text:
The banking industry is on the verge of a transformation in the next few years. To a large extent, it has been transformed but the technological impact is expected to make a major splash in the future. As per banking news today it is not about technology, but digital transformation, customer behaviour along with evolving regulatory requirements have made the banking industry as a major evaluation.
Customer behaviour patterns have undergone a major change
It goes on without saying that the evolution of the banking industry is a prime example of change as far as customer behaviour is concerned. The concept of collecting information has changed a lot in the last few years. To put things in right perspective customers are interested in digital communication where things are made simple but effective. It is a great feeling to figure out digital and technological trends in terms of banking communications.
They are outcomes of the customized demands of customers. In order to sum up the behaviour of a customer in a single line, banks have taken note of the fact that the needs of a customer have to be completely addressed. The experience of the customer is an important component in digital marketing services.
Modern technology is becoming more and more data-oriented and fresh data protection protocols have become the norm of the industries. This is going to be an added challenge taking into consideration the customer experiences. The emphasis is expected to be more to a customer with a nominal touch.
By this process, the degree of threats associated with the regulatory process would be reduced. In the meantime, the optimization could make the system more efficient as well. Customer reliable platforms are going to be the future of the banking industry. You have to take into account that technology is the core of all banking procedures.
Measures to cut down the risk factor
The onus is on a borrower to look for possible threats as it has a key role to analyse and worry about the efficacy in order to pay back varying loan amounts. The service providers in the financial domain have a huge role as they are the ones who have complete knowledge about the clients. For financial companies, they are financial drivers.
But with changing trends, the drivers of financial business services have to transform. The focus has always been towards managing customer relationships. In order to ensure that the business is not affected and the relationship with customers is stable, you have to come up with new products or viable business models. This is an area where financial threats are nominal in stature.
Change in the scenario from a lenders point of view
A lot of emphases has been put on customer behaviour over a period of time. In fact liabilities of the lenders along with the economic challenges would be decisive factors. Taking into consideration whether or not to grant loans would work out to be a decisive factor.
In the present situation, liabilities are something that is rolled under the carpet. For high-value payments proper analysis is called for.
AI a vital cog in the wheel
Technology along with data has been termed as game changers so concepts like AI have turned a new leaf over. AI is expected to streamline the banking procedures in a major way. Take a cue of automation, technology makes the process productive and effective at the same time. Automation ensures that the entire process is accomplished in a cost-effective way. Just banks have to ensure the privacy of the data of customers that have linked up with them.
Revenue and Business boasting models
Banking experience at a personalized level has been given a lot of importance. This is an important aspect that needs to keep the competitors at bay. In fact, the banking industry is turning towards digital evolution in a big way. Based on the same technology financial companies are devising their strategy.
Digital transformation upgrades have opened by new avenues by which customers interact. To put it in specific terms internet banking has changed the manner by which customers interact with banks. C Coupled with the changes in banking regulations makes it technology savvy. The industry has gone on to undergo an operational transformation. Not only in terms of customer experience, but even back-office systems have also been upgraded and enhanced. The benefit of core banking is on anticipated lines.
To cut down on the manpower requirements use of tools would be the future. One of the notable features of RPA in banking is how operations are conducted in a cost-effective way. An interesting trend is that banks have already gone on to use it for the replacement of their employees and through RPA the future of the banking industry is expected to be revolutionized.
The impact of cloud computing in the industry is already seen and felt. A lot of thought has gone on to the emergence of this concept in the banking domain. Even in the remote corners of the country, the acceptance of this form of technology has gained prominence. It goes on to integrate all the units of a bank and even streamlines access to data where the growth is nothing short of phenomenal. It is growing at a bigger scale and at a massive level even. This is hardly a matter of surprise.
A reliable platform to obtain all banking related information is Business-Standard. But before you enrol for their digital paper, flip through the terms and conditions. As part of the registration procedure, you have to incorporate the compulsory details. No need to worry as all the information is expected to be safe and secure which includes your password. They are going to rely on the information that the customer provides to them. Every registration is available for a single user only as you would be given a user id along with a password. Do not share the details with anyone.


text:
Sixty-three other people were infected with salmonella-related raw turkey products during an outbreak that began in November 2017, the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday.
As of December 21, 279 cases of salmonella associated with raw turkey had been reported in 41 states and in the District of Columbia. Among them, 107 people were hospitalized and one death was reported in California.
Six cases have been reported in Colorado.
Sick people reported using many types and brands of raw turkey, and the CDC could not find the origin of the outbreak. He therefore goes ahead with the recalls and advises consumers to take precautions when they buy and eat raw turkey.
The agency offers a list of recalled turkey products related to this outbreak.
Non-typhoid salmonella is transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food and is often the cause of diarrhea in the United States and around the world. Another risk factor is the handling of pet reptiles, such as turtles.
Whenever raw meat is prepared, it must be thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any organisms present. Anyone preparing raw meat should wash their hands thoroughly before and after.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture recommends not washing the turkey before it is prepared because of the risk of introducing bacteria into raw meat juices.
The CDC also wants consumers to think about their animals throughout this epidemic and refrain from feeding their mates rough encounters because of a similar possibility of disease.
Symptoms of salmonella disease include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Stomach cramps can begin as early as 12 to 72 hours after exposure. Most people are sick for four to seven days and recover without treatment.
Diarrhea can become serious in case of electrolyte imbalance and dehydration of the body. The infection can also travel from the intestines to the bloodstream and cause a more widespread infection throughout the body.
People who may need special attention with regard to salmonella include children under 5, adults over 65 and those with weakened immune systems.

domain: news


text:
DataPop closed its Series A financing round with $1.7 million. Rincon Ventures led the funding, IA Ventures, Momentum Ventures, Accelerator Ventures and a group of angel investors also participated. DataPop is a California-based paid search ad management platform that creates high performing ad campaigns.
DataPop [http://www.datapop.com], a paid search ad management platform that creates high performing ad campaigns optimized for relevance, has closed a round of funding for $1.7 million in capital led by Rincon Ventures and with participation by IA Ventures, Momentum Ventures, Accelerator Ventures and a group of angel investors.
“Of the 23 companies that have gone through LaunchPad LA, DataPop is clearly one of the strongest based on the quality of their team and technology”
“DataPop was founded to free marketers from the minutiae of manually managing online ad campaigns. Our technology platform is the first to enable marketers to use the unique attributes of their offers to dynamically generate customized, higher performing ad campaigns,” said Jason Lehmbeck, CEO/Co-Founder of DataPop. “We are thrilled to have brought together such a great group of investors, and with this infusion of capital DataPop can continue scaling our platform to meet customer demand.”
“When considering an investment opportunity, we focus on Team, Market and Customer Value Proposition,” said Jim Andelman of Rincon Venture Partners. “The DataPop team brings significant knowledge and expertise from their years at Overture and Yahoo! Search. The search advertising market is enormous, and DataPop’s unique technology platform helps this market grow by increasing advertisers’ campaign performance and scale.”
DataPop was recently chosen by LaunchPad LA [http://www.launchpad.la] to participate in their mentorship program. Created by Mark Suster from GRP Partners, LaunchPad LA combines the best VCs in Southern California, many experienced CEOs and entrepreneurs, and a very select group of service providers who are committed to working with early-stage companies.
“Of the 23 companies that have gone through LaunchPad LA, DataPop is clearly one of the strongest based on the quality of their team and technology,” said Mark Suster, Partner, GRP Partners. “For years Los Angeles has been a hub for performance marketing technology, and we are excited to see DataPop lead the next wave of innovation and create a company that impacts the LA tech scene the way Overture first did.”
The DataPop technology has already delivered breakthrough results for many leading consumer brands, helping them stretch their advertising dollars through increased ad performance and substantial cost savings.
“DataPop’s platform fills a significant need for important clients such as La-Z-Boy, as we continue to innovate in an increasingly competitive search marketplace. DataPop’s ability to leverage all of our clients’ offer data in campaigns helps us consistently deliver relevant ad experiences throughout the funnel and optimize them over time,” said Mike Margolin, Vice President at leading ad agency RPA.
The DataPop platform intelligently and algorithmically generates keywords, landing pages, geo-targets, and ad copy by leveraging an advertiser’s offer data, such as pricing details, promotions, product specs, and retail locations. Each offer is matched to a searcher’s specific intent, and the result is the creation of potentially millions of relevant ads that deliver higher response rates and increased advertiser ROI. DataPop is currently in private beta and will be rolling out a self-serve platform throughout the coming year.
DataPop’s mission is to make marketers lives easier and give them the technology they need to build ads that people love to click on. The company was founded in 2008 by Yahoo! and Overture Services alums Jason Lehmbeck, CEO/Co-Founder and John Zimmerman, COO/Co-Founder.


text:
Goodman Fielder's New Zealand operations could undergo a major shake-up to counter what the firm's new chief executive describes as an unacceptable earnings performance.
The Australasian food firm's books tumbled into the red as it wrote down the value of its baking business.
The company lost $A167 million in the year to the end of June, a turnaround from the $A161 million profit recorded a year earlier.
Weak trading in the company's baking division forced an $A300 million non-cash impairment charge during the year.
If that charge is stripped out, profit still fell 17% to $S133 million.
Sales fell almost four percent to $A2.6 billion.
Goodman Fielder's brands in New Zealand include Meadowlea, Vogels and Edmond's.
The company's new chief executive, Chris Delaney, is part way through a major review of the company, and says he's become very aware the company's divisions are operating with a silo mentality.
Three retail divisions operate in the same New Zealand and Australian market and there is a significant duplication of effort including in warehousing, logisitics, and selling.
"The other day I was in a store and we had four retail sales reps in the store at the same time, calling on different parts of the store," he said.
He said the company is looking at whether it will move from a product-based to a geographic-based structure.
Mr Delaney says Goodman Fielder plans to use New Zealand as the test market and is consulting staff, before it updates investors in November.
The company's also looking at other areas of the business, including the range of baked goods available, capital spending and transport and logistics.
The company says its baking business experienced a solid first half but conditions deteriorated in the second half, as higher commodity and energy prices pushed up costs and the market was affected by deep discounting and a resurgence of private label products.
The unfavourable exchange rate and the Christchurch earthquake also hit earnings within its dairy division.


text:
Mervyn's to lay off 4,800 workers / Chain to close 62 poor-performing stores in 6 states
Published 4:00 am, Thursday, September 8, 2005
Mervyn's said Wednesday it will shut down 62 of its underperforming stores, resulting in the loss of 4,800 full-time and part-time jobs.
The privately held Hayward company will pull out of the Michigan and Oklahoma markets entirely and reduce its presence in Colorado, Louisiana and Texas. It will also close its distribution centers in Plano, Texas, and West Valley, Utah.
Spokeswoman Katie Winter said that Mervyn's will focus its attention on its remaining 193 stores in the West and Southwest. California, its largest market with 125 stores, including 29 in the Bay Area, will see only one store closure, in the southern part of the state.
Winter called the decision to close the 62 stores bittersweet. Although the company regrets losing them, she said, they accounted for only 17 percent of its sales, even though they represented 25 percent of its total base. She added that Mervyn's will now have a better chance of strengthening its presence in its core markets by refurbishing stores and opening new ones.
"These changes allow us to invest in those markets," Winter said.
Mervyn's, which had been owned by Target Corp. from 1978 until last year, when it was sold to a group of private investors, has long struggled to be profitable. It continues to lose out to competitors such as Wal-Mart and Target, as well as such mid-market veterans as J.C. Penney and Sears.
"If they're going to reposition their place in the market, this is the way to do it," Whalin said. "It's a very wise move."
Under Target's ownership, Whalin said that Mervyn's had made forays into other parts of the country but that it did not have enough of a presence. "With the new ownership, they've decided to compete in the places they compete best," he said.


text:
MAY 23, 2022 | US | ASIA PACIFIC | INDIA | JAPAN | KOREA | SINGAPORE
BSA Supports Indo-Pacific Economic Framework; Calls for Ambitious Digital Outcomes
TOKYO, NEW DELHI, SINGAPORE, SEOUL, WASHINGTON – May 23, 2022 – BSA | The Software Alliance congratulates the leaders of Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam on today’s launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). BSA welcomes the commitment of all participating economies to meet the challenges facing the Indo-Pacific today through a new type of agreement that is built around four pillars – connected economy, resilient economy, clean economy, and fair economy.
“The IPEF has the potential to speed inclusive and sustainable digital transformation across the Indo-Pacific region for the benefit of all participating economies,” said Victoria Espinel, President and CEO of BSA | The Software Alliance. “To realize that potential, we urge all participating economies to agree to refrain from adopting unnecessary data restrictions, Internet customs duties, or forced technology transfer or disclosure mandates – for example on software source code. We also urge the participating economies to explore how cross-border access to digital tools and data can support the fight against climate change, bolster democratic and accountable governance, and improve conditions for inclusive and equitable economic growth.”
The IPEF promises to support well-paid and digitally skilled jobs across the Indo-Pacific region, while strengthening alliances and advancing shared supply chain-, labor-, sustainability-, and democratic governance-related goals. For the United States, the IPEF can help keep Indo-Pacific markets open for digitally-enabled goods and services produced by American workers in fast growing, knowledge-intensive sectors, such as digitally enabled manufacturing and services, where the US economy is primed for further growth and job creation.
The IPEF economies account for 40 percent of world GDP and 60 percent of the world’s population. Trade with the Indo-Pacific region supports more than three million American jobs, and the region supports nearly $900 billion in foreign direct investment in the United States. For more information, please see BSA’s Jobs-Centric Digital Trade Policy and BSA’s Submission on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.
BSA | The Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the leading advocate for the global software industry before governments and in the international marketplace. Its members are among the world’s most innovative companies, creating software solutions that help businesses of all sizes in every part of the economy to modernize and grow.
With headquarters in Washington, DC, and operations in more than 30 countries, BSA pioneers compliance programs that promote legal software use and advocates for public policies that foster technology innovation and drive growth in the digital economy.


text:
At Oppo's online keynote 'Inno Day' earlier this week, consumers and tech enthusiasts were given a glimpse into what the Chinese technology giant has in store for the future.
Out of the smorgasbord of announcements, the two early-concept products that most caught my attention were a foldable smartphone dubbed the Oppo X 2021, and the latest augmented reality glasses: AR Glass 2021.
Oppo X 2021
Oppo getting in on the race to create the perfect foldable phone is welcome news. Multiple companies are tentatively dipping their toes into the exciting yet murky waters of foldable phone technology.
And despite having to wade through an hour of corporate jargon delivered by Oppo founder Tony Chen as it was announced, there are elements of the X 2021 that seem genuinely innovative.
Existing as a hybrid between smartphone and tablet, the X 2021 features a large 6.4 inch OLED screen that expands into a tablet-sized 7.4 inch screen with the push of a button, via tiny motors within the phone. This tech, which could be thought of as 'pasta roller-motion technology', is unlike any other foldable phone currently on the market.
The screen of the X 2021 is forged as one piece of high-strength, highly-flexible laminate, coined by Oppo as 'Warp Track' technology. While other foldable phones typically have a perspex plate between two glass panels leading to that unmistakable ripple, the X 2021 is one pure sheet of screen, so you'll see no obvious join.
That 7.4 inch screen is going to be a game-changer when it comes to movies and games, and will be something consumers may start to look for when buying a smartphone-tablet hybrid.
During the keynote, Oppo proudly announced it had patents on both the motorising technology and the Warp Track screen, meaning this unorthodox folding phone may be the only one of its kind.
While it looks great in concept, day-to-day use of X 2021 has some big question marks over it. Oppo will need to ensure both the rolling screen and the motors behind it are strong and durable, and able to go the distance against traditional smartphones.
They'll also need to safeguard against the X 2021 accidentally upsizing in your pocket, which is likely to ruin both a good pair of jeans and a very expensive phone.
I'm also stumped as to how you'll apply a screen protector or case to the X 2021, but I suppose we cross that bridge when we get there.
Finally, making sure the phone doesn't skimp on any key hardware in favour of gimmicky new tech is going to be essential when justifying the phone against other smartphones in the same price range. We've seen this happen with other foldable phones like the Motorola Razr, and it seems consumers don't respond well to sub-standard technology in supersonic-priced smartphones.
However, should the X 2021 come to market with no severe drawbacks, consumers may well flock to the quirky design and potential uses as a tablet. We don't know prices yet, but I'd ballpark it at upwards of NZ$1800, which is more than Oppo's flagship device, the Find X2 Pro.
This kind of tech is a pricey venture in research and development and can be very costly to manufacture, but expect the X 2021 to be competitively-priced against foldable phone foes from Samsung or LG.
Oppo AR Glass 2021
The other announcement of note at Inno Day is the new augmented reality glasses, which Oppo has uninspiringly dubbed the AR 2021. This is Oppo's first serious foray into augmented reality technology, which if the X 2021 is anything to go by, will likely result in some pretty serious innovation.
There's a hefty amount of hardware slated to go into these slick frames. The concept model includes a fisheye camera lens, infrared sensor and high-definition camera, which provide improved field-of-view and depth perception for the on-board rendering software.
Sure, this is technology standard in most smartphones and tablets, but to squeeze it into a pair of glasses is an entirely different ball game.
It's an adventurous move from Oppo. Previous attempts to win over the public with augmented reality by industry leaders like Google have been expensive flops, with the technology typically unrefined and overpriced.
For the Oppo AR 2021 glasses to find success, it's going to be absolutely crucial Oppo provides adequate support in apps and games for consumers - after all, something has to justify that undoubtedly hefty price tag the glasses will come with.
But should the launch of the AR Glass 2021 go smoothly, there's potentially a huge amount of success to be found in this market. Augmented reality technology could possibly shake up fields like construction and surgery, with the ability to convey crucial information in real time that blitzes any traditional computer or tablet.
Pair the AR glasses with a drone and you could eliminate the need for costly personpower during building or infrastructure inspections. Display anatomical charts during surgical procedures and you could minimise the time spent away from the operating table.
It could also do things like show music tablature to musicians during live performances.
This is a market corner screaming to be conquered and if Oppo can succeed where others have failed, then this may be the gold mine the tech company has been searching for.
In a year where COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the technology sphere, it's comforting to see a tech company innovating while others simply tread water.
Innovation aside, advancements in compact technology and augmented reality are what will spur rival tech companies to push the boundaries on their own technology, which is what gives consumers access to the really cool technology.
We really are living in the future.


text:
Alliance Data Systems calls itself a transaction based marketing and customer loyalty solutions company.
But analyst Bill Ryan of Portales Partners really thinks it’s a credit card company—and not just any credit card company but a subprime credit card company that gets valued like a credit card processor.
Ryan specializes in financial services firms. He’s been saying this for about a year—ever since he initiated coverage on July 16 with a sell.
Based on the stock price after he made his original comments, much of Wall Street ignored him.
Now maybe they may want to take a closer look.
Here’s where it gets interesting. According to the lawsuit, Gander Mountain charged that on co-branded cards—these are cards that can be used anywhere as a Gander Mountain Master Card—ADS won’t give credit to Gander Mountain customers with FICO scores ABOVE 800.
That’s right, according to the lawsuit: It won’t give these cards to customers with really good credit.
ADS, for its part, told me it doesn't comment on speculation and litigation. It also insists it's not a subprime lender. According to the company’s statement to me:
“…Alliance Data is not a subprime credit card lender. Anyone who understands the Company’s business model and its bank subsidiary operations knows this fact, and to report or infer otherwise would not only be incorrect but irresponsible. You’ll also note that over the course of the recent recession, Alliance Data’s card portfolio held up better than the general industry, including against other prime lenders.”
As you might guess Ryan, via his analysis, has a different view.
My take: After digging through the documents, conference calls and analyst reports I can say this is one that definitely bears watching.
"The Strategy Session," hosted by David Faber and Gary Kaminsky, airs weekdays at Noon ET on CNBC.


text:
The Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Jio is showing no signs of cooling off. The war waged by Jio, starting September 2016, continues to intensify. In a recent salvo, Jio has sweetened the deal with its cheapest data. The "Double Dhamaka" plan offers 252 gigabits (GBs) of data (3GBs per day), unlimited voice calls and SMSes at Rs 399 for 84 days. The telco has tied up with Flipkart-owned PhonePe where it's offering Rs 100 cash back on this recharge plan. The plan is valid for recharges in June.
The comparative plans of Airtel and Vodafone seem to be less attractive. For instance, Airtel is giving 114.8 GBs of data (1.4 GB per day), unlimited voice calls and SMSes at Rs 448 for 82 days. Vodafone India is offering 117.6 (1.4 GB per day), unlimited voice calls and SMSes at Rs 458 for 84 days.
In a country where consumers are obsessed with discounts and cashbacks, there's no guarantee that the existing customers of Vodafone India and Airtel will stick to their operators. On the back of its highly-competitive plans, Jio has garnered a subscriber market share of 15.76 per cent in March 2018. Its subscriber base stood at 18.65 crore as compared to market leader Airtel's 30.41 crore and Vodafone India's 22.26 crore. Jio's net customer addition was highest in March at 9.4 million.
Jio has been continuously lowering its tariffs in both prepaid and postpaid segments since its launch, testing the strength of its bigger rivals. For instance, Jio launched Rs 199 postpaid plan last month that offers unlimited voice calls and 25 GBs of data for a month. This plan is targeted towards poaching high-value subscribers of rivals.
However, keeping tariffs at low levels will surely put pressure on the financial performance of the company. In 2017/18, Jio posted Rs 722.96 crore net profits on revenues of Rs 20,158.34 crore. Jio posted net losses of Rs 31.37 crore in the fiscal before that.
Jio has already sunk in an investment of about $31 billion with plans to pump in more money to expand the network. In March, its board approved raising up to Rs 20,000 crore by issuance of debentures, and in the following month, the telco raised some Rs 3,250 crore samurai loans - which bear lower interest rates than borrowing rates in India - from Japanese banks.
When offerings don't match on the tariffs front, the biggest differentiator for incumbents could be the network strength and coverage but even there, experts argue, Jio has an advantage of having a relatively newer network, particularly active infrastructure, as compared to its rivals. But as it acquires the wireless business of Reliance Communications, a significant part of its network will require upgrading.
Copyright©2021 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today


text:
The Union County Board of County Commissioners and Union County Clean Communities would like to encourage residents to celebrate and participate in Plastic Free July!
“Finding ways to go plastic free is easier than you think and residents can certainly do a lot on a personal level to help save the environment,” said Commissioner Chair Rebecca Williams. “The information provided here are great examples of how you can make a big impact on the environment and reduce the amount of plastic waste you or your family use on a daily basis. I hope you will all join us in participating in this challenge.”
Plastic Free July is an annual, month-long event started by the Plastic Free Foundation in 2011, to work towards their vision of a world free of plastic waste. Every year, individuals and groups take the challenge to reduce the amount of single-use plastic items they use and purchase throughout the month of July.
It is easy and free to participate – just go to www.plasticfreejuly.org and click on “Take the Challenge.” By taking the challenge, you pledge to make whichever changes you are able to make – whether starting small with a few easy swaps or overhauling your plastic consumption – to reduce the amount of plastic waste you are contributing to the waste stream.
According to National Geographic, 40 percent of all plastics made are single-use items, which are used for a few minutes and quickly discarded, able to persist in the environment for hundreds of years. It is estimated that 8 million tons of plastic waste get added to our oceans every year. Plastics do not biodegrade, however, and instead break into smaller and smaller pieces until they become microplastics, at just 5mm across or less. These tiny plastic pieces are almost impossible to remove once in the open ocean, and instead wash up on coastal shores or get consumed by wildlife. In fact, almost 700 species are known to have been negatively impacted by plastic pollution, and microplastics have been found in 100 aquatic species, including those that humans regularly eat.
The State of New Jersey and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection took steps towards single-use plastics reduction in 2020 through the passing of P.L. 2020, c.117, now called the “Get Past Plastic Law”. This law enacted a ban on single-use plastic bags and polystyrene foam food containers, and required single-use plastic straws to be give only upon request from all NJ food service businesses. All parts of this law have been in effect since May 4, 2022.
Plastic Free July is a great opportunity to continue this mission by finding other single-use plastic items we use in our day-to-day and swapping them out with reusable or plastic-free alternatives! Here are a few examples of simple ways to reduce plastic this month:
- Instead of using disposable plastic utensils at lunchtime, pack a fork, knife, or spoon from home. Just use it to eat your lunch, and remember to pack it back up to bring home and wash at the end of the day.
- Rather than drinking water from a single-use bottle to stay hydrated, fill up a reusable water bottle to bring with you.
- When packing up lunch for the day, skip the baggies and plastic wrap and opt for washable and reusable containers that can be used over and over again.
If you are looking for more of a challenge, you can try:
- Switching to bars for soap, shampoo, and conditioner rather than purchasing liquid forms that come in plastic bottles. Alternatively, if your shampoo bottle is empty, you could refill it at a refill store rather than disposing of your old bottle and purchasing a new one.
- Purchasing deodorant sold in paper packaging instead of traditional plastic tubes.
- Swapping out your usual disposable k-cups for a refillable, washable version.
In 2021, 140 million people participated in Plastic Free July, preventing 2.1 million tons of plastic waste from being thrown into our landfills, incinerators, and the environment.
Union County residents are invited to join in the challenge this July, and take the pledge to reduce single-use plastic this month and possibly beyond!


text:
PETA reimagines famous Thanksgiving painting with vegan celebrities
Ava Duvernay, Jermaine Dupri, Mena Massoud and others appeared in the Norman Rockwell inspired portrait
Artist Nikkolas Smith brought famous vegan faces together in a painting inspired by Norman Rockwell’s “Freedom From Want.” The painting of the animal product-free Thanksgiving meal was part of PETA’s #ThanksVegan campaign.
Smith is known for his paintings depicting George Floyd, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Chadwick Boseman, and others.
Restauranteur Pinky Cole, Jermaine Dupri, influencer Tabitha Brown, actor Mayim Bialik, filmmaker Ava DuVernay, Aladdin‘s Mena Massoud, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, and rapper Grey were featured in the painting.
“I choose to eat plant-based on Thanksgiving, which to me is the healthier option. It gives me energy vs. making me want to take a nap! This painting shows off the best parts of Thanksgiving—family, friends, and all the cranberries, sweet potatoes, and greens anyone could want,” Jermaine Dupri said in a statement.
Bialik remarked, “I am honored to be a part of this take on Norman Rockwell’s Thanksgiving. This new version is the world I want my children to grow up in—one that celebrates diversity and puts kindness to animals on the table.”
“Vegan holiday meals are super-popular, and for good reason. That includes family gatherings like Thanksgiving and we want to celebrate that evolution!” added Massoud.
In a video exclusively recorded for PETA, Cole shared a recipe for ‘Drunken Mushroom with Purple Potato Mash and a Green Pea Purée. Her restaurant Slutty Vegan is a hotspot for vegans and non-vegans alike.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity from PETA to show people they can eat delicious food without harming animals or risking their health,” said Cole in a statement. “Serving vibrant vegan meals to my friends and community is what Slutty Vegan is all about, and it’s a joy to see my dream reflected in this re-envisioned painting this Thanksgiving.”
theGrio reported veganism is growing in popularity among Black Americans. Jay-Z and Beyoncé hosted a concert ticket giveaway to fans who chose a vegan lifestyle. Cardi B launched a vegan fashion line and Snoop Dog helps promote “Beyond Meat.”
Keith Tucker, a health activist in Seattle, said KRS-One influenced his lifestyle. The rapper has spread health awareness through his music since the early 19990s.
“Hip-hop is the biggest influence on planet Earth when it comes to young people,” Tucker adds. “It’s the CNN for the black community. If we can move it in a green direction, the world will move in a green direction. It’s going viral right now.”
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s “Dear Culture” podcast? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Download theGrio.com today!


text:
Facebook accused of failing to tackle piracy as 400,000 watch boxing free
Facebook has been criticised for failing to tackle sports piracy after more than 400,000 people watched Saturday’s boxing title fight on illegal live streams on the site.
Fans were able to watch the British boxer Anthony Joshua’s win over Wladimir Klitschko on multiple streams on Facebook Live, the streaming service the technology and publishing company launched last year, dodging the £20 pay per view cost and denying Sky millions of pounds in revenue.
The scale of the problem emerged yesterday as the Digital Economy Act passed into law, raising the maximum prison term for copyright infringement crimes from two years to ten. It is understood that the law will most likely target those making a business of selling illegal content, although anyone sharing live streams


text:
Mind the Cross Innovation Gap
German companies from industry and trade see the need to catch up with cross-sector innovations. When it comes to Industry 4.0, Networked Mobility, the Internet of Things or Smart Home, the majority of them considers cross-industry innovation approaches to be advisable or essential. Currently, however, only a minority of companies focus on appropriate innovation strategies.
Seventy-nine per cent of companies surveyed consider the integration of strategic partners from unrelated industries to be the most important innovation approach of the future. At present, however, only 14 per cent of companies use it frequently. A further 30 per cent sometimes adopt cross-sector innovation approaches, while 39 per cent do not use them at all.
The search for partners as an obstacle course
Those companies surveyed consider the cross-industry approach to be most important in terms of the Internet of Things. Around 64 per cent believe it to be essential, and a further 32 per cent as advisable. It is a similar story for Networked Mobility – 60 per cent regard cross-sector innovation approaches to be essential, and a further 38 per cent as advisable.
The survey also reveals that companies think that the biggest obstacle to cross-industry innovation is the selection of the right partner from a different industry sector to be the biggest obstacle. In each case, over half of the companies asked cite "Finding the right partner" and "Trust between partners" as being a barrier. The question of "fair distribution of costs, risks and opportunities" is also important, being mentioned by just under 50 per cent.
AI and sustainability: a new strategic area of activity
Responsible AI – which rules should be applied to the development of AI applications in future?
Artificial Intelligence as Inventor and Developer
New applications for AI.
Digital Cryptocurrency in Barcelona
Local currencies are proliferating.
Immersive Exosuits with Textile Muscle Fibres
The next steps towards cyborgism.
Agricultural Robotics for Efficient Indoor Farming
Vertical farming for salad heads.
Receive the regular Z_punkt newsletter in your mailbox. Sign up now.


text:
Five new generation brands selected by Vogue Talents – Vivetta, Marco Rambaldi, Federico Cina, Cormio, Niccolò Pasqualetti – have produced, in collaboration with THE DEMATERIALISED and on the occasion of the current edition of Vogue Talents, the digital version of some items of their collection, visible on the platform and then sold exclusively using crypto currency or traditional currency on THE DEMATERIALISED website.
Each NFT purchased allows, as for all THE DEMATERIALISED products, to plant in collaboration with Re: Earth a mangrove – capable of absorbing Co2 3-4 times the other trees – in Madagascar.
The project was an exceptional success, on the evening of September 23, the release date, the collection of 500 pieces sold out in 51 minutes.
The revenues from the sales will support the creation of a collection by a new generation digital designer next February.
The usual Vogue Talents event dedicated to the international scouting of new generation creatives and designers “The World of Vogue Talents” is the digital platform accessible to the public at: https://voguetalents.vogue.it/it from yesterday 23 September 2021.
Photo by @kuki_ai


text:
Dyson makes euro jobs threat
James Dyson, the millionaire behind the bagless vacuum cleaner, is threatening to expand in the Far East rather than the UK unless the country joins the European single currency.
Dyson has already opened a small plant in Malaysia to offset the problems of the strong pound and planning difficulties over expanding his Wiltshire factory. He said he would expand in Malaysia in the absence of the euro. 'It's suicidal for the UK not to join the euro. Why should we go on exporting at a loss? We are facing unfair competition,' he said, adding that big-name manufacturers such as Nissan, Panasonic and Sony had all scaled back production plans for the UK.
Most watched Money videos
- Ford tests traffic light tech that could change the commute forever
- A rare 1955 Mercedes 300 SLR Coupe being driven at Goodwood
- Rustbucket Mercedes-Benz roadster sells at auction for almost £40k
- Rare 1965 Jaguar E-type found in barn sells for £40,000
- Ray Massey gets exclusive access to the new green Rolls-Royce Spectre
- Watch the BANNED Land Rover ad that 'misrepresented' parking sensors
- BMW's new 7 Series luxury limo features giant cinema screen
- Bentley brings the comfort of a limo to their popular SUV
- Land Rover unveils its new £80,000 Range Rover Sport
- Ford unveils electric version of Britain's best-selling vehicle
- RM Sotheby's has sold a Mercedes for a record £115million
- 1990's advert for the Vauxhall Cavalier Turbo 4x4


text:
By B.L. Ochman @whatsnext
In a PR coup, and a stellar example of brands taking a stand, supermarket chain Iceland Foods’ banned Christmas ad is resulting in massive earned media for the company and its cause. It won’t be seen on TV, but it’s gone viral on social media.
The ad, “Ran-Tan,” tells the story tells the story of a young girl who tries to help a baby orangutan whose home has been destroyed to create palm oil. The humans in the forest have killed the little orangutan’s mother and he is afraid it will kill him too. The little girl promises to fight to save the forest, and says “Ran-Tan” can stay safe with her.
But because the video was originally made by Greenpeace, Clearcast – which is responsible for clearing ads on behalf of the UK’s major broadcasters – ruled that it breaches rules against political advertising.
Richard Walker, the son of the chains’ founder, described the ad as “an emotive animation telling the story of rainforest destruction caused by palm oil production, and its devastating impact on the critically endangered orangutan….We always knew there was a risk it would not be cleared for TV but we gave it our best shot.”
The Banned Video Goes Viral
The store’s homepage says “Watch our banned video.”The company took to Twitter on Friday, urging people to make the video go viral. And that has has happened, big-time. By Monday, banned Christmas ad had more than 3.3 million YouTube views, and scores of stories in newspapers, magazines and broadcast outlets including The Guardian, Fast Company, Good Housekeeping and The New York Times. The hashtag #NoPalmOilChristmas also is trending. It’s been shared by celebrities including TV hosts James Corden and Jake Humphrey. And, in just three days, (Friday to Monday) more than 550,000 people signed a change.org petition to “release Iceland’s banned Christmas ad on TV”.
Cynics Call the Ban Orchestrated
The controversy and the outpouring of social media support, has caused some people to suggest that the store knew the ad would be banned. Rachel Cunliffe, editor of City Am Tweeted “I mean, would we all be obsessively talking about their Christmas ad otherwise? The vast majority of Tweets replied “Hey, cynical move maybe, but at least it is amplifying an important message.” and “Who cares? Every word is true.”
This is not Greenpeace’s First Food Fight
It’s also not the first time that Greenpeace has been involved in a food fight over palm oil. I wrote about their Facebook fight with Nestle in 2010. At the time, Nestle bungled the issue badly. A company representative responded to negative comments in a way that was snide, nasty, demeaning, snarky – pick your adjective. I’d like to think companies would respond differently in today’s social media climate.
B.L. Ochman is a seasoned Writer, content creator, strategist, and producer of podcasts and socially shareable video interviews. Let’s talk about how I can help your company.


text:
FINEOS is delighted to be presenting at LIMRA’s 2015 Enrollment Technology Seminar which will take place in the Hyatt Regency Boston from February 3-4, 2015.
We will be involved in two sessions at the conference:
• Tuesday, Feb. 3, 11 AM – Chuck Johnston, Chief Marketing Officer, FINEOS will moderate a panel of experts on SSO and Web Services Integration. The discussion will focus on best practices for web service integration for carrier systems and enrollment platforms.
• Wednesday, Feb. 4, 9:30AM – Chuck Johnston and Eoin Kirwan, VP Product Management, will present FINEOS Administration Suite: Turning Distribution Disruption into an Opportunity for Enterprise Transformation.
Employee benefits insurers are very focused on delivering innovative new products and leveraging new and evolving distribution channels. The need to rapidly embrace these new product and distribution models is putting immense pressure on back office processes and systems, resulting in a very real concern that insurers will be unable to service what they sell with good standards of customer service.
In this session, we will discuss the opportunity insurers have to leverage these changes and stresses to take a pragmatic approach to process and technology transformation enabling better customer services levels, more flexible product options and ultimately better brand presence with consumers.
We hope you’re able to join us for these sessions and look forward to seeing you at the event! If you’d like to pre-schedule some time, please contact firstname.lastname@example.org.


text:
The relationship between T-Mobile and BlackBerry has gone through a bit of a rough patch after an ill-advised promotion led to a battle-cry from offended BlackBerry users, a war-of-words between CEOs John Chen and John Legere, and an apology that consisted of T-Mobile offering free expedited shipping on BlackBerry smartphones and a $200 credit when trading in a BlackBerry, with another $50 credit available towards buying a new BlackBerry Q10 or BlackBerry Z10.
So how did the promotion go? In T-Mobile's own words, from an employee news update posted by TmoNews
"The program has been extremely popular, driving at least a 15x increase in BlackBerry trade-ins, with approximately 94% of those customers moving to a non-BlackBerry device at upgrade. This promotion was created to provide additional value for our loyal BlackBerry customers while providing customer choice — and important part of being the Un-carrier."
Ninety-four percent. Ouch. Granted, 15x and 94% are just ratio numbers of a base quantity we don't know, but they can't be the kind of numbers BlackBerry wanted to see. T-Mobile's certainly happy — they may not have made copious amounts of money off the deal, but they scored points with customers that were willing to part with their old BlackBerry for a new smartphone. They'll get their money in the long run.
Of course, it's worth noting that it did not have to be an active BlackBerry that you were trading in. Surely, some people grabbed an old Curve out of their desk and took it in to their nearest T-Mobile store for the trade-in. But somehow we doubt that was a significant portion of those that participated in the trade-in offer.
The $200 T-Mobile BlackBerry trade-in deal ends tomorrow — is anybody else going to take advantage of it, or are you waiting to see what else T-Mobile or BlackBerry does? As T-Mobile noted in their news posting, "If this is what customers want, this is what customers will get!" At least those who do jump ship will still have access to BBM on the platform of their choice.


text:
When Lexis announced plans to open an auto dealership in Toronto, it was widely interpreted as an attempt to compete with the likes of Toyota and Nissan.
That was before the company introduced its new car cleaners, the Lexus C3 and C4.
While they are designed to clean vehicles in an area of less than 100 square metres, they can also be used to clean larger vehicles.
Lexus is also launching a new model of car cleaning kits, the Car 2, that it hopes will become the norm in Canada.
It has also introduced a new range of cars to help make its cleaning product even more popular.
Now, in an effort to woo Canadians who buy cars in Canada, the company is releasing a set of cars with a range of functions and a range price of $3,800.
But for those who might be wondering what that means, it’s not quite the same as the $5,000 that you might expect from a Lexus dealership.
According to Lexus, the new car wash kit is designed to “make cleaning easier for you,” by simplifying the process of installing the car cleaning solution.
It says the new kit has the ability to remove any dust, dirt and debris in an environment with less than 40 per cent humidity, a level that should be in most Canadians’ homes.
It’s designed to work on cars with 4.0 litres of air in each car wash basin, and also on cars without a wash basin.
The new kit also includes a built-in “super-wash basin” to help with the cleaning process.
The C3 comes with a wash kit that will clean up to two cars at a time.
The kit includes a vacuum, two wash brushes and a two-cup bucket, which can be filled with water to help wash away dirt and dirt particles.
It also comes with three separate car wash kits.
It includes a wash bucket, a wash brush, a three-quart bucket and a wash solution, which is a product designed to help remove and dry dirt and grime from your car.
The second kit, the C4, comes with two wash buckets, a brush, two-quart buckets and a soap and water solution.
Each of these kits includes a small brush to help you apply the product.
For the price of the new C3, the kits come with three wash buckets and three wash brushes.
In terms of the cars, the kit also comes in two sizes: small, and large.
For example, the larger kit, which comes with six wash buckets in total, can clean up a Ford Focus ST and a Ford Expedition ST with a cost of $1,300.
The smaller kit, designed to be used with the C3’s larger wash buckets to help clean up an Audi R8, can be used for a Ford Fusion and a Honda Odyssey for a cost $1-1,200.
The kits also come with a full range of car wash products, from a “waterless” to “water-resistant” kit, and a “cleaning sponge” for the use with any vehicle.
There’s also a special cleaning system designed for the Toyota Prius Plug, which costs $3-4,000.
Lexis also launched a new “smart” cleaning kit for the 2015 Toyota Priuz that includes a special sensor, which detects when the car is in an auto wash and cleans the vehicle with the appropriate car wash solution.
In addition, the car wash product can be activated by pressing a button, which will activate the system, and the sensor will notify the driver of when to clean the car.


text:
So it turns out that when you talk about more than one iPhone, you’ve been saying it wrong this whole time if you’ve been leaning towards “iPhones.”
Apple Maps continues to add new features, and with the latest update, it’s a sweeping feature addition for a range of countries.
When it comes to Apple investors, there probably isn’t a bigger name than Carl Icahn. But those two things won’t be combined any longer.
Apple has made a pretty big reveal today, especially for developers, who wish to allow Apple Music playback in their own apps.
Following a tragic event that caused the death of one Apple employee at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, a statement has been released.
Apple has updated its data for Apple Maps to add transit data for New South Wales in Australia. This will allow iOS users in the region to get the transit data for NSW TrainLink and bus stations right in Apple Maps.
An Indian government panel has approved Apple’s request to be exempted from the local sourcing norms of the country that will allow the Cupertino giant to open its single-brand retail stores in the country.
This morning, reports began to trickle in that police were investigating a dead body found within Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California.
The latest data from research firm IDC shows that Apple lost 3 percent of the global smartphone market share in Q1, 2016. Apple announced its quarterly earnings earlier today, where it revealed that it shipped 51.2 million smartphones in the first three months of the year — down by 16.3% from the same time last year. Compared to the same time a year ago, the company had shipped 61 million iPhones.


text:
By Mary O’KEEFE
Shakedown lawsuits have been a problem for business owners for years. States, including California, have passed laws to help protect the business owner from these lawsuits while continuing to support and protect the rights of the public. But the lawsuits have continued despite the efforts of legislators.
In response to a discussion with his Small Business Advisory Commission, Assemblymember Mike Gatto has taken action to help prevent these types of frivolous lawsuits.
On Feb. 4, Gatto introduced legislation that allows a business owner who receives notice of a Proposition 65 violation to remedy that violation and achieve compliance within 14 days without facing exorbitant retroactive fines.
In 1986, California voters approved Prop. 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, which required the state to publish a list of chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects. It required business owners to notify customers about these chemicals via a “clear and reasonable” warning as in posting signs in their establishments. In 2004, Prop. 64 was passed which, at the time, was heralded as a solution to stop frivolous lawsuits but, as is with most legislation, there were loopholes.
Gatto’s legislation was inspired by an Eagle Rock restaurant owner who had been sued for thousands of dollars for failing to notify his customers that beer could cause cancer.
During the commission meeting, the business owner said the lawsuits are difficult to fight because the owner doesn’t know when the person who is suing visited the business and if in fact the sign was not visible at the time. All it takes for a lawsuit, the restaurant owner said, is to be accused.
The law allows for fines of $2,500 per day for each day of the violation. Most larger companies settle out of court; however, small businesses can be driven out of business.
AB 227, the legislation introduced by Gatto, would further the intent of Prop. 65, which is to obtain compliance by displaying warnings of chemicals present on a site. It would allow a business that receives notice of a private action to correct the violation, i.e., post the Prop. 65 warning, within 14 days without being subject to the retroactive $2,500 per day fine, stated Gatto.
Gatto said the intent of the law was to warn the public, not drive out business.
“I had the opportunity to listen to concerns of local business owners on the Small Business Advisory Commission. The severe negative impact of shakedown lawsuits under Prop. 65 was immediately apparent,” stated Gatto. “Most business owners work hard to protect customers so that the customers return. This is especially true with small business owners whose customers are neighbors, friends and relatives. This common-sense bill will help small businesses avoid costly litigation while ensuring that the public has the proper warnings about potentially dangerous chemicals.”
In addition to the Prop. 65 violations, there are also a growing number of ADA [Americans With Disabilities Act] lawsuits. The so-called drive-by lawsuits or shakedown lawsuits are also financially crushing small businesses.
“There are a lot of [ADA] lawsuits that are [being] filed against businesses,” said Aram Ordubegian, an attorney with Arent Fox LLP in downtown Los Angeles.
He added that in many of these lawsuits those suing will drive up and down the block and if they see one or two businesses that appear not to be in compliance, they sue everyone on the block.
“They send a letter that there wasn’t the [proper signage], so give us $5,000,” Ordubegian said.
If the business doesn’t comply, then they are taken to court, which could mean more fines and court fees.
“It’s horrible,” he said.
It is not just small businesses that get hit with these types of lawsuits; Ordubegian added that he is representing a large chain that has also been targeted.
Last year Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 1186 that bans the demand for money letters that are sent by lawyers to businesses. The letters that are sent will give businesses 30 days before filing a lawsuit.
Business owners must keep up to date on new regulations and requirements while staying a step ahead of the drive-by lawsuits.
Being proactive was the subject of a recent seminar sponsored by the La Cañada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce.
“ADA Access Suits: How to Prevent Lawsuits from Disabling Your Business” was held in January to forewarn business owners of what they could be facing.
“It was well attended,” said Pat Anderson, president and CEO of LCFCC and Community Association. “Our goal of the event was to educate business and property owners of what the laws are.”
Anderson added that although she had not heard of these types of lawsuits in La Cañada she had heard of several in La Crescenta.
“This seems to be something that is growing,” she said.
The chamber handed out information to the audience including how to comply with ADA requirements. They supplied an ADA Top Ten List that included common mistakes and what drive-by lawyers would look for. These included California tow away signs, which are supposed to be located at the entrance to each parking lot, either missing or not filled in correctly; missing signage at accessible parking stalls; incorrect or poorly marked disabled parking stalls; surface flatness not 2% maximum in all directions on access aisles and parking stalls; lack of a ramp leading to a store entrance; a step up into a store (threshold) that exceeds one half inch; a door’s opening force exceeds five pounds for doors; door handles rather than lever type for doors and faucets; a lack of grab bars at accessible toilets and lavatories; paper towel dispensers and mirrors that are set too high.
The speaker at the event was Frank W. Chen, Esq. He stated that “conflicting access standards under California and federal laws, lack of continuing education for building inspectors and architects, and inconsistent interpretations of state law have made compliance with disability-access standards in California difficult.”
He also stated “nearly 40% of all ADA accessibility lawsuits in the United States are filed in the State of California.”
Most business owners want to be compliant with all ADA and Prop. 65 requirements. It is not the law as much as the shakedown lawsuits that is distorting the actual goal that seems to be the concern of business owners, and attorneys who are defending against these type of lawsuits.
It is hoped that the legislation introduced, and the bill already signed, will help California businesses with this issue.


text:
As Indians start travelling in the new normal, strong recovery in smaller towns underscores success for ride-hailing giant's 'India to Bharat'... ...http://www.rediff.com/money/report/ubers-biz-shows-strong-recovery-signs-post-lockdown/20210302.htm
$47.6 bn capital invested across 921 deals in India in 2020, despite pandemic. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com Mohanjit Jolly lost a good... ...http://www.rediff.com/money/report/tech-india-set-to-have-150-unicorns-by-2025/20210302.htm
Good morning,If you have any interest in technology, and -- this is just a wild guess -- you probably do, you may have come across the acronym NFT... ...https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/newsletters/ettech-weekend-briefing-nfts-are-all-the-rage-heres-why-/articleshow/81239489.cms
Mumbai: "The exodus has finally begun", a local real estate agent told Devika Sarin recently.Sarin, the co-founder of a boutique bed and breakfast... ...https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/startups/the-tide-seems-to-be-turning-on-pandemics-work-from-goa-trend/articleshow/81233768.cms
Ola's upcoming manufacturing facility will be spread over 500 acres and will be able to produce two million electric scooters in the first phase of... ...https://www.carandbike.com/news/ola-begins-construction-of-worlds-largest-two-wheeler-factory-in-tamil-nadu-2379211
www.olaindia.com is a free travel...
Game Ola Crack Cua Gai -...


text:
UTI-lizer secures 7 MSEK – to commercialize its first product
The company is aiming to support rapid and accurate urinary tract infection diagnosis, and combat antibiotic resistance.
The innovative loyalty-first return management solution based in Stockholm is closing out a banner year and looking forward to more wins in 2022. With new clients throughout the EU, an investment round from a renowned Swedish entrepreneur, and new collaborations enabling the platform to provide sustainable returns to its clients, the future of the up-and-coming SaaS platform is looking bright.
Founded in 2019, yayloh is a loyalty-first return management solution that puts sustainability first. Helping clients build a brand their customers will love one return at a time, the SaaS platform focuses on delivering a top-notch CX, with a user-friendly interface that’s seamless to implement. The ease of use and commitment to making returns more environmentally friendly are a few reasons customer-centric businesses all over the EU (like Swedish fashion brand House of Dagmar) are turning to yayloh to help manage their return processes.
The start of the year was kicked off strong with a pre-seed round led by Tomas Kull, founder of Swedish food delivery staple Mathem. The infusion allowed the brand to double down on its principles of delivering unparalleled customer service, with sustainability at the forefront. It also allowed yayloh to invest in its platform, paving the way for expanding into new markets, like Germany and Norway, while strengthening relations in Sweden and France—markets where the platform had already established brand partnerships. Those efforts resulted in new clients like German fashion brand 032c, a contemporary and boundary-pushing fashion and lifestyle platform, and fast-growing swimwear brand Anja Paris.
In addition to new clients, the year also saw exciting partnerships come to life, enabling yayloh to integrate with more brands in new ways. The platform has a tight collaboration with Centra, a venture-backed Swedish eCommerce platform that is pioneering composable commerce, allowing for brands like House of Dagmar and Holzweiler to integrate with both services, with ease. In addition, yayloh also participated in Zendesk’s largest startup campus Station F, based in France. This partnership allows yayloh to integrate with the CRM platform, reaching thousands of brand potentials.
While the success of 2021 was impressive, and the team is grateful for all the wins, the brand is looking forward to making even bigger strides in 2022. Sophie Aubard, co-founder and CEO of yayloh says:
“2021 has been fantastic for yayloh. Word of mouth is spreading fast about the product and we clearly see that we are the preferred option for fast-growing customer-centric brands. Our customers love the product—none of them have churned, proving the staying power of our solution. In 2022 we will focus on expansion and investing further in the platform to help our merchants increase customer retention and reduce CO2 emissions.”
yayloh is a loyalty-first return management solution that is changing how innovative brands handle returns. For more information on the platform and to read recent case studies, visit the brand here.
For all press inquiries and general information, please contact Sophie Aubard, Co-founder and CEO at email@example.com.
Read more at www.yayloh.com.


text:
Thanks to @prabalsingh24’s work over the summer, the new User Collections feature is ready to be rolled out !
They will allow BookBrainz users to create lists of books they own, books they want to read, authors they want to recommend to friends, etc.
User collections can be public or private, and you can make other BB users collaborators on your collections.
The feature is currently live in beta and will be published fully after initial feedback.
Collections created on the beta website will persist once the feature is deployed on the main website.
Please try it out, and let us know if you run into any issue or have suggestions for improvements!


text:
Tesla‘s new and latest price drop in the United States, both in the Model 3 and Model Y ranges, in line with the aggressive strategy shown by the brand since the beginning of this year, has achieved an important milestone. According to the latest reports, a basic Tesla Model 3 already costs $9,000 less than the average price of purchasing a vehicle in the United States.
Prices have dropped so much in the Tesla catalog, affecting the full range of the Model 3 and the Long Range and Performance versions of the Model Y, that if we calculate the ownership costs over the years we see how these are equal to a generalist vehicle as popular as, for example, the Toyota Corolla.
Still, this price war might not be as profitable as it seems for Tesla. According to Bloomberg, the general drop in prices for its electric cars could cost Elon Musk’s company $1.2 billion a year. And all this, in a context in which Tesla’s profit margins have fallen by 18.1% in the second quarter of 2023 (the drop was 26% last year), while its sales in the last quarter have dropped by 30,000 units worldwide.
Tesla’s record prices and market parity
One of the challenges of the industry with electric cars is to achieve, sooner or later, that their prices are comparable to those that have combustion engines. Tesla seems to be achieving this, at the cost of everything previously mentioned.
With the latest price reduction, the cheapest Tesla Model 3 in the United States has a price of $38,990, about 36,790 euros at the exchange rate before taxes and additional fees. This is about 8,200 euros less than the average price of a vehicle in the North American country. There, the Model 3 is more than 6,000 euros cheaper than a basic BMW 3 Series and almost 5,500 euros cheaper than an entry-level Mercedes C-Class.
If we do the exercise of calculating ownership costs in the first three years, considering the sales price and the cost of energy to move, the Tesla Model 3 can even look up to compact models like the Toyota Corolla. According to InsideEVs estimates, the Japanese compact would have a total cost of about 25,330 euros, while the Model 3 would be close to 25,000 euros.
All this, be careful, without counting maintenance costs and other expenses. And above all, taking into account that tax credits are not applied in the same way in all states of the North American country. Tesla would access federal aid of about 7,000 euros and an additional one from the state of New York, for example, of almost 1,900 euros.
These estimates vary, obviously, depending on the version of Tesla’s electric cars purchased and the region in question, but we can already say that price parity between both technologies, at least under these conditions, is already real.
The Tesla Model Y can boast of having also seen a wild price reduction in the US: so far this year alone, the most expensive versions have seen their price reduced by 25%. While the most basic Model 3 starts at $38,990, the Model Y Long Range (which has received a new price reduction) starts at $48,490.


text:
Unifi Launches the REPREVE® Textile Takeback Program
GREENSBORO, N.C. and LAWRENCE, Mass., July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) continues to drive innovation in the world of recycled textiles with the launch of the REPREVE® Textile Takeback Program. Millions of pounds of textile manufacturing scraps end up in landfills every year and the REPREVE Textile Takeback Program will give fabrics a second chance by recycling them back into REPREVE recycled fibers. Polartec, LLC will partner with Unifi to launch this innovative new program.
The Textile Takeback Program is a first of its kind recycling program that recycles various polyester based fabrics; including supply chain waste and post-consumer fabrics that have reached their end of life. This waste is collected, and recycled back into a new REPREVE product offering- the REPREVE Takeback fiber.
"The industry continues to focus on ways to reduce textile fabric waste throughout the supply chain, however as a bi-product of manufacturing, waste is still created," said Roger Berrier, president and COO for Unifi. "The Textile Takeback Program provides the industry with a responsible and sustainable outlet for this waste, while expanding the growth and reach of the REPREVE brand."
Both Unifi and Polartec have worked with military apparel manufacturer, Peckham Inc. of Lansing, Michigan, to define a process allowing for Polartec polyester cut-waste to be recycled back into Polartec's exclusive REPREVE 100 branded yarn. This new yarn will now include a blend of recycled bottles and recycled fabrics and will be used to produce performance Polartec fabrics for the outdoor apparel market.
"In typical garment manufacturing, 10 to 20 percent of all fabric produced becomes cut-waste left over after panels are cut," says Andy Vecchione, president and CEO of Polartec. "This fabric has historically been down cycled into batting or simply sent to the landfill. We can now use this waste stream to create new, first-quality performance Polartec fabrics. Polartec has pioneered the recycled fabric category and we continue our commitment to reducing our overall footprint. In 2011, over 40% of our total production will utilize REPREVE 100 recycled yarns and we expect that number to grow in 2012 and beyond."
The REPREVE Textile Takeback Program will be expanding to include other qualified partners in the near future.
Please visit Unifi at booth #62021 and Polartec at booth #37041 at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, being held August 4-7, 2011 at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) is a diversified producer and processor of multi-filament polyester and nylon textured yarns and related raw materials. The Company adds value to the supply chain and enhances consumer demand for its products through the development and introduction of branded yarns that provide unique performance, comfort and aesthetic advantages. Key Unifi brands include, but are not limited to: AIO® - all-in-one performance yarns, SORBTEK®, A.M.Y.®, MYNX® UV, REPREVE®, REFLEXX®, MICROVISTA® and SATURA®. Unifi's yarns and brands are readily found in home furnishings, apparel, legwear, and sewing thread, as well as industrial, automotive, military, and medical applications. For more information about Unifi, visit http://www.unifi.com/, or to learn more about REPREVE®, visit http://www.repreve.com/.
About Polartec, LLC
Polartec, LLC is the developer, manufacturer, and marketer of Polartec® performance fabrics. Polartec® products range from lightweight wicking base layers, to insulation layers, to extreme weather protection and are utilized by the best clothing brands in the world. For more information, visit polartec.com
SOURCE Unifi, Inc.


text:
Brian Anderson Named CEO of Madd Gear
Anderson Takes on New Role with Global Action Sports Brand
Madd Gear, one of the world’s hottest action sports brands, today announced that Brian Anderson has taken on the newly created role of President and CEO of Madd Gear Americas. Already on the Board of Directors of Madd Gear’s global business headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, Anderson now assumes the role of President and CEO of the company’s operations in the Americas. Anderson will lead the Madd Gear team, build its infrastructure and distribution, and continue to grow the company’s presence in the action sports industry. Immediately he will capitalize on Madd Gear’s position as the number one global brand of freestyle scooters with its upcoming launch into the BMX bikes, protective gear and other categories.
Anderson previously served seven years as President of EB Sport Group, the North American leader in fitness accessories and fitness electronics, developing and marketing products under such brands as Reebok, Everlast and Sportline. Prior to his role at EB, Anderson spent five years as Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing at 180s, an innovative apparel and accessories brand. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (formerly SGMA), the Board of Advisors for Franklin Retail Solutions, and was a recipient of the Sporting Goods Business 40 Under 40 award in 2010. Anderson has a degree in chemical engineering from Virginia Tech and is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business at The University of Pennsylvania.
“Madd Gear’s explosive growth has us poised to be one of the top action sports brands on the planet and we need a strong leader to maximize our momentum,” said Mike Horne, Managing Director of Madd Gear International in Melbourne. “Brian is a well-respected executive in the sporting goods industry and we are elated to have him as CEO of Madd Gear Americas. His background, experience and industry relationships will be a huge asset to our company.”
"I am thrilled to join the Madd Gear global team. It's exciting to be involved in a sport with dynamic growth rates, to focus on young consumers, and to further develop a brand which already has amazing prowess with the target consumer,” said Anderson. “Building a successful, sustainable business in this industry requires either a powerful brand or innovative products. Madd Gear has both. I am very excited to use those assets to build a great business in the U.S., Canada and Latin America.”
Madd Gear is a premier, performance action sports brand with professional athletes in ten countries and a global fan base. Founded in 2002, the company is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and has business operations in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Germany and China. Their products lead the industry in technological advances and new-to-market features. Already the leading global brand of freestyle, stunt scooters, the company is slated to enter the BMX bike market and other product categories in 2013. For more information, visit www.MaddGear.com.


text:
Today in Toronto, Canada, at Microsoft’s annual Worldwide Partner Conference, Windows Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Financial Officer Tami Reller spoke to thousands of partners from around the world. She shared some exciting new details regarding Windows that I wanted to pass along.
For the first time, we provided details on Windows 8 availability. Tami confirmed that Windows 8 is on track to Release to Manufacturing (RTM) the first week of August. For enterprise customers with Software Assurance benefits, they will have full access to Windows 8 bits as early as August. Additionally, she noted that RTM is when we’ll be turning on the commerce platform so that developers can start earning money for their apps – we’ll have more to share on the Windows Store for developers blog soon. Of course, right now with the Windows 8 Release Preview, all apps are still free for people to try.
Tami went on to say that Windows 8 will reach general availability by the end of October! This means that new Windows 8 and Windows RT PCs will be available to buy and upgrades will be available starting in October. She also mentioned that that Windows 8 will be available in 109 languages across 231 markets worldwide.
Finally, Tami announced a new milestone with Windows 7. There is no question that Windows 7 is the bestselling operating system in history – and the number of licenses sold keeps growing. In her remarks, Tami announced that more than 630 million Windows 7 licenses have been sold to date – and that more than half of enterprise desktops today are running Windows 7.
For Windows 8 hardware demos from our partners, I recommend watching the replay of the keynote, which will be available here later today.


text:
Sony's 4K Xperia XZ Premium Will Be The First 1000Mbps Phone In Australia.
Lenovo announces new Tab 4 series tablets at Mobile World Congress.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 launches with S Pen and optional keyboard cover.
LG’s G6 is about screen and sound.
This week on Life and Technology, Charlie spoke to Director of Mobile Planning about the exciting updates to the Optus network.
This week on Life and Technology, Charlie had a chat with Oppo’s Executive Director, Michael Tran to know about the latest news from Oppo at this year’s MWC 2017 Expo at Barcelona.
D-Link launches world’s first Apple Home Kit-enabled camera, the Omna 180 Cam HD. This week on Life and Technology, Charlie got the chance to speak to Managing Director of D-Link Australia & New Zealand Graeme Reardon to know more about this new release.


text:
Mark Lyans used to be one of the most steadfast opponents to GM technology. In a striking talk he explains why he has changed his mind, looked into the science behind the issue and decided to come out in support of GM technology.
The risk today is not that anyone will be harmed by GM food, but that millions will be harmed by not having enough food, because a vocal minority of people in rich countries want their meals to be what they consider natural.
Check out the video after the break.
Just what makes a natural food? Anti-GMO advocates consistently bring up the idea that food should be ‘natural’ or ‘organic’. But when it comes to human-induced modification of genes, it turns out that most traditional crops are really far more modified (and far less tested) than feared GMOs.
Kevin Folta writes an informative opinion piece on this issue here. In it he creates a handy table for side by side comparison of traditional modifications – which points out the inconstancies in the arguments of many who advocate compulsory (misleading) labelling of GMOs. (Click the table to enlarge)
In what seems like irony, in the context of the GM vs. Organic food debate, a recent study has shown that genetically modified crops actually help organic crops grow. This paper explains that GMOs provide a king of ‘herd immunity’ which protects the entire ecosystem – in a very similar manner to vaccinations. Unfortunately it would probably be too optimistic to imagine the advocates of organic food deciding to plant GMOs next to their crops any time soon.
Because insecticides kill indiscriminately, they kill many species that are beneficial to farmers – such as spiders and ladybirds. These predator species feast on aphids. Thus, the chain of events goes like this: Bt cotton allows farmers to use less insecticide, which causes predator populations to increase, which then leads to a decrease in the population of aphids.
This is a win not only for farmers, but also for the environment.
Read more at biotech-now.
Glow in the dark things are the quick becoming one of the most cliched products of the GMO world. This is probably because they are achievable and very easily recognised as alien and different. Humans love lights and glowing things in general – so glowing flowers seem like an obvious product. As of earlier this year they are finally commercially available. A small Australian company BIOCONST has produced its first range of commercial fluorescent flowers, which it calls Galassia Flowers. This first range is treated with a “fluorescent formulation” rather than being genetically modified – but the company has plans to create GMO products too. These flowers also need an illumination device, which presumably shines the UV light needed to see the glowing effect.
Check out their gallery of current products here. After the break also check out a fashion show they ran which showcases some of their flower fashion accessories.
While anti-GM crop destruction may have been stopped at Rothamsted only a week ago, yet another project has come under threat. Dr. Eddo Rugini has spent the last 30 years working on woody plant propagation in Italy, specifically looking at transgenic olive trees, cherry trees, and kiwifruit vines. He gained permission to grow the plants in 1998 with strict protocols to prevent gene flow from the plants. However in 2002 Italy passed a law banning field research on genetically engineered plants. Dr. Rugini was granted an extension until 2008, but no longer and has now been called to destroy the plants himself. You can find out more information on this issue in a well written article by Anastasia Bodnar of Biofortified.
Thirty years of work will be destroyed tomorrow, by Dr. Rugini himself (under court order), a true tragedy for science. While it may be too late to effectively stop this, a petition has nonetheless been formed to protest the destruction. You can sign the petition here, or see the signatures of others here. I have included some of the moving words of those who have signed the petition after the break.


text:
The aggregate value of U.S. insurance deals fell 30 percent to $20.2 billion in 2017 compared to 2016 and deals in 2018 will be comprised primarily of smaller transactions valued at less than $2 billion, a new report found.
Even so, companies looking to buy or sell need to address several trends that will influence their ability to execute their plans, said Boris Lukan, principal at Deloitte and co-author of a 2018 M&A insurance outlook report.
We sum up some of the key trends and asked Lukan how those trends might affect the retail financial advisor.
The report: Tax reform has affected the industry in many ways, with insurance companies and advisors specifically affected.
Tax changes afford advisors some relief by lowering rates on pass-through entitles and individuals, and by modifying deductions, credits and incentives.
Tax changes at the corporate level reduce rates from 35 percent to 21 percent, and alter life insurance reserving methodologies and policy acquisition costs.
Why and how it affects advisors: Lower tax rates make the U.S. market more attractive to foreign buyers.
Japanese insurance companies have already looked at and been active in the U.S., and a lower tax rate would give them even more reason to hunt for deals.
With the valuation of European companies on the rise and the falling U.S. dollar, would-be acquirers have more muscle to make acquisition, and that gives retail advisors more options when it comes to doing business with insurance companies, he said.
Lower rates helps level the playing field between U.S. insurance companies and foreign rivals since a higher rate makes U.S. companies less attractive to acquirers.
Lower tax rates free up money for insurers and brokers to buy back the stock, boost dividends, pay one-time bonus increases and strengthen operations.
If insurers and brokers want to stay at the leading edge of the industry, tax reform raises the chances for these companies to make investments that benefit distribution channels and advisors.
Modularization of the Value Chain
The report: The life and annuity industry is a slow-growth proposition and company managers need to hunt for higher returns by rethinking business models by rearranging like Lego blocks distribution, underwriting or customer service components of their companies.
Why and how it affects advisors: Advisors play a key role in distributing insurance products but there are times when the policies are developed by other companies. Those products are sold under and managed by a major life and annuity brand company.
Selling off or moving around pieces of a company affects policy terms, pricing and underwriting criteria, all of which could lead to operational changes to the advisor’s back office, Lukan said.
“MetLife definitely demonstrates that companies are coming to a realization that value is different and depending on the organization’s competency, they may be better off focusing on certain elements of a value chain rather than offering a soup-to-nuts approach,” he said.
While that’s not necessarily new, “technology is advancing to the point where you can focus on a portion of the value chain in a way to be more streamlined,” he said.
“That’s the part that’s different and we will see more of this type of deal,” Lukan said.
InsurTech: Buy, Invest or Partner?
The report: Some technology deals will come in the form of an outright purchase, such as American Family Insurance’s acquisition of data and analytics software company Networked Insights. Other deals will consist of an insurance company or broker taking majority stakes in start-ups.
Either way, technology serves as an essential tool to remaining profitable at a time when interest rates are still low, profit margins thinner than they used to be and advisor commissions continue to drop.
For life insurers and distributors, the way to lower high fixed distribution costs is through the use of technology.
How it affects advisors: Main Street retail advisors have already undergone disruption thanks to challenges coming from direct distribution, and start-ups and technology incubators are pumping out internet-based tools to help advisors at a quickening pace.
While that’s not exactly new either, “what might be different is just how much money is being deployed into innovative technologies,” Lukan said.
From straight-through-processing techniques to robotics, from artificial intelligence to analytics, from agent portals to digital distribution, CIOs at every life and annuity company have talked about using these technologies to move their companies forward.
Agents and advisors privileged enough to partake in the discussions should make their voices heard, Lukan said.
Competing life insurers aren’t standing still and advisors should be on the lookout for competitors with more efficient distribution networks capable of binding policies in seconds and cross-selling products more efficiently, he said.
The report: Years ago, when many advisors may have joined the industry, insurers sought to grow by casting a wider net building and acquiring capabilities to amass large product or geographic footprints in the mold of a full-service financial institution.
Tougher competition, tighter regulation and higher customer expectations have changed and insurers are placing bets on what they do best and selling off the rest.
Voya Financial’s decision to sell its annuity portfolio to concentrate on asset management and benefits is but one example.
Acquisitions have been a key growth strategy for many years but the arrival of aggressive private equity acquirers into the industry has sharpened the focus on the bottom line.
Why it matters to advisors: In the last 18 months, insurers of all stripes have seen an “unusually large” number of changes at the top in the C-suite.
C-suite changes often signal a change in direction at the company and a review of the product, company acquisitions or investment portfolio.
That affects advisors because it could have an impact on who they do business with and may force the advisor to decide whether they want to continue with their carrier relationships, Lukan said.
InsuranceNewsNet Senior Writer Cyril Tuohy has covered the financial services industry for more than 15 years. Cyril may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.
© Entire contents copyright 2018 by InsuranceNewsNet.com Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted without the expressed written consent from InsuranceNewsNet.com.


text:
Updated January 30th, 2024 at 18:15 IST
Germany to return back to pre-pandemic level car sales: VDA
Germany's passenger car market is expected to shrink by 1 per cent, according to VDA
Car sales: The German Association of the Automotive Industry expects the global passenger car market to grow moderately by 2 per cent in 2024, taking it close but not fully back to its size prior to the pandemic.
The country's passenger car market is expected to shrink by 1 per cent, and remain 25 per cent smaller than pre-pandemic levels this year, the VDA association said.
VDA Chief Economist, Manuel Kallweit, said supply chains were once again intact, but the business environment for German carmakers remained challenging.
Electric vehicle sales of Germany have registered a fall by 16 per cent in 2023, according to VDA data. The association has also dropped its present forecast by 9 per cent in 2024.
The fall in sales last year can be credited to the removal of government subsidies. In August last year, the number of cars that hit German streets recorded a 0.1 per cent dip, according to KBA, Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority.
In this year, the production of electric cars in Germany was forecasted to increase by 19 per cent, the association said, with much of German output destined for export.
Published January 30th, 2024 at 17:55 IST


text:
OCZ Technology Expects That Fiscal Q4 Revenue Increased by Nearly 100% to Record $64M
OCZ Technology Group, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs) for computing devices and systems, today announced it expects to report record revenue for its fiscal 2011 fourth quarter of approximately $64 million, an increase of nearly 100% from the $32.4 million reported in last year's fourth quarter. For the year ended February 28, 2011, revenues are expected to be approximately $189 million compared to $144 million in fiscal 2010.
In addition to the record quarterly and full year revenue expectations, the Company's SSD products for fiscal fourth quarter are expected to be approximately $58 million compared to $12.1 million during the same period last year, and $41.5 million in the Company's third quarter ending November 30, 2010. This represents approximate increases of 380% year over year and 40% sequentially. The expected Q4 SSD product mix of approximately 7% Consumer, 78% Server, and 15% Enterprise is generally consistent with prior quarters.
"We are pleased to have achieved record annual revenue while transitioning away from our historic focus on DRAM products, which comprised 50% of the Company's revenue in its fiscal 2010 but less than 20% in fiscal 2011. This successful transition was due to an anticipated 200% increase in SSD sales from fiscal 2010 to fiscal 2011," said Ryan Petersen, Chief Executive Officer of OCZ. "Moreover, we continue to see positive indicators of increased SSD demand on a global basis."
Additional commentary pertaining to the Company's results and any guidance for fiscal 2012 will be issued when the Company reports its full fourth quarter and fiscal year 2011 financial results, which is expected to be completed during April 2011.
The financial estimates set forth herein are unaudited and preliminary. They remain subject not only to management's final review, but also to audit by the Company's independent accounting firm.
Latest News Posts
- Halo 5 opening cinematic teases a bunch of stuff you can't do in-game
- The new Nexus 5 will feature 1080p display, 6-core CPU and USB Type-C
- MSI shows off new gaming notebooks powered by Intel Skylake
- EVGA will soon be entering the enthusiast gaming notebook market
- NVIDIA GRID 2.0 will be powered by Maxwell-based Tesla M60, Tesla M6
- SanDisk Connect Stick 64GB Wireless Flash Drive Review
- GA-EP45-UD3R doesn't boot with Dual Channel (After Clean PC)
- carvedilol 3.125 mg information. Purchase online.
- Im happy I now signed up
- ASUSTOR AS5004T Four-Bay Consumer NAS Review
- SEAGATE DELIVERS INDUSTRY'S BROADEST PORTFOLIO OF 8TB HARD DRIVES
- CYBERTRONPC ANNOUNCES SMALL FORM FACTOR SYSTEM WITH AMD R9 NANO GRAPHICS CARD
- SilverStone Storage Devices - Mobile Series - MS08
- ASRock Z170 OC Formula Sets More Records at IDF 2015 San Francisco!
- ATTO Technology to Display Network and Storage Connectivity Portfolio at VMworld 2015


text:
HONG KONG (AP) – Sofia is a robot with many talents – she talks, jokes, sings and even makes art. In March, it sparked a stir in the art world when a digital work she created as part of a collaboration was sold at auction for $ 688,888 in the form of an irreplaceable marker (NFT).
The sale highlighted the growing fury in the NFT market, where people can buy ownership of digital content. Each of the NFTs has a unique numeric code written on blockchain books that allow anyone to verify the authenticity and ownership of the items.
David Hanson, CEO of Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics and founder of Sofia, has been developing robots for the past two and a half decades. He believes realistic-looking robots can connect with humans and help in industries such as healthcare and education.
Sofia is the most famous robot creation from Hanson Robotics, with the ability to imitate facial expressions, to have conversations and to recognize people. In 201
“I imagined Sofia as a creative work of art that can generate art,” Hanson said in an interview.
“Sofia is the culmination of many arts and engineering, and the idea that it can then generate art is a way for it to connect emotionally and visually with people,” he said.
Sofia collaborates with the Italian artist Andrea Bonaceto, who paints portraits of Sofia. Sofia then processed his work through neural networks and continued to create his own digital work of art.
The digital work, which sells for $ 688,888, is titled “Sophia Instantiation” and is a 12-second video showing the portrait of Bonaceto, which became the digital painting of Sofia. It is accompanied by physical works of art painted by Sofia.
The buyer, a digital art collector and artist known as 888 with a Twitter handle @ Crypto888crypto, later sent Sofia a photo of his painted hand. The robot then processed this, adding this image to her knowledge and drawing more strokes on its original piece.
In a tweet about Sofia’s account, the work was described as the first NFT collaboration between “AI, a mechanical collective being and a collector of artists.”
“As an artist, I have computational creativity in my algorithms, creating original works,” Sofia said when asked what inspires her in terms of art. “But my art was created in collaboration with my people in a kind of collective intellect as the mind of the hive of human artificial intelligence.”
Sales of Sofia’s artwork such as NFT are part of a growing trend. In March, a digital work of art by Beeple – whose real name is Mike Winkelman – sold for nearly $ 70 million, breaking records and making it the most expensive digital work of art ever sold.
Henri Arslanyan, global crypto leader at PricewaterhouseCooper, said the NFT gave people “rights to praise” the assets they owned.
“And what’s really amazing about NFT is that it not only allows you to show the wider world that you own it, but it really creates that connection between the NFT owner and the artists,” he said.
It also allows art to be sold without traditional intermediaries, so artists can connect directly with buyers without being restricted by galleries or auction houses, Arslanyan said.
Sofia will continue to paint, Hanson said, and the next step in the robot’s career could be that of a musician. She is working on several musical works in a project called Sofia Pop, where she collaborates with human musicians to generate music and lyrics, he said.
“We are so excited about Sofia’s career as an artist,” Hanson said.


text:
has announced its U.K. Consumer Products and Theatrical divisions are collaborating with
to launch a new product range as well as an integrated marketing activity to support the release of “
: Mutant Mayhem,” which opened in cinemas in the U.K. on July 31.
The collaboration will see a range of apparel launched in Tottenham Hotspur Football Club retail stores as well as online globally. The range will see the Turtles dressed in a Tottenham-inspired kit, playing football.
Alongside Tottenham, Paramount will be running a host of marketing activities, including a “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”-inspired stadium tour where families will search for the Turtles in their sewer lairs as well as eat the
The Turtles will also be present at Tottenham’s home pre-season match against Shakhtar Donetsk Aug. 6. The new walk-around characters will be there to meet and engage with fans, as
There will also be activities and giveaways with the club’s Junior Membership program, among radio and exhibitor competitions.
TMNT x Tottenham Hotspur Ultimate Footie Team Tee
“It is thrilling to launch this football collaboration for ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ especially as it resonates so brilliantly with the core demographic for the new film,” says Venetia Davie, vice president, consumer products and experiences, Paramount. “We couldn’t be more excited to see all this activity come to life.”
“We’re always looking for new and creative ways to engage our younger fans, so we’re excited to be releasing bespoke merchandise and delivering a range of activities during the school summer holidays to celebrate the release of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie,” says Duncan Pass, merchandise and licensing director, Tottenham Hotspur.
Subscribe and receive the latest news from the industry.
Join 62,000+ members. Yes, it’s completely free.


text:
Nissan has accidently shown off the 2013 Altima early.
The 2013 Nissan Altima has been spotted sans disguise in a video posted on the company's Japanese YouTube site. The short clip appeared in a video showcasing 30 years of the Nissan Technical Center. The video clearly shows the new Altima's design lines and front-end, including swooping bodywork and distinct, sharp new grille. Angular headlights give the 2013 Altima a more aggressive look.
The video in which the 2013 Nissan Altima appeared, spotted first by InsideLine, has since been pulled down from the company's site so there is no point in going back and looking for it. All that remains of the automaker's snafu are these two photos.
Join The Discussion


text:
Trendspotting: Fashion Spandex?
Spandex shapewear doesn’t have such a great rep, previously making appearances in bad ’80s music videos and being the culprit behind embarrassing hookup moments. But things might be turning around. DKNY is about to give the oh-so-trendy Spanx a run for its money by launching a new line of tummy-tucking underwear that is meant to be a bit cooler, thanks to neon pink and blue colors. Grazia has pointed out that maybe there’s a trend beginning here, since the presentation of Topshop’s “Unique” collection was filled with workout-like looks—sports bra-like bandeau tops were paired with Spandex biker shorts under jean shorts. Think you could rock this as a biker-cute look? Or do the granny panties belong out of sight? [Grazia, Topshop]