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Fan interaction platform Key just brought its Fan Relationship Manager toolbox out of stealth on Wednesday, complete with a star-studded list of clients, the company disclosed to WWD.
FRM functions as a sort of customer relationship management platform, or CRM. But instead of customers, it focuses on fans and serves celebrities, not companies. The solution was designed to foster first-party fan relationships, pull in the relevant data, analyze it, strategize with it and then help talent monetize that.
In essence, it’s like a “mini Salesforce” for the stars. And the major appeal is that Key does not own the data coursing through its platform. The clients do.
According to chief executive officer Evan Wayne, the concept was built on a simple premise: Models, athletes, musicians, actors and others with massive followings should own the relationships they have with fans and the related data, in addition to monetization opportunities coming from that. But too often they don’t, he said, so he and friend Stephanie Biegel set out to change that.
“With Fan Relationship Manager, we’ve been giving control back to talent,” said Biegel, a former executive in talent management and advertising. “We’re giving talent control to own their data and to own their universe in that way now.”
It’s a major shift in thinking, compared to how, say, Facebook operates. While the social media giant offers partners an array of tools, insights and audience-targeting features, it decides if and how much data to provide, how to slice and dice it into chunks of insights, which ones it allows brands to access and what they can do with them.
“If you look at the landscape right now, we’ve all been very comfortable being beholden, to having our data be owned from a social perspective, by being in the ‘walled garden,’” explained Wayne. As an expert in relationship and revenue building, ad tech and talent management, he sees the tightly controlled ecosystems that tech giants often rule over with an iron grip, tilting things to their own advantage.
The scenario drove Wayne and Biegel to focus on first-party data, or the information gleaned from direct relationships between stars and fans. So when they founded Key in 2019, that’s been the overarching theme.
The business started out as a two-person operation focusing on paid livestream events. It launched just before the pandemic struck, and over roughly one and a half years, the company steadily developed tools that wound up forming the FRM toolbox.
Today, the 12-person company runs a platform that can cover everything from email campaigns to virtual events and other activations.
Of course, Key knows that fan-driven celebrity doesn’t work today without social media — what Wayne refers to as a “necessary evil” — so it also accounts for connections to Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and others. Keychain, a “middleware” tool that sits between Key’s platform and others, allows talent to link to their outside accounts and draw in those followers by offering access to exclusive events or content.
The end result may lead to a more holistic view of who the fans are, what they like or engage with the most, how different segments respond to various content and other insights that drill into more details, such as how particular digital media connect to sales figures or for verticals like shopping.
Large brands and corporations have plenty of data tools and platforms similar to this, but it’s harder to come by for talent. Naturally, the platform has drawn some attention from a few well-known names.
Key has attracted a range of people who have signed on, from celebrity hairstylist Cesar De Leon Ramirez and Sarah Merrill of Big Kid Problems Podcast to major stars such as Quincy Jones, Randy Travis and Pentatonix. Agencies like CAA and Elite World Group are also on board, the company said.
For Quincy Jones Productions, the tech partnership is an opportunity “to gain a better understanding of our clientele’s fan base, increased ownership of our overall communications and the capability to leverage first-party data, in order to drive more authentic brand partnerships — not only for legacy artists such as Quincy Jones, but also for our up-and-coming artists such as Asher,” said Alyssa Lein Smith, vice president of business.
In an era when personal and professional branding rises to the level of corporate branding, questions about data ownership appear to be intensifying, particularly as Big Tech faces increasing scrutiny over the fairness of its practices and how it handles user data.
The matter has become ubiquitous, stretching from courtrooms — as in Epic Games’ lawsuit over Apple’s App Store practices — to the halls of Congress, where Facebook, Twitter and Google regularly face inquiries.
And now, apparently, it’s even reached Hollywood.


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Noted dust magnate Sir James Dyson is moving ahead at cyclonic speed with his electric car endeavors, hiring 300 new employees to work on an EV due for launch in 2020.
Apparently seeing a vacuum in the car market, Dyson intends to use its expertise and recent acquisition of a battery company to clean up the world’s air pollution. Plans are moving at such a swift rate that the EV team is moving into a new state-of-the-art 750 acre campus, Dyson’s second R&D campus in Britain.
Dyson already makes a V8; sadly, it is simply the name of their cordless stick vacuum cleaner. However, if one puts all the pieces together, a low-volume EV from Dyson is not too far-fetched.
After spending $90 million in 2015 to acquire battery company Sakti3, Dyson does now appear to possess the technology to realistically push forward with the development of an EV. Sakti3, a startup company with connections to the University of Michigan, claims to have developed solid-state lithium-ion batteries which nearly double the punch provided by those found in California’s favorite EV – Tesla.
Claims aside, if Dyson can indeed figure out the solid-state puzzle it will be a huge revolution in battery technology. Right now, lithium-ion batteries generally operate at about 95 degrees Fahrenheit, necessitating complex cooling solutions. Instead of a pressurized liquid electrolyte, solid-state batteries can incorporate a thin layer of non-flammable material to act as both the separator (keeping + and – electrodes from playing together) and electrolyte.
Back in September, the company starting making noise about its forthcoming EV, releasing a wealth of information about the product on Twitter. In the statement, Sir James references his ambition to find a solution to the global problem of air pollution, a goal that certainly aligns with the production of an EV.
— Dyson (@Dyson) September 26, 2017
At that time, Dyson stated they had “over 400” people working on the EV project, meaning the new hires bring the total number of workers toiling away at a Dyson electric car to be in the neighborhood of 700 people. This, then, sure doesn’t seem like a flash in the pan or some sort of PR stunt. It’s worth noting that James Dyson himself is reportedly investing at least £2 billion of his own money to bring this car to market.
A company seeming to suddenly appear with a ready-for-market electric vehicle is not entirely without precedent. In 2017, a company called Bollinger showed up with its B1, all-electric off-roader complete with impressive off-road creds and t-square styling cues. Dyson (both the company and the inventor) has a long history of innovation and is certainly not risk-adverse, so the thought of a low-volume EV from the company does hold water.
Dyson is based in the U.K. and is a privately-held company. Its revenue has grown to £3.5 billion in 2017 from £1.7 in 2015. Almost three-quarters of that revenue growth has come from Asia. Last year’s earnings topped $1 billion USD.

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Winemaker Richard Batchelor of Washington’s Maryhill Winery earned the 2019 Winemaker of the Year trophy at the annual Indy International Wine Competition, held May 22-23 at Purdue University. The award is given to the winery and winemaker that win the most gold medals by brand at the competition; this marks the third time in seven years that Batchelor has won the trophy. The competition is the largest independently organized wine competition in the country, drawing nearly 2,000 entries from 14 countries and 40 states.
This year, Maryhill took home the following top honors:
- Best of Class, 2016 Proprietor’s Reserve Grenache
- Best of Class, 2016 Elephant Mountain Marvell GSM
- Best of Class, 2016 Proprietor’s Reserve Merlot
- Best of Class, 2016 Petite Sirah, Art Den Hoed
- Best of Class, 2017 Viognier
- Best of Class, 2016 Zinfandel
- Double Gold, 2018 Proprietor’s Reserve Albarino
- Double Gold, 2016 Elephant Mountain Cabernet Franc
- Double Gold, 2017 Chardonnay
- Double Gold, 2016 McKinley Springs Cinsault
- Double Gold, 2016 Proprietor’s Reserve Grenache
- Double Gold, 2016 Elephant Mountain Marvell GSM
- Double Gold, 2016 Proprietor’s Reserve Merlot
- Double Gold, 2016 Elephant Mountain Merlot
- Double Gold, 2016 Proprietor’s Reserve Serendipity
- Double Gold, 2017 Winemaker’s White
- Double Gold, 2016 Zinfandel
Receiving a total of 61 medals, Maryhill was honored with 6 Best of Class, 11 Double Golds, 17 Gold, 19 Silver, and 8 Bronze medals.
Maryhill Winery, based in Goldendale, is owned and operated by Craig and Vicki Leuthold, who are proud to offer award-winning wines at an affordable price.
“We are so delighted that Richard continues to be recognized for the success he achieves year after year at Maryhill,” said Craig Leuthold. “This award is an enormous accomplishment for Richard and team, and yet is another testament to the quality of wines produced in Washington state.”
Batchelor, a native New Zealander, came to Maryhill in 2009 from Napa Valley. Throughout his tenure at Maryhill Winery, Batchelor and his team have developed a winemaking portfolio that sources from nearly every major American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Washington.
Next for Maryhill: Seattle Area
With so many accolades under its belt, Maryhill is already gearing up for its third satellite tasting room in Woodinville, Wash., which will be more than double the size of its Vancouver tasting room which opened last month. Located just 30 minutes northeast of Seattle, Woodinville Wine Country is home to more than 100 wineries and tasting rooms representing every appellation in Washington. Maryhill Winery will occupy nearly 10,000 square feet of Woodinville’s historic Hollywood Schoolhouse, a beloved landmark since its construction by the Derby School District in 1912. The building has been everything from a school to a dance hall to a roller-skating rink. The Hollywood Schoolhouse has been restored to its turn-of-the century style, down to the grand ballroom’s hardwood floors, antique bar and brick fireplace. The anticipated opening of Maryhill’s tasting room at the Hollywood Schoolhouse is early winter 2019.


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Will every new car and truck in the U.S. be electric by 2035?
The U.S. lags behind China and Europe in the transition from internal combustion engine to battery-powered cars. There are some bright spots in the U.S. though. California was the first state announcing plans to ban new fossil-fuel-powered cars by 2035. Then, Massachusetts followed. A few other states also appear to be moving in the right direction. According to Adele Peters in Fast Company, "The transition to EVs can happen faster than you think."
Above: A group of electric cars getting charged up (Flickr: Andrew Bone)
How? First and foremost, battery prices have dropped 74% since 2014. “All the experts have been wrong on how fast the battery prices are going to reduce,” explains Nikit Abhyankar, a researcher at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and one of the authors of a fascinating new report. According to the report, it’s feasible for the U.S. to make the shift to 100% electric car and truck sales by 2035.
And this new report says the transition to EVs can save money and lives. "If new car and truck sales rapidly shift to electric, the report calculates that consumers would save $2.7 trillion... [and] reduce air pollution, preventing 150,000 premature deaths and avoiding $1.3 trillion in health and environmental costs by 2050," reports Peters.
In addition, the findings from the report indicate that the transition to electric cars can help "avoid the worst impacts of climate change—and the switch would also save consumers around $1,000 per household each year."
To make it happen, the U.S. government needs to take swift action to help expedite the move to cleaner, greener transport. “The transition from fossil-fuel-powered cars and trucks to electric vehicles is already underway, but America needs increased policy ambition and political leadership to truly accelerate market transformation,” explains Sara Baldwin, director of electrification policy at the nonprofit Energy Innovation and one of the partners that produced the report.
Baldwin emphasizes, “Policy actions must be taken swiftly and should be aligned with the timeline needed to reduce transportation sector emissions, deliver huge benefits to consumers, and enhance America’s global competitiveness."
Source: Fast Company


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Apple’s Fifth Avenue emporium probably has annual sales of more than $350 million, topping any of the chain’s other outlets, said Jeffrey Roseman, executive vice president of real- estate broker Newmark Knight Frank Retail in New York. The location is 10,000 square feet, putting its sales per square foot at a minimum of $35,000, based on Roseman’s estimate.
That’s the equivalent of selling one Mercedes-Benz C300 sedan per square foot. Apple may be the highest grossing retailer ever on Fifth Avenue, said Faith Hope Consolo, chairman of the retail leasing and sales division at Manhattan-based Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate.
I walked by the Fifth Avenue store a few weeks ago — just looked in from above outside, on a weekday afternoon — and there’s no way to describe it other than impossibly busy.


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The Alliance of Responsible Alcohol Retailers has started a new campaign called, “Change It Indiana” that seeks to build public support to allow Sunday carryout alcohol sales in Indiana, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The group, which includes Kroger, Marsh, Meijer, CVS and Circle K stores, argues that 47 states allow Sunday carryout sales and that Indiana loses about $9 million a year in tax revenue to alcohol sales in neighboring states. It seeks to legalize the sale of cold beer by convenience, drug and grocery stores.
Republican state Sen. Phil Boots of Crawfordsville said he will file a bill for next year’s legislative session for those alcohol law changes. A similar bill failed to advance in the Legislature this year.


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Huge spike in catalytic converter thefts reported across Lubbock this year
LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - It’s the latest crime wave to hit the Hub City, and everyone who owns a car is a potential target.
Thieves are climbing under vehicles, sometimes in broad daylight, to steal catalytic converters. The precious metals inside them can be worth thousands of dollars.
From January to March of 2021, 11 converters were reported stolen, according to Lubbock police. Over that same time period this year, there have been 84 thefts, nearly eight times as many.
It can happen in less than a minute according to LPD’s Public Information Officer Kasie Davis.
“In as little as 38 seconds,” Davis said.
Less than a minute spent, but thousands of dollars worth of damage done.
“The reality is, these criminals are hitting. They’re hitting quickly,” Davis said. “They’re taking those catalytic converters and moving on.”
Thieves are not after the converters as they are, but what they can get out of them in rhodium, platinum and palladium, precious metals found in catalytic converters, Davis said.
Today palladium is worth more than $2,000 per ounce. Rhodium is worth more than $19,000 as a shortage in supply is sending the value of those metals through the roof.
“Rhodium is more expensive than gold,” Scott Egert, owner of Scott’s Complete Car Care said. “So they’re robbing jewelry stores in their minds. You get a few together and they’re worth a lot of money.”
The number of thefts is rising fast.
“We’re just seeing tons of them daily,” Egert said.
KCBD contacted multiple salvage yards and part recycling businesses across the city, looking for somewhere to sell a catalytic converter.
We were met with one word in almost every instance. A simple “no.”
“Everybody wishes they knew where they were going with them. They’d catch them when they got there with them,” Egert said. “But the black market, I don’t know. Legitimate people aren’t buying them.”
Stealing a catalytic converter is now a state felony, but that’s not stopping the thieves
“So what we see that these thieves are doing is, they are essentially finding a fake VIN number and sticking that on the catalytic converter to be able to sell it,” Davis said.
Egert mentioned one local business that has multiple vehicles out of commission after they were hit.
“They got three box trucks,” Egert said. “Just went in and bam bam bam they’re gone with them.”
The cost for repairs is estimated at $10,000.
So how do you avoid being a victim? Davis and Egert had a similar response.
If you have a garage, use it. There are some parts you can purchase to shield your converter, but they aren’t perfect, and could cause damage to your car from heat buildup.
Egert said you can try to deter thieves, but in the end, if they want your converter bad enough, they’re likely going to get it.
Copyright 2022 KCBD. All rights reserved.


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Meers hires Barkley adman for top creative post
He will handle creative development and brand strategy for Meers’ clients.
“David’s extensive agency experience serving top consumer brands will be incredibly beneficial to our clients and future plans,” said Sam Meers, the agency’s CEO, said in a release. “We’re excited to have this award-winning, extremely talented creative professional on board as the newest member of our growing team.”
Meers has been growing rapidly in recent years, earning a nod in the Kansas City Business Journal’s ImpacT Awards for top-line growth since it became a digital agency.
Paul writes about legal affairs and advertising and marketing.
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The all-stock purchase is the second in four months by Foodpanda, which in November acquired TastyKhana.in
New Delhi: Online food delivery marketplace Foodpanda.in said on Friday that is had acquired food ordering portal Just Eat India in an all-stock deal as it seeks to strengthen its presence in India.
Just Eat Plc., the largest shareholder in Achindra Online Marketing Pvt. Ltd that runs Just eat India, will receive a minority stake in Foodpanda.in as part of the deal, whose valuation wasn’t disclosed. Foodpanda will assume full ownership of Just Eat India, the company said in a statement.
Gurgaon-based Foodpanda is backed by Berlin’s Rocket Internet AG, an e-commerce-focused venture capital firm and start-up incubator. The purchase is the second in four months by the company, which in November acquired food delivery business TastyKhana.in for an undisclosed amount. The latest deal comes in at a time when restaurant search portal Zomato is looking to enter the online food ordering space in India.
“We have a very clear focus of being the largest player in every country that we operate in. Though we were already a dominant player, this will further help consolidate our position as a leader," Rohit Chadda, co-founder and managing director at Foodpanda, said .
According to Chadda, the two companies will continue to operate independently and the Just Eat brand will continue to exist separately.
He does not rule out an integration of the two platforms going forward. “I can’t rule it out and we will take a decision in due course of time. As of today, we will keep the brands and teams separate," he added.
Just Eat Plc. was launched in Denmark in 2001 and was traded publicly on the London Stock Exchange. It entered India by acquiring a majority stake in Hungry in Bengaluru in 2011. Hungry was launched in 2006.
Today, the company partners with more than 2,000 restaurants.
“Foodpanda has built a great company in India and around the globe and we are very excited to partner with them going forward. We believe that we can combine (to) bring an even better service to our customers in India," said Ritesh Dwivedy, chief executive, Just Eat India.
Foodpanda.in, which launched in India in May 2012, operates in 39 countries across five continents. Together with TastyKhana and Just Eat, the brand is present in more than 200 cities and partners over 12,000 restaurants, the company said in a statement.
According to Chadda, the online food ordering business in India is in its nascent stage. “Share of online food ordering would be in single digits of the overall food ordering business which in 2014 was estimated to be around ₹ 5,000-6,000 crore. We are growing at 20-30% month-on-month," he added.
The company currently gets more than 100,000 unique visitors daily on its platform.
In August last year, Foodpanda raised $60 million in new financing from a group of investors and existing backer Rocket Internet.


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Enterprise Rent-A-Car is adding Saturn VUE Green Line Hybrid vehicles to its line-up for California renters in 2007. The first wave of approximately 160 hybrid Saturn VUE SUV’s will be delivered the first part of 2007 to select branch locations in the Bay area as well as Los Angeles and Sacramento, with additional deliveries slated throughout next year.
“We continually look at the different fuel efficient vehicles and how to best integrate them into our fleet because these vehicles are very attractive to our customers,” said Bay Area vice president and general manager Leonard Almalech. “The Saturn VUE Hybrids deliver 20 percent better fuel economy over the standard VUE engine, and if California renters show continued demand for alternative fuel cars we will add more to our fleet.”
Last year, to commemorate Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s 50th anniversary, the company announced that it is planting 50 million trees over the next 50 years at a total cost of $50 million dollars.


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A lack of training has left frontline retail associates underprepared to perform during the pandemic, research from the latest report from Axonify, the modern training and communication solution for frontline associates, has revealed.
Original research of over 2,000 frontline workers in its ‘The State of Frontline Employee Training 2020’ report showed that while 87% of UK retail store associates have confidence in their own ability to do their job effectively, over a third (35%) said they felt underprepared to perform their role in the current environment – rising to 40% among grocery staff and supermarket workers – and nearly a fifth (19%) said they hadn’t received the proper training on the changes impacting their job during the pandemic.
This report explores retail employees training needs, in light of the pandemic, and provides retail businesses with actionable take-aways on building, engaging and maintaining a resilient frontline workforce that’s ready to take on any challenge.
“The frontline workforce has felt the full force of the impact of the global pandemic, and it’s shown that training and support is needed now more than ever, if we’re to unite and tackle the challenges we face. But any training provided needs to be carefully considered – the requirements of the retail workforce have evolved, and retail businesses must adapt to ensure their cultures continue to empower their most valuable asset – their frontline staff.”
“Now is the time for retail businesses to nurture and support the frontline and ensure they have the skills to do their best work. By making sure every frontline employee recognises the role they play in supporting the business and the customers and communities it serves, the greater the chance of survival.”
Carol Leaman, CEO and Co-Founder of Axonify
Download the report: https://explore.axonify.com/20-brd-1236-state-of-frontline-training-uk


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After all the hub-bub over the royal wedding--and particularly, the wedding dress--we were sure we'd see a slew of Middleton-inspired looks this bridal season. But according to the Wall Street Journal, "bridal experts played down any Kate Middleton effect."
Although Middleton's gown attracted over 600,000 visitors when on display at the Buckingham palace, it hasn't been as big a hit for civilian brides. "Other designers copied [Middleton's gown] and had it on the runway right away, but what we noticed though, is that nobody bought it," designer Gregory Nato of Fancy New York bridal, told the Journal.
Indeed, bridal heavy-hitters like Oscar de la Renta, Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier and Carolina Herrera showed almost exclusively bare-armed looks and many of the silhouettes bore only a vague (if any) resemblance to the famous Sarah Burton for McQueen dress. However there was a familiar silhouette, perhaps thanks to another royal wedding of sorts: that mermaid/trumpet style Kim Kardashian chose for her big day was everywhere--on the runways of Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta and Monique Lhuillier. Could Kim K really have more selling power than Kate Middleton when it comes to wedding dresses? Hmm....
According to Nato, though, celebrity inspiration has little to do with a bride-to-be actually choosing her gown. “A modern bride is creating an original event for herself. She’s bringing her personality into it."
We have to say, it's kind of heartening to hear that there is a limit to Kate's selling power--and that, on their wedding day, all people really want is to look like themselves.


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The rise of bargains made online has changed the way in which consumers shop. According to a RetailMeNot review, more than 60 per cent of shoppers said that bargains are the most crucial technoonline.net/ element in making a purchase decision. And this is very true of millennials. The research also found that millennials are more inclined to be motivated by good buys than aged generations. Actually deals have the prospect to boost revenue and brand loyalty.
The Trade Law enforcement is a company that will be monitoring online bargains, ensuring that they are really not outlawed. The group hopes to make links to its webpage on Your local craigslist ads and other well-known websites. While the group doesn’t really want to take on business, it is important for buyers to have extra protection against scammers. In the meantime, buyers should makes use of the Rockford Police force Department’s providers to stay secure while browsing through the online world.
Although the popularity of deal websites is increasing, some sites may not be simply because reliable as they seem. A few sites advertise discounts that don’t exist. Others might just display a % of precisely what is actually reduced. The best way to prevent these scams is to choose a highly regarded online merchant. By doing this, you will ensure that you’re getting the finest price for your purchase.


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The file photo shows a luxurious German brand Mercedes-Benz bus. Rancon Motors, a leading local automobile distributor, will assemble the brand at a plant in Savar, Dhaka with an initial investment of Tk 15 crore. Photo: STAR
One of the country's leading automobile distributors, Rancon Motors, is to assemble Mercedes-Benz buses in Bangladesh for the first time, in an attempt to tap the growing demand for luxury buses among the long distance coach companies.
“The market for luxurious buses is growing. We hope it's an opportunity to tap the potential,” said Romo R Chowdhury, managing director of Rancon Motors, promoting the Mercedes-Benz brand in Bangladesh.
“We are hopeful to hit the market by June 2009,” he said.
The company, according to its managing director, will be able to cut the price of Mercedes-Benz buses by about Tk 40 lakh to nearly Tk 1.10 crore after the establishment of the assembling plant.
Currently one Mercedes-Benz bus costs around Tk 1.50 crore as it enters Bangladesh in completely built form.
“It will be affordable to many bus companies due to assembling facilities here,” the Rancon MD said.
Rancon Motors, a concern of Rangs Group, took the initiative after it signed commercial vehicles supplying contracts with some local long distance bus operators such as Saudia and S Alam.
“We are facing demands from some other operators because the buses are fuel-efficient,” he said.
Luxurious commercial passenger vehicles made their ways on Bangladesh roads during the late nineties to cope with the changes in the tastes of consumers who are travelling by buses at a growing rate due to faster road communication compared to railway's.
The market for luxurious bus, according to operators, is about 60-80 units a year, and is growing between 15 and 20 percent annually as leading long distance bus companies are shifting their focus to this segment.
At present, operators such as Green Line and Sohag Paribahan are offering services with Scania and Volvo buses on different routes, while Saudia and S Alam have brought Mercedes-Benz buses by forming joint venture.
Operators said none of these brands is assembled here, rather being imported from India and Malaysia.
Local Navana Group, IFAD Autos and Nitol Group assemble Hino, Ashok Leyland and Tata brand buses.
The required investment for establishing a bus assembling plant is lower compared to that for setting up an automobile assembling unit, Romo said.
“We now depend on Malaysian companies to assemble and build the bodies of the Mercedes-Benz buses. The local assembling plant will help us offer lower prices due to cheap labour here,” he added.
Rancon Motors, which currently imports auto parts from Brazil, has already got go-ahead from Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler AG to assemble the bus.
“We have already got the Daimler permission to assemble the bus,” Romo said. “Now we are in talks with a Malaysian bus-body building company to sign a technology transfer agreement.”
“Hopefully we will be able to ink the deal within the next two months,” he added.
Rancon Motors, also distributor of Mitsubishi brand autos in Bangladesh, will initially invest Tk 15 crore to start the plant in Savar, Dhaka and expects to assemble around 10 units of buses a month.


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BERLIN (Reuters) - Chinese group ZTE, the world’s fourth-largest mobile phone maker, unveiled its first smartphone model using Intel processors, marking an important break into a top-tier handset maker by the U.S.-based group.
ZTE said on Thursday its Grand X IN model, which will go on sale in Europe next month, will mark the start of a wider portfolio of Intel-based products.
“This is the first among a number of handsets in the next 12 to 18 months,” Chris Edwards, European business development and marketing chief at ZTE, said in an interview.
Intel has fallen far behind in processors for smartphones and tablets and is betting its lead in manufacturing technology will help it break into the key growth market.
“Intel has to forge a path into mobile given the sizeable growth opportunity. Failure to do so further risks ARM using its mobile dominance as a platform to attack Intel’s core business in PC,” said Geoff Blaber, analyst at research firm CCS Insight.
Reporting by Tarmo Virki and Harro ten Wolde; Editing by David Holmes


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The capital of Angola is the world’s most expensive city for expatriates, according to the Mercer Worldwide Cost of Living Survey. Tokyo, regularly rated as one of the world’s most expensive cities, occupies second place followed by Ndjamena, the capital of Chad, in third. Barcelona, meanwhile, lies in 49th position.
The survey, which covers 214 cities across five continents, found that developing cities were actually more expensive for expats to live in than Western cities such as New York or Washington DC, widely viewed as pricey.
The ranking was based on the comparative cost of over 200 items in each location including housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment. New York was used as the base city for the index and currency movements are measured against the US dollar.
For more information about the rankings, click here.


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Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
April 16, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SPRING HILL, Tenn. – Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture of LG Energy Solution and General Motors, announced at a press conference this morning in Nashville that it will invest more than $2.3 billion in its Spring Hill plant to build its second battery cell manufacturing plant in the United States.
Ultium Cells will build the new plant on land leased from GM. The new battery cell plant will create 1,300 new jobs. Construction on the approximately 2.8 million-square-foot facility will begin immediately, and the plant is scheduled to open in late 2023. Once operational, the facility will supply battery cells to GM’s Spring Hill assembly plant.
Most of GM’s future Ultium-powered EVs are designed to have 400-volt battery packs and up to 200 kW fast charging capability while GM’s truck platform will have 800-volt battery packs and 350 kW fast charging capability.
LG Energy Solution established its first research facility in the U.S. in the early 2000s. In 2010, the company built its first U.S battery plant in Holland, Michigan. Through Ultium Cells, LG Energy Solution and GM will merge their advanced technologies and capabilities to help accelerate automotive electrification.
In October 2020, GM announced it would invest $2 billion in its Spring Hill, Tennessee assembly plant to begin the transition to become the company’s third vehicle manufacturing site to produce electric vehicles. The all-new Cadillac LYRIQ will be the first EV produced at GM’s Spring Hill assembly plant. Production of the Cadillac XT6 and XT5 will continue at Spring Hill.
Mayor Rick Graham and Mayor-elect Jim Hagaman are pleased and excited about this tremendous investment in Spring Hill.
For more information, read GM's press release here, https://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/ev.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2021/apr/0416-ultium.html


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After less than a year in business, the Grindstone Cafè on Main Street in Cortland will close its doors permanently after this Saturday (December 14).
Company officials made that announcement on Facebook, saying “we want to thank everyone for your loyalty and business, and we are certainly sad to go.”
Grindstone Cafè was a sister location of the Auburn-based New Hope Mills Cafè, which first opened back in March.
New Hope Mills Cafè will remain open at 181 York Street in Auburn.
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Florida mug shots: Week in review
While U.S. gas prices leave many Americans shaking their fists at the pump, they're nothing compared to gas prices in most countries around the world. Take a look at the average gas prices in 11 countries as of mid-March.
U.S. gas prices are nothing compared to many countries around the world.
A device designed to protect swimmers from sharks is only being sold in Florida.


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Americans are back to work, and with their new jobs they are feeling extremely confident as consumers. The Conference Board’s survey of Consumer Confidence shows American consumers feeling better than they have since December of 2000.
Martin Crutsinger reports at the AP:
Americans’ consumer confidence rose in August to the highest level in nearly 18 years as their assessment of current conditions improved further and their expectations about the future rebounded.
The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 133.4 in August, up from a reading 127.9 in July. It was the highest reading since confidence stood at 135.8 in October 2000.
Consumers’ confidence in their ability to get a job and the overall economy are seen as important indicators of how freely they will spend, especially on big-ticket items such as cars, in coming months. Consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of economic activity.
“Expectations, which had declined in June and July, bounced back in August and continue to suggest solid economic growth for the remainder of 2018,” said Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at the Conference Board. “These historically high confidence levels should continue to support health consumer spending in the near term.”
Read more here.
Originally posted on Yoursurvivalguy.com.


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ROGERS, Ohio (WKBN) - The Rogers Community Auction has been around for 63 years -- people buying and selling at the intersection of Routes 7 and 154 in Columbiana County. It's the people and their stories that producers with an idea for a new reality TV show are focusing on and to find the right people, they held a casting call on Friday.
Five years ago, Judi Emery started selling hula hoops at the Rogers Community Auction. Now she sells jewelry.
"The flea market world has a whole life of its own," she said.
Judi was one of 200 people who auditioned in Rogers to be part of a new, proposed reality show called Flea Market Fanatics.
"We've gotten some great stories, some sad stories, some funny stories and everything in between," Steve Swanson said.
Swanson and Steve Kreider have been friends since college and now they're co-executive producers. Kreider previously worked on Duck Dynasty.
"I think that America is looking for a show like that. This is what we're going to give them," he said.
It was Swanson who told Kreider about the Rogers Flea Market and convinced him to visit.
"There's amazing people here, amazing stories, amazing things to buy," Kreider said. "So I was like, 'You convinced me. This is gold.'"
Ken Baer -- whose family owns the Rogers operation -- was a little skeptical about his flea market being the focus of a TV show, but said the idea grew on him.
"They've got a good storyline, I believe, and I think it's going to be a good thing for everybody," Baer said. "It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun."
Candace Campana is an aspiring singer and songwriter. Her audition was a jingle about Rogers.
"Well, I'm usually an every Friday Rogers person, I love to come here," she said. "So when I heard there's going to be a show on it, I thought, 'I have to be a part of this.'"
The auditions will be posted on the show's website. Then come spring, they'll start filming at the flea market.
The first episodes will be online and after that, who knows.
"Even like a Netflix and Amazon and Apple are looking for original content and you can't get any more original than this show's going to be," Kreider said.
The show itself will be filmed by Cinemanix, based in Youngstown, and Cleveland Comedian Jess Faulstich will serve as host.
East Liverpool crime activity:...
Boardman crime activity: Student...


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According to recent leak from the gaming community, there’s an exciting potential alliance in the works
Rockstar Games’ highly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) and Sony’s new console, the PlayStation 5 Pro, might both see the light of day in 2024
A tweet from a GTA fan account sparked the discussion, claiming that not only will the PlayStation 5 Pro be released in November 2024, but also GTA 6 would be launched with it
This leak led fans to speculate about the significant upgrades that this new Grand Theft Auto iteration could bring.
Some reports suggest that GTA 6 will support 4K resolution gameplay at a smooth 60 frames per second (FPS) on the PlayStation 5 Pro
This is not entirely unheard of since Rockstar Games currently provides a similar experience with the GTA 5 Expanded and Enhanced version in Performance Mode
The more exciting part of the rumour, however, is the potential support for up to 8K gaming.
This revelation, though, has not gone unchallenged
It’s worth noting that neither Rockstar Games nor Sony have confirmed or provided any official information regarding these developments
However, others believe that Rockstar Games will delay the announcement until 2024 and push the release back to 2025.


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HUL: To enhance its rural distribution reach
HUL (Hindustan Unilever) announced recently that it intends to dramatically increase its rural distribution reach.
June 09, 2010 | comments ( 2 ) |
HUL (Hindustan Unilever) announced recently that it intends to dramatically increase its rural distribution reach. The quality and quantity of rural coverage will go up to the extent that the company wants to achieve that in two years what it has done in the last 25 years, as per Harish Manwani, Chairman, HUL.
While over 45 per cent of HUL's sales come from rural markets, it reaches 2.5 lakh rural retail outlets approximately and intends to scale it up to nearly 7.5 lakh outlets in two years time.
The increase in rural coverage will be a big leap, “and to my mind will be a huge driver of future growth,” Manwani said. “There's no direct benefit in a year but over the course of the next year we will create that, what I call the next gap between us and our competition, and while competitors are closing gaps, we have to continuously create new gaps.”
- Reliance Retail & Jio to jointly launch new e-commerce platform
- CCI gives nod to Samara Capital-Amazon's joint bid to buy More
- SoftBank eyes 40% stake in FirstCry for $400 million
- Vivo India launches 'Vivo Xchange' program in partnership with Cashify.in
- Milkbasket expands operations to Bengaluru
- Manyavar launches another store in Punjab
- Ola raises Rs 150 crore from Flipkart's Co-Founder Sachin Bansal
- Ananth Narayanan steps down as Myntra Jabong CEO
- DailyNinja celebrates 15 million orders fulfilled
- John Jacobs looks to garner Rs 500 crore revenue by March 2021


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The Year Of The Digital Consumer: Marketing Trends To Watch In Southeast Asia For 2018
The Y-gang of social savvy’s, tech-addicts and digital natives has been watching closely what’s hot and what’s not in 2017 and made their best predictions for the year to come.
One thing is clear: The digital world is ever-changing and this past year was a testament to that. We saw the introduction of the iPhone X celebrating 10 years of smartphones (feels like forever doesn’t it), Twitter moving from 140 to 280 characters and Google Home & Amazon Alexa invading our houses. Also, digital advertising toppled TV advertising for the first time.
With the new year taking off, there are a number of digital marketing trends to know and implement that can take any business to a new level. Strategies such as brand revival, social media video use, marketing automation, customer privacy protection, and other concepts can make big noise for the digital marketing world in the new year.
The Brand is the Hero
This year may be the year in which those who had a leg up on the competition can see a slow leveling of the playing field. Simply, marketing the brand as unique cannot cut it in 2018, it has to be purpose driven ingrained in the whole company.
The use of branding has made its comeback and is here to stay. The use of brand positioning, brand ideal and brand management is becoming increasingly important this year and the next.
Companies with a clear and concise brand ideal, personality and set of values, will be able to strategize on how it can market its story. In 2018, efforts in branding is becoming the way for businesses to once again possess a competitive advantage over competitors in Southeast Asia’s increasingly fast-paced marketplace.
Forget the TV – Tomorrow’s Advertising is Digital
With digital advertising spend toppling that of TV advertising in 2017, we are seeing how the internet and the always-connected lifestyle impact the world of marketing and advertising more than ever before. Video content has been hot throughout 2017, creating lots of engagement and conversion. In 2018, social media video engagement is projected to grow even more. With more than one billion hours of YouTube watched every day and a staggering 8 billion videos viewed by Facebook users on a daily basis, the potential for digital advertising – in terms of reach as well as segmentation and data analysis – is seemingly endless.
With livestreams and 360 degree videos becoming part of everyday social media user’s life, marketing teams have the ability to be flexible and creative, taking advantage of all these ways to market their brand and product, creating impacting experiences. 2018 will undoubtedly present new opportunities for digital advertising and being at the forefront with a dedicated digital strategy set-up and a backpack full of creativity, to make an engaging impact.
In 2017, companies invested billions of dollars on marketing automation, and this trend is expected to progress even further in 2018. Marketers are able to make highly efficient digital marketing programs that were unfathomable years ago. Improvements to chatbots, analytics, and machine learning seem to be the main ingredients for developing marketing automation in 2018. Technology is becoming more personalized, building on a consumer-centric approach, involving content recommendations, better predictive lead scoring, and the application of social media to reach out and connect with consumers with tailored content and offers.
Privacy Protection – A new competitive advantage?
New privacy regulations have been implemented last year and have to be complied all around the world in recent years. With a number of high-profile security breaches in 2017, privacy is becoming a major selling point to attract potential consumers in selected industries, a trend which we consider to be on the rise.
Trust equals loyalty, in life and in business. Due to the new regulations marketers will start using data security and privacy protection as a major value and benefit across industries. Also, China has implemented cybersecurity legislation in 2017, and the issue remains hot on the agenda for both businesses and governments alike, just as it is on the mind of the modern, digital consumer.
On a Bright Path
Businesses across the globe have been waking up last year, to the digital future and revolutionizing technology within the world of marketing. Not only has Southeast Asia been growing in terms of consumer spending power, also adaptation to new technology and marketing spend has accelerated. With digital advertising taking over the number one spot from TV, a medium that held the throne for decades, the world is waking up to the true power of digital, and Southeast Asia is no exception. On the contrary, it is leading.
As local and global trends and events affect consumer behavior, the ability to be at the forefront of this technological development is key. Quickly acting on these trends, with the brand as the hero, is the way to touch the leads and consumers where it feels good in their daily digital lives and is creating the competitive edge to make a difference. After all, you cannot solve today’s challenges with yesterday’s methods, and expect to be in business tomorrow.


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CHEATING Chinese building suppliers are forging safety certificates to get shonky products into apartment towers, a Senate inquiry has been warned.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission boss Rod Sims is demanding new laws to protect homeowners, including independent checks on buildings and materials.
Mr Sims said it was not a crime to sell dangerous goods in Australia — and declared it was only “common sense’’ to change the law.
“What about a law to say it’s illegal to sell unsafe goods — isn’t that a good idea?’’ he told The Daily Telegraph.
The Australian Institute of Architects warned a Senate inquiry into substandard building products that “fraudulent documents abound’’ in the construction sector and demanded third-party certification of products from independent testing laboratories.
“Product substitution during construction is common practice,’’ it stated in a submission to the inquiry.
“It is difficult for anyone in the building process, including architects who are specifying products, to be absolutely certain that they comply with the various standards.’’
The Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union has told the inquiry that some Chinese manufacturers have forged compliance certificates.
The union dobbed those manufacturers in to the ACCC, which can prosecute suppliers for misleading and deceptive conduct. But Mr Sims said the ACCC did not have the resources to do the work of state building regulators.
“We can’t be stepping in every time because other regulators can’t do what they’re set up to do,” he said.
Mr Sims said state regulators — including the Department of Planning and the Office of Fair Trading in NSW — needed stronger enforcement powers. “They’re really working under poor laws from a time when the world was a different place,’’ he said. “The building regulators generally have no power to recall a product, some don’t have powers to order sampling or testing and some don’t have enforcement powers.’’
Mr Sims called for independent inspections to stop builders and product suppliers “self-certifying’’ on safety. “Self-certification does raise a serious risk of conflict of interest,’’ he said. The state government will review its building laws — including certification and fire inspection schemes — by the end of this year, in light of last month’s deadly Grenfell Tower inferno in London.
Mr Sims said the ACCC had no power to prosecute dodgy builders or suppliers because homes and building materials were not technically a “consumer good’’.
By NATASHA BITA
The Daily Telegraph


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Adult-use cannabis sales in Michigan topped $1.8 billion during the 2022 fiscal year, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury. Municipalities that have opted into sales – 224 in all – will receive a share of $59.5 million from cannabis excise taxes collected on sales.
For the state’s 2022 fiscal year, each eligible municipality and county will receive more than $51,800 for every licensed retail store and microbusiness located within its jurisdiction, the Treasury Department said, noting that some municipalities host more than one licensed cannabis business.
Recipients of the tax revenues include 81 cities, 26 villages, 53 townships, and 64 counties.
In a statement, Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) Executive Director Brian Hanna said that the funding that makes its way to local governments “is an important benefit of the regulated cannabis industry and the CRA is committed to doing our part in supporting our law-abiding licensees.”
In all, $198.4 million from excise taxes is available for distribution. In addition to the $59.5 million headed to municipalities and counties, $69.4 million was sent to the School Aid Fund for K-12 education, and $69.4 million was sent to the Michigan Transportation Fund, according to the Treasury Department.
The revenue was collected from 574 licenses throughout the state.
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Is Google planning to launch its own retail stores? A report claims the search giant will open its first stores this year, offering demos of Google Glass, and selling Nexus and Chrome OS devices.
Hands-on with Samsung's Galaxy Note7
An impressive first experience with the Honor 8
A week of Nougat, Anniversary Update issues, and Manbang
Windows 10 Mobile Anniversary Update is now rolling out to carrier-locked devices
windows 10 mobile


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May 17, 2012 |
Skechers has agreed to pay $40 million to consumers who purchased its rocker-bottom shoes under the mistaken belief that the shoes would help give them Kim Kardashian's booty or Joe Montana's stamina. So how do you get your piece of the payout if you purchased the shoes months, if not years ago, and don't have a receipt? No problem. This refund relies largely on the honor system. Anyone who purchased the company's line of Shape-Up shoes -- or its Resistance Runners, Tone-ups or Toners -- is entitled to a partial refund whether they have proof of purchase or not, officials said Thursday.
January 1, 2014 |
The final phase of a ban on incandescent light bulbs goes into effect Wednesday, leaving consumers with pricier energy-efficient options that are expected to save people money over time. Beginning Jan. 1, the production of 40- and 60-watt incandescent light bulbs is banned as part of efficiency standards signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2007. PHOTOS: Best and worst countries in which to grow old The government phased out 75- and 100-watt incandescent bulb over the last few years.
February 21, 2014 |
Early last year, Scott Tannen and his wife, Missy Tannen , were shopping for sheets when they experienced firsthand the confusion that comes in trying to find quality sheets. “I just wanted a beautiful, soft set of white sheets,” Missy Tannen said. “Every display was full of nebulous buzzwords like 'thread count,' and the prices seemed really high. The longer I stared at the shelves, the more confused I became. I had no confidence that I would walk out of the store with something great.” Motivated by that shopping experience, the couple founded Boll & Branch in January in an effort to offer 100% organic cotton sheets directly to consumers from Chetna Organic, an Indian cooperative that supports sustainable farming and community development.
January 16, 2014 |
Imagine for a moment that all of the nation's fast-food establishments--all the striped awnings and golden arches, the drive-thru windows, the beckoning dollar deals and wafting odor of French fries--were to vanish overnight. Would the number of our kids who carry an unhealthful amount of extra weight plummet? The answer is very likely no, says a study published Thursday in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Because if you shut off the supply of 24-ounce fountain drinks, bacon cheeseburgers, fried chicken and stuffed tacos, the children who frequently eat at fast-food restaurants will go home and do what they generally do when not eating at a fast-food restaurant: They'll snarf cookies and chips, chug sugar-sweetened soda from a bottle, and heat up frozen pizzas.
November 20, 2012 |
Some staggering new figures about Asian American consumers are out this month: Their buying power is up 523% since 1990, reaching $718.4 billion this year. If the demographic were a nation, it'd be the 18th-largest economy in the world. Within five years, Asian American buying power will surge over $1 trillion, according to a report this month from Nielsen. At the moment, 28% of households in the group have annual incomes greater than $100,000, compared with 18% of all Americans.
February 25, 2014 |
Consumer confidence retreated in February as fewer Americans expressed optimism about near-term economic conditions, the Conference Board reported Tuesday. The consumer confidence index fell to 78.1, down from 79.4 in January. The drop was primarily in its expectations index -- which measures consumers' expectations of economic activity in the next six months. The survey found that consumers had "concern over the short-term outlook for business conditions, jobs and earnings,” said Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators.


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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Monday that he wants big tech companies to be forced to tell Floridians in detail how personal information is being collected, analyzed, and sold.
DeSantis said there is new proposed legislation that will allow consumers in Florida to have a right to decide how their personal information, including biometric data, is used.
“We are going to shift the balance of power back to consumers,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis said the new legislative proposal will help to protect Floridians’ data privacy if it passes the Florida House and Senate.
“It is unbelievable the amount of information ... that they are constantly pulling,” DeSantis said.
Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls said the strong data privacy law also applies to genetic privacy and it will change the dynamic between customers and big tech.
“It allows users to request deletion or correction of personal information,” Sprowls said about the proposed legislation, adding “The days in which you had no control will soon be over.”
NEWS CONFERENCE: 3 p.m., Feb. 15


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Prime Minister Erna Solberg announced on 25 September the launch of an initiative – together with New Zealand, Costa Rica, Fiji and Iceland – to negotiate an Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability.
‘This initiative is an important part of the work to address climate change. It represents considerable potential for green technology, an area where Norway is at the forefront,’ Ms Solberg said.
The five countries that are taking part in the negotiations are all relatively small, with open economies and a strong dependence on trade. The initiative is based on the shared objective of a global transformation to low-emissions, climate-resilient and sustainable economies. These five countries want to show that trade can be an important tool for dealing with the serious challenges the world is facing.
‘The negotiations will focus on how trade can support efforts to address climate change. The removal of tariffs on environmental goods is one example of a trade measure that will benefit both climate and the environment,’ said Ms Solberg.
Once agreement is reached, it is hoped that other countries will be inspired to join.
‘An agreement on climate change, trade and sustainability will be a positive contribution to international trade, and a first step towards reaching an agreement that includes other members of the World Trade Organization,’ Ms Solberg said.


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|IJL plans to boost global appeal, host buyers|
|By Tom Wildhern|
|LONDON, April 22, 2009 – International Jewellery London’s long term plans are to raise its international |
profile by boosting numbers of exhibitors and visitors from overseas, and hosting UK and international buyers for the first time this year, said Syreeta Tranfield, IJL’s new Event Manager.
| ||Syreeta Tranfield, Event Manager, IJL|
The UK’s number one jewellery trade fair is also expanding its seminar programme as part of a push to help manufacturers, designers and retailers combat the economic downturn, develop brands and find new online markets, Syreeta said.
“I would like to bring a fresh approach, new ideas and a really open mind to how this industry in the UK is going to develop over the next 10 years,” she said.
“Retail and manufacturing are becoming a very different landscape, and I want IJL to reflect what is going on.” A main thrust of IJL’s marketing strategy is to enhance its appeal amidst the crowded international jewellery trade fair calendar.
For the first time this year, IJL will host UK and overseas buyers, targeting buyers from the United States, Japan, Nordic countries, Central Europe and Benelux, Syreeta said.
“We are providing a hosted buyer programme that will cover buyers’ accommodation close to the show and arrange ‘fast track’ events – setting up appointments with exhibitors,” she said, estimating that IJL would invite some 200-300 buyers from the UK and 20-50 buyers from overseas.
IJL showcases the largest collection of UK jewellery, manufacturers and designers. Last year they accounted for 55 percent of some 500 exhibitors, with the remainder coming from overseas.
|There are nine product destinations at |
IJL, including ‘Diamonds’
“This year we are hoping for a 50-50 split between UK and overseas exhibitors – and with the hosted buyer programme we expect to have more buyers coming from overseas,” Syreeta said. IJL is working hard to lure upscale designers and manufacturers from the key centres of Italy and Germany.
In response to popular demand, IJL will increase its seminar programme this year to four streams: Jewellery Trends; E-tail; Retail Strategies for Success in an Economic Downturn; and Retail Business (Product Knowledge, and Technical Skills).
Speakers will include a senior representative from Pod 1, which creates websites for the fashion industry; and diamond entrepreneur and guru Martin Rapaport.
The seminar programme is introducing an E-tail stream for the first time, representing IJL’s acknowledgement of the importance of the Internet to tap into new markets.
“If you are a big brand, you will have a department to develop E-tail. But if you are an independent
jeweller, there may be nowhere to turn to,” Syreeta said.
| ||Doing business and networking at the event |
“For any retailer, it is absolutely essential in this day and age that you have a web presence.”
IJL will also be promoting young design talent again this year with its Design Gallery and its support for so-called “Bright Young Gems”.
“We will be creating a ‘show within a show’ on the ground floor,” Syreeta said, referring to the Design Gallery which shows off the best of emerging and established jewellery designer talent, from leading names like Shaun Leane to recent graduates.
Online jewellery retailer Astley Clarke will pioneer its discretionary “Gold” award for one outstanding IJL Bright Young Gem to win the opportunity for their jewellery to be featured and sold on www.astleyclarke.com
The two winners of the IJL awards at the Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council this year – Ornella Iannuzzi and David McCaul – will showcase their latest designs at IJL on the GCDC stand.
New designers will also exhibit on a group stand as part of the “Kickstart” programme supported by the British Jewellers’ Association (BJA).
As the global jewellery industry grapples with the worst downturn in decades, IJL is determined to help the industry fight back via marketing, advertising and innovation to emerge stronger when the recovery comes.
By providing tools like the seminar programme and its support for young designers who will lead the industry forward, IJL is looking to add depth to the relationships between jewellery designers and manufacturers, and buyers, Syreeta said.
|View of The Boulevard|| |
“It’s scary how many companies are closing. The ones that fight back will be those that survive – and as the organisers of IJL we need to facilitate that.”
International Jewellery London
6th to 9th September, 2009
Earls Court 2, London


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Hispanic-Owned Marketing Agencies Grow in Size, Scope
Many of the largest Hispanic-owned agencies in South Florida help brands connect with prospective customers in English and Spanish and other languages as well.
By Mike Seemuth.
Alma is a Hispanic advertising agency in Miami helping Americans see Latin culture in a new light.
Consider an English-language TV commercial called Disfruta that Alma produced for McDonald’s to promote the restaurant chain’s fruit smoothie beverages: The 30-second spot shows a crowd of young Latinos and Latinas throwing paint-filled balloons at each other in a frenzy set to rock music.
“I like to say we’re Hispanic professionals as opposed to professional Hispanics,” said Luis Miguel Messianu, president and chief creative officer of Alma. “We are a Hispanic agency; that’s our core. But we handle general market accounts, too.”
Alma isn’t an isolated success story in Miami’s multilingual marketing world. As the CNC’s 16th Biennial National Conference puts a spotlight on “Hispanics in America’s Future” on May 17 and 18 in Miami, Alma and other leading Hispanic-owned marketing agencies in South Florida rank among the nation’s largest. They have grown in size and scope as corporate and institutional brands increasingly target the growing U.S. Hispanic population.
Their creative output is far from monolingual. Many of the largest Hispanic-owned agencies in South Florida reflect the area’s multilingual character by helping advertisers connect with prospective customers in English and Spanish and other languages as well.
Culture can speak louder than words in any language. Nielsen, the TV-audience measurement company, said in a report last month that “Hispanics are the largest immigrant group to exhibit significant culture sustainability and are not disappearing into the American melting pot.”
But as the Disfruta commercial for McDonald’s demonstrates, some ads aimed at Hispanics are not much different than ads meant for the general market. “The biggest trend is there’s a blurring of the lines,” Messianu said. “Hispanic advertising is starting to look more mainstream, and general market advertising needs to become more multicultural.”
Language clearly is an important component of advertising, but “the new language is culture. That’s what we’ve been preaching,” he said. “It’s not only about language. Cultural affinity is the new language.”
Lisette Hoyo, president of Accentmarketing in Coral Gables, agrees: “Hispanic marketing is more about connecting culturally, and the language is not so much the big thing.” Accentmarketing has produced content on the U.S. Navy’s website that conveys such culturally salient messages as the importance of parental involvement in a young Hispanic adult’s decision to join the military.
Founded in 1994, Accentmarketing has become more bilingual in its creative output. It handles advertising and marketing communications for such major advertisers as Dunkin’ Donuts and Farmers Insurance as well as the Navy. “Most of it is still in Spanish, but we have been doing a lot more work in English,” Hoyo said. For example, “what we do for the Navy is in English.”
Diana Brooks and Vivian Santos, both Cuban American, have taken a similarly multicultural approach at their Coral Gables agency, VSBrooks Advertising, which they started in 1996. “I don’t like to pigeon-hole us as being a Hispanic agency,” Brooks said. The agency’s clients typically require work with “a large Hispanic component. But we also do help them with the general market.”
Like other nimble agencies, VSBrooks has changed with the times. “We had about a good 10-year run when real estate was booming here. We had a lot of work there, and we were really going after the Latin-American market,” Brooks said. Now, “primarily, we work in the healthcare industry.” Her agency’s advertising billings were a bit more than $14 million last year. “When the economy crashed in ’07, we were only at about $5 million,” she said. “We’ve had significant growth.”
Among VSBrooks’ biggest clients are CarePlus Health Plans, a managed care program with more than 67,000 members in Florida, and CAC-Florida Medical Centers, a provider of non-emergency health care services at locations in Miami-Dade County. Both operate in markets that are “predominately Hispanic,” Brooks said. “We also do work for the Cleveland Clinic and help them with the Hispanic market.” Non-medical clients of VSBrooks include the business school at Florida International University. “We’ve been helping them with a lot of their rebranding,” she said.
More ad agencies are reflecting the cultural complexity of Hispanic society in their creative output, relying less on such traditional images as “the Latina grandmother with the apron, serving Cuban coffee and cookies,” Brooks said. Her agency also has done work not only in Spanish but also in Creole to help clients connect with Haitian-Americans. “Fundamentally, I think you have to look at these markets the same way you would look at a general market,” she said, “not as just kind of an afterthought.”
Many Hispanic-owned ad agencies have diversified not only their portrayals of Hispanic life but also their ability to deliver them digitally, not just traditionally through print and broadcast media. Few have embraced the Internet age as fully as República LLC in Miami, an advertising and public relations agency that has offered digital marketing services since its inception six years ago. “We made it a fabric of the agency since the beginning. We didn’t have to find a way to add it to the equation,” said Jorge Plasencia, the agency’s chairman and chief executive officer. “We build websites. We build mobile apps. We create content for social media. We do that all in-house at República. We don’t farm that out.”
República is “a Hispanic-owned agency, but we’re not an agency that does only Hispanic marketing,” Plasencia said. “Since day one, we have positioned ourselves as a fantastic agency that does great work in English and in Spanish.” Its major clients include the Univisión television network, food producer Goya and Miami Lakes-based BankUnited.
The agency’s work on behalf of clients encompasses public-spirited educational campaigns. República has created a major public-service marketing campaign called Es El Momento, featuring TV commercials on the Univisión network “that are creating a college-bound culture in the Latino community nationally,” Plasencia said. The public service announcements air on Univisión and were created with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. República also is the agency behind an edgy series of BankUnited ads featuring a woolly minotaur in the role of banker who spouts “B.S.,” or “Bankspeak,” a campaign intended to distinguish BankUnited from uncaring competitors. Plasencia said the English-language campaign, aimed mainly at non-Hispanics, has made an impression on bilingual Hispanics, too. Its efforts have earned it a spot as one of three finalists in the “Emerging’’ category of the 2012 Ernst & Young Florida Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.
República’s creative output is mostly in Spanish and English — and occasionally in Spanglish — an approach that can grab the attention of U.S. Hispanics who are comfortable in either language. “I think we’re going to see a lot more of that,” Plasencia said. “The Hispanic community is more and more bilingual and living in both of those worlds.”
The trade publication, Advertising Age, reported last year that 15 of the 50 largest Hispanic-owned advertising agencies in the nation, including República, Alma and Accentmarketing, are based in South Florida.
Not included in the publication’s list are major public relations firms in the Hispanic market. One is the JeffreyGroup in Miami Beach. Mike Valdés-Fauli, the public relations agency’s president, said Jeffrey’s revenues totaled $7.2 million last year, “and we’re expecting $8 million this year.”
Most of Jeffrey’s revenue comes from foreign operations in Latin America, “particularly for Johnson & Johnson and Nestle,” Valdés-Fauli said. The agency has satellite offices in New York City as well as Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires. But much of its recent growth has come from helping companies target U.S. Hispanics, which now account for 40 percent of JeffreyGroup’s revenue. One of its newest clients is Minneapolis-based retailer Target, which recently named JeffreyGroup its Hispanic public relation agency of record in the U.S.
“We have been around 19 years and launched our U.S. Hispanic practice a little more than five years ago, and it’s a pretty impressive growth trajectory that we’ve been on,” Valdés-Fauli said. “I see no slowing down in that regard.”
Advertising Age compiled data showing that the combined annual revenue of South Florida’s top 15 Hispanic-owned ad agencies grew to $137 million in 2010, up 8.7 percent from 2009.
That growth was uneven, though. Many Hispanic-owned ad agencies suffered setbacks in the 2007-2009 recession and the sluggish recovery since.
Tough economic times have led some companies to consolidate their advertising and marketing businesses with a single general agency. For example, MGSCOMM in Miami lost the Hispanic advertising account for Publix Super Markets in late 2010 after the grocery retailer consolidated its advertising work with a general market ad agency.
But MGSCOMM is set to return to revenue growth this year with help from such major clients as Southeast Toyota, Florida Power & Light and BB&T. The agency’s chief executive officer and co-chairman Manny Machado said he expects revenue to top $11 million this year after dropping to $8.9 million last year from $10.8 million in 2010, due to the loss of the Publix business.
MGSCOMM, which Machado co-founded in 2003 with co-chairman Al García-Serra, owes part of its success in the last five years to acquisitions. In 2004, it acquired a Miami-based Hispanic marketing agency called IAC, which had the Publix account. In 2009, MGSCOMM merged with a New York City agency, Reynardus & Moya, whose name partners, Jorge Reynardus and Jorge Moya, are now in the top management of MGSCOMM.
The agency’s creative output has been bilingual since its startup. “I would say 70 percent of our work in advertising is in Spanish,” Machado said. In its public relations practice, the agency’s body of work is closer to half Spanish, half English. “We grew up in the Hispanic sandbox,” Machado said. But as the agency matured, “our overall business model changed to incorporate general market clients.”
Like the principals at MGSCOMM, those at Zubi Advertising, the nation’s ninth-largest Hispanic ad agency according to Advertising Age, also are anticipating a business upturn. Almost all of Zubi’s ads are produced in Spanish for clients including American Airlines, Ford Motor, Walgreens and JPMorgan Chase. Many other Hispanic-owned ad agencies in South Florida do a substantial amount of work in English as well as Spanish.
“Business activity was very slow in ’10 and ’11,” said Joe Zubizarreta, chief operating officer of Zubi Advertising in Miami. “But we’re starting to see some signs of life, and we’re projecting that by 2013, we should see substantial growth.”
He and his sister Michelle Zubizarreta, chief administrative officer, have run Zubi Advertising since the 2007 death of their mother and the agency’s founder, Tere Zubizarreta, whom the Advertising Association of America inducted into its Advertising Hall of Fame in March.
“There’s a large portrait of her in the lobby. Everybody remembers and knows the way she did business, and we fashion ourselves after that every day,” Joe Zubizarreta said.
“Our philosophy is to erase stereotypes … We still believe that in mainstream media, there’s a lot of misrepresentation of Hispanics,” he said. “In TV shows, in movies, we’re always the drug dealers or the criminals. We want to show what our reality really is.”


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Cardiff council has received more than 80 letters and two petitions objecting to plans for a new sex shop in the city.
Councillors have postponed consideration of an application from Dander Ltd to open the shop on 137 City Road, Roath, while they prepare a report on the proposals.
Gerard Gray, of Dander Ltd, claims Voulez Vous? is a new concept in the sex shop industry, and a first for the UK. He says the shop would be targeted at couples, be bright and friendly, and far removed for the traditionally seedy image associated with such premises.
Liberal Democrat councillors leafleted 2,000 doorsteps in the area to advise them of the plans, and Cardiff County Council's licensing and public protection committee has received 81 letters and two petitions opposing the plan. Four letters of support have also been received.
Coun Heather Douglas said she objected to the plans on the grounds of her religious beliefs.
She said: "As a committed Christian I feel a moral duty to the residents of Plasnewydd as well as representing them in council related matters.
"I am especially concerned because the proposed shop will be in a prime location and within close proximity to schools and community centres and would therefore be a temptation to young and vulnerable people."
Mr Grey said he was not confident that the application would be approved in light of the number of objections.
He said: "It seems unlikely that the shop will be going ahead.
"I believe that this is a great shame particularly since the style of the shop will be very different from the public perception of a 'sex shop'.
"If the residents of Cardiff don't believe me, then we're launching a website for sexy couples on October 29. It contains a couple's secret diary, passion tips, features and advice as well as supplying exotic gifts and gadgets."
The matter comes before councillors on the licensing and public protection committee on November 6.


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Microsoft has announced it will offer a preview version of its first major update to Windows 8 next month.
The news comes amid growing criticism of the software's user interface.
Microsoft said the revision to the operating system (OS), codenamed Windows Blue, would be released at Build, a three-day developers event in San Francisco starting on 26 June.
However, while the company said it had listened to "feedback", it has still not disclosed what changes are planned.
Microsoft added that a final version of Windows Blue would be released before the end of the year, and highlighted that it had already sold more than 100 million licences for the system.
They also suggested it would give users the option of booting their PCs directly into Windows 8's desktop mode rather than having to visit the tile-based Start menu screen first.
On Tuesday the Financial Times ran a front-page story suggesting that a U-turn over key elements of Windows 8 would mark "one of the most prominent admissions of failure for a new mass-market consumer product since Coca-Cola's New Coke fiasco nearly 30 years ago".
This was a reference to the beverage makers' decision to launch and then abandon a new version of its fizzy drink.
The FT's article followed a news briefing given by Microsoft to mark the first six months of Windows 8.
The tech company has issued a statement taking issue with the report.
"It is unfortunate that the Financial Times did not accurately represent the content or the context of our conversation about the good response to date on Windows 8 and the positive opportunities ahead on both Windows 8 and Windows Blue," it said.
"Our perspective is accurately reflected in many other interviews on this topic as well as in a Q&A with [chief financial officer] Tami Reller posted on the Windows blog."
The FT told the BBC it stood by its story.
More than 1.5 billion devices used Windows 7 and earlier versions of the system at the time of Windows 8's launch, making the OS both the most popular of its kind and one of the company's key sources of revenue.
However, Microsoft was aware that sales of tablets and other touch-controlled devices had been growing at a much faster rate than PCs.
This helped prompt it to introduce a new start screen, initially dubbed "Metro", containing resizable tiles that could be tapped and swiped to launch and navigate apps.
Users can still switch to a more traditional desktop mode by clicking on an icon, but the environment lacks the start menu button offered since Windows 95.
This caused some people to become confused about how to shut down their PC and carry out other tasks. Several third-party developers subsequently released their own software allowing users to restore the facility.
"Many people have recoiled in horror at Windows 8 because it is such a stark change over what they had become used to over the past 15 or so years," Chris Green, principal technology analyst at consultants Davies Murphy Group Europe, told the BBC.
"Unless you are using it on a brand-new computer or laptop with a touchscreen display it's not as intuitive to use as Microsoft makes out - and these are still premium-priced products."
Since businesses traditionally wait until at least a major service pack has come out before updating their computers to a new OS, the major impact of the changes has mostly been limited to consumers.
But Mr Green added that it would be a worry for Microsoft if companies now opted to skip Windows 8 in the same way many had previously decided not to install Windows Vista.
"Microsoft wouldn't necessarily miss out on revenue from their largest blue-chip customers because they pay an annual subscription fee for access to its tech whether they use it or not," he said.
"But it's the mid-sized companies - who buy computers and software as they need it - which is where the big money and margins are."
Microsoft has acknowledged that "there is a learning curve [to Windows 8] and we can work to address that," but it also points out it has sold a similar number of licences for the OS as were achieved over the first six months of Windows 7's life.
"It's too early to say that it's flopped," said Benedict Evans, a digital media specialist at research firm Enders Analysis.
"However, there's clearly a lot of pushback from consumers and corporates about the radical change the firm wants to make in the user interface.
"The broader issue is that Microsoft is building an operating system designed with a touchscreen in mind. That's essential for its future because computing is shifting to tablets and mobile, where Microsoft has been irrelevant."
"What in effect they've done is compromise the desktop experience to create a great tablet and mobile experience. The problem is that it's the desktop buyers that pay for everything right now."


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Tennants UK has been using reflective material in sign manufacture since 1967, affording the Nottingham-based company a unique perspective on the development of the reflective market.
“Fundamentally, the understanding of the customer’s markets is crucial to developing relationships and providing excellent customer service,” affirms Phil Craig, Operations Manager. “Our mantra is ‘Reliable, Responsive, Reflective’ and we firmly believe these values are shared by our customer base.”
Tennants supply reflective signage in to a range of markets, the primary market being Temporary Road Signage. In 2014, they expanded into the manufacture of Permanent Road Signs using new technology developed by Orafol Europe, who have produced a compatible system using the Agfa Anapurna 2050 UV digital printing machine to produce 100% compliant legal sign faces. This enables them to meet the highly demanding specifications the UK market requires.
Tennants is the UK master distributor of ORAFOL® reflective products, a partnership that dates back to 2007. “They have invested heavily in developing and manufacturing glass bead to prismatic reflective sheeting to meet government standards throughout the world,” says Craig. “The German-based manufacturer encapsulates everything you associate with German manufacturing – reliability, quality and efficiency.” Tennants cites this relationship with their supplier, along with their own continued commitment to build strong customer relationships, as having been essential to building success in the reflective signage market. Craig reveals that they are continuing to move forward engaging new customers and new end-users by building on the successes of the Olympics, Tour de France and other major road schemes in the UK through to work on projects such as The Channel Tunnel.
Using technology to tackle theft
According to Craig, traffic signage theft is becoming an increasing problem.
In order to provide a higher quality sign and offer services that can help prevent theft, Tennants are actively investing in new technology in order to improve efficiency and capacity when it comes to the manufacture of reflective signs.
In addition to the Agfa Anapurna UV printer, they now have three Zund Cutting System machines. “These are used to through-cut reflective, kiss-cut vinyl, and to routing base substrate accurately to the legal requirement, thus saving time in finishing by automating the start of the process,” he says. “It also allows us to offer our customers the option to engrave their signs with the company logo.
Theft of road signage is a big problem in the Traffic Management industry and having permanent identification on your signage gives our customers a high degree of confidence against competitors using their signs.”
Investment in three new roller beds has made the manufacturing facilities more flexible, and allowed Tennants to provide customers with a reliable and responsive service. This year, they will be investing in a new business system that allows them to be even more responsive to the customer’s requirements and better track performance. “Throughout all of these investments, the customer has been at the forefront of our thoughts,” adds Craig.
When it comes to investing in machinery, Craig reveals that he commonly encounters businesses choosing products for the wrong reasons. Ill-equipped to do the job at hand, these machines can therefore produce sub-par signage, something that can be potentially hazardous where things like traffic signage are concerned. “Making decisions based on initial cost and a good sales pitch rather than the quality and reliability aspect of the purchase is probably the most common mistake in our industry,” he says. “We have always been selective in our supplier partnerships, working on the principle that reliability and responsiveness are the keys to success. We may pay more at the outset but, in the long-term, that additional initial investment provides cost-effective manufacture, efficiency savings and ultimately a better customer experience.”


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| May 6, 2014
| 10:30 AM
Apple Inc is building a team of senior medical technology executives, raising hackles in the biotechnology community and offering a hint of what the iPhone maker may be planning for its widely expected iWatch and other wearable technology.
Over the past...
| May 13, 2014
| 7:53 AM
His driver-hailing app Uber has made enemies of taxi drivers round the world. Over a steak sandwich in San Francisco, one of Silicon Valley’s most combative operators tells Tim Bradshaw, ‘Ultimately, progress and innovation win’
| May 2, 2014
| 10:40 AM
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Starts at 11 a.m. May 5. Open to residents of US, 13+ as of 5/5.Excludes Sponsor/Co-Sponsor employees & their hshld/immed fam mbrs. To enter, click here to subscribe to the...
| May 19, 2014
| 10:30 AM
Google Inc said it has acquired Divide, a company whose software allows corporations to manage the personal smartphones that consumers increasingly use on the job.
In a post on Divide's website on Monday, the company said it was joining Google's Android...
| May 20, 2014
| 12:39 PM
Microsoft Corp unveiled a larger but lighter version of its Surface Pro tablet on Tuesday, hoping that the company's expertise in business software will help it take on Apple Inc in mobile devices.
At a presentation in New York, new Chief Executive...
| May 28, 2014
| 10:00 AM
Consumers’ willingness to receive health care in new ways presents a stark choice to existing health-care players: “Compete, collaborate or both.”
That's the conclusion of PricewaterhouseCoopers HRI Managing Director Ceci Connolly...
| Jun 3, 2014
| 2:06 PM
The Lemont High School Educational Foundation has committed to supporting 12 grants for more than $56,000 for the 2014-15 school year. Grant proposals were submitted by Lemont High School faculty and staff, with the goal of enhancing educational...
| May 29, 2014
| 9:46 AM
Allstate Corp. said Thursday it is testing a smartphone application that is collecting drivers' habits.
The application is being tested a few states so far, the Northbrook-based company's CEO said at a conference. Allstate currently has a driver-...
| Apr 28, 2014
| 1:05 PM
Hundreds of more Downers Grove elementary school students could be carrying iPads in their backpacks next year, as the school district prepares to expand its program to outfit all kids with individual devices.
Grade School District 58 administrators said...
| Apr 29, 2014
| 12:08 PM
New technology is creeping into the world of wedding etiquette, with live streaming of the ceremony to a remote audience being a current example. We searched for a consensus among wedding planners and etiquette experts on its propriety. The result?...
| Apr 7, 2014
| 3:06 PM
Award-winning Orren Pickell Building Group (OPBG) recently announced its predictions for what homeowners will be looking for this spring. The innovative and successful team at Pickell expects homeowners to continue their search for the perfect place to...


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SEAT and Orange Spain have signed an agreement that aims to promote new advances in the development and use of connected vehicles. The agreement focuses on three main lines of action – to improve the experience of vehicle occupants by developing connected car innovations, offer the digital home or office experience to car users, and implement a loyalty programme that promotes the frequent use of new connectivity and mobility solutions.
SEAT Head of Business Development Arantxa Alonso said, “we feel privileged to have strategic arrangements with partners such as Orange that give a major boost to our development of car connectivity.” Alonso also added that “this partnership opens up a large collaborative space for both companies that are pursuing a common goal – promote the use of the connected car and make the car user’s experience easier and more efficient.”
A prominent initiative regarding vehicle digitisation carried out through this collaboration will be the launch of a project that seeks solutions geared at turning the vehicle into the user’s second digital home. The goal is that both driver and occupants can integrate some of their daily activities in the safest and most efficient way while in the car.
The initial proposals of this collaboration will include leisure and entertainment services such as music, audiovisual and learning content, while guaranteeing the maximum safety of the occupants.
To encourage the use of these new connected car solutions, the companies will launch a cross-company loyalty and frequent use programme, offering drivers incentives through purchase discounts, rewards and gifts. Additionally, SEAT is going to use Orange’s Big Data to offer products that most closely match users needs.
“This strategic agreement with SEAT is a great step for Orange in its strategy of connected objects and Big Data and opens the door to innovations and new developments surrounding cars of the future, which will contribute to helping us achieve our goal of connecting our customers with what truly matters most to them,” said Luis Santos, Director of Innovation and New Digital Services for Orange Spain.
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There’s less than year separating us from seeing the production BMW 8 Series in the metal and things are already starting to look good. While the world is focused on the imminent launch of the M8 GTE at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the engineers and designers are hard at work on the rest of the range. According to our sources, the new 8 Series will come with a host of new technologies on board, showing that BMW is not playing around.
Contrary to what many might’ve initially though when hearing about an 8 Series revival, it seems like BMW will be trying its best to make the car more sporty than comfortable. The Concept looks a bit smaller than the 6 Series to begin with which may point to a more track-prone approach in the first place. While that may sound peculiar at first, one of our trusted sources inside Munich claims that the upcoming 8 Series Coupe will come with a carbon fiber roof as standard on cars fitted with the M Sport package. That’s definitely a bold and expensive move aimed at reducing weight in all the right places, for an enhanced experience behind the wheel.
Furthermore, the new 8er will mark the introduction of a new instrument cluster. Just as you might’ve noticed, ever since the 8 Series Concept came out with a new take on digital gauges, all concepts coming after it showed the same design in the instrument cluster area. The Z4 Concept did it and now the X7 follows the same pattern. According to our sources, that’s not an accident as they will be getting this new cluster once they are launched.
As for the engines, the diesel mills will probably be used on the 8 Series basically unchanged, as this technology is on its way out. When it comes to petrol mills, the big news is that the N63 engine will live on but with even more upgrades. On the BMW 850i it will be making over 500 HP which is a considerable increase compared to the 462 HP the M550i has at the moment.


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A new hashtag was trending on social media on Thursday, as supply chain problems began to impact people’s shopping trips.
A number of people posted pictures of empty grocery store shelves with the hashtag #EmptyShelvesJoe, appearing to blame President Joe Biden for the problems they are experiencing.
“I’m pretty sure @JoeBiden and the Democrats in DC are eating just fine and are having no issues getting what they need,” one Twitter user posted. “The rest of us lowly Americans who actually go to the grocery stores, not so much. #EmptyShelvesJoe.”
Another user commented that she had to go to the grocery store every day to get what she used to be able to get in one trip.
Besides grocery stores, others worried that toy shelves would be empty around Christmastime and urged people to buy early.
Read the full story here.


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Are you a huge fan of the CNN news channel, well if you are then this is just for you. CNN has suddenly decided that it’ll be wonderful to stream Live news online, throughout the day and on your iOS devices as well. Wonderful, I say. But, to take advantage of never having to enjoy that big screen News hour, you’ll have to pay a fee to your cable operator. Yeah, that’s the only bad thing, however it’s not like you’ll be paying a lot.
All you need to do is get enrolled with AT&T, Comcast, Cox, DISH Network, Suddenlink or Verizon for a pay TV subscription and you’re good to go. Oh, and Indian users, we’ll have to dream a little harder. Jim Walton, President of CNN Worldwide says;
A principle goal for CNN is to make more of our content available to more people on more platforms, and CNN’s participation in the TV Everywhere initiative is another step forward in that effort. We have long believed that our growth depends on keeping CNN essential and relevant to consumers wherever they are.
For those of you who’re living the American dream, it just got better. You can also watch HLN online along with CNN, but before starting out, you’ll have to go to www.cnn.com/video and enter your Username and password provided by your cable operator. Once that’s set up, you’re ready to watch 24 hours of news streaming live. You also have the choice to watch CNN news on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch with the CNN app. According to the Press Release, about 10 million people have already downloaded the CNN app for iOS.
I just hope that we get to stream some channel, be it News or Entertainment before the apocalypse.
In this multimedia age, keeping yourself upto-dated with the latest happenings in the world is a very simple thing. We have loads of news sites and TV channels that dish out latest news and happenings from around the world to us. Keeping in mind the user trends, a large number of broadcasters are also scooping up audiences by putting live feeds of their channels on internet. Here is a list of live News Streams that you can watch on the internet without ever paying a penny:
Not such a favorite among Arab dictators but really a News channel worth watching. Plainly speaking it’s a very hard hitting form of Journalism coming directly from Middle East covering global issues. You can watch Al Jazeera’s live news stream on your desktop either with either the LiveStation app or you can also view the channel’s live feed by visiting their website.
Basically it’s an international broadcast that is partially funded by Russian government, it offers documentaries and latest news from around the world. This particular live news stream is tagged as a bit blatant as compared to the other Live channels available. So If you are looking to find a place where you can get the news from an entirely different perspective then RT Live news stream is the right place to tune-in.
C-SPAN is by far one of the best news channel for political junkies having an inkling for the latest happenings around the globe. The live streaming link of C-SPAN provides viewers an upto-date coverage of the latest news covering things like latest from Washington DC and power lobbies.
VLC media player is one of the most famous open source media players. Did you know that you can use VLC media player as a television and watch tv channels on it? In this post I will show you how you can do that with an easy tutorial. So, lets begin.
1. Open up VLC Media Player. Don’t have it installed? Download VLC player from here –> Link.
2. See the first option on the top? “Media”. Click it and then click the second last option from the drop down box, “Streaming”. 3. After clicking “Streaming” option, a new dialog box opens up which has 4 tabs. You have to select the third one –> “Network”.
4. Now you have opened the “Network” tab and have an empty box where you have to enter the network URL. For eg. rtsp://ss1c6.idc.mundu.tv:554/prf0/cid_4.sdp is the network URL of Aaj Tak. 5. After entering the network URL, click that downwards arrow(with the “Stream” button) and choose the “Play” option. Thats it. Some 15-20 seconds later you will be able to watch the channel you have given the network URL for.
For some unknown reasons, I was not able to take a perfect screenshot of the video but I hope you have understood the tutorial. Below are the network URLs of some available channels.
If you are addicted to TV then I am sure you would miss it wherever you go so why not to have TV facility on your gadgets such as iPod Touch 3G, iPhone 4 or iPhone 3G. There is an application called CoolStreaming for TV addicts which allows you to watch free webTV.
The CoolStreaming app very popular and is available for free. Cool Streaming app channels server available on web like few of the categories are educational, games, news generic, regional, HD, reality, weather, music etc.
Watching WebTV on your iPhone or iPod Touch would be more fun and easy with this application as it has few good features like:
Live streaming of hundreds of channels
Set favorite channel list
Check out exclusive channels
Browse TV channels by Country , recent or categories