text:
We are hugely proud to announce that we were named as the “Company of the Year” at the very first Tees Tech Awards that were held on the 20th August 2020.
2020 has certainly been a testing time for everyone. At the beginning of the year, we were really excited for the very first Tees Tech Awards to be held at Wynyard Hall to celebrate the amazing digital and tech cluster on Teesside. Unfortunately, like many things, COVID put an end to that early dream and everything was kind of left for a while.
Thankfully, the powerhouses behind these awards, Digital City, Middlesbrough Digital and Tees Business got together and delivered a virtual awards event. All the winners were announced via Zoom and a broadcast was delivered via YouTube on the evening of the 20th August.
There were some fantastic categories and some very well deserved winners throughout the night. You could see how much these wins meant to them, especially the guys from Kraken IM. They also had an absolutely superb Zoom background on the go as well.
The last award to be announced was the big one, Company of the Year. Mabo were up against two absolute tech powerhouses in SockMonkey Studios and Tascomp. To be shortlisted alongside these two was impressive enough. Even more impressive though was the fact that we won!!
For myself, personally, I have always been a huge advocate of the Digital and Tech scene on Teesside. For our company to be named as the best within this cluster, that is superb.
Congratulations to everyone who was shortlisted and those who won. A huge congratulations to the organisers, Digital City, Middlesbrough Digital and Tees Business. An even bigger congratulations to everyone at Mabo, this award is something you should all be proud of.
Until next year!!


text:
The progressive opening of national boundaries from 1985 onwards, as brought about with the creation of the 'Schengen Area', and the creation of the single market in 1993, have enabled Luxembourg to look to new possibilities.
Following the example of the steel industry, the country’s businesses and service providers have all taken advantage of the opening of borders, despite increased pressure from competition.
Today, trade with other member states represents approximately nine tenths of Luxembourg’s overall foreign trade. Successive enlargements of the European Union offer new opportunities.
The opening of borders has furthermore enabled Luxembourg to employ the cross-border labour required to ensure the country’s continued economic growth at a high level.
The introduction of the euro has acted as a catalyst for trade, especially in the Greater Region.

domain: news


text:
Truck rollover causes chicken spill in Mirrabooka Avenue, Kingsway
A driver in Perth’s northern suburbs appears to have fallen fowl of a tricky bend in the road causing a rollover that has sent a truck load of chicken sprawling across a busy intersection.
The Paradise Poultry delivery went awry at the junction of Mirrabooka Avenue and Kingsway Drive in Kingsway at 11am - resulting in the truck landing on its side and the goods spilling out.
Images from the scene appear to show the whole left hand side of the truck coming away from the vehicle following the messy incident.
Firefighters and St John Ambulance were sent to the scene but fortunately no one was seriously injured in the incident and a tow truck duly took the vehicle away.
It seems unlikely the produce will be salvaged, which will no doubt rustle a few feathers.
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails


text:
ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Nazar Muhammad
Gondal has said that Malaysia will import rice and meat from Pakistan.
a press conference with Malaysian Minister for Agriculture and
Agro-based Industry, Datuk Seri Noh Bin Haji Omar, Federal Minister for
Food and Agriculture Nazar Muhammad Gondal told that Pakistan and
Malaysia had agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of
agriculture, livestock and horticulture. A joint working group would be
establish to work in these fields, he added.
“Malaysia will import
0.15 million tonnes of rice from Pakistan, besides enhancing imports in
meat and orange. It would help Pakistan enhance the production of meat
and it would improve the packing and processing of orange for exporting
the commodity to Malaysia,” Gondal informed. He said Malaysia has a
demand of about 5,000 tonnes of Halal food and 80pc of its requirement
is being fulfilled from India.
The visiting minister said that
Pakistan and Malaysia could enhance cooperation in various fields
including agriculture. He said that Malaysia at present was interested
to enhance trade cooperation in livestock and agriculture fields,
adding both the countries had signed two Memoranda of Understanding in


text:
Service Interruption Alert: Air Cargo Import and Export Services Via India and Pakistan Severely DelayedMarch 01, 2019
Due to an escalating conflict between Pakistan and India this week, our air cargo services have been affected with major delays and some with cancellations of flights to and from the countries.
Pakistan has closed its airspace which is affecting almost all shipments departing northern India (Punjab, New Delhi, Mumbai, etc.) and inbound shipments to Pakistan. International airlines such as Emirates, Air Canada, and Qatar Airways have cancelled and rerouted flights to India and Pakistan given the situation. Although some airlines have restarted the air service to India utilizing alternate routes, the backlog of passenger flights will take priority and naturally affect the timeliness of the cargo flights.
As a consequence, the customs clearance process in India and Pakistan is also impacted with heightened security measures in place in both countries and ALL shipments being stripped and thoroughly inspected via intensive exams before being released. Therefore, we are advising customers with import or export shipments in either India or Pakistan to prepare for major delays as well as additional airport storage and various other charges which may be assessed.
At present, the situation has not affected any sea shipments or ports in India and Pakistan.
Your Arpin Service team is aware of all shipments that may be impacted and will make arrangements to ensure appropriate parties are kept informed of any potential service disruption.


text:
The Samsung Galaxy S5 release in the U.S. finally has come concrete details to its name as carriers have not only confirmed its Galaxy S5 price and pre-order date but have also confirmed that it will arrive in April with one carrier confirming the Galaxy S5’s release date for April 11th, the same day that it arrives in countries around the world.
Shortly after Samsung announced the Galaxy S5 on February 24th, American carriers chimed in to confirm that they would be carrying the next Galaxy S smartphone. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon, MetroPCS, Boost Mobile, and Virgin Mobile all confirmed the device for arrival but they left out many of the important details including pre-orders, pricing and release dates.
Finally, after weeks of waiting for concrete information, carriers have offered detailed Galaxy S5 information to its customers. Instead of Sprint and Verizon, it’s AT&T, T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular that have struck first. The carriers have offered pricing, a pre-order date and even some details about the Galaxy S5’s release date.
AT&T says that it will begin taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S5 tomorrow. Those interested in the Galaxy S5 will be looking at a typical $199.99 price point. That price comes with a two-year agreement. Those looking to buy it off-contract will face a much steeper $650 price tag. AT&T says that pre-orders will begin shipping in early April but it does not commit to a specific date.
U.S. Cellular, the nation’s fifth largest carrier does. The carrier says that the Galaxy S5 will be released on April 11th alongside the Gear 2 and Gear Fit. Like the Galaxy S5, AT&T will begin shipping both of those accessories in early April.
The carrier goes into a little bit more depth than AT&T. It confirms a $199.99 on-contract price tag and that price comes after an instant $50 rebate. The carrier does offer an incentive and says that “preorders the device from U.S. Cellular will receive a free $50 Google Play promotional code to use however they choose.”
It also confirms the device in both white and black which seems to rule out blue and gold on U.S. Cellular’s network at launch. Like AT&T, U.S. Cellular will take pre-orders starting tomorrow, ahead of the device’s release date.
AT&T and U.S. Cellular will be offering the 16GB model for $199.99 on-contract. AT&T hasn’t confirmed a 32GB model yet and U.S. Cellular told Gotta Be Mobile that it currently has no plans to offer the 32GB version.
T-Mobile also announced its plans to carry the Galaxy S5 and it will begin taking pre-orders on March 24th. T-Mobile has not yet confirmed a specific release date. The carrier is offering an incentive to those who pre-order. Those who order early will be able to scoop up the Samsung Galaxy S5 for $0 down.
Sprint and Verizon remain silent about the Galaxy S5 and its release, pricing and pre-order though we do expect them to announce details soon. MetroPCS, which also says that it will release the Galaxy S5 in April, should offer details soon as well.
Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile have not committed to April and have said that they will offer the device in Q2. Q2 spans across April, May and June which means that it could come at any time in the next three months.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 will take over the flagship role from the Galaxy S4 and do so with brand new features. The Galaxy S5 offers a large 5.1-inch full HD display, brand new design that is dust and water resistant, 16MP camera, Android 4.4 KitKat, and brand new additions to Samsung’s TouchWiz software.
This article may contain affiliate links. Click here for more details.


text:
Q MAGAZINE – Mocking Donald Trump, a Mexican brewery has chosen the US President pouting in a Mexican mariachi outfit as the face for the label of its newest craft beer.
Casa Cervecera Cru Cru presented the “sad” Donald Trump wearing a hat and a belt with a large buckle like a typical mariachi performer, on the label of their Amigous Beer. The title comes from the word “amigos,” or “friend,” but it’s spelled as English-speakers tend to pronounce it.
There’s a lot going on in this label. “We knew that a Trump label was going to be controversial, but it’s been selling very fast,” said brewery Executive Director Luis Enrique de la Reguera.
It’s also quite clear what the breweries think of President Trump, as the back of Amigous Cerveza’s bottle states he should be “in a mad house, not the White House.”
The idea has also proven extremely popular. Reguera tells Reuters, “it’s been selling extremely fast.” By that, he means the original batch of 1,200 bottles plus another 400 liters on tap went on sale in May, and disappeared within days. Since importing beer to the U.S. can unfortunately get nightmarish, Americans on Cru Cru’s Facebook page are begging the brewery to do the next best thing and just mail them empty bottles.
He said it’s intended to criticize Trump’s stance on trade with Mexico, as well as the border wall that Trump initially proposed during his presidential campaign in 2015. Trump said Mexico was sending drugs and rapists to the United States through the border.
According to reports, the beer is a New England Indian Pale with a dash of mango, and was conceptualised by Cru Cru, Mexican partner Error de Diciembre and Epic Brewing of the United States shortly before Trump’s election victory on November 8, 2016.
— Mexico City News (@GoCDMX) June 14, 2017
“When Mexico sends its people, they are not sending us the best,” Trump said during the campaign. “They are sending people who have a lot of problems, and they are bringing those problems to us. They bring drugs, they bring delinquency, they are rapists.”


text:
According to news from the official website, registered auctioneers will then bid to participate in the auction of 4,040 bitcoins, and auction participants must complete registration before February 12. The official press release stated that "the auction will be held within six hours on February 18. Only participants who have registered through pre-registration can bid via email."
Auction participants must also pay a deposit of $ 200,000 before bidding. Unsuccessful auction participants will be refunded after the auction ends.
- Opinion | Analyst Willy Woo: Bitcoin will reach $ 135,000 in a bull market, but the worst is also planned
- Omni receives funding from Tether to support new version development, will allow users to buy Bitcoin using any on-chain asset
- Bakkt CEO secures U.S. Senate seat, may help cryptocurrency promotion
- Babbitt column used by Suichang: Who is the real bitcoin
- Lightning Network helps mobile communications, how to send decentralized text messages?
- Trump first commented on bitcoin, the central bank's digital currency is approaching or bringing good
The Bitcoins participating in the auction will be sold in four batches, each with 2,500, 1,000, 500 and 40.54069820 bitcoins. Each of the first three batches is divided into multiple targets, and each target has its own set number of Bitcoins.
According to the official website, the bitcoin auctioned this month came from more than 50 administrative confiscations and legal cases.
The institution began auctioning bitcoin in 2014. The last auction was in November 2018. The institution raised more than $ 50 million through the auction of 660 bitcoins.
In October 2019, the British Police's Eastern Regional Special Operations Office (ERSOU) sold a variety of crypto assets including Bitcoin, Ripple and Ethereum through auctions, raising a total of more than 240,000 pounds ($ 295,150).
Martin Peters, chief inspector of ERSOU's cybercrime unit, said, "Asset recovery in the digital world is evolving. Therefore, it is important that we have a clear process for storing and selling cryptocurrencies."
That same month, Kronofogden, the Swedish law enforcement agency, also publicly auctioned 4.59 BTC, valued at approximately SEK 370,000.
Image source: Pixabay
By Liang CHE
This article is from bitpush.news. Please reprint the source.


text:
In India, gold prices have fallen sharply following a Government move to curb smuggling of the precious metal.
GV & SV EXT: Reserve Bank of India in Bombay. (3 SHOTS)
LV & CU: Bombay's jewellery quarter (3 shots)
SV & CU: Customers buying and selling inside a jeweller's shop. (5 SHOTS)
CU: Money and goods changing hands.
Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
Background: In India, gold prices have fallen sharply following a Government move to curb smuggling of the precious metal. Last week it was announced that gold would be auctioned from Government stocks at fortnightly intervals to force the price down from its recent record high level of 724 Rupees (90 U.S. Dollars) for 10 grammes.
SYNOPSIS: Soon after the announcement by the Reserve Bank of India, the price of gold on the Bombay bullion market dropped sharply to around 670 Rupees (83 dollars). This was caused by a rush of sales before the Government auctions, which begin on Wednesday (May 3). Only licensed gold dealers, who number about 10,000, will be allowed to bid in the sales, lasting until July 26 and the metal will be sold in 100-gramme bars. The Reserve Bank has declined to say how much gold will be put up for auction. India's stocks of saleable gold have been valued at five billion Rupees (625 million dollars). The recent high prices in India had encouraged large-scale smuggling, which the Government now hopes it has curbed.


text:
2019 was as technologically active as possible. Therefore, technological expectations increased in 2020. Let’s look at the technological developments you may encounter in 2020.
Today, we expect the speed of the internet to be faster, which makes every job easier. It is reported that we will have faster internet with 5G service in 2020. Samsung and Apple can be a very different technology with the launch of 5G wireless flagship phones to the 2020 market. Phones produced by companies like Xiaomi can also speed up this software.
According to researchers, 50% of people who do not have a bank account but have a smartphone until 2025 will be able to use a cryptocurrency account that can be accessed on mobile. By the end of 2020, social media channels and online markets will support cryptocurrency payments. Half of the citizens who do not use a bank account in 2025 will be able to benefit from the crypto account service.
Artificial intelligence will continue to be developed and will be realized in 2020 with 3 different topics. Automation, security and NLP. Natural language processing (NLP) will play a role in enabling the artificial intelligence system to chat and solve problems. By focusing on the artificial intelligence system, which is only a matter of time before it becomes a new target for hackers, hacking will be prevented.
Companies are using artificial intelligence technology to improve their business operations. Today, companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon use artificial intelligence technology. More studies will be carried out in 2020. Services with more specialized behavior will be presented by artificial intelligence technology in 2020.
Businesses have been working on reality applications in recent years. But we started to see the potential of technology slowly. In 2020, new usage examples will be introduced that will benefit manufacturers and consumers. There will also be innovations for surgical assistants with augmented realism in medicine. It is known that it will cover petroleum, mechanical and factory works in the following years.
They are technologies that work in the face recognition systems of smart phones. In 2020, computer vision technology is expected to be used on more vehicles and devices. For example, these technologies will be used for autonomous cars to recognize the dangers.
Autonomous driving efforts will increase more in 2020 than in 2019. In 2020 we can see autonomous driving details such as advanced automatic braking, lane changing. We will be able to see in-car systems that are not directly connected to the driver.


text:
Tariffs are expected to cost American households up to $1,000 per year when the next round goes into effect on September 1, according to a new note by J.P. Morgan.
According to the bank’s analysts, the cost of the U.S.-China trade war borne by consumers is likely to rise from around $600 per year — based on the first two “phases” of the tariffs on Chinese imports — to around $1,000, based on the third round of tariffs.
That $1,000 figure assumes a 10% tariff on about $112 billion of Chinese imports, which U.S. President Donald Trump announced will begin next month. While he had initially proposed 10% tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese goods, he later scaled it back to exclude certain consumer products like cell phones, laptops, and toys.
If the tariff increase to 25% — as President Trump has threatened — the cost to consumers would rise to $1,500 per year, J.P. Morgan stated.
“What distinguishes China Phase III tariffs from preceding tariffs is the impact to Consumption and Capital goods,” analysts wrote. While previous tariffs focused more on “intermediate goods,” this batch “suggests that the expected consumer impact should be larger in the latest round,” the bank’s analysts wrote.
Tariff costs offset gains from the tax cut
The $1,000 cost is also expected to offset the majority of the benefit that American households received from the Tax Act, the analysts added, which was around $1,300.
“The impact from reduced spending could be immediate for discretionary goods and services since tariffs are regressive,” they wrote. “Unlike the agriculture sector which is receiving subsidies/aid to offset the impact of China’s retaliatory actions, there is no simple way to compensate consumers.”
Since this move comes at a “much higher cost for the U.S. administration” ahead of a presidential election, the analysts noted that there was “a good chance they end up reversing their decision and finding a way to reach some common ground with Chinese negotiators.”
Aarthi is a writer for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @aarthiswami.


text:
Management game Crossroads Inn is getting an anniversary edition upgrade this next month incorporating all the game's DLC, a new tutorial, a new UI, new pathfinding and AI, and an upgrade to the game engine's performance. Those who already own the base game will get a free upgrade to the Anniversary Edition. The new update will also include Chinese (Simplified) language support.
Crossroads Inn is a "real-time management sim with role-playing games elements," says the description, which is about right to my eyes for a game where you open and run a tavern in a fantasy world. It's a pretty complex game, and hard to get into, so the tutorial is a big upgrade for those interested in it. It was also a bit buggy, but per the game's developers tuning on the game engine has eliminated "a lot of performance-related issues."
We found what we saw of Crossroads Inn at launch last year to be an appealing idea, going so far as to elaborately compare it to running a real pub. But our own virtual and actual pub expert Phil Savage found that it was "disappointingly unpolished, unintuitive and at times just broken." A year of work and adding features has likely made the game a bit better. That said, it's still the kind of niche management sim with big ambitions and will inevitably retain more than a few bugs and a bit of jank, as mixed reviews attest.
Crossroads Inn is developed by Kraken Unleashed and published by Klabater. It's $20 and only on Steam. Crossroads Inn Anniversary Edition is due to release on October 22nd.


text:
U.S. sales of compact cars ticked up in March 2017 thanks to gains from the Chevrolet Cruze and Hyundai Elantra, both of which had taken hard tumbles one year ago.
The Subaru Impreza, meanwhile, likewise continued to show growth during the launch of its all-new, fifth-generation model. Total Impreza/WRX/STI sales are up 22% this year, and the Impreza’s market share has grown by more than a point from 4.2% in 2016 Q1 to 5.4% in 2017 Q1.
Subcompact car sales, on the other hand, tumbled 19% in March 2017 and are down 12% so far this year, falling faster than the car market at large. Subcompacts are led by the Nissan Versa and Hyundai Accent, but those two models – particularly the transitioning Accent – are watching their demand dry up in early 2017.
Click Chart To Expand
More and more, as industry sales slide modestly, car volume is plunging while consumers turn toward small crossovers and SUVs.
So while Hyundai will soon deliver its new Accent, there’s also a new Kona – a sub-Tucson subcompact crossover – due to arrive shortly, as well.
You can click any model name in the tables below to find historical monthly and yearly U.S. auto sales data. You can also select a make and model at GCBC’s Sales Stats page. These tables are sortable, so you can rank small cars of all kinds any which way you like. Mobile users can now thumb across the tables for full-width access. Suggestions on how GCBC should break down segments can be passed on through the Contact page.


text:
News tagged ‘near field communication’
Wednesday, 19 Oct 2011
Nokia today announced the launch of the Near Field Communication (NFC) hub in Singapore to provide NFC capabilities to both organizations and individuals in Singapore.
Wednesday, 12 Oct 2011
In the upcoming BlackBerry 7 OS update, the NFC feature, BlackBerry Tag, will be enabled, allowing BlackBerry devices with NFC technology to share information with just a tap.


text:
New Balance’s recent 327 runner continues to demand our attention, releasing in a range of new colors this week. Our focus, however, is on the new “Varsity Green” number that debuted a few days ago, available now.
The New Balance 327 has been a wonderful addition to the brand’s lineup since it was introduced last year. Now widely available around the world, the Boston brand has been crafting the beloved 327 in exciting new colorways all year long, keeping things fresh for New Balance’s lifestyle offerings. Today, we have a look at a new “Varsity Green” look that dresses the sleek silhouette in matching shades of green for the upper’s nylon and suede portions, while white ‘N’ logos and quarter panels complete the look.
NEW BALANCE 327 “VARSITY GREEN” RELEASE INFORMATION
New Balance’s latest new colorway of the popular 327 runner launched from the Boston-based brand earlier this week, alongside matching yellow and tan colorways. The ‘Varsity Green’ style comes with a price tag of $99, and will launch globally soon. Check out the official images below for a better look, and stay tuned to JustFreshKicks for more New Balance release news.


text:
At the close of the 2013, business leaders were confident that it was a positive economic year for Skegness - with its shopping centre gaining an increase in footfall compared to last year in one of its busiest months.
In the month of December, The Hildreds Shopping Centre reported that it was three per cent up on footfall compared to figures last year and it even indicated that it may have been more if the bad weather had not struck mid-month.
“December was a busy month with Christmas, and the centre was up three per cent on footfall compared to last year,” said deputy centre manager Steve Andrews.
The bad weather struck on two of the centre’s late night shopping evenings but it did not dampen shoppers’ spirits as a huge flurry filled the centre and the town’s shops and supermarkets running up to the big days.
“It just got busier and busier to the point where the centre was full but there was a great atmosphere and we’ve been lucky and done fantastically well,” said Steve.
And Tony Tye, Chair of the Skegness and District Chamber of Commerce, also noticed how busy the town was during last month - particularly the supermarkets.
He noted that the chamber is confident of the town’s positive economic outlook during 2013 and that many of the units were filled. He said “It’s good to see that many of the units are filled - there isn’t many that aren’t.”
And Steve Andrews believes that keeping the centre’s units filled will mean shoppers have confidence to buy, which Mr Tye said he agrees.


text:
Saginaw, MI sneaker shop Kingdom Kicks unfortunately found itself the victim of a recent, however just a few days later the doors of the store are back open.
Police responded to an alarm from the store, located on Bay Road, early Sunday morning. The crooks used a sledgehammer to break through the front door. Kingdom of Kicks owner Don Evan, Jr. said the thieves were not able to get a lot of items, but those they did were of high value.
“They did steal items off of my wall and also from my sales floor ranging from T-shirts, shoes, display shoes . They did manage to get into the back of the store and ravage up a couple pair of shoes that were doubled up in the back.”
MR. Evans believes that his spot was targeted due to the fact he carries a lot of rare and expensive items.
“A lot of these items, they’re not cheap one, and two, they’re very difficult to get…The ones that they stole, the one shoe for instance was from 2015,” Evans said. “I’m never going to get that back. I’m never going to touch that again. I mean, I probably can, not the same size, not the same price margin, etcetera. It’s one of those things, it’s where a lot of this stuff is hand-picked by me, trying to give our community something that we can’t see every day.
Evans says his business will survive, however he indicated he will install security cameras in both the front and rear of the store.
What makes me happy is seeing people walk out of my store saying I got this here and couldn’t get it anywhere else
$8,000 worth of product was taken in the robbery.


text:
As with most large product liability lawsuits, there are a lot of questions and confusion surrounding 3M military earplugs, their defect, who is affected, and how to file a claim for financial compensation.
53,000 Pounds of Ground Beef Recalled- Possible E-coli Contamination
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Grant Park Packaging recalled approximately 53,000 pounds of ground beef for possible E-coli O103 contamination.
3M Co. to Pay $9.1 Million in Defective Military Earplug Lawsuit
3M Co. has agreed to pay $9.1 million in lawsuit alleging that the company provided defective combat earplugs to U.S. troops.
Ridgewood has issued a recall of about 1 million units of Belmont Four-Drawer dressers due to severe tip-over and entrapment dangers that can lead to death or injuries of children.
More than 600,000 GM Vehicles Recalled for Brake Defect
General Motors (GM) has issued a recall for 638,068 Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac pickups and SUVs for a brake problem that could present a substantial risk of crash.
Toyota Recalls Nearly 1 Million Vehicles to Replace Airbags for Second Time
Toyota has announced a recall for 928,000 Toyota, Scion, and Lexus vehicles to complete it’s final phase of Takata airbag replacements. The vehicles were previously recalled to have temporary airbags equipped in place of “high-risk” Takata airbags that were prone to exploding upon deployment.
AutoNation Accused of Selling Cars with Unrepaired Safety Defects
A report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) and Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety Foundation alleges AutoNation dealerships sold vehicles with unrepaired safety recalls, including defects linked to deaths and injuries.
366,000 Subaru Forester Recalled for Defective Airbag Sensor
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into faulty airbag sensors equipped in certain Subaru Forester vehicles resulting in a voluntary recall affecting the popular crossover SUVs.
5.7 Million Contigo Kids Water Bottles Recalled for Choking Hazard
Contigo has recalled over 5 million of their Kids Water Bottles due to reports of spouts detaching and posing a choking hazard to children.
BMW Recalls 250,000 Vehicles For Back-Over Concerns


text:
As you are probably aware, the Park Slope co-op is one of the targets of anti-Israel boycott "activists." You probably also know that the Huffington Post loves to advertise for anyone who wants to boycott Israel. This becomes even more clear in this latest article, in which even criticism of the boycotters is spun like a top:
There are probably hundreds of people that the Huffington Post could have quoted about why boycotts of Israel are not only a bad idea but also anti-Semitic. But they knew that their readership hates Glenn Beck like the Hatfields hate McCoys, so he was the guy they used to spread this message of "balance." Fortunately most of the talkbackers on this article seem to recognize that even a stopped clock can be right twice a day and agreed with Beck. Others didn't naturally:
Of course. It must be money behind it.


text:
- Apr 24, 2016
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed to ban the online counseling service BetterHelp from sharing its customers’ sensitive mental health data with advertising networks and marketers.
A settlement between the FTC and BetterHelp also requires the company to pay $7.8 million as restitution to its users whose sensitive data has been shared with third parties such as Facebook and Snapchat.
BetterHelp is a popular online counseling service providing therapy services to individuals needing support, like people who suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, addiction, etc.
FTC alleges that BetterHelp followed bad practices in handling the data of people who visited its website or used its apps, including those who have not signed up for its counseling services.
The FTC says these practices, which the government agency characterizes as “illegal,” can introduce grave risks to the well-being of vulnerable people in unstable states, threatening to aggravate their condition.
“When a person struggling with mental health issues reaches out for help, they do so in a moment of vulnerability and with an expectation that professional counseling services will protect their privacy,” commented S. Levine, FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection Director.
“Instead, BetterHelp betrayed consumers’ most personal health information for profit.”
In an official complaint submitted by the FTC, the consumer protection organization says that BetterHelp has, despite its promises to the contrary, shared email addresses, IP addresses, and information users filled in a preliminary health questionnaire during signup, with Facebook, Snapchat, Criteo, and Pinterest.
The FTC claims that third parties used this information for advertising purposes and, more specifically, to identify consumers with similar profiles and promote BetterHelp’s counseling services.
FTC further explains that the way the prompts to enter sensitive information were presented to users left them no choice but to disclose that data to sign up for counseling services.
They further alleged that BetterHelp did not secure consent from the subjects to use their data for advertising. Moreover, it did not take any precautions to limit how the receiving third parties can use the shared health information or with what other entities they’re allowed to share it.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed to ban the online counseling service BetterHelp from sharing its customers' sensitive mental health data with advertising networks and marketers.


text:
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission estimates online gaming to bring in $375 million in revenue over 5 years.
Share via Email
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission estimates online gaming to bring in $375 million in revenue over 5 years. A March 2 article about the gambling industry’s expansion into online gaming misstated the figure. As well, video poker will be available when OLG unveils its online gaming site.
- City hall inundated with complaints over Ford Fest
- Is this the answer to Toronto's congestion problems?
- Harper government set to ease restrictions on firearms
- Maple Leafs: Steven Stamkos ignores speculation he’ll sign with Toronto
- Video ‘Strong possibility’ of war crimes in Gaza conflict, says UN
- NEW Canuck golfers in spotlight at the Canadian Open
- Rob Ford wants to keep old subway tunnel machines; TTC wants new ones
- Updated End of wait lists for developmental disability services could take two years


text:
Did you have “NIKE executive joins The Walt Disney Company” on your 2023 Bingo Card?
No? We didn’t either. It was recently announced that Mark Parker will be named Chairman of The Walt Disney Company, following Susan Arnold’s departure. Parker is currently the Executive Chairman of NIKE, Inc., and will succeed Arnold (who has reached the end of a 15-year term limit) on the board. But, Parker won’t just be a sitting duck — he’s been tasked with finding CEO Bob Iger’s replacement. Here’s what we know about Disney’s Succession Planning Committee.
Mark Parker will be named the new Chairman of The Walt Disney Company after the next Annual Meeting of Shareholders. And then, it’s time to get to work. Not only will Parker be the Chairman of Disney, but he will head up “a newly created Succession Planning Committee of the Board, which will advise the Board on the CEO succession planning, including review of internal and external candidates.”
We know that Iger was brought on with the directive to help choose his successor, and it looks like he’s going to have a bit of help in doing so. Iger commented on the recent change, sharing, “Mark Parker’s vision, incredible depth of experience and wise counsel have been invaluable to Disney, and I look forward to continuing working with him in his new role, along with our other directors, as we chart the future course for this amazing company.”
Parker said he’s “honored to have the opportunity to serve as Disney’s Chairman” and will work “closely with Bob and his management team on a strategy of growth that balances investment with profitability, while preserving Disney’s core mission of creative excellence, to deliver shareholder value.”
That strategy of growth includes finding someone who can step in and replace Iger as Disney CEO. The “top priority” of the new Succession Planning Committee is to “identify and prepare a successful CEO successor, and that process has already begun.” It’s clear that Parker and the Board will be wasting no time when it comes to developing a plan.
This isn’t Parker’s first time helping a major company with a CEO transition, either. Current Disney Chair Susan Arnold remarked, “Mark has led one of the world’s most recognized consumer brands through various market evolutions and a successful CEO transition.”
We look forward to what Parker and the Succession Planning Committee can accomplish and will keep you updated along the way!
Why replace Iger he’s the best you have had ☹☹☹☹ He gets things done the right way, don’t bring someone else in to destroy Disney like the other person please


text:
Greece-Bulgaria hydrogen link poised to get EU funding
N. Macedonia unveils 662 mln euro package in support of citizens, firms
Bosnia's Federation trade gap widens 4.9% y/y in Jan-Oct
Ljubljana stock indices edge up in lower turnover
Bosnia's Federation retail sales up real 8.8% y/y in Oct
Dec 04, 2017 12:45 EEST
TIRANA (Albania), December 4 (SeeNews) – Albania's state-owned power corporation KESH sold a total of 29,590 MWh of electricity for December 1-4 delivery for 1.24 million euro ($1,47 million) in two auctions held last week, according to data posted on the corporate website.
The highest price offered was set as the preferred criteria in the auctions, KESH said .
KESH sold 19,720 MWh for December 1-4 delivery in an auction held on November 30, the company announced on Friday. Nine domestic and foreign power suppliers and traders participated in the auction, of which five were selected to proceed further: EFT AG, GSA, GEN-I Tirana, PLC Interenergo doo Beograd and Network for Trading.
The price range achieved in the auction was 34.00 euro/MWh to 48.17 euro/MWh.
A total of 9,870 MWh were sold in an auction for December 2-4 delivery held on December 1. Four domestic and foreign power suppliers and traders participated in the auction, of which KESH selected two to proceed further: GSA and GEN-I Tirana. The price range achieved was 33.44 euro/MWh to 44.47 euro/MWh.
The highest price offered was set as the preferred criteria in the two auctions
Almost all of Albania’s electricity is produced by hydro power plants.
(1 euro = 131.122 leks)
You have run out of free articles this month.
Sign up in for
and get ten (10) free articles per month or sign up for
and get unlimited access.
Browse our free newsletter options


text:
Kendall Jenner is looking more and more like her half-sister Kim everyday.
The model shared a picture of her herself behind the scenes on a shoot which made us do a double take.
We’re not entirely sure about who is morphing into who though because Kim has changed a fair bit since she has become somewhat of fashion darling.
But their likeness may be down to them sharing the same make-up artist and hairstylist.
Kendall, 19, revealed she’d had Kardashian favourites Rob Scheppy and Etienne Ortega working their magic on her shoot.
While the sisters may look alike, we’re not sure it’s just friendly rivalry between them.
In a new trailer for the upcoming series of Keeping Up With The Kardashians Kim can be seen taking a swipe at her 18-year-old half-sister.
In the clip, Kim is heard bickering with her sister Kourtney over purchasing a pair of shoes for Kendall.
She snaps says: "I'm not buying her a f**king pair of shoes, I bought her a f**king career."


text:
Bega peanut butter has launched its latest campaign – ‘Bega Simply Nuts’ via creative agency Thinkerbell.
The 30 second spot features a man standing alone in a field speaking with a mouth full of nuts saying: “Bega Simply Nuts peanut butter is made with 100 per cent Aussie peanuts and a pinch of sea salt.”
That’s it. Seriously. There’s nothing else to add. So, in this new work, there really isn’t a whole lot to say.
B&T reached out to Thinkerbell founder Adam Ferrier for additional comment and more background information on the campaign.
He replied: “You can say this: Bega Simply Nuts speaks for itself!”
Watch the slightly odd yet according to Ferrier, highly efficacious, ad below.


text:
Thousands of Bus Éireann customers all around the country are set to be refunded following the now 20-day-strike the company undertook over March and April.
According to the Irish Independent, the strike is set to be called off tomorrow, April 14, ending what could have been a three week long hiatus.
But what about those who'd bought bus passes prior to knowing about the strike?
According to the Irish Times, holders of annual and monthly Bus Éireann passes will be able to claim back substantial refunds from the transport company due to the ongoing strike. However, those keen to claim their refunds will have to wait until the dispute between unions and management ends prior to making a claim.
Those who'd bought annual and monthly bus tickets on Leap Cards will be issued with a refund based on the value of their ticket and number of days travel lost due to the ongoing strike.
Those who wish to make a claim should email [email protected] with their relevant Leap Card numbers and details. The appropriate amount will then be transferred back into owners' accounts, followed by an informative email to make the customer aware of the transaction.
However, not everyone will be receiving refunds.
Bus Éireann has also been reported as saying:
“For other ticket types, no refunds will be made on any partially used tickets including 10 Journey tickets in any circumstances.”


text:
More than 800,000 people visited the Detroit auto show in January, 2014 (Photo: NAIAS)
The 2015 Detroit auto show will start with two press days January 12 and 13. The first major car show of the year will run though January 25.
The Detroit gathering, officially called the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), will take place against the backdrop of a strong North American car market.
According to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), October light-vehicle sales rose 6.0 pc from year-earlier levels. Sales for the first 10 months of the year totaled 13.6 million, up 5.4 pc higher than a year earlier.
Following the two press days, the Detroit show will have an industry day on January 14. Following the traditional Charity Preview on the 16th, the exhibitionÂ will open to the public on January 17.
In 2014, 803,451 people attended the Detroit auto show, which featured 50 regional or global new model unveilings.


text:
Hello, your email is unverified. Please confirm for access to all your SPH accounts. RESEND
AMAZON delivered a blowout quarter, joining Facebook as one of the rare bright spots in a technology sector that has recently produced a string of disappointing earnings reports.
Helped by its fast-growing Amazon Web Services business, the company jumped to the most...
Get our introductory offer at only
*$0.99/month for first 3 months
$29.90/month for the next 9 months
CALL +65 6388 3838 EMAIL firstname.lastname@example.org
OPERATING HOURS (+8 GMT) MON-FRI: 8:30AM-5:30PM
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
[FRANKFURT] Cerberus and a rival investment firm have told HSBC they would buy its French retail arm for a symbolic...
[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia's flagship budget airline AirAsia Group is looking at laying off hundreds of employees, as...
AIRASIA's financial services venture BigPay will be expanding its e-wallet services to Singapore, with early access...
FITCH Ratings has affirmed its "AA-" ratings on Singapore banks and removed the trio from rating watch negative (RWN...
[BEIJING] Sina agreed to go private after an entity led by its chairman, Charles Chao, boosted its offer for the...


text:
Tech review: Should I get the iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro?
Apple’s latest 6.1-inch smartphones – the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro – will be available on Friday (Oct 23).
Those who want the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max will have to wait till Nov 13.
Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article.
Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month
- Latest headlines and exclusive stories
- In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content
- Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months*
*Terms and conditions apply.
Join ST’s Telegram channel here and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Source: Read Full Article


text:
Fresh Optimism On Tap
February 5, 2007,
Is the worm beginning to turn?
"Marketing in the Global Marketplace," sponsored by Executives Working in Home Textiles, was anchored by Bob Hamilton, marketing director for Welspun USA, and Bill Heisler, vp sales manager and product development liaison at Croscill. Both men came up in the U.S. mill system at Fieldcrest, in the glory days of national mill brands.
Bob rode the arch from Fieldcrest's acquisition of mighty Cannon Mills, to its acquisition by Pillowtex — to its collapse in 2003. He left the industry, consulting in other fields until he was recruited into Welspun last year.
Bill wound up at a multi-category, under-the-radar home textiles supplier. He joined Croscill about six months ago.
Neither is in short supply of perspective.
Both feel the in-house brand scenario may be playing itself out, not that either expects it to disappear completely. However, said Bill, lackluster sales performance suggests retailers need to salt the mix with more "real" brands. He thinks they're starting to wake up to that fact.
Bob noted that 10 years ago or so, the names Fieldcrest, Cannon, Martex, Royal Velvet, etc., had high consumer awareness levels. More recent polling on retailer house brands has yielded consumer awareness levels in the low single digits. More proof, said Bob, that nameplate-building via captive brands isn't a sustainable strategy. Nor is the backward-looking reliance on "updating what worked last year" in terms of product design, both agreed.
The gentlemen added this tidbit: Buyers in nearly every channel are currently obsessed with Restoration Hardware. (Knock-offs coming soon to a retailer near you.)
Both men believe the cycle of aggressive price compression that began five years ago has reached the end of its tether. This portends a return to clarifying good/better/best among assortments in every channel. The sameness across national retail chains also creates big new opportunities for distributors of better, more creative product — especially through the Internet.
Finally, each noted that the home textiles industry has done a poor job of creating excitement through innovation. However, with new fibers and performance fabrics headed into the pipeline, they see the potential for a sea change over the next two to three years.
Pretty optimistic. I sure do hope they're right.
Related Content By Author
Live From New York: Fashion Comes Across the Pond
Home & Textiles Today eDaily


text:
apple inc (AAPL) Key Developments
Japan Post Holdings Co. Teams with International Business Machines Corp. and Apple Inc. to Develop Information and Communications Technology Services
Apr 30 15
Japan Post Holdings Co. announced that it will team up with International Business Machines Corp. and Apple Inc. to develop information and communications technology services aimed at improving the quality of life for the elderly. The three will conduct a pilot service in Japan in the second half of this year, using Apple's iPad tablet computers and IBM-developed applications to help communications between customers and their relatives as well as to support their daily activities such as shopping. The pilot service, to be offered to 1,000 Japanese, extends Japan Post's Watch Over service launched in October 2013. In the current service with a monthly fee of 1,000 yen, postmen visit elderly customers and their situations are reported to their relatives.
Fiat Chrysler Looks For Merger With Apple
Apr 29 15
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (BIT:FCA) looking for a merger partner. Sergio Marchionne Chief Executive Officer of Fiat Chrysler states he is open for alliance with Apple Inc. (NasdaqGS:AAPL).
Apple Inc. Announces Unaudited Consolidated Earnings Results for the Second Quarter and Six Months Ended March 28, 2015; Provides Earnings Guidance for the Third Quarter Ending June 2015
Apr 27 15
Apple Inc. announced unaudited consolidated earnings results for the second quarter and six months ended March 28, 2015. For the quarter, the company reported net sales of $58,010 million against $45,646 million a year ago. Operating income was $18,278 million against $13,593 million a year ago. Income before provision for income taxes was $18,564 million against $13,818 million a year ago. Net income was $13,569 million or $2.33 per diluted share against $10,223 million or $11.62 per diluted share a year ago. The company reported surging profits amid booming demand for its latest iPhone models and sales breakthroughs in China.
For the six months, the company reported net sales of $132,609 million against $103,240 million a year ago. Operating income was $42,524 million against $31,056 million a year ago. Income before provision for income taxes was $42,980 million against $31,527 million a year ago. Net income was $31,593 million or $5.39 per diluted share against $23,295 million or $3.74 per diluted share a year ago. Cash generated by operating activities was $52,803 million against $36,208 million a year ago. Payments for acquisition of property, plant and equipment was $5,586 million against $3,367 million a year ago. Payments for acquisition of intangible assets were $155 million against $163 million a year ago.
The company provided earnings guidance for the third quarter ending June 2015. For the third quarter, the company expects revenue of $46 billion to $48 billion. Gross margin is seen between 38.5% and 39.5%. Tax rate will be 26.3%. The company expects OpEx to be between $5,650,000,000 and $5,750,000,000. The company expects OI&E to be about $350 million, and the company expects the tax rate to be about 26.3%. The company doesn't provide specific earnings guidance, but the outlook it did offer implied that it expects earnings of between $9.1 billion and $10 billion, or about $1.56 to $1.72 a share, given its current number of shares in circulation.
Apple Inc. Declares Quarterly Dividend, Payable on May 14, 2015
Apr 27 15
Apple Inc. approved an increase of 11% to the company’s quarterly dividend, and has declared a dividend of $0.52 per share, payable on May 14, 2015 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 11, 2015.
Apple Wins Patent Appeal in China
Apr 24 15
Apple has won an appeal in China over patent rights to voice recognition software such as Siri, with a court overruling an earlier decision that had gone against the US tech giant. The legal battle begun in 2012 when Shanghai-based Zhizhen Network Technology pursued Apple for allegedly infringing its Chinese patent with Siri, its 'intelligent personal assistant'. Apple asked a Chinese intellectual property body to declare Zhizhen's original patent ineffective but the request was rejected. The Beijing Higher People's Court upheld Apple's appeal, ordering the Chinese agency to reverse its decision. Zhizhen filed a lawsuit against Apple for intellectual property rights infringement in June 2012 at a court in Shanghai, where the Chinese firm is based.


text:
Social media screw-ups get a lot of press when they occur. In fact, we’ve written in this space about a few, including the pricing fiasco at Netflix and Chapstick’s deletion of negative comments from its Facebook wall. Smart marketers will take heed and learn from others’ mistakes. The attention to negative social media experiences might even lead readers to wonder whether anyone is actually using social media correctly.
The answer, of course, is yes. And we can learn quite a bit from those who use social media in smart and innovative ways.
Companies in just about every industry have found success integrating social media into their business strategies. Ford Motor Co., Starbucks, Lands’ End and the Dutch airline KLM all have used social media to enhance branding and marketing, bolster sales and meet customer service needs.
Ford is recognized by most who track social business as an innovator in the space. All of its social media efforts are aggregated at social.ford.com, which is prominently linked from the Ford home page. Ford has active and engaged profiles on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+ and Flickr, as well as an active company blog.
But it’s not just the existence of the profiles that makes Ford a model social media player. It’s the company’s innovative social media efforts. In the Fiesta Movement campaign, Ford gave new Fiestas to 100 influential bloggers and tweeters for six months, requiring only that they each create and publish one video a month relating to the car. The campaign generated 7 million YouTube views and 40 million Twitter impressions. More important, 83 percent of the customers engaged by the campaign were new Ford buyers.
In 2010, Ford revealed the new 2011 Explorer live on Facebook. The campaign resulted in more than 500,000 Explorer website visits, in contrast to the average daily traffic of 7,000 for the 2010 Explorer.
Other companies use social media extremely successfully to support customer service efforts. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, which uses its Twitter account quite successfully throughout the day to answer customer questions and respond to passenger problems, recently executed a creative one-day social media customer service via YouTube and Twitter. While the campaign was running, tweets sent to the @KLM Twitter account received a “KLM Live Reply” — KLM employees at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport holding letters to become a “living alphabet” 140-character response. This was essentially a high-profile way to draw attention to the airline’s everyday social media customer-care efforts.
Wisconsin apparel and home goods retailer Lands’ End has received significant attention recently for its creative use of the virtual bulletin board Pinterest. Its Lands’ End Canvas brand executed a successful contest on Pinterest — one of the first of its kind. The company also uses Facebook and Twitter well, mixing marketing messages and customer service efforts.
Perhaps it’s not surprising that coffee giant Starbucks leads the charge in inventive social media use. The company has 40 million Facebook fans and 2 million Twitter followers around the globe. Starbucks also is very active on YouTube and Foursquare, a geo-location social platform.
CEO Howard Schultz recently pointed to Starbucks’ effective use of social media as part of the reason behind the company’s highest-ever quarterly earnings. “(Social media) has given us the ability to lower our cost of customer acquisition in terms of traditional advertising and build a more enduring, emotional relationship with our customers,” Schultz noted.
Late in the summer, Starbucks ran a Facebook contest to award one city pumpkin spice lattes before the rest of the country. The promotion served to expand the reach of Starbucks’ messaging about the popular seasonal drink by engaging existing fans as brand advocates.
Locally, Sporting Kansas City has made impressive use of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to engage its ever-growing fan base. Sporting KC uses social media to notify fans of game-day lineups and personnel moves. Fans have responded in force online and offline, engaging in regular discussion with the team and one another.
The team constantly demonstrates a willingness to try new things. It live-streamed its stadium-naming announcement last year. It displays fan tweets at Livestrong Sporting Park during matches. Players are encouraged to engage with fans via Twitter, where the team runs several accounts, including one for live play-by-play game tweets and one in Spanish.
The Sporting YouTube channel has accrued almost 850,000 views of highlight videos, training videos, player and coach interviews, and informal, behind-the-scenes looks at team members having fun with one another. Even the team’s video holiday email (a tribute to its most intense fans, featuring popular players caroling) was created to allow for social sharing via Facebook and Twitter, extending the ultimate reach of the piece far beyond the original email database.
These are just a few of the local and national businesses using social media well. We share them with you here not to suggest that you imitate their efforts, but instead to be inspired by their innovation and to learn how they engage their customers and followers.
Kate McKinney and Kiran Ross own K2Media and write a column for the Kansas City Business Journal. Email them at info@k2mediakc. Follow them on Twitter or friend them on Facebook.


text:
Sales at Europe's leading auto maker Volkswagen fell by 15 per cent in January as the worldwide slump in the car industry showed no sign of slowing, its chief executive officer was quoted as saying Thursday.
Sales at Volkswagen were still better than its competitors, however, Martin Winterkorn told the Financial Times. Auto sales worldwide are down 25 per cent.
"We have done better than the overall market," the FT cited him as saying.
The company recently ruled out the possibility of registering a loss in the first three months of the year.


text:
Apple has opened registrations for its virtual "Apple Camp at Home" sessions, allowing parents and kids to now sign up for the program which includes a free Activity Book.
Apple on Monday confirmed its widely rumored plan to switch from Intel processors to custom silicon for its Macs, promising "incredible" performance and features.
Apple's Senior Vice President of software engineering Craig Federighi offers insight as to why Apple has always tried to put user privacy at the forefront of its design philosophy.
Apple has announced that it's ditching Intel in favor of ARM-based Apple silicon
Apple has announced that it's ditching Intel in favour of ARM-based 'Apple Silicon'
Apple today launched a website that's designed to allow Apple Card holders to check their balances, view statements, and make Apple Card payments online.
A leaker reports that Apple is working on Apple Silicon prototypes with macOS running on the iPhone, which would allow a user to plug an iPhone into a dock or monitor, and have a full desktop experience.
As popular as the Apple Watch has been, it's never had the battery life of some other personal tracking devices. This has limited its usefulness as a sleep tracker. But now that Apple is adding sleep, what does that say about the battery? We have some thoughts.
Alongside features like hand washing detection, Apple says it is supporting further research to help turn the Apple Watch into a device to fight COVID-19.
One thing missing from last week’s virtual version of Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference was its ceremony announcing its latest selection of Apple Design Award winners. Today, Apple announced the 2020 award winners, highlighting those it said brought “distinctive new ideas to life” while demonstrating a mastery of Apple technology. The Design Awards serve as [


text:
Blog: A fruitful year for Vimto
Michelle Russell | 26 August 2010
Yesterday (25 August), Nichols announced that Vimto’s brand value has exceeded GBP50m (US$77.2m) for the first time.
The soft drinks firm said the brand is now “significantly outperforming the market", growing at a rate of 31.4% year-on-year in the last year alone. The success, Nichols says, is down to its GBP6m marketing investment for the brand, together with increased distribution and stronger household penetration.
The news is a further sign that big brands are clearly boosting soft drink sales in the UK. The UK soft drinks market grew by 2% in value in 2009, enough for sales in the on-trade to climb ahead of spirits to take the number two spot behind beer.
And with many major UK soft drinks firms churning out strong growth results, it's little wonder that soft drink sales in the UK totalled GBP8.5bn across all channels in 2009.
The major firms are clearly buoying UK sales, suggesting that consumers are sticking to the big brands that they know.
Today is SABMiller's final day. Some time this evening, Brussel's time, the second-biggest brewer in the world will be subsumed into the biggest, creating a beer behemoth of unprecedented proportions....
No, this is not PepsiCo's new ad slogan for its Mountain Dew brand....
Major wine players flocked to China ready for online giant Alibaba's 9.9 Global Wine and Spirits Festival, which took place on 9 September....
In May, Heineken's CEO, Jean-François van Boxmeer, called Vietnam the "poster child" for international beer thanks to strong demographics and growing demand....
- Five ways small brands can beat big players
- Pernod Ricard Q1 2017 results by region, brand
- Interview, Bulldog Gin CEO Anshuman Vohra, Pt II
- Interview, Bulldog Gin founder Anshuman Vohra
- The end is nigh for Global Travel Retail - Comment
- Stumbling UK Pound prompts Conviviality price hike
- Edrington’s The Macallan 40 Year Old - NPD
- Bacardi rolls out new Oakheart rum packs to US
- AB InBev fund ZX Ventures buys homebrew co
- Diageo most at risk to Thai alcohol ban - analyst
- Global gin insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Global Scotch whisky insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Global rum insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Global Wine Market 2016-2020
- Global RTD insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends


text:
B&M has been driving shoppers wild recently with their sweet treats and bargain buys, and now the brand has yet another product which those with a sweet tooth and a taste for nostalgia can't wait to get their hands on.
In the past, B&M shoppers have been treated to 'heaven in a box' with a Bassets sweet hamper and now the shop has revealed a giant bag of Freddos.
In a post on Instagram, B&M shared an exclusive image at their new giant bag of the classic chocolate treat - but it's likely to cost a lot more than 10p.
The bag contains 15 Freddos - but these are not just your normal Freddos.
The traditional milk chocolate frogs are topped with white chocolate and less than an hour after the post was shared to the brand's social media page, more than a thousand shoppers had taken to Instagram to share their excitement at the news.
One person said: "We can't wait to get our hands on these," which prompted B&M to reply: "Not if we get there first."
However, not everyone was sold on the chocolate frogs. One Instagram user said: "Can't decide if these sound nice or not."
Freddos were first created in 1930 before being relaunched in the 1990s when they cost 10p. However this has increased by around 2p every year - something which has often caused controversy - and currently the chocolate bar costs around 25 - 30p.
What do you think about the white chocolate Freddos? Would you give them a go? Let us know in the comments below.


text:
Social media groups dedicated to cryptocurrencies in Russia have been attacked by bots that look like bitcoin and a similar campaign. His comments on Russia’s largest social media platform have been triggered by certain keywords such as crypto and blockchain, community members have noticed.
Bots flood Vkontakte group with comments against cryptocurrency
Over the past week, crypto-themed groups on Russia’s state-controlled social network Vkontakte (VK) are seeing an increasing number of comments intended to discredit cryptocurrencies and related technologies, crypto news outlets Bits.Media and RBC Crypto reported.
– Advertisement –
Comments appear under posts and linked articles about crypto assets. They are all the same, for example: “It’s more expensive to delve into crypto, it’s always bigger risk,” “Who still talks about bitcoin?” or “The people discussing crypto don’t even understand it.”
According to Nikita Zuborev, senior analyst at the exchange aggregator Bestchange.ru, these bots first appeared on Vkontakte on February 13, on the community and official page of their platform. Accounts are typical for such attacks and only recently registered or inactive accounts have been stolen.
– Advertisement –
Bots are often used to spread spam and advertisements or attract users for fraudulent schemes but not this time. The messages lack external links and their content is limited to abstract criticism of activities such as cryptocurrencies and trading.
The press service of Vkontakte told RBC that the company “does not register an increase in the number of bots on the platform” and assured that its moderators “promptly respond” to complaints about bots that massively post the same information. We do.
– Advertisement –
Zuborev also commented that it is still difficult to establish what exactly the bots are responding to. According to their comments, they ignore posts containing images, but are triggered by words such as “binance,” “bitcoin,” or “blockchain.” Attacks have intensified this week, the analyst said.
Crypto channel on Telegram not affected by bot attacks
Sergei Mendeleev, CEO of defi banking platform Indefibank, said that it is difficult to understand the meaning and effectiveness of such a campaign against cryptocurrencies, as most of the Russian-speaking crypto community does not use this social platform “for obvious reasons”.
Mendeleev believes that someone ordered the attacks so that they could later refer to “the huge amount of negative comments on the most popular social networks”. The expert pointed out that no such attack has been observed in crypto channels on Telegram.
Vkontakte was founded in 2006 by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov who later launched the Telegram messenger. In April 2014, Durov was dismissed from the post of CEO of VK. He suggested that the move was due to his refusal to hand over personal user details to Russian law enforcement agencies, including members of a group dedicated to the Euromaidan protests in Ukraine, and left Russia.
In September of the same year, Mail.ru Group became the sole owner of the company. In December, 2021, Russian state-owned bank Gazprombank and insurance company Sogaz bought 57.3% of VK’s shares, becoming holders of its controlling interest. Vkontakte recently launched an NFT service.
Who do you think is behind the attacks on crypto groups on Vkontakte? Share your thoughts on this topic in the comment section below.
disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services or companies. bitcoin.com Does not provide investment, tax, legal or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services described in this article.


text:
(Adds detail on other plants that could be affected, context on auto industry)
DETROIT/WASHINGTON, Nov 26 (Reuters) - General Motors Co plans to announce as early as Monday it will significantly cut car production in North America and stop building some low-selling car models, a source briefed on the matter said.
GM plans to announce a broader restructuring of its efforts as it shifts more of its focus toward electrified and autonomous vehicles, the source said.
GM declined to comment ahead of an expected announcement at mid-morning.
Cost pressures on GM and other automakers and suppliers have increased as demand has waned for traditional sedans. The company also has said tariffs on imported steel, imposed earlier this year by the Trump administration, have cost it $1 billion.
The decision comes as the largest U.S. automaker is poised to idle an assembly plant in Canada. A Canadian union, Unifor, which represents most unionized autoworkers in Canada, said on Sunday it had been informed by GM that there would be no product allocated to the plant in Oshawa after December 2019.
GM employs about 2,500 union staff in Oshawa, which produces both the Chevrolet Impala and Cadillac XTS sedans. It also completes final assembly of the stronger-selling Silverado and Sierra pickup trucks, shipped from Indiana.
GM has internally debated for months how to address shrinking car demand, a person briefed on the matter said, and the issue is certain to re-emerge when GM holds contract talks next year with the United Auto Workers union.
GM has begun what is expected to be a long and expensive transition to a new transportation model that embraces electrified and automated vehicles, many of which will be shared rather than owned.
The No. 1 U.S. automaker signaled the latest belt-tightening in late October when it offered buyouts to 50,000 salaried employees in North America.
Lagging U.S. car sales has seen several car plants fall to just one shift, including its Detroit Hamtramck Assembly plant and Lordstown, Ohio, assembly plant.
Its crosstown rivals, Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, have both curtailed car production in the United States. Ford said in April it planned to stop building nearly all cars in North America. (Reporting by David Shepardson and Paul Lienert Writing by Nick Zieminski Editing by Susan Thomas)


text:
Exploding handsets aside, Ericsson’s crisis shows the need for all players to accelerate their shift towards software and services
It’s been another week of exploding smartphones, and the growing fall-out from the problems with Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7. Once a flagship product and a genuinely innovative design, the latest Note has turned into a nightmare. Samsung has halted production and the recall and refund process – and more importantly, the loss of future sales – may hit its profits to the tune of $5.3bn.
Of course, Samsung is a big enough company to weather this storm, despite the awful timing, just as its handset business seemed to be in recovery mode. This will likely see it redouble its efforts to shift revenue and profit to non-smartphone businesses like memory, processors and displays, and to try to boost its efforts in software.
The trouble is, while the company is having some success with services like mobile payments, the classic software/content model for a device maker is to use those services to drive additional usage, and upgrades, to the smartphones, by creating an optimized and highly usable experience. Apple is the star at this, and the failure of the new Note – whose pen interface can support some interesting applications – will be a blow to Samsung’s hardware/software hopes.
Google is also chasing that integrated device/services dream with its new Pixel smartphones, just when the model is set to decline. The ascendant players will not be the hardware/software providers, which lock users into a particular device or brand. They will be the web content and applications firms, which can create a differentiated and attractive user experience across a whole range of current and future gadgets.
Amazon is leading the way, because this is its natural territory – despite the Kindles and Fires and Echoes, it is not a device maker and those products exist purely to drive more usage of its content and stores. That also gives Amazon a whole different approach to margins compared to actual hardware manufacturers. As it hurls its rocks at Apple and Samsung – it new low cost music streaming service, tied into its Echo and Prime platforms, is the latest example – it is even more strange that Google, which could go head-to-head in this game, is being distracted by the old-fashioned world of devices.
It isn’t just the device end of the mobile market where the old guard are being squeezed out. Network vendors and operators are faced with painful adjustments too – Ericsson’s huge job cuts of last week were followed this week by news of 3,200 layoffs at Verizon.
Ericsson followed its cuts with a profit warning, turning its investors’ harsh scrutiny on its plan to restructure its business around new realities. Of course, it only has an interim CEO, and a strong new leader is badly needed, but it does have a well articulated roadmap laid out by ousted CEO Hans Vestberg, with a set of targeted growth businesses and a potentially game-changing alliance with Cisco.
However, those growth businesses – which include virtualization, cloud and media – delivered only about $60m of additional revenue in the second quarter, and account for only $1.2bn of sales in a total of $6.1bn. That total is falling (down by $460m in the quarter) and the new businesses are not expanding rapidly enough to fill the gap, hence the cost slashing and general pessimism.
The Cisco deal is not cutting in sufficiently quickly, in terms of sales, to reassure shareholders or many customers, while the new targeted businesses are not greenfield markets where Ericsson can make the rules as it used to do in mobile networks – most of them are already occupied by powerful and defensive companies from IBM and HPE to Amazon. Ericsson has neutralized the potential competition from Cisco and will make other partnerships – or perhaps the big merger it has always resisted really will be on the cards once a new CEO arrives.
Acting CEO and CFO Jan Frykhammar told Bloomberg, after the Q3 profit warning: “This is absolutely not the beginning of the end for Ericsson.” That is likely to be true, even if Ericsson ends up in a merger. After all, its death has been predicted before, most recently in 2003 when its spiralling fortunes were rescued by CEO Carl Henric Svanberg. There is still reason to hope that Ericsson’s next CEO could be as effective as Svanberg in turning the ship, but it will be a big job. As in 2003, the company is not just facing stepped-up competition or seasonal fluctuations – it is in the midst of a complete redefinition of its industry. A decade ago that was centered on the shift to the Internet; now it is about the convergence of telecoms and IT and the rise of the software-driven network and the cloud.
Like Google and Apple, the big RAN vendors are still over-preoccupied with hardware. Of course 5G is important, but the strings of tests and pre-5G announcements – Huawei and Vodafone are the latest to boast of a field trial of the ‘New Radio’, based on preliminary work in 3GPP – do not convince anyone that these companies are ready for the next phase of their industry. Tactile Internet, artificial intelligence, massive IoT, hosted and virtualized RANs, everything delivered from the cloud, network slicing – these will be the foundations of the next wave of mobile and web experiences and business models.
The hardware will need to evolve to support them but it will be an enabler not a business driver in its own right. If Samsung’s exploding phones push the company to step up its software and user experience efforts, it may prove a bonus in the end, and a shift which companies throughout the mobile value chain will need to make too.


text:
New Delhi:Rupert Murdoch has returned to India with two buyouts in one go in the media space. While NewsCorp has has signed a definitive agreement to acquire media firm VCCircle Network, The Economic Times reported that 21st Century Fox has bought out film magazine Screen from the Indian Express group.
Though the financial details of the deals were not disclosed, the ET report said the Screen was valued at Rs 30-40 crore and VCCircle at about Rs 120-150 crore. NewsCorp takes care of the print businesses of the Murdoch empire while 21st Century Fox looks after the broadcast and entertainment business.
The report points out that the deals are in line with the group's strategy of "branching out of its traditional publishing businesses with investments in newer ventures especially in digital and consumer internet properties".
VCCirlce is the third investment by News Corp in India. Previously, it had invested in financial advisory start-up firm BigDecisions.com and realty portal PropTiger.com.
In a statement, News Corp said it has signed "a definitive agreement to acquire VCCircle Network, which includes VCCircle.com, Techcircle.in, VCCEdge, VCCircle Training, in addition to a premium-content driven conference business."
Terms of the acquisition, which is expected to close by March, were not disclosed.
Commenting on the announcement, News Corp Chief Executive Robert Thomson said: "India is an increasingly meaningful part of our portfolio, which is itself increasingly digital and global."
"This important investment is a sign of our faith in India's future and our enthusiasm for working with and building up emerging talents in the country," he added.
VCCircle Network is owned by Mosaic Media Ventures and has about 100 employees across India, with its headquarters in Noida.
VCCircle Network Founder and CEO P V Sahad and the management group will become part of News Corp's India team. Sahad will report to News Corp Senior Vice President (Strategy) Raju Narisetti, the statement said.
According to the ET report, Murdoch's Star India will get the exclusive ownership of the Screen franchise and also it archival material. It also said the magazine will cease publication next week it will be relaunched in a digital format in a few months.
In November 2014, News Corp had acquired 25 per cent stake in Indian realty portal PropTiger.com for $30 million (Rs 185 crore) as part of its strategy to expand presence in digital media.
It had picked up stake in Singapore-based Elara Technologies Pte Ltd, the parent firm of PropTiger.com. In the following month, News Corp announced acquisition of BigDecisions.com for an undisclosed sum. The portal was set up by Manish Shah and Gaurav Roy in early 2013.
With inputs from PTI
Updated Date: Mar 10, 2015 12:32:42 IST


text:
Sears retirees wait to learn fate of their pensions and wonder where the money went
Major Sears shareholder Eddie Lampert says Sears dividend payouts had no impact on the pension plan
Sears Canada retirees are still waiting to learn the fate of their pensions. Many are also still struggling to understand how it got to this point.
"I accepted it, but now I'm back in the anger stage again," said Gail McClelland, who worked in furniture sales in Calgary for most of her 33-year career with Sears.
The retailer closed its doors last month, leaving behind an underfunded pension plan. About 16,000 ex-employees are bracing for a reduction in their pensions sometime this year, estimated at 19 per cent by the Sears Canada Retiree Group (SCRG), a volunteer organization representing retirees.
"I'm just going to have to cut back and I mean, that's what you worked your life for, and now it's compromised," said McClelland, a 68-year-old widow.
Some retirees, like McClelland, blame much of their fate on Sears Canada's largest shareholder, Eddie Lampert, CEO of U.S. hedge fund, ESL Investments.
After Lampert took control of Sears Canada in 2005, billions were paid out in dividends to shareholders like himself, while the retailer struggled for survival.
"They couldn't afford to [top up the pension fund], but they could pay out dividends," McClelland said.
However, Lampert said the critics have it all wrong. In a lengthy statement to CBC News which he also posted in a blog, he said that Sears Canada met its demise not because of big dividend payments, but due to bad moves made by management.
Lampert also said the pension fund's deficit has been overestimated and anticipates that by the time it's wound up, there likely won't be a shortfall.
"I wish he was right. Then I wouldn't have to be worried," Sears retiree and SCRG vice-president Ken Eady said.
He said according to Sears's own actuaries, the latest statistics from 2015 show that plan was more than $266 million short if it were to be paid out.
"The possibility of Sears meeting its [pension] obligations, I would say is close to nil."
$3.5B returned to shareholders
Eady said Sears Canada's pension plan has been underfunded since 2007.
According to court documents, since 2012, SCRG continually expressed concerns about the diminishing plan at a time when the retailer's sales and profits were declining and millions were being paid out to shareholders in special dividends.
"Sears didn't appear to be committed to investing in Sears's future," Eady said.
A 2014 letter sent to the retailer's legal counsel from lawyer Andrew Hatnay with Koskie Minsky, the law firm representing Sears retirees, also expressed concerns.
Hatnay wrote that "despite the deteriorating financial situation at Sears Canada," its board of directors continued to approve big payouts to shareholders following the sale of assets such as valuable real estate.
He said that since 2005, when Lampert's ESL Investments acquired control of Sears Canada, the retailer had returned $3.5 billion to shareholders, largely through special dividends.
Hatnay also noted that as a major Sears shareholder, ESL Investments benefited significantly from the dividend payouts.
"It's not necessarily the [pension] shortfall that was the problem," Eady said. "It was about taking the money out of the company and allowing the company not to operate properly, thus leaving the pension plan high and dry."
'Payments had no impact whatsoever'
Sears Canada didn't respond to CBC News's request for comment.
But Lampert defended the dividend payouts, stating that a company needs to provide adequate returns to shareholders to stay viable.
He also said the payouts — which ceased in 2013 — didn't hurt the retailer because it continued to invest in the company at consistent levels, and meet its pension plan funding requirements.
"The [dividend] payments had no impact whatsoever on the Sears Canada pension plans," wrote Lampert who is also CEO of Sears Holdings in the U.S., which operates separately from Sears Canada.
As for Sears Canada's demise, Lampert said it was primarily the result of a costly but unsuccessful restructuring strategy launched in 2016.
"I raised concerns about this strategy with management but the company decided to proceed," he said.
Regardless of who's to blame, according to SCRG, Sears employees now face diminished pensions.
"It's a big disappointment after working for a company for 27 years and you dedicate your life to them," said Gail Paul, who sold appliances for Sears in Corner Brook, N.L.
"I never thought I'd be in this situation," she said. "You figured your retirement was going to be set."
Meanwhile, SCRG has reached out to the Ontario government, asking for help. Its proposals include keeping the pension plan active and hopefully recouping some of the shortfall by either the government taking it over, or by amalgamating the fund with another pension plan.
"It's quite doable," Eady said.
The Ministry of Finance told CBC News it's currently reviewing the letter.
Some retirees also believe there's one other glimmer of hope. The court appointed monitor for Sears Canada's insolvency is reviewing $611 million the company paid in total in special dividends in 2012 and 2013.
"I'm holding out hope that something will happen, that somebody will get that money back for us," said retiree McClelland.
Lampert, however, said that there's nothing suspect about those dividend payments. The money was generated by real estate sales and he said Sears kept roughly half the proceeds to invest in the company.
"I too very much regret the failure of Sears Canada," he said. "Like all other stakeholders, ESL has suffered significant losses from the bankruptcy of this storied company."


text:
With Google’s algorithm change (April 21, 2015), having a mobile-friendly website is no longer optional. But what does that mean? In the most basic terms, mobile-friendly means that a website detects the screen size of the user and delivers the site’s content in an optimized way for that screen size. In website development and SEO circles, it was a running joke for years. Each year (starting WAY back) as the experts made their predictions for the upcoming year, they would call the next year, “The Year of Mobile.” They predicted its stronghold on internet traffic a little early, several times. Well, it is finally here. With internet traffic moving increasingly onto mobile devices, having a mobile plan and a mobile-friendly site is no longer a “nice to have.” To test your site’s mobile usability, use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
For more information on Google’s upcoming change, check out our recent post, Time to Commit to Mobile Usability.


text:
I’m told that when you take your first skydive and the parachute safely opens to check your rapid descent to earth that the feeling of relief is palpable, but you soon realise that there’s plenty that could still go wrong before you land with all your limbs intact.
That’s a bit how the meat industry in Ireland is feeling about Brexit. With the last-minute completion of a trade deal between the EU and UK, the parachute opened to stop the freefall on December 24th, and January 1st passed without a crisis. Trade has continued to flow with our nearest neighbour, and a delicious Irish rib-eye steak is on the supermarket shelf and available to UK consumers to enjoy.
Strangely it was the panic about the new Covid strain, rather than Brexit, that led to news bulletins filled with pictures of Kent being turned into a parking lot after France shut its border on public health grounds, just before Christmas.
To read the full article by The Irish Times, please click here.


text:
Touchdown Pinball releases in time for the Superbowl | TheXboxHubhttps://www.thexboxhub.com/touchdown-pinball-releases-in-time-for-the-superbowl/Picking the right launch day for your game can make a big difference. Sure, this next game could have released right before the final of the Pinball World Championships, but is that even a thing? Instead, Super PowerUp Games have plumped for the release window around the time of one of the biggest annual world sporting events, the Superbowl. Touchdown Pinball is out today on Xbox.
Video Pinball, Virtual Pinball


text:
2014 saw the largest acquisitions completed in the alcohol beverage market. Amongst them is Suntory Holdings purchasing American spirits company Beam Inc. for a whopping US $13.6 billion in cash. Another major deal recently concluded was the purchase of Whyte and Mackay, a company owned by beverage giant Diageo (NYSE:DEO) and by Emperador (PM:EMP). Diageo, for its part, was on a shopping spree itself, lapping up smaller wineries and distilleries throughout the year.
The Suntory-Beam Inc. deal is clearly an indicator of how the Japanese market is evolving, with its market decreasing in size at home. These Japanese spirits manufacturers are seeking companies overseas to increase its market share to quench its thirst for profits. With the deal, Suntory now captures 11 percent of the US market.
The Emperador deal, which was priced at £430 million, not only included the brand itself but manufacturing operations in distilleries for the Jura, the Dalmore, the Fettercrane and the Tamnavulin. Aside from offering the same brands in the Philippine market, the acquisition would enhance Emperador’s global footprint in over 50 markets throughout the globe.
Diageo had recently spent over £3 billion in the past years, starting with the acquisition of Mey Icki of Turkey worth GBP1.3 billion and the controlling shareholdings in United Spirits of India, worth about GBP592 million. It has also undertaken a “premium core” strengthening campaign for its own existing brands, namely Johnny Walker Black Label, Bailey’s and Smirnoff Vodka.
What then drives these companies to acquire others?
As previously mentioned, Suntory is seeking for greener pastures as the Japanese market is drying up, owing to greater health awareness for the younger population. Instead of focusing on the local Japanese drinkers, companies have gone overseas to seek for companies to generate more profits. This is called diversification acquisition.
Another major reason for the acquisitions is expansion. Like the Emperador deal previously discussed, the local market has grown too small and thus through the acquisition of established brands, the market for the company expands exponentially. Not only would the acquiring brand profit with the acquired brands, but it can also tap the acquired brands’ markets to sell the acquirer’s own spirits and business. This is called growth acquisition.
The third reason companies are acquiring others is to eliminate the competition. This is done either by buying out suppliers or distributors or just plainly removing the competition in order to capture a specific geography or market. This is the case why Diageo undertook that shopping spree previously mentioned. It captures new business in fast-growing markets located in Turkey and India.
How are these endeavours doing now?
In recent reports, the new brand called Beam Suntory Inc. (NYSE:BEAM) is planning to expand its market through partnerships with other brands such as Bacardi in Brazil and SPI in the Baltic region. This augurs a healthy market for the brand and its line-up of spirits and beverages moving forward. In the long run, the company expects its business to double to US$10 billion in the next five years.
For Emperador, it had recently completed the acquisition and is now well-positioned to open up in known areas where the Whyte and Mackay brand is well known. This would be done through a wholly owned subsidiary named Emperador UK Ltd whose ownership includes 100 percent shareholdings over the Whyte & Mackay Group Ltd and its subsidiaries.
Diageo, after its most recent investment in Don Julio Tequila after its trade with Casa Cuervo, is now measuring its next move to determine which would be the next step for the company. After its foray to expand into the whiskey business, it now is determined to expand into the Mexican tequila manufacturing business, capitalizing on the next generation of tequila drinkers in the country in the next few years.
What is in store for the market?
There are still rumblings of new acquisitions but one of the more robust companies keeping its core business independently is Eastside Distilling Inc. (OTCQB:ESDI). While much of the business side in the manufacture of bourbon, whiskey, vodka, rum and liquers is still reeling from the market shake-up, this company remains steadfast in its commitment in the manufacture of distilled spirits and other beverages.
Ultimately though, as any business grows, it may need to expand as well but for the moment, the focus of Eastside Distilling is to continue in its unique independent process while the market continues to await the time when the aftershocks of the megadeals subside in the near future.
Tax credits: A new alternative source of revenue
Avoid these oil and gas investment scams
Vishal Sikka resignation sends Infosys stocks reeling
The pros and cons of life admin: Do employees have a choice?
Will Nokia 8 be enough to compete with Samsung and Apple?
The marijuana industry is replacing the alcohol industry and creating jobs
Constitutional facial acupuncture is the safer, more natural anti-aging regimen—here’s why
How IoT is revolutionizing the retail sector
Why Longevity Eastern Medicine is becoming the popular center for holistic health
Highly experienced Doctor of Acupuncture reveals the secret of beauty and longevity (part 2)
Promoting women’s football in Malta by UEFA projects
Euro NCAP marks its 20th anniversary with two crash tests
European Parliament’s International Trade Committee backs CETA
The American Heart Association has released four new PSAs
PwC presents 20th global CEO survey results in Switzerland
Featured3 days ago
Resort Marketing Group settlement: Will you receive anything?
Business1 week ago
Will IBM India’s impenetrable encryption tech stop Anonymous hacker?
Entrepreneurship7 days ago
How to invest in Google AdWords in 2017
Business1 week ago
How will recent Google innovations change the direction of businesses?
Featured1 week ago
Here’s why Warren Buffett does not want $100B in cash
Business1 week ago
Top social media influencers for fashion and beauty brands
Featured1 week ago
3 underground mining facts you probably didn’t know about
Destinations4 days ago
5 best destinations to go to when in Morocco


text:
|The Economist Intelligence Unit: A Summary of the Liveability Ranking and Overview
|In its Liveability Rankings, the Economist Intelligence Unit bestows Vancouver with the top honor for the world's most liveable city. The organization considered 30 qualitative and quantitative factors across five categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Australia and Canada performed especially well in the ranking.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (3/4/2011)
1. Vancouver, Canada (1/11)
Vancouver ranked highest overall for liveability, earning perfect marks for healthcare, culture and environment, and education. The city is Canada's third-largest metro area and has a highly diversified economy. Industries attracted to the city include everything from performance apparel (fitness clothier lululemon began here) to high tech.
2. Melbourne, Australia (2/11)
Melbourne has proven itself to be a desirable place to live, but it's also aggressively investing in its business community. Little more than a year ago, the city established Enterprise Melbourne to jumpstart economic growth. In that time, it has initiated strategies to attract and retain business, and promoted its knowledge and innovation base, especially in biotech.
3. Vienna, Austria (3/11)
While Europe finds itself in financial turmoil, Vienna is maintaining its quality of life and business environment. The banking hub is home to strong insurance and manufacturing industries. Everything from metal products to textiles is produced here. The city is also popular for corporate conventions, which account for a chunk of its tourism industry.
4. Toronto, Canada (4/11)
Toronto couples its enviable quality of life with an equally vibrant business climate. The city offers investments to attract business, particularly through its Manufacturing, Innovation, and Technology (MIT) Grants. Manufacturing, biomedical, and information technology are just some of the city's important sectors.
5. Calgary, Canada (5/11)
Although honored in this ranking, Calgary isn't resting on its laurels. The city's Business Revitalization Zones (BRZ) are doing just that - improving, beautifying, and maintaining key business neighborhoods. The first BRZ was established in 1984. Since then, eight more have been added. They represent a total 5,400 businesses valued at more than $660 million.
6. Helsinki, Finland (6/11)
Helsinki has been recognized for its liveability, but the city is highly strategic when it comes to its business community. Officials are focused on maximizing cost efficiency of city activities. Helsinki participates in the regional business sector and is strengthening and creating industry clusters and encouraging an educated work force.
7. Sydney, Australia (7/11)
Sydney has been named as a top place to live in several rankings. It attracts international business investments and has a robust financial sector. The city is also home to Port Botany, one of the continent's largest container ports, and Australia's largest airport. A strong manufacturing sector rounds out its economy.
8. Perth, Australia (8/11)
Perth residents have a high standard of living, and the city is also working to ensure that the business environment matches these high expectations. As the gateway to the western section of the continent, Perth city officials are focusing on everything from infrastructure to local industry sectors to propel the area economy.
9. Adelaide, Australia (9/11)
Representing South Australia, Adelaide has boomed in recent years. Enterprise Adelaide supports local businesses with information and assistance to begin, expand, or relocate a business there. And a Workforce Attraction program encourages new employees across all market sectors to locate in the city.
10. Auckland, New Zealand (10/11)
Auckland ranks on the liveability scale, but it is also especially vital to New Zealand's economic health. The city serves as an international gateway to the country and attracts most of the nation's overseas workers. The New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development says Auckland's productivity premium is about 50 percent higher than areas outside the metro region.