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See what is going on in BAMB!
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Subscribe to webinar: Atelier Economie Circulaire, 28 January 2019 (in French)
BAMB partner Caroline Henrotay, IBGE, will be presenting the BAMB outputs to the participants of the project of the Fren [...]
Watch streaming-session of BAMB results presented in Finland, 7th November 2018, Finland
The Finish ministry of Environment is hosting a seminar 7-8 th November 2018 that will be streamed. BAMB partner Caro [...]
Ongoing approaches on circular economy, Webinar, 19 December 2017
Caroline HENROTAY presented our Project at a one hour Circular Economy webinar arranged by UNEP: "Circularity in buildin [...]
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There has been a lot of controversy and speculation surrounding LVMH’s recent acquisition of Hermes shares. We have stumbled across a very interesting article by Bloomberg here at the MO Down. If Hermes needs a white knight to ride to its defence, to fend off any prospective (and potentially hostile) majority buyout by Monsieur LVMH Bernard Arnault, they may find it in Richemont. The Swiss luxury goods company, and third largest luxury conglomerate in the world, might just have room in their wallet for a hint of orange.
Bloomberg hypothesises that Richemont may not have enough money, however in the financial overview from the Richemont press release, sales have increased by 37 per cent, or 27 per cent at constant exchange rate, or 22 percent excluding the impact of Net-A-Porter with an increase in operating profit of 95 per cent. It’s a great result that could compound even more positively over the next 6 months (boosted by Christmas and Chinese New Year trading). It’s nice to know Hermes has another option should it require.
Still, we hope Hermes has enough Euro in its Birkins to canter ahead confidently without support. The family shareholders, who collectively own 73 per cent of Hermes are fighting hard to keep the company independent. We are following all happenings closely and will report as soon as we hear.
Follow MO Luxury's Facebook page for more luxury news...

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(NBC News) — Department store chain Sears won a reprieve from liquidating Friday after its chairman, Eddie Lampert, submitted a bid in an effort to buy the retailer and keep it alive, people familiar with the situation tell CNBC.
Lampert’s hedge fund ESL Investments put forward his tentative proposal for Sears earlier this month with his formal submission due today.
A bid could help divert liquidation, but may not necessarily. Sears’ advisers have until Jan. 4 to decide whether ESL is a “qualified bidder.” Only then, could ESL take part in an auction against liquidation bids on Jan. 14. They will weigh the value of Lampert’s bid against offers to liquidate the company.
The terms or structure of Lampert’s bid could not immediately be determined. If it is similar to the $4.6 billion proposal Lampert outlined earlier this month, it is likely to face push-back from the company’s unsecured creditors. As part of the initial bid, which regulators required Lampert to make public, financing would in part stem from $1.8 billion in debt that Lampert would forgive through a so-called “credit bid.”
Unsecured creditors said earlier this month they will object to a credit bid. Those creditors believe there may be claims against Sears for transactions under Lampert’s leadership. Those deals include Sears’ spinoff of Lands’ End and transactions with Seritage Growth Properties, a real estate investment trust Lampert created through select Sears’ properties.
The company filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 15. At that time it said it would close 142 unprofitable stores, then in November it announced the closure of 40 additional stores. On Friday, it disclosed plans to close 80 more stores, bringing the total closures to more than 260, or more than a third of its 700 or so stores. The 125-year-old company has more than 68,000 employees.
Once the nation’s biggest retailer, it was also its first “everything store,” stocking everything from jewelry to clothing, from hardware to prefabricated homes. But the department store industry has struggled over the past half-decade, as the mall has become less convenient and apparel more casual. Rival J.C. Penney has also felt the pressure, on Wednesday its shares dipped below a $1 for the first time.
The people requested anonymity because the information is confidential. ESL did not immediately respond to comment. Sears declined to comment.


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Latest General Motors Corp. Stories
Ford Motor Co., joining fellow U.S.
Auditors for American Axle & Manufacturing said the U.S.
U.S. government funds used to prop up General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC often end up in the hands of foreign companies, various stakeholders said. Here I am out stumping for GM ...
President Barack Obama's financial teams spread out during the weekend, visiting Detroit and London with a campaign promise ringing in their ears.
The Canadian Auto Workers union said Sunday it has struck a tentative deal with General Motors Corp. on labor givebacks to help keep the automaker alive. Ten-thousand CAW members who work for GM must ratify the agreement before it can be implemented, the Detroit Free Press reported.
General Motors Corp.
Auditors for U.S. auto giant General Motors Corp.
General Motors Corp. is showing off its little Spark in Geneva, Switzerland, this week in hopes the subcompact will ignite interest among car buyers. While the South Korea-built Spark currently is being pitched for Euoropean and Asian markets, the 11 1/2-foot mini-car is being revamped to meet U.S.
A drastic decline in General Motors Corp.'s U.S.
General Motors Company (GM) is an American automobile manufacturer located in Detroit Michigan. They also control multinational manufacturers around the globe. They design, produce, market and distribute vehicles and parts, as well as selling financial services. GM has ten brands of vehicles produced in 37 countries. They include, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Opel, Holden, Vauxhall, Wuling, Baojun, Jie, Fang and UZDaewoo. GM does business with 157 different countries and employees...
- an ornament or knob in the shape of a flower


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The quest for the best tech stocks to buy remains a top priority for investors. However, those with smaller portfolios might make the rookie mistake trying to maximize their accounts rather than seeking out high quality companies. However, the truth is that you can still find high quality growth stocks, but the returns might be on the more conservative side.
This is great if you want to invest for the long term and protect your portfolio from potential downside risks in the market. Tech stocks remain the vanguards of progress, constantly pushing the boundaries and are at the forefront of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. These three companies exhibit strong fundamentals and are set for continued growth over the next decade.
Now, let’s unpack the three best tech stocks to buy with $1,000 right now!
Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)
Alphabet provides invaluable software and hardware technology to billions of users around the globe. The company made its mark with its Google search engine, but would later diversify into cloud computing, online advertising, consumer electronics and artificial intelligence. The 2023 fiscal year saw strong double digit growth, and AI will continue to drive meaningful momentum in the cloud.
Additionally, Alphabet just released its most premium version of their Gemini AI model, offering multimodal capabilities. It is set to compete directly with ChatGPT 4.0, which has been the leading LLM on the market. Artificial intelligence will be the leading catalyst to drive advertising revenue growth in Google Search and Youtube. Now is a great time for conservative investors to scoop up this transformative tech stock before it takes off in 2024.
Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), a name synonymous with enterprise software and cloud services, has carved its niche as a global tech giant. Founded in 1977, the company has a rich history of innovation empowering business across various industries.
Oracle has embraced the cloud revolution, offering a robust and secure platform for businesses to build, deploy, and manage applications. Co-Founder and CTO Larry Ellison is positioning the company to be a leader in AI cloud infrastructure. This will inevitably allow businesses to reduce costs and remain competitive amongst their peers.
In the latest quarterly financial results, Oracle’s cloud revenue increased 25% YOY to $4.8 billion. Cloud infrastructure revenue saw 52% growth, as demand for generative AI services rose at a rapid pace. The company’s cloud business is currently at a $20 billion annual run rate, and it is currently building 100 new data centers to meet demand. When it’s all said and done, Oracle will be one of the most important AI stocks on the market.
American Express (AXP)
American Express (NYSE:AXP) is an American multinational payment services company headquartered in New York, United States. The company offers a vast array of financial products and services catering to individuals, small businesses and corporations.
American Express is coming off a strong 2023 fiscal year, as credit card processors largely benefited from higher interest rates. The consumer remained extremely resilient, despite cutting back on discretionary spending over the last year. In FY23, the company delivered record revenue of $60.5 billion. EPS increased by 14% to $11.21 per share, as rising retail credit card rates and spending boosted their bottom line.
The company is heavily focused on the Millenial and Gen Z segments, and demand for its premium products remains strong. So much so, that they announced a 17% hike in their quarterly cash dividend to $0.70 per share. Management is currently guiding 9-11% revenue growth in FY24, with EPS in the $12.65 – $13.15 range. With the prospect of lower interest rates in the back half of 2024, AXP is one of the top tech stocks to buy now.
On the date of publication, Terel Miles did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.


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SHANGHAI: China's FMCG brand owners are facing a slowdown in demand as the nation's consumers make cutbacks, Kantar Worldpanel figures have indicated.
A new report from the research firm suggests that value sales in the category grew by 10% year on year in the third quarter of 2012. During the previous quarter, this growth rate was 15%.
The slowdown in FMCG sales reflects broader economic trends. China's economy grew by 7.4% during the last quarter, the slowest GDP expansion recorded in over three years.
"Shoppers have... made fewer trips to FMCG retailers whilst maintaining their basket size," the Kantar report added. "This shows signs that households may be starting to look at ways of managing their spending."
Lower inflation rates – with the nation's CPI falling to 1.9% in September – was also cited as a reason for the slowdown in FMCG value growth.
Within the headline value sales figure, food and drink was up 9% year on year, while household and personal care goods rose 12%.
Kantar added: "The growth of premium products and high levels of media spending are helping to contribute to the growth of many household and personal care brands but these departments are also seeing the slowdown in value growth over the last quarter."
Despite the general slowdown across the category, online FMCG sales nevertheless recorded strong growth in the third quarter. The ecommerce channel was up 52% year on year, with almost one in four Chinese households now going online to buy groceries.
Personal care brands were the FMCG category most likely to be purchased online, making up 57% of ecommerce sales. In brick-and-mortar hypermarkets, such goods account for just 18% of purchases.
Data sourced from Kantar; additional content by Warc staff


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For 73 years the Black and White Department Store has been a mainstay of the downtown area, providing clothing and other goods to generation after generation. Even after most retail moved out of the downtown, the Black and White Store has continued to attract customers with a wide selection of brand name merchandise at good prices, and the kind of customer service that is rare in today’s world.
“If you can’t find what you are looking for, all you have to do is go to the Black and White Store and they have it,” said Henry Cote, president of the Yazoo County Chamber of Commerce. “They have been a major anchor downtown for decades. Gov. Barbour used to buy his clothes there, and probably still does. Mr. Chisholm and his family are pillars of the community, also. They do a lot for the community.”
The store at 236 South Main Street was started in 1939 by Louie Price, and then was taken over by Bernard Fink, who was married to Price’s daughter, Bernice. When Fink passed away in 1980, it was purchased by three long-time employees, Victor Carlson, W.R. Polk and Jimmy Chisholm. Chisholm, 71, who has now worked at the store 52 years, is the sole remaining owner.
“I think we are the oldest retailer in Yazoo City,” Chisholm said. “We used to have three stores in this area with two higher-priced stores on either side of us. We also had stores in a couple other communities. But we have been downsizing.”
When Chisholm came to work at the store during the holiday season in 1961, there were 40 people working on the floor.
“We had four registers going,” he said. “I thought it would always be the way business was. I had no idea it would be like it is now. A lot of businesses left downtown and went out to the highway. We now have six employees and have reduced our operating hours. We used to be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., but now we are open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There was no sense being open when there were no customers.”
There used to be a chain of Black and White Department Stores based out of Memphis, and the store in Yazoo City was just one of many. That chain ended up changing its name, and the Black and White Department Store in Yazoo City is believed to be the only one left with that name.
Chisholm said the reason the store has stayed in business is it has always tried to give its customer’s value.
“We set our prices as cheap as we can, and pass bargains along to customers,” he said. “I’ve checked with other major retailers, and we average $4 to $5 below them on some items like men’s pants. That gives people more of an incentive to go downtown and shop in an old building.”
Tradition is another pull. Some of today’s shoppers first came in with their parents or grandparents.
The store also takes customer service seriously. If you ask where something is, you will be taken right to it, not just pointed in a direction and told, “It is back yonder.”
Retails trends have changed considerably through those years. For example, they used to sell a lot of fabric.
“Fabric has just died out,” Chisholm said. “People have jobs and don’t want to take time. Your older souls have passed away.”
Ladies sportswear and uniforms, including school uniforms, are big sellers. The shoe department is also particularly popular carrying well-known brands like Sperry, Florsheim and Rockport.
Although there are a lot of vacant buildings downtown, Chisholm said there have been some good developments. An antique store with a lot of booths is drawing people to the area, and he thinks a newly opened exercise shop will do the same.
Considering how competitive retail is today, some shopkeepers in town could be concerned about a Walmart locating in the area. Chisholm, however, thinks it would be good for the town.
“A long time ago Walmart would have hurt the town, but now it would help because the stores that are still here are going to stay,” he said. “A Walmart would bring in people from outlying towns, and if they had extra time, they would come downtown. Once they go to Jackson, we have lost them. It would bring 125 jobs to town and some of those employees would shop with us downtown like we used to see with Kmart employees.”
Chisholm is thinking about retiring, and is not sure what the future will bring for the store. Most of his employees are near his age, so he doesn’t think he could sell it to them like he bought it from the previous owner. But he would like to see the store continue.
“The town needs a store like this,” he said. “It has proved it for 73 years.”
More on Black and White Department Store
Name of Business: Black and White Department Store
Date Founded: 1939
Owner: Jimmy Chisholm
Address: 236 South Main Street, Yazoo City
Coolest thing about business: “Oldest retail store in town still a major downtown anchor”
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Panasonic on Tuesday showed off a 20-inch tablet with a 4K screen that can display images at a resolution of 3840-by-2160 pixels and is designed to improve multimedia tasks such as photo editing.
Raising the bar for image quality on television sets, Panasonic unveiled a 56-inch OLED TV that shows images at 4K resolution, four times the overall resolution of current 1080p high-definition TVs.
Panasonic has joined the Smart TV Alliance, a project started by LG last year to create a common platform for developing connected TV applications.
Computer technology accounted for more patent applications in recent years than any other industry sector tracked by the World Intellectual Property Organization, although the number of digital communication patent applications grew faster. Industria...
Seven international electronics manufacturers were fined a total of €1.47 billion by the European Commission on Wednesday for conspiring to fix the price cathode-ray tubes (CRTs) in two separate cartels between 1996 and 2006.
2012 was an exciting year for the television market. Prices fell significantly for existing technology, with edge-lit LED televisions dropping in price as they stole further market share from already dirt-cheap plasmas.
If you’re a savvy buyer, then you know that Christmas time is one of the best times in the calendar year to snag a bargain. The Christmas lead-up period, as well as Boxing Day sales, has proven in previous years to be fiercely competitive, and the bi...
Japan's Panasonic said Wednesday it will end its brief return to the European smartphone market, pulling out less than a year after launching its first handset outside of Japan since 2005.
Panasonic said Friday it would venture abroad to sell smartphones, beginning with Europe in March and then expanding to the U.S., China, and rest of Asia.
Panasonic said Tuesday it will sell one of its main domestic TV panel factories to a new joint venture focused on producing smaller screens, as Japan's big-name manufacturers continue to seek relief from deep losses in their display businesses.
While some consumer electronics manufacturers have cleaned up their act, making more energy-efficient gadgets with fewer toxic materials, others are continuing to make fine promises but no changes, according to Greenpeace. In response, the environmen...
NTT DoCoMo will partner with several Japanese hardware makers and Korean manufacturer Samsung Electronics to develop core chips for use in future smartphones, Japan's biggest business newspaper reported Monday.
A handshake, but no shaky hand: Panasonic executives shook hands on a deal to broadcast the 2012 Olympics live in 3D, and unveiled the company's HDC-Z10000 3D video camera with image stabilization in a news conference ahead of the Internationale Funk...
Panasonic joins the long list of notebook manufacturers getting into the tablet game. The company announced it would release its Toughbook Android tablet later this year.
A flood of simple computing devices is hitting the market, aimed at pushing the cloud outside of the enterprise. Samsung and Acer have announced Chromebooks, which are light laptops for users who rely on the Internet for most of their computing. Star...
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Brainstorming, innovation, problem solving, and negotiation have all become much more productive and valuable if people can easily collaborate in real time with minimal friction.
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The Huddle Board’s built in program; Sharp Touch Viewing software allows us to easily manipulate and edit our documents (jpegs and PDFs) all at the same time on the dashboard.
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Who needs wine and cheese when you can have wine and food from some of Chicago’s top chefs?
Some of the best chefs in the Second City will be dishing out specially curated foods to pair with wines from around the world as part of a “Grand Cru” at this year’s Chicago Gourmet, organizers announced.
The event, sponsored by United Healthcare, will be co-hosted by “Top Chef” judge Graham Elliot and Folkart Restaurant Management Chef Matthias Merges. The two have designed a “playlist where each participating chef will be assigned a song that will inspire the dish served,” according to organizers.
The exclusive event will take place from 2-4 p.m. Sept. 29 and 30 at the Harris Theater Rooftop. A full list of participating chefs has not yet been released.
Chicago Gourmet, billed as “a concert of culinary delights,” runs Sept. 28-30.
A one-day pass goes for $195 before fees and a weekend pass runs $310.
“Grand Cru” packages, which include the high-end wine tasting, are available at $205 per day and weekend travel packages go for $1,360-$1,999. Tickets are available here.


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It's safe to say the Google Nexus 7 has been the most successful Android tablet to date – though admittedly that isn't actually saying much in many cases.
Anyway, the point is it's no surprise to see Reuters reporting that a successor is being lined up to launch in July, again made by Asus and offering a higher screen resolution and a switch to a Snapdragon processor in place of Nvidia's Tegra 3.
Reuters says its twin sources claim Google is looking to ship six to eight million of the new slates in the second half of the year, which seems surprisingly conservative considering Asus was talking about selling a million a month a while back.
Then again, maybe that's a sign that the second-generation Nexus 7 will be simply refreshing its credentials rather than providing an even more compelling proposition against the likes of the Amazon Kindle Fire HD and Apple iPad mini.
The switch to Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors is apparently motivated by power consumption reasons, we're told. Aside from that and the promise of a higher display resolution than the current model's 1,024 x 600, we're also informed the new Nexus 7 will feature a thinner bezel design. No surprise there.
As for pricing, there's nothing concrete to report – Reuters' sources say Google's plans are “fluid” at this stage and will only be decided once it sees what its rivals are up to closer to the time.
One option mentioned is that the new model will be introduced at the current Nexus 7's price and the existing model discounted, which is effectively what Google did when introducing higher storage capacities late last year.


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Chancellor George Osborne will impose a 2% cap on business rates in England and Wales next year, it is understood.
Osborne will announce the Autumn Statement tomorrow in which he is expected to reveal that rate rises will be limited to 2% in England and Wales next year instead of being linked to September’s RPI inflation rise, which is set at 3.2%.
Retail Week has learned he may also impose a business rates freeze across small businesses.
Additionally, the BBC believes he will extend the small business rates relief further, but will not review the whole of the business rates system.
This is despite calls for such a move by some industry groups, as well as business secretary Vince Cable.
Business rates are a huge concern for the retail sector, which has urged the Government to tackle the business rates system, burdening companies with rising rates bills.
Retailers say the high cost of business rates has restricted investment and new job creation.
The 2% cap on business rates would mean more than £300m of revenue is lost next year.
It is understood that in Scotland, local councils will be able to adjust their own business rates relief packages for local needs under plans released by the Scottish government earlier this year.
British Retail Consortium director general Helen Dickinson said: “The BRC has been campaigning for a cap on business rates of 2% followed by reform of the system. If the reports this morning are correct and the Autumn Statement does include this cap it will be welcomed enthusiastically by retailers across the country. It could save 7,500 jobs next year, boost local communities and allow more shops to stay open on our high streets.
“In the longer term, reform is still essential. The business rates system is not fit for purpose and has become the highest business property tax in Europe. The BRC is leading a rigorous examination of options for improving it, supported by a broad group of industry stakeholders.”


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LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Mexico's currency dropped Friday, but moved off session lows, as the central bank held its key interest rate unchanged as monetary policy makers noted slowing growth trends in the U.S., Mexico's largest trading partner.
Mexico's currency traded at 12.760 pesos per U.S. dollar compared with Thursday's close at 12.691 pesos. The peso earlier traded at 12.779.
The IPC equity index, meanwhile, fought back losses to end 0.4% higher at 32,291.67. For the week, it rose 0.6%.
Finance stocks finished stronger, with Banco Compartamos leading market advancers with a 2.8% rise. Shares of Grupo Financiero Banorte (GFNORTEO) rose 2.1% and Grupo Financiero Inbursa picked up 0.7%. Real estate development firm Geo (GEOB) rose 0.5%. Broadcasting stocks also rose, with Televisa
Earlier Friday, monetary policy makers at the Bank of Mexico left the key interest rate at 4.5%. The decision was widely expected by strategists and market players. The rate was cut to 4.5% in July of 2009 and has remained at that level ever since.
"I don't think there are any other catalysts that suggest that we could be out of that overall monetary-policy skew," said Enrique Alvarez, who heads Latin American research at IDEAglobal in New York. "They are going to have to hold for quite some time," in part because Mexico has a much more uncertain economic outlook compared with other regional economies, he said.
In a statement accompanying its decision, policy makers said they are seeing more indications that the pace of economic recovery is decelerating. Mexico exports about 80% of its products to the U.S.
"While the rest of Latin America, through lower rates and stimulus, has been able to have a large comeback in consumer confidence and overall consumer demand, Mexico seems to be lagging in that sense. The confidence effect is not there," Alvarez said. "The consumer continues to be a laggard and business confidence domestically...has not totally come back."
The high level of unemployment in the U.S. has cut into remittances, or money sent back to Mexico by workers. Many of those workers are in the services and construction industries, which were hit hard during the recession and have continued to struggle throughout the recovery.
Mexico's central bank currently expects economic growth of 4% to 5% in 2010.
The central bank has cautioned that it expects the economy to slow in upcoming months. But the economy remained in recovery mode during the second quarter. The Inegi statistics agency on Friday said second-quarter gross domestic product rose 7.6% from the year-ago period.
Growth rose a seasonally adjusted 3.22% from the first quarter. The consensus estimate was for growth of 7.5% year-over-year, according to UBS, whose own forecast was for an increase of 7.3%.
Meanwhile, inflationary pressures in Latin America's second-largest economy have been softening. The consumer price index in July rose 3.67% from the year-ago period, lower than the rate of 3.69% in June. The inflation target set by the central bank is 3%.
Among exchange-traded funds, the iShares MSCI Mexico Investable Index
Elsewhere, Brazil's Bovespa fell 0.3% to 66,677.16. The index closed the week up 0.6%. A week ago, it dropped 2.6%.
From the economic front, the IBGE statistics agency in Brazil said consumer prices edged down 0.05% for 30 days through Aug. 15. The move pulled the IPCA inflation index to 4.44%, a touch under the central bank's 4.5% inflation target.
Chile's IPSA slipped 0.2% to 4,513.31, but closed the week with a 1.1% advance.
Argentina's Merval finished Friday's session up 0.4% at 2,438.97. It rose 3% on a weekly basis, its best weekly run since the week ended July 23.


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A U.S. Bankruptcy judge is allowing Circuit City to continue paying nearly 600 employees laid off at its headquarters before it filed for bankruptcy protection.
The nation's second-biggest consumer electronics retailer was in court in Richmond on Friday for hearings related to its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case. Circuit City filed for protection last month as it faced pressure from vendors and consumers who aren't spending.
The committee representing the company's unsecured creditors had asked the judge to cease payroll payments and benefits to 588 employees laid off in early November. Judge Kevin Huennekens ruled against that.
He approved an agreement between Panasonic and Circuit City. The judge was also scheduled to rule on whether Circuit City could abandon or reject 150 leases at locations where it no longer operates stores.


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updated 10:15 pm EST, Wed February 19, 2014
Hints, but does not say, that 'conversations' centered around battery tech
Following reports that Apple had secretly met with officials from electric car company Tesla to discuss unspecified partnerships, the CEO Elon Musk commented on the rumors -- but phrased his replies in such a way that suggested either he was uninvolved in the talks (which seems unlikely) or didn't want to make clear what the "conversations" with Apple were actually about. Though confirming the meetings, Musk said little about them.
He added that an acquisition of Tesla by some other company was "very unlikely," as the company needs to stay "super focused" on its plan to create an affordable all-electric car. "If one or more companies had approached us last year about such things, there's no way we could really comment on that," Musk said. He added that he was open to the idea of an acquisition if it helped Tesla become a more mainstream automaker, but said that he didn't "currently see any scenario that would improve that probability, so that's why I think it's very unlikely."
Rumors reported last weekend suggested that Musk himself had met with Apple's head of acquisitions, Adrian Perica, or even possibly CEO Tim Cook -- but even if true, there are other scenarios that could explain the meeting beyond straightforward acquisition. Tesla has announced plans to build a state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery plant, and Apple may have gotten involved with the carmaker in order to invest or partner in the endeavor, in much the same way it partnered with GT Technology to build a US-based sapphire-glass manufacturing facility that has been speculated to be making display coverings for future iPhones and other products.
Apple has also been known to approach car manufacturers to promote its own iOS in the Car initiative, and the company could have been meeting over possible integration into Tesla's built-in car infotainment systems. Musk has previous said that the plant will be built with the help of other companies.


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Why Canadian dairy farmers are worried about the Trans-Pacific Partnership: 'We could go out of business'
Countries are pressuring Canada to scrap dairy production quotas reinforced by triple-digit tariffs that largely seal the industry off from the rest of the world
ST-HYACINTHE, QUE. — At Quebec’s largest agricultural fair, dairy farmer Andrew Shufelt is trimming and brushing the coat of an Ayrshire named Princess to get her ready for a cattle judging competition.
“We’re selecting for animals that produce a lot of milk,” said the fifth-generation farmer from Brigham, Que. “If you leave your animals at home you can say you have good cattle, but if you don’t bring them out, you’ll never know.”
But this year, farmers are worried about more than just the quality of their cattle as lawmakers from several countries — including the U.S. — call on Canada to dismantle its protectionist supply management system for dairy, egg and poultry, or face being shut out of the upcoming 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership.
• Set by provincial milk boards, based on production costs, current market price and famers’ income
• Average milk farm price in Quebec for June 2015: $76.38 per hectolitre
Quotas can be inherited, or purchased at market value when available. Prices are on a per-cow basis, depending on market conditions and provincial production variables
1 cow (in Quebec or Ontario) = $25,000
Average farm size = 70 cows
Average quota value = $1,750,000
“The consumer has a reasonable price for their milk and the producer gets (paid) a reasonable price,” said Shufelt. “If we were getting the same price as our neighbours to the south were getting, I think we would go out of business.”
From July 28 to 31, trade ministers sit down in Hawaii for what could be the final negotiations in the massive trade pact that covers 40 per cent of the world’s economy and gives access to a market of 800 million consumers in countries that include Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
The TPP will eliminate 90 per cent of trade barriers between members of the Asia-Pacific bloc, which is why other countries are pressuring Canada to scrap dairy production quotas reinforced by triple-digit tariffs that largely seal the industry off from the rest of the world.
But that puts the government in an awkward position, especially in an election year. Les Producteurs de lait du Québec says the dairy industry adds $19 billion every year to the country’s GDP, and provides 214,000 jobs with 49 per cent of all Canada’s dairy farms in Quebec.
“If tomorrow you end supply management as it is, you will basically see an entire economic sector collapse,” said Sylvain Charlebois, a professor at the University of Guelph’s Food Institute. “Our farms aren’t efficient enough and they aren’t competitive enough.”
“If you actually find a dairy farmer who would be in favour of ending supply management, I would question his or her sanity.”
Last Friday, in fact, about 600 farmers from across Quebec showed up for a rally in Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce, a riding with a high concentration of the province’s dairy farmers and the headquarters for Conservative Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism, and Agriculture), Maxime Bernier.
During the protest the MP climbed onto the bed of a pickup truck being used as a stage and addressed the crowd, promising them the government would protect the supply management system.
And when Outaouais-Laurentides farmer Réal Gauthier presented Bernier with a bucket filled with keys representing the businesses that would be forced to close if supply management was eliminated, the MP insisted he keep the bucket.
“This policy has existed for a long time, and we are going to continue to preserve the policy.”
Still, Gauthier said he was not convinced, as few details have been shared about how about the government plans to drive this hard bargain.
“I don’t think the government will follow through on what it is saying,” said Gauthier.
Big companies also seem to be bracing for a change in the regulations.
The CEO of the largest dairy producer in Canada, Saptuo Inc., has emphasized it is not lobbying to either dismantle or preserve the system. But he said that a “liberalized” system could allow Saputo to grow at home.
“If things would open up in Canada, we’re very well-placed to take advantage of whatever opportunities that might be there,” Lino Saputo Jr. told Reuters in February.
The Montreal-based company has already expanded through acquisition in the United States, Argentina and Australia, and is eyeing other locations.
Agropur, a co-op of 3,400 dairy farmers that has come out strongly against eliminating supply management, also seems to be uncertain about what’s next.
“We became the player we are today within the context of supply management so our organization is very comfortable with the system we have in place,” said Dominique Benoit, vice president of institutional affairs and communications at Agropur.
But Agropur, too, has operations in the U.S., which Charlebois says is common among large Canadian dairy companies trying to protect themselves against an end to supply management.
“If you look at acquisitions in recent years, they are certainly hedging against it,” said Charlebois. “There’s lots of hypocrisy going on here, let’s face it.”
Charlebois himself advocates for changes to the supply management system, which he says has trained farmers to become effective cost managers but poor marketers.
He proposes pricing that is based on the top performing farms, not the average producer as it is now. He also recommends reducing some tariffs on imports and creating a second set of quotas reserved specifically for the export market.
“Canada cannot afford to look at the parade pass by. We need to be involved (in the TPP) and review our position on supply management. I don’t think we have much of a choice,” said Charlebois.
He also believes large processors like Saputo, Agropur and Parmalat could benefit from eliminating supply management if they could buy milk in bulk at a lower cost, though there is no guarantee where prices would move.
He said the quota system does protect Canadian farmers and factories – but has failed to protect them from imports. Or to help them sell their milk elsewhere. Under the current system, exports have remained under $300 million a year for the past decade, while imports reached a peak of $900 million in 2014 over the same period.
The end of supply management would hurt his business in the near future, the farmer said. But Canada could eventually become competitive on the world market.


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Kourtney Kardashian shows off real skin without makeup in unedited photo during London trip with husband Travis Barker
KOURTNEY Kardashian has shown off her real skin in an unedited photo while in London.
The mother-of-three went without makeup during the trip with her husband, Travis Barker.
Kourtney posted photos of her vacation on Instagram.
The Poosh founder was in Italy a few days ago and now made her way over to London.
She and Travis appeared to be sightseeing as she posted photos of buildings to her stories.
Kourtney even saw a poster of her sister, Kim, advertising her Beats collab.
The couple then went to eat and Kourtney showed off her real skin.
She appeared to be sitting in a car wearing a black beanie, leather jacket, sunglasses, and white crop top.
Kourtney pouted her lips as her glasses hung on her nose.
The Hulu star went make-up free as she wore a natural lip and her face appeared bare.
Most read in Entertainment
Kourtney, despite looking like she's having a great time, has been ripped by fans for leaving her kids at home.
She left her three children- Mason, Penelope, and Reign, at home with her ex and baby daddy, Scott Disick.
Penelope posted a TikTok with her and Scott at his Los Angeles home while Kourtney posted on her Instagram from London.
In the TikTok, Scott was helplessly assisting Penelope with her math homework, and Kourtney wandered around shopping at Selfridges in London on her Instagram.
Although everyone appeared to be having a good time, fans were upset Kourtney dumped her kids with Scott to go spend some one-on-one time with Travis.
One fan took to an online forum to post: "Kourtney’s been MIA living her middle-aged groupie life this month while Scott’s been with the kids!"
Another said: "[The kids are] not with her in the UK right now."
A third expressed: "Scott just got in a car crash two weeks ago!"
THE REAL KOURT
Kourtney went make-up-free a few weeks ago when she posted photos of herself swimming with her son, Reign.
She took to Instagram to post silly pics of her and the 7-year-old swimming in the pool at her $9million Calabasas mansion.
The pair made funny faces at the camera while neck-deep underwater as the sun beamed down on them.
Kourtney was bare-faced, sporting a bright yellow string bikini, while Reign rocked a pair of white swim trunks, and eye black faded along his cheeks.
The mother-of-three gushed over the quality time she spent with her youngest son in the caption: "Happy Sunday! Xo, Kourtney and Reign."
Kourtney and Travis got married this past May, celebrating with three wedding ceremonies.
The Blink-182 is a father to two children: Landon, 18, and Alabama, 16, with his ex Shanna Moakler.


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For the large part, Indian auto manufacturers and parts suppliers have relied on manual processes to exchange transactional data each day, making it a hot seat for human error, transaction delays and increased processing costs. The new exchange built on IBM Sterling B2B Collaboration Network tech eliminated these inefficiencies by shifting to data exchange of through the cloud.
“This is the first industry wide digital collaboration initiative for the Indian automotive sector and has the potential to transform the entire industry,” said Mr. Vijay Sethi, Chairman, SIAM IT Committee, CIO, Hero MotoCorp Ltd. “AutoDX – using IBM’s cloud computing platform – will greatly improve efficiencies and reduce costs across the entire ecosystem as exchange of information on various critical logistics and financial transactions can be now done seamlessly between supply chain partners without any manual intervention.”
“There has been a lot of inconsistency with how transactional data is shared in India between manufacturers, suppliers and customers, resulting in processing delays, inaccurate transactions and other inefficiencies,” said Sri Karumbati, CIO of SSS Springs and Deputy Chairman of the ACMA Technology Committee. “ACMA and SIAM are excited to come together with IBM and take advantage of its decades of experience in supply chain technology to help build a platform that enables all of our members to exchange data quickly, accurately and in a safe and secure manner.”
ACMA and SIAM expect a majority of its members to adopt the platform by 2014 end making IBM the prevailing provider for Electronic Data Interchange in India for the auto industry. Auto OEMs and suppliers have already integrated AutoDX into their processes, including Tata Motors, Hero MotoCorp, SSS Springs and Sundram Fasteners. The platform benefits will be extended to trading partners, logistics providers, banks and other entities that interact with Indian auto OEMs and suppliers on a regular basis.
“This is a path breaking, industry-wide initiative that seeks to create an overarching platform for the entire Indian automobile industry,” said Jagdish Belwal, CIO, Tata Motors. “This system created by IBM will go a long way in improving overall efficiencies across the entire automotive ecosystem by standardizing the data definitions, data interchange formats and therefore expanding the possibilities of automation.”
IBM has worked closely with ACMA and SIAM to develop common standards specific for the Indian auto industry. As a result, auto manufacturers and suppliers can quickly and easily adopt these standards. The cloud opens additional connections for the Indian auto industry to global organizations that use IBM Sterling B2B Collaboration Network, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) offering.
“Under fierce global competition, companies are increasingly deploying cloud technology to keep pace and dynamically address changes in market demands,” said Venkataraman Neelakantan, Industry Leader – Manufacturing & Natural Resources, IBM India/South Asia. “By combining the emerging power of cloud with our time-tested B2B collaboration network, we can help ACMA and SIAM transform the entire India automotive industry on a massive scale to accelerate their pace of innovation.”


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It's time to digitize power supplies to make them smart enough to work with multiple devices and draw only the power that electronics need, according to start-up Green Plug.
Green Plug today at the Consumer Electronics Show introduced its Green Power Processor, which it said will be available in the second quarter.
Theis a chip designed for digital power supplies, which are meant to be more versatile and efficient than existing analog power adapters.
When built into a power supply, the processor can detect how much voltage and power a device, such as a PC or TV, needs from the grid. That allows electronics to use less energy overall than analog power supplies and to eliminate stand-by or vampire power.
Green Plug, founded in 2006 and based in San Ramon, Calif., is marketing this processor to power supply manufacturers as a way to improve energy efficiency. Power adapters, or supplies, convert alternating current from the grid to the direct current that electronics use.
The company's technology also allows for a single power adapter to serve multiple devices, which would more convenient to consumers, according to the company.
"Chip makers and power supply manufacturers now have the technology they need to undertake the transition from clunky black bricks and wall warts to sleek, efficient digital power adapter architectures capable of exchanging information between the power source and the load and adjusting power use according to product need," Green Plug CEO Frank Paniagua said in a statement.
In October, Green Plug partner U.K.-based Imagination Technologies said its Pure subsidiary will make a digital radio using Green Plug technology to improve the environmental impact of its products.


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Digital advertising’s revival from the recent downturn will be led by mobile, according to new data from PubMatic.
Released overnight, the Q1 2020 Quarterly Mobile Index shows desktop spend fell 25 per cent once COVID-19 hit, while mobile dropped 15 per cent.
While both took a significant hit, the fact mobile has been less impacted by the pandemic will only accelerate the shift from desktop to mobile, said PubMatic SVP of corporate development and general manager of mobile Paulina Klimenko.
“Coronavirus has shifted consumer behaviour towards mobile. As the economy recovers, advertising will follow, giving publishers with advanced mobile advertising capabilities an advantage,” Klimenko said.
“While recent surges in viewership will likely recede through the summer and as stay-at-home orders ease, the preference for mobile will remain, which will drive advertisers to mobile over the long term.”
Despite the dip in advertising revenue, mobile usage continued to rise during the period.
The average user will spend 4 hours and 18 minutes a day on their mobile phone, according to PubMatic, marking 10 per cent growth over the last year.
Mobile’s ‘fortitude’ has been attributed to the surge in app usage.
In APAC specifically, mobile is at the “forefront of its road to recovery”, given the intensification of content consumption and web traffic.
“As ad spend is gradually rising in APAC in tandem with its rehabilitation, mobile is the shining star in its path to recovery — both mobile platform spend and impressions are higher than pre-impact levels and last year by the end of Q1,” the report says.
Those that have continued to advertise have create significant shifts in the programmatic market.
In-app PMP ad spending expands advertisers swung budgets to in-app PMPs, away from open market, In-app PMP spending nearly doubled in each region.
Mobile in-app PMP volume rose 65 per cent during the pandemic while desktop PMP volume fell 20 per cent and in-app volume in the open market fell 15 per cent.
“The downturn that we are experiencing as a result of COVID-19 presents app-developers with a unique opportunity to review their mobile advertising set-ups to improve upon inefficient auctions and to push for more transparency and accountability with partners. To reduce fraud risk inherent in in-app environments, app-developers should also consider the benefits of offering PMP buying to advertisers,” said Klimenko.
“Making these improvements now will offer publishers the greatest opportunity for strategic growth in the coming months.”
MediaCom’s recent hunt for a new CEO went global, ultimately delivering the globetrotting Yaron Farizon to its North Sydney headquarters. And Farizon certainly comes with the right pedigree. Born in Kiev in the Ukraine, educated in Israel, he worked for P&G as a business director for eight years through the UK and Eastern Europe before […]
To mark Majella Pinnuck’s return, AWP spoke to her about why she has come back, the hybrid that skills that today’s large organisations need in their corporate affairs and communications professionals, and the challenge of finding candidates with the right skillset. Pinnuck (pictured) started at AWP after she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Law […]
The Media Federation of Australia (MFA) has launched a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council, consisting of 13 media agency professionals from diverse backgrounds, with the aim of providing guidance to the industry across all facets of diversity and inclusion. The MFA DE&I Advisory Council will promote the MFA’s ambition to build a diverse, equitable […]
One month into the new financial year, Melbourne-based agency Theory Crew has won four new clients across the beauty and FMCG divisions. New clients include the gourmet fruit spread range from France St. Dalfour; organic tea range Higher Living, new to market Australian baby skincare range from Biophysics Group Avo Baby, and soon to be […]
SCA has appointed Commercial Radio Australia Brian White Scholarship winner Zac De Silva (pictured) to its Albury newsroom as it invests in new talent for regional radio newsrooms nationwide. De Silva received the prestigious Brian White Scholarship in 2020 and completed a paid internship at SCA as part of the award. He is just one […]
Spinach has been appointed to manage the media strategy, buying and data capabilities for Australian property developer Beulah. The Melbourne-based developer has several projects in the works including STH BNK by Beulah, one of the most ambitious developments to be undertaken in Australia. With backing from the City of Melbourne’s Future Melbourne Committee, the $2 […]
Digitas, the Connected Marketing Agency, part of Publicis Groupe, has announced the promotion of Adrian Farouk as CEO of Digitas APAC. Farouk (pictured above) is currently CEO of Digitas & Epsilon ANZ, he will take on the new role with immediate effect whilst continuing his leadership at Epsilon, the group’s data and tech platform business […]


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CHICAGO A woman's mood is the biggest motivator when selecting a fragrance, according to recent research by Mintel.
According to Mintel, a consumer research firm, more than half (54%) of female fragrance users decided what fragrance to use based on how they were feeling. The second most popular decision factor (at 31%) was what activity (work function versus personal outing) they were doing. Meanwhile, 26% of users decided fragrance purchase based on the time of day, and 25% decided based on what they were wearing. Women ages 45 years and older tended to wear one fragrance, or a signature scent -- so they were less likely to base their choice on their clothing or mood.
Motivations for fragrance purchase also differed, but the clear favorite, according to Mintel, was in-store samples. Sixty-nine percent of fragrance owners said they were motivated to purchase a new fragrance based on samples they tried in store, while 26% cited a recommendation from a family member or friend as the impetus behind a new purchase.
"Women have to experience a scent to make sure it's appropriate, as there aren't many objective criteria they can use to test smell," stated Kat Fay, senior beauty analyst at Mintel. "Female consumers often [said] that a fragrance smells different on their skin than it does out of the bottle, so trying an in-store sample increases the likelihood that they'll still be happy with their purchase once they get it home."
For women who don't wear a fragrance, 28% said they had no interest in using them, 20% said they were allergic and 14% said they had yet to find a scent they liked.


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Ranchers Excited About New Montana Premium Processing Cooperative in Havre
October 18, 2022
Insight into breaking out of the commodity market and selling meat locally as well as regionally was a panel discussion at the recent Montana Farmers Union Annual Convention in Helena. Bill Jones is general manager of the Montana Premium Processing Cooperative, a new member owned processing facility in Havre. He says it's an exciting opportunity for both producers and consumers.
"The biggest reason is because of the producer," said Jones. "They've been through a lot and they have a lot ahead of them. And to be able to supply them with the opportunity to get their animals processed in the state of Montana in a quality facility that honestly they own is just super exciting."
DeBruycker Charolais of Dutton, Mont. is one of the investors because Brett says more competition is good for cattle producers.
"One of the biggest problems we've got today is dealing with the packing house situation," said DeBruycker. "We just don't have enough competition in the industry. All the money is getting funneled to the top and I'm a firm believer that we need to get more of these local processors going. They're never going to compete directly with the big processor. That's not the point. And I have a large respect for these large processors. So, it's not a problem. It's a matter of trying to create more competition, even at a local level, to try to bring some relief to the industry and try to get some more avenues for marketing for producers."
The co-op will also partner with Montana State University-Northern in Havre to train students in meat cutting and to help develop future curricula in meat processing and business.
"My passion is to teach young people, make it attractive to them and show them a different way to do it," said Jones. "It's not just break your back. It's always going to be hard work but it doesn't have to be as hard work and just attract that next generation for sure."
DeBruycker has this advice for other cattle producers when it comes to investing in local processing and branded beef programs.
"The biggest thing is whatever you do, you have to have passion for it," said DeBruycker. "If you're not going in with 100% commitment and the passion for it, whether it's racing motorcycles or selling beef, you're not going to stick with it. You have to have the commitment and the passion and you'll get there."
The USDA certified facility will be operational in late November and will initially process 3,000 to 3,500 head of cattle, sheep, hogs and bison a year. For more information about the Montana Premium Processing Cooperative, click here.
Source: Western Ag Network
Montana Stockgrowers Association Partners with Massey Ferguson to Launch the Blue and Gold Massey Tractor Raffle
February 23, 2024 - The Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) is excited to announce its refreshed partnership with Massey Ferguson for 2024. Each year MSGA and Massey Ferguson partner and raffle a...


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The PS4 rumors are swirling thick and fast, with February 20 widely being regarded as the day Sony will finally unveil its next generation console. The latest news on that front is that someone managed to take a picture of a working PS4 controller prototype, which has got some new tricks up its sleeve compared to the PS3 controller.
As you’ll notice right off the bat, there is a sizable black strip above the joysticks, which is said to be a touchpad. It’s not a surprise to see Sony incorporating this feature in the PS4′s controller, after the full blown touchscreen on the Wii U. Even the OUYA has a touchpad on its controller, which makes using certain features such as the web browser easier.
There is also a blue strip of light above the controller, which looks like it could glow in multiple colors like the blobs on the Move controllers. Finally, there seems to be a speaker or microphone grille between the two joysticks, both of which have a different design compared to previous Sony controllers.
This is a prototype design, so things could change in the final version. There is also said to be a Share button, which is missing on this model. With just five days to go (assuming the February 20 event is actually about the PS4), we should find out more soon.
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Supply chains have seen unprecedented changes since the beginning of the pandemic, forcing companies throughout the ecosystem to make adjustments in accordance with the needs of the market. Because COVID-19 continues to spread across the world and affect the ways we all live and work, the supply chain will need to adapt accordingly. The following predictions represent the most crucial factors that affect how supply chains will operate in 2022.
E-commerce purchases are at an all-time high, upping shipping needs to a struggling delivery workforce. Shipping prices are likely to increase, particularly for large corporations whose volume is accounting for a decent percentage of a large shipping organization’s work. Shippers will be forced to expand their staff to meet demand to fulfill orders as well, coming off a difficult 2021 of serious struggles to properly staff for demand levels.
There is a great opportunity in the parcel delivery market for one or more organizations to fill the shipping needs of companies who are relying on e-commerce sales for the majority of their revenue. Amazon may become more of a force in final mile deliveries if they choose to expand their business in this way, though they, too, seem to be plenty busy with their own deliveries, so it would require a serious investment. The USPS is expected to expand their capabilities in 2022, with nearly two pandemic years under their belt but the question remains whether they are the most reliable choice for larger corporations to depend on year-round.
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise going into 2022, it is clear that we are far from a “normal” where consumers spend excesses of time shopping in person and bringing their purchases home themselves.
The pandemic has significantly impacted ocean shipping, forcing unprecedented delays and frustrations for each party involved in the supply chain. Freight rates have skyrocketed, making ocean freight much pricer than consumers are used to and for a much slower delivery time. Even more concerning than delivery times and pricing though is the availability of goods. Many manufacturers have been struggling to stay open with COVID cases running through their workforces. There have also been plenty of exporting difficulties between nations with differing COVID policies in place, such as China and the United States.
Also important to watch is if and how the United States updates its regulation of ocean freight. Any changes in their regulations will impact all industries and will take logistics managers time to adjust to, causing delays and surely disrupting if many exports will be able to happen. And as always, geopolitical tensions may cause unwanted disruptions to ocean shipping, as conflicts in and amongst countries such as China, Russia and Iran will have far reaching implications.
Air cargo is projected to continue growing in 2022, as it has over the last two years. With demand for goods being so high and commercial airlines selling fewer tickets as Omicron surges, there is a desperate need to fill airliners with anything that can turn a profit. Freight forwarders have found much success in partnering with carriers for charter arrangements, getting their clients’ goods where they need to go safely, efficiently but for a higher cost. If airline passenger volume continues to decline in 2022, there will likely be more airliners shifting to cargo charter arrangements for full-time usage.
Although this winter season has only just started, large swaths of the country have already been hit with major snowstorms, which always impact how efficiently cargo can be transported. Much of these storms have hit in unexpected areas, making the safe delivery of goods even more complicated. Above average precipitation levels are expected this winter in large parts of the North and Midwest, which freight forwarders should prepare for as much as possible. Moving into the spring and summer, temperatures are projected to be above average, possibly causing more devastating wildfires that will surely disrupt supply chain efficiencies.
More Supply Chain Questions?
If you are left with any questions about how supply chains will be impacted in 2022, contact us and we’ll be happy to help you understand how this could impact your business and what you should do about it.


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This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Innovation benefits stemming from the combination of Gillette and Procter & Gamble will come more quickly than with P&G's acquisitions of Clairol and Wella, Chairman and CEO AG Lafley states during a presentation at a Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference Feb. 24 in Scottsdale, Ariz. In response to questions from analysts regarding slower than anticipated hair color innovation sharing, Lafley notes the two earlier acquisitions faced unique challenges, including the lack of a full product pipeline at Clairol and integration obstacles with Wella due to "idiosyncracies" in German law. Gillette is an innovation-driven company with a full product pipeline, Lafley says. Initial innovation sharing opportunities include women's hair removal, men's grooming and powered products, he adds...
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In the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, Brake Parts Inc (BPI) has made a donation to the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation (AACF) to support their efforts to help auto care industry members affected by the recent natural disaster in North and South Carolina.
“Many of our fellow industry members have been hard hit by tragic effects of the most recent hurricane and the flooding that followed,” David Overbeeke, president and CEO of Brake Parts Inc. “BPI has a strong history of helping those in need, whether in our community or across the country, and we are proud to support AACF and their efforts to provide assistance to those in the aftermarket that are trying to recover from this devastating situation.”
Since 1959, Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation has assisted individuals and families of the automotive aftermarket. These individuals have fallen on hard times due to death, catastrophic illness or accident and have exhausted all other available resources in maintaining a reasonable existence. The AACF is the only charity that focuses on persons and their families employed in the automotive aftermarket industry.
With its donation, Brake Parts Inc has reached the AACF diamond supporter level. To make a donation to the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation or to seek assistance for someone in need, visit www.aacfi.org.
About Brake Parts Inc
Brake Parts Inc (BPI) is committed to leading the global automotive aftermarket as the premier manufacturer and supplier of brake system components, including its respected flagship Raybestos® brand. The company’s primary focus is the growth and profitability of its customers through a collaborative platform of quality, innovation, dedication and integrity. A supplier to major auto parts organizations, BPI has a demonstrated commitment to research, development and testing of its entire product offering, including friction, rotors, drums, calipers and hydraulic products, ensuring that they meet or exceed original equipment fit, form and function requirements. For more information, visit www.brakepartsinc.com.
For the latest news and information on the global automotive aftermarket industry, visit https://aftermarketintel.com.


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Troy Surratt’s preoccupation with the details is paying off.
The makeup artist — who is often called “beauty otaku” (or someone with an obsessive interest in makeup) when traveling in Japan to tend to the creation of his namesake collection Surratt — is gearing up for growth.
Surratt will soon expand the cosmetics brand to Sephora, Net-a-porter, Harrods in London and Mecca in Australia.
The line will launch on sephora.com on March 17, and then on April 20 roll out to 27 Sephora doors with plans to end the year in 40 doors. Sephora will house the collection along two three-foot gondolas.
“Sephora is the vortex of beauty and makeup. It’s a candy store where you can lose yourself,” said Surratt. The line is also slated to launch at Net-a-porter and Harrods at the end of March, and at Mecca in July. It is currently sold at Barneys New York and Liberty in London.
After spending four years on research and development, Surratt launched a sizable collection of 106 items at Barneys New York in October 2013. Inspired by Surratt’s fascination with Japanese beauty products, the line includes a system of shapes that allows women to create personalized palettes, along with items such as Smoky Eye Baton and Autographique Liner.
“Women have really responded to the customization aspect of the line,” said Surratt. He has already expanded shade ranges across certain items, and there’s also a new complexion product slated for fall.
Heleyne Tamir, chief executive officer of Surratt, said, “In our first year, sales have exceeded all forecasts. Our initial launch at Barneys resulted in immediate sell-outs of products and our opening at Liberty is said to have been their most successful color launch to date. This coupled with consumer excitement over the new Artistique Brush collection has propelled the numbers. With the new strategic retail partnerships in place for 2015, we anticipate growth of ten times our current sales volume.”
As for how Surratt maps out its retail distribution strategy, the makeup artist said he asks a simple question, “Is it a place that I would like to shop myself?”


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Prisoners are now using drones for drug delivery
Drones are quickly becoming a popular tool for companies around the world, from Amazon to a Swedish institute is testing the delivery of defibrillators to heart-attack patients. And now, even prisoners are using civilian drones to have contraband delivered to them within prison walls, NY Daily News reports.
Inmates are recognizing drones' "potential value as tools for bad deeds," per the Daily News. In the past five years, there have been over a dozen attempts to transport things like porn, drugs, and mobile phones into federal prisons, according to documents obtained by USA TODAY.
Why it matters: In the past, inmates bribed visitors or guards to sneak them things like drugs or other small items, but drones open up "the possibility of transporting much bigger and much more lethal items like guns" into the facility.


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That camber doesn’t look right.
Rumors have been swirling and spy photos have been taken of the new, top-secret Ferrari LaFerrari XX being tested by the Italian automaker. The super-exclusive, track-focused hypercar will likely be the fastest production vehicle that Ferrari has ever made, but it looks like it has a few kinks to work out before it goes into production.
Luckily, NM2255 Car HD Videos was able to film the prototype as it was going through its paces at the Monza circuit. During the test laps, the driver must’ve pushed the car past its mechanical limits because one of the suspension pieces breaks at the 2:10-mark and you can see some serious camber issues going on with the passenger-side rear wheel.
Either that, or Ferrari is also developing some super-top-secret automatically-adjustable suspension system that changes the camber. But, we’re guessing that’s not the case.
Source: NM2255 Car HD Videos


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ITRA's Gragg leaves to start consulting firm
International Tire & Rubber Association (ITRA) Technical Director Bill Gragg is retiring from the
association at the end of the month to launch a consulting firm for retreaders and retread industry suppliers.
The new company, Retreading Solutions Inc., will be based in Louisville, Ky.
"Retreading Solutions will consult worldwide," Gragg says, with emphasis on the Central and South American markets. He already has signed several clients, including Vipal Rubber.
Gragg has been with ITRA for seven years.


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Zynga offers version of 'CityVille' in China
TECHNOLOGY Zynga looks at huge Asian market - away from Facebook
Zynga Inc.'s nearly exclusive reliance on Facebook has proven lucrative, but the social games giant on Tuesday announced a deal with another Internet partner in a play to break into the potentially vast market in China.
San Francisco's Zynga hooked up with Tencent, China's popular Internet service portal, to launch a localized version of "CityVille," its popular virtual city building social game.
Screenshots the company released showed the beta version of "Zynga City" shares the basic DNA of the Facebook version of "CityVille," down to game pieces like Tuscan Villas and Timeshare Towers familiar to current players.
But "Zynga City" includes game pieces such as a Temple of Heaven and a street peddler that it said will be more familiar to Chinese audiences, who will also play the game in their native language.
Zynga, also known for popular Facebook games "FarmVille" and "Empires & Allies," announced plans this month to raise $1 billion in an initial stock offering that would bring an implied valuation of the company of $10 billion.
According to data from the research firm Inside Network of Palo Alto, "CityVille" leads Facebook applications with 80 million monthly active users. Zynga has reported 2010 revenue of $597.5 million, with a net income of $90.6 million. The company generates most of its revenue from a small number of social game players who pay for virtual in-game goods.
"Zynga's massive success has been due, in part, to their realization that social gaming was going to be huge, and thus they took a land grab approach," said analyst Lou Kerner of Wedbush Securities. "Their move to bring 'CityVille' to China is just a continuation of that land grab mentality that has served them so well."
But in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Zynga said a risk factor to its business comes from the fact that "substantially all" of its first-quarter revenue is tied to Facebook.
And Zynga has also disclosed that its five-year deal with Facebook that began in 2010 includes exclusivity rights for certain games on the Facebook platform, including "FarmVille," "PetVille," "FishVille," "Treasure Isle," "Mafia Wars," "YoVille," "Cafe World" and "Live Poker."
But Zynga's deal with Tencent may be a way to appease critics who say the company is far too reliant on Facebook. And the deal gives Zynga a door into the world's largest Internet market, where Facebook is banned.
"They have to move away from Facebook and become app-everywhere, like Microsoft recently has, and away from the walled-garden model, which has been proven to fail," said Sam Hamadeh, chief executive officer of PrivCo, a New York firm that monitors private companies.
A beta version of "Zynga City" went live on Tencent's Pengyou platform Tuesday, with a wider rollout expected later on other Tencent platforms, including QZone.


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Seven years ago, Peach & Lily was born as a K-beauty retailer. In 2018, the brand pivoted to creating its own Korean beauty products, and released its three latest offerings last month: two masks (one clay and one overnight) and an undereye stick that cools and depuffs. Within 24 hours, all three had sold out.
While successful on the surface, underneath, rolling them out was way more complicated than Peach & Lily founder and CEO Alicia Yoon had anticipated.
One of Peach & Lily’s newest products
When she first decided to expand the brand and create a skincare line, Yoon visited several of the top labs in Korea to find chemists to work with. But her demands regarding the products’ components—such as using the Asian mountain yam extract, peptide complex and peach extract found in Peach & Lily’s signature Glass Skin Refining Serum, while excluding other ingredients completely—made many labs turn her away, saying it would be near impossible to create effective products to her specifications.
However, Yoon told Adweek, she was willing to wait. The brand had not—and still hasn’t—accepted any outside funding, and the retail side of its business allowed the team to be patient when it came to product development.
Peach & Lily founder and CEO Alicia Yoon
“Developing the brand took a long time because we really wanted zero compromises,” she said. “I told [the labs], ‘Listen, we have the other parts of our business—we don’t have to launch this. There’s no product development timeline. If we need to take 10 years, we can do that.’”
It didn’t quite take 10 years. Yoon eventually found a lab that not only agreed to work with them, but committed to letting all 40 of its chemists have a hand in development, unusual for a small, new brand. Peach & Lily’s initial business as a K-beauty retailer gave it the cushion to create truly effective products.
“When you’re coming up with new solutions and really pushing innovation, sometimes you get it in, like, three months,” she said. “But sometimes, we’ve had to spend two years on that part.”
“These innovations were completely missing” in the U.S.
Yoon is willing to take the time to pursue her ultimate mission: bringing Korean innovation to the United States. What’s separated K-beauty from its American counterparts is the variety of ingredients—as Yoon put it: “These innovations were completely missing from the beauty shelves in the U.S.”
“We never want to create a product that’s just great to use but we’re not really clear who it’s for and what it’s for.”
Alicia Yoon, founder and CEO of Peach & Lily
Thanks in part to retailers like Peach & Lily, that’s no longer the case. According to ecommerce analysis firm Slice Intelligence, Korean beauty and skincare in the U.S. grew nearly 300% over the past two years. It’s a worldwide phenomenon, too: According to market intelligence agency Mintel, K-beauty was responsible for a whopping $13.1 billion in global sales in 2018. (Though that’s still just a sliver of the overall $532 billion that the global cosmetic economy is worth, according to Zion Market Research.)
Though Peach & Lily’s own product line is still a small player in that game, it’s seen success since its initial launch: Beyond the one-day sellout of its latest drop, earlier this year the line was expanded to all Ulta locations. Yoon believes a factor in the brand’s early success can be credited to its openness. For example, rather than teasing what new products are coming, the brand opens up about what’s coming—and what it’s made of—on its social channels.
“We really believe in transparency and this two-way conversation with our community, just sharing a little bit more behind the scenes,” she said.
The customer-to-brand side of that conversation helps formulate what comes next. After the first round of products was released in 2018, Yoon said they were able to use what they learned from that experience to engineer what would come in the next product drop.


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December is usually when people are looking to deck their own halls—not buy new ones. But buying a home in December and January can be a smart move.
Michael Corbett, Trulia real estate expert and a bestselling author, is a big fan of the holiday season, what he likes to call “the lull.” He says that savvy home buyers should take advantage of this time if they’re serious about buying.
“Mortgage rates are low now,” Corbett says. “The price increases that are common in metro markets are slowing, even showing an average 19% price increase last year, now showing signs of cooling.”
Corbett explains why the holidays are no time to take a long winter’s nap if you want to buy a home.
“There isn’t a lot of competition. People know they’re going to be busy or traveling during the holidays, so most deals have been wrapped up or people have put off looking until after the New Year. There are still homes on the market, but not as many people gunning for them. This is an advantage to both buyers.”
Would other key people in the equation, such as realtors and mortgage brokers, also be scarce?
Realtors love this time of year. They say they get a lot of business done because the people who are out looking are serious. As a buyer, your broker will have more time to focus on you, as opposed to other times of the year when they might be juggling more clients. You may not be able to close before the end of the year, but it’s a good time to get something under contract.
Could a homebuyer miss or overlook something while buying in the dead of winter?
Buying in winter may be the ultimate litmus test for a home, since all the big systems such as heating, plumbing and the roof and gutters are put to the test in the cold. Some of the curb appeal may be gone, but fixing landscaping is a lot less expensive than finding out months later that your boiler doesn’t work.
So if you’re looking to buy a home… in addition to that holiday shopping list; get started on that “must-haves” list and that “nice-to-haves” list and contact a Patrick Parker Realty expert today!


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Along with our Cyber Monday deal, customers are still able to order any of the previous offers included in the 12 days of Christmas promotion
Past News ReleasesRSS
Bradenton, FL (PRWEB) November 26, 2010
Following hot on the heels of the fantastic Black Friday deal which saw Totally Wicked customers able to grab 25% off electronic cigarettes and e-smoking accessories, Cyber Monday will see another day of online bargains!
Cyber Monday arrives just about half way through Totally Wicked E-Liquid’s unique 12 days of Christmas advent calendar promotion. So far, e-smokers have been able to help themselves to discounted E-NIC (electronic nicotine imitation cigarette) kits, E-Cigars, E-Liquids and other related goodies.
Mr Wicked reminds us, “Along with our Cyber Monday deal, customers are still able to order any of the previous offers included in the 12 days of Christmas promotion, right up to and including our twelfth night on December 6th 2010. If you missed one of our earlier offers, simply check out the advent calendar on the websites (both UK and US) homepages to select your favourites!”
Mr Wicked was also keen to point out that there are still plenty more treats and surprises to come between now and December 6th.
The Totally Wicked Christmas party has generated plenty of buzz within e-smoking communities and around the web and it’s set to increase still further when the Cyber Monday offer is unveiled this November 29th.


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Facebook’s early investors and a handful of top executives become eligible on Thursday to sell stock they own in the social networking company. It marks the beginning of a time-honored process for public companies, which will culminate in the fall, when many Facebook employees receive the same right to sell their shares.
High tech gadgets have become a number one seller during the holidays. With the new toys arriving, many older items get dumped, but before tossing out that old phone or laptop this Christmas you should think about selling them for extra cash?
DETROIT (AMP Radio) – Eminem is known for his edgy lyrics and his incredible beats, but there’s more to the man than simply his music. Music, which has been birthded from not only oppression but […]


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Hugely popular hip-hop artist Jay-Z has announced a new record titled Magna Carta Holy Grail, and in a bold move, it will be available first to owners of Samsung's Galaxy smartphones at no cost.
The first rule of iPhone is that it never, never goes on sale. The second rule of iPhone is that when iPhone does go on sale, it's only last year's model, or even older. The third rule of iPhone is that when this year's model goes on sale, a new model is coming soon.
In other words, the giant that sold almost 400 million phones last year is getting bigger. And faster.
South Korean electronics titan Samsung expects to take in an enormous $7.7 billion (8.7 trillion won) operating profit for the first quarter of 2013.
Apple fans, do you feel lucky?
Are people trading in their iPhones for Samsung's new Galaxy S IV?
That new Android-based smartphone from the biggest phone manufacturer in the world and the big New York launch, the massive screen, and the 13-megapixel camera? Looks like it's pre-selling like the prototypical mobile hotcakes.
Microsoft's going on the offensive against Samsung's best-selling Galaxy S III in a new ad focusing on Windows Phone cameras, like the one in Nokia's Lumia 920.
Editor's Pick The more Samsung "adds value" to Android by customizing a version of it for the Galaxy line of phones, the more it will suck.
77 percent of all new smartphones and tablets activated in the enterprise last quarter were Apple devices, according to a new report from Good Technology.
Apple might have some problems keeping investors interested, but consumers are clearly still Apple-hungry for the iPhone.
So Apple has top market share in the U.S., and Samsung is close on its heels, that much we know. But the sheer scale of the dominance is simply shocking.
Sales of the Galaxy S III helped Samsung make a massive $8.3 billion last quarter.
In every year, there are winners and losers: companies, devices, operating systems. Here's our look at some of the biggest successes and failures of 2012.
Samsung acknowledged today that the CPU used in many of its phones, including the massively popular Galaxy S III, is vulnerable to a particular type of hack that can give attackers full access to your phone.
Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy Grand smartphone today, and yes, it is a phone with a massive 5" screen. Unfortunately, while the size of the screen may be grand, its quality isn't.
The iPhone 5 probably won't sell as much as Samsung's Galaxy S III this year, but it did win another coveted prize: Time Magazine's gadget of the year.
Could it be the Galaxy S IV?
As a recent video shows, Samsung goes through a lot of work to make sure its devices can survive day-to-day abuse.
Score one for Samsung in this long-running patent battle that started way back in August with that billion-dollar judgement against the Korean company.


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Auto dealers adjust to online sales
Auto dealers across the state are taking extra precautions to ensure safety and counting on manufacturer-backed customer incentives to attract buyers after losing the best three sales months of the year.
The car industry, like many businesses, has seen losses since February, as the pandemic unfolded and stay-at-home orders were issued.
Statistics compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis showed a decrease in total sales nationally from an annual rate of about 17.2 million vehicles in January to just over 8.8 million in April.
Missouri auto sales have seen a similar drop, said Doug Smith, president and CEO of the Missouri Automobile Dealers Association.
Sales in Missouri plummeted by 30-50 percent from prior year figures because of the pandemic. In recent years, Missourians have registered about 225,000 new cars annually, 60,000 trucks and 6,000 motorcycles.
New cars are still being purchased, Smith said, and several incentives are available.
“Service is kind of trending the same way,” Smith said. “The body shops have stayed daily busy because of the hailstorm that went through in late March. Customer traffic is down, naturally, but the folks who are contacting dealers are generally being sold new vehicles.”
Over the past 15 years, the three best months for selling cars nationally has been March, April and May, with an average of 1.4 million vehicles a month. August is the only month outside that period that matches that average.
Internet traffic to dealer websites has increased 75-80 percent, as many people work and do business from home, Smith said. He adds that many local dealers may change the way they do business online in the future because of this trend.
“That is the way people are shopping these days because they have been required to stay indoors,” Smith said. “So, it’s been somewhat of a struggle, but it could have been a whole lot worse.”
Stephen Nagel, general manager and managing partner of Joe Machens Ford Lincoln, wrote in an email that dealers have seen the move to online sales.
“While challenging, we have quickly adapted to meet our customers’ needs with increased remote purchases, online-only transactions, at-home deliveries and complimentary service pick-ups,” Nagel wrote. “As the situation evolves, we will continue to monitor federal, state and local guidance to implement any needed protocols to best protect those we employ and serve.”
What kind of selection customers will find in the months ahead is another obstacle the industry is facing. Manufacturing plants are facing their own challenges across the nation and world in an effort to keep employees safe.
“The biggest problem right now is the factories being shuttered because of the stay-at-home in Michigan and other manufacturing states,” Smith said. “UAW is complying with the orders, but that will probably be the biggest issue going forward for the next 6-8 weeks.”
Without enough merchandise to sell, Smith said many dealers across the state are trying to stock up on pre-owned vehicles. That is driving up prices for used cars, cutting into profits.
“Sometimes it’s just not cost-effective for a dealer to purchase a used vehicle at an auction if they don’t see enough of a profit margin in it,” Smith said. “So the manufacturing component is the newest wrinkle in all of this.”
Dealers are also concerned that the virus could re-emerge this fall.
“Say November rolls around and we are right back to plan B,” Smith said. “What do we do then? They (dealers) were able to weather one storm, but what happens if there is another pandemic and additional stay-at-home orders later in the fall?”
In the meantime, dealers across the state and nation are taking a number of precautions to ensure customer safety. At Joe Machens, social distancing guidelines are in effect and staff are pulling double duty to ensure areas open to the public are safe.
“As an essential business under Missouri’s stay-at-home order, our dealerships have remained open. In accordance with CDC guidelines, we have implemented protocols to minimize human-to-human contact and help ensure a safe, clean shopping experience,” Nagel wrote.
“During this time, we have encouraged advance appointments to reduce showroom traffic; increased the frequency and scope of our cleaning; and implemented a thorough vehicle sanitation process for intake, diagnostics, returns and test-drives.”
Pandemic car buying
Kelly Blue Book offers several tips for getting the best deal on a car during the pandemic. Among them:
>> Look for a 2019 still in dealer stock. Popular 2020 models are likely to be in short supply until factories rebuild parts supplies and shipments.
>> Be careful about payment-deferral purchase plans. Unless it is a zero-interest deal, interest will accrue on the balance while no payments are being made. On a $30,000, 5-year loan, that could add $600 in long-term costs.
>> Consider leasing rather than buying to lower car payments if the pandemic has changed driving habits and cut the number of annual miles.


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Attendees walking past the Sony PlayStation booth at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco in 2012. The PlayStation and Microsoft's Xbox consoles were experiencing a possible hack on their online sites.
December 26, 2014 A group calling itself Lizard Squad has claimed responsibility for a possible denial-of-service attack against the tech companies' online game sites.
Sony Computer Entertainment President and CEO Andrew House introduces the new PlayStation 4 at an Electronic Entertainment Expo media briefing in Los Angeles on Monday.
Jae C. Hong/AP
June 11, 2013 It's that time again, when the video game gods unveil the new beasts that they will soon release into the wild and see who comes out on top. But at its E3 presentation this week, Sony may have taken the early lead with its PS4, a next-generation system with features that seem aimed at those disappointed with Microsoft's Xbox One.
The new Xbox One entertainment and gaming system was unveiled Tuesday by Microsoft. The console includes live TV and advanced voice commands.
Ted S. Warren/AP
May 21, 2013 Microsoft unveiled its new Xbox One Tuesday, displaying a device that takes new steps in game consoles' journey into becoming all-purpose entertainment and communication devices. The new console replaces the Xbox 360, which has been on the market for more than seven years.
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As mobile games gain popularity, some traditional game developers have taken note and created simpler games.
April 3, 2012 Mobile games like Angry Birds and Draw Something have gained huge popularity partly because of one asset: simplicity. As a result, the traditional video game industry is taking note. But not all of them are following the same route.
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Samsonite, the luggage maker owned by buyout shop CVC and the Royal Bank of Scotland, is considering a $1 billion initial public offering in Hong Kong, Reuters reported, citing a story in the Sunday Times. The Luxembough-based company has hired Goldman Sachs as an advisor.
(Reuters) – Luxembourg-based luggage maker Samsonite is considering a $1 billion initial public offering in Hong Kong, the Sunday Times reported without citing sources.
Samsonite [CMERNS.UL], which is owned by private equity firm CVC [CVC.UL] and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L) following a debt restructuring last year, has appointed Goldman Sachs to advise it on its options which could include a flotation, refinancing or trade sale, said the paper.
A spokesman for CVC declined to comment on the story when contacted by Reuters.
Samonsite was impacted by the downturn in travel during the financial crisis but sales of its suitcases have since recovered and if the firm maintains its current performance, it will post profit of $200 million this year, the paper added.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by David Cowell)


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Literal bitcoin bros the Winklevii have made a habit over the past five years of making statements that simultaneously make you question how they got into Harvard, and yet also understand how Zuck allegedly nicked the idea for Facebook off them.
Who, for instance, can forget their assertion that bitcoin was a better store of value than gold because Elon will eventually mine an asteroid full of the shiny stuff, leading to a ruinous supply/demand imbalance?
But we’re not sure even that compares to this tweet from Cameron Winklevoss on Wednesday about yet another subject that every bitcoin bro is suddenly an expert on: inflation.
The Dollar Store is raising prices 25%. The vast majority of goods they sell will be priced at $1.25 starting in 2022.
If you use the Dollar Store as a proxy for inflation rather than the Consumer Price Index, inflation is closer to 25% than the widely reported 6%. Ouch.
— Cameron Winklevoss (@cameron) November 23, 2021
Given this alarming discovery we thought, why not create an index so this particular Winklevii can track the tumultuous path of inflation since Dollar Tree’s founding all the way back in 1986?
May we present to you, the Contrarian Winklevii Index:
If you’re interested in licensing this proprietary data please contact an FT Alphaville team member for full details. There will be a 25 per cent price rise from Monday to account for inflation, so get it while you can.
Hat tip: Joe Weisenthal.


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If you're like millions of other Americans, you've spent much of your last week or so playing Pokemon Go.
Video Games are an ubiquitous part of our lives. You can find people wandering the streets playing Pokémon Go, or spending hours playing massive multiplayer online games. Because they hold such value in our everyday lives, ...
The rise of online audiences watching video gamers stream themselves playing isn't simply a new form of entertainment seen by millions. It's also driving video game sales, and drawing the attention of federal regulators.
The Federal Trade Commission says Warner Bros. has agreed to settle charges that it deceived consumers by not properly disclosing that it paid those with big followings on YouTube and social media to promote a video game.