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Missguided opens highly-anticipated store
The 20,000 sq ft store was first announced in April, causing adrenaline rushes in fans. It marks the first phase of a store rollout programme which will see further store opening in 2017.
Whilst the Westfield store is the first standalone bricks-and-mortar store for the Manchester-based e-tailer, the brand has previously opened concessions at Selfridges stores in Manchester and Birmingham.
The store features the brand’s coveted designs alongside neon messages and aspirational quotes, showcasing the fun, provocative style that has become synonymous with Missguided.
Copyright © 2022 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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Shares of Duckhorn Portfolio Inc. rose nearly 2% in the extended session Wednesday after the Napa Valley wine maker beat Wall Street expectations for profit and sales thanks mostly to its wholesale business and an increase in volume. Duckhorn earned $19.8 million, or 17 cents a share, in the fiscal 2023 first quarter, compared with $21.3 million, or 18 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Adjusted for one-time items, the company earned 18 cents a share. Revenue rose 3.8% to $108.2 million, Duckhorn said, thanks to 9.2% volume growth mostly supported by "strong" wholesale performance. Analysts polled by FactSet expected the wine maker to report adjusted earnings of 14 cents a share on sales of $98.9 million. Separately, Duckhorn said that Chief Financial Officer Lori Beaudoin plans to retire in the spring of 2023 after more than 13 years with the company. Duckhorn has launched a national search for its next CFO, and Beaudoin will continue in the role until a new CFO joins the company. Shares of Duckhorn ended the regular trading day down 1.3%.
Any recommendation, opinion or advice regarding securities or markets contained in such material does not reflect the views of TD Ameritrade, and TD Ameritrade does not verify any information included in such material.

domain: news


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Canadians have become so wild about Halloween we now spend more per capita on costumes, candy and décor than our U.S. counterparts do, with holiday-related spending that is second only to Christmas
Jerry Murray, the mid-level Wal-Mart Stores Inc executive who called the chain’s early February sales “a total disaster” in an email made public by Bloomberg, left the world’s largest retailer last week, Wal-Mart confirmed on Wednesday
"In the past, investors have responded favorably to Walmart capex cuts," says Credit Suisse analyst Michael Exstein.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. stands to have a strong fall and holiday period and investors could benefit from buying shares before its meeting with analysts in October
The second largest U.S. public pension fund said on Tuesday it plans to vote all of its Wal-Mart Stores Inc shares against the entire board in the wake of bribery allegations in Mexico that Wal-Mart officials failed to fully investigate
Wal-Mart Stores Inc posted a better-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, including a 2.6% rise in sales at its Walmart U.S. division’s stores open at least a year, as warm weather and an earlier Easter enticed shoppers to spend
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. was sued by a shareholder claiming its executives and directors mismanaged the company, leading to alleged bribery of officials in Mexico and coverup of an internal probe
Wal-Mart may spend hundreds of millions of dollars investigating US$24-million in alleged Mexican bribes as the U.S. government weighs whether the company or executives also broke the law by covering up an internal probe, former federal prosecutors said
It's predicted that Ontario's net debt will total $370 billion by 2020-21. Joe Oliver has a few pre-budget suggestions to deal with some pressing issues
Given its advance billing as the most significant tax cut ever, you might have expected Trump himself to validate its historic proportions by actually showing up to announce it
'In the nerd hierarchy of needs, the flying car is up there with downloadable brains and a working holodeck'
Charles Lammam and François Vaillancourt: In 1917, the Income Tax Act was a few thousand words. It’s now over 1 million
The whole evening was a pretext for a Liberal hug-fest filled with deep-eyed handshakes and arm-grabbing congratulatory gestures


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Through a series of planned actions next week, Amazon will be challenged to do the right thing and recognise workers and their importance to the success of the company.
Increasingly, Amazon is being challenged to recognise unions, as workers seek to improve their rights and conditions through coordinated action at a global level.
Steve Cotton, ITF general secretary, asserts: “My advice to the CEO of Amazon is rather than put off the inevitable and risk business disruption - I would seek to negotiate a solution that is good for shareholders, management and, most importantly, the workers that have made Amazon so successful. The starting point for that solution must be the right to organise; this is clearly a growing movement.
"The ITF is committed to support Amazon workers in their pursuit for fundamental rights including the right to organise."


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DETROIT: As expected, Ford has named Jim Vella its new VP of global
corporate communications, but the automaker is also bringing Joe
Greenwell to its Dearborn headquarters to fill a new position: VP of
global automotive and product promotions and associations.
Vella said the move was made because Ford needs to concentrate its
communications efforts on rebuilding its corporate reputation, and on
building its products' reputations as well. "Those are two significant
challenges the company faces on the corporate side," said Vella.
Observers attribute Greenwell's move to his ties with Nick Scheele, the
former head of Ford Europe, who has become COO under new CEO William
Clay Ford Jr. Greenwell had been Ford Europe's VP of communications and
public affairs, working closely with Scheele.
Vella, formerly executive director of corporate communications, has
close ties to Ford Jr. Each exec apparently wanted a PR person he was
comfortable with, observers said. The two will split duties handled by
former VP of communications Jason Vines, who left Ford when CEO Jac
Nasser was ousted.
Ford Jr. has already begun addressing reputation issues with employees,
dealers, suppliers, and shareholders, Vella said.
Ken Zino, former executive director of Ford trustmark communications and
global product development, has become executive director of strategy
and brand communications, and will work on global brand positioning,


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World-class, groundbreaking companies will be featured at the 11th annual Future in Review (FiRe) conference in California this week. Described by The Economist as “the best technology conference in the world,” FiRe features world thought leaders in technology and the global economy, including Centerpiece Speakers Mark Hurd, Vint Cerf, Leroy Hood, and others.
Each year, FiRe selects a limited number of “FiReStarter” companies based on the strength of their innovations and their potential to bring positive change to the world. They are then showcased during the conference throughout the event.
This year’s California-based FiReStarter companies include:
Attensity (Palo Alto, CA): Using Attensity’s integrated suite of customer analytics and response applications, organizations can tap the wealth of data stored in both internal and online sources such as call center notes, emails, customer surveys, blogs, review sites, and social media, and use that information to improve the customer experience with their brands.
Graphene Technologies (Novato, CA): Graphene Technologies (GT) has developed a groundbreaking patented nano-materials synthesis technology that produces graphene from carbon dioxide. The GT synthesis process is massively scalable, economically efficient, and offers the potential to dramatically change the carbon-dioxide dialog from “nuisance waste product” to a profitable resource. All other inputs in the GT process can be recycled.
Lettuce (Venice, CA): Lettuce is a simple and intuitive order management system that enables small businesses to capture, track, and process orders from multiple sales channels in real time.
Medable (Palo Alto, CA): Medable is a HIPAA-compliant platform architected for data integration, scalability, and artificial intelligence. Its goal is to create a universal platform for healthcare that provides care connectivity for patient-provider and provider-provider collaboration, data sharing (genomic data, mobile apps, body sensors), and virtual visits.
Virtustream (San Francisco, CA): Virtustream is a leading cloud innovator offering enterprise-class cloud solutions to enterprises, governments, and service providers. Virtustream enables businesses to move complex production applications to the cloud – whether private, public, or hybrid – while delivering the full economic and business benefits of the cloud.
“This year’s FiRe event does what we do best: re-define what a tech conference can – and should be. We already have new alliances and projects forming between contributors. We’ll showcase the smartest work in technology, genomics and medicine, and surprise everyone with a custom version of the most powerful data toolkit they’ve seen. Then we’ll attack real-time solutions for some of the world’s most challenging issues, including IP theft, next-generation chips, voice metabiometrics, “twinning” to reduce global warming, and jump-starting US education,” said Mark Anderson, FiRe Chair and SNS CEO.
Future in Review is an annual gathering of world-class thought leaders in technology and economics, convened each year with the goals of providing the best look forward in these fields, and of using technology to solve major world challenges. These goals have been consistently achieved through FiRe’s collaboration across disparate industries and through active support from the FiRe community. Now in its 11th year, FiRe 2013 will take place May 21-24at the Montage Hotel in Laguna Beach, California.
To see the current list of FiRe participants and selected speakers, go to www.futureinreview.com.


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Washington, D.C. (October 4, 2012) – Maryland ranks as one of the nation’s app industry leaders, according to a study released today by CTIA-The Wireless Association® in conjunction with the Application Developers Alliance. The research, conducted by South Mountain Economics, LLC and entitled “The Geography of the App Economy”, found that application development is responsible for 8,400 jobs in Maryland, with an economic impact of $436 million. That makes Maryland the 15th most “app intense” state in the country.
The study also found that Maryland is benefitting from app development specifically related to the government and military sectors. In addition, Maryland is home to a number of startups like Apkudo, an Android device and app analytics company headquartered in Baltimore.
“This is a great time to be in the apps industry and a great time to be creating jobs in Maryland. As this research indicates, our industry has become robust and diverse, and the growth we are experiencing is only going to continue,” said Josh Matthews, CEO and co-founder of Apkudo and board member of the Application Developers Alliance.
Nationwide, the app economy has produced 519,000 jobs, according to the study. Developers and related personnel are being hired by companies large and small, from major tech companies to startups and from government agencies to universities. Moreover, the research finds that the app industry is contributing to the economies of every state.
“The app industry is a borderless economic force, providing opportunity across the country–even in places we might not expect. In a challenging economic environment, the app industry has created more than a half million jobs in the five years since Apple’s iPhone launched. This new industry is propelling innovation and jobs in urban centers and rural states. And this is just the beginning,” said Jon Potter, President of the Application Developers Alliance.
The research builds on a February 2012 study completed by South Mountain Economics that measured the total number of app jobs nationwide. Delving deeper with this study, researchers examined help wanted ads across the U.S. to measure the number of app jobs in each state, the states’ “app intensity,” and the economic impact of the apps industry. While traditionally tech-heavy states Washington and California topped the list for app intensity, states with burgeoning tech sectors, including Maryland, were highly ranked.
Read the entire study here (PDF).
About the Application Developers Alliance
The Application Developers Alliance is an industry association dedicated to meeting the unique needs of application developers as creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Alliance members include more than 10,000 individual application developers and dozens of companies, investors, and stakeholders in the apps ecosystem.
CTIA-The Wireless Association® (www.ctia.org) is an international organization representing the wireless communications industry. Membership in the association includes wireless carriers and their suppliers, as well as providers and manufacturers of wireless data services and products. CTIA advocates on behalf of its members at all levels of government. The association also coordinates the industry’s voluntary best practices and initiatives, and sponsors the industry’s leading wireless tradeshows. CTIA was founded in 1984 and is based in Washington, DC.
About South Mountain Economics
South Mountain Economics LLC (http://www.southmountaineconomics.com) provides cutting-edge research and consulting on innovation, jobs and economic development. In a data-driven economy, South Mountain Economics shows how to harness better data to create better jobs.


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Trump, China, and Trade Wars: Tech in the Trenches?
2017, so far: President Trump has called for 45% tariffs on goods imported from China; Xi Jinping is now hailed as "globalization's greatest defender;" and Jack Ma has admonished, "If trade stops, war starts." But with the tech industry increasingly reliant on globalized supply chains, the free flow of data across borders, and international markets to drive growth, what are companies to make of this shifting trade landscape? Could China's Great Firewall and its concept of "digital sovereignty" become the new trading norm? And will changes in American trade policy unsettle the established economic order? This expert panel will discuss the new Administration’s tough stance on trade, and how actions here at home could impact new forms of innovation in a mobile, networked, data intensive and cloud-based world.
Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.


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Ferdinand Piëch, who led Volkswagen from 1993 to 2002 and remained as chairman of its supervisory board from 2002 to 2015 before he quit (or was ousted) amid the company’s giant diesel cheating scandal, has died, according to German media and Automotive News. He was 82.
Handelsblatt reports Piëch is said to have collapsed at a Bavarian restaurant and was later taken to a hospital, where he died.
Piëch, the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, was one of the most hugely influential figures in international carmaking and, without a doubt, heavily responsible for modern Volkswagen as we know it today. At least, before the diesel cheating forced an ongoing pivot to electric vehicles, as well as his own departure from his family’s company.
An engineer by training, Piëch started his career at Porsche back in 1963, before moving on to Audi, where he eventually became CEO. During his tenure at both companies, he not only helped modernize production and technology but gave the world some of the most famous race cars it has ever seen, including the Porsche 917 and Audi Quattro that dominated at Le Mans and in rally racing, respectively.
He became chairman of Volkswagen in the early 1990s and helped save that company from financial turmoil. From Automotive News’ obit:
Plagued with quality problems and high costs, Volkswagen became profitable, producing better vehicles without large-scale job cuts, while Piech won the allegiance of unions and shareholders alike. He continued to guide strategy after becoming supervisory board chairman in 2002.
When Piëch took over at Volkswagen, he grew impossibly hungry for prestige brands, adding Lamborghini, Bentley, Ducati and Bugatti to the stable. He turned VW upmarket and also, importantly, grew VW’s North American business when most anyone remembered of Volkswagens here were loud old Beetles and wheezy diesel Rabbit pickups.
But as that story notes, his crowning achievement, so to speak, was integrating Porsche fully into the Volkswagen Group in 2012. For decades before that, intermingling between the two familially connected companies was common (and Porsche even tried to acquire the much larger Volkswagen in 2008.)
He was known to be a hardcharger, in a business with a lot of folks who consider themselves hardchargers. Piëch was in a class of his own though, with Bob Lutz even calling him an “autocrat’s autocrat.”
He was accused of having an affair with the wife of his cousin in order to alter the delicate balance of family shares in the company, as Der Speigel once reported. His fierce, direct control over his family’s business was legendary, as was his iron fist.
Here’s what Handelsblatt wrote about him in 2017:
Fitting to his pugnacious attitude, the word “war” appears surprisingly often in Mr. Piëch’s interviews and speeches. Some say he lived his life in a constant state of battle, while others speak more lightly of competition. This certainly applies to the way he exchanged blows with the Americans and with the Japanese. Early on, Mr. Piëch concluded that only five to 10 large automotive groups could consistently remain on the global market. Which is why he eventually decided that VW needed “sharpshooters to lead them.”
Specifically, he saw this as the job of product development and marketing, which must operate like “an air force and an army.” It soon became clear that, with this military logic, Mr. Piëch was not looking to be fourth in Europe, but first in the world. “Piëch was dyslexic and never learned how to express himself in a politically correct way,” said a long-time associate. His messages were essentially war reports and recognition of achievement.
Under Piëch, Volkswagen became a massive conglomerate that made tiny diesel microcars to $2 million hypercars and literally everything in between. We often said Piëch’s vision was one where VW didn’t just make cars, but made all the cars.
Indeed, VW’s gigantic push for diesel to go mainstream in the U.S. probably would not have happened under his leadership and company culture. (He later claimed he brought word of the diesel cheating to the board of directors in 2015, something they disputed.) But it’s no secret that aggressive push got the company into trouble, and problems it still faces today.
Ruthless, brilliant and some would even say megalomaniacal, Piëch’s contributions to the modern automotive industry cannot be ignored. And even if it’s not fondly, he will be remembered.
Additional material from Raphael Orlove


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Merchant groups want public order code declared unconstitutional
By The Star Staff
Merchant organizations sued the Municipality of San Juan to declare the public order code that will limit alcohol sales starting Nov. 9 unconstitutional because it is discriminatory and will deprive the island of millions in sales tax and licensing revenues in the middle of a bankruptcy.
On Aug. 8, the Municipality of San Juan enacted Public Ordinance Num. 3, Serial 2023-2024, which prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages after 1 a.m.from Monday to Friday and after 2 a.m. on Saturday, Sunday and those Mondays that fall on a holiday.
The members of the 16 business groups said the public order code exempts hotels and motels, including restaurants and bars located inside those premises, regardless of who owns them, from having to comply with the new “last call” hours when serving their “guests.” This exemption to businesses located inside hotels applies to any hotel located in the municipality, even those operating outside of the usual tourist hotspots of Condado and Old San Juan.
“What this ill-planned curfew will do is to further harm the city’s finances by depriving it of millions of dollars in sales tax and license revenues that will be lost,” the organizations said. “What’s even worse, this decision will cost the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico millions of dollars in sales and income tax revenue, while it is still in the middle of bankruptcy proceedings under the PROMESA [Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability] Act.”
The municipality’s prohibition on selling alcoholic beverages after certain hours was not a decision taken in a vacuum, the groups said. Instead, it was a “knee jerk” reaction to an unfortunate incident that took place on Loíza Street on May 6 in which two Peruvian tourists were shot and killed due to a dispute that had nothing to do with them and while they were waiting for their ride share service to take them back to their hotel. As yet no one has been charged for said killings, they said.
“Due to an outcry of a segment of the population and the media and due to the state and municipal law enforcement authorities’ inability to solve those murders and charge the culprits, the municipality decided to issue an ordinance ordering the closing of businesses after certain hours to make it look like they are doing something about a perceived spike in criminal activity during the late night/early morning hours,” the business groups argued. “In order to justify this decision, the municipality commissioned an independent study of its consequences. Not surprisingly, the study concluded that the curfew imposed by the municipality wouldn’t have an effect on the criminal activity taking place in the city, since most murders and similar violent acts take place during the daylight hours.”
Since they couldn’t use the study to justify their curfew, city officials pivoted and now claim that it is necessary to protect these businesses’ neighbors from inadequate noise levels and the like during late hours.
“This blanket curfew unjustly punishes businesses, like Plaintiffs’,” the complaint reads. “The Municipality has the legal tools to fine and eventually shut down any business that is a nuisance to its neighbors due to inadequate noise levels and/or the actions of its patrons, but again [the city’s] inability to fulfill its duties led it to enact an illegal ordinance without any rational basis.”
In fact, the groups contend, the study prepared at the municipality’s behest shows that in the long run the municipality would lose millions in tax revenue from shutting down businesses early, while the commonwealth would lose around 10 times that amount, they said.
In reality, the amount in lost tax revenue would be much higher, since the study severely underestimates sales that occur after the now prohibited hours, the organizations said. When giving interviews to the local news media, high-ranking officials from the municipality admit that their police and permits officers won’t be visiting hotels to make sure that only guests sleeping there are sold alcoholic beverages after curfew hours and that instead they hope that those establishments will self-regulate.
“This admission by the municipality creates a situation where a bar located inside a hotel in Río Piedras or Santurce, and which is not even owned by the hotel, can sell alcoholic beverages 24 hours a day, since they know that they are not going to be regulated or inspected late at night, while a bar located next door has to shut its doors,” they argued.
“The Municipality of San Juan is intentionally discriminating against plaintiffs and other similar businesses and using them as scapegoats to try and blame them for its inability to adequately control criminal activity in the city and which mostly takes place during daylight hours,” the petition adds.
The lawsuit was filed by the Calle Loíza Merchants Association Inc., the Old San Juan Merchants Association, the Placita de Santurce Merchants Association LLC, 2 Monkeys Entertainment LLC, Homar Torres h/n/c “Papi Joe”, Sanse 157 LLC, RMO Corporation, KEG Entertainment LLC, Miguel Morales h/n/c “Refill Sport Bar”, 365 Entertainment Inc., Pana MJC LLC, Harry Entertainment Music Inc., SX The Club Corporation, Onism Management Group LLC, KK Group LLC and Bulon Group Inc.


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As a wine region, Woodinville is full of contradictions. While the town itself has a rich agrarian history, whatever grapevines exist are purely decorative. Almost all of the state’s grapes are grown at least 100 miles to the east.
With a population of 13,000, Woodinville has an appealing, small-town feel, yet downtown Seattle lies only 20 miles away. It’s home to more than 130 wineries and tasting rooms, by far the most of any region in the state outside eastern Washington’s Walla Walla Valley. Many of them are situated curiously in industrial parks and strip malls, while others are in French-style chateaus.
Woodinville’s juxtapositions have always been part of its charm, however. It’s a unique, ever-changing wine region. Its latest evolution is underway.
From unlikely beginnings
The town’s vinous origin story starts in 1973, when Ste. Michelle Vintners (as it was called then) looked to relocate from its Seattle home. The winery’s parent company purchased the Woodinville estate of a long-deceased lumber baron, Frederick Stimson. It built a French-style chateau and rebranded as Chateau Ste. Michelle in 1976, Woodinville’s first winery.
“It was an immediate success,” says Bob Betz, MW. He served as director of public relations when the chateau opened and had a 28-year career there, in various roles, before he left to focus on Betz Family Winery. “The winery itself, the physical structure, was in the news. And almost out of the chute, we were jammed every day.”
A smattering of other wineries soon joined. One was Columbia Winery. It opened in 1988, also with a lavish building. Another was DeLille Cellars, which became Woodinville’s fifth winery in 1992. There were multiple reasons why DeLille planted its roots in Woodinville, says cofounder Jay Soloff.
“One, one of our partners owned property there,” he says. “Two, Chateau Ste. Michelle in those days was bringing 250,000 visitors a year. We thought, ‘We should be near this place.’ ”
Warehouses to wineries
While much of Woodinville remains a mixture of woodlands and farms nestled into the Sammamish Valley, the north side of town stands in contrast. There, warehouse buildings in office parks dominate, a remnant of the area’s manufacturing past. Where some might have seen post-industrial blight, aspiring winemakers saw opportunity.
“It was what was available,” says Mark McNeilly of his decision to open Mark Ryan Winery in the warehouse area in 2003. No doubt price played a factor, as it does now.
“There’s a great sense of community. Everybody is a little bit scrappy.” —Mari Womack, Damsel Cellars
“To be plain, the warehouse was an affordable option,” says Chris Sparkman, who started Sparkman Cellars next door to Mark Ryan in 2005.
More wineries began to open in what’s now called the Warehouse District. They took advantage of its low overhead and roll-top doors, which helped the forklifts unload grape bins trucked in from eastern Washington. The wineries bonded quickly and committed to each other’s success.
“There’s a great sense of community,” says Mari Womack, owner and winemaker at Damsel Cellars.
“Everybody is a little bit scrappy. People share equipment. That environment really facilitates creativity and innovation.”
For wine lovers, these warehouse wineries offered a gritty, garagiste vibe in contrast to Ste. Michelle’s chateau and manicured lawn.
“It’s such an interesting counterpoint, where you have these two extremes,” says Womack. She believes that warehouse wineries have an additional draw, as they are almost all are small, family-run operations.
“Most of the time, if you’re walking around tasting in the warehouse area, you are very likely going to meet the winemaker,” she says. “I think that’s a really unique and kind of exciting prospect.”
Today, the Warehouse District is packed to the brim with wineries and tasting rooms. Consumers can walk from one to the next, with food trucks parked along the way on weekends.
“In the warehouse part that we were in, we were one of four [wineries],” says Sparkman. “Now there’s about 40 in there I think, maybe more.”
Hollywood Comes to Woodinville
In the late 2000s, the region near Ste. Michelle was redeveloped. Long called the Hollywood Schoolhouse area, named for the holly trees that line the original Stimson property and the former schoolhouse that stands there, the area became home to numerous tasting rooms and restaurants.
This offered a somewhat upscale experience to the warehouse wineries, albeit in a strip mall setting. A number of Warehouse District wineries opened second tasting rooms in the Hollywood area.
“We ran two tasting rooms on weekends concurrently, only three miles apart,” says Sparkman. “The warehouse attracted the locals, and the Hollywood tasting room area, which is much closer to Chateau Ste. Michelle, drew a lot more folks from out of town.”
Meanwhile, some older wineries began to outgrow Woodinville.
“As good as our current warehouse was, because of its small space, it was very limiting as well,” says McNeilly. He relocated production to a 12,000 square-foot space in nearby Kirkland before ultimately moving it to Walla Walla.
“I didn’t want to leave, but we had to,” says McNeilly. “I could not find that [space] in Woodinville.”
Some wineries began eschewing Woodinville for urban areas of Seattle. Others looked to nearby towns.
“I looked in Woodinville, and there really wasn’t anything,” says John Bigelow, who founded JM Cellars in Woodinville in 1998. “Number one, it was really expensive per square foot for any warehouse space that would fit, and the minimum was probably 10,000 square feet. I just didn’t need that much space at the time.”
Bigelow and five other Woodinville wineries relocated production to nearby Maltby, where they moved into new facilities that offered substantially more space.
“I could never turn a forklift inside any [warehouse] facility I was ever in,” says Chris Gorman, of Gorman Winery, which opened its Maltby facility in 2019. “It was always like the Austin Powers 30-point turn he did in the hallway with the golf cart. That is Woodinville. Now I can drive a forklift in circles.”
Woodinville Comes of Age
It seemed that Woodinville might become a victim of its own success, but some businesses doubled down and worked to create new experiences and spaces. Matthews Winery, founded in 1992, established a two-acre farm on its property and began offering farm-to-table dinners.
“It’s not just the wine quality. It’s also the experience we provide.” —Tom Dugan, DeLille Cellars
“What’s special about being here?” asks Matthews proprietor Bryan Otis. “It’s a uniquely rich, soil-driven community that loves to farm and loves to grow things out of the ground.” Ownership decided to combine that with its wines.
“If you talk to people about their favorite wine experiences, 99% involve their favorite people and their favorite food,” says Otis. “It was just a way of incubating those experiences.”
Meanwhile, others took advantage of Red Hook Brewery vacating its space near Columbia and Ste. Michelle. In 2019, after an extensive renovation, DeLille Cellars opened an expansive, three-story tasting room and production center there. Complete with a roof deck that looks onto Mount Rainier, it raised the bar for the local tasting experience.
“It’s not just the wine quality [that draws customers],” says DeLille CEO Tom Dugan. “It’s also the experience we provide. We wanted to make sure we could provide a great experience.”
In another part of the old brewery, Sparkman Cellars opened a tasting room and production facility last fall. Sparkman built out several event spaces that can accommodate anywhere from six to 1,000 people.
“My wife and I said, ‘There’s not another one of these, and either we do it, or we watch someone else do it,’ ” says Sparkman.
Other changes have taken place or are in the works. Chateau Ste. Michelle completed a sweeping remodel of its tasting facility in 2017. More buildings are being developed at the Red Hook property and elsewhere, which promise additional tasting room and restaurant spaces.
The most ambitious of them is Farmstead.
Long planned, with several fits and starts, it’s slated to include retail space for at least 15 wineries as well as space for restaurants, a bakery, coffee shop, luxury hotel and hundreds of residential units. The project, now estimated to be completed in 2023, will also provide ample parking, which is at a premium in the area.
“It will be a game changer. There’s no question about it,” says Jim Tosti, part of the Farmstead ownership group. “It will have a huge impact on the tourist industry in Woodinville.”
Despite its contradictions, Woodinville’s recipe for success is relatively simple: great wine and a great location.
“We are closer to Seattle than Napa is to San Francisco,” says Ryan Pennington, senior director of communications and corporate affairs at Chateau Ste. Michelle. “That’s a huge, huge advantage.”
Ste. Michelle was originally the draw that other wineries leveraged. They still do. But in addition to scores of local wineries, numerous eastern Washington-based producers have opened satellite tasting rooms in Woodinville, their eyes trained on Seattle’s massive consumer base.
“You can come here and taste wines from every growing region within the state without even getting back in your car,” says Pennington. “That’s pretty unique.”
All of this contributes to Woodinville’s distinctive vibe.
“You still feel like you’re in a small town, yet you’re close to everything,” says Woodinville Mayor Elaine Cook. “[Woodinville] has a unique quirkiness to it.”
As a wine region, Woodinville continues to change, moving toward its potential.
“It’s been an evolution,” says Pennington. “The Chateau and other early wineries were the first chapter in Woodinville, the warehouse wineries the second. Now we’re growing up and becoming a true, world class tourism destination.”
Last Updated: May 8, 2023


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Airbnb and leading online retailer Takealot have launched a R1 million loadshedding fund to help Hosts tackle the impact of the ongoing power crisis in South Africa this winter.
Loadshedding continues to cause widespread disruption, and with many Hosts on Airbnb not having access to the tools and products they need to offset the regular power outages, over 60% are worried about the impact loadshedding will have on their ability to host1, especially with guests being unaware of the cause.
The collaboration will see Takealot offer Hosts on Airbnb R5002 off specially selected products to ensure they can keep their Airbnb listings bright and warm; particularly important as the cooler weather approaches. The list of products includes everything from inverters and UPS devices, to gas cylinders, pizza ovens and rechargeable light bulbs – loadshedding solutions curated with hosting in mind, and for guests’ enjoyment.
Hosting on Airbnb serves as an economic lifeline for many in South Africa, with half of Hosts saying the money they earn helps cover the rising cost of living, while over a third say the additional income helps them make ends meet. The typical South African Host earns just over R26,000 – equivalent to approximately one month additional pay for the average income earner – by renting their space on Airbnb.3
Airbnb has also shared tips with its community on hosting during loadshedding, including how to improve energy efficiency in your home and ensure guest safety when the power cuts hit.
“Loadshedding has a crippling impact on all aspects of daily life in South Africa and we know it is a concern for Hosts too. Hosts would like to give guests the experience they need and expect, however, mitigation using alternative energy solutions can be expensive, especially when the rising cost of living is putting further pressure on South Africans’ pockets. The partnership with Takealot will help support Hosts with the upfront costs and enable them to continue to provide a seamless experience for guests.”
Velma Corcoran, Regional Lead Middle East Africa at Airbnb
“There is no denying that we all need to work together to help mitigate the impact that loadshedding has on South Africans, as well as the tourism sector. We’re proud to work together with Airbnb on this initiative so that we can help lighten the load for Hosts and their guests. We hope that as South Africa’s home for loadshedding solutions, and with our nationwide delivery and collect options, we can help reach as many Airbnb Hosts as possible, from across all corners of our country.”
Julie-Anne Walsh, Chief Marketing Officer at Takealot
Become a Host
Airbnb Setup offers an easy way to Airbnb your home. New Hosts can access one-to-one guidance from a Superhost; the opportunity to have an experienced guest for your first booking; and specialised support from Airbnb Community Support agents in over 42 languages.
All Hosts also receive AirCover, including guest identity verification, reservation screening, and $3M damage protection. If you’re interested in joining the first new Hosts of 2023, visit Airbnb.com/host.


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TAAL Distributed Information Technologies Inc. has been removed from arbitration in a dispute between two third parties over a purchase of hashing equipment. The dispute, between Tansley Equipment Limited and an unnamed hosting provider, concerned payment and delivery for US$3.9 million worth of hashing equipment used in Bitcoin transaction processing.
In March 2020, TAAL said the dispute would not have any impact on its business plans for 2020. In a statement at the time, it said the equipment was not intended for deployment until later in the year, and it had alternate sources for the equipment in the event of any delay.
TAAL had argued that it was not part of the dispute and not properly a party to the matter in question. The arbitration panel agreed that the company was not within the jurisdiction of the arbitration proceedings. The arbitration tribunal agreed with TAAL’s position and has officially removed it. TAAL CEO Jerry Chan said:
We are pleased that the arbitration tribunal agreed that TAAL was not properly a party to the arbitration proceeding. This is a positive result for TAAL and we will continue to focus on our strategic vision and the growth of our business.
What was it about?
At issue was the purchase and delivery of over 50,000 hashing machines, referred to as “cloud computing assets.” Under an agreement closed in March 2020, the hosting provider would release the equipment to TAAL as well as Tansley, Fractical Sense Limited and Laser Lollypop Limited.
The three latter companies are affiliated with TAAL shareholder Calvin Ayre, founder of Ayre Group and CoinGeek. Part of the agreement involved the transfer of 2,279,215 non-voting participating shares in TAAL to Mr. Ayre which TAAL currently holds as security, which would have reverted back to TAAL’s treasury if the equipment was not delivered “free and clear of liens” by September 4, 2020.
The hosting company claimed it had not been fully paid after termination of a hosting agreement it had with Tansley, and had refused to release all the hashing equipment. However some of the equipment had already been released for delivery to TAAL.
TAAL had said it did not see the dispute as a significant issue, and the parties had agreed to arbitration in New York rather than seeking a resolution through the courts.
Under a separate services agreement from November 2019, a TAAL subsidiary provides management and operational services to certain companies affiliated with “the Principal” (Mr. Ayre). Although this subsidiary may advise or act on Tansley’s behalf under this agreement, that subsidiary was not directly involved in the current dispute.
TAAL’s focus for 2020 and beyond
TAAL is focused on delivering services that aim to serve a new digital economy. In its five-year corporate vision released in June 2020, it stated these would include Bitcoin transaction processing, data storage, computing services and other business concerning Internet of Things (IoT) technology.
This is in addition to operating a transaction processing pool that aims to include more participants in the industry.
The company expects the transaction processing business to become far more sophisticated with the simple “block reward mining” associated with digital assets in the past (and currently is still, in the worlds of BTC, BCH and similar blockchains). TAAL’s Bitcoin vision involves a heavier emphasis on large-scale data processing for enterprise, government institutions and other large entities both in and outside the world of finance.
Bitcoin’s unlimited block sizes make such an industry possible, and TAAL is at the forefront of its evolution. It is also seeking to professionalize the transaction processing industry through use of its Miner API (M/API), which allow for provable/auditable block signing, formation of a transaction fee market, and guaranteed service level agreements for clients.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated.
New to Bitcoin? Check out CoinGeek’s Bitcoin for Beginners section, the ultimate resource guide to learn more about Bitcoin—as originally envisioned by Satoshi Nakamoto—and blockchain.


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Into The Sea: The Seasuit Project
Surfers in the UK and Ireland are fairly used to being fully clad in neoprene, especially when surfing through the winter. But back in 2010, on a trip to southern Iran, Finisterre Ambassador Easkey Britton found herself requiring similar head-to-toe coverage for very different reasons. And this is how the Seasuit Project was born.
“From day one, this has been about a collaboration between women, to take what they love to do – surfing – and make it easier for more women to do.”
- Easkey Britton, Finisterre Ambassador
Easkey was the first woman to surf in Baluchestan, a remote region to the south of the Iran. Due to the country’s strict laws on women covering up, she found herself in full wetsuit, boardshorts, rash vest and hijab, to ensure her head was covered. As most surfers would understand, the required clothing was extremely restrictive and incredibly hot, making it difficult to wear in the water.
Although she had found waves, and plenty of interest from local women, Easkey realised that if surfing were ever to take off for the women in the region – or in any other conservative country for that matter – one of the main barriers to participation was actually having the right clothing to enable them to access the sea, whilst still wearing culturally appropriate gear.
Wearing such restrictive clothing whilst surfing wasn’t just uncomfortable, it actually posed potential safety risks. Not only was it stiflingly hot, leading to potential overheating, Easkey found wearing a traditional hijab in the surf difficult – the fabric becoming very heavy when wet and getting easily tangled up when duck-diving or wiping out, creating a safety hazard. There were some hijabs available that were designed for sport, but nothing that dealt with the specific challenges that come with surfing.
For the design team at Finisterre, this posed the perfect challenge.
“Easkey came home telling us what an amazing experience she had in Iran and that there was a growing interest to do this activity, but that there was a barrier,” explains Finisterre’s Product Director, Debbie Luffman. “It was the perfect design problem. Not only was it a functional problem, but the clothing was actually stopping you from doing or enjoying the activity you wanted to do.
Whilst searching for more suitable alternatives, Easkey was introduced to Shirin Gerami, Iran’s first female Triathlete, who had fought (and won) her own battle to be allowed to compete under her nation’s flag. The barriers she faced were also linked to sourcing appropriate clothing, and she gladly lent her experience to collaborate with Easkey on both the functional and cultural requirements of the suit. "I am a huge believer that there is absolutely no barrier to sports participation. I think it's medicine in so many ways,” says Shirin. "The suit to me represents inclusion. I think it can have an absolutely huge impact and be a door opener to women, especially girls, to be able to gain the approval, blessing and the personal confidence to be able to go into the ocean and surf, have fun and be a part of this movement."
Armed with a solid brief, the challenge was issued to students at nearby Falmouth University and Plymouth College of Art. Whilst the design needed to conform to rules surrounding body modesty, a key part of the brief was also that the suit look good and celebrate individuality, “We told the students this was a function problem, and a sustainability challenge, but that they also had to consider aesthetics. Because when you are wearing sportswear, you have to feel strong and confident.”
Throughout the project the design team were enthusiastically supported by members of our local community to bring the Seasuit to life. Synne Knutson from Falmouth University designed the initial pattern for the Seasuit, which was then further developed by Finisterre designer Rachel Preston into the first prototype – continually testing the garment as she progressed with the project. The printed pattern was developed by Ayesha King from Plymouth College of Art developed a print inspired by the movement of water, creating a visual illusion that masks the contours of the body.
The final design has an innovative cross-back strap system, making it easy for the wearer to step into and pull on over a wetsuit or leggings. It also features an adjustable elasticated hood that would stay put when duck diving or during a wipe-out, and is made from quick drying UPF 50+ ECONYL® recycled fabric. The final tester suits were built by Makers HQ in Plymouth, a Community Interest Company who created bespoke garments in their sampling studio.
Having worked with both our local and global communities to create and test the first prototypes, The Seasuit is now in production, ready to be launched later in spring 2022. From it's origins as a surfwear solution, the product has evolved into something that can help many kinds of women with different needs to access the water. Whether their barrier is cultural, medical or personal, the goal is the same as it ever was; providing greater access to the sea for women.
As a brand, we believe the sea is a place that offers freedom. But for some, the lack of appropriate clothing means that they don’t even have the freedom to experience it. Our hope is that the Seasuit will grant that freedom, giving access to a whole new community who can begin to build a relationship with our oceans; whether that is on a remote beach in southern Iran, or our own home shores in the UK.


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They will find out if they have will take home one of New Zealand’s most prestigious business awards at a black-tie dinner in Auckland on Thursday, 8 November.And for the first time at these awards, recognition will be given to Inspiring Women Leaders. Seven outstanding businesswomen have been nominated for this award.The New Zealand International Business Awards are run by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and supported by Strategic Partner, ANZ New Zealand Limited. They celebrate the success of New Zealand businesses on the world stage and recognise excellence and innovative practice.
Over the past 50-plus years, many of New Zealand’s most iconic companies have been celebrated at the awards.
The finalists highlight the scope of Kiwi ingenuity. As well as examples in sectors where New Zealand already has a well-earned reputation – such as food and beverage, and tourism – the 2018 finalists show that such ground-breaking innovation knows no boundaries, with everything from keeping pets fed with top-notch nutrition to smartphone game developers, beauty, specialised manufacturing, and robotics. The convenor of judges, David Downs, said: “This year saw a large number of entries for the awards. What came through strongly is the diversity of amazing companies we have that are achieving business success. “The regions of New Zealand were well represented, and we saw entries from virtually every sector. The high number of finalists in each category is a direct consequence of the fierce competition for the top awards – great to see Aotearoa competing strongly across so many industries, in global markets.” Mr Downs explained the introduction of the Inspiring Women Leaders category: “This year we celebrate the impact of women in leadership positions in international businesses, the first time we have specifically had such an award. “It’s clear from the calibre and variety of nominations that women play key roles in many businesses and that the expertise, skills and experience female business leaders bring adds significantly to the success of the business, and allows companies to better represent their customers and markets. “We were delighted to have such a strong set of nominations and want to thank the nominees, and the people who recognised them for this award, for being open about their success,” Mr Downs said. The finalists for seven categories are listed below. Profiles of the companies can be found at www.nziba.org At the awards, additional winners will also be announced for: He kai kei aku ringa for Māori Excellence in Export; Inspiring Team Leadership; and the Supreme Award (chosen from the winners of all categories). The finalists announced today are: Inspiring Women Leaders:Sarah Kennedy: Calocurb Ltd (Lifestream) (Auckland)
Aliesha Staples: Staples Productions Ltd (Auckland)
Nicola Wetere: Canary Enterprises Ltd (Hamilton)
Jemma McCowan: NZ King Salmon (Nelson)
Andrea Wilkins: Spring Sheep Dairy NZ Limited Partnership (Auckland)
Amanda Santos: Tekron International Limited (Lower Hutt)
Alyssa Wade: Wade Group (Hamilton)
ANZ Best Emerging Business:Auckland BioSciences (Auckland/Waikato)BeeNZ Ltd (Bay of Plenty)Haka Educational Tours (Auckland/Waikato)Invert Robotics (Christchurch)Method Recycling (Wellington)Spring Sheep Dairy NZ Limited Partnership (Wellington)Woodcut Tools (Hawke’s Bay)Zeffer Cider (Wellington) ANZ Best Medium Business:K9 Pet Food (Natural Pet Food Group) (Christchurch)Link Engine Management Ltd (Christchurch)More4Apps (Auckland/Waikato)Pik Pok (Wellington)Ross Roof Group (Auckland/Waikato)Seequent (Shine Group) (Canterbury)Ziwi Ltd (Bay of Plenty) ANZ Best Large Business:Cedenco Foods New Zealand Ltd (Hawke’s Bay)Douglas Pharmaceuticals (Auckland)Gallagher Group (Waikato)Gentrack Group (Auckland/Waikato)Invenco Group Ltd (Auckland)Skyline Luge International (Queenstown) Excellence in Innovation:Antipodes Beauty (Wellington)Endace (Auckland/Waikato)Genera Ltd (Bay of Plenty)K9 Natural Pet Food Group (Christchurch)NZ King Salmon (Nelson)Sealegs International (Auckland)Serko (Wellington)Spring Sheep Dairy NZ Limited Partnership (Auckland) Excellence in Design:Fisher & Paykel Healthcare (Auckland)Methven Limited (Auckland)Pic's Peanut Butter (Nelson) Inspiring Preference for New Zealand:Infratec (Wellington)NZ King Salmon (Nelson)Spring Sheep Dairy NZ Limited Partnership (Auckland) For the first time, businesses who won an Export New Zealand regional business award in an export category this year were automatically shortlisted for the New Zealand International Business Awards judging process.
All companies who made it through to the shortlist had to present their “pitch” to a panel of judges, demonstrating their skills in meeting the many challenges that face New Zealand companies trading with the world.
Businesses who have taken part in these awards say it has proved highly beneficial, enabling them to benchmark their business against other top performers; gain valuable feedback to help build their capability and take their business to the next level; boost staff morale and help them attract top talent.


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Ljubljana, 20 October (STA) - It was a week of slow trading on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange, but the SBI TOP benchmark nevertheless gained 4.15% to 598.17 points. All blue chips gained ground as brokers wrapped up a meagre five million euros in deals.
The turnover this week "is below average in light of past few weeks", Andrej Zakotnik of the brokerage GBD told the STA.
The biggest gainer was insurer Zavarovalnica Triglav, which surged 6.76% to EUR 15.80, followed by retailer Mercator, which added 4.80% to EUR 118.95, and household appliance maker Gorenje, which was up 4.60% to EUR 4.55.
Commenting on the announcement that two banks, Abanka Vipa and Banka Koper, withdrew from the consortium trying to offload a majority stake in Slovenia's biggest retailer Mercator, Zakotnik noted that "a consortium has twice already failed to sell the stake".
Heavy gains were also reported by pharma company Krka (4.41% to EUR 48.55), telco Telekom Slovenije (3.39% to EUR 79.30), bank NKBM (3.05% to EUR 1.39) and energy company Petrol (2.72% to EUR 208).
Outside the benchmark index trading was mixed as reinsurer Sava Re surged 6.06% to EUR 7, while shipping company Intereuropa lost 1.67% to EUR 0.59 and port operator Luka Koper shed 1.28% to EUR 7.70.


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NAIAS will stay at Cobo for seven more years
Organizers of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit have announced a new seven-year contract with Cobo Center, where the show has been for 53 years.
But with the show moving to June, in 2020, there will be opportunities for events and exhibits outdoors, in addition to inside Cobo Center, for the first time.
No longer will journalists, analysts, auto professionals, and the public have to brave icestorms and bitter cold to see the show -- which has been losing some big reveals in recent years to the LA Auto Show and the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
It's hoped the change to summer will help Detroit get some of those reveals back -- along with participation from some of the automakers who have shunned exhibiting at the show in recent years, including Volvo, Mazda, BMW, and Mercedes Benz.


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Not all chest-thumping is equal. Those StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty first-day sales figures publisher Activision heralded today? They are less than half of the World of Warcraft first-day figures for that game's last two releases.
Today: Activision said StarCraft II sold "more than one million copies sold worldwide, making it the best-selling PC game of 2010 within its first 24 hours of availability."
November 20, 2008: Activision said that the latest World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, sold "more than 2.8 million copies in its first 24 hours of availability, making it the fastest-selling PC game of all time" and adds: "This eclipses the previous record of nearly 2.4 million copies sold in 24 hours, set in January 2007 by Blizzard's first World of Warcraft expansion, The Burning Crusade."
The Wall Street Journal reports today that StarCraft II sales may seem a little low because much of StarCraft-loving South Korea is able to play the game for free right now. Is it that? The recession? Or does WoW enthusiasm trump even the fervour brewed by more than a decade of waiting for the next StarCraft?


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10 most promising Bengaluru-based startups to watch in 2016
Bengaluru has long been home to the India headquarters of global technology giants. As the startup culture started to grow, no wonder the first seeds were sown in this southern Indian city, thanks to its abundant tech talent.
India is currently perched strategically, being one among the top five largest startup communities in the world with the number of startups crossing 4,200, a growth of 40%, by the end of 2015.
Here’s a list of Bengaluru-based growth stage startups that you should watch out for this year.
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All publications for 30.06.2021
Neon Doctrine’s Iain Garner on working with PlayStation: “Their backend and process is straight out of the early 00s”
There are not many developers who openly share their experience of working with platform holders. But Neon Doctrine co-founder Iain Garner got so frustrated that he decided to “burn some bridges” with Sony.
PardCode launches new tutorial series on how to make game engine from scratch
Developers from PardCode are known for their video tutorials about game development. Now the team has launched a new series to show the process of creating a game engine from scratch. And the first episode is already here.
Bungie looking for Destiny historian with “encyclopedic knowledge of the IP”
Over the past years, games’ stories and worlds have become so big that companies struggle to keep everything consistent. That’s why Bungie has opened a unique position of “Destiny Historian” to catalog the game’s universe and narrative.
Netmarble’s new hit Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds surpasses $100 million in revenue in just 11 days
It took less than two weeks for Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds to generate over $100 million in revenue on mobile, according to Sensor Tower. It’s an impressive milestone, considering that the game is only available in a few regions.


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In spite of annual growth rates of 7% plus Chinese stocks are in a bear market: From its peak of around 3,400 points in summer 2009 the Shanghai Composite had been falling around 40% to around 2,000 points through the end of 2012. Since then the index has been glued to the 2,000 mark.
It seems that Chinese stocks are trapped in a pessimism bubble. Investors are obsessed with the negative aspects and are blind for the ongoing strength of the broad economy. For years China bears like New York Times correspondent Paul Krugman and Jim Chanos, a hedge fund manager and notorious short seller, have been banging the "China crash drum" (driveby). The China crash callers claim that China is suffering from huge structural problems like too high debts and too huge investments into real estate which would cause a "hard landing" of the Chinese economy.
This view is strongly biased as the annual growth rates of 7% plus show. China is rapidly transforming into a consumer economy like the U.S. and other modern countries. Many peasants are moving to the huge metropolitan centers which are spread all over the huge country to lift their standard of living. This creates a fast rising affluent middle class, giving consumer spending a boost as the strong retail sales (growth rates 13% plus) demonstrate.
Last year Beijing announced a new economical reform to bolster China`s transformation. "The Economist" calls the announcements the most wide-ranging and reform-tinged proposals for economic and social change in many years (driveby). According to Bloomberg the announced changes are aimed at giving more influence to market forces and loosening government controls.
The reforms include:
- an end of the strictly one-child-only policy which should reactivate China`s slacking population growth, giving consumer spending a boost
- allowing farmers to sell their communally owned land at market prices which - according to the bank Société Générale - will boost farmers’ income, thus providing them with the start-up capital to settle in the city
- permitting private investments in state-owned companies which should make them more efficient
The country will be still controlled by the communist party which will keep her monopolistic political power. But citizens and entrepreneurs gain more economical freedom. This means less Mao Zedong, who had enforced the strict control over everything by the communist party, and more market economy in the spirit of Adam Smith, Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman, who called for the "freedom of choice".
The reforms should bolster consumer spending and stabilize the economic growth in the range of 7%. China also could get some tailwinds from the advancing global economy. Especially the recovery of battered Europe should rekindle China`s exports.
All 3 factors: consumer spending, reforms & exports could work together amplifying each other.
History shows that any bubble has to burst sometime. Maybe the "year of the horse" is the time when the China pessimism bubble pops and the stock market recovers.


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“We are delighted that an industry leader like PUMA Retail has selected JDA Allocation based on the business benefits it will deliver”
PUMA, founded in 1948, designs and develops footwear, apparel and accessories. The company distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs more than 11,000 people worldwide and has headquarters in Herzogenaurach (Germany), Boston (United States) and London (England).
Facing an industry shift towards higher volumes, more clearly defined segments, developing categories and emerging geographies, PUMA Retail selected JDA Allocation to help achieve demand-oriented execution of store assortments. In addition to these broad challenges, PUMA Retail will look to JDA Allocation to help address low-size-level availability, high markdowns and inefficient visual merchandising due to a lack of space and presentation requirements. PUMA Retail will also seek improvements of in-season item performance and non-effective and manual case pack allocation, and address high manual workloads that result in an inability to operate frequent allocations.
This investment serves as PUMA Retail’s first step toward realizing globally integrated planning, assortment and allocation management. The ultimate goal is to achieve a common understanding of market needs with maximum transparency to address customer needs in the most efficient way. This will enable PUMA Retail to be more flexible, agile and adaptive and will contribute significantly to its increasingly sharp focus on Retail.
“JDA Allocation is one of the most robust solutions in the marketplace and we believe it will help us to quickly and effectively optimize store-specific allocations across our entire retail enterprise,” said Stefan Meyrat, head of global retail, PUMA Retail. “The JDA Allocation implementation will serve as the first milestone in our multi-phased plan to achieve globally integrated planning and assortment management to allocate our Performance and Lifestyle collections to the right store at the right time.”
“We are delighted that an industry leader like PUMA Retail has selected JDA Allocation based on the business benefits it will deliver,” said Mark Morgan, regional vice president EMEA, JDA Software. With more than 120 live customers, JDA Allocation helps companies automate their allocation processes by better tailoring the right products to the right stores, improve availability, control inventory and reduce the risk of markdowns.
JDA Software Group, Inc
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Pioneering Design & IP lobbyists Anti Copying in Design (ACID) have spearheaded another campaign, this time to ensure that UK designers are not disadvantaged by any erosion or loss of access to EU design rights (registered and unregistered) post-Brexit.
Brexit provides a unique opportunity not only to ensure the best possible IP design rights’ negotiations but also create strengthened protection enabling UK designers to be on a par with their EU counterparts who can rely on unfair competition when UK IP law fails them as demonstrated by the high profile Trunki case.
ACID has already engaged in talks with the IP Minister and the UK Intellectual Property Office and will continue to engage positively with Government to create a new UK unregistered design law which mirrors EU unregistered rights but lasts for 10/15 years, not 3.
From iconic to everyday, design matters. It is all around us, enriching our lives as consumers, solving problems, adding value. UK Design is a success story and any erosion or loss of access to EU design rights (currently available to UK designers) post-Brexit would have a significant and negative economic impact on this sector and to the UK’s GPD.
Dids Macdonald, OBE., ACID’s CEO, says: “The majority of the UK’s 350,000 designers rely on unregistered EU and UK design rights and being unable to rely on EU unregistered design rights would seriously affect them. Currently, both EU registered (with one application) and unregistered rights (which arise automatically) offer UK designers design protection in 28 member states for 25 and 3 years respectively. EU unregistered design is a much stronger design right and loss of access, potentially, could influence UK designers to launch new designs in alternative European locations to secure stronger design protection."
A UK unregistered design right only offers design protection for the shape and configuration of a design but EU unregistered rights protect a combination of colours, ornamentation, lines, texture or surface decoration as well as shape and configuration on which thousands have relied to protect their designs.


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According to Mike Froggatt, director of intelligence at L2, "Omnichannel retail is about meeting [consumers] when, and where, they choose." In L2’s recently released Omnichannel Retail 2016 report
, the firm took a closer look at the current state of retailers’ omnichannel initiatives, including how they are helping consumers convert wherever it is convenient, whether it be online or in-store.
Based on the report’s findings, a majority of retailers (63 percent) are still “lagging” when it comes to offering effective omnichannel initiatives to consumers. One of the major pain points hindering success is how retailers communicate with consumers about new services, such as free shipping. However, retailers recognize the importance of omnichannel and are working to overcome these challenges. In fact, in recent years, 67 percent have enhanced their digital e-commerce incentives year-over-year.
After analyzing over 90 retailers, the report concluded that only six percent of retailers can be considered “leaders” based on their superior efforts in helping consumers convert anywhere and at any time. We’re excited to honor our retail partner, Macy’s, for being named one of the top omnichannel retailers.
Recently, Macy’s has zeroed-in on providing the best online and in-store experience for their customers. This past summer, the company announced
plans to shift its e-commerce strategy to invest more in apps and simplify ordering procedures, including its “Buy Online Pickup In-Store” method. More recently, this holiday season the company hired
more employees to work in its e-commerce fulfillment centers. With True Fit’s personalized one-to-one fit and style recommendations, Macy’s has been able to help shoppers discover items online that they’ll love and keep since 2013.
Kudos to our retail partner for their excellence in delivering effective online and in-store experiences, all while helping shoppers find their true fit. We’re excited to see what you accomplish next!


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CEO's On the Move
Metso Corporation Appoints Nico Delvaux as President and CEO, Effective August 1, 2017
:OTCQX International Premier) Metso Corporation announced that Nico Delvaux will start as President, CEO of the company in August 1, 2017.
Upcoming Board Meetings
July 24, 2017
HDFC Bank Limited, Board Meeting, Jul 24, 2017. Agenda: To consider the earnings results for the quarter ending June 30, 2017.
HDFC Bank Limited Key Board Members
Swarnsarita Gems Limited Announces Resignation of Sunil G. Jain as Whole Time Director of the Company with Effect from July 26, 2017
Swarnsarita Gems Limited announced resignation of Mr. Sunil G. Jain, the Whole Time Director of the Company from the Directorship of the company with effect from July 26, 2017.
N.K Industries Limited Appoints Bhawani Singh Yadav as Independent Director
N.K Industries Limited announced that Mr. Bhawani Singh Yadav has been appointed as Independent Director of the company for a term of 5 years up to July 21, 2022 by the members in the AGM held on July 22, 2017.
Suryachakra Power Corporation Limited Announces Resignation of D. Suresh Babu as Company Secretary & Compliance Officer
Suryachakra Power Corporation Limited announced that Mr. D. Suresh Babu has resigned from the company as company secretary & Compliance Officer of the company with effect from May 29, 2017 the board also accepted the same. The company is on the lookout for a new company, till such time the Managing Director will act as Compliance Officer for Compliance of Listing Agreement Matters.
The information and data displayed in this profile are created and managed by S&P Global Market Intelligence, a division of S&P Global. Bloomberg.com does not create or control the content. For inquiries, please contact S&P Global Market Intelligence directly by clicking
Top Compensated Executives at MXCYY:US
|Chairman of the Executive Team, President & CEO|
|Senior Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions|
|Compensation as of Fiscal Year 2016. All Compensation is in USD.|
Average Compensation in the Machinery Industry
|Construction Machinery and Heavy Trucks|
|Agricultural and Farm Machinery|


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Here are the top cleantech stories we’re following on the GreenBeat:
Tesla expects Japan to eventually become its No. 2 market for sales after the U.S., Elon Musk told the WSJ.
EMeter has announced it will team up with relationship management company Convergys to create better billing and customer management for utility companies that are rolling out smart meters.
An LG Chem executive told Reuters he expects to nail down more battery orders from GM for the range-extending Chevy Volt thanks to better-than-expected demand for the car. The news comes the heels of GE’s recently-announced plans to buy 25,000 electric cars by 2015, nearly half of which will come from GM, starting with orders for the Volt.
Australian utility Energy Australia has inked a partnership with Cisco. Cisco will upgrade 200 of the utility’s substations so that it can better monitor faults and remotely restore power. The utility is currently rolling out a $100 million smart grid effort and previously announced a partnership with IBM, which will provide systems integration expertise.
The all-electric Nissan Leaf, the Volt’s competition, has suffered a delivery delay, according to Green Car Reports. Fewer cars than originally planned will hit dealerships this December. The company has seen 20,000 reservations for the Leaf.
Wind data provider Onsemble has completed a sensor network capable of tracking wind data for nearly 95 percent of the wind farms in Texas, according to CNET.
Volkswagen will launch an electrified version of its Golf hatchback (pictured) in the U.S. in 2013, CNET writes.


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Settlement proposed in Sony BMG case
The attorneys in a New York class action lawsuit filed against Sony BMG and its two copy-protection software providers, SunnComm and First 4 Internet, proposed a settlement on Wednesday requiring--among other stipulations--cash payments to plaintiffs and consumer-friendly changes to copyright holders' anti-piracy initiatives.
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With over 500 issues so far, reading our newsletter every Monday morning will keep you up-to-date with security risks out there.


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Chicago's O'Hare Airport sees big jump in concessions sales
After more than a year of revamping and upgrading the concessions line-up in the International Terminal 5 and elsewhere at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, sales are booming.
The Chicago Department of Aviation said today total concession sales at O'Hare in February of this year grew by 11.2 percent compared to the same month a year ago. Concession sales for the month totaled $28.5 million, and sales per enplaning passenger grew by more than 7 percent to $11.72 in February compared to a year ago.
The increase also came in a month when Chicago was experiencing some of the worst weather in its history and thousands of flights at O'Hare were cancelled and many thousands more delayed for hours. That might explain in part why restaurant sales were on the rise — climbing 10 percent year over year in February.
Among the restaurant and food outlets reporting the most robust sales in February were Garrett Popcorn, the iconic popcorn brand that talk show diva Oprah Winfrey helped to popularize when her show originated from Chicago. Also, several restaurants in the newly-remodeled International Terminal 5 reported strong sales, including Big Bowl, Tortas Frontera by Rick Bayless and Kofe Powered by Intelligentsia, a favorite local coffee bean purveyor.
The expanded and modernized Duty Free Shop in Terminal 5 also saw a big boost in sales, which jumped 34 percent in February compared to a year ago.
News and gift-oriented concessions outlets, including modernized Hudson News outlets, helped sales in that category also jump 11 percent.
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Telefónica has signed a deal with Datami that will see sponsored data offered to its entire customer base.
The two companies have been working together since August last year and Datami’s platform, which combines mobile marketing techniques with customer data from Telefónica, is now active in nine countries.
Brands including ifood, Mercado Libre, Netshoes and Privalia are already targeting Telefónica customers in countries such as Brazil.
US-based Datami was founded in 2013 and counts telcos among its investor base.
It claims its offering drives customer engagement for brands and boosts operators’ emerging mobile marketing businesses.
Consumers, meanwhile, have their concerns over the mobile data costs associated with content consumption “removed”, according to the vendor.
Alongside sponsored apps and video content, Datami also offers data rewards through which customers get free data in exchange for downloading an app.
Harjot Saluja, CEO of Datami, said: “Few operators are able to bring this kind of scale to such a ground-breaking project, and the dynamism shown by
Telefónica’s advertising group has absolutely matched that scale.
“We look forward to deploying a greater variety of sponsored data and data rewards use cases throughout Latin America and Europe.”
MVNO Tesco Mobile, in which Telefónica owns a 50 percent stake, launched the UK’s first sponsored data offering last June.
However, it worked with Australia-based company Unlockd on its offering.


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|During the harvest season, people are busy with processing cinnamon bark to sell to factories. NA/VNS Photo|
YÊN BÁI — Cinnamon trees have become a key agricultural product in the economic development of the northern mountainous province of Yên Bái, providing people there with a new source of income.
The province is focussing on well-implementing policies and solutions to grow the tree sustainably and now has over 80,000 hectares of cinnamon trees, accounting for one-third of the total locally-planted forest area.
For a long time, Yên Bái has effectively implemented cinnamon tree growing projects, and promoted supporting policies for local households to take care of cinnamon trees.
The province has included cinnamon in its annual afforestation plan; there are many policies to attract investment in processing cinnamon products to maximise the potential and advantages of cinnamon trees.
The province has planned processing facilities for cinnamon trees' bark, wood and essential oil sustainably, promoting the application of technology to the processing process to improve the quality and value of cinnamon products; strengthening consulting and business support activities.
Nguyễn Thái Bình, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said it has paid special attention to developing and maintaining quality raw materials, preserving seeds, and promoting trade to find a market.
The agricultural department has sent experts to instruct farmers on growing, taking care of and preventing pests, as well as harvesting and preserving cinnamon products.
It also guided enterprises to build brands and prevent trademark commercial fraud.
At first, cinnamon was planted mainly in the Văn Yên District, which was considered the "capital" of cinnamon in Yên Bái Province.
But now, the cinnamon growing area has been expanded to across the province with main areas in districts of Văn Yên, Trấn Yên, Yên Bình, Lục Yên, Văn Chấn, Trạm Tấu and Mù Cang Chải.
Hà Đức Anh, Chairman of the Văn Yên District People's Committee said: “Each year the district sell-out to the market about 8,000 tonnes of fresh cinnamon bark, 63,000 tonnes of cinnamon leaves, 300 tonnes of essential oil and 51,000 cu.m of cinnamon wood."
“Many families have cinnamon hills worth tens of billions of đồng. Đặng Nguyên Minh's household in Khe Phầy Village has 60 hectares and Hoàng Văn Minh's household in Đoàn Kết Village has 50 hectares,” he said.
Vũ Lê Chung Anh, Chairman of Trạm Tấu District People's Committee, said that after three years of planting trees in ethnic minority regions, every year growers have harvested pruning branches and leaves to sell for VNĐ2,500/kg, giving them money to spend on daily living.
"Then, people sell cinnamon branches, leaves and trunks, so the value of trees is very high," he said.
Between 2021 to 2025, the province will issue supportive policies for cinnamon production with VNĐ2 billion in investment towards a 1,000-hectare-acreage project.
So far, there are 17 large-scale cinnamon extraction factories with a total capacity of 1,000 tonnes/year in Yên Bái Province.
And there are more than 400 small-scale cinnamon oil processing establishments with a capacity of 200 tonnes/year and many processing facilities for cinnamon bark, cinnamon wood and handicraft workshops processing products from cinnamon, according to the agricultural department. VNS


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As we are about to close the book on 2012, the country is days from staring into an abyss that is filled with financial turmoil and uncertainty. President Obama is expected to return to Washington D.C. from his holiday vacation (possibly cut short) to resume talks regarding a budget deal that will help the U.S. avoid the dreaded fiscal cliff.
- The end of the year is near. If you haven’t taken the time to meet any financial deadlines, you are cutting it close. Remember that there are a few tasks to complete before 2013 so that you can start the new year on the right foot and probably save a little money while you’re at it.
- The Transaction Account Guarantee program, which grants unlimited deposit insurance on non-interest-bearing transaction accounts, is set to end on Dec. 31, 2012. Savers who have more than $250,000 (the typical deposit insurance limit) in such accounts may considering moving their money to protect these funds. Since transfers tend to take several days, transfers should be initiated this week to ensure deposit insurance coverage before the new year.
- U.S. Bank has launched a new mobile application that offers NFC capabilities to a select group of credit card customers. Called U.S. Bank Go Mobile, the app allows U.S. Bank FlexPerks Travel Rewards Visa Signature cardmembers to make tap-to-pay purchases through a special add-on case. It’s one of the banks first forays into mobile payments.
- On Wednesday, President Obama will end his vacation in Hawaii to reconvene with House and Senate members and hold last-minute discussions to come to a budget agreement that will avoid the fiscal cliff. The talks are expected to continue on Thursday.
- Starting January 2013, due to a major settlement between payment networks and merchants, retailers in 40 of the 50 U.S. states can add a surcharge when you use a credit card to make purchases. In California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas, such surcharges are prohibited and merchants cannot impose them. You may have to change up the cards in your wallet to avoid paying these fees.


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LONDON, England – Previously, radio’s future was seen in terms of a transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. But with the growth of smart speakers in homes and online audio platforms, the UK audio market is rapidly changing and there is no longer simply a binary choice between analogue and digital audio broadcast (DAB) platforms.
John Whittingdale, minister of state for media and data said: “Ever since Chelmsford in Essex became the birthplace of radio in 1920, Radio has demonstrated its ability to adapt and compete with new technologies. I’m very pleased to bring together key partners so that we can collectively look ahead to ensure a vibrant and sustainable future for the UK’s cherished radio and audio sector.”
The digital radio and audio review will examine future trends and consider how radio should adapt to the growing challenges and opportunities from the latest audio technologies, as well as the impact of new consumer behaviours such as streaming.
Its terms of reference, as agreed with industry partners, focus on how to ensure radio remains fit for the future, assessing potential future listener trends and making recommendations to strengthen the UK radio audio industry and promote innovation.
Will Harding, chair of digital radio UK and global’s chief strategy officer said: “Global launched no less than seven new digital stations last year and we are investing heavily in digital platforms through Global Player and DAX. We are delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with government and industry colleagues to help ensure the sector reaches its full potential in the digital age.”
“Digital innovation is delivering great opportunities for the radio industry and digital listening continues to grow apace. Now is the time to ensure we work together to assess and understand the wider future landscape and harness the full potential of existing and new technologies for a vibrant UK radio and audio sector,” said Travis Baxter, content and external affairs director, Bauer Media.
Radio remains a thriving media sector for audiences across the UK, adapting to the challenges and embracing the opportunities of digital and online listening. Listeners on average consume over 20 hours of radio a week and 87 percent of the adult (15+) population listen to live audio each week (Source: RAJAR Q4 2019).
Matthew Evans, director, markets, techUK, said: “We are looking forward to working with government and broadcasters, alongside other key stakeholders from the supply chain on this. We must address the challenges and explore the opportunities of the ever-diversifying audio delivery and devices landscape on behalf of our members.”
But given the pace of change, the government and key industry organisations have come together to steer the review, including the BBC, Bauer Media, Global, Arqiva, Radiocentre, tech UK and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders amongst others.
The review will be published in March 2021.


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Walmart stores adjusting hours, limiting purchases of some items
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Walmart stores across the nation will adjust store hours, add a senior hour, limit purchases of some items and temporarily close Auto Care Centers starting Thursday, March 19.
A post Wednesday on Walmart.com by Dacona Smith, Walmart’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said the company is pleased with recent adjustments to operating hours to help make it easier for associates to stock and perform enhanced cleaning and sanitizing and that it will “take additional steps beginning, Thursday, March 19.”
Stores will adjust operating hours to 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Stores that regularly open after 7 a.m. will open at their normal time.
“While the store hours change for customers, our associates will continue to have access to their regular scheduled shifts and full hours,” Smith wrote.
The company will also offer older customers—who could be more vulnerable to the novel coronavirus—special shopping hours.
“From March 24 through April 28, Walmart stores will host an hour-long senior shopping event every Tuesday for customers aged 60 and older,” Smith wrote. “This will start one hour before the store opens. Our Pharmacies and Vision Centers will also be open during this time.”
Walmart will also add limits for customers in several categories including paper products, milk, eggs, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, water, diapers, wipes, formula and baby food.
Walmart’s Auto Care Centers will be temporarily shut down “to allow those associates to focus on stocking and cleaning in the rest of the store.”
Vision Centers will operate on their normal schedules but will provide only essential services, such as glasses repair and helping customers pick up existing orders.
“I think every one of us has had to adjust our daily routines in some way, and it’s likely that could continue,” Smith wrote.
“We are paying very close attention to our stores and communities and will continue making the necessary changes to help make sure our associates are taken care of and that our customers can get what they need. Let’s all take care of each other out there.”


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Pickle juice is a thing that apparently a lot of people enjoy, so much so that pickle juice soda became a big deal earlier this month.
This week what’s making headlines are pickle-flavored popsicles. There are a few kinds too. Maybe you’ve had Bob’s Pickle Pops before?
Or, from the company that’s brought you the popular pickle in a pouch, Van Holten’s now has Pickle-Ice:
The idea for pickle popsicles sprung up with athletes in mind as it’s been common for those participating in sports to drink pickle juice to help stay hydrated.
Pickle popsicles have supposedly been popular in the south for a while so it’s no surprise a few pickle-friendly companies are jumping on the trend.
Bob’s Pickle Pops don’t seem to be available in stores yet in California, but Van Holten’s pickle popsicles will be available in Wal-Marts starting in July.
Pickle juice is also used as a hangover cure in the southern U.S. & parts of Eastern Europe. So, there’s an alternative to Gatorade, or Pedialyte.
For more, head to Delish.


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Michael Putland/Getty ImagesIron Maiden’s iconic mascot Eddie is giving the St. Pauli girl a run for her money.
The legendary metal band is teaming up with British family brewery Robinsons for a new limited-edition ale, dubbed Hallowed. According to the beer’s official website, it will be available in the U.K. for four months only, beginning in October.
The Hallowed bottle will feature an image of Eddie dressed in traditional monk garb, a tribute to Belgium’s Trappist monastic brewing tradition. The beer’s alcohol content will be a reasonable 6%.
Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson, who consulted on Hallowed with Robinsons Head Brewer Martyn Weeks, explains, “What makes this brew pretty special is that we’re adapting a Belgian yeast for the first time. I’m a big fan of Belgian beers, so I jumped at the chance to brew my own.”
“While I get very excited about experimenting with new formulas and ingredients, the thing about Belgian beer is that it’s as much a way of life as it is a drink,” Dickinson adds. “We’ve tried to bottle that philosophy in Hallowed, albeit with a British twist.”
Iron Maiden and Robinsons previously teamed up to create the popular beer brand Trooper, which has been on the market since 2013, and limited-edition brews Trooper 666 and Red ‘N’ Black.
Copyright © 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.


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Craft Ventures, the venture firm launched in 2017 by serial entrepreneur David Sacks, has closed its second fund with $500 million in capital commitments, an amount the firm was said to begin targeting roughly a year ago.
The outfit — which Sacks runs with other serial entrepreneurs Bill Lee (Remarq, Social Concepts), Jeff Fluhr (StubHub, Spreecast) and Sky Dayton (who has founded and co-founded a lot of companies) — invests in series seed, A and B rounds, in a wide range of companies that neatly fit into each investor’s wheelhouse.
For his part, Sacks, who was the COO of PayPal before founding the genealogy website Geni.com, then Yammer, is focused on both consumer and enterprise startups as long as they can go viral.
His signature bet at Craft is Bird, the e-scooter company whose Series A round Craft led.
(Bird founder Travis VanderZanden announced the company’s Series D round of $275 million at a $2.5 billion valuation during our recent TechCrunch Disrupt event.)
Lee is focused on breakthrough technologies and counts among his investments the esports company Cloud9, a company that went on to raise $50 million in Series B funding last year (and is probably due to announce yet another round soon).


text: Hong Kong-based Japan Asia Securities has launched an online investment banking portal to help small companies raise cash. The Web site - asiapreipo.com - gives companies and investors the chance to list details of their business offers, or intended investment amounts. Users with a preliminary interest can contact the site's offline support team for investment banking services such as valuations, due diligence and documentation. Japan Asia Securities will charge 5 per cent of the amount raised from successful transactions for providing the offline services. Alternatively, users can buy financial instruments from the Web site to help them complete a transaction themselves. Tetsuo Yamashita, chief executive and founder of the firm, said the site was targetting mainly those small companies which could not afford to hire traditional investment banks. 'Most investment banks' charges are very expensive, they just do not care about small companies, even if they have a very good business idea,' Mr Yamashita said. Director Lily Yau said such a business model had already proved successful in other markets, including Singapore and the United States. Asiapreipo.com is not the only site to provide such a service in Hong Kong. DealComposer, founded by Andre Lee, the former debt capital markets financier at collapsed Peregrine Investments, provides a similar service.