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An American green tech company has developed the Mochi, which is its first robot Smart charging Portable that is mass-produced in the world and works 100 percent with green electricity, which is expected to be available starting next June.
Mochi can be published to many locations and it automatically finds Electric cars And charging them, saving drivers time and effort, and as more electric vehicles hit the road, Mochi provides a flexible solution to help meet this growing demand for charging stations.
Mochi operates via the company’s smart operating system, EnOSTM, which connects and manages more than 200 gigawatts of renewable energy assets globally.The system also provides the device with 100 percent access to green electricity, allowing Mochi-charged electric vehicles to supply passengers. Journey by green electricity, or electricity produced from renewable energy.
Mochi is compatible with most electric cars in the market, and is powered by Envision’s AESC batteries with a capacity of 70 kWh and a power output of 42 kW, and the device can charge the electric car within just two hours for a driving distance of 600 km.


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GCI Health announced the addition of three strategic new hires to its senior team: Tyler Pennock, an integrated marketing strategist, as senior vice president of Digital & Integrated Marketing; Kalyn Fesemyer, an expert in marketing to women, as senior vice president; and Judi Kennedy, an advocacy, CSR and brand communications specialist, as senior vice president.
This group of hires comes as GCI Health seeks to expand its integrated marketing capabilities and add expertise in women’s health.
Tyler Pennock joins GCI Health from Zeno Group, bringing 20 years of experience in creating digital initiatives that help patients and healthcare providers make smarter decisions about the management of complex health challenges. He will focus on expanding the agency’s integrated marketing capabilities and helping clients engage consumers and professionals across multiple touchpoints to drive their brand, business and organizational objectives. As a senior vice president of Digital Health at Edelman and Zeno Group, Tyler has experience supporting digital and experiential marketing initiatives in respiratory, oncology, eye health and consumer health, among other categories.
Kalyn Fesemyer brings a wealth of experience in marketing to women and strong consumer and brand communications expertise across a broad range of accounts in the health and wellness space. In her previous role as senior vice president at Edelman, Kalyn spent 13 years building creative, award-winning and data-driven campaigns for consumer and healthcare clients that included Kimberly-Clark, Principal, Pfizer and the American Heart Association.
Judi Kennedy has 20 years of expertise in guiding advocacy, branding, cause awareness and social media programs in healthcare and corporate communications, as well as developing strategies to support integrated marketing efforts across a variety of industries and product launch platforms. In her previous role as a consultant, she provided strategic communication services to Fortune 500 companies, launched biotechnology companies and supported Washington, D.C.-based advocacy and healthcare startups. Judi recently managed accounts that included PhRMA and the Johnson & Johnson portfolio of business, among others.
“At GCI Health, our mission is to hire the most talented healthcare communicators in the industry and surround them with senior, hands-on support,” said Kristin Cahill, president, GCI Health North America. “The addition of senior leaders like Tyler, Kalyn and Judi allows us to deliver on our relentless commitment to client service while adding extensive expertise to our bench in key areas of focus like integrated marketing and women’s health.”

domain: news


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The Keep Australia Beautiful National Litter Index (NLI) (2018/2019) results have been analysed, showing surprise results in the twelfth year that the survey has been conducted across 983 national sites.
According to the latest data, Australia’s litter has increased by 1 per cent, with the biggest increases observed occurring in take-away food and beverage packaging (5.3 per cent), glass (26.9 per cent), general plastic (9.1 per cent) and other litter (1.8 per cent).
Keep Australia Beautiful (KAB) CEO, Val Southam, said the organisation was not referring to beverage containers when talking about beverage packaging.
“These are counted as Container Deposit Scheme, or CDS, beverage containers,” explained Ms Southam.
“’Take away food’ and ‘beverage packaging’ refer to things like milkshake containers, drinks in plastic cups and other plastic containers that once held take away food.”
The introduction of CDS on beverage containers in several states has had a positive impact on beverage container litter, which dropped by 11 per cent this year. Unfortunately, this legislation has not had an impact on other litter which is still on the increase.
“We are calling on the Packaging Industry, and in particular the quick service restaurant sector, to recognise that litter from their sector is not reducing,” commented Ms Southam.
“We need both sectors to accept their share of the responsibility in contributing to the issue, and to support our programs that are designed to tackle the problem.”
KAB also recognises the importance of the community in resolving the issue of litter.
“The community needs to be more engaged, and it needs to change their behaviour,” said Ms Southam.
“Our iconic Do the Right Thing program is just the answer. There is still a requirement to help ‘Keep Australia Beautiful’ and to ‘Do the Right Thing’ – to drive awareness, education, and positive behaviour change with the help of all industry, community, and government working together.
“KAB recognises that it needs the support of all Australians – from government to community to industry –to make this program a success in driving positive behavioural change and healthy attitudes to litter reduction.”


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Sumitomo to lift New Zealand wood supply
JAPANESE FORESTRY COMPANY, Sumitomo Corp, is looking to increase its New Zealand lumber capacity 60% by 2020 to meet growing demand in China and other parts of Asia.
The company’s Summit Forests New Zealand subsidiary owns around 29,000 hectares of plantation forests and is planning to invest $64.1 million to expand its holdings to 36,000 hectares.
Summit has already signed a deal to acquire some 4,000 forested hectares in the North Island and aims to add more.
About 80% of Summit’s lumber and timber is split between New Zealand, Australia and Japan sales, while just 20% goes to China.
Following a decision by China to significantly reduce harvesting in its own forests, Sumitomo believes there is an opportunity to sell more wood in the coming years.


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Hip-hop superstar Drake has broken a new record in streaming—this time in video games.
Mar 16, 2018 in Internet
Shoppers at self-checkout lanes scanning all their groceries after they're done shopping? Old school. More stores are letting customer tally their choices with a phone app or store device as they roam the aisles.
Feb 23, 2018 in Business
Bohemian or traditional?
Feb 22, 2018 in Business


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US: Hurricane Sandy vehicle damage toll now 230,000 say insurers
Insurance estimates in the US for the number of vehicles damaged by the recent Hurricane Sandy put the figure at 230,000, as claims processed have now been reviewed.
New York had the most vehicles affected by the storm with 130,000 damaged, while New Jersey generated 60,000 claims.
A further 40,000 were reported from Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.
The figures - from the US National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) - are preliminary and may change as additional claims are received and processed.
Equally, there is no determination as to the extent of damage to the vehicles. They could have sustained minor paint scratches from flying debris, or have been under water for days and rendered total losses.
The NICB is advising consumers is to be aware severely damaged vehicles may appear advertised for sale without any indication they were affected by Sandy and is urging caution when buying a used car following a disaster such as the recent hurricane.
- ANALYSIS: Hyundai axes Veloster, goes after Toyota
- Review of 2014 (1)
- ANALYSIS: Future models for North America - Part 2
- THE WEEK THAT WAS: Bleak Christmas ahead for some
- ANALYSIS: Future models for North America - Part 1
- Ford union to block "even a screwdriver" at Genk
- JLR research removes blind spots
- Genk mayor organises "loudest shift" as Ford exits
- NHTSA lists Ford, Jaguar and Porsche recalls
- Bye, Chrysler, hello FCA US
- Global light diesel vehicles market- forecasts to 2029
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- Ford Motor Company - Strategy and SWOT Report
- Jaguar Land Rover: Providing remarkable growth throughout the economic downturn
- Global light vehicle engine technologies market- forecasts to 2029


text: In its 2007 Annual Report the company states it will continue to invest around 10 per cent of its sales into its research and development programme focusing mainly on consumer sensory experience and perfume performance. Acquisitions and joint ventures strengthen R&D The company cite the acquisition of Quest International as significantly enhancing and expanding the research and development capabilities as well as the joint venture it entered into with ChemCom to create the company TecnoScent. TecnoScent will focus on research into olfactory receptors to better understand the mechanism behind the sense of smell. Givaudan's research and development sector will also concentrate on technologies that enhance the performance of fragrances such as encapsulation for controlled release. In addition, the company cited another area that has recently come under the spotlight in the industry, namely the effect fragrances have on the moods and emotions of the consumer. That consumers' subconscious reactions to fragrances can affect purchase decisions is becoming widely accepted within the industry, which has led Givaudan to focus on extending its research in this area, allowing it to offer the information to its clients. Sustainable projects on the horizon A further focus of the company in 2008 will be the continuation of a number of sustainable and environmental projects that aim to secure further ingredients supply and feed future innovation. In light of this, the company's 'The Scent of the Vanishing Flora' project is set to continue in 2008, collecting scent samples of rare plant flora from botanical institutes and natural habitats. It expects the project to continue to inspire the creative teams and the knowledge to be incorporated into increasing numbers of products. Furthermore, 2007 saw the creation of sustainable partnerships with suppliers of the tonka bean and sandalwood. The creation of long term, supportive partnerships with suppliers allows a level of quality control that the company believes gives it an advantage in the marketplace. In addition, it makes it easier for the company to address possible risks from ingredients shortages, a phenomenon that is not uncommon when dealing with natural ingredients.


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Recent news reports regarding Lumber Liquidators' Chinese-manufactured laminate flooring and its formaldehyde content have brought to light concerns from consumers regarding laminate flooring. The North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) wants to assure consumers that not all laminate flooring carries the dangers of the flooring highlighted in the TV report.
NALFA strongly recommends builders review the list of NALFA Certified laminate flooring products at nalfa.com. These products have passed 10 rigorous tests for safety and quality, including meeting or exceeding CARB Phase 2 emission standards. The NALFA Certification Seal serves as verification that a product will provide the consumer with a safe flooring option.
Regarding formaldehyde specifically, laminate flooring products bearing the NALFA Certification Seal must undergo laboratory testing that affirms compliance with applicable federal and state regulations pertaining to formaldehyde content.
Builders can feel confident with NALFA because it is the only ANSI-accredited trade organization exclusively dedicated to the North American laminate flooring industry and representative to the International Standards Organization (ISO). NALFA Regular Member Manufacturers are industry leaders and make some of the most well known brands in laminate flooring.
The recent media coverage has reinforced the importance of standards and purchasing certified products. NALFA Certified laminate flooring is readily available through a multitude of sales outlets. More information on NALFA Certified products and NALFA Members can be found at nalfa.com.


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Nissan Clever Smart Rearview Mirror System will Debut in Geneva [VIDEO]
Mar 03, 2014 18:06
Nissan's new Smart Rearview Mirror aims to finally bring the concept of having a camera in place of a rearview mirror to its cars.
The Smart Rearview Mirror blends everything we know about traditional reflective glass mirrors with a video feed from the rear of the car. Drivers can jump back and forth between what they would normally see in the rearview mirror to the camera's feed from the back of the car.
The mirror itself features an integrated LCD display with a four-to-one aspect ratio.
Nissan claims this new tech will see a rollout to "global markets" in 2015.
The Smart Rearview Mirror will get tested out at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Nissan's ZEOD RC racer. It will also debut at this week's 2014 Geneva Motor Show. Here's a video of how it works:
Technology has come on leaps and bounds over the past few decades, but there is just one that is going to change the face of the earth within the next one, driverless cars. It may still seem like a thing of fantasy and science-fiction now, but within so many big companies pushing what’s possible. There’s Google, Intel, Uber, Volvo, Audi, Tesla and a whole host of other world-dominators. Read more
Just a few years ago, the majority of cars were manuals. Automatic gearboxes were seriously expensive and a luxury only the wealthy could afford. Over time, as with so many other things, prices came down, and automatic cars went mainstream, especially in the US. Today, most people drive an automatic, something that was unthinkable forty years ago, just like it was unthinkable that most people would have airbags. But it happened, nonetheless. Read more
It’s a sad fact that car accidents are very common all around the world, and one of the leading causes of death, even in developed nations. It’s also an unfortunate fact that the large majority of traffic collisions are caused by human error in some way. While most people will stick to road laws and drive carefully, there’s no such thing as a perfect driver. Here are some of the most common causes of car accidents, and how you can avoid them. Read more


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Dec. 8, 2013, 11:39 a.m.
This free-flowing indie adventure should make waves next year.
June 17, 2013, 9:48 a.m.
You won't have to wait long to perform death-defying stunts.
May 24, 2013, 8:40 a.m.
The stuntman returns, this time with a few new additions.
March 12, 2013, 12:25 p.m.
And you can get some major discounts on Ubisoft games, too.
Jan. 10, 2013, 12:56 p.m.
Live a life of Danger, courtesy of Hello Games, anywhere you go, for a cheap price.
Sept. 26, 2012, 11:18 a.m.
It'll be packed with extra content, too.
Sept. 5, 2012, 11:23 a.m.
Hello Games' long-awaited follow-up is finally coming to Xbox Live in a matter of days.
July 5, 2012, 4:03 a.m.
Hello Games surprised at August 2nd date
May 17, 2012, 6 p.m.
Everybody's favorite stuntman is heading back to consoles for a sequel, and we get an early look at his latest daredevil acts!


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Firefox bikes joins hands with Swiss Military for adventure bikes
Firefox Bikes, the premium bicycle maker has entered into collaboration with Swiss Military for a range of adventure bikes.Firefox Bikes, a premium...
Firefox Bikes, the premium bicycle maker has entered into collaboration with Swiss Military for a range of adventure bikes.Firefox Bikes, a premium bicycle manufacturer, in association with Swiss Military will launch a new range of cycles. Set for launch later this year, these new adventure bikes being will be of international standards.
This new range has been designed for the younger section of biking aficionados. Highly capable of withstanding rugged mountainous regions, Firefox Bikes CEO Shiv Inder Singh has stated that the bicycles will be priced in the range from INR 12,000 to INR 20,000.
Expecting good response from buyers, sales are expected at around 10,000 units per annum. As a part of the deal, Firefox Bikes will produce these bikes and also retail Swiss Military bikes for youth which will be on sale at all Firefox stores across the country, besides departmental stores, hypermarkets and multi-brand outlets.
This is the first deal following Hero Cycles acquisition of Firefox Bikes operating in a premium segment. Firefox Bikes has expanded its reach across the country targeting various categories of buyers while the company has even acquired licenses of Superman, Batman, Tom & Jerry, Popeye etc. Swiss Military has a presence across 26 countries and has over 600 retail stores in Europe offering travel gear, writing instruments, watches and leather goods, etc.
Source: This article was first published on Rushlane.com


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GameStop, of Grapevine, Texas, said it is acquiring San Francisco-based Kongregate for undisclosed terms.
The move is part of a broad push to become a bigger participant in digital games, a market that has started to take off in recent years as technologies like Facebook, the iPhone and high-speed Internet connections have given consumers convenient new ways to play games.
GameStop, the biggest physical retailer of videogames, with more than 6,400 stores world-wide, said it has earmarked about $100 million to invest in its digital business this year, including acquisitions.
With those investments, GameStop is seeking to avoid the fate that has befallen specialty retailers of music and movies as delivery of those media has shifted to the Internet.
Digital distributors such as Apple Inc. AAPL 0.94 % 's iTunes Store and Netflix Inc. NFLX -0.23 % have been big beneficiaries of this shift, as store chains like Blockbuster Inc. and Tower Records have lost out on the transition. While GameStop is still growing and profitable, analysts believe the Internet poses a big challenge to the company.
"Their fundamental business model is at risk as physical revenue turns to digital revenue," said Evan Wilson, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities. "We've gotten to the point where it's almost undeniable that shift is happening."
One factor in GameStop's favor is that the sheer size of games for consoles like the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 makes it difficult to deliver them over the Internet because of limitations on Internet-connection speeds and storage capacity on consoles. In an interview, GameStop CEO Paul Raines said those technical hurdles will eventually be overcome, but it isn't certain how soon that will happen. Mr. Raines believes GameStop will be a significant player on the Internet when that transition occurs.
"The technology is becoming clear—it's the chronology that isn't as clear," he said.
Other forms of games are already booming on the Internet, though, including "social games" distributed through Facebook like Zynga Inc.'s Farmville, which has nearly 60 million active monthly players on the social-networking site. Apple's iTunes, meanwhile, is becoming a more important online retailer for games as more consumers play them on iPhones and iPads.
At the same time, traditional retail game sales are showing signs of weakness, declining 6% in June in U.S. stores to $1.1 billion from $1.17 billion during the same month a year earlier, according to NPD Group Inc.
Kongregate has an audience of about 10 million monthly players who access games from its library of about 30,000 titles, mainly through Web browsers on computers. The site doesn't make its own games, instead relying on titles created by about 8,500 independent developers of games.
GameStop President Tony Bartel said about half of Kongregate's revenue comes from advertising, with the other half coming from the sale of virtual currency, which can be used within Kongregate games to buy items that allow players to customize their characters or make them more powerful.
Write to Nick Wingfield at firstname.lastname@example.org


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VeriFone's CEO Doug Bergeron Defends Actions Against Square: "It’s a Competitive World."
VeriFone, the publicly held company that makes cash registers and other payment processing devices, issued a scathing open letter about Square last week, claiming the San Francisco start-up has serious security flaws in its product.
In response, Square’s CEO Jack Dorsey said the claims weren’t “fair or accurate,” and that VeriFone was overlooking all of the protections already built into your credit card.
VeriFone’s awareness campaign may be considered a little unconventional.
The company went as far as to launch a web site, record a video, and develop a mock-iPhone app that demonstrates how easy it was to use Square’s dongle to skim information off of a credit card.
Reactions to VeriFone’s approach largely sided with Square.
In comments on our site and on other venues, including Twitter, respondents mostly waived off the concerns, saying that VeriFone was feeling threatened by Square’s progress in the market.
In an exclusive interview, VeriFone’s CEO Doug Bergeron explained why the company felt it was necessary to launch the campaign.
Actually, the interview was positioned as a way to “clear the air,” although as you’ll see, those were not his words, but rather the phrase his public relations people chose to use in pitching us.
Here is our conversation, which has been edited for length and some context, but is largely as it happened.
Duryee: I was told you want to “clear the air” about VeriFone’s actions last week.
No, I don’t think that’s the way I would put it.
I believe that’s a direct quote from your PR person.
Well, I can’t help what they say.
But this is a very interesting time in mobile commerce. There’s a lot of things happening, and a lot of innovation that is happening, and yet, and yet a lot of historical issues that haven’t gone away.
[Skipping ahead in the interview] How is your smartphone product different than Square’s?
We’ve been selling PAYware Mobile for about a year, and it is selling well. Square is the only one that I know of that doesn’t encrypt their data.
We don’t use a dongle. We use a sleeve, or basically it’s a small cradle that the phone sits in. What’s different is that we encrypt the data, which means it costs $25 to $35 more to provide that technology. We aren’t creating fraud. We want consumers to be able to accept credit cards. But if you cut corners it causes problems.
We’ve been mentioning it for awhile, but we thought we needed to be heard.
Did you approach Square directly?
We’ve been in several conversations–not just with Square–but with the industry, and not just about Square, but about hypothetical devices.
We don’t want an industry that’s been moving toward simplicity, which we think is good, to move toward technology that’s allowing fraud. We don’t want it to go in wrong direction.
Did you give Square a heads-up that you were going to do what you did?
I don’t know who our PR folks talked to or didn’t.
Your PR folks told me that you had a meeting with Square’s CEO Jack Dorsey the week before.
I did see him in New York. We were at a similar meeting. I brought up the security issue, and asked him how are you addressing security? The answer was still, the networks will take care of it.
That’s not the way the rest of the world is treating this.
Networks have programs that monitor transactions, and they’ll call you if you are traveling, and there’s systems that can identify things post-facto, but that’s after the fact. The rest of the world has used smart cards and other mechanisms to stop fraud where it happens.
So, the networks can take care of it?
It’s not good enough. We should be joined arm-and-arm to make sure customers trust these systems and make sure that fraud goes down. I don’t think retailers like paying the highest interchange rates in the world, that’s not fair.
Was your open letter fair to Square?
[He laughs.] Listen it’s a competitive world. We take our role as a leader in the industry seriously. We gave them a heads up and free advice that you shouldn’t be allowing systems out there, unencrypted. If that’s fair or not, it’s not the issue here. We collectively need to create new technology to reduce fraud, whether you are a venture-backed business or a big businesses. We are both responsible for our own decisions and should be able to fend for ourselves.
Were you worried they were gaining traction in the market?
No, not at all. We don’t know what traction they’ve seen. We might be doing more than them. I have no idea. It is worth noting that we do less than a couple of million dollars a year with micro-merchants, such as garage sales or Girl Scout cookies. But that’s not the essence of VeriFone. This is not our massive attempt to protect two million in revenue. If that’s what you think, you are missing the point.
We are not worried about competition in one of our $2 million segments, but we are worried about the industry not being concerned about the third rail of skimming, which is smartphones not using encrypted data.
Still, a lot of the feedback in the comments on our site and on Twitter was that you felt threatened by Square.
I notice Verizon and AT&T advertise whose systems don’t work. Oracle advertises against HP, by saying their systems have more processing power. I’m not quite sure how this is different. We have a solution that encrypts data and reduces fraud. If that’s not worthy of identifying and knowing, what’s wrong with that?
Well, maybe you went too far by making the faux iPhone application available for download on the site?
If we didn’t, we would have been accused of blowing smoke. The fact that we could do it [build one] in an hour demonstrates how serious of a problem it is.
[NOTE: PR jumps into the conversation, adding that the application on its site was only for demonstration purposes. No one could actually download it and skim credit card information with it. It was only to show it was possible, but there was no actual risk.]
You really believe that the Square dongle will be used for harm?
They certainly could. It’s a skimmer that doesn’t look like a skimmer. You might be using a merchant that you trust, and they are skimming right in front of you and don’t even have to go in the back room.
Now that you’ve voiced your concerns, what happens?
I don’t know. We all continue to go along our paths and try to improve paying at the pumps, and paying at the table, and try to continue to promote that smartphones are great and that the data should be encrypted…
We have a competitive reason to do so, and we believe we have a differentiated product. This can be solved. This isn’t rocket science. They can add encryption and they’d be done.
There is no next step. We’ll continue to sell the most robust in the industry, and reduce fraud and feel good about it, and they’ll continue to do what they do.
[From earlier in the interview. Bergeron provided the company’s historical context in the industry, which led them to the decision to write the open letter last week.]
Without the benefit of 30 years of watching historical issues, it’s easy to see how our campaign last week was considered unconventional. But the reality is we are speaking to a very seirous issue here.
The first has to do with the ongoing concern–even worry–that retailers large and small are having with conventional card brands.
It plays out like this: I see you give me a lot of value to accept debit and credit because customers like it, but this notion that I’m paying the highest interchange rates in the world in America–15 to 25 percentage points of my revenue. Whereas, the rest of the world on average pays 10 percent. As a retailer, I’d say I’m just not getting how the 25 percent that I’m giving up to the card ecosystem is valuable.
The response is: The reason you pay the highest interchange rates in the world is because there’s a lot of fraud in the system.
Some of it goes to profits and managing the network, but a big piece of it is a pooled risk to cover the fraud in the system. The reason European retailers pay significantly less is because there’s a lot less fraud in the system. Ditto Canada and Australia.
Every other country has taken technology to eliminate or reduce the incidence of fraud and skimming. Therefore there’s less fraud and interchange rates come down.
Every day of the week, I hear them [retailers] complaining about interchange. I defend it. We are what we are, and there’s fraud in the system–that is what it is. We have made it our mission to go after the sources of fraud.
There’s two big areas of fraud, and the unregulated smartphone dongle is creating the third.
What are the two big sources?
The two biggest sources, which Forrester, IDC and NPD would all agree, is gas pumps and restaurants.
And there’s a reason for that.
Gas pumps received a waiver from Visa and other card companies.
They were leaned on by the oil companies, which claimed that meeting PCI compliance at each gas pump would have been really painful for the gas stations. And therefore at the 800,000 pumps today, unlike most stores you go to which use compliant technology sold by VeriFone or others, there’s nothing protecting your data there.
These pumps are serviced in the middle of the night by independent operators. It turns out that there’s a few master keys running around, which open up hundreds of thousands gas pumps, and then skimmers are inserted in the pumps and the data is captured.
Fraud gets created, and interchange has to stay high.
I thought gas stations experienced high fraud because the credit card has already been stolen, and can easily be used at the pump?
No, the signature doesn’t act as a deterrent. There’s a lot of unattended systems, where there’s not a person there, and they are all compliant and are encrypted. Only in America do these pumps exist.
And, what about restaurants?
The second area where there is a lot of fraud happening is in restaurants. You give your card up to the waiter, and they copy it. We agree [with Square] that copying cards down is a form of skimming.
Restaurants are the last frontier. Restaurants are the only place, where you give your card to a stranger and they go in the back room. So much happens in restaurants. They can get the number on the back, or run it through a skimmer, which are commonly available.
We have tech solutions to solve the two big problems, which would go a long way to reducing fraud, and probably reducing interchange.
Which leads us to how you believe Square is creating a new unencrypted point of sale?
We fear it is the third place, where data is being transmitted through a non-payment device without encrypting it before it goes in.
We have an iPhone product called PAYware Mobile.
We are on a mission here to reduce interchange for retailers by increasing the use of technology at the point of sale. We’ve been telling the story to card associations, customers and major retailers for the past year…It’s not just about reducing interchange for retailers when customers get their identity stolen, it’s a major pain in the you-know-what.
We think we are on the cusp of mobile payments, and there’s going to be more and more done with the phone. We want to make sure it is done securely because if there’s a major pandemic of fraud using cellphones, it’s going to slow the adoption.
We not only support mobile payments fully, we were great proponents of the use of smartphone as credit cards and acceptance systems–our point is let’s be consistent with the rest of the industry.


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Labels can lie.
That’s the hard truth behind some food products sold in grocery stores and at farmer’s markets said to be locally sourced. In reality, they could be from much farther away than you think.
People are willing to pay more for something like a six-pack of craft beer or a bottle of wine if it’s locally produced because they perceive it as being higher quality in comparison to a national brand, new research published this week in the Journal of Marketing.
There may, however, be a catch.
“ The term ‘local’ on food packaging hasn’t been officially defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. ”
“Labels are not always truthful,” Katherine Paul, associate director at the Organic Consumers Association, a Finland, Maine-based nonprofit, told MarketWatch. “No one is policing them.”
The term “local” on food packaging hasn’t been officially defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. That’s a problem: the Journal of Marketing study shows that consumers will pay premiums for locally sourced food or beverages like canned wine, sauces and baked goods because they can identify with the region or town they came from.
Food manufacturers are required to register with the FDA as a food facility, and an inspection would follow once every three or five years to check on food safety controls, sanitation and food labeling. However, the agency doesn’t address label issues outside of regular inspections.
“The FDA requires food labeling to be truthful and not misleading, and considers product-labeling concerns on a case-by-case basis,” Nathan Arnold, an FDA spokesman said in an email. “Among other things, we consider the terms used within the context of the entire label when determining compliance with our requirements.”
States impose food labeling requirements, which require sellers to detail how food is prepared, processed and where the ingredients are from, in addition to any additives in foods. But the term “locally grown” can be misleading, especially since the definition varies state by state.
“ In Vermont, the word ‘local’ is only used on products made within 30 miles of where it’s sold. ”
In Vermont, for example, the word “local” is only used on products made within 30 miles of where it’s sold. Maryland, meanwhile, makes retailers include where the product is from if they market it as locally grown.
It’s unclear whether food manufacturers can be punished for calling a food “local” if it’s not, even though it’s a clear misrepresentation of a product. A similar fraudulent instance is calling a food “homemade” if the seller didn’t actually make it, an act that’s illegal in New York City.
In fact, a 2018 investigation by USA Today found that 18 states don’t set a minimum on the percentage of locally grown foods a product must contain to be labeled as a state brand. And 36 states have no formal review requirements so just about anyone can call their food “local” without verifying where the ingredients actually come from.
The paper highlighted several companies that had misleading labeling. Among them: Milo’s Tea Company, which sells products in stores like Walmart
Iced tea from Milo’s costs between $2.58 and $2.85 for a gallon compared to Walmart-branded Great Value iced tea for $2.37 that’s not locally sourced. Milo’s Tea Company did not return a request for comment.
USA Today cited another coffee brand, Park City Coffee Roaster, which sells a “Utah’s Own” label, but the coffee beans were not actually grown in the state. Another bag of coffee is labeled as “Local’s Secret Blend.” It costs $16 for a 12-ounce bag. A Starbucks
“ Locally grown strawberries sold in D.C. were actually grown more than 2,000 miles away in California. ”
“Utah’s Own is a local directive used for Utah marketing to Utah by the Dept of Commerce in Utah. It does not mean it was grown in Utah, but is was produced for a finished product,” Robert Hibl, owner of Park City Coffee Roaster, told MarketWatch in an email.
Vendor fraud at farmer’s markets is not uncommon. NBC
All they were shown was a patch of dry dirt. Another farm claimed their produce was “pesticide-free,” but a test at a state-certified lab showed samples of fruit did in fact contain pesticides. Similarly, a shopper in Washington, D.C. thought she was buying “locally grown” strawberries only to find out that they were actually “locally grown” more than 2,000 miles away in California.
Farmers’ markets have started to become more strict with who they allow to sell at their enterprises. Charles Town Farmers Market in West Virginia started a “Know Your Vendor” program in 2014, creating guidelines, one of which required an on site-visit to vendors participating in the market to make sure the products sold at the market were actually produced by the vendor after instances of farmers’-market fraud in the area.
And some grocery stores even hire teams to scout out food companies to make sure they’re legit. Whole Foods
If you’re buying produce at your local supermarket, Paul suggests asking a staff member to identify the farm where the produce is grown. And if you’re at a local food market, ask the seller. If you’re eating you, you may be out of luck. Paul said there’s still no way to tell if food advertised on restaurant menus as “local” actually is, she says.


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Guangzhou-based electric vehicle maker Xpeng (NYSE: XPEV) closed at USD 21.2 on Thursday, its first trading day on the New York Stock Exchange, up 41.5% from its initial public offering price of USD 15.
The company, which counts Alibaba among its investors, raised about USD 1.5 billion in its IPO, according to Reuters.
The EV maker’s IPO comes shortly after Beijing-based electric SUV maker Li Auto raised USD 1.1 billion in July. Li Auto also witnessed a bullish debut as its shares rose nearly 50% on July 30, the first trading day.
Xpeng, which was founded in 2014, launched its first model, the pure electric SUV G3 in 2018 and unveiled the second model, the P7 sports sedan, in April this year.
The startup delivered 1,614 P7 units to buyers in July, the first month when Xpeng started to ship the new model, according to its website.
This article is part of KrASIA’s “China Brief” section, where KrASIA’s reporters will provide quick daily updates about the tech ecosystem in China.


text:
Rebecca Woodland hopes to be over her head in shoeboxes this week - not shoes for herself, but shoeboxes filled with gifts for children in need.
The national program sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse, called Operation Christmas Child and affectionately known locally as the Aloha Shoebox Project, is in full gear this week, Nov. 14 -21.
More than 5,600 boxes from Hawaii were sent last year to children in Bosnia, Serbia, the Philippines and other needy areas. The collection is always held the week before Thanksgiving.
Woodland started the program seven years ago after her mother in Canada told her about it.
“The gifts do get to the children,” the Honolulu resident assures. “The first time I sent a box, I got a letter from a little girl in Bosnia who was so surprised that anyone cared about her. All the 10-year-old wanted was peace.”
Woodland corresponded with the girl until she changed schools. “She’s the reason I do it,” notes Woodland. “It made such a huge difference in her life to keep going and to go to school. She said she took the school supplies and shared them with her classmates as they didn’t have any either.
“The program has grown exponentially,” adds Woodland. Clubs, schools, and community organizations have found out about the project through word of mouth.
“People always make it a point to do it the following year, once they’ve made a donation,” she explains.
For the first time, Price Busters stores on Oahu are working together with Operation Christmas Child. People can bring an empty shoebox or purchase a plastic shoebox at Price Busters and fill it up with items from a list of school supplies, hygiene products and small toys. The items on the list are available at Price Busters and are geared for different aged children. Completed gift shoeboxes may be left at the store with a $5 check for shipping payable to Samaritan’s Purse. The stores also carry detailed brochures about the project.
“It’s so fun to see the creativity people put into it,” she says. Shoebox tops need to be wrapped separately and rubber banded as the box needs to be opened and checked for security purposes. Or donors can bring completed gift shoeboxes to the Matson container that will be the collection point at Central Union Church, 1660 S. Beretania St., between 3 and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, and 1-6 p.m. Sunday from Nov. 14 to 21.
For more information, call 295-3027 or log onto www.samaritanspurse.org
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text: It's unfortunate that over the past few decades, Brie, the cow's milk cheese from Ile-de-France in northern France, has become a cliché. The "Brie and Chablis crowd" became a moniker derisively put on East Coast liberals by political conservatives. More importantly for cheese lovers, the Brie available in the United States was often an industrial, stamped-out product. However, when artisanally made, properly stored and served with care, Brie can be a delectable, sensuous cheese that deserves respect, even admiration on occasion. Wine Spectator's Sam Gugino explains.


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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — A giant in electronics is officially calling downtown Rochester home.
Panasonic cut the ribbon on their location in the First Federal Building Wednesday.
Panasonic acquired Omni-ID, a local industrial internet solutions group, earlier this year.
However, the international company wanted to keep the focus on jobs and innovation here in Rochester.
“We’re bringing a fantastic company, Panasonic, to the area here to join a number of really fantastic high tech firms,” said George Daddis, director of Industrial Internet of Things.”Rochester, in my perspective, has a lot to be proud of and a lot of future and a lot of growth.”
Panasonic offered tours of their new office space and lab after the ribbon cutting.


text:
Sprint Hit with $300 Million Lawsuit for Alleged New York Tax Fraud
July 2, 2013 2:53 PM
comment(s) - last by
Sprint plans to file an appeal
Sprint is in hot water due to unpaid sales taxes, and the carrier is looking at a $300 million lawsuit.
A lawsuit, which claimed that Sprint
didn't collect or pay taxes
properly on wireless calling plans, was filed in New York back in 2011. This cost both local and state governments over $100 million.
More specifically, wireless carriers are supposed to collect and pay sales taxes on the entire charge for the amount of minutes they sell for fixed monthly wireless plans. Instead of doing this, Sprint dubbed a portion of it as nontaxable and failed to collect about 25 percent of the taxes due to governments.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman took over the case last year, and now wants $300 million to cover the $100 million lost by state/local governments and for penalties. He said this should be a warning to others that tax fraud will be punished in the state.
“Sprint is disappointed in the court’s decision, and we intend to file an appeal shortly,” said John Taylor, a spokesman for Sprint. “With this lawsuit, the Attorney General’s office is claiming New York consumers, who already pay some of the highest wireless taxes in the country, should pay even more. As we have in the past, we will continue to stand up for New York consumers’ rights and fight this suit.”
New York Supreme Court Judge O. Peter Sherwood denied Sprint's request to dismiss the case on June 27. Another hearing is scheduled for July 24.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
RE: Why the heck didn't Sprint just pay their taxes?
7/4/2013 12:29:28 PM
My wife still has unlimited 4G LTE on Verizon. It is very sad - she only uses between 1-2GB a month...
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Colorado’s beverage alcohol landscape has shifted significantly since Lakeside-based Molly’s Spirits launched in December 2014. Off-premise licensees can now apply for a second license and grow their businesses to a total of four stores by 2027. And as of this year, grocery and convenience stores previously licensed to sell low-alcohol beer (3.2% alcohol by weight) can now sell full-strength beer, creating stiff competition for traditional off-premise stores. A relative newcomer to the business, Molly’s Spirits CEO Rufus Nagel has expertly navigated these changes.
Nagel’s background in Silicon Valley tech and Denver commercial real estate made him an unlikely candidate to open a large-scale, high-volume store in a crowded market dominated by established players. He studied the industry, talked to local retailers, and hired managers with decades of experience. Molly’s emerged as a wine, spirits, and beer destination, and revenue grew from $10 million in 2015 to $23 million in 2018. For his business acumen and community leadership, Rufus Nagel has been named a 2019 Market Watch Leader.
Since the beginning of this year, the greatest challenge for every Colorado retailer has been beer; its sales determine whether a store will thrive or shutter. Nagel has handled this challenge well. After the law changed on January 1, Molly’s first-quarter beer sales declined 7% compared to first-quarter beer sales in 2018. In contrast, Nagel reports other large-scale destination retailers experienced declines of 15%-20%, while some small stores’ beer sales plummeted 30%-40%. “Molly’s has become even more of a destination store since grocery stores began selling beer, and our average basket size for 2019 is up almost 10% compared to 2018,” Nagel says. “We’re losing the $20 customers, but increasing our $100 customers.” In response to recent changes, the company sharpened its focus on unique beers and in-house expertise—in fact, the beer manager, Tony Doria, is a Cicerone.
After clearing the beer hurdle, Nagel began to plan a second unit 21 miles away in Greenwood Village, which is slated to open in November. Both stores are in suburban shopping centers off interstate highways, with the second location situated near eateries, a natural grocer, office buildings, and an outdoor concert venue. “A store has to have a compelling location,” Nagel says. “There are 18 restaurants in this mall, and the location next to a grocer without a liquor license is key.”
The original and new locations are of similar size—28,000 and 25,000 square feet, respectively. Like the first store, the second will have about 18,000 SKUs and an uncluttered, open feel. Whereas the original store has a steampunk theme and a Victorian-era mural of the Molly character, the new store will have a mid-century modern theme and a Jetsons-esque Molly mural. “It’s a huge challenge to make the new store the same, yet different,” says Nagel, adding that the new location has a more mature demographic. “Branding the new store is tricky, because we want to have a unique brand and create a new community.” Together, the two stores will employ about 100 people, with the company’s key executives moving to the new location. “We want to graft our culture, because getting the culture right is also tricky,” Nagel adds.
Technology powers every aspect of the company’s operations. Nagel leverages his technology background to enhance the shopping experience, reduce labor costs, track trends, and reset the store. The original store features 17 digital screens and MarginMate electronic shelf labels, which track inventory and enable managers to seamlessly update prices for any item. The second store will have a wireless version of the same equipment, as well as screens displaying video content that tells the products’ stories.
Customers can order Molly’s products through delivery service Drizly, with purchases delivered by store-branded hybrid cars. “Both stores will be hubs for Drizly, and the new store will result in increased coverage for the delivery service,” says Nagel. Later this year, customers will also be able to order from the Molly’s website for either delivery or streamlined in-store pickup. And in 2020, the company plans to launch a mobile shopping app.
Technology also saves on labor costs and shapes the store’s layout. “We dynamically reset the store based on our detailed tracking of MarginMate data, including inventory and sales,” Nagel says. “We move entire sections as soon as we see a change in sales data.” When the data indicates an upward or downward trajectory, Molly’s makes changes. Examples include moving rosé and organic wines to prime shelving at the front of the stores, increasing the number of canned and ready-to-drink products, and eliminating the store’s walk-in bomber room.
Nagel describes a visit to Molly’s as a high-touch experience, and says consumers are looking for interaction, combined with technology, delivery, and convenience. “Retail is an ever-evolving entity,” says Nagel. “The future of retail is both experiential and convenient.” He encourages his team to interact with customers, find out what they like, and show them the coded-entry, climate-controlled room for high-end wines and spirits. While the original store’s room feels like a library, the one in the new store will be glass, so customers can peek inside.
Wine comprises 34% of sales at Molly’s, with 7,000 SKUs ranging from Flipflop Fizzy Rosé ($2 a 187-ml. can) to the 2016 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche ($2,080 a 750-ml.). The sweet spot for a 750-ml. bottle of wine is between $10 and $15, with bottles in the $19-$22 range also performing well. The three top-selling wines are House Wine Bubbles rosé ($5 a 375-ml. can), Naonis Brut Prosecco ($13 a 750-ml.), and the 2018 Hay Maker Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($11). Domestic red wines dominate as a category, led by the 2016 Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon ($15) and Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red ($11). Imported sparkling wine is a strong second, including the top-selling Naonis, as well as Graham Beck Brut rosé ($19). Rosé, Molly’s third-strongest category, has gained steadily for two years. Strong sellers include the 2018 Les Trois Couronnes Côtes du Rhône ($15 a 750-ml.), the 2018 Pratsch Niederösterreich ($15), and the 2018 Domaine Petroni Corsica ($16).
Organic and sustainable wines are rotated in a large display near the rosé section at the front of the store to generate interest, while also keeping their aisle spots. Strong sellers include the Do Ferreiro Rias Baixas Albariño ($32 a 750-ml.), the 2016 Lunar Apogé Côtes du Rhône ($22), and the 2016 Cooper Mountain Vineyards Cooper Hill Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($20). Portuguese and Spanish table wines are gaining traction, driven in part by customers’ travel experiences. Top-sellers include the 2017 Anselmo Mendes Muros Antigos Vinho Verde Loureiro ($17)—also the top-selling white import in the store—the 2016 Rubus Proprietary Reserve red ($13), and the 2016 Veedha Douro red ($19). By hiring experienced wine professionals with strong industry relationships, Nagel has created a destination for upscale and allocated wines. Examples include the 1999 Salon Blanc de Blancs Champagne ($525), the 2002 Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé Champagne ($340), the 2012 Château Mouton Rothschild ($690), and the 2013 Penfolds Grange Shiraz ($780).
Spirits make up 33% of sales at Molly’s, with 3,000 SKUs ranging from Fireball cinnamon-flavored whisky ($2 a 100-ml.) to Louis XIII de Rémy Martin Cognac ($3,300 a 750-ml.). Tito’s Handmade vodka ($31 a 1.75-liter) and Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon ($34) are the store’s top-selling spirits, while domestic whiskey is the strongest spirits category in both volume and revenue. Vodka is a close second in terms of volume, yet trails significantly in revenue. The store stocks 900 American whiskies, 325 of them Bourbon, and 400 whiskies from Scotland, Ireland, and beyond.
Colorado whiskies, positioned strategically by the door, are strong sellers. The top-selling Colorado whiskey is Breckenridge Bourbon ($40 a 750-ml.). Other offerings include Peach Street Colorado Straight Bourbon ($57) and Stranahan’s Rocky Mountain single malt whiskey ($55). Overall, Molly’s 250 Colorado-made spirits SKUs comprise more than 10% of the store’s spirits sales by volume. Vanjak Colorado vodka ($26 a 1.75-liter) is the top-performing local vodka, and Woody Creek Potato vodka ($30 a 750-ml.) also sells well. Molly’s collaborates with local distillers to procure exclusive versions of local spirits, such as A.D. Laws Four Grain Cask-Strength Straight Bourbon ($66). After the spirits team’s visit to Kentucky this year, the store launched a Four Roses Single Barrel Private Selection ($76) with a Molly’s label.
Agave-based spirits, including Tequila, make up the third-largest and fastest-growing spirits category, led by Espolòn Blanco Tequila ($25 a 750-ml.). Craft Tequilas and mezcals are on an upswing, and Banhez mezcal ($30) stands out as the top craft agave spirit. Molly’s is also a hub for Scotch. Three-quarters of the selections are single malts, including Glenfiddich 18-year-old Small Batch Reserve ($97) and Longrow Peated ($66).
Alternative serves and packaging are doing well for the store. Molly’s added 50 new canned cocktail SKUs to its selection at the start of summer. Nagel says the canned offerings have caught on with Colorado consumers, who prefer eco-friendly packaging they can pack for outdoor adventures. In response, the store launched its own RTD organic soda with vodka and lime called Molly’s Club Soda ($12 a 4-pack of 12-ounce cans).
The top-selling beer SKU at Molly’s is Coors Light ($18 a 24-pack of 12-ounce cans), and the second top-seller is the White Claw Hard Seltzer variety pack ($18 a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans). Yet Colorado craft beer is the top overall category by a large margin in both volume and value. Denver Beer Co.’s Princess Yum Yum ($9 a 6-pack of 12-ounce cans) and Station 26 Brewing Co.’s Juicy Banger IPA ($6) are the top-selling local brews.
Molly’s Sip ($6), a proprietary label first launched last year, is the store’s least expensive beer and among its top sellers. Nagel worked with Aspen Brewing Co. in 2018, and this year partnered with Denver-based 14er Brewing Co. to produce the beer. “We expect to collaborate with a different brewing partner every year, and we’re looking for smaller partners,” says Nagel. The store’s most expensive beer SKU is St. Bernardus Abt 12 ($250 a 4-liter bottle). Molly’s also offers about 60 beers by the keg, many of them local offerings such as Tivoli Brewing Co.’s Helles lager ($61 a 5.16-gallon keg).
Nagel predicts bomber bottles will decline as demand for canned beer increases. He also foresees increased demand for beer and other products sold cold. In preparation, he’s updating the original store’s walk-in cooler and replacing the bomber shelves with case stacks and bulk orders. The new store will boast the same features. The original location has 74 cooler doors, with 60 devoted to beer, and the new store will feature almost as many.
Molly’s connects with customers through social media, differentiated email lists, and a loyalty program. The company’s marketing strategy and nonprofit giving are intertwined. “The need to address dozens of fragmented communities and reach them in meaningful ways is marketing’s new normal,” Nagel says. “We collaborate, sponsor festivals, and are involved in the community.” The store makes in-kind donations to the Denver Art Museum totaling more than $50,000 a year, and also has a presence at music festivals and food-truck gatherings.
Nagel isn’t afraid to shake things up. Until recently, Molly’s hosted an annual spirits auction, donating the proceeds to a different charity every year. “The problem with the auction was that very few buyers were our core customers,” says Nagel. This year, in lieu of the auction, Molly’s hosted a tasting event with $20 raffle tickets, wherein the winners gained the right to buy allocated spirits at the retail price. “We raised $9,000 for Street’s Hope, a Denver charity that fights human trafficking and supports victims with counseling and life skills services,” says Nagel.
In addition, Molly’s donates $1 from every case sold of New Image Brewing’s Better Together IPA ($11 a 6-pack of 12-ounce cans) to the Jefferson Center for Mental Health—and the brewer matches that donation. Nagel says the days of traditional advertising are over. “Although collaboration projects take an enormous amount of time and energy, we’re still actively looking for partners,” he adds.
By law, Nagel can launch or acquire another store in five years, but for now, he enjoys his job the way it is. “The industry’s problems are more difficult and interesting than I had predicted,” he says. “I like encouraging customers to try new products and ultimately increasing their joy.”


text:
The end of family saloons? Models drop out of top ten most popular cars and replaced by smaller and specialist vehicles
Big saloon cars are being driven off the nation's driveways in favour of family-friendly people-carriers and runarounds.
According to research published yesterday, the Ford Mondeo and others of its like no longer feature in the UK's top ten of most popular cars.
The saloon has been replaced by either a smaller car, such as a Volkswagen Golf or a Peugeot 207, or a specialist vehicle that better caters to family needs – a 4x4 or an MPV such as the Citroen Picasso or Ford Galaxy.
UK families have ditched the saloon and are increasingly driving smaller models like the VW Golf (pictured)
In the 1980s, the typical two-car family had a large saloon, such as a Ford Cortina or Vauxhall Cavalier, and a small second car.
But the shape and size of the cars on our driveways, and who is driving them, has shifted dramatically.
Research by insurance giant Aviva suggests that small runabouts such as the Ford Fiesta remain popular.
TOP 10 CARS
Suzuki Grand Vitara
However, instead of being a cheap second car driven by women, as was usual in the 1980s, two-thirds of Fiesta drivers are now men. The demand for space in a family's main car has also increased over the years.
Heather Smith, director of car insurance at Aviva, said: 'Thirty years ago the big saloon and the small "runaround" sitting side by side outside Britain's family homes was a ubiquitous sight.
'Now you're more likely to see two VW Golfs or newer SUV/4x4 hybrids like the Nissan Qashqai and the Suzuki Grand Vitara sharing driveway space.
'As families' lives become more busy and complex, with two working parents and children to be dropped off at school, it appears multi-tasking mums need a vehicle fit for both work and family life while cost and fuel efficiency are increasingly important to dad.'
In the 1980s the women in the family almost always drove the smaller car.
But the shape and size of the cars on our driveways and who is driving them shifted dramatically over the last three decades.
Researchers asked 2,500 drivers about their family car history stretching back 30 years and found that, while more families than ever now own a second car, the saloon has been replaced by smaller family motors, such as the Volkswagen Golf, the Mini and the Peugeot 207.
The Ford Mondeo used to be the UK's most popular car, but it has been overtaken
They now dominate the top 10 most popular cars, replacing traditional family saloons like the Vauxhall Vectra, Volkswagen Passat and Ford Mondeo.
In the 1980s Britain's family cars looked very similar, with just four big and small car combinations dominating our driveways.
Vauxhall and Ford were the most popular saloons of choice.
The four pairings most commonly seen in streets across Britain were the Vauxhall Cavalier/Mini Rover; the Vauxhall Cavalier/Ford Fiesta; the Ford Cortina/Mini Rover and the Ford Escort/Vauxhall Nova.
That picture has now changed and is more complicated because of the huge rise in the number of different models available.
The most common car type combinations in 2011 were small family cars - VW Golf, Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra - with smaller cars like the Ford Fiesta, Renault Clio and the Vauxhall Corsa.
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text:
During the penultimate day of Cannes Lions Live, Cannes Lions has announced the winners of a slew of categories.
The Brand Experience and Activation Lions, Creative Business Transformation Lions, Creative eCommerce Lions, Creative Effectiveness Lions, Mobile Lions, Innovation Lions, and Radio & Audio Lions winners were all announced in the Awards Show, streamed from Cannes, France.
For the Experience Track, in partnership with Amazon:
In the Brand Experience and Activation Lions, honouring creative, comprehensive brand-building through experience design, activation, immersive, retail and 360° customer engagement, 75 Lions were awarded by the jury from 2,352 entries received: 11 Gold, 19 Silver and 43 Bronze.
The jury awarded two Grands Prix: ‘True Name’ for Mastercard, McCann New York, USA, the campaign that empowered transgender and nonbinary cardholders to use their True Name.
Jury President, Vicki Maguire, chief creative officer, Havas, UK, described it as a piece of work that “touches you, that hits something, that you feel before you actually comprehend it.”
The second Grand Prix – the third of the week for this work – was presented to ‘Stevenage Challenge’ by DAVID, Madrid / DAVID, Miami for Burger King.
Bronze Lions were awarded to Ogilvy Sydney for their ‘Secret Menu’ campaign for KFC and to Clemenger BBDO for the ‘Pitversing’ campaign for Rexona.
The new Creative Business Transformation Lions, which celebrate the creativity that drives businesses forward received 202 entries and awarded nine Lions: one Gold, three Silver and four Bronze.
The inaugural Grand Prix went to ‘Act for Food’ by Marcel, Paris for Carrefour, a worldwide programme of actions for the food transition to improve health and make our food system better for farmers and the planet.
In the Creative eCommerce Lions, which recognise creative, commercial ecommerce, payment solutions and innovation, 336 entries were received and 15 Lions presented: two Gold, four Silver and seven Bronze. Two Grands Prix were awarded to: ‘Tienda Cerca’ by draftLine, Bogota, Colombia, for AB InBev, a hyper-local ecommerce platform supporting small businesses and consumers through the pandemic.
The second Grand Prix went to FCB Inferno, London’s ‘Raising Profiles’ for The Big Issue / LinkedIn, which connected Big Issue magazine sellers with customers through the LinkedIn platform during lockdown.
In the Communication Track, in partnership with Microsoft:
In the Mobile Lions, celebrating device-driven creativity, 898 entries were received and 34 Lions awarded: seven Gold, 11 Silver and 15 Bronze. A second Grand Prix of the week was awarded to ‘Naming the invisible by Digital Birth Registration’ by Telenor Pakistan, Islamabad / Ogilvy Pakistan, Islamabad, for Telenor Pakistan.
Mobile Lions Jury President, Andrew Keller, VP, global creative director, Facebook, called it a “beautifully ambitious project” adding, “I love that the work is sustainable, this isn’t a campaign that’s here today, gone tomorrow, it’s something that’s going to drive continued change for Pakistan in an incredibly powerful way and we were all blown away and beyond inspired by this piece.”
A Gold Lion in the category went to AKQA Sao Paulo and AKQA Melbourne for ‘Code of Conscience’ for the Raoni Institue (pictured above). They were then awarded a second Bronze Lion for the campaign.
The campaign has now won four Lions overall – two Bronze, one Silver, one Gold.
Special Group Auckland and Special Group Sydney won a Bronze Lion for ‘Good Morning World’ for Tourism New Zealand. They were previously awarded a Silver Lion for the campaign in the Social & Influencer Lions.
The Radio & Audio Lions, celebrating creativity that is wired for sound, received 886 entries and 34 Lions were honoured: six Gold, nine Silver and 14 Bronze. The Grand Prix went to ‘SICK BEATS’, by Area 23, an FCB Health Network Company, New York for Woojer, which also took the Pharma Grand Prix as the first music-powered airway clearance vest revolutionizing therapy for children with cystic fibrosis.
AKQA Melbourne was awarded another Silver Lion, this time for their work on Tennis Australia’s ‘Action Audio’ campaign. They were the only Australian winners in the category.
In the Innovation Track:
From 161 entries received in the Innovation Lions, which honour ground-breaking innovation, technology and problem solving, five Lions were awarded: one Silver, three Bronze and the Grand Prix went to ‘Degree Inclusive’ by Wunderman Thompson, Buenos Aires for Unilever, this innovative deodorant is designed specifically for people with visual impairment and upper extremity impairment.
In the Impact Track:
The Creative Effectiveness Lions that celebrate the measurable impact of creative work, received 141 entries and 11 Lions were awarded: three Gold, three Silver and four Bronze.
The Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix went to ‘Nike Crazy Dreams’ by Wieden+Kennedy, Portland for Nike.
Across Cannes Lions Live, Wednesday’s content highlights included ‘The Daily Agenda / History In The Making: End Malaria Now’ with Malaria No More UK and Dentsu discussing how they leveraged creativity and collaboration to tackle humanity’s oldest and deadliest disease.
In the Virtual Experience platform, Amazon presented ‘From Sapiens to Amazon: How Storytelling Shapes Society and Marketing’ with Amazon’s Neil Lindsay and Sapiens author Yuval Noah Harari, discussing the transformative power of storytelling to progress societies and brands.
All LIONS members receive complimentary access to Cannes Lions Live as part of their membership. Buy your LIONS Membership here.
Pinterest has introduced a new suite of creator and Pinner products and experiences globally, as the platform continues to evolve to become home for the next generation of creators. At its second annual Pinterest Creators Festival, featuring Megan Thee Stallion and Storm Reid. Pinterest creators Kerin Rose Gold, Wendy’s World, Henri Purnell, Carolina Gelen and […]
Agency Digitas ANZ has developed its own unique brew of beer, galvanizing the team to channel its expertise in data, technology, digital media and creative. The brainchild of senior creative at Digitas, Nick Duron – Digitas’ ‘Unicorn Punch’ comes in alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties and was created as a means of making Australian and New […]
As Australia prepares to hit its 70 per cent nationwide double vaccination milestone, a new study from Afterpay reveals how Gen Z and Millennials are ready to Press Play on their lives, after 9 in 10 (88 per cent) missed key life events through lockdowns. From hitting restaurants, cafés and pubs and jetting off overseas, […]
New data from Hootsuite and We Are Social reveals that as of June, social media user numbers have jumped by 13 per cent since the same time last year, with the latest data showing an increase of more than half a billion users in just 12 months. The Digital 2021: July Global Statshot report revealed key findings […]
Producers Rodney Rigby and Junkyard Dog Productions have announced that the worldwide smash hit, Tony and Olivier award-winning musical COME FROM AWAY, has reopened at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney. The pandemic led to all theatre shows closing curtains in Sydney, however, with vaccinations rates soaring and restrictions easing, the theatre is back and Sydney […]
Former PMs, high-ranking politicians and climate experts blow the whistle on how Australia became an international climate change pariah in the new Guardian Australia podcast series, Australia v the climate. Guardian Australia will release a special investigative podcast series ahead of the Cop26 global climate summit, scrutinising Australia’s role in the climate crisis over more […]
TBWA\Sydney Group has announced two new key promotions of Nitsa Lotus to chief growth officer and Tanya Vragalis to managing director. In her new role, Lotus will be focused on leading growth initiatives and innovation across each of the agencies within the TBWA\Sydney Group – TBWA, Eleven, Fleishman Hillard, Fabric and Bolt – as well […]
The beauty industry needs to reflect greater diversity both in front and behind the camera, as consumers increasingly align with brands that share their values, according to a panel of leading experts speaking at Are Media’s latest insight series TRENDtalks: Beauty. Hosted by leading Australian beauty expert and presenter Michael Brown, TRENDtalks: Beauty also highlighted […]
Findings from the latest Podsights Benchmark Australian Report shows ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network is a market leader in advertising effectiveness and continues to perform well above global benchmarks. Through its partnership with Podsights, ARN is setting the standard for podcast advertising measurement, providing commercial partners with data-led insights to ensure maximum engagement and conversion with iHeartPodcast […]
Advertising revenue for metropolitan commercial radio stations reached $53.149 million in September, reflecting a year on year rise of 12.7 per cent, according to data compiled by Milton Data and released by industry body Commercial Radio Australia (CRA). September quarter ad revenue totalled $151.373 million, up 16.1 per cent from the corresponding period a year […]
GAMURS Group, the esports and entertainment media network that reaches more than 100 million passionate gamers globally per month, has announced the appointment of Alex Walker as its vice president of content for the Asia Pacific region. Walker joins GAMURS after more than six years at Allure Media and Nine’s Pedestrian Group, where he was […]


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The co-founder and chief executive officer of taxi-hailing service Uber Inc., Travis Kalanick is now taking initiative in the Government's ‘Start-up India’ event. Being a part of the event, Travis is to address students of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and share his own success story.
Along with Kalanick, over 40 CEOs and start-up founders are looking forward to the event. SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son is also going to share the stage with Kalanick at IIT-B. The government’s ‘Start-up India’ event scheduled for 16 January.
Uber is also partnering with ‘Invest India’, an initiative under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, and has already launched ‘UberExchnage’, a start-up mentorship programme. The company will be investing $1 billion to build its India business.
Kalanick will be addressing the students at IIT-B on January 19. At IIT-Bombay, Kalanick is to address more than 2,500 students, start-up enthusiasts and local entrepreneurs. He will be speaking on “what it takes to build the world’s fastest-growing start-up” and is going to discuss topics such as how to build a business, and will be sharing some of his experiences from his journey.
The company has had its up’s and down’s and had a bad start in the country after one of its drivers was arrested for raping a woman passenger in December 2014. The company is also under regulatory glare for alleged predatory pricing and business practices in many other countries.
Following these developments, the company has been investing heavily in safety measures in all markets, including here, Uber India president Amit Jain had said earlier. Uber India has a driver base of over 1.5 lakh and is growing at about 40% every month. The company is up against Ola, the country’s top taxi-aggregator.


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SOE’s released a new video for DC Universe Online, this time showing off the Metropolis Police Station.
The clip details it’s “the primary place” to get information on characters you are hunting for, get new goods and catch up on the latest news.
Watch it below.
Earlier this week, SOE announced and detailed The Scarecrow for the MMO.
DC Universe Online releases next year for PS3 and PC.


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Illumination Entertainment is in talks with Nintendo for a deal to make a Super Mario Bros. animated feature film, according to the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper said the deal has had its complications, centered around making the Japanese game company "feel confident it will be involved enough in the creative process".
Shigero Miyamoto and Chris Meledandri are in line to be producers on the film, according to WSJ.
Super Mario Bros. has previously been adapted as an anime movie, an anime miniseries, several American cartoons, and a live-action movie. Bowser and the Super Mushroom cameo's in Walt Disney Animation's 2013 film Wreck-It Ralph.
Back in 2014, Sony was in talks with Nintendo for an animated Super Mario Bros. film but a deal was never announced.


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Warren Buffet News
Forbes India Rich list: Rupee struggles under peer pressure, but country's wealthy are getting wealthier
A weaker rupee impacted the majority of the richest but that was offset by Gautam Adani's record gain, which made him the new No 1
Currently, Berkshire reportedly holds 188.5 million shares of the oil giant, which is equivalent to 20.2 per cent of the position
Inside Bill's Brain review: Netflix docu series focuses more on Gates Foundation and less on Microsoft co-founder
Netflix docu-series Inside Bill's Brain does more than enough justice to the trajectory of Gates' life following his exit from Microsoft in 2008.
Mukesh Ambani is 13th richest on Forbes World's Billionaire list; Amazon founder Jeff Bezos retains top spot
Mukesh Ambani, 61, saw wealth soar from $40.1 billion in 2018 when he was placed 19th richest in the world, to $50 billion to be rank at 13th in 2019.
Mukesh Ambani breaks into top 10 global rich list with a net worth of $54 bn; Amazon chief Jeff Bezos retains top rank
The Hurun Global Rich List 2019 is topped by Amazon chief Jeff Bezos for the second year in a row, while Mukesh Ambani is placed 10th with a network of Rs 3.83 lakh crore, thanks to a rally in RIL shares.
Paytm bets on local expertise to fend off rivals, aims to increase offline merchants to 15 million by March 2019
Paytm is transforming into a financial services start-up with forays in banking, mutual funds and later insurance.
Ravi Shankar Prasad's digital nationalism sends out mixed messages, may inhibit glorious technology revolution
Prasad's latest statement that internet giants should reinvest their profits in India to create jobs, is bound to be seen in a suspicious light for more reasons than one
Berkshire’s investment could be clinched in the coming weeks, valuing Paytm at over $10 billion, reports said
Berkshire’s investment could be clinched in the coming weeks, valuing Paytm at over $10 billion.
Jeff Bezos’ net worth is $55 billion more than that of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates
Warren Buffet said he believed that cybersecurity incidents would rise and with it the potential to significantly harm the insurance industry
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos tops this year's Forbes World's Billionaires list with a record fortune of $112 billion
Buffett’s comments come a day after JPMorgan & Chase Chief Executive Jamie Dimon said he regrets calling bitcoin a fraud.
Buffett called Abel’s and Jain’s new roles “part of the movement toward succession” at Berkshire.
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala exclusive: 'Trading is mother of all my wealth… I only make mistakes I can afford… computer-based trading is like programmed sex'
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is the renowned investor who has made billions from an initial capital of only Rs 5,000.
Now there are three kinds of people in the world. Those who invest in bitcoins, those who are totally against investing in it, and those who have no idea what is happening.
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala said that the recent tepid listings could lead to a “lull” in the IPO pipeline, and companies coming to market might readjust their pricing.
The Forbes list of the 'World's Billionaires' 2017 consists of 2,043 of the richest people in the world who have a combined net worth of US $7.67 trillion, a record 18-percent increase over the past year.
It's because of this kind of inequality that trust in institutions has fallen sharply since the global financial crisis of 2008, according to Edelman, one of the world's biggest marketing firms.
Investor Warren Buffett says he's never used the kind of tax deduction that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump did


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Richard Branson Will Announce iPad Only Magazine Next Week
Billionaire adventurer and Virgin, Inc. owner Richard Branson will unveil his iPad only magazine next week at a press event in New York City.
According to AdAge the magazine will be focused in the entrepreneurial space, specifically focusing on “new creative, business, travel and technology ideas.” The magazine is set to cater to an “upscale international audience.” However, the current press event notice says it will focus on international culture, entertainment, design, business and travel.
Mashable believes the iPad Magazine could be a digital in-flight magazine in the fashion of the company’s other in-flight magazines Seatback and Electric!
Will tablets and other portable devices help save traditional media from bankruptcy? Honestly, it’s still hard to tell, but with Rupert Murdoch spending $30 million to create The Daily an iPad only newspaper it’s pretty clear that old media is heading into new media head on at this juncture, if they can translate their own business models to the medium however is left to be seen.


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Boston-based fluoroproducts firm Koura said this week it has agreed to acquire Madison, Wisconsin-based battery technology start-up Silatronix to respond to the growing demand for energy storage.
Set up in 2007, Silatronix has been developing solutions and electrolyte technologies for lithium-ion batteries, including fluorosilane additives, that provide improved battery safety and performance in a range of applications such as electric vehicles and grid-scale storage, according to the announcement.
Koura president Gregg Smith said that along with its ownership of raw material assets and expertise in fluorine technology, the company is keen to develop next-generation battery technologies that can improve safety, performance and sustainability. “Bringing on board Silatronix's expertise and technologies will further enable us to achieve these goals, support the advancement of the entire lithium-ion battery industry, and accelerate renewable adoption," Smith added.
Koura, part of the Orbia community of companies, and Orbia have recently led a USD-70-million (EUR 61m) investment round in Worcester, Massachusetts-based lithium-ion battery recycler Battery Resourcers.


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If Abraham Maslow were alive, he’d tell us, “Told you so.” Social media’s rise to prominence in the Internet Age just confirms what the famous psychologist theorized in his Hierarchy of Needs many decades ago. Human beings have an overwhelming need to belong. Communities are popping up everywhere, and rapidly growing in numbers. People are sharing and interacting more and more with each passing minute.
Naysayers who pronounced that social media is nothing more than a fad may have to think twice. Universal McCann released a report on social media trends based on their worldwide survey. This is the third wave of this ongoing study of active Internet users (those who go online everyday or every other day), and the results show that from the first survey in 2006 to the latest one earlier this year, key markers have gone up across the board.
Video. It’s the fastest-growing social media platform. Asked if they’ve ever watched clips online, 82.9% responded with a “yes”, in contrast with the first survey in 2006 when it was only 31%. The current figure translates to roughly 394 million pairs of eyes – a huge market by any standards. Curiously, people are also shedding their passive restraints. From just over 20% last year, 38.5% of users have now uploaded clips on video-sharing sites.
Blogs. Second only to videos in terms of reach, 72.8% of active Internet users read blogs, personal and otherwise. That’s 346 million readers, and 21% of them said they visit blogs every single day. In terms of content generation, 184 million readers said they also write on their own blogs. That’s 38.7% of the population, in comparison to last year when it was a little over 30%. Another form of blogging content generation is leaving comments, and this year 54.8% of those surveyed said they’ve done so – much better than last year’s 43%.
Photos. Sites where users can share their pictures also gained in their popularity. A good 63.2% revealed that they’ve visited one or more of these sites, up from around 53% in 2007. Among different media (video, text, audio, images), users seem to be most eager to share photos with 52.2% having uploaded their snapshots online.
Social Networks. One of the most closely followed platforms right now, 57.3% of active users indicated that they’ve created a profile on a social network. This is a big jump from the 36% gathered from the year before. The global picture isn’t a two-prong battle of MySpace and Facebook, but a much more segmented regional market.
It’s clear from all this data that people are becoming engaged in online discussions and letting their voices heard. All over the world, the trend is towards participation, from places like the Philippines, to India, to the Netherlands, to the US. The next generation will grow up differently from all of us, who were raised in one-way consumption of the TV, radio, movies and newspapers. Doubtless, this emerging powerful media has a huge potential for businesses. However, they have to adapt and do it quickly to capitalize on this trend, or they may very well go the way of the dodo.


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Jolt to electric cars: Hybrids may be the greener choice
August 8, 2013
Updated: August 8, 2013 10:54pm
Photo: Tomohiro Ohsumi, Bloomberg
The batteries and electricity sources of electric cars are sources of a high footprint.
Want to strike a blow against global warming when you buy your next car?


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Samsung Galaxy Watch owners should take time to download the Hand Wash app, which provides reminders and a timer to make sure that smartwatch wearers are able to keep their hands clean.
Frequent hand washing for at least 20 seconds is one of the most recommended measures by the World Health Organization (WHO) in helping prevent the spread of the disease caused by the new coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19.
The Hand Wash app, which was created by a small group of designers and developers from Samsung Research Institute-Bangalore, aims to help keep Galaxy Watch owners safe by following the WHO’s directive. The app periodically issues reminders for wearers to wash their hands, with preset notifications that may be customized depending on a person’s needs and schedule. It also shows how much time has elapsed since the last hand wash, and how many times the wearer has used the timer throughout the week.
Each time Galaxy Watch owners start washing their hands, the app tracks the time and will provide haptic feedback after 25 seconds. The extra 5 seconds on top of the WHO’s recommended 20 seconds are for turning on the water and applying soap to the hands.
Samsung’s Hand Wash app follows Google’s v5.4.0 update for the Clock app of Wear OS, which added periodic alerts for washing hands and a longer timer of 40 seconds. Unlike Google’s version, Samsung’s app needs to be manually installed from the Galaxy Store, but because it is a stand-alone app, it was able to include more features.
The Hand Wash app was officially announced by Samsung in India, but it is now available for all Samsung smartwatches on the Galaxy Store.
Wash your hands
The importance of washing hands to stay safe amid the coronavirus outbreak has resulted in various projects to support the activity, including a Wash Your Lyrics tool that creates an infographic that replaces the Happy Birthday song with a person’s personal choice of music. Also coming to light is the PathSpot hand scanner, which was invented in 2017 to detect the amount of contaminants on a person’s hands.
In addition to washing hands, the WHO recommended the general public to wear homemade face masks, which should also be cleaned and sterilized.
- Samsung smartwatches are about to steal these Apple Watch features
- The (not so) silly reason I stopped wearing Samsung smartwatches
- The best Samsung Galaxy Watch faces for style and utility
- The best Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 screen protectors
- Hey Samsung, the Apple Watch Ultra is how you make a real adventure smartwatch


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- News tagged "external storage"
Friday, 14 Mar 2014
WD has released local pricing and availability of its My Cloud EX2, a high-performance two-bay NAS system.
Tuesday, 11 Mar 2014
Sony and Panasonic have announced that they have formulated "Archival Disc", a new standard for professional-use, next-generation optical discs, in a bid to expand the market for long-term digital data storage.
Wednesday, 5 Mar 2014
The new DataTraveler MicroDuo from Kingston allows you to increase the storage of your Android smartphone or tablet by up to 64GB.
WD has expanded its prosumer personal cloud solutions with My Cloud EX2, a high-performance two-bay NAS system that's half the size of the My Cloud EX4, which was aimed at professionals and individuals with extra large volumes of data.
Monday, 3 Mar 2014
Smaller than the size of a fingernail, the new 128GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-I memory card is designed for Android smartphones and tablets, and delivers double the speed of ordinary microSD memory cards.
Friday, 28 Feb 2014
Debuting at the IT Show 2014, HGST's Touro S mobile external hard drives each come encased in a slim, aluminum enclosure, and deliver two levels of data protection - local backup and cloud storage, to help safeguard, transport, store and access your files from anywhere.
Tuesday, 25 Feb 2014
SanDisk has announced its Ultra Dual USB Drive that houses both a micro-USB and a USB 2.0 connector, and its Extreme Pro USB 3.0 flash drive which offers professional-grade performance with speeds up to 60 times faster than standard USB 2.0 drives.
Thursday, 13 Feb 2014
By connecting a My Cloud personal cloud drive to the Internet, consumers get the anywhere, any-device access they can get from the public cloud, without having to pay monthly fees or giving up control of their personal data.
Wednesday, 5 Feb 2014
Toshiba has announced the addition of storage products to its Singapore online store. In addition to Toshiba laptops, customers can now purchase Toshiba FlashAir Wireless SD cards, high performance Exceria SD cards, as well as Q-series SSDs online.
Monday, 13 Jan 2014
The new Professional 1066x 256GB CF card and Professional 800x 256GB/512GB CF cards include a free copy of the latest version of the Image Rescue software, and are backed by a limited lifetime warranty.


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Elrond to launch complete NFT platform. This should propel eGLD to new heights
Elrond (eGLD) to launch its first complete NFT ecosystem. Elrond is an exceptional crypto blockchain, but has underwhelmed in the NFT department. This will finally change with the launch of Eneftor – which is due to land on the Maiar Exchange at the end of Q2 this year. It brings a long list of features which includes a launchpad and NFT staking. Those with stake-able NFTs will now be able to earn crypto in wrapped Elrond, locked Maiar MEX and the Eneftor token. The Eneftor NFT marketplace has already been running for 7 weeks and has processed 2,200 transactions at a total value of 650 Elrond eGLD. What’s more, the fees are tiny. Elrond fees are minimal by default and Eneftor costs are zero. It’s currently on its second round of seed sales – after the first round sold out with $6m invested in 26 mins!. Eneftor has been a long time coming for the Elrond eGLD ecosystem and there’s every chance this could be huge.
Want to see which coins I’ve put my money in? See the FULL LIST at
I am not a financial advisor and the information provided is simply my opinions. Remember to speak to a financial advisor before making any significant investments.
TLDR – Eneftor is set to land on the Maiar Exchange in a few months. With its complete NFT ecosystem there’s a real shot this transforms Elrond eGLD for good.
The presale of Eneftor is live at


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Slow down in global trade may occure shortly:Canadian Economist
Mumbai, Apr 5 (UNI) With omnious signs of a global slow down in trade , emerging markets like China and India must equip themselve to counter it through globalisation of their economy, said Export Development Canada,(EDC) chief economist, Mr Sttephen Poloz.
''The globalisation is not a destination...but a process that makes a nation globaly competitive on sustainable basis'', he said.
Mr Poloz, addressing a gathering of financial experts here today, observed that the world economy which grew faster in the last three years, is likely to experience a slower growth in the coming months following growing pressure on the interest rates structure worldwide.
For emerging markets like India, he said, the interest spread would be narrowed down with the current rally in the stock market setting down for correction in the next 12-18 months.
On growing tendency of having bilateral trade agreement, Mr Poloz said that the bilateral trade agreement has no meaning in real term because it does not serve the concept of globalisation.
''In Globalisation, a country must be free to import raw materials and expertise from others and improve efficiency of its economy to meet the global competition. Globalisation helps in sharpening economic dynamism of a nation...it has its own limitation but at the end, everyone stands to gain'', he said.
Mr Poloz was critical about the protectionism measures taken by certain economic block and said that such measures were not justified particularly when there was a growth in the economy.
''Globalisation adds to your efficiency, it helps you to perform better'', he added.
UNI GC PP AG1647