Richard Lutz witnesses a digital war over the information we crave.

Here at last to satisfy the clamour of their Brummie fans, come Police Dog Hogan.

Kings Heath’s Hare and Hounds was the venue last night for the first appearance in Birmingham of Police Dog Hogan

Birmingham St Mary’s staff on 100 mile bike ride raising funds for hospice.

Eleven days of unique events discovering the city's history.

Campaign to reduce chewing gum litter launches in Wyre Forest.

Returnless refunds are a tool that more retailers are using to keep online shoppers happy and to reduce shipping fees, processing time and other ballooning costs from returned products. Companies such as Amazon, Walmart and Target have decided some items are not worth the cost or hassle of getting back. Think a $20 T-shirt that might cost $30 in shipping and handling to recover.

SBI economists predict a dip in India's GDP growth to 6.5% for the September quarter, citing temporary pressures on the domestic economy. Despite this, they maintain an optimistic outlook, expecting a rebound in the following quarter fueled by rising rural demand and anticipate FY25 growth to approach 7%.

Reliance Retail is temporarily closing its Centro stores across India to revamp the format. The company plans to prioritize its own brands, like Azorte and Yousta, potentially phasing out some of the 450 local and global brands currently sold.

Asian Paints faced a challenging second quarter with muted demand due to uneven rainfall and a slowdown in metro cities. Despite price hikes, competitive intensity remains high. The company is cautiously optimistic about single-digit volume growth in the coming quarter while closely observing AkzoNobel's strategic review of its India business.

Jubilant Foodworks Ltd., the operator of Domino's Pizza and Dunkin' in India, reported a lower net profit of Rs 66.53 crore in the second quarter, compared to Rs 97.2 crore in the same period last year. Despite the profit dip, revenue rose to Rs 1,954.72 crore from Rs 1,368.63 crore, fueled by expansion and growth in the Indian market.

Environmental group Rainforest Action Network (RAN) alleges that palm oil derived from illegally cleared Indonesian wildlife reserves may have infiltrated the supply chains of major brands like Nestle and Procter & Gamble. RAN's investigation, supported by satellite imagery, points to the deforestation of Rawa Singkil Wildlife Reserve for palm oil plantations, potentially jeopardizing endangered species.

Xiaomi India President Muralikrishnan B has resigned to pursue a doctorate, marking the end of his tenure during a period of recovery for the leading smartphone company. Muralikrishnan, who joined in 2018, will transition into a six-month gardening leave. His departure follows strategic executive appointments aimed at boosting offline sales and premium market presence.

According to early estimates from Counterpoint, shipments in the wearables industry fell 30% on-year in the July-September quarter with nearly every top brand including Boat and Noise seeing sharp declines in numbers. However, shipments of premium smartwatches and audio products nearly doubled, pushing up the average selling price.

Apple could double its iPhone production in India to over $30 billion annually if the US imposes tariffs on Chinese imports. This shift could create 200,000 jobs and increase India's share in iPhone production to over 26%. However, the move depends on US policy and India's ability to address cost and policy challenges.

Although stakeholder discussions are still going on, the 5% cut of the total import quota will be implemented from April 1 of the upcoming fiscal. This cut is based on the data provided by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics.

Sault, a new consumer electronics company, is set to significantly increase its sales volume by FY25. Focusing on tier-2 towns, the brand plans to expand its reach within western India and eventually target southern markets. Sault will incorporate in-house manufacturing for certain products while continuing partnerships for others, aiming for nationwide expansion and exploring digital sales channels.

Apple India's dividend payout to its Irish holding company more than doubled to ₹3,302 crore in FY24, exceeding its net profit for the first time. This comes as iPhone sales surged in the country, boosting Apple India's revenue by 36%. While analysts acknowledge the impressive revenue, they also point to stagnant operating margins and increased inventory as potential challenges.

​​The Umbergaon, Valsad-based company said the issue comprises Rs 850 crore of offer for sale and Rs 350 crore of fresh issue, and will close on December 15. Its chief financial officer Rahul Shah told reporters here that the floor price is 75 times and the cap price is 79 times the face value of the equity shares.

At 11:06 a.m., the public issue was subscribed 1.09 times. The retail category was subscribed 4.08 times, while the NII portion garnered 1.18 times bids. There were no bids from qualified institutional buyers so far.

“We have been able to grow a little from 15.4% to 16.7% in H1. But this is coming more from the operational efficiencies point of view. And also a very little from probably I can say, there is an advantage currently where the raw material prices are at most low. This is the advantage we have been able to get in H1. ”

“We will first want to focus on growth in terms of top line and margins will take care of themselves. With a lot of operating efficiencies coming in, margin should take care of itself but we follow our mantra of “nothing at the cost of market and nothing at the cost of margin. So we will balance both together.”

The board of Pidilite -- maker of Fevicol, Dr Fixit, Fevikwik and M-Seal -- at its meeting held on Thursday approved the appointment of Vats as Managing Director Designate, who is currently Deputy Managing Director of Pidilite Industries.

Stationery retailer DOMS Industries has acquired 51 per cent of stake in Skido Industries with an initial investment of Rs 51 lakh, marking its entrance into school bag manufacturing, it said in a press release on Thursday. The remaining stake of Skido remains with Sehgals.

​​Santosh Raveshia, Managing Director, DOMS Industries Limited said, "As we conclude FY24, we are pleased to report on a period marked by significant achievements and strategic initiatives that have reinforced our strong position in the stationery and art materials market. We continued seeing positive business traction resulting in robust sales growth coupled with further elevation of margins, reflecting upon the strength of the ‘DOMS’ Brand to connect with its consumers."

DOMS Industries Limited reported strong Q1 FY25 results, with a notable 17.3% increase in revenue and 49.5% growth in profit after tax compared to Q1 FY24. The firm saw improved EBITDA and margin performance. The company also announced plans to acquire a majority stake in Unilcan Healthcare to expand its market.

DOMS Industries Limited witnessed a 42.8% surge in consolidated profit after tax, reaching Rs 53.7 crore in Q2 FY25. This growth was fueled by a 19.7% rise in revenue, driven by strong sales in writing instruments, adhesives, and kits. The acquisition of a 51.8% stake in Uniclan Healthcare further bolstered the company's performance.

Highlighting the brand’s expansion trajectory in terms of physical retail presence, Sanjay Sharma, Country Head of Shiseido India said that since launching with 15 touchpoints last year, NARS has already doubled its reach to 30 points in India and plans to double again in the next two years.

FirstCry reported a 15% increase in operating revenue to Rs 6,481 crore and reduced losses by 34% in FY24. The Pune-based firm's international business, which is seeing faster growth than domestic operations, reported a revenue of Rs 753 crore, growing by over 50%. The firm plans to use a significant portion of its IPO proceeds for expansion in Saudi Arabia.

DOMS Industries Limited has acquired a 51.77 per cent equity stake in Uniclan Healthcare for Rs 54.88 crore, making it a subsidiary. This strategic move allows DOMS to diversify into the baby hygiene market, aligning with its growth strategy and enhancing its distribution network for long-term success.

The podcasting industry has grown a lot since its birth in 2004, but the core of what a podcast could be and what it could do hasn't changed much. Now, Podcasting 2.0 revolutionizes the industry with highly requested innovations that will help everyone on all sides of the RSS feeds.

The post What Is Podcasting 2.0 and Why Does It Matter? first appeared on The Audacity to Podcast.

We use many services in the process of podcasting and engaging our audiences, like Patreon, Buy Me a Coffee, SpeakPipe, and more. But saying these brand names in your podcast can overwhelm or confuse your audience and—even worse—break their ability to properly engage with your podcast!

The post Stop Saying Brand Names in Your Podcast! Do These 5 Things Instead first appeared on The Audacity to Podcast.

Where do you tell your audience to go for the actions you want them to take? I suggest that should almost always be based on your podcast's own domain name.

The post Why Does Your Podcast Need Its Own Domain? first appeared on The Audacity to Podcast.

Internet marketers have a new crush on video and many podcasters are starting to feel pressured to create video content. But do you need to add video?

The post Does Your Podcast NEED Video? first appeared on The Audacity to Podcast.

You might have heard people talk about IAB podcast stats, measurement guidelines, compliance, and certification. Here's what all of that means, and whether it even matters!

The post Do IAB-Certified Stats Matter for Your Podcast? first appeared on The Audacity to Podcast.

Big fines by regulators on tech companies are nothing new, but the scale of one imposed by a Russian court on Google is astronomical. For removing Russian state-run channels and pro-government accounts from YouTube in the wake of the country's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia is demanding that Alphabet pay up 20 undecillion rubles ($2.5 decillion USD) or face its being blocked from doing business in the country indefinitely.

The incoming Senate Republican Conference will meet Wednesday morning to elect the successor of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

This is very speculative. I am assisting a faculty member where I work with the idea of establishing a Mastodon server (hosted by the university) to support a specialized intersection of a particular equity-seeking group and an area of study. The work would be to help run the server, and possibly promote it -- a combination moderator and marketer, both making sure the community is running smoothly and also reaching to people to encourage them to join. If this seems interesting to you, and in full knowledge that this might go nowhere, I'd love to hear about your moderation experience, how many hours a week you think you'd be able to put into the project, and your pay per hour expectations (in USD).

I'm looking for someone in NYC who will grow some plant cuttings and avocado pits in water for me, for a trade show in August. I'll be exhibiting at a trade show in NYC in mid-August. One of our products is a little tool/display for water propagation of cuttings, succulents or pits such as avocado or mango pits. Normally I grow my own display cuttings and pits for this purpose, and it looks awesome at trade shows local to me (europe). However, I can't fly with live plants to the USA. So, I'd like to hire someone in NYC to root cuttings in water and grow a few avocados and mango pits, so they'll be pretty and leafy by mid-August. I need that someone to be super reliable, so I can be assured to have those plants ready to pick up for the show. They don't need to be a professional, but it'd be great if they've plenty of experience and access to sufficient space on a sunny windowsill to grow these. I would pick up the plants from you on August 11th or 12th. So, if you're already growing cuttings at home, and are interested in this job, memail me and we can discuss details and compensation.

I'm a published writer with a completed script for a non-fiction graphic novel, but no-one to draw it. It's a real-world setting and cast with no fantasy or superhero elements. The story's a serious one, so the art needs to match that tone. Initially, I just need ten pages of finished B&W art (pencils & inks) to use as I pitch the project round suitable publishers. For the right artist this could grow into a paid commission for the full book. I'm happy to agree either a page rate deal or a 50/50 ownership split (including ancillary rights). The story has proven TV/film potential. If you'd like to be considered, please Metamail me with a link where I can find your samples and details of any comics work you've done before. Thank you.

When it comes to the 4th of July, fireworks and film go hand-in-hand! Both David Fair and Russ Collins are on vacation this week, so WEMU's Mat Hopson and Marquee Arts cinema programming director Nick Alderink meet up to chat about the newest films and special screenings coming your way this Independence Day weekend!

The Ann Arbor Art Fair kicks off this week, and the Michigan and State Theatres will bring along some great movies to go with it! WEMU's David Fair meets up with Marquee Arts cinema programming director Nick Alderink to chat about all of the cinematic happenings for the coming weekend!

An exciting weekend is coming to the movie world, including one of the most anticipated superhero matchups ever! WEMU's David Fair mets up with Marquee Arts cinema programming director, Nick Alderink, to give you a rundown of upcoming films and special screenings!

We're halfway through August, so there's still time to catch a summer flick! WEMU's David Fair is away this week, so Mat Hopson steps in to discuss the newest movies and upcoming special screenings at your favorite downtown movie houses with Marquee Arts executive director Russ Collins!

After a week away, WEMU's David Fair returns to chatting about cinema with Marquee Arts executive director Russ Collins. As they do every week, they deliver all of the details on new films and the many special screenings coming to Ann Arbor!

It's the first week of September, and we have plenty of movies to chat about! WEMU's Mat Hopson sits in David Fair to share all of the movie news and info on special screenings and events you could ask for with Marquee Arts executive director Russ Collins!

Days are getting a bit shorter here in Michigan, but there's always time to catch a flick! WEMU's David Fair meets up again with Marquee Arts executive director Russ Collins to chat about the newest films and special events hitting the big screen!

Whether you prefer the modern age of cinema or the silent era, there's plenty of films worth checking out this weekend and beyond! WEMU's Russ Collins from Marquee Arts gives the full cinematic rundown in his conversation with WEMU's David Fair.

Russ Collins is on a tour of Broadway this week, so, Marquee Arts cinema program director Nick Alderink steps in on Cinema Chat this week. He joined WEMU's David Fair to cover the latest film openings and special screenings in the area.

Don't know about you, but I had a pretty rough week so I'm indulging myself with Jinjer and Spiritbox, starting with one of the greatest collabs of the current millenium: Spiritbox - Circle With Me ft. Tatiana Shmayluk of Jinjer

Megan Thee Stallion - TYG (feat. Spiritbox) Jinjer - Who Is Gonna Be The One - Live Spiritbox - The Mara Effect - live Jinjer - Pisces - Live Spiritbox - The Mara Effect - live Jinjer - Just Another We will return to more varied programming next week, probably.