries in recycled paper and fully recyclable PET plastic. What's more impressive, however, is Fuji's claim that the new line is safe for landfills, meaning they can be disposed of with ordinary household waste. Even the battery cylinders are made from plastic, rather than the traditional steel.


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Chase officially opens first Iowa branch in Des Moines
JOE GARDYASZ Aug 25, 2021 | 8:16 pm
2 min read time400 wordsAll Latest News, Banking & Finance, Iowa News
Chase announced it has opened its first retail branch in Iowa, with the opening of its Des Moines branch at 3627 Merle Hay Road. Chase, which serves more than 60 million U.S. households, is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of global financial services firm JPMorgan Chase & Co.
The branch features casual meeting spaces for bankers to meet with customers, emphasizing a more consultative approach. Self-service transaction areas are also available, including a digital access bar, two interior ATMs, a drive-thru ATM and an ATM that is accessible by debit card after hours.
The branch soft-opened on July 27 in an extensively remodeled building that was previously a Hardee’s restaurant. It also features Chase Private Client offices, teller services, a night depository and free Wi-Fi. The 10-person staff includes personal bankers, associate bankers, private client specialists and advisers, and home lending and business banking specialists.
“We’ve long viewed Des Moines as a city we wanted to serve,” said Majda Hadzic, market director, banking for Iowa. “Des Moines is a vibrant, growing, increasingly diverse community. We look forward to building new relationships, helping customers do more with their money, and being here for them along every step of their financial journey.”
Chase plans to open three to four additional locations in the Des Moines metro area over the next couple of years. A south Des Moines branch is expected to open this fall on Southeast 14th Street. Other areas to follow include a West Des Moines branch and a branch on Ingersoll Avenue, probably in 2023, Hazdic said. The staffs for the next two branches are already in training at the bank’s Iowa headquarters office in West Des Moines, she said.
Chase’s physical expansion into Iowa is part of an initiative launched three years ago by CEO Jamie Dimon to establish branch locations in all lower 48 states. The bank already has a significant customer presence in the state, with approximately 405,000 consumer banking customers — including credit card holders — as well as about 19,000 business banking customers.
Bank representatives celebrated the new branch with a ribbon-cutting ceremony today with guests that included Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, Des Moines City Council member Linda Westergaard and local business leaders.
The bank also announced a $10,000 donation to Meals From the Heartland, a Des Moines-based nonprofit whose mission is to fight child hunger in Iowa, across America, and the world.


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The most colorful Wii console yet in its 4-year history is heading to the UK and inciting encouragement that it will be heading to the US as well.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Nintendo’s penultimate character Mario, the company designed a special edition red-colored Wii, as well as a red Wii Remote, to package in a bundle with the New Super Mario Bros Wii game. It will be coming out in Japan and, now, the UK.
One of the distinctive factors about the Wii hardware has been its solidarity. Unlike the PS3 and Xbox 360, which have gone through numerous changes, hardware redesigns, and capacity increases, for years there was only one Wii SKU on the market. That changed when a black version of the console launched several months ago, and now Nintendo is customizing the system even more.
The red Wii bundle will also include Donkey Kong pre-installed on the system. Donkey Kong was the first game to feature the character we all know today as Mario. At the time he was internally known as Jumpman but that name didn’t actually appear in standard gameplay.
So far the new bundle has not been confirmed for the US, but it would seem odd for Nintendo to totally not acknowledge the milestone anniversary in Nintendo’s top revenue-earning country.


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The Galleria at Sunset
, 1300 W. Sunset Road, will host a groundbreaking ceremony for its new expansion project at 2 p.m. today at the mall’s south entrance between Red Robin and Chevy’s.
With the mall’s renovation nearly complete, the Galleria at Sunset is moving forward with the second phase, a $24.1 million, 30,000-square-foot expansion, which will consist of up to six new restaurants, new valet and a 12,000-square-foot outdoor plaza, including a new main entrance.
Additionally, all mall entrances will be renovated and given a fresh and modern appearance and feature the center’s new logo. This is the second expansion project in the mall’s 18-year history.
Three of the restaurants will be newcomers Bravo! and Larsen’s as well as Sugar Factory, the third in Las Vegas and the first off the Strip. The three restaurants are scheduled to open in spring 2015, with the expansion reaching a complete build-out this fall. Several restaurants will include patio seating. The remaining restaurants in the expansion will be announced at a later date.
“The expansion is a sign of great things to come,” said Heather Valera, director of marketing at the Galleria at Sunset. “We are excited to welcome Bravo! and Larsen’s since this will be their first and only Vegas Valley locations, as well as welcome a favorite such as the Sugar Factory.
These new restaurants are a great complement to an already exciting shopping experience.”
The Galleria at Sunset opened in 1996 and is anchored by Macy's, JCPenney, Dillard’s, Kohl’s and Dick's Sporting Goods.– From news release


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Cargo importers claim British Airways inflated surcharges
British Airways' £340 million bill to settle price-fixing claims against the airline could get bigger after a class action from out-of-pocket cargo importers was launched in the High Court.
BA has already admitted guilt and paid fines to competition regulators over the price-fixing of surcharges. Four current or former executives are due in court next week to face criminal charges.
While the scandal has been focused on the cost to passengers of the price-fixing, import companies Emerald Supplies and Southern Glass House Producers today launched an action claiming money they lost in inflated freight surcharges.
Under pressure: Import companies are claiming lost by in freight surcharges
The action is being coordinatedby Cohen Milstein, a law firm that represented passengers in the case that won £73.5m of compensation from BA and Virgin Atlantic, the airline with which BA colluded.
'This is a groundbreaking development, and we expect other claimants to join this action,' said Cohen Milstein partner Anthony Maton. 'Due to BA's unlawful actions, hundreds of businesses have suffered substantial losses not to mention reduced sales as their prices increased to cover additional shipping costs.'
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Jack Bobo, food futurist, author and CEO of Futurity, is slated to speak at the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2022 Stakeholders Summit. In his keynote presentation, Bobo will explore the forces that will shape the future of food. From growing populations and shifting demographics to consumer demands for healthy and sustainable food products, Bobo will examine the trends and attitudes that drive behavior and what organizations and producers can do to get ahead of them. Bobo joins many other noted experts on the Summit agenda, which is now available along with registration details at bit.ly/AAA22Summit.
“The topic of sustainable food systems has been huge over the last few years and especially in 2021 with the culmination of the inaugural United Nations Food Systems Summit,” said Hannah Thompson-Weeman, Alliance vice president, strategic engagement. “We’re thrilled to have Jack Bobo provide an informative and energizing session that discusses emerging trends in the food space and how to create the future we want: for ourselves, our businesses, and our planet.”
Jack Bobo is CEO of Futurity, a food foresight company that advises companies, foundations and governments on emerging food trends, consumer attitudes, and behaviors related to the future of food. He is also the author of “Why Smart People Make Bad Food Choices.” Recognized by Scientific American in 2015 as one of the 100 most influential people in biotechnology, Bobo is a global thought leader who has delivered more than 500 speeches in 50 countries. He previously served as the chief communications officer and senior vice president for global policy and government affairs at Intrexon Corporation. Prior to joining Intrexon, Bobo worked at the U.S. Department of State for thirteen years as a senior advisor for global food policy. An attorney with a scientific background, Bobo received from Indiana University a J.D., M.S. in environmental science, B.S. in biology, and B.A. in psychology and chemistry.
The Alliance’s annual Summit brings together thought leaders in the agriculture and food communities to discuss hot-button issues and out-of-the-box ideas to connect everyone along the food chain, engage influencers and protect the future of animal agriculture. The 2022 event, themed “Come Together for Animal Ag: Be Informed, Be Ready, Be Here,” is scheduled for May 11–12, 2022, in Kansas City, Missouri. Preconference webinars will be held in the weeks leading up to the main event. In-person and virtual attendance options are both available.
Farmers and ranchers interested in attending the 2022 Summit are invited to enter the Alliance’s Instagram photo and video contest for the chance to win free registration, a two-night hotel stay, and $300 travel stipend. Share a photo or video of you, your farm or ranch and a caption explaining why it’s important for you to “Be Informed, Be Ready, Be Here” in-person in Kansas City. Entries are due by February 7, 2022. Full contest details are available at animalagalliance.org/resource/2022-stakeholders-summit-photo-contest/.
Refer a friend and you could both win $100! If you refer a friend to attend the 2022 Summit who has never attended a previous Summit and they list your name as the person who recommended them when they register for the event, you’ll both be entered in a drawing to win a $100 gift card! Each referral will count as one entry and there is no limit on the number of entries for referrers. All registrations for the in-person event with a referral listed made until online registration closes on May 6, 2022 will be entered. Both the referrer and the person referred must be registered to claim the gift card.
Be sure to check the Summit website for the most up-to-date information. A preliminary agenda has now been posted. You can also follow the hashtag #AAA22 for periodic updates about the event. For general questions about the Summit, please contact firstname.lastname@example.org or call (703) 562-5160.
Source: Animal Agriculture Alliance
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Calls for a ban on disposable vapes are growing, and it’s easy to see why.
Most of us have seen a disposable device carelessly thrown onto the side of a road - not to mention the headlines telling us about the millions being binned every week.
Disposables have also been blamed by many for an increase in youth vaping.
They’re not good for users either. Despite their obvious convenience, they are expensive and lack the flexibility of refillable devices which can be used with thousands of different flavours.
It’s not hard to understand why there are calls for bans on these devices, yet a knee-jerk reaction is not always the best one. I’ve covered the case against disposables on this blog before, but it’s also worth considering why an immediate ban might not be the best option, what to do instead and, if a ban is put in place, the best way to implement it.
Three reasons not to ban disposable vapes
Banning disposables won’t mean they disappear
Trading Standards estimate that a third of disposable vape devices sold in the UK are illegal.
This is indicative of how poor legislation can backfire and cause unintended consequences.
Back in 2017, based on a misreading of the science on nicotine, the EU ruled there could be a maximum of 2ml e-liquid in a tank and that e-liquid could contain a maximum of 20mg (2%) nicotine.
When disposables became popular, the black market responded by creating devices containing more e-liquid and, sometimes, more nicotine.
Needless to say, these black market sellers don’t take part in recycling schemes. They don’t care about following regulations - or whether they sell to children. They don’t give a fig for the safety and quality of their e-liquid - and tests have shown the quality and safety of black market liquid and devices is far below that of legitimate devices which have to undergo stringent emissions testing.
In short, there is a big, bad black market waiting in the wings and praying for a ban on disposable vapes.
A ban will hurt smokers
For all their bad points, disposable vape devices are an incredibly easy entry into vaping, often helping smokers who have previously tried and failed to switch from smoking to e-cigarettes.
Not all would-be vapers will resort to purchasing black market disposables.
Despite the massive decline in smoking rates we’ve seen over the past 15 years, cigarettes still kill 76,000 people a year. Every one of those people is a father, a mother, a friend or a child who could often have enjoyed years more of quality life with their loved ones. Taking away one of the easiest options for smokers to transition away from cigarettes is cruel.
Disposables are needed for a sub-group of smokers
As anti-smoking group Fresh has pointed out, there are always likely to be some smokers who need disposable devices.
Some older people, as well as those with disabilities or mental illnesses, have struggled to use refillable or rechargeable devices.
While we shouldn’t stop our efforts to switch these people to reusable devices, it’s important that they retain access to easy-to-use devices.
Alternatives to a ban
Rechargeable, refillable devices have so many benefits over disposables. They are cheaper, create far less waste and are easier to recycle. They also often offer a better vaping experience.
We’ve persuaded thousands of customers to switch from disposables to reusables, and I know other vape businesses have done the same. I even know of one which has calculated the average time their customers use a disposable device before switching to a reusable one (11 weeks).
However, not everyone buys from a dedicated vape shop - and most non-vape retail stores do not usually have the knowledge or time to advise vapers.
Instead of an immediate ban, an alternative would be to run a public health campaign to encourage people to switch from disposable to reusable devices. This would need to emphasise the existence of viable alternatives to disposable devices which are comparably easy to use and are less harmful to the environment.
Require devices to be designed for recycling
Disposable devices don’t have to be difficult to recycle. I’ve seen several examples with an easy-to-remove battery, where the outer material is designed to be reused or recycled.
Unfortunately, none of these options have taken off. Still, I think there’s a strong case for some thoughtful government intervention here, working with trade bodies to create sensible regulations to increase ease of recycling while maintaining the qualities that make disposable devices attractive to smokers.
Enforce existing regulations
There are rules in place which forbid the selling of vapes to children, and regulations which ensure the quality of legal vape devices. It’s a continual source of frustration to the legitimate industry that there are still websites and stores selling illegal vapes without age verification and that shops reported for flouting regulations still continue to operate.
That’s not to knock Trading Standards - given their resources, they are doing their best.
However, if we are to make a dent in underage selling and illegal vapes, and we don’t pursue a licensing option, we need more resources for enforcement AND stricter penalties for companies that repeatedly and deliberately break the rules.
How to implement a ban
If a ban is implemented, it’s key that enough time is given for existing disposable users to switch over to a reusable device.
Smokers and vapers need to be consulted to find out how to minimise harm to public health, and the industry needs to be given enough time to innovate in order to create new, reusable devices which appeal to disposable users.
The ban would need to be preceded by a public health campaign to persuade disposable users to try reusable devices, accompanied by a massive crackdown on the irresponsible individuals seeking to undermine the massive health benefits vaping can bring in return for a quick profit.
It’s easy to see why there is a call for a ban on disposable devices.
Disposables do represent a problem and a challenge, and it’s something we need to deal with.
From a political point of view, a ban is likely to garner plenty of support, making it an easy win for parties who want a popularity boost.
However, countries like Australia which have implemented a ban (or partial ban) on vaping products have shown it doesn’t solve problems. In reality, it can often make problems worse.
“If the legitimate industry is banned, then there will be no mechanism to deal with all the operational challenges and costs of illegally sold vapes which have the same challenges.”
A more nuanced policy may be a harder sell, but it’s also the right option for both smokers and the environment.


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Free Pet Adoptions This Weekend
Published May 31st, 2013
A $600,000 grant awarded to Alachua County makes it one of the eight areas in the country to be able to have free adoptions this weekend.
By adopting these animals...rescues will get some help too.
Seven shelters from around Alachua County will be participating in the Maddie's Pet Adoption Days this weekend.
Every pet is free to adopt for qualified homes.
For every pet adopted, rescues will receive $500 and if you adopt older animals or ones with special medical needs, even more is dispersed to the shelters.
For rescuers, it's all about giving the animals a good home.
Adoptions will be taking place at five different locations around Gainesville throughout the weekend.
Here's a list of agencies, locations and times:
Alachua County Animal Services
8:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
3400 N.E. 53rd Ave
Alachua County Humane Society and Operation Catnip
9 a.m. Saturday to 9 p.m. Sunday
4205 N.W. 6th Street
Humane Society: 352-373-5855
Puppy Hill Farm and Helping Hands Pet Rescue
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
PetSmart in Butler Plaza
Gainesville Pet Rescue
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
5403 S.W. Archer Road
Haile's Angels Pet Rescue
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
5231 S.W. 91st Drive in Haile Village Ctr.
AND at Petco, 6869 W. University Drive
Lauren Lettelier, TV20 News
- Holiday Air Travel 5:30
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- Adopt-A-Pet 5/30
- Tax Free Weekend Begins at Midnight as Parents Buy School Supplies
- Tax Free Weekend Helps Local Business
- Tax Free Weekend Brings Big Crowds for Back to School Shopping
- Shoppers getting ready for tax-free weekend
- Record Breaking Number of Free Adoptions in Alachua County


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Raf Simons' successor confirmed: Valentino's ex-creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri joins Dior
The news you've been waiting for
A day after Maria Grazia Chiuri — one-half of the storytelling duo behind Valentino's ethereal creations — presented the brand's fall 2016 haute couture collection in Paris, the departure from her nine-year tenure as creative director, was annouced. And barely 24 hours later, Dior confirms Chiuri's arrival into the maison's storied ateliers — proving the recent topic of conversation amongst the industry's elite to be more than just a rumour.
CEO of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, speaks of the occassion, "Maria Grazia Chiuri's talent is enormous and internationally acclaimed. She will bring her elegant and modern vision of the Dior woman, seamlessly attuned to the heritage and the codes defined by Monsieur Dior", he expressed.
Chiuri's move to Dior also marks a turn in the brand's history, as it's the very first time a woman has been placed at the helm of the womenwear collections. Overseeing ready-to-wear, haute couture and accessories, the newly minted artistic director is set to reveal her inaugural RTW designs at Paris fashion week SS17 in September.
The Christian Dior spring/summer 2017 show is scheduled for 30 September, 2016.


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MUMBAI (Reuters) - Shares of Ranbaxy Laboratories(RANB.NS) fell as much as 2.7 percent after the drug maker said on Tuesday it has suspended shipments of pharmaceutical ingredients produced at its Toansa and Dewas plants.
“This voluntary decision was taken as a precautionary measure and out of abundant caution to better allow the company to assess and review the processes and controls. The company will resume shipments after reassuring them about the processes and controls at these facilities,” Ranbaxy said in an exchange filing.
Ranbaxy shares were trading up 0.7 percent at 11.46 a.m.
Reporting by Abhishek Vishnoi; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu


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ICONIC Magazine: Julie Osten-Crisan Becomes Sales Vice President
Yet another veteran in the publishing industry has entered the ranks of Iconic and has even entered their team of core staffs – Julie Osten-Crisan. Julie Osten-Crisan, a 30-year expert of the industry, is taking her position in the ICONIC Luxury Magazine as their Sales Vice President. She is expected to provide her professional expertise, knowledge and skills in order to aid the team of the Luxury Magazine Iconic in reaching out to more numerous readers around the globe and potentially obtain varieties of achievements in the industry.
Chic, elegant and extremely modern – these are only some of the words that are used to describe ICONIC as many people have noticed their superb content as soon as they have joined the market this March. Renee Dee, a renowned authority in the publishing industry as well, was the core reason for the development of this magazine which aims to provide an outlet for those seeking education, motivational and inspirational content. Few of the topics that would be seen on the magazine involves lifestyle, food, travel, home, design and everything in between for every user out there. ICONIC also aims to share to people, some of the most intriguing and inspiring stories of people who have been successful in the hotel industry, arts, luxury products and other industries out there.
With the addition of a new team member among their ranks, Renee Dee shared that what she loved about the team lies in their members’ inspirational perspective in terms of work which always focuses on things they could achieve in the future. With the ICONIC team’s eyes settled on the future or what’s to come for their publication, Renee Dee has also commented that the addition of Julie to their team is something that would prove to be beneficial for the magazine’s accelerate growth in the upcoming future. Julie Osten-Crisan has three decades of experience in the industry and this is something, which according to Renee Dee, could prove to be critical and beneficial to rising ICONIC magazine.
With their launching on March 2018 and the addition of Julie Osten-Crisan to ICONIC magazine, they are bound to etch their names in the vast market. The mission of the ICONIC team is to spread to the world, the art of living life beautifully. They also make sure that they present information about their contents in a way that would engage users even more and provide them entertainment as they read ways on how to indulge on life and what it offers.
Dee also added that their continuously improving Magazine doesn’t simply present information searched through the net about great places or foods to try out for yourself – they present these information through stores that have never been told before online.


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17 people have gotten sick after eating strawberries contaminated with hepatitis A — these are the symptoms to look out for
Hepatitis A cases have been linked with strawberries sold at Walmart, Trader Joe's, and other stores.
Kroger is recalling frozen berries that might be contaminated with Hepatitis A. Here's how worried you should be.
The FDA found evidence of Hepatitis A, a contagious liver disease, in a selection of frozen berries sold at Kroger grocery stores nationwide.
McDonald's stock drops after an employee infected with hepatitis A reportedly sparks an investigation
McDonald's stock dropped on Thursday after a reported investigation of an employee who was infected with hepatitis A.
California is struggling with the largest and deadliest hepatitis A outbreak to hit the US in decades
Although the outbreak made news when California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency last week, it's been almost a year since the first case emerged.


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Top Prime Day Arlo Pro, Ring, Philips Hue & Nest Cam Deals for 2019: Amazon's Best Smart Device Deals Reviewed by Deal Tomato
BOSTON, July 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Smart home Prime Day deals are live. Sales experts at Deal Tomato are comparing the best Ring, Arlo, Nest, Philips Hue & more deals for Prime Day 2019. Check the list below for links to the latest deals.
Best Nest Prime Day Deals:
Best Ring Prime Day Deals:
Best Amazon Echo Prime Day Deals:
Best Arlo Prime Day Deals:
To shop the full selection of live deals check the official Prime Day 2019 page. Some deals require an Amazon Prime membership to enjoy.
Best Amazon Prime Day Deals:
This year's sale will be the longest Prime Day event in Amazon's history, lasting 12 hours longer than last year's sale. Last year over 100 million products were snapped up by shoppers on Prime Day, making it the biggest sales event in the online retailer's history at the time. The two best-selling TVs last year were the Toshiba 4K Ultra HD Fire TV Edition 43-inch and 50-inch models, together selling over six times as many TVs compared to the previous year's record setting TV.
When does the Prime Day sale take place? Amazon's Prime Day 2019 sale begins at midnight PT (3 am ET) on Monday, July 15 and finishes at 11:59 pm PT on Tuesday, July 16.
Deal Tomato has a team of dedicated deals researchers that compare and review the best Nest, Philips Hue, Arlo & Ring deals available during popular shopping events.
For the full range of live deals check out Amazon's Prime Day page.
About Deal Tomato: Deal Tomato reports on popular sales events. As an Amazon Associate Deal Tomato earns from qualifying purchases.
SOURCE Deal Tomato


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India extra e-retailing VAT
- Mar 19, 2016 | Richard Asquith
The western Indian state of Gujarat (population 60 million) is imposing additional VAT on goods sold to its citizens online from out-of-state.
This will act as an ‘entry VAT’ for online retail across state borders. The aim is to prevent e-retailers from having an unfair price advantage over traditional retailers if they source goods from outside of Gujarat.
The state senate will ratify the proposal next.
The major online platforms in India include: Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal.


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Could flying around in an aircraft one day be cheaper than owning your own car? Uber thinks so.
The ride-sharing giant says it hopes for Uber Elevate, its new “on demand air transportation” system — basically flying cars — to get to the point where it becomes cheaper than car ownership.
Uber Elevate will use vertical take-off and landing aircrafts, or VTOLs, to deliver commuters to their destination much in the same way a regular Uber does.
Except you know — in the air.
The company is aiming for the service to be real and mainstream in the next ten years. Read more…


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Boarded-Up Windows and Increased Security: Retailers Brace for the Election
Nordstrom, the high-end division retailer chain, mentioned it deliberate to board up a few of its 350 shops and rent further safety for Election Day on Tuesday. Tiffany & Company, the posh jeweler, mentioned “home windows of choose shops in key cities can be boarded in anticipation of potential election-related exercise.” Saks Fifth Avenue mentioned it was “implementing further safety measures at sure areas within the occasion of civil unrest as a result of present election.”
In Beverly Hills, the police mentioned they might take a “proactive strategy” and shut Rodeo Drive, a famend strip of luxurious retailers, on Tuesday and Wednesday, citing the probability of elevated “protest exercise.” The police, working with non-public safety corporations, mentioned they might even be on “full alert” all through Beverly Hills beginning on Halloween and persevering with into election week.
The nation is on edge because the bitter presidential contest lastly nears an finish, the most recent flash level in a bruising yr that has included the pandemic and widespread protests over social justice. Anxiety has been mounting for months that the election’s end result might result in civil unrest, irrespective of who wins. In the retail trade, many corporations are usually not merely involved about attainable mayhem — they’re planning for it.
In a present of simply how risky the scenario appears to the trade, 120 representatives from 60 retail manufacturers attended a video convention this week hosted by the National Retail Federation, which concerned coaching for retailer workers on find out how to de-escalate tensions amongst clients, together with these associated to the election. The commerce group additionally employed safety consultants who’ve prepped retailers about which areas across the nation are more likely to be probably the most risky when the polls shut.
“I’m 50-plus years outdated and I didn’t assume I might dwell to see this,” mentioned Shane Fernett, who owns a contracting enterprise in Colorado Springs and has been stocking up on plywood to board up his retail clients. “You examine this in third-world international locations, not America.”
For the retail trade, 2020 has been full of bankruptcies, retailer closures and plummeting gross sales as tens of tens of millions of Americans struggled with job losses due to the pandemic. Protests over police violence in opposition to Black residents despatched tens of millions of individuals into the streets, demonstrations that in some instances devolved into the looting and burning of shops in plenty of cities. Worries about unrest across the election have been fanned by President Trump, who has declined to say whether or not he would comply with a peaceable switch of energy if his Democratic challenger, Joseph R. Biden Jr., is victorious.
Protests flared once more this week after Walter Wallace Jr., a Black man with psychological well being points who was carrying a knife, was killed by the police in Philadelphia. That set off looting and clashes with the police in components of the town. Citing the civil unrest in Philadelphia, Walmart mentioned on Thursday that it was eradicating all of its firearms and ammunition from its gross sales flooring throughout the nation. On Friday, Walmart mentioned it was returning weapons to the gross sales flooring, after figuring out that the incidents of unrest “have remained geographically remoted.”
A magnificence provide retailer in North Philadelphia was broken after widespread looting this week.Credit…Victor J. Blue for The New York Times
This yr, companies have already sustained not less than $1 billion in insured losses from looting and vandalism largely set off by the killing of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer in May, in accordance with one estimate cited by the Insurance Information Institute, an trade group.
It is on course to be the costliest interval of civil unrest in historical past, seemingly surpassing damages in the course of the 1992 riots in Los Angeles and most of the civil rights protests of the late 1960s.
Keep up with Election 2020
The scenario in 2020 has drawn comparisons to protests within the 1960s, however Derek Hyra, an affiliate professor within the School of Public Affairs at American University, mentioned that latest unrest had been extra geographically widespread, affecting a wider swath of companies.
“Most of the rioting and burning within the 1960s occurred throughout the geography of low-income Black areas,” Mr. Hyra mentioned. “In the 2020 unrest, extra of it occurred in downtown and prosperous areas.
“It’s not simply city America,” he added. “The protests have been within the suburbs, they’ve been in rural areas.”
Protecting properties from potential harm will not be a easy determination. Retailers can threat alienating their clients by erecting plywood, significantly if the anticipated unrest doesn’t materialize.
“You are sending a message while you do this,” Stephanie Martz, normal counsel of the National Retail Federation mentioned. “You don’t need to essentially have interaction in this sort of grim forecasting.”
Some massive companies are protecting their plans obscure.
Target, with about 1,900 shops, mentioned in a press release, “like many companies, we’re taking precautionary steps to make sure security at our shops, together with giving our retailer leaders steerage on find out how to deal with their groups.”
The police mentioned they might be on “full alert” all through Beverly Hills beginning on Halloween and persevering with into election week.Credit…Maggie Shannon for The New York Times
A spokesman for CVS, which operates almost 10,000 shops, mentioned: “Our native management groups are empowered to take steps that they decide will finest help the security of our shops, workers and clients. This contains the choice to board choose retailer areas.”
Election 2020 ›
Updated Oct. 30, 2020, three:19 p.m. ETTrump, in Michigan, calls Laura Ingraham ‘politically right’ for carrying a masks.Trump will end with a two-day, 10-event sprint ending in Grand Rapids, the location of his final 2016 rally.‘This is not any time to let up,’ Kamala Harris tells Texas Democrats.
Gap Inc., with greater than 2,000 shops in North America, mentioned it had “contingency plans set in place for any points which will come up and can proceed to observe the scenario fastidiously and carefully subsequent week.”
Behind the scenes, although, many companies are making express preparations.
Tom Buiocchi, who runs a web based platform referred to as ServiceChannel that connects retailers with native contractors in cities throughout the nation, mentioned greater than 500 shops have stuffed out work orders to board up or take different protecting measures forward of the election.
He mentioned he had discussions this week with a bunch of luxurious retailers who had been reluctant about being the primary ones to take any seen precautions. “No one desires to be the one one boarding up in a group; it may be off model,” Mr. Buiocchi mentioned.
Some retailers have debated whether or not erecting boards would make them extra of a goal. Others are taking steps like buying completely different screws for the plywood than those they utilized in June, hoping to thwart looters with screw weapons. The prices of boarding up companies can vary from a number of hundred to $31,000 for giant malls with show home windows.
For the shops that keep open via election evening and the unsure days that would observe, their employees will once more be thrust right into a risky scenario. Already, retail workers are confronted with the potential for violence in making an attempt to make sure that clients put on masks to cease the unfold of the coronavirus. Election week might pose extra risks.
The coaching supplied by the retail federation was initially meant to assist employees defuse tense conditions round masks carrying by advising workers to make nonthreatening eye contact and communicate with empathy, mentioned Ms. Martz, the group’s high lawyer.
She acknowledged that there might be added hazard for employees on Tuesday evening as a result of the police are more likely to be stretched skinny if there are protests. “People are so divided and it’s such a tinderbox,” Ms. Martz mentioned.
It is all a stark reminder of simply how tense the nation’s political scenario is.
“Maybe in different international locations, protest and chaos is extra generally understood across the switch of energy like a presidential election or a chief minister,” mentioned Professor Hyra of American University. But within the United States, “there was such a transparent understanding that we dwell in a democracy and whoever wins the Electoral College, there’s a peaceable switch of energy.”
Mr. Fernett, the contractor in Colorado, mentioned he not too long ago bought a two-year provide of plywood and 2-by-Four planks on the request of fretful retailers.
Saks Fifth Avenue mentioned it was “implementing further safety measures at sure areas within the occasion of civil unrest as a result of present election.”Credit…Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times
He is taking his personal precautions. He has eliminated the identify of his enterprise, Jack of All Trades, from his firm vans, and is requiring that his technicians work in pairs subsequent week for their very own security.
“Our native lumber yard requested what’s happening, why such an enormous order,” Mr. Fernett mentioned. “I mentioned, we expect all hell goes to interrupt unfastened. That’s why we’re stocking up. I hope we don’t want to make use of it.”


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from obvious-strategy-obvious department
Microsoft continues to take steps to circumvent various regulators that have raised concerns about its purchase of Activision Blizzard. While there are many signs that EU regulators are preparing to approve the deal, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have yet to go through in the states. Microsoft’s strategy to overcome these obstacles is very simple. Call of Duty: franchise on as many platforms as possible to show regulators that they don’t plan to make the games exclusive. Microsoft already has a deal for it with Nintendo and a proposed deal for it with Sony, which was originally the main private objector to the acquisition.
And now Microsoft is stacking them up by inking two more CoD: deals with both game streaming platforms.
Microsoft announced Tuesday that it has signed a 10-year deal to bring its Xbox PC games to the little-known Ukrainian streaming platform Boosteroid. The step is partially positioned in the “mac[e] It’s even clearer to regulators that our acquisition of Activision Blizzard will make Call of Duty available on many more devices than ever before,” Microsoft vice president and president Brad Smith said in a statement.
The new deal comes a month after Microsoft signed a similar 10-year commitment with Nvidia to bring Xbox PC games to the company’s GeForce Now streaming service.
As I said, the reason for these transactions is obvious. Microsoft doesn’t even bother to pretend otherwise, telling the Wall Street Journal directly that these new deals will make it harder for Sony to make arguments in court or before regulators that focus on exclusivity. CoD: privilege
Just as telling, if not more so, is what is happening at the FTC. There, the FTC, after hearing Sony’s arguments that Microsoft’s exclusivity over Bethesda titles should lead it to do the same with Activision Blizzard titles, appears to be considering opening the door to Microsoft for acquisition. of Sony exclusivity transactions in detail as part of the discovery process.
Microsoft alleges that the Complaint in this case alleges a number of allegations relating to exclusive arrangements between high performance video game console developers and video game publishers. Microsoft states that it is aware that the SIE requires many third-party publishers to agree to exclusivity provisions, including prohibiting publishers from placing their games on the Xbox multiplayer subscription service, and that it understands the full extent of the SIE’s exclusivity arrangements and their effect. the competitiveness of the industry will contribute to its protection.
Judge Chappell says this is because “the nature and extent of ․ [Sony’s] content licensing agreements relate to the Complaint’s allegations regarding exclusivity arrangements between Video Game Console Developers and Video Game Developers and Publishers.”
What does this mean? Well, that means that starting in 2019, Microsoft is going to look at the costs, terms, and conditions of all sorts of Sony exclusive deals over the past few years. And you can bet Sony doesn’t want to that released, especially if it’s involved in the kind of anti-competitive nonsense that Microsoft warns could be involved.
It remains to be hoped whether this information will be released to the public.
Treaty: antitrust, Call of Duty, competition, eu, ftc, UK
Companies: activision, activision blizzard, microsoft


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Chaos ruled wholesale markets in the city — from Yeshwantpur to old pete and vegetable markets — on Wednesday after demonetisation of Rs. 500, Rs. 1,000 notes. Shopping areas such as Commercial Street and Russell Market were deserted. In many markets, street hawkers and eatery owners looked tired of answering the question: “Do you have change for Rs. 500?”
Though traders in old pete and Yeshwantpur APMC yard were wary of accepting Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes, they eventually accepted the demonetised currency notes so as to not to lose business. “If we refuse to accept these notes, we will have to shut down markets for many days. We will have to exchange these notes in banks from Thursday,” said Ravi Kumar, an onion merchant at the Yeshwantpur market. A merchant in Chickpet said they were accepting demonetised currency notes to prevent loss of business.
Restaurants also saw poor business and some eatery owners turned away people who came with Rs. 500 notes.
However, merchants and traders are stuck with these currency notes as farmers, suppliers and even transporters are refusing to accept payments in them. “We estimate it will take a month for the business to stabilise. None of us has money to pay farmers. Moreover, we are in a sector where all payments are made in cash. The limit of Rs. 20,000 a week limit is laughable,” said Ramesh Chandra Lahoti, president of Bangalore Foodgrains Merchants Association.
For the roadside vendors, even a one day’s loss of sales could mean going to sleep on an empty stomach. Kamalamma (65), who sits outside Bangalore Fort, was almost in tears as she looked at her wilted greens. “I have not made even one sale the whole day,” she said. She has no family of her own and doesn’t have a bank account.
Those selling non-essential items such as knick-knacks and combs were the worst hit, with people unwilling to shell out change for such items. “No one has change to buy my wigs; they have been made with hair from Tirupati,” said Vasantha, who sells wigs near the fort.
Gold sales lost their shine on Wednesday with many jewellery stores seeing a drop in customers. The confusion over cash transactions, coupled with a slight rise in the gold price, meant empty showrooms. At one such jewellery store in the central business district, the staff said they had made less than half their usual sales. “There have been dismal sales from morning; it has been less than 10 per cent of the usual sales, all through RTGS and card,” said Manakchand Badera, owner, Panchkesari Badera Jewellers, Jayanagar.
Many traffic offenders let off
Even traffic policemen were not spared of the effect of the ban on Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes. It was a lucky day for some traffic offenders as policemen had to let them off just because they did not have the change. “If they give us Rs. 500 for a fine of Rs. 100, where do we get the change from? So, we have just been letting off people,” said a helplessl traffic policeman. Those who were handed over notes of Rs. 1,000 or Rs. 500 were seen scrutinising them carefully.
BTC to take a call on races today
Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) will take a call on Thursday on whether or not to hold races this weekend. A committee will meet on Thursday to take stock of the situation in the light of demonetisation of high-value currency notes. “Our races are scheduled for Friday and Saturday. The cities that had races scheduled for Wednesday cancelled them,” said a senior BTC member. Most of the transactions at BTC are done in cash only.
Card clubs shift to keeping accounts
Clubs hosting card games such as rummy had to adapt to demonetisation of high-value currency notes that usually made most of the cash on the table. Clubs resorted to keeping accounts of the dues by members buying the chips for the game, abjuring all cash transactions.
Chaos at tourism destinations
Ticket counters at tourism spots in the city such as Lalbagh, Tipu Sultan Palace and Bannerghatta National Park, were also affected as authorities could not provide change to many tourists tendering Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes.
Bus conductors accept notes, run out of change
On a day when most government offices were not accepting Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes, conductors of BMTC and KSRTC buses accepted the notes and issued tickets. However, with several passengers opting to buy daily pass and paying with Rs. 500 notes, conductors ran out of change and had to start refusing tickets in several routes.
Namma Metro users who tendered Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes to recharge their smart cards for higher amounts were turned away.
Cab aggregators such as Uber and Ola sent out alerts to users that they would not be accepting Rs. 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Online payments were encouraged. For autorickshaw users, it was a tough day as drivers, tired of handing out change, took to asking customers to board only if they could pay exact change.
Hawala operators were in high demand
Hawala operators, many of whom operate from the congested pete areas of the city, have allegedly collected large sums of money since Tuesday night from those hoarding black money.
They were in high demand on Tuesday night after the Prime Minister’s announcement on demonetising Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes, and operated till past midnight, sources in the police said, and added that such people shut their operations by Wednesday morning after panicking. Most of those who went to these operators were traders with unaccounted for cash, sources said.
The going rate was a commission of 30 per cent for conversion — that is, the seller got Rs. 350 for every Rs. 500 note and Rs. 700 for every Rs. 1,000 note. In some cases, hawala operators started charging even 40 per cent cuts and promised to pay in new currency only after two months. However, sources said the operators decided that it was too risky and decided to wait and watch.
A senior official in the Economic Offences Wing of the State police said they were closely watching all transactions for any criminal offences during this period. Bengaluru city police and tax agencies are working in tandem to track down on high-value currency transportation across the State too.
Police officials said the move to demonetise high-value currency had hit hard those indulging in gambling, and many operators had closed shop for now. “All gambling is in black money and they need time to build up black cash reserves in new currency to float again. These operators are likely to be down for at least three months,” an official said.
Overnight, currency exchange turns into booming business
By Wednesday morning, the currency exchange bazaar had turned unorganised, and even street vendors had turned into currency exchange dealers across the city. Several such “agents” were trading in Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes by roadsides and shops. For instance, a tender coconut vendor offered to accept a Rs. 500 note for a cut of Rs. 200 in east Bengaluru. However, he refused to say where he would exchange the demonetised notes later. In Chickpet, one of the oldest markets of the city, shopkeepers were seen openly trading in currency notes, with even competitive cuts. However, these were restricted to small sums of money and they made spot payments, unlike hawala operators.
Generous’ gifts at weddings
Guests at weddings in Hassan in Karnataka saw it as an opportunity to clear the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes. They “generously” gave away these notes as gifts! This was what The Hindu saw on visiting a couple of marriage halls in Hassan on Wednesday. “Whatever I have collected so far are only Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes. Most people do not want to part with the few Rs. 100 notes they have,” said a woman who was collecting gifts on behalf of the bride at Seetha Ramanjaneya Choultry in the town. Anushree and Raghavendra, from villages near Dudda, got married here. Similar scenes were witnessed at other halls too.
Meanwhile, the parents of the bride and the groom were a harried lot. They had taken out cash to handle the last-minute expenses on the wedding day and were left with only Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes. “I have to postpone all payments for the day,” said Manjunath, whose sister got married in Sakleshpur on Wednesday.
Drop in transactions at govt. offices
Many residents of Bengaluru had a tough time on Wednesday with several government offices stopping accepting Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes, leading to a drastic drop in transactions, and hassles for all.
BangaloreOne centres across the city were accepting payments only by card, cheque or demand drafts. Cash payments by notes of any denomination were stopped. At offices of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, all transactions were halted for Wednesday.
Electricity bill payments were also being accepted in Rs. 100 notes or other instruments only. Property transactions dropped to less than one thirds across the State on Wednesday, with over half the sub-registrar’s offices registering no property transaction at all. RTO offices also registered a drop in transactions because they were not accepting the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes.
Arguments at toll booths
Toll roads across the city witnessed heavy rush as travellers tried to use their Rs. 500 notes at the booths, leading to arguments with the staff manning the booths. While these notes were not accepted earlier, a statement from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) eventually led to toll booth operators accepting the demonetised currency.
However, a lack of enough smaller denomination notes led to toll booth officials refusing larger denomination notes as they could not return exact change. The issue was mitigated only after an announcement by Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari that toll collection had been waived at NHAI toll booths across the country till midnight of November 11.


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Earlier this month we reported that our favourite 1990s actress, Winona Ryder, scored the lead in one of Netflix’s as-yet-untitled supernatural drama. Now the fashion gods are smiling down on Jo March as she is revealed as the latest Marc Jacobs muse.
Winona joins Cher and Willow Smith in the autumn/winter 2015 campaign photographed by David Sims that is gaining plaudits for its use of women with amazing careers. The clothes aren’t too bad either. Winona’s photos are a little bit more overtly playful than the others. Exhibit A: a mussed up cat ear bob.
The Reality Bites actress and Jacobs have been friends for over 15 years and she famously wore his designs during her high profile shoplifting trial in 2003. In the end, Winona paid fines and was given three years probation, which she served without incident. Her career following this media storm was subdued, marked by appearances in Star Trek and Black Swan. When Jacobs announced the news that Winona was to be one of his brand ambassadors he didn’t hold back on the compliments. ?I love her wit, energy and besides being a great talent, she is a great friend!? he wrote.
This isn’t Winona’s first fashion campaign rodeo. In 2003, just after her trial, she featured in a Marc Jacobs campaign. (They really are pals) And this time last year she fronted a womenswear print campaign for Rag & Bone.
As regards her upcoming Netflix show, details are skim but the plot is being touted as a tribute to the conspiracy scripts of the 1980s. Winona is to play the mother of an abducted child who tries to uncover governmental conspiracies while also dealing with supernatural elements. Considering Winona starred in such classics as Beetlejuice and Heathers, we think this endeavour will suit her quirky talents very nicely. And when it comes to her Marc Jacobs job, she did look great at her trial in fairness.
The Winonaissance, anyone?


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“Before March 2020, Nevada led the country in producing new jobs,” said Jonas Peterson, president and CEO, Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance (LVGEA). “Our economic development plan was working, and our economy was consistently becoming more diverse.” Across the state, manufacturing, logistics, distribution, technology and healthcare sectors were growing. In February, Nevada’s unemployment rate was 3.6 percent.
In March, everything changed. Overnight all nonessential businesses closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, Nevada’s unemployment rate hit 30.1 percent, an all-time high. After a decade of diversification efforts following the Great Recession, the pandemic tested those efforts severely.
Economic development authorities changed focus from recruiting new companies to Nevada, to supporting existing companies, helping them navigate federal and state stimulus programs and interpret directives from the governor’s office.
In September Nevada began to pull out of the downturn. Unemployment dropped to 14 percent, which had been the peak during the Great Recession.
“We still have a long way to go. Now more than ever we need an aggressive strategy for new job creation. If we can be aggressive, we can bounce back pretty quickly,” said Peterson.
Regional Focus, Statewide Results
“What the state is doing and what we’re doing in Northern Nevada are not necessarily the same thing,” said Mike Kazmierski, president and CEO, Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN). “Certainly economic development is important throughout the state and every region has different resources and motivations.”
Nine years ago EDAWN shifted from gaming and tourism as the region’s primary economic driver post-recession. “We changed our focus to reinvent our economy and addressed what we saw was a real opportunity in advanced manufacturing and data centers, and continued growing logistics and distribution by expanding ecommerce.”
Nevada’s statewide focus shifted to add to gaming and tourism, rather than a shift away from the industry.
“Obviously there was a big change to the state’s economic development and diversification policies during the Sandoval administration,” said Jeremy Aguero, president, Applied Analysis. As the state emerged from the recession, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) was created, and there was a heavy focus on both economic development and diversification.
“It was a long recovery, but it was very successful,” said Bob Potts, deputy director, GOED. Nevada began to top lists in terms of growth, jobs created and total personal income.
Around that time GOED contracted with Brookings Mountain West and SRI International to create an economic roadmap for the economy. The report identified seven industry sectors that both fit the state’s existing economy and expanded and diversified it.
In 2018, Nevada again contracted with SRI and Brookings to create a new assessment to be used as the basis for a five year strategic plan. As opposed to 2011, unemployment stood at 4.7 percent in January. It was a different economy. Economic development and diversification efforts statewide were working. LVGEA was seeing consistent growth in job creation and capital investment, said Peterson.
“Then COVID-19 hit and everything had to pivot,” said Potts.
“During the Great Recession in Nevada we lost over 200,000 jobs over a two and a half year period,” said Aguero. “During the start of the COVID-19 crisis we lost 280,000 jobs in two months.”
Those are daunting numbers. A recent Applied Analysis survey of 2,600 businesses showed more than 70 percent indicated they’d been materially impacted by the pandemic. Where 70 percent surveyed began 2020 expecting to grow, they now expected a decline in revenue for 2020.
“The virus was an act of nature we had to deal with and we’re still dealing with. We really pivoted what we were doing in economic development at the time to deal with the crisis,” said Potts.
Economic development is defined as the creation of an environment where businesses that make up the economy of a city or state can thrive and grow. When economic authorities pivoted to address the downturn, it was to help businesses figure out Small Business Administration (SBA) loans and navigate grants and CARES Act monies. They also sought to understand how directives from the Governor’s Office affected them.
At the same time, regional development authorities continued to work with companies interested in locating in Nevada, planning ahead for the economic bounce back.
“Having folks on the team who really understand how economies work, particularly in their functional areas, is critically important as we tried to navigate the right decisions and polices moving forward in the recovery,” said Potts. Looking to provide as much support and resources as possible to people in Nevada businesses, GOED continues working closely with the Treasurer’s office, the Department of Education and the Nevada System of Higher Education, helping address and mitigate as much damage as possible because of the downturns, said Potts.
Economic diversification is a shift from a limited number of economic sectors in an economy to a more varied structure to reduce economic reliance on too few industries.
Nevada has been addressing diversification for decades, with increased emphasis during the last 10 years. As a result of those efforts, not every industry experienced the same downturn with the shutdown. Retail, restaurants and casinos were hit hard. Nonessential gaming and tourism businesses shuttered and reopened slowly. Regional economies based on industries with use of automation and technology, or agriculture and mining companies continued to perform better than those based on gaming and tourism. Not all regions were impacted the same.
“We know obviously southern Nevada has been especially hit hard because discretionary spending dries up whenever there’s a downturn like this,” said Potts. “This was like a one-two punch because of proximity of people, and the communicability of the virus to try and stay in front of that and keep people safe first, and then address how we’re going to address all the economic fallout that we’re dealing with.”
As diversification became the watchword, EDAWN pushed for e-commerce companies, which flourished during the pandemic as online ordering and no-contact deliveries skyrocketed. EDAWN also pushed for advanced manufacturing.
“We knew we would continue to be successful with logistics and distribution because of our strategic location, so we really pushed for advanced manufacturing and data centers,” said Kazmierski. There was a lot of early success and by the time Tesla looked at northern Nevada there were nearly 40 advanced manufacturing companies in place.
Just because different regions have different economic focuses doesn’t mean industries don’t blur over regional development authority lines. Northern Nevada Development Authority (NNDA) oversees Carson City, Lyon, Douglas and Storey counties, and their focus is heavily toward advanced manufacturing. Their metro area is smaller than EDAWN’s and they don’t have as much industrial land. Smaller manufacturers tend to locate there. NNDA also has a history of manufacturing in their community, where for EDAWN, it’s new to the mix.
NNDA’s economic base is comprised of agriculture, mining, manufacturing, logistics and big tech, most of which were deemed essential and remained open during the shutdown.
“When you bring in primary dollars like that, it supports the growth of secondary dollar merchants, like retail Main Street people and service industries. That’s the way the economy works, right?” asked Rob Hooper, president and CEO, NNDA. “We’re seeing the incoming dollars into the region exceed the outflow, so our region is growing. And yes, we’re focused on diversity, we have been for a long time.”
NNDA’s region is considered a production economy, producing and sending out more freight than it brings in. “That protects us from these types of shutdowns,” said Hooper.
Economic development and diversification operates in the background for most people; they’re not aware of it until there’s an economic upheaval. “It seems like when we go through [a downturn] it becomes more important to other folks,” said Jeff Brigger, director of business development, NV Energy. “But for the development authorities, and for us, it’s always important. We’re seeing impacts of that in southern Nevada more than we are in the north because of the heavy dependence on gaming and tourism in the south.”
Southern Nevada before and during the downturn experienced an uptick in e-commerce and logistics-related operations. Typically located in northern Nevada, those types of companies were welcomed. The data center industry is also eyeing both southern and northern Nevada.
NV Energy’s economic development department created a database of 2,000 to 3,000 prospect companies that might relocate to Nevada. During the downturn they ramped up engagement with prospects, creating industry-specific marketing packages including site, utilities and workforce information.
One industry every region wants is advanced manufacturing. It’s heavy with robotics, coding and engineering. When Tesla chose to locate in northern Nevada the attention on the region brought in other advanced manufacturing companies which created a base of technology companies. When the pandemic prevented corporate scouts from flying to distant locations, northern Nevada saw an uptick in interest from California tech companies that could easily drive from Bay Area locations.
Pandemic aside, some industries are desirable because the ultimate goal is to raise wages in the region. Logistics, distribution and e-commerce are good jobs, but advanced manufacturing jobs pay in the $30/hour range, and jobs in technology can pay more than $100,000 annually.
In 2018, GOED assembled a quantitative and qualitative assessment of Nevada’s economy, with data on which industries are growing and how fast. The assessment also showed which regions are growing differently and economic data on job and income numbers, taxable sales, and gross regional product.
The assessment provided a comprehensive data matrix, said Potts. The qualitative side included 140 focus groups of stakeholders, both public and private, discussing their regions. The assessment is critically important as Nevada’s economy looks for yet another new normal.
“We dropped off about one-third of our employment,” said Potts. “That varies by region. We knew when we started opening the economy back up, based on what the health situation looked like – caseloads, hospitalizations, positivity, those kinds of things – and people start going back to work, commerce will start happening again. But, how fast, and what does that bounce back look like?”
Everybody talks about the shape of recovery, Potts said, but nobody really knows what it’s going to look like. There are considerations businesses and industries never had to deal with before, how to manage risk, how to keep customers safe, how to keep people spaced apart.
Which means commerce can only get back to a certain level, and not every displaced worker is returning to the job they were displaced from. In September, Nevada was down 150,000 jobs below pre-COVID levels. The question was, were those 150,000 people returning to work, and to the same job, reskilling for something new, or becoming part of long term unemployment statistics?
There is light at the end of the economic tunnel. Not every industry suffered the same amount from the downturn. Retail, restaurants, travel and gaming were significantly impacted, but other industries like distribution centers and delivery services grew.
Some businesses will fit better into the post-COVID landscape than others. Peterson expects to see opportunities to dramatically improve Nevada’s economy by recruiting companies that need to be more cost competitive and locate in a more business friendly environment than they’re currently operating in.
“We’re hearing some rumblings from the Fed that there could be incentives for onshoring,” said Brigger. The practice of bringing back companies previously moved offshore is gaining ground after disrupted supply chains during the pandemic showed how problematic it can be having companies like pharmaceuticals located out of the country.
An overall look at the numbers alone in September didn’t show Nevada’s economy in completely dire straits. According to Potts, June taxable sales numbers weren’t as bad as might be expected, and those numbers closed out the fiscal year. June taxable sales showed a downturn of about 2 percent, or 1.9 in aggregate.
“But if you look underneath those taxable sales numbers there are some big swings, big double digit swings both negative and positive,” said Potts. “The negative are the ones that tend to be very high customer contact [businesses], restaurants and bars and casinos, that sort of thing, if we’re just talking about taxable sales.”
It’s worth noting that the real impact of COVID-19 on Nevada’s economy may not be being felt yet. Since the start of the pandemic and economic downturn, $2.3 trillion worth of stimulus money has flowed into the U.S., buoying the economy, said Aguero.
“Almost $19 billion has flowed into the state of Nevada, including paycheck protection programs that have benefitted tens of thousands of businesses and hundreds of thousands of employees, to say nothing of unemployment insurance benefits and direct payments to individuals,” said Aguero. All of which are keeping the economy afloat, but also masking some of the economic challenges created by COVID-19.
Industries experiencing double digit growth like technology and delivery businesses offset the numbers so in the aggregate taxable sales numbers don’t look that bad.
What the numbers don’t take into account are retail stores that may have been struggling before the pandemic and now need to decide how to retool. Technology will probably play a role, as it has for a lot of industries, and will for a lot of workers.
Because the numbers also don’t consider Nevada workers who may find themselves permanently displaced by automation.
“We’ve seen even before this pandemic where there were properties buying machines that fix drinks,” said Potts. “Machines don’t get sick, right? But you’re going to need folks who know how to program them, that know how to operate the machines, how to manufacture them, so workers need to start thinking in those terms, what are those opportunities? What [this pandemic] has done is accelerated, what we call, Industry 4.0.”
The “Fourth Industrial Revolution”, the merging of man and machine into the same workplace, is leading to increased automation and the need for Nevada’s workforce to reskill.
Workers laid off because the business they worked for didn’t survive the downturn or because their position has been automated, make up the workforce regional development authority’s are hoping will reskill.
“It will take a concerted effort by the region, the state and our educational institutions to upskill or retrain existing workers so they can fill these higher paying jobs coming into our region,” said Kazmierski.
Recovery is going to require aggressive economic development, Peterson said, which means that economic development teams need to have the tools and resources to recruit businesses to Nevada and assist existing businesses.
It also means the community needs to come behind economic development with the new push, Peterson said. As Brigger pointed out, economic development authorities are always working, but it isn’t until there’s a downturn that there’s a general awareness of them.
“What we’ve learned is it takes the private sector, education leaders, and public sector leaders all working together if we’re going to do economic development right,” said Peterson.
Nevada’s economy has historically been procyclical, positively correlated with the overall state of the economy. Nevada has historically had higher highs and lower lows, said Potts. “The goal of diversification starts taking the amplitude out of that cycle so our lows and our highs more correlate to coincide with what national business trends look like. That’s what diversification does for you.”


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Following the news of their initial defeat in the U.S. District Courts at the hands of the FDA and Judge Amy Jackson on July 21st, Nicopure Labs and Right to be Smoke-Free Coalition is filing an appeal to once again challenge the FDA's 2016 "deeming" regulations.
On May 10, 2016, we saw the official battle between the regulators and the regulated begin with fresh fervor in the form of a courtroom standoff between Nicopure LLC—a Trinity, Florida manufacturer behind e-liquid brands such as Halo—and the Federal Drug Administration a mere two days after the FDA announced their incoming regulations for the e-cigarette industry.
The FDA's "Deeming" Regulations flagged e-cigarettes and their components (e.g. batteries, chargers, and mouthpieces) as tobacco products—despite a distinct lack of actual tobacco present in these devices—making them subject to the PreMarket Tobacco Application requirements already in place for the tobacco industry.
“We believe the FDA is doing a massive disservice to public health," said Jeff Stamler, CEO and co-founder of Nicopure Labs, "and we will keep fighting for the vaping industry to ensure these products will continue to help a growing number of people quit tobacco and start a new, smoke-free life.”
These applications have a ridiculous range of required data going far beyond simply stating the company of origin, product labeling, ingredients, and other such traditionally supplied information.
In fact, after paying for the nonclinical and clinical laboratory studies needed to determine ecological, environmental, toxicological, public health, and behavioral impacts, the cost to supply each application with the necessary information can quickly skyrocket out of control.
While the cost to compile a single PMTA is difficult to pin down with exact certainty, estimates can be as modest as the FDA's predicted $300,000/500 man-hours per product application or reach as high as the $5m/1700 man-hours witnessed by news sources across the country.
This astronomical price tag may be affordable for the major tobacco companies who handle hundreds of billions of dollars in gross revenue annual, but for the independent small-medium e-cigarette businesses composing 99% of the e-cigarette industry (who feel giddy after breaking a mere $1 million in sales), this veritable tax applied to each and every product will force them out of business faster than a grocery store in Houston.
While many vapers, manufacturers, and retailers alike have taken to the message boards and airwaves to proclaim their disapproval of the looming threat against the modern e-cigarette industry, the case brought before Judge Amy Jackson was the first time a formal argument against the FDA's regulations has been brought forward in a court of law.
Following the announcement of the upcoming iconoclastic clash, other manufacturers and vaping advocacy groups—including the Right to be Smoke-Free Coalition, the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA), and many more—emerged from the fog to follow suit, throwing their hat in the ring for Judge Amy Jackson to consider their side of the argument.
Yet sadly, just last month on July 21st, the honorable Judge Jackson ruled unequivocally in favor of the FDA's decision to continue applying these stringent regulations in such a thoroughly damaging way, reinforcing the justice system's recurring philosophy that although a law may be inadvisable, it's not necessarily unlawful.
“...[B]anning the manufacture or sale of the devices,” wrote Judge Jackson, “...is not what the Deeming Rule does or what it was intended to accomplish. In the Deeming Rule, the FDA simply announced that electronic cigarettes, or electronic nicotine delivery systems (“ENDS”) would be subject to the same set of rules and regulations that Congress had already put in place for conventional cigarettes.”
Indeed, the reasonings outlined in Judge Jackson's decision reiterate this well-meaning point.
But it's important to keep in mind that for traditional tobacco products, this PMTA process can easily be postponed for years or waived entirely for any tobacco products already on the market prior to 2007, which would include the vast majority of the harmful products you see behind gas station cashiers or in the pockets of your elderly relatives.
But for e-cigarettes, a technological trend less than a decade old, such an easy out is simply unobtainable.
Judge Jackson's initial ruling was released a mere week before Dr. Scott Gottlieb, newest head honcho of the FDA, announced the FDA's latest plan of action in dealing with the threat against public health that is tobacco.
This plan includes many points, such as lowering the nicotine content in cigarettes, educating the nation's youth on the dangers of tobacco, and most importantly, a four-year delay in enforcing the "Deeming" Regulations at all, pushing the time limit back to 2022.
In the wake of this news, Nicopure and R2B Smoke-Free have filed a follow-up appeal with U.S. Court of Appeals in the D.C. Circuit, still confident that a continued legal push will reveal the FDA's "Deeming Rule" to be created in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act as well as infringing upon the First Amendment rights of vapers and manufacturers alike.
“I'm disappointed in the judge's decisions to deny us on every motion, but at the same time, this is just one step in a longer legal battle. We always knew this would end in an appeal, either by the FDA or the industry,” said Stefan Didak, Founder & President at NotBlowingSmoke.org
Whether their attempt to retain an objective decision on the matter will succeed, it remains to be seen.
But vapers and advocates both remain hopeful that the facts of the case will be immediately apparent to a second pair of judging eyes.
With such a daunting threat to a burgeoning industry, it would fly in the face of our free market economy to extinguish a rightful member on merely moral beliefs rather than ineffable fact.


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Wikipedia is currently down to unknown network problems, and currently, there is no estimated time for the problem to be resolved. Workarounds are available to users who need to access the pages.
A week of Apple riches, Microsoft's future, and low-end Lumia love
NFL Super Bowl XLIX will be live streamed for free
NFL Super Bowl
NewerTech Wireless Aluminum Keypad Review
NewerTech Wireless Aluminum Keypad
Smartron S805 Android TV box: Unboxing and first impressions
Hands on with HoloLens
Print may not be dead, but the printed version of the Encyclopaedia Britannica is. Following last month's decision to move to a digital future, the company has launched a new subscription-based app.
Hardware Pacers has posted a review on the Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Deluxe 2005. Here is a snippet: "The Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Deluxe 2005 is a phenomenal program that can give users access to...


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Indian travellers are the most experimental travellers in Asia-Pacific and are opting for picturesque destinations like Ireland, Sweden, Greece, Switzerland and Japan, says a survey conducted by global travel search company Skyscanner.
Indians have searched for 231 different countries around the world in the first half of 2015.
“The Indian travel landscape is evolving and is witnessing a change in travel sentiments in a robust manner. In the spirit of exploration, Indians are looking for more unfrequented destinations,” said Kavitha Gnanamurthy, senior marketing manager, Skyscanner India.
“The diversification in destinations indicates a greater sense of adventurism, and should be heartening for the India tourism industry as a whole,” added Gnanamurthy.
According to data collected by the company, Indian travellers are heading to countries that offer an array of tourist attractions, unexplored terrains, vast landscapes, cultures, and rich heritage – for instance Ireland that has witnessed a 110 percent YoY(Year on Year) growth in searches and is one of the emerging destinations for Indian travellers this year, said a statement.
With snow-capped peaks, wandering reindeers in deep green forests and the 24-hour daylight of the midnight sun, Sweden has witnessed a 106 percent YoY increase in searches followed by Greece with 77 percent, Switzerland with 15 percent and Japan with 12 percent.These countries have piqued travellers’ curiosity this year. (IANS)


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Parry’s Pizzeria and Bar unleashes huge Avery Brewing tap takeover Saturday
About 15 months ago, David Parry reinvented his eponymous New York-style pizza chain south of Denver as a craft beer paradise, adding taps and filling them with the best of what Colorado and the nation have to offer while preserving the family-friendly feel befitting the suburbs.
This Saturday brings a heady endorsement of that decision – Avery Brewing is replicating its Boulder taproom experience by hosting gigantic tap takeovers at Parry’s Pizzeria and Bar locations in Highland Ranch, Castle Rock and Greenwood Village, with 30 beers at each location.
The event – One Big Ass Tap Takeover – will include rare beers that hardly ever leave the taproom and two offerings from Avery’s new session series of low-alcohol, high-flavor beers. It’s being billed as “the biggest tap takeover, ever,” and the hope is to earn a Guinness record.
“This event speaks for itself,” Parry said. “Adam Avery doesn’t do events. To have Adam Avery come south, to a guy who’s only been doing this a year, that says something about what we’ve brought down south.”
The first Parry’s opened in 2007 in Parker and has since expanded to the other, larger locations. Parry said that in talking to customers and other people around town, the conversation kept turning to craft beer, something that reminded him of his passion for collecting Hot Wheels as a kid.
“Obviously, we are at the mecca of craft beer in Denver,” Parry said. “I have many customers that collect these beers in their cellars. It’s become the new wine. It’s our generation of the wine connoisseur. It was so fascinating. Listening to people talk, I thought, ‘I want to be a part of this.'”
The original plan was to start with 20 taps but the company installing the draft system said, “If you can do 20 you can do 50,” Parry said. “Like anything in life, more is better.”
Parry installed 50 taps at Highlands Ranch, 40 at Castle Rock and 50 in Greenwood Village, which opened about three weeks ago. The selection is strong on Colorado and California – a tap takeover in March featured Russian River’s Consecration, Temptation, Damnation, Supplication and Sanctification.
Joe Osborne, Avery’s marketing director, likens the enormous tap takeover from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. this Saturday as sort like a bookmobile bringing the library to the public.
“We got to talking to our sales rep about something we can do that’s real special,” Osborne said. “We were talking about 90 beers. It was such an absurd number. It was like, I don’t think we could even get 90 different beers but we can do 30 beers at multiple locations.”
Among the treats Avery will be pouring, according to Osborne:
– Tap-room exclusive Wee Turtles, a break from the hop-forward and barrel-aged beer for which Avery is rightly known. A rich, full-bodied, traditional beer with “a lot of caramel malt in it, peat-smoked malt to give it a scotch element … It’s really unique,” Osborne said.
– The two session beers – a 3.5 percent alcohol by volume pale ale and a 3.7 percent alcohol by volume milk stout. The pale ale is available now in a few test markets around Denver and Boulder. The plan is to make it more widely available on draft this summer and eventually put it in cans.
– Tweak Imperial Coffee Stout, a huge, caffeine-loaded beer that never lasts long in the taproom.
Adam Avery is scheduled to appear at each location, and VIP brewery tours will be raffled off.
Parry said he has “very aggressive expansion plans” and is in discussions now to expand into the north suburbs – the Westminster, Northglenn, Thornton area. He said Parry’s also has had opportunities to move into Fort Collins and into Denver. But Parry’s has a good thing going in the suburbs. Although moving into Denver is eventually part of the plan, that is last on the list of possible moves, Parry said.
He said Parry’s has been conscious to appeal to suburban families, in part by separating the bar area from the eating area to avoid making the bar the focal point, and, of course, a kids’ menu. That, he said, is one feature that distinguishes Parry’s from other great craft beer establishments in the metro area.
“I want to spend as much time with my family as I can, so that’s why I created a restaurant that is family friendly,” he said. “I want to bring my family here. We have great food, a great selection of beer and also, every night at one of stores, there are kids.”


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JBF Customs is bringing back on of it’s most popular creations with Jordan Brand, re-releasing the JBF Customs Shadow Air Jordan 1 Python. Unfortunately, they were only available for a few hours this morning. So if you weren’t in the know, you will most likely won’t find yourself a pair. To be honest with a price […]
Rumor has it that Jordan Brand may bring back one of their most revered silhouettes, the Air Jordan 3 Black/Cement. There is no confirmation as of yet but the Jordan Brand has been known to keep it’s enthusiasts happy by answering demand, and this silhouette is always in demand. We will fill you in as […]
Puma and artist Sam Rodriguez have teamed up to create an 1800 Tequila inspired Clyde. The shoe boasts a light blue upper, suede toe, and silver heel tab in reference to the brand’s bottle. It’s print merges Mayan and Aztec art found throughout Mexico with Sam’s signature style. No set date for release, but we do know this […]
It’s hard to believe that we have been putting on shows and pumping out shirts for 13 years. We would like to thank everyone that supported us throughout the years. We have many memories from Stripper Fights to pool parties to all the shows we have put on. Tonight come and celebrate the past as […]
Nike gets set to release this Motorsports edition of the Air Jordan 4. Back in 2006 this shoe was originally created and distributed to Jordan’s motorsports team to celebrate their 4 year anniversary. Now they are finally (over a decade later) releasing them to the public. Expect to see these in stores March 25th.
Nike takes it’s recently released Cargo Khaki colorway in a Lupinek Flyknit Low. Very similar to their high-top predecessor, with an addition of some slight touches of grey throughout the upper. This sneaker rounds out with SFB’s sole unit and a bold triangular motif across part of its midsole.
Nike drapes a Dunk High in a classic Air Jordan 1 colorway. The Dunk’s new colorway is an exact replica of Michael Jordan’s first sneaker released back in 1985. This falls in line with Nike’s release of the Be True To Your School Nike Dunk High college colorways released last year,
The Hundreds recently announced a collaboration with underground hip hop artist MF Doom. Hundreds founder, Bobby Hundreds, leaked this photo showing The Hundreds logo set atop MF Doom’s signature graphic. Consumers can expect to see this collab drop Friday, March 5th. One can only hope there is some audio accompanying the release. Looks like we will […]


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ARMIDALE’S A Day on the Green has outgrown its beds and the city couldn’t be happier.
Last year’s event attracted 6400 music lovers and this year more than 7000 are expected to descend on the city on Saturday, March 9.
The concert is attracting people from all over the state, and other parts of eastern Australia to enjoy the line-up of Neil Finn and Paul Kelly, Lisa Mitchell and Mark eymour at Petersons Winery.
The event has grown so big, Armidale Showground will host a tent city.
Armidale Legacy will be on site to offer breakfast and other services.
Shuttle buses will run from the showgrounds to the winery, giving patrons a hassle-free transport option to enjoy this year’s A Day on the Green.
The city will have events across three days, called Access All Areas, to encourage visitors to appreciate what Armidale has to offer.
Armidale Dumaresq Council is holding a larger-than-usual monthly market in the mall on Sunday morning following the concert, with live music and stalls.
More than 20 of the town’s retailers have combined forces with special offers and discounts in stores and extended shopping hours on Saturday and Sunday.
Armidale mayor Jim Maher said there would be a lot of activity in the city over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
“We want to showcase Armidale as a great place to live,” he said. “We’ve just won the Most Sustainable Community at the NSW Tidy Towns Awards and we hope to be knocking on the door when they announce the national winners in April or May. The weather last year was fantastic and we’re hoping for that again.
"I think all our CBD retailers and service providers are excited about this and we have a very co-operative community in providing as many services as possible.
“Access all Areas was born out of the evaluation process which followed the highly successful 2012 event,” he said.
“Quite simply, it is planned to extend the party atmosphere engendered by A Day on the Green at Petersons Winery down into the CBD.”


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Check out a new article on Medium about CREDITS Peer-to-peer (P2P) network and its components.
Where to watch
What benefits could a blockchain-based messenger offer and how it can solve current problems? Find out in our new article on Medium.
CREDITS CTO & Co-Founder Eugeniy Butyaev and COO David Kolmakhidze will take part in Hey! Blockchain Conference in Hanoi, Vietnam on April 22.
CREDITS CEO & Founder Igor Chugunov will participate at Seamless Middle East conference in Dubai on April 15-16.
In our new article on Medium we explain how blockchain can be implemented into the oil industry.
A blockchain can literally save lives by quickly transmitting the data about current health conditions to medical personnel.
CREDITS CEO & Founder Igor Chugunov will take part in 2nd Global Fintech & Blockchain China Summit 2018 in Shanghai on April 12.
A new update of CREDITS pre-beta is now available for download. Please uninstall the older version prior to installing the updated one.
Our new article on Medium explains how blockchain and smart contracts can solve problems in the hotel industry.
t has been a very eventful week. Most importantly, our team has launched a pre-beta version of the CREDITS platform.
Today, the CREDITS token will become available for trading on yet another stock market ranked in the Top 20, CoinBene.
Our Chinese article contest has been finished! Thanks everyone for participating! And the winner is…
Get everything on how blockchain can change business relationships and save up to 30% of resources for small and medium-sized businesses.
CREDITS are delighted to present the open pre-Beta version of the platform. In this article, we take a closer look at the available functionality of the platform.
We are glad to inform you about the adding of a CS/USDT trading pair on the KuCoin exchange.
We are happy to present an open pre-beta version of the platform. The updated system launch is scheduled for March 29.
Head of Investor Relations at CREDITS explains explosive growth of CS token repeated amid the falling cryptocurrency market.
Read our new article on Medium to get all information about blockchain in the automotive sector.
We are sharing with you all the main platform development news and CREDITS software optimization for UNIX. Check it out!
Financial services on the blockchain and under smart contracts are expected to become mainstream as early as the first half of the 2020s.


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Demand for coffee in non-producing countries showed a healthy recovery in the first quarter, although there are signs of possible slowdowns in demand in Russia and China for the coming quarters, analysts from Rabobank said in a report on Friday.
It said 'coffee disappearance,' a term indicating the amount of coffee non-producing countries are actually consuming and not packing for re-export, rose 6.9% in the first quarter compared to the same period a year earlier.
The European Union plus United Kingdom area saw a larger increase, at 9%, while the United States jumped 4.6% and Japan, 5.1%.
Rabobank said the numbers are still not great compared to pre-pandemic levels.
The result in the first quarter was only 0.6% higher than two years ago (Q1 2020).
The analysts said Russia's war in Ukraine and Chinese COVID lockdowns could dent coffee demand in those countries.
They also said high retail prices could hurt demand in Brazil, a top producing country which is also the second largest global coffee consumer after the United States.
Rabobank projects a 25% fall in Russian coffee demand, and a 50% fall in Ukraine's coffee use.
The bank sees the global coffee supply balance shifting from a deficit of 5.1 million 60-kg bags in 2021/22 (October - September) to a surplus of 1.7 million bags in 2022/23.
It kept its estimate for Brazilian 2022 production at 64.5 million bags, in the top end of market estimates.
Brazil's food supply agency Conab cut its crop view to only 53.4 million bags on Thursday.
Rabobank, however, cut its view for the Colombian crop to 11.8 million bags in 2021/22, but expects a recovery to 13.4 million bags in 2022/23.