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Amazon has begun taking pre-orders for the third title in the Disney Legacy Collection, Sleeping Beauty, which will be released on October 7, 2014, in honor of the 55th anniversary of the 1959 animated classic.
As part of the Frozen weekend on Disney Channel, Walt Disney Records and Vevo have released the full music video for ‘Do You Want To Build A Snowman?’ featuring twenty-six stars of Disney’s hit programming, which you can find embedded below.
Actors participating in the monumental event include: JAKE SHORT, BRADLEY STEVEN PERRY, KEVIN CHAMBERLIN, SABRINA CARPENTER, PEYTON LIST, GRACE PHIPPS, JOEY BRAGG, KARAN BRAR, SKAI JACKSON, ROWAN BLANCHARD, SARAH GILMAN, TYREL JACKSON WILLIAMS, KELLI BERGLUND, BLAKE MICHAEL, LEIGH-ALLYN BAKER, DYLAN RILEY SNYDER, PIPER CURDA, AUSTIN NORTH, OLIVIA HOLT, JORDAN FISHER, PEYTON CLARK, LEO HOWARD, MADDY WHITBY, MORGAN TOMPKINS and CANDICE HUCKEBA.
Twenty-six stars of Disney’s hit programming for kids and tweens perform a new interpretation of the song ‘Do You Want to Build a Snowman?’ from Disney’s Academy Award-winning animated film Frozen. The new pop arrangement of the song will debut Friday, July 18 on Radio Disney; its music video will premiere on the popular WATCH Disney Channel app for verified users on Friday, July 18 and Sunday, July 20 on Disney Channel.
Marvel and Hollywood Records have announced three editions of the official original motion picture soundtrack to Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1, 2014) available on July 29, 2014: ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Deluxe’ soundtrack features classic 1970s songs from the film plus the score by composer Tyler Bates ; ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Mix Vol. 1′ is the collection of 12 songs including Blue Swede’s ‘Hooked on a Feeling,’ ‘I’m Not in Love’ by 10cc, Redbone’s ‘Come and Get Your Love,’ and The Runaways’ ‘Cherry Bomb;’ and Guardians of the Galaxy digital score soundtrack. The soundtrack is currently available for pre-order from Amazon.
Commemorating the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney’s Mary Poppins, the Disney Music Emporium will release the Legacy Collection edition on August 26, 2014. Pre-orders are now being accepted at Amazon.
The beautiful book-bound three-disc collectible set features the enchanting music from the film, ‘lost chords’and excerpts from the P.L. Travers Story Meetings with Don DiGradi and The Sherman Brothers, plus, newly illustrated artwork by Lorelay Bove.
The complete track list is as follows:
Confirming an earlier report Stitch Kingdom made on Twitter, Hollywood Records today confirmed plans to re-release the rare live recordings of ‘Queen: Live at the Rainbow ’74’ on September 9, 2014 in multiple formats including special edition, limited releases.
Walt Disney Records’ newly created line of collectible CDs, Walt Disney Records The Legacy Collection, will celebrate the anniversaries of Disney’s most cherished and classic properties that have been enchanting audiences for generations. Through 2015, Walt Disney Records will celebrate 12 anniversaries including Pinocchio (75th), Fantasia (75th), Cinderella (65th), Lady and the Tramp (60th), Sleeping Beauty (55th), Mary Poppins (50th), The Lion King (20th) and Toy Story (20th), among others.
Walt Disney Records and VEVO have released a music video along with the full track for the Shykidx remix of the theme to ‘The Muppet Show.’ The track is one of 14 that will appear on Dconstructed (now available).
The full track list for the upcoming album can be found underneath ‘The Muppet Show’ track, which is embedded below:
- “Circle of Life” (Mat Zo Remix) – Carmen Twillie & Lebo M. The Lion King
- “Derezzed” (So Amazing Mix) Remixed by Avicii featuring Negin – Daft Punk TRON: Legacy
- “Let It Go” (Armin Van Buuren Remix) – Idina Menzel Frozen
On April 29, 2014, Walt Disney Records will release a three-track digital EP titled ‘Let It Go: Remixes’ according to a new listing on Amazon.
The album will contain the following remixes of the smash hit ‘Let It Go’ as performed in the film by Idina Menzel: Dave Audé Club Remix, Papercha$er Club Remix and DJ Escape & Tony Coluccio Club Remix.
For more information or to pre-order/purchase ‘Let It Go: Remixes,’ visit Amazon.
As a follow-up to the successful release of the ‘DuckTales: Remastered‘ video game for most consoles, Capcom and Walt Disney Records will be releasing a full digital download soundtrack on April 29, 2014, according to a new listing on Amazon.
Clocking in at a whopping 47 tracks and a time of nearly 90 minutes in length, the extensive game soundtrack includes both original and 8-bit versions of its music, composed by Jake Kaufman.
The full track list is as follows:


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HEYBURN, Idaho — Demand for many varieties and sizes of Idaho potatoes should be strong this season.
Fingerling acreage is up about 20% this year for Heyburn, Idaho-based Southwind Farms, and Robert Tominaga, the company’s president, has no worries about finding the demand to meet it.
“With California’s drought, I think it will work out well for us,” he said. “I think we’ll see more demand from what would have been their sales.”
But it’s not just lower production in Kern County and other growing regions of California that’s spiking demand for Idaho-grown fingerlings, Tominaga said.
A larger trend is at work.
“The trend in the potato world is that russets are flat to declining, and specialties have seen a large increase in demand.”
Kevin Stanger, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Idaho Falls-based Wada Farms Marketing Group LLC, doesn’t see a big change in the market for smaller potatoes, but 40s, 50s and 60s could get a boost.
“Demand is strong for the larger stuff, and prices could inch up.”
Gary Garnand, owner of Twin Falls, Idaho-based Garnand Marketing LLC, said shippers and marketers are looking forward to higher prices as the new-crop deal gets into full swing.
“The market seems to be stable, and when we get everything into storage, we hope to see prices increase a little bit.”
Increased demand from another corner of the potato industry could benefit Idaho fresh shippers this year, Garnand said.
“According to everything I’ve been able to read, it looks like we’ll have plenty of potatoes, but the processing market seems to be active. They’ve increased exports quite a bit.”
If processing export markets can absorb some of that volume, it would be a big help, Garnand said. If they can’t, it could be a challenge.
“We could be in for prices at this level, no higher.”
Demand was a frustrating paradox at the beginning of the new-crop Idaho season, said Ryan Wahlen, sales manager for Aberdeen-based Pleasant Valley Potatoes Inc.
“Demand has been good, but prices aren’t good. They’re below the cost of production. But they always fluctuate. Typically a down year is followed by a good year.”
Still, he said, the market has a steep hill to climb.
“The problem is they’re starting at such a low point, it usually takes a while to get up.”
Unfortunately, Wahlen said, it’s one link in the supply chain that shows the most strain when markets are depressed.
“Shippers and marketers are going to make money. It’s the growers who suffer.”
Sizing was smaller than usual in some Idaho growing areas, but in some cases, that could wind up being a boon for demand, said Rob Rydalch, supply coordinator for Rexburg, Idaho-based Wilcox Fresh.
“There will be 60s, but I don’t think there will be a lot of 50s, which is not all bad.”
There used to be a better market for the largest spuds in Texas, Rydalch said. But now that the Lone Star State has started growing more of its own big potatoes, there’s less demand for Idaho product.
Overall, Rydalch does have some concerns about demand.
“Fresh consumption is going down.”
With both adults in households working, there’s less time to cook, and fresh potatoes take time, he said.

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Salesforce Einstein CRM arrives at Ulster Bank, as AI keeps transforming financial services
Salesforce Einstein, a comprehensive CRM Artificial Intelligence platform, is set to help the bank respond in a swifter and more effective manner to the needs of the customers.
Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance in the financial services sector, with Atos – an expert in big data Data, cybersecurity, high performance computing and digital workplace, announcing on Thursday the full-scale Salesforce Einstein CRM implementation in the financial services industry.
Salesforce Einstein, a comprehensive CRM Artificial Intelligence platform, arrives at Ulster Bank, a subsidiary of NatWest and part of RBS Group.
The contract covered a renovation of the existing Salesforce CRM platform (incorporating Einstein and migrating to Salesforce Lightning), a data quality cleanse of the platform and the build of a new Single Customer View (SCV). The platform also includes a next-best product recommendation engine that aims optimize managers’ time to respond to the needs of its customers. The new platform will support Ulster Bank to enhance customer relationships, deliver greater business efficiency and increase sales revenue.
The new platform offers comprehensive insight into customer and consumer data generated, through services from Atos Codex, Atos’ offering for advanced business-driven analytics, IoT and cognitive solutions, which can be used to influence product development and management
more effectively respond to customers’ specific needs, preferences and expectations. For instance, the platform offers enhanced optimal product recommendation prediction and targeting and that helps to minimize human effort, maximize sales and improve customer experience.
AI solutions continue to advance in the financial services sector and to take over back-office roles from human staff. Early this year, Japan’s Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance made the headlines by announcing it would make 34 staff members redundant over the deployment of IBM’s Watson AI solution. Another Japanese financial services major – Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (TYO:8306), has recently joined ranks of the companies that decisively transform their workforce in line with the latest technology achievements. MUFG’s President Nobuyuki Hirano said 9,500 jobs will be automated in Japan. These jobs account for about 30% of the overall headcount nationwide at MUFG’s main subsidiary, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.


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Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book Audience Extension Program Reinvents Social Media Advertising
Service leverages real-time behavioral data to improve marketing effectiveness on leading social media channels
ATLANTA, Sept. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Automotive Inc., an industry-leading digital marketing, financial, retail and wholesale solutions provider for the overall automotive ecosystem worldwide, has announced the launch of a new audience extension product designed to help OEM's and regional associations boost the performance of their social media advertising. The social media audience extension product utilizes anonymous web site behavior data from Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com – the industry's two most utilized third-party automotive shopping sites — and in turn allows advertisers to use this data to deliver highly targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram.
Unlike other automotive shopping targets that use old data in an attempt to predict future shopping behavior, Cox Automotive's social media audience extension program analyzes real-time browsing behavior to create highly-targeted and unique advertising audiences for its clients.
According to the 2017 Cox Automotive Car Buyer Journey Study produced in connection with IHS, nearly three-quarters of all car shoppers visit Autotrader or KBB.com before making a purchase, giving the program access to a vast majority of the total automotive marketplace. Cox Automotive collects and analyzes the shopping activity on its sites and intelligently segments car buyers by behaviors and preferences, including specific make, model, competitive or segment intender audiences. Advertisers can then target these segments on Facebook and Instagram with their own specific message, utilizing the multiple creative options and campaign objectives Facebook and Instagram offer.
"Today's customers increasingly rely on online research before purchasing, and it's critical that our industry reaches them where they are and at the right moment," said Adam Pavkov, Director, Product Operations - Social Media, at Cox Automotive. "This program gives advertisers the tools they need to get the right messages in front of shoppers when it matters most."
Facebook's 2016 Annual Report states they have 230 million Facebook users in North America. Facebook reported users check their feed on average 14 times per day1, the product leverages Facebook's enormous audience of engaged users. Advertisers can further segment Cox Automotive in-market shopper audiences by location, demographic and interest-based targets to deliver effective and efficient campaigns.
Honda Motor Company was an early adopter of the product.
"We're always looking for new ways to use data to make advertising more efficient and effective," said Dan Rodriguez, Manager of Auto Remarketing Certified Pre-Owned at American Honda Motor Co. "This product has helped us more accurately identify in-market shoppers and narrowly target our messaging, and we're excited by the results."
An independent study conducted by Oracle Data Cloud from June-August 2016 to measure the quality of an advertising audience by quantifying its propensity to purchase a vehicle found that of the 6.9 million households analyzed, in-market shoppers in the Cox Automotive audience segments were 400 percent to 540 percent more likely to purchase a vehicle than the equivalent automotive audiences powered by other companies inside Facebook.
The industry's initial response to the program has been overwhelmingly positive, with users like Southeast Toyota Distributers seeing dramatic improvement in their marketing efficiency and performance.
Compared to Facebook or Instagram campaigns using data provided by other companies, advertisers using Cox Automotive's data reported on average 64 percent higher click-thru rates, 497 percent higher conversion rates with a 57 percent lower cost per conversion.2 For campaigns targeting conquest and segment audiences, Cox Automotive's data resulted in 39 percent higher click-thru rates, 175 percent higher conversion rates and 22 percent lower cost per conversion.2 Additionally, campaigns targeting audiences modeled after retention shoppers outperformed competitor–based campaigns with a 310 percent higher click-thru rate and a 72 percent lower cost per click.2
"Cox Automotive's social media audience extension product has really helped us make the most of our advertising spend," said Jenny Reed, VP Media Director at 22squared, the agency which supports Southeast Toyota. "We're being more efficient by getting the right messaging in front of the right shoppers at the right time – and Southeast Toyota is getting the engagement and back-end metrics they're looking for."
For more information on the Cox Automotive social media audience extension program, automotive agencies and OEMs can contact the Autotrader or Kelley Blue Book sales department.
2 Facebook report comparing 2016 campaigns
Autotrader connects with more actual car buyers than any other third-party listing site, with the most engaged audience of in-market shoppers. As the foremost authority on automotive consumer insights and expert in online and mobile marketing, Autotrader makes the car shopping experience easy and fun for today's empowered consumer looking to find or sell the perfect new, used or Certified Pre-Owned car. Using technology, shopper insights and local market guidance, Autotrader's comprehensive marketing solutions guide dealers to personalized digital marketing strategies that grow brand, drive traffic and connect the online and in-store shopping experience.
Autotrader is a Cox Automotive™ brand. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. For more information, please visit http://press.autotrader.com.
About Kelley Blue Book
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry. Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website KBB.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new and used cars this week. The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies.
Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. is a Cox Automotive brand.
About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Inc. is transforming the way the world buys, sells and owns cars with industry-leading digital marketing, financial, retail and wholesale solutions for consumers, dealers, manufacturers and the overall automotive ecosystem worldwide. Committed to open choice and dedicated to strong partnerships, the Cox Automotive family includes Autotrader®, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, vAuto®, Xtime® and a host of other brands. The global company has 32,000-plus team members in more than 200 locations and is partner to more than 40,000 auto dealers, as well as most major automobile manufacturers, while engaging U.S. consumer car buyers with the most recognized media brands in the industry. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., an Atlanta-based company with revenues exceeding $20 billion and approximately 60,000 employees. Cox Enterprises' other major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications and Cox Media Group.
For more information about Cox Automotive, visit www.coxautoinc.com.
For further information: Lisa Aloisio, Sr. Manager Public Relations, Lisa.Aloisio@coxautoinc.com, c: 404-725-0651
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Cox will match up to $100,000 in community donations toward STEAM and sustainability-related ...


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China will import American rice for first time
(CNNMoney) The world's largest rice producer is hungry for more and looking to the U.S. for supplies.
China will import American rice for the first time after a new trade deal was agreed to Thursday.
"The agreement with China has been in the works for more than a decade and I'm pleased to see it finally come to fruition, especially knowing how greatly it will benefit our growers and industry," said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in a statement.
China produces 20 times more rice than the U.S., but it's also the world's biggest consumer. Recently it has been buying more rice abroad, spending way over $1 billion in some years, to feed its population.
Last year, China imported about 5 million tons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The U.S. alone couldn't satisfy that demand. America exports between 3 million and 4 million tons a year, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
China was once largely able to feed itself, especially with rice. But it's been relying more on imports in recent years, said Rob Bailey, an expert in food security at Chatham House, a policy institute in London.
Rising food imports partly reflect challenges in Chinese agriculture. The rural population is aging, crop yields are low and there are high levels of soil depletion. Pollution and climate change also threaten production.
Bailey said China was being smart in finding new sources of rice because temporary export bans from other Asian countries have caused problems in the past.
"China's probably thinking, 'If we are going to import rice, let's not be too reliant on the Asian market'," he said.
The USDA said exports to China can begin once Chinese officials have completed an audit of U.S. rice facilities.
China's Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Commerce did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The breakthrough comes two months after the U.S. Commerce Department announced a dealthat will allow U.S. beef and natural gas exports to flow into China.
And it comes in the week that top Chinese and U.S. officials met to talk about trade.
Nevertheless, the relationship remains strained. President Trump has called out Beijing for what he considers to be unfair trading practices, and he wants to reduce America's huge trade deficitwith China.
This sentiment was echoed by U.S. officials after the Wednesday meetings, with a statement saying there was a "shared objective to reduce the trade deficit" with China.
A Chinese statement that came out later mentioned the deficit, but focused on many more issues that the two sides should cooperate on over the coming year.
Meanwhile, the issue of steel trade continues to be a delicate matter. Trump's administration may soon slap tariffs on Chinese shipments of steel to the U.S.


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KoolSpan, Inc., a Bethesda, MD-based developer of a security processors for the mobile market, has completed a $5m funding.
The round was led by TWJ Capital and Security Growth Partners.
The company intends to use the new funding to expand product offerings while investing in global sales, marketing, and operations.
KoolSpan, which recently hired wireless and mobile technology industry veteran Gregg Smith as CEO, has developed the TrustChip® mobile encryption engine, which enables the protection of applications, operating systems and mobile devices.
The company has worked with numerous Fortune 250 companies and government agencies across the globe and is building a global partner network.


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In 2014 The National Highway Authority of India introduced the idea of FASTag which is a wireless frequency-based identification tag in order to make toll collection more fast and cash-free. Then came an increase in toll collection, from 16percent in the year 2016-17, to more than 96% by 2021-22.
Apart from collecting tolls, the FASTag infrastructure is well-suited for further development.
In order to enable payments by autonomous vehicles, Luke Sequeira and Aprup Shet have seized the chance to make use of the infrastructure and created Numadic in Goa. Numadic in 2016 to create a vehicle interface platform that can be used for creating APIs and apps.
The software-as-a-service (SaaS) startup, which built its vehicle payment technology using the FASTag ecosystem, offers a simplified solution for banks, as well as logistics and automotive OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), to issue FASTags. The company also offers an engagement platform to end users , as well as software for car payments.
The problem is that the statement
Since the year 2016, the company has been involved on the payments for fleets. It has worked with large companies to monitor third-party fleets using GPS in addition to generating invoices.
Luke discovered that, while the logistics and freight space was filled with many participants, there was no technological innovation taking place in the field of digital payment for vehicles.
While at the same time there was an increase in UPI acceptance because of the demonetisation process and the increase in internet usage.
“It is a matter of a few fractions of a second or a few seconds faster that makes payments even simpler and acceptable,” Luke states.
He realized that in order for making payments at the station, motorists needed to open their smartphones or wallets. The company’s founders began working on the issue of automated payments in 2017-18 . They switched from the operational side of managing fleets to the transactional part.
“Payments require digitisation prior to the time that vehicle movements are automated. This business opportunity is the perfect time, as payment for vehicles will be automated in the coming 5–10 years” He adds.
The company was not without its initial difficulties that come with startups, such as dealing with big companies that don’t pay promptly, it was also having difficulties recruiting top talent in Goa because it wasn’t recognized as a serious company because it was an Goa-based company.
“For small companies like Numadic to grow, having access to the top talent was essential and we managed to do that within one year. Additionally, it’s not typical that companies hailing that originate from Goa to be recognized in the technology industry across India,” says Luke.
According to him, until recent, Goa neither had the infrastructure nor had a talent pool to recruit from. Additionally, prior to recent, Goa wasn’t able to attracted people who wanted to stay long-term.
“But the approach has changed since the onset of COVID-19 with remote working now becoming more acceptable, and Goa is being seen with a little bit more seriousness,” He says.
Since vehicle payments were new and the team was faced with doubt about the statement of problem as well as the solutions available and the likelihood that it would succeed.
Numadic has a relationship with corporate customers who license its own SaaS platform for an flat cost that is based on the amount of active users and the revenue generated from certain kinds of transactions.
The B2B company provides two fully-stack payment options for vehicles.
NU Issuance handles the digitisation of FASTag purchases across various platforms , including Google Pay, Amazon etc and also applications for banks. It also allows the sale and purchase of FASTags and other similar products for vehicles.
In addition, NU Toll provides mobile and web-based applications in digital and mobile tolling. success monitoring and analytics for toll transactions. It digitizes the recharging process as well as the continuous management of FASTag and similar payment for vehicles products.
The company develops FASTag APIs that utilize the FASTag network that was developed through National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) for leading FASTag issuer banks in India which allows third party developers to develop applications on top of credit and vehicle transactions, debits, among others. It offers the infrastructure required to make use of FASTags at locations such as parking spaces, fuel stations, traffic stops to facilitate fine collection, and so on.
“So rather than doing multiple integrations with different banks or oil companies, Numadic can rapidly deploy it over FASTag,” Luke says.
The company has partnered to Hindustan Petroleum and Indian Oil to utilize FASTags for fuel payment. The pilot started in October of last year.
In 2021, with the help of scanning tags designed through Numadic, ICICI Bank and IDFC First Bank also introduced FASTag-enabled fuel payment at selected outlets, by linking up with petroleum companies such as Indian Oil and Hindustan Petroleum.
The company is focused on fuel payment but it is planning to create sophisticated collection tools.
Numadic has raised $2.5 millions in a pre-series A capital round that was which was led by 9Unicorns and Venture Catalysts in October 2021. Numadic has a total of 40 members.
Luke is a tech-focused businessman and has held tech roles in India, Canada, and Europe. Additionally, he is the co-founder of StartupGoa.org through which he is determined to encourage the development of technology startups from Goan soil.
Aprup Shet Co-founder and VP of Partnerships as well as co-founded StartupGoa.org. He was also co-founder of the startup for alcohol delivery called HipBar which was recently bought by CRED.
“Depending on the environment, we may push and be more aggressive towards growth, but we are taking a balanced approach right now; and we will wait and watch, and tune up,” He says.
Numadic has processed more than 1 billion dollars in total transactions worth $1 billion.. It is competing against Park+ which is a startup based in Gururgam that makes use of FASTags to make payments in parking garages.
Based on Juniper Research, the global amount of transactions made by in-vehicle payment will surpass $4.7 billion by 2026, up from $87 million in 2021.
“We play a significant role in the digitization of fuel payment. Others are focusing on various aspects, including parking. We can see this happening in the coming years. A significant portion the fueling stations of India will be digitalized, where vehicles will have to get fuel and continue driving,” he signs off.


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Growth Beyond Harvest
This is the story of the Oriental Mindoro Calamansi Producers Association and how it managed to grow as it ventured into Concentrated Calamansi Juice Production thru the help of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program.
The seasonality in agribusiness, especially in fruit and crop production like the calamansi, is already known by many. Because of the bountiful harvest during peak season, the selling price of calamansi goes down while the selling price escalates during lean season due to low supply. With the intention of helping the calamansi planters, producers, and workers to earn a substantial income during lean season, a total of 25 calamansi producers in San Miguel, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro started th Oriental Mindoro Calamansi Producers Association or OMCPA. They registered with the DOLE Region IV-B last November 11, 2011 to avail of livelihood assistance for the establishment of concentrated calamansi juice production business.


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Colleagues & shoppers pay tribute to Asda Motherwell greeter Jessie
Customers and colleagues have been paying tribute to Jessie McGowan, a much-loved colleague at our Motherwell store, who sadly passed away earlier this week at the age of 86. Jessie worked at the store for 23 years after joining as a greeter at the age of 63.
Store manager Mark Allan said: "Anyone that has visited our store will know what a happy, kind and enthusiastic person Jessie was. She had a real ability to make people smile and was always getting the best out of those around her.
“If Jessie ever had a day off, we would have customers of all ages asking after her. That’s the type of person she was.
“She also did incredible work raising money for charities regionally and nationally. She will be sadly missed.”
Colleague Gillian Devine said: "She had a great sense of humour and could always raise a smile – and was the best person to work with.
“The store will not seem the same without her, and I know she will be very badly missed by all of the staff and the many customers she knew individually.”


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Miami Beach, FL-based vegan French patisserie L’Artisane Creative Bakery has been able to stay in business during the outbreak of COVID-19 because of one loyal customer: eCommerce expert Adam Grohs. Soon after the bakery closed its doors due to the pandemic, Grohs contacted L’Artisane co-owner Carolina Molea via Instagram with an offer to help her set up the ability to sell her goods online as part of his “Keep Small Strong” initiative—which aims to help save small businesses across the United States.
L’Artisane’s new website was launched within days along with nationwide delivery, and now allows customers to purchase one-time or monthly subscription orders of the bakery’s popular items, such as croissants, brownies, gourmet cookies, madeleines, or an assortment of macarons, cookies, cake, pate de fruits, chocolate truffles, and gourmet popcorn. “This is a hard time for everyone, but our story is about resilience,” Molea told VegNews. “It’s about a community that supports small businesses and the incredible things people can do to help each other in the hardest time. This is a story about hope, support, and vegan croissants.”


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Maveron-backed Eargo looks to reinvent the hearing aid with rechargeable devices modeled on a fishing fly
BY MICHAEL SHERMAN
Eargo, a Maveron-backed hearing-aid company that’s operated secretly for the past three years, today is launching a new line of hearing devices designed for the tens of millions of Americans that suffer from mild hearing loss.
The hearing devices, which include a patented Flexi Fiber technology and are modeled on a fishing fly, are nearly invisible when placed in the ear canal. They also are designed to provide users with more comfort and a better fit to the ear.
The Silicon Valley company started in 2010 and raised a small seed investment from Seattle-based Maveron in 2013. Since then, the company has raised $13.6 million from Maveron, Dolby Family Ventures, Crosslink Capital, Birchmere Ventures, Montage Ventures, Peterson Ventures, Red Sea Ventures and others.


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Credit ratings agency Moody’s has said that the pace of tobacco volume decline in developed markets ‘could speed up again during the next 12-18 months as a result of the new legislation designed to reduce smoking’.
These include the EU Tobacco Products Directive, which will be fully implemented by May 2017, and plain packaging legislation in markets such as France, Ireland and the UK.
Moody’s said that it anticipates ‘volumes to decline around 1.0%-2.0% in the next 12-18 months in Western Europe. This is slightly weaker than in 2015 when volumes increased by 0.7%, but in line with 2014.
‘However, due to the relatively inelastic nature of tobacco demand, volume declines will remain more than offset by positive price/mix, with profitability further benefiting from cost efficiencies’.
Overall, however, the tobacco sector is expected to see ‘steady operating profit growth’, driven in particular by increased consumption in the Middle East, Africa and Indonesia.
‘We expect steady operating profit growth, excluding foreign exchange effects, of around 4.0%-5.0% for European tobacco companies in the next 12-18 months,’ it said. ‘This will be driven by solid price increases across markets of around 5.0%-6.0%, a stronger product mix and contributions from efficiency programmes.’
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.


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However, before leaping to the nearest pharmacy to ask for vitamin supplements, it’s worth looking at the accompanying editorial in the journal. It points out that within just three months, two studies – this one, and another earlier one – have come to very different conclusions, with one concluding that vitamin D has no effect on disease prevention, with the exception of muscoskeletal diseases.
“Given the short time between articles, why are the conclusions so different?” the editorial reads, adding that the authors of it think that “there are reasons for viewing the headline result cautiously.”
“In absolute terms, the primary result is a reduction from 42% to 40% in the proportion of participants experiencing at least one acute respiratory tract infection,” it notes. This means that taking Vitamin D supplements reduces your risk of getting a cold by 2 percent, which is very minor indeed.
The editorial also points out that the term “acute respiratory tract infection” is loosely defined throughout the 25 trials, meaning that it’s not really clear what Vitamin D supplements are actually having an effect on.
“Should these results change clinical practice? Probably not,” it concludes. Right now, the supplement hypothesis is just that – a hypothesis – and one that needs plenty more randomized and controlled trials to be confirmed.
So, for now, Vitamin D supplements remain in the “inconclusive” column. Don’t believe the hype just yet.


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China, the world’s largest soyabean importer, is projected to import 82.66 million tonnes of soya bean by 2024, up 15.8% from 2014, according to China Agriculture Outlook 2015-24, a report released on 22 April.
The country’s total soyabean consumption is expected to amount to 96.71 million tonnes in 2024, up 12.7% from 2015, but its domestic soyabean output will only stand at 14.34 million tonnes in 2024, stated the report.
Experts pointed out that limited farmland and a rising population would force China to seek more soyabean imports from Argentina, Brazil, and the United States.
The country is still well placed to meet its needs in soyabean, rapeseed, and sorghum through imports to produce edible oil and animal feed, Ding Lixin, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing, told local media.
While soyabean imports are projected to grow, staples such as corn will remain steady. Corn imports are unlikely to surpass 7.2 million tonnes in 2024, due to quota restrictions, the report stated.
Meanwhile, wheat imports will climb up to 2.8 million tonnes in 2014 from 1 million tonnes in 2014, and cotton imports in 2024 is estimated to stand at 2.08 million tonnes, down 14.8 % from 2014, because of lower Chinese textile exports and a greater use of cotton substitutes, the report stated.
Dairy imports are also expected to grow 3% year on year during the coming decade to 16 million tonnes, which is lower than the average of 15.5% growth during the past decade, according to the report.


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November 5, 2019
BY Vicki Young
The Baltimore-based maker of athletic footwear, apparel and equipment is facing a federal accounting probe though sluggish sales—which forced the firm to lower its FY 2019 revenue guidance—could be an even bigger concern.
In a Nutshell: Better-than-expected sales and profits were overshadowed by the third quarter’s slowing sales, particularly in footwear, coupled by e-commerce issues and weak foreign currencies, resulting in a revision to full-year 2019 guidance.
Now, Under Armour management is grappling with how to reverse the slowdown while dealing with the feds looking into its finances.
On Sunday evening, the Wall Street Journal first reported on the two separate probes, a criminal inquiry by the Department of Justice in coordination with civil investigators at the Securities and Exchange Commission. The probes, which began in 2017, are said to be focused on revenue recognition, or a review of when Under Armour actually logged sales onto its books.
Recording sales at a time other than when they took place is illegal, but the timing of the probe suggests that it began at some point after Under Armour began to see a deterioration in sales in 2017.
During Monday’s conference call with Wall Street analysts, chief financial officer and principal accounting officer David E. Bergman said: “We have been fully cooperating with these inquiries for nearly two-and-a-half years. To this effect, we have been corresponding since July of 2017 to their requests for documents and information. We firmly believe that our accounting practices and disclosures were appropriate.”
Late last month, Under Armour said that founder Kevin Plank would step down from the CEO post on Jan. 1, 2020, to be succeeded by Patrik Frisk, currently chief operating officer. Plank will stay on as chairman, and become brand chief. In his new role, Plank will focus on long-term vision and product.” On the Monday conference call, Plank described the move as “my decision,” adding it was also reflective of the company’s strategic “shift from defensive to offensive.”
Analysts generally believe making Frisk the head of day-to-day operations is good for Under Armour, Jessica Ramirez at investment research firm Jane Hali & Assocs. said that product is the real problem at the sportwear company. And with Plank retaining oversight of both product and brand strategy, Ramirez concluded that “nothing has really changed.”
According to Ramirez, “We believe Under Armour is losing share at wholesale and with consumers as a premium brand. Management has indicated it is working to differentiate by focusing exclusively on high-performance sportswear, as opposed to following its competitors into the athleisure space.”
With athleisure and casual styles converging to become a lifestyle trend, Ramirez said ignoring the trend–which competitors Nike, Adidas and Lululemon have embraced to great success–is a big miss for Under Armour.
Jane Hali & Assocs. believes Under Armour will continue to turn a blind eye towards the trend. “The company, therefore, will continue to launch non-fashion performance-based products, which will continue to drive the business downward,” she concluded, adding that the company “needs higher sales growth, and it is not going to happen with their non-consumer-centric policy.”
Ramirez also noted that the company continued its e-commerce markdown cadence in the third quarter in the U.S. market.
Net Sales: Net revenues at the company for the quarter ended Sept. 30 slipped 0.9 percent to $1.43 billion from $1.44 billion a year ago.
For the quarter, apparel sales were up 0.7 percent to $985.6 million from $978.5 million, while accessories gained 1.7 percent to $118.2 million from $116.2 million. Footwear sales fell 12 percent to $250.6 million from $284.9 million.
By region, sales in North America declined 4.1 percent to $1.02 billion, while Latin America also saw a decrease of 3.9 percent to $52.2 million. The Asia-Pacific region saw in increase of 3.7 percent to $154.9 million, while Under Armour’s best-performing segment was in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, which collectively jumped 9 percent to $161 million.
The company decreased inventory levels by 23 percent to $907 million for the quarter.
Traffic in the quarter was mixed, Frisk said during the call. Outlet stores saw weak traffic and online, higher traffic resulted in a lower conversion rate with flat average unit retail. Under Armour also experience softer demand in footwear sales, which was lower than planned.
Frisk said the company is working to “recalibrate” its footwear business.
Earnings: Net income jumped 35.9 percent to $102.3 million, or 23 cents a diluted share, from $75.3 million, or 17 cents, in the year-ago quarter.
Wall Street was expecting earnings per diluted share of 18 cents on sales of $1.41 billion.
Shares of Under Armour dropped 18.4 percent to $15.44 by the end of Monday’s trading session on the New York Stock Exchange.
Under Armour said it now expects revenue for fiscal 2019 to be up 2 percent, down from prior guidance of up 3 percent to 4 percent. That’s mostly due to e-commerce issues and weak foreign currencies. The company maintained its prior EPS forecast of 33 cents to 34 cents.
CEO’s Take: According to Plank, “Our ongoing transformation across the business continues to make us smarter, faster and more operationally excellent. As we make the turn into 2020, we are confidence in our ability to deliver our fourth quarter targets while proactively supporting higher levels of strategic marketing investments that will further fuel the Under Armour brand.”
Original Post Here


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Data Shows Tesla Batteries Will Last Longer Than Expected
Battery degradation is one of the biggest concerns for electric car owners and potential buyers, but data from Tesla battery packs have been very reassuring so far.
Some good news. Now, you can go out and buy that used Tesla you always wanted.
A survey of over 350 Tesla car owners found that their auto’s battery is lasting longer than expected, reports Electrek. Tesla batteries retain over 90 percent of their charging power after 160,000 miles, according to data gathered by a Dutch-Belgium Tesla owners group. While Tesla cars saw their battery capacity drop by 5% after only 50,000 miles, the rate of battery capacity decline slowed dramatically after that first milestone.
Tesla has no battery degradation warranty on its Model S and X luxury EVs, but guarantees that the Model 3 will retain 70 percent battery capacity after 120,000 miles and 100,000 miles. According to the survey data, Tesla will easily be able to meet this mark.
Electrek also reports that the Nissan Leaf, another fully electric car, loses roughly 20% of its capacity over the first five years. This shows that from a battery perspective, Tesla’s price premium is certainly worth it.


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The Embassy of the United States of America is organizing an online auction of U.S. Government property (furniture, household appliances, IT equipment, vehicles and working uniforms) starting at 8:30 a.m., Friday, November 01, until 6:00 p.m., Sunday, November 03, 2019.
Photos of the property for sale can be viewed and offers submitted on the Embassy website: https://online-auction.state.gov, selecting Bucharest RO. Offers will be made in RON, and payments will ONLY be accepted in CASH.
The winners will be announced online on the auction website. The payment and collection of winning bids will be made on Thursday, November 07, between the hours 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., at the Embassy, service entrance gate.
For more information, please contact email@example.com.


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by Ari Rosenberg on Oct 21, 10:40 AM
Donald Trump's run for president may be the most brilliant native ad campaign of all time.
by Rich Routman on Oct 13, 4:50 PM
The rise of sponsored content has been in the news a lot lately, with big brands like Unilever and Goldman Sachs announcing the creation of their own in-house content studios. Marketers understand that the way people interact with advertising has changed, especially in a world where the use of ad-blocking technology continues to rise, and that consumers are more apt to proactively seek out interesting content than to click on irrelevant advertising. Most sponsored content, however, is currently masking pure advertising as editorial or even worse, using editorial, in-stream positioning to deliver off-message advertising. That being said, when done right, …


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Firms detail how global logistics survived coronavirus onslaught
By Dominic Omondi - May 26th 2022
The resulting shortage of components from China impacted manufacturing operations overseas.
And the headache did not end there for Kenya. The testing of truck drivers on the borders between Uganda and Tanzania caused huge traffic, denying households and factories essential goods.
“We have a very sophisticated logistics function for our business and that logistic function was in complete coordination with the Maersk. In 2020, we had one of our best shipping years,” said Mr Flowers.
Mr Ochieng explained that Maersk had a global reaction to Covid-19 that was really classic.
“They retained their commitment to their customers, starting from what we could see in terms of good service levels, good provision of containers, especially refrigerated containers for our avocado business but more importantly dry containers for our tea business as well,” said Ochieng.
Asif gave an example of how they booked a ship from Amsterdam but, unfortunately, due to restrictions at the port they could not meet the requirement so they were forced to offload their cargo in Germany.
From Germany, they had to truck the cargo into Amsterdam.
Mr Boodia noted that when most of the vessels were not on time and were delayed, Maersk was still on schedule.
“I can say 95 per cent of their vessels were on schedule.”
“We owned the initial inland value chain, the transport of tea from our factories to our warehouse, the managing of that warehouse then the transition of that into the export process,” said Ochieng.
Maersk also has a reputation for engaging the forwarder, and the transporter and they also provide the shipping and attend to other issues within the port and the transhipment port, said Alex Kariuki, the Logistic Manager, Kakuzi.
Consequently, added Kariuki, Maersk ensures that Kakuzi’s code chain is not broken all the way between the time the fruit is picked to the time the fruit is delivered to the cosigners.
“Their equipment is new, they have the best technology especially if you look at their CA containers and they are using the best containers, clients are happy, and they are maintaining their transit time and also the lobby office is very supportive, all issues are addressed in time, and that is what we are looking for when we are dealing with perishables,” said Amin.
The other attraction with Maersk, said Boodia, is the fact that they can offer special prices and services due to their professionally trained staff.
The global supply chain is not yet back to normal. There are still Covid-19 restrictions in some parts of China, with the port of Shanghai being shut down.
Although China has started to ease the restrictions, there is still a large backlog.
Moreover, the war between Russia and Ukraine has added to yet another logistical nightmare.
Stars Okoth and Ongare to lead Club Games squad
By Ben Ahenda
- Uhuru tells Saccos to invest in State projects
- Will leaders solve land question or they are just paying lip service?
- Land tops Ruto and Raila agenda for Coast
- Raila's visit to Nyanza fuels sibling rivalries as elections near
- Ruto's plan: Winner or ammunition for rivals?
By Allan Mungai


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September 30, 2013 by Cheats.co Staff - Leave a comment
A total of 1,297 people were surveyed online and 26% said they were likely to purchase a PS4 console once it becomes available later this year. The Xbox One on the other hand was a likely purchase for only 15% of respondents.
What’s interesting is that if you take out anyone over the age of 40 the gap becomes bigger. 41% of people would choose the PS4 versus 27% opting for the Xbox One.
Could this suggest that most parents are likely to stick with the Xbox One because the Xbox 360 has done so well this current generation, while younger people who might be a little more “up to date” in terms of the key differences between the Xbox One and Playstation 4 are preferring the later?
Either way, the the release dates of both consoles fast approaching (in just a few days time we’ll actually be able to say “next month”) all the surveys, polls and opinions will be put to the test when everyone can go out and buy these things (provided they’ve pre-ordered, most likely).Tags: launch, poll, ps4, release, sales, xbox one


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|From InfoWorld: Asustek Computer (Asus) plans to launch as many as three new Eee PC netbook models in the next few months as shipments of the popular devices take off.
The Taiwanese computer maker estimates it will sell between 1.5 million and 1.8 million Eee PCs in the third quarter, up from 1 million in the second quarter.
The figures show that the market for netbooks continues to heat up. Asus launched the first netbook last October, the original Eee PC with a 7-inch screen. In the first quarter, the company reported selling 700,000 Eee PCs.
Netbooks, or mini-laptops, are a new breed of device designed for mobility and surfing the Internet. They normally weigh about 1 kilogram (2.2 lbs), have 7-inch to 10-inch LCD screens, carry long lasting batteries and connect wirelessly to the Internet. They generally cost far less than the average notebook PC as well, at between $199 and $599.
View: Article @ Source Site


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Many companies are increasingly looking towards new technology platforms in order to help enhance their customers’ digital experience. However, whilst businesses look to implement these new solutions, it is important that potential customer impact is not ignored. This infographic takes a closer look at the causes of the migration process and provides practical considerations for minimizing customer migration challenges.
Kathryn Cave looks at the big trends in tech
Rupert Goodwins’ unique angle on tech change
Phil Muncaster reports on China and beyond


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3. The iPad Goes 'Mini'
Two years ago, Steve Jobs famously said Apple would never produce a 7-inch tablet. The screen size, he argued, would be too small to fully capture the rich iOS experience.
But this year, Apple went ahead and made a smaller-sized tablet anyway, and, while its late CEO was hesitant to make the move himself, he would likely be pleased with the outcome.
The iPad mini, Apple's first 7-inch tablet, launched in October, took direct aim at Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's 7-inch Kindle Fire HD. Despite its smaller package, the iPad mini packs a punch; it runs Apple's dual-core A5 processor, gets 10 hours of battery life and has a 1,024-by-768 HD display. Apple sold 3 million iPad minis within the first three days it was available.


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EDF Energy have partnered with car manufacturer Toyota to launch a leasing programme of the eco-friendly Prius plug-in hybrid (PHEV) car.
As part of the scheme, the electric cars will be leased to companies in London that are conscious about reducing business energy consumption and limiting carbon dioxide emissions.
Up to 20 PHEVs will be leased to five firms in the capital, while EDF Energy will set up car battery charging points on the street, at workplaces and at domestic locations.
Toyota believes that the scheme will give an insight into driver preferences and enable the government to obtain information about delivering infrastructure suitable for electric cars.
Martin Lawrence, managing director at EDF Energy, said: "Sustainability is at the core of our business and it is work like this that helps EDF Energy meet the climate change targets set out in our new sustainability commitments."
He also pointed out that the new coalition government has committed itself to a national recharging network for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
If you want to find out more about your energy options and how you could save up to £378 in minutes, click here.


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In Brazil, the state of Bahia has launched a blockchain application to track the process of public bidding on government contracts, according to a report by Cointelegraph Brazil on July 12.
The blockchain-based solution, called Online Bid Solution (SOL) was reportedly developed by Cayenne Technology and Design. Bids will reportedly be completely transparent and secure due with the application of blockchain tech.
According to Bahia government, the intended beneficiaries of SOL appear to be the Brazilian agriculture industry. The solution is designed to help connect agriculture organizations in Bahia with suppliers and workers throughout Brazil, as well as provide transparency on the contract bidding process.The state of Bahia said that there are over 1,000 organizations projected to use SOL:
“The application, already available in the Play Store and the Apple Store, will be used by about 1,100 agricultural associations and cooperatives in the states of Bahia and Rio Grande do Norte, under the Bahia Productive and Governo Cidadão, financed through a loan agreement between the state governments and the World Bank.”
As previously reported by Cointelegraph, the Brazilian coffee farming cooperative Minasul announced plans to issue a blockchain token for coffee farmers. Farmers will reportedly be able to earn tokens as a reward for harvesting coffee beans, and use the proceeds to purchase a variety of goods. This is purportedly a useful economic system for the farmers, since this method of financing does not require registration in a notary’s office.


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The precious, red bracelets used to go to the queen’s coffin to meditate have already become the subject of speculation.
It’s no big surprise, for the past few days all the items paying tribute to the queen have been selling like hot cakes on the internet. Especially when they are collectors: Magazines, Barbie, Mugs, … And surprisingly added to the list: Red paper wristbands given to pay tribute to the Queen. And the resale values are mind-blowing! British sites pinpointed that some of the pieces of paper were sold for the nominal amount of $350.
It is important to note that these wristbands are not used to save time in line, they are merely a means of indicating that you are waiting in line. Here is what the official website says: ,This is a record of the time you joined the queue, By wearing these bracelets, people standing in the queue go out to drink alcohol or go to the toilet. That’s why these colorful bracelets are just collectibles.
waiting more than 24 hours
Since Wednesday, the Queen’s remains have been on public display at Westminster Hall. And his coffin will remain there until Monday morning. So several million people are still expected to come and pay their last respects to the Queen, who died this Thursday, 8 September at the age of 96.
This Saturday morning wait is estimated 24 hours
Amateur web specialist. General food junkie. Typical zombie enthusiast. Avid music trailblazer. Lifelong explorer.


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The Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL are expected to be officially announced next week ahead of Google I/O 2019. As for its availability, it’s really anyone’s guess as to when they might go on sale, but thanks to a recent photo that has made its way online, it seems that availability of the phones could be soon.
In a series of photos shared with Android Police, it appears that someone working at Best Buy in Springfield, Ohio, might have gotten ahead of themselves and have started to display the Pixel 3a XL in its display cabinets. There only appear to about three units on display so we’re not sure if this is everything this particular outlet has in stock, or if they simply forgot to take them back out.
Either way, it all seems to suggest that the Google Pixel 3a handsets could go on sale shortly after their announcement. When exactly remains to be seen, but we’ll have to wait until next week for the official details. According to the reports, Google is said to be announcing the phones on the 7th of May, so do check back with us then if you’d like to learn more about Google’s upcoming budget Pixel smartphones.


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BYD, the Shenzhen-based leading manufacturer of new energy vehicles (NEVs), announced Wednesday that it has entered into a partnership with Bustami & Saheb Trading Co. (BSTC), a major automotive dealership group in Jordan.
Shenzhen Solar Run Energy Co. Ltd. and Nairobi-based Mama Layla Solar Lights in Kenya on Tuesday partnered to roll out solar-powered tablets, or “solar media” that are designed to empower marginalized communities.
The city's industrial added value of enterprises at and above designated scale rose by 5.8% year on year between January and August, 0.5 percentage points higher than the figure between January and July, the local statistics bureau said Tuesday.
Meituan's drone delivery service had covered four business circles in Longhua and Longgang districts, respectively by the end of August and completed a total of 75,000 orders, data from Shenzhen transport bureau showed recently.
Yantian International Container Terminals (YICT) has increased its reservation quota for laden containers entering the Yantian port area to 14,000 units a day between tomorrow and Friday in a move to handle the surge of exports before the National Day holiday.
The city's first base for specialized and sophisticated company headquarters was inaugurated at Huizhi Research and Development Center in Bao'an District on Friday, signing contracts with 28 industry-leading companies on site, including 16 State-level "little giants.”
Shenzhen's commerce bureau has recently announced the list of the first batch of the city's trade-oriented headquarters enterprises. Well-known enterprises such as Jiangxi Copper (Shenzhen) International Investment Holdings Co., Walmart (China), Eternal and Telling Telecommunication are among the 22 recognized enterprises, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.
The Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology and Innovation Commission has recently issued four documents in a row to support projects at Shenzhen Hi-Tech Industrial Park in terms of innovation platform construction, fintech service improvement, technological enterprise cultivation and brand building, Shenzhen Economic Daily reported yesterday.
Importers from Shenzhen Customs-administered territory enjoyed a total of 1.71 billion yuan (US$250.734 million) in tariff reductions for 16.5 billion yuan worth of goods under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) between 2012 and 2021, the customs authority said.
Pingshan District is working to build the world's first intelligent connected vehicle testing base driven by 5G technology, with three testing areas for self-driving cars to be put into use in 2023, Shenzhen Economic Daily reported yesterday.
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) witnessed the establishment of its first financial holding company licensed by China's central bank, with the inauguration of China Merchants Financial Holding Co. Ltd. in Qianhai, Shenzhen, on Sunday.
The digital yuan, or e-CNY, has gradually become an integral part of more Shenzhen residents' daily life. By the end of this August, the city had recorded 1.05 million digital yuan application scenarios, with some 26.71 million digital wallets being opened and the cumulative transaction value hitting 18.4 billion yuan (US$2.65 billion), Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported, quoting the central bank's Shenzhen branch.
The Pinghu South inland port of Yantian International Container Terminals posted a container throughput of nearly 30,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in the first eight months of this year, up by 150% year on year, according to the terminals.
Shenzhen, as China's tech innovation center, is the distribution, application and design centers of China's integrated circuits (ICs) and has seen its IC industry maintain rapid development in recent years.


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Justin Vineyards & Winery, one of the oldest and best-known wineries in San Luis Obispo County, has been sold to Roll International Corp., owner of FIJI Water, for an undisclosed sum.
It’s the latest large local winery to be sold to outside interests in the past two years — recognition that the area is increasingly known as a great wine region, two local industry observers said.
Deborah and Justin Baldwin, who founded the winery in 1981, will continue to oversee operations and live in their home on the 160-acre site in west Paso Robles.
“This deal was for the kids,” Justin Baldwin said. Although the Baldwins have been regularly approached to sell in the past, he added, now was the right time to do so for their two children and estate-planning purposes. Justin Baldwin and his wife, Deborah, who are healthy and cancer-free after being diagnosed with different forms of the disease in October 2003, said they’re looking toward the future.
“We want to enjoy our lives,’’ Deborah Baldwin said. “Running a business is a lot of work. The last time we took a vacation together that didn’t involve wine was, well, I don’t know. That’s how long it’s been.”
All the assets of the business were sold, Justin Baldwin said.
That includes 82 acres of award-winning wine grapes, the Justin winery, tasting room, restaurant and bed-and-breakfast on the Paso Robles property.
John Cochran, president and chief executive officer of FIJI Water, said the bottled-water company plans to continue to build Justin’s brand and reputation.
“The knowledge of the winery coupled with FIJI’s global sales force is an excellent combination that I’m sure will allow both brands to grow,” he said.
Cochran said Beverly Hills billionaire Stewart Resnick, who owns Roll International Inc., FIJI Water, POM Wonderful and other businesses, was interested in purchasing Justin because he has always had an interest in owning a winery and the Baldwins have worked to build a world-class operation with a superb reputation.
“The Baldwins have taken responsibility for every part of the business from day one, and we want to continue to work with them for as long as they would like, which we hope will be a long time,” Cochran said.
He said the 155-member sales team at FIJI Water has joined forces with the “small but capable” team at the winery and will continue to build the brand and reputation Justin has created.
In 2009, Justin Vineyards & Winery produced more than 50,000 cases of wine ranging in price from $15 for a bottle of sauvignon blanc to $62 for a bottle of its flagship wine, Isosceles.
Last year’s harvest was its best ever, surpassing the previous year’s high, Justin Baldwin said. In 2009, Justin cabernet sauvignon was named the 9th most poured wine in the country by Wine and Spirits magazine.
The winery continues to win numerous awards and accolades. It also has one of the largest wine club memberships in the country with 13,000 members, Justin Baldwin said.
Industry experts say the sale helps put the Central Coast on the map as a premier place to grow grapes and produce world-class wines.
“I think it’s exciting that a brand as large and powerful as Roll International has an interest in the area,” said Stacie Jacob, executive director of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. “With the marketing and financial backing that the company has, it will shine a light on the Paso Robles area and all that it has to offer.”
Fin du Fresne, winemaker at Chamisal Vineyards in Edna Valley, was not surprised to hear about Justin’s sale to FIJI Water.
More and more wineries are selling to outside companies, he said, adding, “I think it’s a good thing.”
“For a long time there hasn’t been a lot of interest from companies outside the area,” du Fresne said. “It’s a great indication that the area is getting recognized as the great wine country that it is.”However, the winemaker was quick to add that he’s always a little suspect of any new company that comes into the area.
“On a local level, there’s always a hesitation that they’ll come in and start mass production and sell Justin for $9.99 a case,” du Fresne said.
In 2008, Chamisal Vineyards was sold to Crimson Wine Group, based in the Napa Valley. Since then, more Central Coast wineries have followed suit by selling to outside companies.
Last month, EOS Estate Winery in Paso Robles, one of the county’s biggest wineries, was purchased by Bill Foley, owner and operator of Foley Family Wines.
Foley Family Wines owns several other wineries, including Foley Estates of Santa Rita Hills; Lincourt Vineyards and Firestone Vineyard of Santa Ynez Valley; Merus and Kuleto of Napa Valley; Chalk Hill and Sebastiani of Sonoma County; and Vavasour and Clifford Bay of Marlborough, New Zealand.
The Baldwins said very few things will change at Justin.
“Everything from the outside will be the same. Our people and our products will remain unchanged,” Justin Baldwin said. “We will continue to create and produce the same great wines that we always have.”


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|RARE CHRYSLER LA COMTESSE CONCEPT APPEARS AT AMELIA 2014|
|After decades in obscurity Chrysler's La Comtesse Concept Car will re-debut at the 19th annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance on March 9, 2014.
The Fifties introduced new automotive chemical and paint technologies that helped summon a sea change in the way cars were purchased. It was a subtle component of Detroit's marketing equation, but color had risen near the top of the car buyer's priority list. The important fact was that women invariably chose the color of the new family car....[Read more...]|
|MOPAR TO CELEBRATE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ICONIC 426 HEMI IN 2014|
|Mopar Unveils Logo, Special Product Line and Plans Marketing Events
◾2014 marks 50th anniversary of the introduction of the Gen II 426 Race HEMI®
◾Mopar unveils 50th anniversary HEMI logo celebrating the iconic engine
◾Engine made its legendary debut in February 1964 by dominating the Daytona 500
◾A version of the Gen II 426 HEMI still powers NHRA Funny Car and Top Fuel vehicles
◾Special 50th anniversary HEMI merchandise product line available on WearMopar.com
◾Marketing events plan...[Read more...]|
|MOPAR DRIVERS MOTIVATED FOR NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS|
| ||◾Mopar drivers and teams are racing this weekend at Second Annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals, the 21st of 24 NHRA events
◾This will be the third of six NHRA playoff national events in the 'Countdown to the Championship'
◾Hagan leads the Funny Car standings with 2272 points, 51 point lead over second place
◾Coughlin second in Pro Stock standings, eight points behind the new leader Jason Line
◾Defending Pro Stock world champion, Johnson just 74 points behind in fifth place
|FORD/AAA STUDENT AUTO SKILLS COMPETITION HELPS DEVELOP NEXT GENERATION OF AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIANS|
|DEARBORN, Mich., June 5, 2013 – One hundred of the nation's best young automotive minds will converge on the Motor City to compete for the title of top high school technicians in the country at the 64th annual Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Competition National Finals, June 9-11. With jobs in the auto industry on the rise – up more than 30 percent since last April according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics – the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills challenge serves as a springboard for aspiring au...[Read more...]|
|RICHARD PETTY DEDICATES MUSCLE CARS FOREVER STAMPS|
|Raw power gets a stamp of its own today as seven-time NASCAR National Champion Richard Petty helps dedicate the America on the Move: Muscle Cars Forever stamps.
Petty, his son Kyle and Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe will dedicate the limited-edition stamps at the Daytona International Speedway where 'The King' won a record seven Daytona 500 Championships.
Typically equipped with big, powerful engines, these high-performance vehicles began roaring across America in the 1960s. The limite...[Read more...]|


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The company will soon be launching a 360 degree marketing campaign featuring the actor as part of its two year association.
Commenting on the development, Keshav Bansal, director, Intex Technologies said, “Suriya is an amazingly talented actor and I am glad we are associating with him. Tamil Nadu is an important market for Intex and his cult status in the state augurs well for our brand. His youth appeal and iconic status hold synergies with the brand.”
He further added, “Mobiles phones will continue to be our focus going forward and we will delight the people of the state with hi-quality products at attractive prices. We shall be investing further in the region to drive sales.”
“Intex is one of those Indian Brands for whom consumer satisfaction is a priority and delivers the maximum to their consumers at appealing prices. I strongly believe that Intex is doing very well in the Indian Market and has been catering to the consumers with the best of technology. I feel proud and happy to be associated with an Indian Brand like this which is reaching out to the consumers with outstanding products,” added Suriya.


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RIDGELAND, MS--(Marketwired - Mar 25, 2014) - Vu Digital today announced that the company marked its first year of operation by winning more than half a million users, and launching new products for e-retailers, news organizations and other verticals -- with new developments in video underway.
Vu, an app available on iOS and Android devices, proved the model for the next generation of content delivery by offering a unique experience: a service that learns the specific interests of each user and automatically delivers content on any topic. Vu uses predictive analytics and natural language processing to deliver tailored content based on known and likely future customer interests ranging from style and fashion to hobbies, music, art, politics, sports, entertainment, business and finance, technology, opinions and world, national or local news, or any other subject.
"With Flipboard's recent acquisition of Zite, there is growing recognition that newsreaders represent a huge draw for media companies and advertisers," said B. Wade Smith, Vu Digital Vice President of Operations. "By using analytics to deliver tailored content to the individual, Vu provides additional value for consumers and news organizations."
In its first year, Vu Digital added new apps that benefit major vertical industries across multiple categories: Vu Finder and Vu Profiling.
Designed for news organizations, e-retailers and other verticals, Vu Finder uses widgets that customize a company's website to deliver targeted content precisely matched to product offers. Vu Finder instantly learns, finds and delivers the exact content desired by the customer, and is scalable to support millions of customers in real time.
Leveraging Vu's "learn the customer" foundation, Vu Profiling lets e-retailers create a physical record of a customer's visits to a website -- without "cookies." As a customer interacts online, the e-retailer benefits from an up-to-the-second accurate profile that drives sales via personal recommendations keyed to that individual's current interests and purchasing preferences.
At press time, Vu developers were nearing completion of a new app. "The next release will redefine the worlds of video, search and advertising," said Vu's B. Wade Smith. "Stay tuned."
About Vu Digital
Vu Digital myvu.com, an affiliate of C Spire Wireless, is the innovator behind Vu Finder, the world's first cloud-based recommendation engine using predictive analytics and natural language processing to deliver uniquely personalized content to the individual.


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Sunset developer Tale of Tales has left game development after it was only able to sell 4,000 copies of the Kickstarter-funded game.
The studio ran a crowdfunding campaign for the project last year and raised $67,636, smashing its goal of $25,000. Despite this, the team still spent more money than it had on the production of Sunset, as it believed it could make back costs in the first month of sales.
But the title, which had more of a consumer focus than its previous releases, struggled to make traction in the market. The 4,000 copies shifted included Kickstarter rewards.
Tale of Tales’ attempts to increase sales included a 50 per cent discount on Steam, an advertisement on Rock, Paper, Shotgun and a PR company to help with marketing. All failed to make an impact.
“So now we are free,” read a statement from the studio’s Michaël Samyn and Auriea Harvey.
“We don’t have to take advice from anybody anymore. We were wrong. Everybody whom we consulted with on Sunset was wrong.
“We are happy and proud that we have tried to make a ‘game for gamers’. We really did our best with Sunset, our very best. And we failed. So that’s one thing we never need to do again. Creativity still burns wildly in our hearts but we don’t think we will be making video games after this. And if we do, definitely not commercial ones.”


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Man, Jay Z really wants people to join Tidal. A few days after doing a bizarre business pitch-as-defensive maneuver on Twitter, Jay and his questionably troubled streaming company are teaming up to put on a free concert for Tidal subscribers called Jaÿ-Z B-Sides. (Side notes: is the hyphen back? Is he using an umlaut on the "y" in his name now? What the fuck?) The concert is taking place on May 13, and as seems to be the case with almost everything involving Tidal, there's a catch—you can only win entry to the contest, as the website explains, by the following rules:
"TIDAL users who create a playlist and share on Twitter will be entered into the playlist contest and will have a chance to win two free tickets to an upcoming Jaÿ-Z concert in NYC. Tweets must include the hashtag #TIDALXJAYZ. Must be 18+ to enter."
So, this isn't really as much of a gift to Tidal subscribers as it is an opportunity to receive a gift, if you pay money and create content for the company—which is reminiscent of the Arrested Development quote where Michael Bluth explains to Lindsay Bluth that she doesn't have a job, but a job offer, which anyone can get. (Related: Arrested Development is still streaming on Netflix, a subscription of which is still cheaper than even Tidal's lowest-tier package.)
Lead image: Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez/Getty Images


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Xiaomi and Realme gear up to launch IoT products in India in 2020
Xiaomialready has a wide range of IoT productsin China, but so far, it has only launched a select few of those products in India. This is all set to change in 2020.
- Xiaomi’s competitor,
Realme, is also planning to expand its portfolio in India next year.
- With Xiaomi planning to expand its portfolio and competition from Realme, the prices of smart home products could reduce further in India next year.
In a statement to IANS, Xiaomi VP and Xiaomi India MD Manu Kumar Jain revealed his company’s plans to expand its portfolio of smart home products in India. He said, “We're excited to lead the IoT growth story in this country along with bringing the most cutting-edge smartphone technology. It's safe to say that the Indian market will continue to see exciting and disruptive products in the coming times.”
At the moment, Xiaomi has launched several smart home and internet-connected products in India like air purifiers, water purifiers, smart bulbs and more. Despite these launches, Xiaomi’s smart home products portfolio is much bigger in China. Thankfully for Xiaomi fans in India, this could change in 2020.
AdvertisementRealme to follow suit as well
Over the last year or so, Realme has emerged as one of the primary competitors of Xiaomi, especially in the budget and mid-range segments. Now, Realme CEO Madhav Sheth has revealed his company’s plans to venture into the smart home segment in India.
In a statement to IANS, he said Realme is “especially focusing on introducing IoT-based products in the coming year which will include audio and wearables.”
Realme has also announced its credit lending platform Paysa to take on Xiaomi’s Mi Credit service.
Looking beyond smartphones
With both Xiaomi and Realme aiming to launch new smart home and connected products in India, it is apparent that they are looking beyond just smartphones. This should also help in improving their profitability, especially since the smartphone industry in India has cut-throat competition and margins in the budget segment are especially thin.
Becoming tech-lifestyle brands also opens up a wide range of products for both Xiaomi and Realme. While Xiaomi already has plenty of experience and a large portfolio in this segment in China, it will be interesting to see Realme’s approach since it is a newbie in this regard.
AdvertisementDiversifying its portfolio of products should also help Xiaomi in avoiding the fate of Samsung and Nokia in India. Launching new smart home products should help Xiaomi in creating an ecosystem of connected products, allowing it to not only retain its existing users but also draw in new ones.
Here’s how you can avail an instant loan from Mi Credit
Smartphone makers Realme and Xiaomi will compete in the financial services market too
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MICHIGAN CITY – Tempesta Media, a provider of content marketing solutions, has chosen Michigan City over several other Midwest locations for its newest office.
Opening in the Uptown area, the new office will house sales, marketing and operations personnel, according to Michael Marchese, founder and CEO of the Chicago-based firm.
“We’re pleased to expand into Michigan City. The city has unique advantages that matched up well with Tempesta Media’s growth plans,” Marchese said.
“Michigan City gives us access to a deeply talented labor pool and the Internet backbone," he said. "We feel that when these are combined with a conducive business and tax environment, and the upcoming South Shore Double Track project, Tempesta Media will be able to achieve long-term success here.”
The office will be home to between 5 and 10 employees within the next six months, with further growth planned, Marchese said.
“We are excited to have Tempesta Media expand into Michigan City,” Mayor Ron Meer said. “Tempesta is committed to giving back to Northwest Indiana and adding high-paying career opportunities.”
Founded in 2011, Tempesta is a leading provider of content marketing solutions, with customers in more than 100 industries, Marchese said. It also supports more than 23,000 continuously-vetted, professional writers.
"Our solution provides significant improvements to each stage of customers’ content production and publication cycles," he said, including editorial calendar and content style guide development; team development and management; content production, review and optimization; publication, distribution and amplification; and analysis and insights.
To celebrate the move, Tempesta will offer Northwest Indiana businesses an exclusive content marketing program through the end of 2019, Marchese said. For more information, call 866-522-9819 or visit TempestaMedia.com/MichiganCity2019.


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According to a new report from Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, we can expect updates to three iPad series in the spring of next year. Accordingly, Apple plans to launch a new iPad as well as a new iPad mini and an updated iPad Air in March 2024.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman explained that the new Apple Pencil with USB-C is coming before an iPad refresh in spring. He added that Apple has been working on the 11th generation iPad, the seventh generation iPad mini and the sixth generation iPad Air for some time. There are already several leaks about the latter model. According to this, Apple is planning, among other things, to bring a significantly larger Air 12.9 onto the market for the first time.
Apple apparently plans to release new iPads in March, which should include “at least” these three updated devices. The next-generation iPad Pro is also a possibility. Currently, only the smaller iPads seem to be a safe bet when it comes to updates in spring.
Gurman added that he expects the first-generation Apple Pencil to be discontinued along with the ninth-generation iPad. Because at this point there will no longer be any new Apple iPads with Lightning ports. However, he does not expect this change to occur “anytime soon”.


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2016 Chevrolet Spark teased for New York
Due for a simultaneous reveal early next month at the New York Auto Show as well as in Seoul where it will be produced, the 2016 Chevrolet Spark has surfaced in this first official preview image. Despite Chevy's best efforts to hide the finer details, it's clear the remake has given the subcompact Spark a slightly more sophisticated overall character, losing some of its exterior "quirk" while gaining a sleeker rising shoulder line and additional Chevrolet cues, particularly in the front fascia treatment.
Although he offered no technical details on the 2016 Spark, Michael Simcoe, GM International vice president of Design confirmed that the look of this 5-door hatch has "evolved and grown up with the segment," adding: "The youthful whimsy of the original Spark is still in its genes, but it is conveyed in more traditional proportions that reinforce the customer's refined expectations."
The new Spark will share its platform and design basics with the Opel Karl that debuted at the Geneva Auto Show. We'll have to wait a bit to see if that commonality also extends to the Karl's new 1.0-liter/3-cylinder turbocharged Ecotec engine that makes 74 horsepower in Euro trim or if the new Spark will keep the current 1.2-liter/84-horse 4-cylinder powerplant. We're also awaiting word on the fate of a next-gen Spark EV.
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SP Group, which built the iconic RBI headquarters, will invest Rs 8,900 crore to build a new port in Saurashtra and another Rs 6,500 crore to construct the Jammu-Udhampur highway.
According to Dun & Bradstreet, there has been improvement on some parameters of the economy following the slowdown, post demonetisation and GST.
“The presumption that there would be few bidders itself in not a correct presumptions. If there value in any asset than we believe that bidders will be interested,” he said.
India is readying to pay one million euros for its initial membership of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Modi’s plan encourages foreign firms to manufacture locally by offering easier land acquisition, pruning the number of approvals and, in some cases, offering incentives.
The Centre is contemplating convening the Winter Session of Parliament from December 15, a day after the second phase of the Gujarat assembly polls, government functionaries said on Wednesday. The session would likely be held from December 15 till January 5, they said on the condition of anonymity.
The clean energy initiative can also help address poverty in rural communities by providing steady incomes, healthcare benefits and skill-building opportunities to unskilled and semi-skilled workers.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the 15th Finance Commission would be in place before April 1, 2020 and the chairman and other personnel would also be allotted soon.
It will come as a setback given India’s thrust on putting the Doha Development Round at the forefront of talks and efforts to get developed countries to reduce subsidies.
The department of economic affairs has expanded the category of infra sub-sectors to include transport & logistics, moving them from sub-head of transport.
“We have reached out to over 100 companies,” CBEC chairman Vanaja Sarna told ET. “This is essentially an appeal asking them to pass on the tax cuts to consumers.”
“Forensic audit is a reconfirmation to prospective bidders that nothing wrong has happened in the past”
India is not ready for talks on a regime for new issues such as ecomm, until its concerns related to public stockholding and fixing disparities are addressed.
The data, which forms part of the latest World Economic Outlook report of the International Monetary Fund, ranks over 200 countries in terms of per capita GDP based on purchasing power parity (PPP).
According to global financial services majors like Nomura, BofAML and Morgan Stanley, price pressures are likely to build further in the coming months following a cyclical recovery in the economy and rise in vegetable and oil prices.
Moody’s praised Modi’s efforts to broaden the tax base and tackle non-performing loans in India’s $2.3 trillion economy, Asia’s third-largest.
The Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad, to be attended by 1,500 entrepreneurs from 170 countries, will be co-hosted by India and the US.
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The Crew Motorfest gets release date and teases bikes in trailer
It'll even include Forza Horizon's Rewind feature when it launches mid-September.
Ivory Tower just wanted to say the game would launch sometime in 2023 when they announced The Crew Motorfest back in January, and the developers teased the game might let us race more than cars even if the announcement trailer only showed stuff on four wheels. That's why tonight's trailer is filled with exciting details.
Seeing more supercars and off-roaders racing across O'ahu is cool enough, but the biggest news in the new trailer is that The Crew Motorfest will launch on the 14th of September. You can also get it three days earlier by getting the Gold or Ultimate edition of the game.That's not all, however, as it's also worth noticing the glimpses of motorcycles and planes towards the end, all but confirming these will come sooner or later.
Finally, a press release reveals The Crew Motorfest will have a Forza Horizon-inspired Rewind feature that allows us to undo the last 15 seconds in some races. Those of you still enjoying The Crew 2 should also note most of your cars can be transferred over to Motorfest, We'll learn more about all of these things later this summer.


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Million-dollar idea plucked from thin air
TOOWOOMBA residents laughed at the idea of buying air in a can when it was introduced at Picnic Point 60 years ago.
But now air-farming could soon be worth millions.
A pair of Australian entrepreneurs has begun capturing clean air from around the country and selling it to heavily polluted China.
The idea of buying air seems ridiculous to us who take breathing fresh air for granted but for those living in the polluted world, it's a luxury.
Back in the days when you could buy fresh Picnic Point Mountain Air, people bought the tins as a joke.
According to history site Remember Toowoomba When the hilarious instructions read, "Enclose yourself in a room. Close all the windows and doors. Open the can and enjoy the aroma of clean mountain air."
Toowoomba residents were quick to comment on the site's Facebook post with people sharing their memories of buying Mountain Air.
Marilyn Carstens still has one of the cans.
"I got it from a friends and it's unopened from about 1965 I think," she said.
Jill Covington posted some fresh air to friends, "I actually posted some on to friends in New Zealand."
Carol O'Reilly remembered the tins well, "I always thought it was funny. They sold heaps."
Now, Clean and Green Air sells cans of air for $20 and each contains about 130 breaths.
The air is pumped into disposable cans marketed as Pure Gold-Coast Air, Bondi Beach, Blue Mountains, Tassie and Yarra Valley Air.
They soon plan to include private labels for wineries like The Barossa and Margaret River.
With the air being sourced from all over Australia, each can has a different smell, beach cans smell salty while eucalyptus can be smelt from the mountain air cans.


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As companies operating in North America and Europe well know, today’s volatile macroeconomic environment and gloomy outlook presents a massive challenge: how do we meet our financial targets and continue to grow? The answer for many western multinationals has been unanimous: “emerging markets”.
We believe these markets have already “emerged”, so we prefer to define them as Rapid Growth Economies (RGEs). Specifically, these include Asia’s Rapid Growth Economies; China, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia, in addition to the UAE and Brazil.
For several years now, these markets have been squarely in the crosshairs of CEOs’ business development radar screens, and why not?
After a contraction in 2009 and with modest GDP growth expected in 2012 and 2013 in the U.S. and Europe, it has been impossible to ignore the tectonic economic shift afoot in the RGEs:
- China’s GDP grew 9.1% in 2009, and is expected to grow roughly 8.7% in 2012 and 2013
- India is expected to enjoy robust 8.4% growth in 2012 and 2013
Translated to an individual consumer level, the numbers are equally impressive and no doubt get the hearts of CEOs racing with optimism:
- Malaysia’s national GDP per capita has reached US$9,700 – up from US$6,700 just two years ago
- Indonesia is on a similar upward trend, with GDP per capita having reached US$3,500 – up from US$2,299 two years ago
- Brazil’s per capita GDP (PPP) has reached $11,845 with a 2011 anual growth rate of 3.5%
While each of these markets are vastly different on a number of levels – from government policy, to competitive landscape, to consumer and cultural preferences – here is one consistent (possibly counterintuitive) business and brand imperative in RGEs that transcends unique geographical business drivers: their consumers are bullish on Purpose.
This means that RGE consumers – which make up what we are calling the new “Purpose Bull Markets” – have much higher expectations of and engagement with corporations and brands on societal issues.
Based on Edelman’s 2012 goodpurpose® survey, here are two key reasons why a Purpose-led strategy is vital for any company or brand that wants to take advantage of the growth opportunities in RGEs:
1- 89% of Purpose Bull Market consumers believe it is important for business in general to address societal issues
Counter to the perception of days gone by, today’s Purpose Bull Market consumers do care about businesses’ impact on the natural environment, local communities, and broader society in their local markets. And while Purpose Bull Market consumers believe it is important for business to address, communicate, and engage them on societal issues, only 40% of them rate business’ performance in addressing societal issues in their markets as good or excellent. This suggests that there is a quite a gap between expectations and perceived performance in this area.
As a result, there is an outstanding opportunity for companies to benefit from demonstrating that they are taking on these tough issues and to let their Purpose Bull Market consumers know about how they are addressing them.
Perhaps this is why Apple CEO, Tim Cook, recently made a trip to southern China to see how strategic supplier, Foxconn, was managing its labour issues, or why Asia’s largest power company, CLP (disclosure: client), has been discussing the challenges of reducing carbon emissions in a region in which energy consumption is expected to double.
2- Purpose Bull Market consumers are taking action on social purpose issues
From buying, to sharing, to donating, to volunteering, to praising and punishing businesses or brands that do not address societal issues, Purpose Bull Market consumers are far more apt than those in Western Europe or the U.S. to take action when it comes to societal issues.
In fact, 78% of consumers in Purpose Bull Markets were personally involved in supporting a good cause, compared to only 48% in the Purpose Bear Markets (e.g. U.S., Western Europe, Japan).
This too presents an outstanding opportunity for businesses and brands to provide a vehicle for their consumers to address societal issues.
The secret to an “emerging market” growth strategy?
There is no doubt that Purpose Bull Markets will continue to be a source of great opportunity for western multinationals, as they further develop their businesses and increase their investments in those markets.
As companies and brands look to Purpose Bull Markets for their next stage of growth, it will be vital for them to show tangible evidence – through initiatives, programs, communications and engagement – that they are aware of and invested in domestic societal issues.
By: Ashley Hegland, Regional Practice Chair, Business + Social Purpose, AsiaPac


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Apple Resolves 3 Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Affecting iPhones: Apple, the technology giant renowned for its innovation and commitment to user security, has promptly addressed three zero-day vulnerabilities that posed significant threats to iPhones.
These vulnerabilities, known as CVE-2023-41992, CVE-2023-41991, and CVE-2023-41993, were actively exploited to compromise iOS devices, particularly those running versions prior to iOS 16.7.
Security experts Bill Marczak of The Citizen Lab and Maddie Stone of Google’s Threat Analysis Group played crucial roles in reporting these vulnerabilities, ensuring swift remediation.
Key Takeaways to Apple Resolves 3 Zero-Day Vulnerabilities:
Table of Contents
- Apple has released updates to fix three zero-day vulnerabilities that were actively exploited to target iPhones.
- The vulnerabilities included one in the Kernel framework, another in the Security framework, and a third in the WebKit browser engine.
- These updates also introduce improvements to Lockdown Mode, enhancing protection against targeted cyberattacks.
Addressing the Zero-Day Vulnerabilities
Apple, a global leader in technology, has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to user security by promptly addressing three zero-day vulnerabilities that posed significant threats to iPhones.
These vulnerabilities are identified as CVE-2023-41992, CVE-2023-41991, and CVE-2023-41993. They were actively exploited by threat actors and were used to deploy spyware, underscoring their severity.
CVE-2023-41992: This vulnerability, located in the Kernel framework, allowed local attackers to elevate their privileges within the system.
CVE-2023-41991: Found in the Security framework, this vulnerability could be exploited by a malicious app to bypass signature validation, potentially compromising the integrity of the device.
CVE-2023-41993: This vulnerability, affecting the WebKit browser engine, could be triggered when processing specially crafted web content, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution.
Apple has released updates to address these vulnerabilities, ensuring the security of its users’ devices.
Previous Zero-Days and Possible Overlaps
Earlier this month, Apple responded to two zero-day vulnerabilities (CVE-2023-41064, CVE-2023-41061), which had been used in conjunction to deliver NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. These vulnerabilities were also reported by The Citizen Lab.
Additionally, Google released a security update to address a Chrome zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2023-4863), which was actively exploited. Notably, the same vulnerability was reported by Apple Security Engineering and Architecture (SEAR) and The Citizen Lab.
There is a possibility that CVE-2023-41064 and CVE-2023-4863 are the same bug, suggesting a potential overlap between the two reports.
Improvements in Lockdown Mode
Apple has introduced enhancements to Lockdown Mode in iOS 17. This specialized security feature, designed to protect users at risk of highly targeted cyberattacks, now extends its protection to Apple Watch.
Furthermore, Lockdown Mode now removes geolocation data from photos by default, bolstering user privacy.
It also prevents devices from connecting to insecure Wi-Fi networks and 2G cellular networks, enhancing overall device security.
Apple’s rapid response to zero-day vulnerabilities demonstrates its commitment to user security. By releasing timely updates and enhancing security features like Lockdown Mode, Apple continues to prioritize the protection of its users’ devices.
Apple Inc. is a multinational technology company renowned for its consumer electronics, software, and digital services. It is widely recognized for its range of products, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch, as well as its commitment to user privacy and security.