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Deutsche Bank AG Analysts Give Lanxess AG (ETR:LXS) a €79.00 Price Target
Several other analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. HSBC Holdings plc set a €66.00 ($77.65) price objective on Lanxess AG and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, May 24th. Credit Suisse Group set a €70.00 ($82.35) price objective on Lanxess AG and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, June 16th. Macquarie set a €75.00 ($88.24) price objective on Lanxess AG and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Saturday, May 20th. S&P Global set a €70.00 ($82.35) price target on Lanxess AG and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, May 29th. Finally, Kepler Capital Markets set a €87.00 ($102.35) price target on Lanxess AG and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 28th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. The company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of €71.94 ($84.64).
Shares of Lanxess AG (ETR:LXS) traded up 1.252% during trading on Tuesday, hitting €67.231. 204 shares of the stock traded hands. The company has a 50 day moving average of €67.24 and a 200-day moving average of €65.86. Lanxess AG has a 1-year low of €41.60 and a 1-year high of €70.85. The company has a market cap of €6.15 billion and a PE ratio of 28.356.
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Lanxess AG Company Profile
LANXESS AG is a Germany-based company engaged in the chemicals sector. The Company specializes in the development, manufacturing and marketing of chemical intermediates, specialty chemicals and plastics. Its business activities are divided into three segments: Performance Polymers, responsible for the manufacture of special-purpose rubbers for rubber products used in vehicles, footwear, engineering and construction area, among others; Advanced Intermediates, focused on the development of intermediates for agrochemicals, coatings industries, pharmaceuticals and tire chemicals, among others, as well as Performance Chemicals, which includes chemicals applied in material protection products, inorganic pigments, finishing agents, leather industry and resins for water treatment, among others.
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Monday, February 6, 2006
...and the arguments seem rather familiar:
The Presidential Committee on Judicial Reform will soon introduce a punitive damages system. It could be way to deter antisocial crimes such as kidnapping, embezzlement, drunk driving and violent demonstrations. However, a pharmaceutical company, for instance, might be discouraged from developing new medicine, such as an AIDS vaccine, for fear of being sued. The committee should consider that consumers might be the ones to suffer damage.
The article also cites Erin Brockovich and O.J. Simpson for good measure.

domain: news


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To see Selling Power's most recently published Selling Power 500 listing, click here.
Every year, Selling Power magazine’s research team ranks companies according to the estimated number of salespeople they employ. The 500 top companies in America, which employ the world’s largest sales forces, depend on millions of salespeople to achieve their revenue goals, and this year marks the first time that the number of salespeople is approaching the 25 million mark. This shows that, without question, the men and women who make up each company’s sales force produce the revenue that will continue to fuel this country’s economy.
The 2015 SP 500 includes the top 200 companies in the manufacturing industry, the top 200 companies in the service industry, the top 50 insurance companies, the 30 largest direct-selling companies, and the top 20 automotive-dealer organizations (megadealers).
See the 2015 Selling Power 500 List:
Every year, new companies make the list while others drop off. The total number of salespeople employed by all 500 companies listed is 24,831,572, which represents a small increase of about 1 percent – or slightly more than 300,000 additional salespeople – as compared to last year. This overall change is less than half the increase from last year and may signal some stagnation in the momentum of the economic recovery.
The direct-selling category, which posted a small 3 percent increase in 2014, posted a smaller 1 percent increase this year, a possible indication that people are seeking to join a more traditional full-time sales force in greater numbers. The number of salespeople in the manufacturing industry statistically remained the same, as did the number of salespeople in the insurance industry. The number of salespeople in the service industry increased by a significant 2.7 percent – the first sizable increase in more than five years. The automotive industry posted an encouraging increase in the number of salespeople: up almost 8 percent. Overall, without the direct-selling numbers, the number of salespeople increased by just over 25,000 people, reversing three consecutive years of declines.
The states with the most SP 500 companies are New York (51), California (49), and Illinois (35). The states in which the SP 500 companies employ the largest number of salespeople are New York (6,729,945), California (5,541,800), and Michigan (3,034,545). These states account for about 27 percent of the total companies and a whopping 61 percent of the total salespeople.
Our research team continued to find that salespeople employed by manufacturing firms contribute a far higher amount of sales revenue compared to other industry segments. The top 200 manufacturing firms employ 488,828 salespeople and produce over $3.8 trillion in sales. That’s an average of over $7.8 million in sales per salesperson. This represents no significant (+.83 percent) change in productivity compared to the previous year, which means productivity has been stagnant now for three consecutive years. The number of manufacturing salespeople remained relatively unchanged, gaining about 2,000 salespeople compared to last year. The total number of manufacturing industry employees increased slightly this year, increasing by less than 1 percent over last year.
The top 200 companies in the service sector reported a very small increase of just over 16,000 salespeople, bringing the total to 616,598 salespeople. The number of salespeople increased by almost 3 percent, and the total revenue came in at over $2.7 trillion, which is more than a 12 percent increase over last year. This represents more than $4.5 million in sales per salesperson and an almost 10 percent increase in productivity – more than reversing last year’s productivity loss. The number of service-sector employees increased by almost 4 percent this year, making three consecutive years of increases in the number of service-sector employees. This year, the total number of employees in the service industry increased by more than 200,000.
The top 20 automotive megadealers reported positive numbers across the board this year. The top 20 firms own 1,689 dealerships (up by about 8 percent), employ an estimated 25,335 salespeople (an increase of about 7.9 percent), and produce more than $116 billion in sales (up by almost 10 percent). This brings the average annual sales per salesperson to $4.6 million (up by more than 1.7 percent). The productivity registered is a hopeful sign for an automotive industry that is continuing its recovery.
The top 50 insurance companies employ sales forces totaling 642,768 across the industry, with an average sales volume per salesperson of $1,130,266. This represents a significant increase in productivity of more than 10 percent. In fact, the number of salespeople remained about the same as the prior year, while their productivity increased by more than 10 percent. The total number of employees posted an increase of about 2.5 percent over 2014.
The top 30 direct-selling companies reported over 23 million salespeople, continuing a trend of increases in the number of salespeople in this industry within the past 14 years. However, this year’s increase of more than 280,000 salespeople is one of the industry’s smallest annual increases within the past five years.
Overall, the numbers illustrate a recovering economy continuing to gain its footing, with generally positive results across all industries. Although the total number of salespeople employed by the top 500 remained relatively static, there were increases across the board in the number of employees, and the revenue generated per salesperson increased across every industry.
Each salesperson in the service or manufacturing industry supports, on average, 13.82 other jobs within the company; that figure marks a small increase from last year’s number of 13.75. These companies employ a total sales force of over 1.1 million salespeople, who produce more than $6.6 trillion in sales and ensure the employment of more than 16 million people. This underscores the fact that the sales forces of America are responsible for helping sustain and ensure our economy’s future growth.
TOP EXECUTIVES – Use the SP 500 to benchmark your company’s productivity per salesperson. Find out how you measure up to your competition and the average in your industry. Check which companies have decreased their sales forces and which are gearing up for expansion.
SALESPEOPLE – Use the SP 500 as your best-prospect list. There is no other source that gives you access to those companies that purchase products for a large number of salespeople. This is your ideal list if you sell sales training, sales-incentive services, customer relationship management solutions, automotive fleets, sales meetings, or trade show services. Begin your account planning by researching company Websites.
JOB SEEKERS – Use the SP 500 to plan your sales career. These 500 companies employ the largest sales forces in America. Large companies invest heavily in recruiting, training, and rewarding sales staff. To find job openings, log onto the companies’ Websites.
EDUCATORS – Use the SP 500 as a tool to build next year’s curriculum. Every year, SP 500 companies seek to recruit more than 500,000 college graduates. There are more than a dozen colleges that offer sales curricula, and all of their graduates can look forward to solid careers in sales. Prepare your future students for a lucrative career in sales. (Note: media research shows that the average Selling Power magazine reader has a college degree, works in sales management, and has a household income of more than $174,000 per year.)
Special thanks go to our corporate research team for collecting the data. To have your company listed in the Selling Power 500 next year, please email firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Citigroup in talks to buy 14% in Ghari detergent maker
At the current valuation of close to Rs 1,000,he deal could be signed at around Rs 140 crore. When contacted, Citigroup declined to comment. “We do not typically comment on Citigroup private equity investments or investment strategy,” said the CVCI spokesperson in an e-mail response to ET.
KTC MD, Murali Dhar, could not be reached. Sources say, there were at least two private equity firms in the fray, but CVCI has emerged as front-runner. Over the past five years, Kanpur-based detergent maker, KTC has shot into prominence as a major regional force, which has given sleepless nights to FMCG giants like Hindustan Lever and Nirma in North India.
Today, Ghari is one of the fastest growing brands with a market share of around 40% in UP and Bihar with close to 10% volume share on an all-India basis. It caters to the mass market through a wide network of 300 distributors and a million retail outlets spread from the smallest rural village to the largest metro with a strong base in North India.
KTC clocked a sales turnover of Rs 840 crore in ’05-06 with a net income of Rs 35 crore. It has projected a net profit of Rs 60 crore in the current fiscal, on a turnover of over Rs 1,000 crore. The funds raised through the private placement route would be used to finance KTC’s ongoing projects in Uttaranchal and other parts of the country.
Currently, KTC makes Ghari detergent at its plants in several locations including Kanpur, New Delhi, Indore, Sahibabad and Alwar. KTC is also setting up an IT park in Noida on 1.5-2 lakh sq ft. With the valuation ruling high, industry watchers say this is an ideal time to offload equity.
During the past six months, there’s been a growing trend of private equity players shifting focus from big deals to small unlisted companies, which are perceived to be undervalued. As valuations get expensive, PE firms are identifying smaller targets where they could add value.
Analysts say, unlike in the West, India has a huge unorganised sector with immense opportunity and PE players want to unlock that value with their hands-on approach.
(This article was originally published in The Times of India)


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Ayano Sasao is defying the conventional wisdom that cars targeted to a niche consumer category like young women are doomed to fail.
The 18-year-old Japanese hospital worker just bought the Nissan Pino, a toylike minicar just 3.4 metres long with star-stamped upholstery, a hook for a handbag and a chic "milk tea beige" exterior - although she says she almost went with the pink.
"It's so cute. I just love it," she said.
To make sure women like Sasao get the message, Nissan has launched a merchandise line for Pino, including pink bear-shaped cushions, seat covers with hearts, a CD case that looks like fat red lips, and a colourful cover for a tissue box.
Ironically, Pino isn't even made by Nissan, Japan's third biggest automaker. It's made by Suzuki Motor Inc.
But under a manufacturing agreement, Nissan packages Suzuki's Alto model differently, with fancier seat fabric, a distinct front design and a hubcap inspired by a snowflake so the wheels appear to sparkle on the road - all touches to give the car that cute look.
Nissan had 5,500 orders for the Pino in the first month since it went on sale in January, more than double the company target of 2,500 a month.
Sasao knew the Alto looked a lot like her Pino and was quite a bit cheaper.
The Pino starts at about 1 million yen (US$8,600; euro6,500), while the Alto starts at Y650,000 ($A6,900). But she still was willing to spend more - and take out a six-year auto loan - for the Pino because she thought it was so much cuter.
While models such as sports cars or family minivans target segments of the population, auto companies generally avoid producing models aimed at narrow niche markets because they usually don't sell in numbers.
Toyota Motor Corp. officials often say they don't believe in overly specific marketing tactics, which are apt to backfire for an automaker known for best-sellers like the Camry and Corolla.
And in most countries, experts tend to advise against making autos pink or adding other "cute" features to appeal to female drivers partly because that may smack of sexism and turn off women - except in Japan.
Here, young women are extremely powerful in setting trends, and the culture of cute is so prevalent grown men aren't embarrassed about dangling little mascots from mobile phones.
Also, Japanese consumers frequently use personal products to show off who they are, often buying designer-brand products to make a statement, said Kazuo Ikegami, marketing expert and professor at Rissho University.
"Product image is far more important for Japanese consumers than American consumers," Ikegami said. "There's a much bigger element of personal identity in Japanese marketing."
Even the advertising for Pino is tailored to women who are about 20 years old.
The pamphlet is manga-style, like a Japanese comic book, depicting the story of three young well-dressed women going shopping together, manicuring their nails to match the star-patterns on Pino seats, using aromatherapy oils in the car. The TV ads also tell a similar story.
Nissan marketing manager Miwa Ishii says one goal for Pino is to court young drivers to the Nissan brand with hopes they'll move on to buy more expensive models in the future.
Ishii said the Net store Nissan opened especially for Pino goodies is aimed at attracting online shoppers, who tend to live in areas far from the glitzy stores of Tokyo and other cities - exactly the demographics of those who buy minicars.
"Rather than talk about the features of a minicar, we thought it's better to talk about how cute it is," she said. "It's a new model. We're starting from zero to build public awareness about it."


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페이지 정보작성자 현대머티리얼 조회 89회 작성일 20-07-23 13:44
Commemoration Ceremony held by Hyundai Materials in Launch of Scrubber in Greece
- Plan to equip on the vessels in Greece (Ship Owning Company) SEANERGY
- Plan to install five ships sequentially from May of this year.
Hyundai Materials (Representative Director: Unjae Cho), a company specializing in eco-friendly facilities of Hyundai Motor Group, held a commemoration ceremony for the 1st and 2nd scrubber launch on April 2, in scheduled to be installed on the ship of SEANERGY, Greece.
The commemoration ceremony of this scrubber release was attended by the Technical Director of SEANERGY, Greece, and starting in May of this year, it will be sequentially installed on five of the company's vessels.
Hyundai Materials held a commemoration ceremony in launching the 1st and 2nd scrubber on the ship of SEANERGY, Greece, on April 2nd.
Amid growing competition among domestic and international scrubber manufacturers, Hyundai Materials has released an advanced scrubber based on non-packing technology without fillers, unlike other manufacturers.
The strengths for Hyundai Materials products, in particular, are greater maintenance cost savings than other products due to the use of fillers, and that the volume can be reduced by 20% compared to existing facilities.
As a result, it has received a lot of attention from domestic and foreign shipowners and has already received orders from a large number of shipowners.
For most companies that supply scrubber, there are also concerns that packing type scrubber using fillers can affect the payback time due to high maintenance costs, which may demean the meaning of scrubber mounting. In fact, some shipping companies are known to take the wait-and-see attitude.
During the launch ceremony a participant of SEANERGY said “we have been able to see the production site with Hyundai Materials' high-performance scrubber, which gives us more confidence in our quality control capabilities” and that “we are pleased to receive the first and second products, and we thank Hyundai Materials officials for their efforts to produce high-quality scrubbers, even during short delivery periods”.
Meanwhile, in addition to producing scrubbers, Hyundai Materials expressed the ambition to establish consortium with Korea's leading technology holders, establish consistent supply system (Turnkey Base) including engineering and installation, and to provide the highest quality services, while establishing as a leading foundation company in this field.
[From] 스틸데일리/손연오 기자 (email@example.com)


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GOLDEN, Colo. — A Denver man got a very unpleasant surprise when he realized how much he had been charged for an 18-mile trip via Uber on Halloween, KDVR reports.
“Me and my bank account got taken for a ride last night,” said Elliott Asbury.
After leaving a Halloween party in Golden on Halloween, Asbury knew getting home wouldn’t be cheap. He had no idea, however, just how much he would end up paying for the trip.
“I was expecting $44, $50, $60, $100 on the outside,” he said.
When he arrived at his destination, the driver pulled up the price for the trip on his phone and it added up to $539.
“[The driver] was shocked, he was embarrassed actually,” Asbury told KDVR. “He gave me his card and he was like, ‘Make phone calls. Get in touch with customer service. This can’t be right.'”
According to Uber though, the total was correct. On busy nights, Uber uses something called “dynamic pricing,” also known as “surge pricing.” It multiplies fares as a way to quell demand and attract a greater supply of drivers.
The surge at the time multiplied Asbury’s normal fare more than seven times, but he said he didn’t realize what that would do to his total fare.
“You just wouldn’t stand there and be like, ‘Hmm, is this maybe going to cost me half a grand to get home?’” Asbury said.
Asbury’s huge fare was also due to his inexperience with the app. He mistakenly requested a premium, Black Car instead of a cheaper UberX ride because he didn’t see the options or understand the difference. He also didn’t spot an option to estimate his fare.
Asbury said he has learned his lesson and told KDVR he has some advice for anyone else planning to use Uber during a similar surge.
“Don’t bother man,” Asbury said. “Rent a helicopter.”


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When AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) reported first-quarter earnings last month, the company revealed that it had lost 897,000 subscribers to its premium TV services. AT&T stock had dropped 22% for the year to date, and it traded essentially flat following the earnings release. There was a time when losing that many subscribers would have been a serious blow to the company, but no longer.
Just three years ago, one research firm estimated that by 2021, about 28 million of the 128 million U.S. households would not be cable TV subscribers. According to a survey completed this spring, nearly 82 million (64%) have either cut the cord or have never subscribed to cable TV. AT&T’s premium TV subscriptions have fallen nearly 17% year over year, from 22.4 million to 18.6 million.
Wireless services, what the company calls its Mobility business, is adding subscribers, although not nearly enough to offset the losses in TV.
It seems that AT&T is banking on its introduction later this month of HBO Max, a new streaming service that promises more than 10,000 hours of premium content. HBO, part of AT&T’s Warner Media division, was acquired by AT&T in 2018’s Time Warner deal.
Cable Subscriptions Are Not Coming Back
Millions of people have ditched cable and satellite TV services, primarily for the perceived cost savings of going to streaming. In a recent survey, research firm The Trade Desk found that the percentage of 18- to 34-year-olds who have cut the cable TV cord, are planning to, or have never subscribed to cable TV is 74%. Even 55% of older Americans (age 55+) are not or eventually won’t be cable subscribers.
The Trade Desk report noted:
Of those households that do still have cable TV subscriptions, 11 percent plan to cut the cord by the end of the year. That figure jumps to 18 percent within the 18-34 age group. This data represents a significant increase over the approximately three percent annual decrease in traditional pay-TV subscriptions as predicted by eMarketer in July 2019 (prior to the stay-at-home directives).
Why the Coronavirus Pandemic Is Changing Minds
More than half (60%) of cable TV subscribers told The Trade Desk that the only reason they continue their subscriptions is the availability of live sports. But COVID-19 has put an end to that, at least temporarily. Besides, many streaming packages include live sports programming. Walt Disney Co.’s (NYSE: DIS) Hulu + Live, Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ: GOOGL) YouTube Live and Verizon Communications Inc.’s (NYSE: VZ) Mix & Match are just a few examples.
Streaming, especially free, ad-supported streaming, is preferred by the younger viewers who say they don’t mind ads targeted to them. From The Trade Desk report: “By a ratio of 3-2, the 18-34 age group prefers tailored ads, the highest ratio of any age group. This suggests that younger viewers have the greatest awareness and appreciation for the value exchange between relevant advertising and access to free premium content.”
Does HBO Max Fill the Bill for AT&T?
When the company rolls out HBO Max later this month, AT&T’s cable TV subscribers will get the service free if they already subscribe to HBO. Subscribers to some other services also will get the new service for free.
Otherwise, HBO Max will cost $15 a month ($12 if customers sign up before the May 27 launch date). That compares with $7 a month for Disney+ and $9 a month for Netflix Inc.’s (NASDAQ: NFLX) cheapest tier. Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA), which owns NBCUniversal, will roll out a free limited tier for its new streaming service, Peacock, in July.
AT&T is charging the same price for HBO Max that it charges to cable subscribers, but the service will include non-HBO-produced shows like Friends and also will carry original content exclusive to HBO Max. Whether that will attract those millennials who like advertising is a gamble.
Once again, COVID-19 tosses a wrench into the plans. New TV and film production has essentially stopped due to the pandemic. The new services launching soon (HBO Max and Peacock) will be hit hardest because they had yet to load up on original content. Peacock, for example, now plans to have only a handful of originals available by the launch date.
What AT&T Shareholders Are Getting
As of December 31, 2019, AT&T had $163.15 billion in total debt with $151.31 billion listed as long-term debt. The remaining $11.84 billion is listed as current. It’s an impressive list.
The company’s operating cash flow for the first quarter totaled $8.87 billion. Out of that, the company paid nearly $3.8 billion in dividends for a dividend yield of nearly 7% ($2.08 annualized). There are a lot of other claims on AT&T’s cash as well.
The cash pile got larger last quarter too with the addition of a $5.5 billion term-loan agreement.
As usual, the main attraction of AT&T’s stock is the dividend payout ratio, currently at 24.2%, based on cash flow, or 58.3% on a trailing 12-month basis. The company’s board of directors is committed to continuing to pay dividends, and as long as it does, all AT&T has to do is make sure that HBO Max doesn’t further drain cash. That may be more difficult than it sounds.


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China housewives in iPhone scam
This discrepancy in prices has led to a booming smuggling industry where, for example, iPhones are bought in the United States or Hong Kong, carried into China in suitcases by smugglers and then passed to scalpers in China.
China has cracked down on smugglers over the past two years. In 2010 it levied taxes on imported iPads, even if they were for personal use. In September China jailed an ex-flight attendant accused of evading taxes of more than 1 million yuan by smuggling cosmetics from South Korea.
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Fiat, Italy’s biggest manufacturer, is reportedly considering buying the 41.5% of Chrysler that it doesn’t already own, then taking the combined company public in a new IPO.
According to a The Wall Street Journal article citing “people familiar with the matter,” Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has wanted to combine the two companies since Fiat bought Chrysler in 2009 following a U.S.-government bailout. Since then, Chrysler has returned to profitability and provided parent company Fiat with much-needed cash. Chrysler accounted for 75% of Fiat’s 2012 operating profit.
“Hats off to Chrysler and Jeep in particular,” says The Daily Ticker’s Henry Blodget. “People love Jeep. It’s such a success story.”
Jeep led U.S. Chrysler sales for years but they fell in March, reportedly due to a restructuring of the brand. Chrysler is ending the Jeep Liberty and relaunching the Grand Cherokee. Fiat sales have also been doing well, especially the Fiat 500 — a mini car — whose sales are on track to soon reach 100,000.
The Daily Ticker’s Aaron Task credits Fiat’s CEO with the success of the company.
“Sergio Marchionne came into Fiat when it was on its knees," says Task. "They took over part of Chrysler when it had one foot in the grave and he’s turned them both around. It’s a tribute to leadership, and leadership matters.”
And Marchionne's leadership will be tested once again. Fiat has to negotiate with the UAW, whose retirement health-care plan owns the remaining stake of Chrysler that Fiat wants. The UAW claims its shares are worth about $4.6 billion. Fiat doesn’t agree. A Delaware Chancery Court is scheduled to hold a hearing on the matter Thursday, but a decision is not expected for at least a month or two. Marchionne is also well aware of the failed merger (dissolved in 2007) between Chrysler and Daimler-Benz.
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text: Since 2006, Kia has placed eco-management at the forefront of its brand management strategy alongside its emphasis on quality and design management. As a result of its efforts, Kia continues to be perceived as a leader in the environmental sustainability sector and joins the Best Global Green Brands list for the first time. Kia has made strides in improving the performance of its vehicles, with a strong focus on enhancing fuel efficiency—for which it has faced US EPA scrutiny and a class-action lawsuit along with corporate sibling Hyundai—and a long-term aim for zero-emission vehicles. The Chief Technology Officer of Hyundai/Kia apologized and promised that fuel efficiency would be corrected, and even offered to reimburse customers. Quick to meet the rising demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, Kia was one of the first automotive manufacturers to implement its Active Eco System, which helps with fuel savings by optimizing the drive train engine and transmission operations. Its 2009 launch of the EcoDynamics brand to represent its environmentally friendly technology was effective in leaving a lasting impression in the minds of consumers and also enabled them to select eco-friendly vehicles more easily. Today, Kia’s entire line-up of electric vehicles, fuel-cell electric vehicles, and hybrids are marketed under the EcoDynamics umbrella. Kia engages its customers through sustainable initiatives such as donating trees and sending college students to environmentally at-risk areas through its EcoDynamics Expedition program. In recent years, Kia has also produced award-winning sustainability reports, garnered international attention for sponsoring major events like World Environment Day, and developed vehicles worthy of the Korean Ministry of Environment’s Certification on Carbon Footprint and the US Life Cycle Assessment Certification for minimizing CO2 emissions. Kia has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) since 2009, the DJSI-Asia Pacific index for three consecutive years, and the DJSI-Korea index for four consecutive years.


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Volkswagen has been hit with a class action lawsuit for allegedly misrepresenting the brake safety systems in nearly 100,000 of its 2016 and 2017 models, including the Jetta, Passat, and several Golf vehicles.
Plaintiff Michael D’Amore brought the class action complaint against Volkswagen in state court back in April, but the case was recently transferred to federal court. D’Amore is challenging Volkswagen’s alleged deceptive representations and omission regarding the brake safety systems of its 2016 and 2017 vehicles sold in California.
According to the Volkswagen Brake Safety System class action lawsuit, D’Amore purchased a 2017 Passat specifically because it contained safety features that provided for autonomous braking at speeds over 25 miles per hour. In fact, upon purchasing his 2017 Passat, D’ Amore was given and read the owner’s manual for his new vehicle which contained a representation that the 2017 Passat has high-speed autonomous braking system as a standard feature. But, while driving his 2017 Passat in excess of 25 mph, D’Amore contends he did not experience any warning – visual or auditory – nor did his vehicle engage in any autonomous braking.
Volkswagen has represented itself as one of the safest automobile brands manufacturing and selling vehicles in America. “It brakes when you don’t,” was a pledge made in commercials to American consumers when Volkswagen tried to sell its 2016 models. Volkswagen represented that its 2016 and 2017 models contained two technology systems: Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (the “Systems”) and campaigned to capitalize on safety concerns of consumers, including those with children, the lawsuit indicates.
“Despite these representations, at no point in 2016 or 2017 did these brake safety systems properly work at speeds over 18 miles per hour. Not only did Volkswagen’s misrepresentation of the brake safety systems diminish the value of its 2016 and 2017 vehicles, Volkswagen endangered the owners and drivers who relied on the safety technology promised, warranted and sold in its 2016 and 2017 vehicles.”
D’Amore claims he, and other consumers, were duped by Volkswagen, contending that the vehicles never had such safety technology and that Volkswagen knew it. Volkswagen’s alleged knowledge of this defect, is based, in part, on the results of published unbiased testing conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Based on IIHS testing, not one of the tested Volkswagen cars had any high-speed auto-brake technology that would reduce speed in a meaningful way, when the vehicle was traveling over 25 miles per hour. For instance, as reported by the IIHS, the 2016 and 2017 Passat speed was reduced by 0 miles per hour when the Passat was traveling at 25 miles per hour.
The Volkswagen Brake Safety class action lawsuit goes on to state that he, and other Volkswagen car owners, would not have purchased the vehicles, or would have paid substantially less had they known the safety systems did not properly operate. D’Amore seeks to represent a Class of all current and former owners of the following Volkswagen vehicles who reside in the State of California and/or who purchased or leased the vehicles listed below in California:
- 2016 Golf, GolfGTI, GolfR, e-Golf, GolfSportWagen
- 2016 CC
- 2016 Jetta
- 2016 Passat
- 2017 Golf, GolfGTI, GolfR, e-Golf, Golf Alltrack, GolfSportWagen
- 2017 CC
- 2017 Jetta
- 2017 Passat
D’Amore is represented by Ari E. Moss of Moss Bollinger LLP and Mary Niefert and Anoiel Khorshid of Niefert Korshid APLC.
The Volkswagen Brake Safety System Class Action Lawsuit is D’Amore et al. v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., Case No. 18-cv-5682, in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.


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The severe drought continues to take it's toll on various industries across the country. Clovis, New Mexico used to be a thriving dairy town. Now, the odds are stacked against them and many of them have been forced to close.
"It's tough to see your friends going out of business," said Clovis dairy farmer Art Schaap.
Art Schaap is one of the lucky ones. He's been in the dairy business in Clovis for 25 years his farm has stayed afloat, while others haven't been so fortunate.
"Normally farmers can take the ups and downs," said Schaap. "But that last couple of years with the dry weather has doubled our feeds costs."
Sky rocketing feed prices, low milk prices, the ongoing drought and poor economic status have forced about 10 dairies around the Clovis area to close in the last year.
"The average dairy employs about 30 people," said Robert Hagervoort, New Mexico State University Dairy Extension Specialist. "That extends into the community to about 100 people per dairy."
That means employees losing their jobs and the farms, losing their cattle. When a dairy closes, they're forced to sell off their entire herd. When that happens, in most cases, about half will be sold to another dairy and the other half will end up as beef cattle.
But even those who are hanging on, like Schaap, are cutting back.
"We're cutting everything to the bone. We're getting rid of external employees, we're cutting the quality of feed which is hurting production," he said. "We're selling assets to pay down the bank."
"Farming operations that for years have been in business end up in a situation like this," added Hagervoort. "Generations of equity is being lost and the younger generation is just not able to continue. It's just sad to see that happen."
Unfortunately, the worst may still be yet to come.
"It's going to be a domino effect and it'll hit next year more than this year," said Schaap. "Sadly enough, some of them aren't going to come back."
According to Hagervoort, each dairy is worth about 6 million dollars to a community's economy each year. That means in the past year, Clovis's economy has taken about a 60 million dollar step backward.


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Based on Zachdev’s recent observations,
Among parents who view device usage more positively, 90 percent say these views will continue beyond the pandemic.62% of parents who embraced the device usage said the pandemic has led them to see that devices and technology can be used as educational tools.Among parents who view technology use more positively, 55% said they now see how devices can help connect children with friends and family and maintain relationships while physically distanced.
“They really are their communication, their socializing, their gameplay, their entertainment. They are how kids dig into the things they’re passionate about.”
Seeing children use devices for educational purposes and to maintain relationships played a role in shifting parents’ viewpoints.
Sixty-two percent of parents who view their child’s device use more positively said the pandemic has led them to see that devices and technology can be used as educational tools, while 55 percent said they now see how devices can help connect children with friends and family and how they can help maintain relationships while physically distanced.
The subsample of parents has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
The survey done, which has an overall margin of error of 2 points, suggests a bright future for the entertainment industry, which has taken a hit with movie theaters and live entertainment shut down and production on films, television shows and other projects paused.
70 percent of parents said their children were using their increased screen time to play games while 49 percent reported their kids were turning to social media, both of which are activities that have gained a negative reputation for attaching kids to screens.
The pandemic has shown parents how these activities connect children and teens with one another. It’s given parents a new perspective on what their kids are actually doing when they’re using media, particularly games and social media, that they’re not just playing the game in isolation, they’re not just playing with someone else and only talking about the game. It’s the way they would be sitting on the couch and talking to each other if they were able to get together in person.
Kids are likely to sustain their media and technology usage in the future, particularly with the brands and companies they clicked with during lockdowns.
Kids will be most responsive and will stick with companies, brands, stories that they felt like were there for them during the pandemic.
That’s one of the attractions for them of something like a ‘Fortnite’ or TikTok or ‘Roblox’: The feeling that it’s a responsive platform that isn’t just pushing stuff at them, but is responding to how they use it and how they talk to it.
Among parents who said their views about technology and device usage have become more positive, an overwhelming majority (90 percent) said they will continue to have these views after social distancing measures end.
When the pandemic is over, we will see a temporary move away from screens as children rush to activities they have been barred from since 2020.
But they think parents’ appreciation for device usage will have made a lasting impact.
It’s showing that screen time is not monolithic, these moments to be able to see each other on screen and have a conversation can be incredibly rich and important moments for kids.
Parents are starting to understand these distinctions better because they’re seeing it play out right in front of them.


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Following the announcement that Nintendo are partnering with DeNA to bring their franchises to mobile devices, they are also working on an all new hardware platform codenamed NX.
Despite the inevitable progression in dealing with mobile gaming, Satoru Iwata has assured fans that Nintendo is still pursuing the “dedicated video game system market” in a recent press conference where the NX was revealed (notes in Japanese are here).
Whether this will be a new portable device or a home base console is unclear at this point, just that we’ll have a more thorough announcement regarding the platform next year.
It’s clear this DeNA partnership was something Nintendo thought about carefully. This announcement of the NX was also intentionally meant to help calm fears about Nintendo becoming a solely mobile focused company.
That is clearly not going to happen anytime soon.
What is interesting though is that in the past Iwata has said the next system they make will share its operating system and architecture across their family of devices. So the successors to the 3DS and Wii U will be more directly compatible with one another.
So the NX will likely take this route, which is an interesting one. As parity between hardware has often been a difficult and contentious area in gaming. As the Dreamcast tried it with arcade games, sharing broadly the same architecture with the Naomi board, and that didn't end entirely well.
Regardless, fans should be rightly happy that Nintendo are working on yet another hardware platform. Next year's announcement cannot come soon enough.
Read my Forbes blog here.


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The uncertainty wrought by the pandemic has affected people from all walks of life. In the winter of 2019-20, the outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, and the ensuing measures implemented in the hopes of curbing the spread of the potentially deadly virus, changed the way people live and how companies do business. Few people, if anyone, likely saw the pandemic coming, which is perhaps why the resulting financial uncertainty has proven so difficult to comprehend. As the months go by and COVID-19 case numbers again being to increase all over the globe, small business owners are understandably concerned by the potential implementation of additional lockdown measures to stop the spread of the virus. However, there are steps small businesses can take so they’re ready for any additional financial uncertainties that arrive in both the near and distant future. Build cash reserves. Cash on hand can help small business owners in much the same way that sizable savings accounts can help laid-off workers overcome a sudden loss of income. Forced closures hurt many small businesses because their bills still came due, even if government officials deemed them “nonessential” and forced them to close. Rent was still due each month and, in many instances, contracts signed prior to the pandemic still had to be honored, even if companies were no longer generating revenue. Many small businesses operate on slim margins that make it hard to save while still improving the business. But small business owners who make concerted efforts to build their cash reserves without compromising their offerings should be in a better position to withstand financial uncertainty in the years to come. Watch inventories carefully. The Small Business Administration recommends that small business owners keep watchful eyes on their inventories. The goal in doing so is to ensure you can continue to meet sales needs without ending up with a stockpile of leftover merchandise that’s difficult to move if or when retail sales slump. Stocking up on more than you need to meet sales needs can eat up cash that you can otherwise used to build your reserves. Reduce rented space if possible. One potential positive that may come from the pandemic is that many workers and businesses deftly handled the transition from in-office working to remote working. Small businesses that successfully made that transition can safeguard themselves against future uncertainty by reducing their office space. Small business owners can renegotiate existing leases to allow for subleasing or simply move into smaller offices when existing leases expire. Money saved on office rentals can be redirected to help businesses grow their cash reserves. Effective planning can help small business owners weather financial storms that can arise unexpectedly.
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The holidays come early in June for electronics aficionados, in the massive gift known as the InfoComm conference. This year did not disappoint. Another record-breaker featuring more than 1,000 exhibitors and 40,000 attendees from 100 countries, across 545,000 square feet of exhibit space and 24 audio demo rooms. The atmosphere at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center sizzled as the tech world converged for four-days of audio visual fireworks.
Let’s see what’s under the InfoComm 2017 tree; this colorful array of new and innovative products sets the tone for the rest of the year (as well as holiday shopping!).
Virtual reality is a staying reality
Virtual reality gained major marketing steam in 2016 thanks to major players like Google and Facebook, but it really crashed the tech party at the CES and PCMA brand experiences in January. That wasn’t too long ago, but since then VR has already rapidly evolved into a core tech solution for various industries. At InfoComm 2017, in the appropriately-named display, Immersive Technology Experience, VR verified its broad yet practical capabilities across many verticals like healthcare, education, architecture, public safety, and more.
Freeman provided hands-on VR demos and walkthroughs, including high-profile presentations such as a jet fighter simulation and a sensory tour of a NASA space suit paired with a stunningly realistic simulation of an astronaut spacewalk. These virtual experiences revealed the potential of highly effective and safe training that can save costs when replacing physical simulations. On the other hand, some VR presentations offered pragmatic solutions like a photorealistic European apartment for architects and designers. The virtual sky was the limit at the conference, and the presentations attracted hundreds of attendees and their imaginations.
Augmented reality, VR’s Pokémon-friendly cousin, also made a virtual splash at InfoComm. One illustration was a Microsoft version of the new HoloLens that displayed optimized 3D models of the human anatomy, the human heart, and an MRI machine — allowing users to be immersed in unchartered worlds while also seeing the potential for other medical explorations. The solution was designed as one of many cases showing how this tech can enhance learning environments.
Other trending trends
It would be impossible to document all the tech goodies at InfoComm 2017, even in one War and Peace-sized book. There were, though, many significant trends and standouts. For instance, distributing video over networks was showcased by many companies — not surprising considering how social media and online streaming have become so crucial for brands. That high-quality video signal over a network also can benefit exhibits, digital signage, breakout rooms, and other settings.
Ultra-short throw projectors utilizing built-in lenses or new lenses to fit existing machines were prevalent at the event — as were laser light source projectors. At least three different exhibitors, including Canon, Panasonic, and the UNC School of Media, featured wide-coverage lenses able to project images on a dome for immersive, planetarium-style displays. On the audio technology front, the most striking advances centered on different methods for audience experience, including new format speakers like the K-Array Anakonda flexible array element.
Geeking out even more with audio visual, one salient trend on the horizon is the adoption of Dante: One cable that does it all. Dante replaces heavy, expensive analog or multicore cabling with low-cost, accessible category or fiber optic cable. It integrates media and control for an entire system over a single, standard IP network; it can easily scale from a seamless pairing of a console and a computer to large networks with thousands of audio channels. What’s more, Dante’s use of logical routes instead of physical point-to-point connections allows the network to be expanded and reconfigured with just a few mouse clicks.
Smart sound is here
When it came to merging audio and visual, the most impressive tech may have come from Sony. The company presented a demo of new sound field technology that could be highly useful in exhibitor sound applications or interactive poster tours. Three different displays along a wall showed three different video streams. A long row of speakers ran along the top of the displays and was obscured by a seamless speaker grille. As the attendee moved from one display to the next, the sound from neighboring displays silenced — even though the audio streams continued. Standing between two monitors left the viewer in a “dead zone” where almost no audio was heard. The demonstrator could also “move” sound around the room by tapping a diagram on his tablet.
The Sony product is a prototype, mind you, but that doesn’t mean audio visual enthusiasts should put away the caroling bells. A parallel tech was offered by several utilizing Soundscapes Processing, which leverages psychoacoustics (smoothly moving audio around a space). In short, sounds follow the visuals on a screen in relation to the audience. In one demo, a video of a jazz band lead by a female vocalist wowed audiences as every note fluctuated depending on the position of the listener. Essentially, the performance sounded live!
Beyond offering immersive experiences, this new generation of audio systems minimizes listener fatigue and actually increases attention — the hardest thing to maintain in the digital revolution. Now that’s a present that will keep on giving for brand experiences.
Speaking of stories…
Not everything at InfoComm 2017 was about getting a visual on the latest tech. Audiences were additionally rewarded with a vision of rising technology and ideas, and how they will continue to assist the business world. Case in point: The Innovation Showcase promoted the best from smaller exhibitors and startups. The conference also inaugurated TIDE (Technology. Innovation. Design. Experience.), a thought-leadership event for exploring the strategic effect of audio visual tech and the role of the AV industry in business.
Remarkable speakers packed sessions of InfoComm 2017. The keynote included Matthew Luhn, one of the original story creators at Pixar, and Nonny de la Peña, virtual reality pioneer. Both speakers stressed the importance of storytelling, even in highly technical and dry verticals. Let’s face it: more than ever, stories are what bring humanity to the digital revolution. And humans greatly reward brands that feel, well, human.
Adding to the inspiring keynotes, notable speakers included Nevin Steinberg, Tony Award-nominated sound designer (Hamilton anyone?) and Jason Crusan, Director of Advanced Exploration Systems at NASA.
Making audio visual better for brand experience
As with The Innovation Showcase, InfoComm 2017 was a haven for the expression of up and coming thought leaders, and this included speaker sessions. Another new initiative, Center Stage, offered a sequence of 20-minute talks on the show floor by tech practitioners, end-users, researchers, and fledging entrepreneurs. Topics covered environmental technology and design integration across diverse fields including healthcare, entertainment, education, and hospitality.
Let’s not forget InfoComm’s countless rewarding sessions. One of the most noteworthy, “UCC State of the Industry Lunch and Learn,” featured panelists who sought to improve the audience experience. This topic is essential in our industry, as one panelist explained that only four percent of meeting spaces in the world provide video functionality. That might seem ironic considering where the statement was said, but obviously a tremendous opportunity for marketers and audio visual providers to come together for the sake of better experiences.
InfoComm 2017 offered gifts for just about everyone this year. The tech solutions and breakthroughs presented will make a positive impact across industries today and far into the future.


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The 4th Annual Grand Central Block Party celebrated all things local on Saturday, January 13. Locals and business owners embraced the cold to browse local goodsRead More »
January 15 the weekly Tuesday Fresh Market was filled with regular shoppers and visitors sampling the local business that make up Gulfport. ...
As Gulfport’s first Gulfport Merchants Chamber (GMC) artist in residence, Gary Alpers has made his acrylic abstract art vision a business reality. ...
With the cooler weather upon us and the hectic holiday season over, now is the time to get out and enjoy some of the area’s many outdoor markets. ...
Son of the Gulfport Library's namesake, Bill Joseph Bryan, 92, came out to his hometown with the donation of LGBT-themed books. ...
Tammy Haynes collected the old T-shirts from Gulfport, mostly from the 1980s, in honor of Kirby Rohrer and the community he loved ...
"It’s so popular that people asked us to do it again,” said Lisa Kauffman, organizer of the trolley Gulfport Christmas Caroling on Saturday, December 15 ...
Despite temperatures in the 50s, colorful and funky kites flew high on January 13 and 14 on Treasure Island Beach.Read More »
Around 350 people chose the historic Gulfport Casino to welcome in the new year Sunday night, December 31, in downtown Gulfport.Read More »
“We are currently not sold out but we are getting close,” said Linda Craig, event chairperson on Wednesday morning, December 27.Read More »
The inaugural Gulfport Public Library event will be held the weekend of February 16 to 18.Read More »
Christmas caroling in Gulfport on the trolley is just in its second year yet it is a tradition that now involves five generations of women in the organizer’s family.Read More »
Thirteen official boats participated in the 32nd annual Boca Ciega Yacht Club’s charity Lighted Christmas Boat Parade on Saturday, December 9.Read More »
Attendees huddled under umbrellas and rain coats, but spirits were still bright as they browsed items from local vendors and enjoyed live music.Read More »
“It’s nice when Gulfport does something fun that’s just for people to enjoy the holidays,” said Mayor Sam Henderson.Read More »
Along with over 100 vendors, there will be a variety of holiday-themed music, carolers, dances, and roving Dickens-style street performers.Read More »


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The demand for artificial intelligence (AI) jobs has quadrupled since the beginning of this year, according to data from Indeed. This has led to a surge in salaries for AI professionals, with some companies offering six-figure salaries for entry-level positions.
The growth in demand for AI jobs is being driven by the increasing adoption of AI technologies by businesses across all industries. AI is being used to automate tasks, improve decision-making, and develop new products and services.
The lack of experienced AI professionals to fill the demand for these roles has created a skills shortage in the AI industry.
This has led to companies offering competitive salaries in order to attract and retain skilled workers. For example, Netflix made headlines for offering up to $900,000 for an AI-focused product manager role. Other companies that are offering high salaries for AI jobs include Amazon, Capital One, Meta, and Nvidia.
The growth of AI jobs is creating new opportunities for early-to-mid career workers who are familiar with AI technologies. Meta, for instance, is seeking recent college grads for a generative AI research engineer role with an annual salary of up to $137,000. And chip giant Nvidia is offering an entry-level job opening for a generative AI research scientist with a salary between $156,000 and $247,250.
The sources for this piece include an article in BusinessInsider.


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It is the 20th anniversary of the Frappuccino®, the cold drink that changed the course of history for Starbucks. What was at first a way to bring more customers into a Santa Monica store has turned into a movement with a loyal following that accounts for 20 percent of the coffee giant’s sales.
The man behind the sweet and caffeinated drink is Greg Rogers, who was at the time an assistant manager for the company. Unwilling to put up with the dwindling warm-weather traffic, he armed himself with a blender and used all the things he could find in the shop: sugar, vanilla powder, half and half, the mocha mix, and shots of espresso, to create an irresistible cold drink.
But a drink like that needs an equally charming name. The name Frappuccino® came from Boston. In 1992, the Coffee Connection launched a frozen drink meant as a play on New England’s milkshake, the frappe. Sales grew, in part due to the Frappuccino, and cafe owner George Howell opened 23 more locations. When he sold the company to Starbucks in 1994, the Frappuccino® name found its match in Rogers’ creation.
In its initial from, the Frappuccino® was offered in mocha and coffee flavors only. Countless iterations emerged since, with 28 of them currently listed on the mammoth coffee shop’s website. Many others made cameo appearances, including the Seahawks Frappuccino® created as Seattle’s football team was gearing up for the Super Bowl earlier this year. The latest version, the Birthday Cake Frappuccino, a celebratory blend of blended vanilla bean and hazelnut, topped with whipped cream is available now until March 30.
Al Roker, who says he doesn’t drink coffee, recalled having a slight addiction to Frappuccinos back in the day, drinking up to three of them.
“I literally could see through my eyelids. I was vibrating,” he said. “When I came off it, I crashed.”
And before you get your heart set on this treat for your afternoon pick-me-up, remember its high calorie price tag. The White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino® Blended Coffee clocks in at 430 calories, with 150 of them coming from fat and 67 grams of sugar.
For a lighter version, you can customize a drink with nonfat milk and select sugar-free syrups.
This article was originally published Mar. 26, 2015 at 11:24 a.m. ET.


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Haven Licensing has inked a multi-year deal with motocross brand Crusty Demons.
The firm will look to drive the licensing programme in Australia and New Zealand.
Launched in 1994, Crusty Demons are the daredevils of extreme sport motocross, notching up over $200 million in live event ticket sales and sales of more than 2.5 million DVDs worldwide to date.
Crusty Demons already has a multi-million dollar strategic partnership with Target Australia across apparel, accessories and bedding. New SKUs are planned for sporting goods, menswear and other categories.
"We’re incredibly excited to be partnering with Crusty Demons to expand the brand into new categories and distribution channels," said Tom Punch, MD at Haven Licensing. "With a huge established fan base down under and an exciting promotional schedule ahead, we look forward to delivering a programme that will resound with the broad spectrum of thrill seeking fans."
Want to receive up to the minute licensing industry news straight to your inbox? Click here to sign up for the free Licensing.biz Daily Digest and Newsflash services. You can also follow Licensing.biz on Twitter and Facebook.


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Most businesses are suffering because of the COVID-19 outbreak, and small businesses are finding it especially hard to weather the storm. The effects of reduced marketing budgets and more cautious spending have trickled up to advertising giants like Google and Facebook, too. Millions of small businesses that regularly advertise on both Google Ads and Facebook Ads Manager have decreased or suspended their spending. As a result, both platforms are missing out on a good deal of revenue.
In the first quarter of 2020, Facebook and Google both generated much less ad revenue than expected. While both platforms did experience year over year revenue growth, their growth simply isn’t what it could have been. As a result, buying ads on Google and Facebook has become less competitive, and marketers who have stuck with their plans are paying less per placement. The average ad prices on Facebook, for example, dropped more than 15% in the first quarter.
Facebook and Google are more than large enough to survive the economic downturn, unlike many of the small businesses that normally advertise with them. In the long run, pay per click advertising platforms are actually likely to benefit from the global behavioral changes occurring now. People are staying at home, spending more time online, and shopping through screens even more than before. The accelerated rise of online shopping will likely encourage savvy brands to drive sales with Google PPC ads and sponsored Facebook posts.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that digital advertising platforms will come roaring back in the near future. In March, Pivotal Research Group estimated that Google’s revenue could fall by 15-20% in 2021, while Facebook’s could decrease by 20-25%. The equity research company has specialties in fields like mobile advertising, programmatic advertising, and ad-tech. It’s hard to tell how the world will respond to COVID-19 in the next year or so, but warnings from firms like this might lead one to think the current state of things will persist for some time.
Even as the cost of Facebook ads falls, there’s a flip side of the coin for digital advertisers. Tinuiti, a digital marketing agency, has seen conversions dip from 14% to 4% on Facebook and Instagram in recent months. Google conversions have dipped from 8% to 6%. In other words, ads are also becoming less effective as they become less expensive. As companies decide whether digital advertising campaigns are still worth it, they’ll need to account for new norms and adjust their strategies.
It’s a mixed bag. Conversions are lower than normal right now, but so are ad prices. If you still need to advertise your small business on Facebook, it’s important to optimize campaigns for conversions. Impressions already come more naturally than ever because people are spending so much time online, but the ratio of sales to clicks is falling. This makes it critical to drive sales with strong calls to action and target PPC ads especially carefully.
The economy will bounce back at some point, and people will resume spending in a way that resembles “business as usual.” The habit of shopping online is more likely to stick, though. Health psychology researcher Phillippa Lally estimates that it takes an average of 66 days to create a habit. People have had more than enough time to get in the habit of making most of their purchasing decisions online.
Whether or not a company has an eCommerce marketplace, the sales funnel has to pull people from the internet now. Let’s talk about adjusting your digital marketing strategy to account for current events. Reach out today to schedule a free consultation.


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The cooperation between the two specialists for online identification and identity hosting services enables users to conduct a large number of legally secure transactions on the Internet without having to go through an identification process again and again.
Thus more than 30 million online banking customers in Germany can now execute eIDAS compliant, qualified electronic signatures, at for example Bundesdruckerei, R+V Insurance Group and many other providers using their online banking credentials, without the need for additional identification procedures.
Access to the yes® ecosystem is now available to all customers of identity Trust Management AG.
"For years, identity.tm and yes.com have been pursuing the goal of making it as easy as transferring money for online banking customers to re-use their credentials, which are verified and on file at their bank, securely and in compliance with data protection regulations. I am pleased to announce our cooperation today" says Uwe Stelzig, CEO of identity.TM AG.
Daniel Goldscheider, CEO of yes.com AG continues: "I am also personally pleased to announce our cooperation with identity.tm today. Together we make it easier and more economic to identify yourself online".
yes® turns banks into identity, account information and payment initiation services for their customers. More than 1,000 banks are fighting with yes® for the customer interface creating new revenue opportunities with value added services beyond PSD2.
Swiss yes.com offers a neutral brand and a standardized ecosystem for banks, online providers, and their customers.


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RAC comments on fuel prices don’t take fuel cards into account, says PRA
In its statement, the RAC pointed to evidence of a marked increase in journeys and mileage following the dramatic fall in pump prices brought about by the price of crude oil halving since the middle of last year.
RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams added: “It’s hard not to think that business is being taken for a ride by the fuel retailers. Traditionally, business runs on diesel, and with sales of diesel at an all-time high the retailers have maintained a higher margin on diesel, perhaps to subsidise petrol sales.”
In response, PRA chairman Brian Madderson said: “The PRA is encouraged by the volume increase in February – which shows that there has been an overall improvement in the economy, and that motorists are taking advantage of much lower pump prices (approx. 20ppl lower) than in March 2014.”
Following statements from the RAC suggesting that businesses are “being taken for a ride by the fuel retailers”, and that “the prevailing view is that businesses are less price sensitive than consumers”, the PRA said it believes these comments fail to acknowledge the increasing impact of fuel cards, with the majority of transactions made on such cards mainly being diesel due to the tax incentives.
It added that many LCVs and company cars will be also be utilising a fuel card based on Platts related pricing.
Madderson continued: “Due to the way that fuel cards work, the majority of transactions are re-purchased at an agreed rate and the retailer then receives a ‘card commission’ for that transaction. Rates for fuel cards have not significantly changed since the schemes started some 25-30 years ago, and the margin returns back to the retailer for the fuel transaction are minimal.
“Therefore the independent retailer often selling up to 4 grades of road fuel, has to obtain a financially acceptable average margin to ensure that the business is producing sustainable returns.
“Currently the margin available on petrol is extremely low – and so higher margins may be taken on diesel after adjusting for the severe margin depressing effect of fuel cards to the independent retailer sector.”


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Spotlight Datacenter: Interxion, London
Would you sleep at work?
As England prepares for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, one company thinks they may have found an innovative way to beat the congestion that is about to clog London’s travel and road networks.
Interxion, a colocation data center, located in the heart of the city, has come up with a solution that will ensure its tech staff will be available 24/7. What you ask is so ingenious that it can guarantee that employees will be at work on time, at all times? A hover craft to fly over the bumper to bumper traffic? A special car designated specially for Interxion employees in the Tube? No, Interxion has conveniently cut out all issues created by the massive traffic and transportation headache that the Olympics will bring. It has, very creatively and resourcefully, installed sleeping pods in its data center, effectively ensuring that its techs never have to see the outside world or the light of day again. No late workers, no downtime issues, no stress.
Interxion does worry about how the games will affect their data center operation and uptime. It plays an integral part in London’s digital world, housing online services such as digital businesses, social media, entertainment, online retail and banking, and education. Millions of people across the UK rely on Interxion’s service delivery, so any downtime can be detrimental.
As Greg McCulloch, UK Managing Director, Interxion commented in a press release this week, “Due to the nature of our business we need to be ready for all eventualities and while we are excited to have the Olympics in London we also need to be sure that we can continue to offer the highest level of resilience to our customers. The installation of the sleeping pods is another great example of Interxion putting resilience and uptime at the forefront of everything it does.”
The pods themselves were created by the UK-based company Podtime and are modular in design. Although originally intended for the use of “power naps”, Interxion has thought of that issue as well and has had its 10 pods retrofitted for overnight stays. Said to be comfortable, private, and secure for the user, these pods have TVs, radio with earphones, laptop holders, and memory foam mattresses. How comfortable they actually are is yet to be known.
“Everyone working in central London will feel the challenging side-effect of the Games, and the organizations they work for will face operational issues with employees being stuck in queues rather than being in the office,” said Jon Gray, Director at Podtime. “We see the sleeping pods as a good cheap solution for those ‘staff-critical’ companies which must have 24/7 cover for vital procedures… our pods offer comfort, privacy and security at a reasonable price.”
So as London gears up for the 2012 Olympic games, it seems that Interxion is one step ahead of its competitors in ensuring that nothing will go wrong in its data center. But as innovative as their pod strategy is, would you be willing to sleep at work?


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Cameron Diaz lands shoe designing gig at Pour la Victoire
Could Cameron Diaz get any more awesome in our eyes? It would seem so: the prolific actress has now turned her talents to footwear design, having just been named artistic director of the edgy shoe and accessories brand Pour la Victoire. Sweet...
The partnership will be the first step into fashion for the 40-year-old actress, who has promised fans of the brand that this will not be just another half-baked celebrity endorsement project. Speaking to Women's Wear Daily, she said of her new venture: "I know how I work and I know when something is important to me. I'll try my best and hope for the best,"
The first Cameron Diaz collection will hit stores worldwide in spring 2014, but we'll be given a glimpse of what to expect with a line of curated pieces to be included in the forthcoming autumn/winter collection, "Cameron's Picks".
Do you feel that the future of Pour la Victoire is in safe hands now Cameron Diaz is on board?


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Software makers focus on users in the field
Published 7:19 am, Friday, September 28, 2012
By Sandra Bretting
Special to the Houston Chronicle
At least 210 major Internet companies tanked nationwide in 2000, in the midst of the "dot-bomb" debacle, according to a report by economics professors at Brooklyn College in New York.
Local software company LiquidFrameworks did the opposite. When their information-technology employer went belly-up, Travis Parigi and five fellow employees set up shop with a customer and continued to provide software support.
They also began building a product that would automate information for field providers in industrial services, including oil and natural gas.
"I wasn't sure what product to write until 2005," Parigi said. "But I knew that major oil field service providers were spending a whole bunch of money to essentially write from scratch this product - and billions of dollars to maintain it - and I knew we could do it for a lot less."
The result was LiquidFrameworks, a cloud-based software company that automates information for field-service providers, such as services and products offered, off which they can then invoice their clients.
"We spent essentially three years and millions of dollars writing the product to where we could get it to market and make it commercially viable," Parigi said. "From that point, we still continued to plow money into it."
LiquidFrameworks gives oil field and industrial service providers a tool to write up field tickets at well sites without a network connection.
"The biggest key to the development of the product is that other people think they can come up with similar software, but if you're not thinking of what the field guy's experience will be, then you're not going to be successful," said Kevin Harbuck, director of sales and marketing. "We couldn't exist without soliciting the input of the guys in the field."
The company converted to a cloud-based platform in 2010.
"That's when we started adding customers; our compounded annual growth rate has been 23 percent over the past several years," Parigi said.
In April 2011, LiquidFrameworks went to local software accelerator firm RedHouse Associates for an extra infusion of capital.
"They came to us with a great product, but they wanted to take it to the next level," said Doug Erwin, board chairman and senior principal at RedHouse Associates, who also serves as chairman of the LiquidFrameworks board. "We liked the product because they're in such an exciting space and it has multi-industry applications."
"We've also partnered with other companies that collect data related to oil and gas well permits," Parigi said. "We tap into their system so when someone accesses our system, they can get all that outside data sucked in automatically. We added about 52 fields they don't have to plug in now."
According to Harbuck, working with large companies has allowed LiquidFrameworks to create the product and make it accessible to medium-size companies.
"We built our system with industry knowledge from a lot of large customers, like Schlumberger," Harbuck said. "Prospects will say, 'But I don't have millions to spend developing this product.'
"But we can show them why they don't have to."
Parigi declined to provide annual revenue figures for LiquidFrameworks or the exact number of employees, estimating his workforce at more than 30. He said one of the ways he retains employees is by giving them an equity stake.
"I feel very strongly about that because the only reason I've been able to make this company successful is because of the employees," he said.
"We're all working toward the same thing," Harbuck said. "When you have a stock-option program, one day as we grow the business, we could go public or get acquired, and that's a big story for us. We're all working for something that's bigger than just what we are today."
Parigi said next steps include developing more data fields for employee training and certification, and adding timecards so clients can add their internal payroll time.
Sandra Bretting is a Houston freelance writer. email@example.com


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Staff members stand near the company logo at a Xiaomi store in Shanghai, China. Reuters.
Shanghai: Amid a severe outbreak of the Covid-19 virus sweeping several provinces in China, smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp has started laying off staff in its smartphone and internet services business, adding to a long list of the country’s tech firms that have been cutting jobs.
“The personnel optimization and organizational streamlining practice will affect less than 10% of the total workforce,” a Xiaomi Corp spokesperson said on Tuesday, adding that those affected have been compensated in keeping with local regulations.
China’s social media platforms, including Weibo, Xiaohongshu and Maimai, have been overwhelmed with posts about job cuts this week. The state-run Chinese local media first reported on Monday that the job cuts would affect nearly 15% of Xiaomi’s payroll, citing news agencies.
Chinese tech giants like Tencent Holdings (0700.HK) and the Alibaba Group have been cutting jobs in recent months as China became engulfed in a prolonged battle with Covid-19 outbreaks being reported from across the country.
On 30 September, Xiaomi had 35,314 staff, according to the South China Morning Post, with over 32,000 belonging to mainland China, and the latest move could affect thousands of workers, many of whom have just joined the company during a hiring spree that began in December last year.
In November, Xiaomi reported a 9.7% fall in its third-quarter revenue, hit by China’s Covid-19 restrictions and softening consumer demand. Revenue from smartphones, which make up roughly 60% of its total sales, fell 11% year-on-year, the company said.
China’s consumer consumption has remained weak as cities across the country continue to implement lockdowns to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant.
Xiaomi’s stock price has tumbled nearly 50% since the beginning of the year. The company has in turn begun exploring new areas for growth. Last year, it formally announced a foray into electric vehicles, committing to entering mass production in the first half of 2024.


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Home Depot Ending Olympic Sponsorship
Atlanta The Home Depot has announced it is ending its multimillion-dollar sponsorship deal with the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and discontinuing a program that offered jobs and benefits to American athletes.
The partnership began in 1992 and was worth between $15 million and $20 million during the four-year period ending in 2008.
The 86 athletes currently in the program — who worked flexible schedules depending on their Olympic training — will be offered traditional jobs at the Home Depot stores they now work in. After March 2, however, they will no longer receive full-time pay and benefits for part-time work.
“It’s been an outstanding relationship and we greatly appreciate everything Home Depot has done,” USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel told the Associated Press. “We’re sorry to see them go. At the same time, we appreciate their continued support of America’s athletes.”
At the height of the program, Home Depot employed more than 200 athletes. To make up for the financial loss, the USOC plans to provide stipends to winter athletes in the program through January 2010 and a one-time, $5,000 stipend to summer athletes. It will also provide health insurance that these athletes might lose if they scale back or quit their Home Depot jobs.
Wal-Mart, Netflix accused of monopoly building
NEW YORK Wal-Mart Stores and Netflix have been accused of trying to build a monopoly for online DVD rentals in a consumer lawsuit filed Jan. 2 in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California, according to reports.
The plaintiffs claim that in 2005, Wal-Mart agreed to end its online rental business and refer customersto Netflix, which in turn agreed to promote Wal-Mart’s DVD movie sales.
Family Dollar posts 1Q earnings growth
MATTHEWS, N.C. Family Dollar Stores reported that net income per diluted share for the first quarter of fiscal 2009 increased 13.5% to 42 cents compared with 37 cents for the first quarter of fiscal 2008. Net income for the quarter increased 14.1% to $59.3 million compared with net income of $51.9 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2008.
As previously reported, sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2009 were approximately $1.754 billion, or 4.2% above sales of approximately $1.683 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2008. Comparable-store sales increased 2.1%.
For the fiscal year ending August 29, 2009, the company expects net sales will increase 4% to 6% and expects comparable-store sales will increase 2% to 4%. Anticipating continued strong sales of consumable merchandise, the company expects earnings per share will be between $1.63 and $1.81 in fiscal 2009.


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A week of cameras and security news, ahead of what will likely be a phone free-for-all in the coming days. This week, check out what’s new from Canon, D-Link, and how scammers are trying to trap you, plus a pair of JBL headphones reviewed.
For the middle of February 2019, you’re listening to The Wrap, Australia’s fastest technology roundup, a roundup that is covered in rose petals, scented candles, and other bits and pieces that are probably as flammable as it gets. So before we spontaneously combust, let’s talk tech, because the news doesn’t stop for Valentine’s Day.
In fact, the news this week actually had to do with Valentine’s Day, and that’s because cyber criminals are now targeting us all on those “special” days.
You’re probably used to the Christmas spam and the tax scams, but now you also have to be on guard for the Valentine’s scams. This week, Kaspersky Lab reported that criminals are now targeting people with fake sites and phishing attempts over email for Valentine’s products, meaning those lovey-dubby items you might be eyeing, well it might be best to Google them instead of trusting a random email.
It’s either that or buying a prepaid Visa card, loading some money, and trusting the randoms on the internet, hoping that you don’t lose out big time.
Mind you, there are other ways scammers can try to get your money, and it’s not just the Hallmark greeting card day of St Valentine’s that does it. In the past few weeks, we’ve seen two different approaches worth keeping your eye on.
One is called the “wangiri” scam, which happens when you get one ring from a random international number and they hang up. Some people will one ring back, but in this instance, you don’t want to do that. The scammers have routed their number through a premium and expensive number, and calling them back will charge that back to you. Bad idea.
There’s also a strange text message scam going around whereby an “emergency” text gets sent to you, and when you call back, you get shouted at. We’re not sure if anyone is losing money yet, but it’s always good to be on guard.
Being on guard is import for cybersecurity, but also important at home. As the world of smart home security takes shape, you’ll see more security systems. We’ve already seen some great products come to life, such as the Ring Doorbell and Arlo, and now there’s one other, as D-Link’s Omna arrives.
We think we’re saying that right — Omna — and it’s basically D-Link’s take on Arlo, offering totally wireless and battery operated Full HD cameras made for folks who rent or own. Like Arlo, Omna can be customised to trigger its cameras at degrees of motion, and it will send that to the cloud. Unlike Arlo, though, you can store those captured locally on a microSD card.
That’s not the only camera this week, either.
Canon also announced a new full-frame mirrorless this week, with the Canon EOS RP adding to EOS R it launched last year.
So what does the P stand for? Canon hasn’t said, but early indications could be “practical” with the RP a more economical and budget-friendly take on Canon’s full-frame mirrorless camera.
We went hands-on before its announcement and found the body a little smaller, weight a little nicer, and while Canon doesn’t always give prices, the feeling is that’ll be better, too.
You will find less in the megapixels — 26 compared to the EOS R’s 30 — but it will capture 4K video, as well, so it doesn’t seem like that much of a drop. In essence, Canon’s EOS RP appears to be a more hand and wallet friendly version of its new full-frame mirrorless cameras, and that can only be a good thing.
And also something that’s a bit of a good thing is a new pair of headphones we’ve finished reviewing, and that’s JBL’s Tune600BTNC, a bit of a tongue twister of a name that specifically means it does Bluetooth and noise cancelling, and it without a high price tag, too.
While wireless and noise cancelling headphones are typically around the three to five hundred mark, JBL’s Tune600 headphones are not. They’re actually $150 locally, making them pretty affordable.
They also pack in some relatively strong mids and highs, with a solid thwack of bass. It’s not a total balance, but it’s definitely one most will appreciate, while the fit has the JBL Tune600 sit on your ears, as opposed to around them. That makes them comfy, though if you don’t like headphones that clamp you’re head, you may not like these, as the fit can be a little tight. And there’s also wireless connectivity and noise cancelling, which is handy, too.
One thing we do take issue with is the design, because these things are so plasticky, they scratch really easily. So easily. They don’t come with a case, either, which they desperately need.
But for $150, the JBL Tune600BTNC are an easy suggestion for someone who wants to block out the world and go wireless for not much. Do yourself a favour, though, and bring your own carrying case, otherwise they’re just going to get scuffed.
And that’s it for this episode of The Wrap, Australia’s fastest technology roundup. The Wrap will be back next Friday for more technology in five minutes, appearing on Podcast One and Apple Podcasts, and you can find out more about these topics and more at the Pickr website. For now, we’re wishing you all the best, and we’ll see you next time on The Wrap. Take care.


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- BMW prices 2019 X5
BMW prices 2019 X5by Drew Johnson
The new X5 will be a little more expensive across the board.
BMW has announced pricing for its all-new 2019 X5 Sports Activity Vehicle. The fourth-generation of BMW's large SUV is set to land in dealer showrooms later this year.
Pricing for the all-new X5 will start from $60,700 for the entry-level xDrive40i model. That represents a sharp increase over the current X5 entry-level model — the $57,200 sDrive35i — but the new model comes standard with all-wheel drive while the outgoing one is rear-wheel drive. In a more apples-to-apples comparison, the 2019 X5 xDrive40i is $1,200 more than the 2018 X5 xDrive35i.
Stepping up to the V8-powered 2019 X5 xDrive50i will require at least $75,750. That's $1,700 more than last year's xDrive50i. All prices exclude a $995 destination charge.
You do at least get more for your money with the 2019 X5. Standard equipment includes Dynamic Damper Control, BMW Live Cockpit Professional with navigation, two 12.3-inch digital displays, Adaptive Full LED headlamps, Active Blind Spot Detection, Frontal Collision Warning with City Collision Mitigation and a panoramic sunroof.
The 2019 BMW X5 officially goes on sale on November 10.


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By HARLAN LEVY
WINDSOR LOCKS - The Bradley Hotel at 383 S. Center St. is being transformed by new owners who aim to make it a modern, respectable facility, recovering its long-ago luster.
Once known as the Beverly Hills Suites, the 165-room hotel was the scene of swingers club sex parties in 2008, illegal liquor sales in 2010, a parking lot shooting in August 2010, and rooms that violated fire codes.
But two years ago, New York City-based Northlight Hospitality, which specializes in turning around distressed properties, took the hotel out of bankruptcy and receivership and installed General Manager Jim Hartman, charging him with creating a metamorphosis.
"Nothing was done over the last 15 years under the former owners," said Hartman, a former builder, banquet manager for New Haven's Park Plaza hotel (now the Omni), and food and beverage director at the Waterbury Sheraton. "We're trying to bring it back to its former glory."
The hotel - which has been renamed the Hillspoint Hotel - had been a "hub of the community," Hartman said. "She's been here for 40 years, and people have wonderful memories of having their events here and the kids swimming in the pool, so we're here to create new memories and to be here for the next 40 years of weddings, birthday parties, business meetings, and travel comforts."
The first year under Northlight, the lobby began a face lift, and the rooms and infrastructure were brought up to code. This year's major renovation was the complete do-over of the indoor heated pool, one of the largest in Connecticut.
"Next year we're going through all of the guest rooms and refurbishing them with new furniture," Hartman said.
The furniture and furnishings come from a hotel in Atlantic City that went into bankruptcy. Northlight purchased the brand-new contents of all of that hotel's rooms.
The Hillspoint is an "economy" facility, Hartman said. Rooms average $59 a night online.
"We have rooms that are priced for the traveling family and a businessman who needs to stretch his or her traveling budget," Hartman said.
The hotel has a catering facility that can host 450 people and plans to open a "marketplace" offering food and beverages 24 hours a day, seven days a week starting in about a month.
Also in the works is a lobby pub and restaurant expected to open April 1.
"We want to be the option for those looking for economy and class," food and beverage sales Director Mitch Marron said. "We want that to be the experience when they walk into the lobby to the time they go through our restaurants and our marketplace and enjoy our indoor swimming pool."


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Rancho Santa Margarita-based Pieology Pizzeria plans to open a fourth local restaurant, in Folsom, in mid-August.
The rapidly growing chain said the eatery will be in the Folsom Gateway shopping center at 2405 Iron Point Road.
Pieology now has pizzerias in Sacramento, Rancho Cordova and Roseville.
Pieology Pizzeria was founded in 2011 by Carl Chang.
Earlier this year, Panda Restaurant Group, with more than 1,900 locations worldwide, bought a minority stake in Pieology.


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Offshore Desmond slashes tax by £2m
DAILY Express owner Richard Desmond has slashed his tax bill by basing his broadcasting businesses in Jersey, according to a Financial Times report.
Desmond, who is keen to buy the Daily Telegraph, gets the bulk of his earnings from subscription TV, mainly softporn channels, the newspaper said.
Company accounts show these Jersey-based companies enabled Desmond to reduce his tax bill by more than £2m last year.
According to the Financial Times, the companies behind eight of Desmond's porn channels are run from small Jersey offices with a skeleton staff and no TV studios.
For a UK company to qualify for Jersey's advantageous tax rates, it must be registered, managed and controlled overseas.
A spokesman for Desmond said: 'We are totally unconcerned with the Financial Times report. We are a private business with one shareholder. Every aspect of our business is run absolutely within the law.'
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Edna Canfield Hanness is celebrating her 89th on Aug. 12, 2014. Cards may be sent her at Valley View Villa, 815 Fremont Ave., #121, Fort Morgan, CO, 80701.
Auction house: 'Bunny' Mellon's objects fetch $218M
NEW YORK (AP) — Sotheby's auction house says its multi-day sales of Rachel "Bunny" Mellon's furnishings, art, jewelry and other objects totaled $218 million. Full Story
( PIERRE TEYSSOT )
George Clooney rep denies adoption rumors
Spokesman for star calls rumors “100 percent fabricated”