text: GODFREY \u2014 Village officials see a bright future in its new branding approach that became clear at an event packed with community leaders, residents and local vendors. \u201cGodfrey \u2013 You can see your future from here\u201d is officially the village\u2019s brand unveiled by marketing executive Mara \u201cMitch\u201d Meyers Tuesday night at Hatheway Cultural Center on the Lewis and Clark Community College campus in Godfrey. A few hundred people attended the event that included \u201cA Taste of Godfrey\u201d with vendors giving samples of their cuisine, in the case of eateries, and wares. \u201cThe best way to get the public to respect your brand is to have a respectable brand. In today\u2019s world of open communications with Twitter, Facebook and Instagram it\u2019s incredibly hard for a brand, or a product or a company or a community to pretend that it\u2019s something it\u2019s not,\u201d Meyers said. \u201cYour brand message is based on the foundation of everything that\u2019s real about a community.\u201d Meyers, who is with the Proof Agency in St. Louis, received a bachelor\u2019s in business administration\/professional accounting in 1977 and a master\u2019s in business administration in 1980 from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She was inducted into the SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame in 2010. Meyers launched the wildly popular and successful campaign with Bud Light\u2019s mascot Spuds MacKenzie when she was 23 years old, Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick explained. At the time, Spuds MacKenzie, which was her brainchild, was surprisingly a canine character instead of a Clydesdale like most of Anheuser-Busch branding animal icons. \u201cI am so proud that so many people showed up here and shared so much with our sponsors, vendors who brought their different foods and wares here tonight,\u201d McCormick said Tuesday at the event to the Telegraph. \u201cOnce again, I say I\u2019m so proud to live in the village of Godfrey.\u201d Village attorney Tom Long, as chair of the Village Board\u2019s Community Planning, Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee, led the new branding effort with community leaders that formed a creative committee for branding a few years ago. The village\u2019s mission of its branding platform is to attract businesses and homeowners. The village enlisted the help of North Star Destination Strategies that surveyed village residents and business leaders asking for information to build a Godfrey branding platform, of which the results were released in February 2014.


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Anchored by Jake Tapper, The Lead airs at 4 p.m. ET on CNN.
We've moved! Come join us at our new show page.
(CNN) - If you like your Netflix plan, you can keep your Netflix plan. Hmmm, sound familiar?
The video streaming company said there really is no need for customers to get antsy about some pricing packages being rolled out this year. Several new plans are being tested by Netflix to try and attract new subscribers.
One of them would let users pay $6.99/month to watch just one video stream. Another plan for $9.99/month would allow streaming of three videos at once.
But the company says these new plans are only being tested, and may never be available to everyone.
Which should mean the old plans are here to stay, right? Assistant managing editor of Fortune Magazine Leigh Gallagher joins CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper" to discuss.

domain: news


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June 29, 2014 by frappesocial
If you have been using Facebook Ads then you can expect another exciting(?) update. Facebook had already announced this expected major overhaul in their right hand column sidebar ads back in April.
Soon, you will be seeing bigger sidebar ads on Facebook.
Facebook, as compared to other social media platforms, is ‘notorious’ in introducing updates like changing their pants. So this update shouldn’t be a surprise to Facebook users, business owners and marketers. What one might ask is, ‘How is this going to impact me—and my business?”
Here are some aspects — or concerns— that you need to consider after Facebook rolls out this update.
Impact on creating FB ads
Impact on your target audience
Impact on the cost per Ad
Impact On Ad Creation
According to Jon Loomer, marketers and advertiser can expect nothing much different when they create their Facebook Ads.
“If you were previously creating ads using dimensions that apply to desktop and mobile News Feeds but send those ads to all placements, those ads will now be shown with the bigger sizes to those users who have received the rollout.” Jon says.
But for those who are used to creating ads with the old sidebar dimensions, your ads will continue to be rendered smaller for the time being.
Think of it this way—this is going to make ad creation on Facebook simpler.
Impact on Target Audience
Before Facebook announced this particular update, it is likely that they did their research and find this update necessary. For sure, they will make more money with this update. And they also expect advertisers to get the best exposure for their ads.
Larger images mean maximum exposure for your ads.
The update is expected to show just around two or three sidebar ads at once. So this should increase the chance of your audience seeing your ads. And if your ads are interesting enough then they might just click on it.
Impact On Cost Per Ad
Since there will only be a few ads that’s going to show on the right sidebar on Facebook, the competition will be tougher. So you can expect Facebook to charge more for this coveted ad spot.
So you better be smarter in creating those ads knowing that every penny counts. Don’t just create ads just for the sake of creating one.
Your turn: What are your thoughts about this new update on Facebook? Is this going to help your business more or is this just going to make Facebook richer?
Rey M. Baguio is a Social Media Entrepreneur and Online Marketing Consultant. He started his career online as a content writer until he got hooked with anything that has something to do with social media and marketing online. Today, he has been helping not only businesses but also aspiring freelancers to understand how social media and digital marketing can make a difference for them.


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No. 12: California (No. 10 in 2019)
Number of CRN Solution Provider 500 Companies: 53
COVID-19 Business Impact Rank: 21
California’s net job loss February to July 2020 was 10.3 percent of the workforce (No. 42) with the unemployment rate standing at 14.9 percent (No. 46) in July. The state’s GDP declined 4.7 percent in the first quarter of 2020 (No. 19).
California is, as every year, a study in contrasts. Not surprisingly the Golden State is No. 1 in entrepreneurship and innovation. The tech sector accounts for 18.1 percent of the state’s total gross state product (No. 2, behind only Washington’s 20.2 percent) and employs 1,866,951 people (No.1), according to the CompTIA 2020 Cyberstates Report.
The state is No. 2 in business climate/competitive environment with its 4,131,508 small businesses that make prospective customers for a solution provider. And California is No. 13 for workforce education and experience.
But California remains an expensive place to do business. It is No. 46 for labor and operating costs and No. 44 for taxes and regulatory environment. The state’s 8.84 percent corporate income tax is among the nation’s 10 highest as is its 8.68 percent sales tax.
And California is last (No. 50) for personal cost of living and quality of life: The state’s 13.3 percent individual income tax is the highest in the country, according to the Tax Foundation.


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Trade talks are now "Back on Track", with New Tariffs on Hold,
Q. What happened?
A. Trump caved in.
What "Track" is Back?
- Trump offered China no new tariffs.
- Trump agreed to easing restrictions on tech company Huawei.
- The above two points were part of China's Preconditions, which Lawrence Kudlow said did not exist.
- China agreed to make unspecified new purchases of U.S. farm products and return to the negotiating table.
- No deadline was set for progress on a deal.
- No details on China's farm purchases.
Right Back On Track
“We’re right back on track,” Trump told reporters after an 80-minute meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit of leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies in Osaka, Japan.
“We’re holding back on tariffs and they’re going to buy farm products,” Trump said, without giving details about the purchases.
Trump said the U.S. Commerce Department would study in the next few days whether to take Huawei off the list of firms banned from buying components and technology from U.S. companies without government approval.
Questions of the Day
- If that's not back on track, what is?
- But what track are we on?
Once again Trump made a bluff that everyone in the world could see (except his supporters), then backed down when the other side held firm.
Kudlow said yesterday that "Trump is perfectly happy where we are."
Why deal when you are perfectly happy, not dealing?
What can be better than perfect?
Speaking of the Wall Street Journal report on China's preconditions, , Kudlow said "I don't know where those stories comer from, but it is fake news".
Cave-In on Preconditions
Let's not call this a cave in on preconditions because clearly there were none.
Let's instead call this a banana split.
Mike "Mish" Shedlock


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Coronavirus lockdowns that grounded planes and emptied hotels and resorts made tourism an unreliable economic engine last year, and recovery would highly depend on how fast the Philippines can exit the pandemic.
Tourism direct gross value added accounted for 5.4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product last year, significantly smaller than the industry’s 12.8 percent share in 2019, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority released June 16 showed.
In absolute terms, the tourism sector’s total contribution to the economy last year amounted to 973 billion pesos only, plummeting 61 percent year-on-year. While the slump was significant, it was nevertheless expected after the Duterte administration sealed off the country’s borders last year in a desperate bid to arrest the coronavirus spread.
For Nicholas Mapa, senior economist at ING Bank in Manila, the road to recovery would be a fragile one for tourism.


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Brands are all about content marketing these days, but Volvo is doing the branded part more subtly with its new effort.
The car brand acted more as the patron of the arts rather than the star of the show with its latest video featuring Swedish House Mafia, a popular electronic dance music trio that disbanded this past March. Vovlo, with the help of agency Forsman & Bodenfors, got the trio back together to create a farewell video showing each of the band members going their separate ways in Volvo XC60 cross-country vehicles.
What is cool about this is that the brand’s presence in the artistic video is minimal. Yes, the cars are present, but they aren’t intrusive. The video was shot beautifully featuring grayish Scandinavian landscapes and set to the groups’s early hit “Leave the World Behind You.” For fans of Swedish House Mafia — there are many of them — this is a unique piece of video art from their favorite, now defunct, music group.
Other brands should take note of this approach to branded content. It doesn’t shove the brand down people’s throat. It is a cool piece of video art that stands on its own and just happens to have been produced by a brand.
Image via Leave The World Behind Lune
Why digital clutter is driving brands to rethink the value of newspapers advertising
GE, Equinox, Take 5 Oil and agency TBWA New York are among those investing in newspaper ads to generate social media buzz in an ever-more cluttered digital environment.
The ‘retirement’ of M&M spokescandies raises questions about viral marketing, edgy content
Marketers have mixed feelings and questions about the value of viral, stunt marketing after M&M's "retirement" of its spokescandies.
With TikTok’s growing list of issues, should marketers think twice about the platform?
There is a growing list of issues that TikTok needs to resolve, but marketers seem unfazed and continue to be enthralled by the platform.
SponsoredHow publishers are fighting clickbait ads and protecting audiences
Sponsored by GeoEdge For publishers, delivering an engaging user experience is paramount to ensuring loyalty and safeguarding monetization opportunities. One major revenue channel for publishers is selling programmatic ads, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to control the quality of the ads that come through programmatic channels. As a result, clickbait, offensive and misleading ads are […]
How gaming companies like Ubisoft want to expand screen adaption after the success of HBO’s The Last of Us
The rise of video game adaptations is certainly good news for major game developers. To learn how the Ubisoft is taking advantage of the recent explosion of interest in video game adaptations, Digiday spoke to Jason Altman, who has led the company’s film and television division since 2017.
Marketing Briefing: TikTok is making search a bigger focus, but marketers, agency execs say it’s early days
As some younger consumers are changing behavior and using TikTok as a search engine, marketers and agency execs say that it makes sense for brands to be early movers and find ways to stand out.


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Last Saturday, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen got married in Lake Como, Italy with Teigen wearing three different gowns from the Vera Wang collection.
North, the child of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, was introduced to the world via Instagram.
According to cyber experts at RSA, the Zeus virus, widely utilized to embezzle credit card data, was recently altered to generate fake likes in Instagram and other social media sites.
Facebook would launch a 15-minute ad video that would cost US$2.5 million per day for advertisers.
Media reports of Facebook becoming "uncool" for teens was not true.
The users of Instagram complained about a hack that posted photos of smoothies and fruits to their accounts.
Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Facebook said that he plans to earn from Instagram through advertisements.
Google has 25% share in the internet traffic coming from North America.
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Deposit Return Scheme
Transforming the way we recycle.
On 7 June 2023, the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity announced that Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will be delayed until October 2025 at the earliest. This is to align with schemes in the rest of the UK.
The four administrations are collaborating to ensure they deliver a DRS which is simple and efficient for industry and consumers across the UK.
You can read the full statement about the announcement on the Scottish Government website: gov.scot/news/deposit-return/


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(Editor’s note: This originally aired in February 2022. Allen Schauffler says it’s one his favorite stories at Central Oregon Daily News and we’re re-publishing it to celebrate his retirement.)
Yes, he’s a farmer now, a marijuana farmer in Southern Oregon.
But Jim Belushi hasn’t exactly cut all ties with show business.
He stars in his Discovery-Plus reality show, “Growing Belushi.”
It features plotlines based on growing and marketing cannabis products around the Northwest and beyond, with plenty of skit-comedy shenanigans thrown in.
Belushi and his cousin Chris, his managing partner on the farm (and co-star) talked with us about the challenges and the fun of mixing show-business and weed-business in Eagle Point, Oregon.


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Tesla debuted on the S&P 500 index and with this, its shares declined subsequently. Tesla, electric-vehicle maker, whose stocks now account for 1.6% of the S&P 500 index fells as much as 6.3% on Monday morning. Due to the fear of new Coronavirus strain present in the U.K., the S&P 500 fell as much as 2%. The demolishing cases filled in as a reminder to numerous after enthusiasms and excitement related to Covid vaccinations has pushed stocks to records as of late. On Friday however, the company managed to sell tens of millions of shares to index-fund managers.
Tesla shares on Friday, December 18, 2020
Index-tracking managers were in a frenzy to add shares to their funds in the Institutional buying of Tesla. Nearly $60 billion worth of stock changed hands at $695 a share, the vast majority of it in one monster exchange as the meeting approached its end. The cost was about 5% higher than Tesla’s level only before the closing. More than $150 billion worth of Tesla shares exchanged on Friday before it was included on S&P 500.
According to analyst Toni Sacconaghi, There is a solid priority for positive returns for stocks before the S&P 500 incorporation and post declaration, however exceptionally restricted point of reference for close to term outperformance after the inclusion.
Monday for the investors and Tesla
For the investors of Tesla, Monday’s slide was a little mark in what has been in any case a blockbuster year of gains. Tesla’s future moves will highly influence the S&P 500. Tesla has been noticeably active and volatile than the S&P 500 this year. The investors of the company who have an optimistic approach and believe in the long-term prospects of the company had said that they were expecting this slump in Tesla’s share. They noticed this because of the demand from passive investors lessened.
There were parallels drawn between Yahoo Inc. and Tesla which peaked in the market in terms of the market when less than a month after its inclusion in the S&P 500 in 1999.
Companies in the same genre as Tesla of electric-vehicle production were also inflicted with a similar slump as their shares were also weak on Monday. Till Friday, Tesla scored a share of 731% making it the greatest organization to be added to the benchmark.
JMP Securities examiner Joseph Osha raised his value focus on Tesla to a Street-high of US$788 from US$516 on Monday, saying the organization’s market opportunity and its potential shipments should be bigger than recently assessed. Osha raised his 2025 conveyance gauge to 3.05 million units from 2.5 million. The organization has said it hopes to convey about a large portion of 1,000,000 vehicles this year.


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Though Android Wear devices (and smartwatches, in general) have received a lukewarm response from consumers in this mobile-centric market. But Google is still focused on further improvement of its wearable OS and competing with its arch-enemy Apple. Thus, it has acquired Cronologics, a startup focused on building a smart, diverse and intuitive experiences for smartwatches.
The financial terms of the transaction have been kept under wraps but the team at Cronologics will now be joining Google’s Android Wear division (of course!) The said company, which was founded by ex-Googlers Lan Rcohe, Leor Stern, and John Lagerling, will be moving back home with this acquisition.
Talking about the next phase for the company post-acquisition, a statement on Cronologics’ website reads:
We see strong alignment with Android Wear’s mission and look forward to working with our new colleagues at Google to continue pushing the frontier of wearable technology and smartwatches with Android Wear 2.0 and beyond.
Based out of San Mateo, the smartwatch startup was founded in 2014 to focus on the acceleration of smartwatch technology across platforms. The primary aim of the founders to build a compelling software architecture coupled with a robust hardware experience. Thus, the company debuted its own operating system and a wearable device ‘CoWatch’ powered by the same.
The CoWatch was launched via Indiegogo in June this year. It managed to bag about 300 percent more funds than required. The watch which packed in impressive internal specs (dual-core 1.2 GHz SoC, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB ROM, AMOLED display, heart rate sensor, water resistance, and more) coupled with a beautiful circular design looked impressive. Also, the CoWatch brought with it Amazon Alexa’s smarts and connectivity for both Android and iOS-powered devices.
But, post acquisition, the fate of their software and hardware offerings both are in jeopardy. Cronologics will not be allowed to sell their CoWatch but their virtual assistant integration tech could be leveraged to merge ‘Google Assistant’ into the Android Wear experience. The company will be looking to add Android Wear devices to its arsenal of smart devices in the coming months.


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India's top vehicle maker Tata Motors (IW 1000/186) said on Wednesday its quarterly net profit rose 10.5% year-on-year because of a robust performance by its British brands Jaguar and Land Rover.
The auto giant reported a consolidated net profit of 20.75 billion rupees (US$383 million) in the second financial quarter which ended September, up from 18.77 billion rupees a year earlier.
The company, part of the salt-to-steel Tata conglomerate, undershot analysts' expectations of profit of around 25 billion rupees.
Revenues for the quarter rose 20 % to 434 billion rupees thanks to increasing demand for the British brands.
Tata Motors, which also makes utility vehicles and the low-cost Nano car, relies on Jaguar and Land Rover for the bulk of its profits. It said the overall business environment remained "subdued" in India.
India, which has been one of the world's fastest-growing car markets in recent years, has been suffering a slowdown in demand as some buyers defer purchases due to expensive auto loans and high fuel costs.
"The outlook remains weak for passenger cars but we hope to have regular product refreshes to boost demand," Tata Motors's chief financial officer C. Ramakrishnan said.
The much-awaited diesel version of the Nano was likely to be launched only after June next year, the firm said.
Net revenue for the Jaguar and Land Rover brands rose 13% to 3.28 billion pounds (us$5.24 billion) and net profit jumped 77% to 305 million pounds ($487 million) from a year earlier.
Tata Motors bought Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motor in 2008 for $2.3 billion as part of plans to expand its reach beyond Asia.
The deal vaulted Tata Motors from a commercial vehicle and small-car maker into a global player with luxury brands in its range of offerings.
Many new models are being launched in the country, with the Diwali festival next week seen as an auspicious time for big-ticket purchases.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2012


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Five north-east businesses were unveiled as “worthy” winners in the 2024 Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Scotland Celebrating Small Business Awards.
They were joined on the winners’ podium by two champions from the Highlands and Islands.
All seven were chosen from among more than 300 applicants in a range of categories.
They include two Aberdeen businesses, HR Hub Plus – which is run by Edward Obi – and Shot ‘n’ Roll, launched by David Griffiths and Michael Robertson, of Aberdam Dutch Fries.
Double delight for Aberdeen HR firm
It marks a second consecutive win for HR Hub Plus in the annual awards.
The human resources specialist came away with the 2024 community award, having won a service excellence gong last year.
Mr Obi said: “This is an incredible surprise and a moment of immense joy.
“Winning the FSB community award is not just a recognition of our hard work but a celebration of the collective effort and dedication of our team.”
Mr Griffiths and Mr Robertson had also tasted success last year, scooping the start-up award for Aberdam. They were equally thrilled when their latest venture, coffee shop and bakery Shot ‘n’ Roll, triumphed in the same category this time.
FSB north-east development manager Mike Duncan, said: ““Year upon year we see the quality of awards applications grow.
“It’s no surprise that small businesses from across the north-east outshine their national competitors.
“There are 12 awards categories, so to have five worthy winners from Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire is a fantastic result.”
Mr Duncan added: “The variety of winners emphasises the FSB’s diverse membership right across the region.”
The other north-east winners include Laura Ripley, of Portlethen-based Northern Frights and Fantasy Scotland Events, who triumphed in the self-employed/freelancer of the year category.
Oldmeldrum-based ITC Hydraulic Services won the family business award.
Sutherland’s Sandie Gordon is FSB Scotland young entrepreneur of the year
FSB Scotland’s young entrepreneur of the year is Sandie Gordon, of Candles from the Croft, in Altass, Sutherland.
She noticed a gap in the market for a “luxurious but affordable” products in her area.
Ms Gordon now supplies more than 20 stores and online customers with her sustainable, vegan-friendly and cruelty-free candles.
Shetlanders Brian and Marie Leask, of Seabirds-and-Seals – The Original Noss Boat Tours, scooped this year’s service excellence award.
Scottish winners head for Blackpool
FSB Scotland chairwoman Pauline Weddell said: “It’s been another challenging year for our smallest operators, but also another year where we’ve been inundated with fantastic entries from across the country representing every sector and demographic.
“All of the 2024 winners deserve the utmost recognition for their innovation, tenacity and vibrancy – qualities that characterise our small business community.”
Finalists across 12 UK areas now proceed to the national finals in Blackpool on May 9.


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Downstream Users Emphasize Focusing On Risk In Europe’s Chemical Strategy for Sustainability
At European Chemicals Agency’s virtual Safer Chemicals Conference, officials representing the agency, the EC, industry and nonprofits discuss the path forward on Chemical Strategy for Sustainability, which includes concepts intended to spur developing chemicals vetted for human and environmental safety.
You may also be interested in...
To cosmetics industry stakeholders, the EU’s talk of instituting a generic risk management approach to eliminate “most hazardous” chemicals spells wholesale adoption of the precautionary principle, the disposal of exposure and risk considerations, and, ultimately, increased cosmetic ingredient restrictions and bans without proportionate human health benefits.
Cosmetics Europe Director-General John Chave says whichever way the European Commission proceeds under its recently released sustainable chemicals strategy, there almost certainly will need to be changes to the Cosmetic Products Regulation. Chave counts the strategy among “the biggest legislative policy proposals affecting our sector probably ever.”
EU’s Sustainable Chemicals Strategy Lacks Industry ‘Game Plan’ To Support Innovation, Competitiveness
BASF CEO Martin Brudermüller, newly announced as president of Cefic, strikes an optimistic note in a 15 October open letter regarding European Green Deal prospects. However, industry advocates including Cefic have major concerns about the Commission’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability released the day before.


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The world’s largest hybrid ferry will be powered by a Leclanché liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery system manufactured at Leclanché’s European factories.
Leclanché’s Marine Rack System will incorporate the latest fast-charging 65Ah high cycle battery cells with a 10-year lifespan.
Announced in November 2021, Scandlines ‘ zero-emissions ferry project will be powered by an advanced 10MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) from Leclanché.
Leclanché is among a number of companies selected to provide key components, systems and expertise, including Norwegian companies Kongsberg Maritime and Norwegian Electric Systems (NES).
The ferry was designed by LMG Marin AS, Norway and will be built at Cemre shipyard in Turkey.
Scandlines zero-emission freight ferry will be 147.4 meters long. The cargo capacity of the double-ended ferry will be 66 cargo units and carry a maximum of 140 passengers at a speed of 10 knots.
As a hybrid ferry, the crossing time between the two ports will be 45 minutes. In purely electric operation, the crossing time is 70 minutes and the ferry is emission-free.


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Apple increased the subscription prices of Apple Music and Apple TV+ today for the first time.
Effective immediately, Apple Music now costs $10.99/month, up from $9.99/month. That makes Apple Music more expensive than Spotify and Amazon Music Unlimited. Notably, Spotify’s stock has surged on the news and is currently up around 7%.
In a statement, Apple said Music prices are going up due to “an increase in licensing costs”, adding that artists and songwriters will earn more money.
Apple TV+ now costs $6.99/month. That’s up from $4.99/month. While still cheaper than rival offerings, Apple has significantly less content than its competitors. In light of these changes, the Apple One subscription is also more expensive now, increasing $2/month to $16.95.
The company says that Apple TV+ is getting more expensive because it was initially introduced “at a very low price” due to a limited amount of shows and movies. Now, Apple says the service is “home to an extensive selection of award-winning and broadly acclaimed series, feature films, documentaries, and kids and family entertainment from the world’s most creative storytellers.”
Will you still keep your subscriptions after the price hike? Let us know in the comments![via Bloomberg]


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Manju Mathew, an MBA in marketing, completed publisher training courses from the Oxford Brookes University and New York University. She started with marketing and PR roles before moving on to her current position as a full time writer. Currently living in Dubai, her life as an expat has sharpened her observation skills and flair for writing. She enjoys writing about luxury cars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc even if she can only dream of owning them.
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India’s economy defied expectations on Tuesday to retain the title of the world’s fastest-growing major economy, despite the disruption caused by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation decision+ .
Gross domestic product (GDP) registered 7 per cent growth in October-December quarter, down from 7.4 per cent in the previous quarter.
India’s growth was higher than China’s 6.8 per cent for the last three months of 2016.
The federal statistics office retained its growth forecast for the fiscal year ending in March 2017 at 7.1 per cent.
The figures surprised economists, who had expected the economy to take a bigger hit from government’s decision last November to demonetise old 500 rupee and 1,000 rupee banknotes, taking out 86 per cent of the currency in circulation virtually overnight.
“Perhaps this data is not capturing the impact of demonetization,” said Aneesh Srivastava, chief investment officer, IDBI Federal Life Insurance Co.
“I am totally surprised and stunned to see this number … I believe that, with a lag, we will see an impact on GDP numbers.”
The data also backs the central bank’s assessment, which all along maintained the economic disruption caused by Modi’s shock monetary therapy as a transitory phenomenon.


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(Cybertech) – Honor has revealed its MagicBook laptop, available in 14-inch and 15-inch sizes, will bring the latest 11th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 processors to the series.
Honor has now separated from Huawei – as first announced in November 2020 – functioning as an independent smartphone and technology company. That’s led to all-new products – such as the MagicBook Pro, announced at CES 2021 – with more anticipated in the future.
The Honor MagicBook 14 and MagicBook 15, however, aren’t brand new designs – it’s simply that these laptops’ innards have been brought up to date for 2021.
The pairing of 11th Gen Intel Core i processors means Intel Iris Xe graphics on board, too, helping to bring decent battery life – claimed at over 10 hours – and enabling more graphical intense appliations.
The designs include a Full HD (1920 x 1080) screen resolution with trim surrounding bezel, along with multiple ports including HDMI, USB-C and USB-A to cater for all current needs.
The aluminium body is cut in ‘Space Gray’ only, bringing a rather MacBook-esque look to proceedings. It’s a good looking Windows machine for a fair price, though. Both models are available to buy right now, with sales commencing in the UK (from £1199.90), Germany and France (from €849.90).
Writing by Mike Lowe.


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Google faces Android probe by European Union
The European Commission has accused Google of using its Android mobile operating system to abuse its dominant position.
The Commission has claimed that the company insists that smartphone manufacturers using the platform must pre-install Google Search and the Google Chrome browser. This, say European Union antitrust regulators, is stifling innovation and denying consumers access to the fullest range of mobile.
Announcing the decision, Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said; "A competitive mobile Internet sector is increasingly important for consumers and businesses in Europe. Based on our investigation thus far, we believe that Google's behaviour denies consumers a wider choice of mobile apps and services and stands in the way of innovation by other players.
Consumer champions Beuc applauded the move, saying; "It is good news that the European Commission is flexing its muscles on competition law. This has to happen if an EU digital economy is to serve consumers and innovative players.
"Competition rules apply regardless of the company's country of origin. They are crucial to prevent companies from using their market power to the detriment of consumer choice and innovation."
Google, which made an estimated €9.5bn from advertising sales on Android phones through its apps such as Maps, Search and Gmail, has denied the accusations. It said that Android was a remarkable system based on open-source software and open innovation. The company has 12 weeks to respond to the charges.
The company is already facing accusations from the EU that it promotes its own shopping service on web searches at the expense of rival services.
Deal for Airbus technology follows £400m spent on acquiring OneWeb
Most department staff have remained onsite during pandemic, although some ‘ad hoc’ arrangements have been made
Head of Test and Trace programme Baroness Harding says she does not want to specify a timeframe as projects often do not ‘run in a smooth way’
New initiative will seek to gain views of people aged 13 to 25


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Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) Issues
Uncertainty around the TCPA has resulted in an explosive growth in litigation potentially exposing mortgage servicers to significant liability for making good faith, and statutorily required, attempts to contact borrowers about ways to avoid foreclosure or their options in the event of a disaster.
Overview: The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) was enacted in 1991 to protect consumers against unwanted telemarketing calls to cellular telephones made by "autodialers." At that time, the law could not comprehend the future in which cell phone usage has become increasingly widespread and many households now rely solely on cell phones as their primary means of communications. The D.C. Circuit invalidated the FCC's sweeping 2015 Declaratory Ruling, forcing the Commission to engage in another round of TCPA rulemaking. In the interim courts continue to tackle the TCPA with varying interpretations of the statute. The FCC should resolve TCPA uncertainty and consider common sense clarifications to provide needed clarity and settle these issues for consumers and businesses.
Recent MBA Activity Related to TCPA Issues
- Comment Letter: MBA Supports TCPA Reform to Autodialer Definition (October 24, 2018)
- Comment Letter: MBA Supports TCPA Regulatory Reform (June 27, 2018)


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Netherlands Embassy in Doha Qatar
May 17, 2016 European Union member states’ Ambassadors in Doha at a meeting on worker welfare they organized with various stakeholders on the occasion of Europe Day, 9 May 2016.
January 13, 2016 Foreign minister Bert Koenders and travel expert Floortje Dessing have launched a new central helpline for travellers. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs can now be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week at +31 247 247 247 for practical travel tips and assistance. Travellers abroad can also contact the Ministry online and via Twitter. It is estimated that about 3,000 people per day will use the new services.


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Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk revealed the Model 3, the California automaker's most affordable electric vehicle yet. The presentation began with Musk making the case for electric vehicles by highlighting the dangers of C02 emissions before running through a brief history of Tesla Motors, and announcing the arrival of the company at “step 3, the final step in the master plan: A mass-market affordable car.”
That car is, of course, the Model 3.
As expected, the Model 3 will retail for US$35,000 for a base model that will still do 0-100 km/h in less than six seconds (with other versions that go much faster), and a range of 215 miles, or 346 kilometres. Those specs put rival affordable EVs like the BMW i3 or Nissan Leaf well behind it in every category, though they still have a couple years to close that gap.
“Those are minimum numbers. We hope to exceed them,” Musk said, much to the delight of the crowd in California and those lining up to put down their deposits.
The Autopilot Hardware will come standard with all versions of the car, which will achieve, according to Musk, a five-star safety rating in all categories. All while comfortably seating five adults.
The interior design is welcome departure from the precedents set by the Model S and X. It looks minimal and clean, like the interiors of those concept cars we are used to seeing at auto shows. The infotaintment system is equipped with a smaller screen (15-inch), than that found on the S and X (17-inch) models, with a landscape oriented screen mounted on the dashboard as opposed to being built into the centre console.
After unveiling the Model 3, Musk returned to the stage and proudly announced that at the time of the announcement, 115,000 pre-orders had already been placed for the car that Tesla says will go into production in late 2017. With deliveries being filled in the west coast first and moving east thereafter.
As orders continue to grow and are eventually delivered the demand on Tesla's Supercharger and Destination Charging stations will naturally follow. As such, Musk also announced that by the end of 2017 the company plans to increase the number Supercharger stations to 7,200 from 3,608 and Destination Charging stations from 3,689 to 15,000.
Tesla’s ability to deliver on that goal has been called into question recently as it has not met announced production timelines in the past. Musk went to great lengths to emphasize the scale of the production facilities of both the vehicles themselves and the lithium-ion batteries that power them, before asking himself the same question the hundreds in line outside Tesla locations worldwide and the 115,000 who have already dropped $1,000 to pre-order the Model are asking: “When are deliveries?”
“They’re next year,” Musk proclaimed as a matter of fact. “I do feel fairly confident that they will be next year” he added as the crowd laughed at his attempt to temper expectations.
Whenever they do eventually appear on a road near you, the Model 3 and Tesla are continuing to redefine every preconceived idea of what an EV is, and how much it should cost.


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Beckatt Solutions was recently announced as one of the winners of New World Reports annual Software and Technology Awards, 2020. - February 15, 2021 - Beckatt Solutions
Beckatt Solutions was recently named one of Mirror Review Magazine’s Top 3D Printing Companies of 2020. - November 24, 2020 - Beckatt Solutions
Beckatt Solutions was recently named one of the Best Additive Manufacturing Products Distributors – USA, as part of the 2020 Technology Innovator Awards - October 27, 2020 - Beckatt Solutions
Large Format Printer Parts, a worldwide distributor of wide format digital printer spare parts, is thrilled to announce a new distribution partnership with Sun Chemical for its inkjet Streamline range of solvent based inkjet inks.
The Streamline range of inkjet inks is designed for a wide variety of... - October 07, 2020 - Large Format Printer Parts
Beckatt Solutions stands ready to support hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic by offering 3D printing of medical supplies and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in short supply. - April 02, 2020 - Beckatt Solutions
Beckatt Solutions and Toryon Technologies are hosting an industry education day for those in the 3D printing and 2D digital printer industries at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas on August 1st. - July 29, 2019 - Beckatt Solutions
Beckatt Solutions announced the opening of two new offices in Phoenix and Las Vegas to support 3D printing customers in the Southwest. - July 15, 2019 - Beckatt Solutions
The theme for this year’s Association for Career and Technical Education Region III Conference is “CTE is HOT! HOT! HOT!” - June 12, 2019 - Beckatt Solutions
Beckatt Solutions will present Smart Manufacturing: Advancing the Future with Industrial 3D Printing at the Turkish Trade Center in Elk Grove Village. This event is being held in coordination with the Chicago Chapter of SME. - May 26, 2019 - Beckatt Solutions
St. Charles Rotary Club presentation to focus on 3D printing in business, and feature Michael Storey, Managing Partner of Beckatt Solutions. - November 16, 2018 - Beckatt Solutions
The fourth annual STEM Expo provides students the opportunity to visit exhibits and participate in hands-on STEM experiments. - November 10, 2018 - Beckatt Solutions
The School District U-46 STEM Expo Kick-Off Events are November 5th at Poplar Creek Library, November 8th at the Bartlett Public Library, November 14th at the Gail Borden Library (Main Branch) and November 15th at the Gail Borden Library (Rakow Branch). - October 30, 2018 - Beckatt Solutions
Dutch Sailmaker, De Vries Maritiem, has installed a new Blackman and White automated Orion flatbed cutter into their sail loft located in Lemmer. - October 24, 2018 - Blackman and White
Sal-Tech Easy Packaging (STEP) successfully tested and delivered a packaging solution for a prestigious company that requires a Malt Corn Sack Packaging Line. - July 20, 2018 - Sal-Tech Easy Packaging
Kompac, manufacturer and supplier of UV/aqueous priming and coating systems, is pleased to announce they’ve appointed Scorpio Sp. z o.o. as their newest distribution partner for Poland and the surrounding area. Based in Lodz, Scorpio is one of the leading distributors of machines and materials... - July 09, 2018 - Kompac
Hagoort Sails, the largest commercial sailmaker in the Netherlands recently installed a new dual gantry Genesis automated cutter. Employing over 13 people, the company produces 10 to 15 sails every week for sailing vessels ranging from leisure cruising craft to high performance racing yachts. - June 26, 2018 - Blackman and White
Beckatt.com 2.0 is a revamped and improved website for 3D printing, which will help customers identify 3D printing solutions for their businesses and schools. - May 29, 2018 - Beckatt Solutions
Manchester Print Services have just installed a new Blackman and White VersaTech™ wide bed cutter/router to help cope with the growing demand for wider format digital printing. - March 11, 2018 - Blackman and White
Innovative independent business pleased with longevity, innovation and continued growth. - February 14, 2018 - Poteet Printing Systems, LLC
Sal-Tech Easy Packaging is giving away an E3 Wrap 2100 Free Pallet Wrapper machine for White Christmas promo. - December 17, 2017 - Sal-Tech Easy Packaging
Kompac is pleased to announce they have recently partnered with Xeikon, and installed an EZ Koat 20 Plus at their new Itasca, IL., demonstration facility to show UV/aqueous coating capabilities when paired with Xeikon technology. Following the placement was the North American edition of Xeikon Café,... - December 09, 2017 - Kompac
Sal-Tech Easy Packaging (STEP) starts off the Holiday-giving with its Black Friday Event giving away five (5) units of one of the company’s innovative packaging machines; the E3 Wrap 2100, free of charge. - November 24, 2017 - Sal-Tech Easy Packaging
A 3D printer able to print anything? Since 3D printing technology is still under development, there aren’t any machines that give a chance to print literally anything, but it is just a matter of time. Nevertheless, even nowadays, with the use of 3D printing technology we are able to create really... - November 16, 2017 - Zortrax
The School District U-46 STEM Expo Kick-Off Events are November 14th at the Gail Borden Library, Rakow Branch, and November 15th at the Gail Borden Library, Main Branch - November 13, 2017 - Beckatt Solutions
The third annual STEM Expo provided students the opportunity to visit exhibits and participate in hands-on STEM experiments. - November 07, 2017 - Beckatt Solutions
Technology in Manufacturing October Meetup Group to focus on the latest innovations in industrial 3D printing, and feature Michael Storey of Beckatt Solutions and David Johnson of GSC. - October 07, 2017 - Beckatt Solutions
Zortrax is not only a printer. Zortrax has created a whole ecosystem, which includes machines, dedicated software, and high-quality materials made especially for their hardware. Providing comprehensive solutions was the idea from the beginning, because it was the best way to get the best quality without wondering about filament or slicer issues. - September 28, 2017 - Zortrax
Elgin Award Program Honors the Achievement - September 16, 2017 - Beckatt Solutions
Kompac’s New EZ Koat 20 Plus and 30 Plus models are now rated at speeds up to 200 feet per minute. Whether priming, using UV coating or aqueous coating, Kompac provides efficient and reliable solutions that create excellent results at affordable prices for the print industry.
Now offering an Anilox... - August 13, 2017 - Kompac
Phanes 3DP is the company behind the STL calculator for the 3D print business. Today, Phanes is announcing the release of a UberRush Integration for WooCommerce and Prestahop Platforms, their first non 3D product for e-Commerce. - July 10, 2017 - Abacab Ltd.
Phanes is a software and web development company that specializes in providing solutions for the 3D printer and print industry. The company's latest release integrates its 3D printing e-commerce platform with Astroprint's 3D Printing Cloud Platform. - June 13, 2017 - Abacab Ltd.
Re3dTech, an additive manufacturing service bureau in the north suburbs of Chicago, has partnered with Beckatt Solutions to provide industrial-grade 3D printing access and capacity to end users. - April 14, 2017 - Beckatt Solutions
With the close of Dscoop Phoenix, Kompac is pleased to announce they’ve signed a deal with Acculink for a Kwik Finish 32 UV/Aqueous coater. With the install to take place later in April, both Kompac and Acculink were pleased with the outcome of Dscoop and ability to connect with peers in the industry.
During... - April 10, 2017 - Kompac
Phanes is a software and web development company that specializes in providing solutions for the 3D printer and print industry. The company has developed a 3D calculator that can be easily installed on any Wordpress site to help freelancers provide quick and reliable quotes. - January 09, 2017 - Abacab Ltd.
Awards Ceremony held on 10/25/16 at The Harris Theater; Nominee Reception held on 9/7/16 at Park West. - December 18, 2016 - Beckatt Solutions
Beckatt Solutions has been selected for the 2016 Best of Elgin Award in the Distribution Service category by the Elgin Award Program. - December 11, 2016 - Beckatt Solutions
KBMax, available on the Salesforce AppExchange, released its Salesforce CPQ integration modules - MAX 3D User Interface, MAX Configure Engine, and MAX CAD Automation, all Salesforce Lightning and Salesforce1 Ready. - December 07, 2016 - KBMax
The partnership, in which Beckatt Solutions will add EnvisionTEC’s unique lines of 3D printers to their product offerings, will to help make world-class, professional 3D printing more accessible to Chicago-area companies and education institutions. - December 04, 2016 - Beckatt Solutions
Beckatt Solutions, a Midwest distributor of 3D printing products, and certified reseller for Mcor Technologies, will begin taking pre-orders for the Mcor ARKe starting on July 18th, 2016. Beckatt Solutions will offer current and new customers the chance to reserve a full color ARKe 3D printer, scheduled... - July 17, 2016 - Beckatt Solutions
Beckatt Solutions, a leading Midwest provider of 3D printing technology and services, will demonstrate the sustainability and viability of 3D printing and 3D printing technology at the Sustainability Expo at Elgin Community College, on Wednesday, April 20th, 2016, from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm. - April 17, 2016 - Beckatt Solutions
Beckatt Solutions, a leading Midwest provider of 3D printing technology and services, will exhibit at the USA Science & Engineering Festival at Oakton Community College, Des Plaines Campus in Des Plaines, IL, on April 2nd. - March 30, 2016 - Beckatt Solutions
The 3P photobook publishing solution (http://www.3p-publisher.com/index.php/best-desktop-publishing-online-photobook-editor-solution.html) has 3 major components: an award winning Desktop Publisher for PCs, a new platform independent Online Designer for HTML5 capable browsers, and a robust and flexible Storefront & Backoffice production system. The new Online Designer is one of the fastest and feature richest applications of its kind on the web2print market. - March 03, 2016 - 1STEIN
Beckatt Solutions, a leading Midwest provider of 3D printing technology and services, will exhibit at the Illinois Career and Technical Education Conference at the Par-A-Dice Hotel and Convention Center in East Peoria, IL, on February 18th. Beckatt Solutions will represent 3D printer manufacturers Mcor Technologies, MakerBot and MarkForged, and their respective lines of 3D printers. - February 14, 2016 - Beckatt Solutions
Beckatt Solutions, a leading Midwest provider of 3D printing technology and services, exhibited at the NEW 200 Foundation STEM Expo Hubble Middle School in Warrenville, IL, on January 28th. - January 29, 2016 - Beckatt Solutions
Cobra Systems, Inc., a leading provider of industrial print solutions and its employees, are feeling more generous than ever this holiday season. They have chosen two very deserving charitable organizations to donate to this year: Crittenton Services, a local (Fullerton, CA.) nonprofit organization helping Children and Families of abuse and neglect, and Toys-for-Tots. If you would like to donate, contributions can be dropped off at Cobra Systems, 3521 E. Enterprise Dr. Anaheim CA. - December 15, 2015 - Cobra Systems, Inc.
Beckatt Solutions, a leading Midwest provider of 3D printing technology and services, hosted an open house for visitors and showcased a number of 3D printing technologies at their office on Thursday, December 3rd, as part of 3D Hubs’ Global 3D Printing Day celebration. - December 04, 2015 - Beckatt Solutions
The partnership, in which Beckatt Solutions will add the Mark One Composite 3D printer to their product offerings, will to help make world-class 3D printing more accessible to Midwest companies, education institutions and consumers. - November 05, 2015 - Beckatt Solutions
Faustel announces the TecMaster R&D Coater/Laminator designed to meet small scale, early-stage product, and process development. The TecMaster is a stand-alone coating/laminating line for laboratory and pilot-scale manufacturing used to predict coating and substrate characteristics in various coating/laminating... - October 29, 2015 - Faustel
Beckatt Solutions, a leading Midwest provider of 3D printing technology and services, will exhibit at the Illinois Technology Education Conference at the Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Bloomington, IL, on October 16th. - October 16, 2015 - Beckatt Solutions
In addition to having already hired five new members to its staff, other Wolverine Flexographics upgrades planned include: reorganizing its plant to provide greater workflow efficiencies and expanding inventory. - August 20, 2015 - Wolverine Flexographic


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We exist to connect, protect and grow the outdoor recreation ecosystem in Washington State. We serve as the collective eyes & ears, heart, mind and voice.
We seek to help be the voice for our industry. In service to our industry members, the outdoor recreation sector, and the public, we are in a position to share exciting industry news from our Alliance Members. The following is a press release from Seattle Manufacturing Corporation (SMC).
EVENT ON HOLD: We had planned an Alliance Gathering at member business, Seattle Manufacturing Corporation (SMC), on Tuesday, June 2nd in Ferndale, WA. and meet their team and get a behind the scenes look at their business.
February 26, 2020
SMC TO PRODUCE OMEGA CARABINER LINE
SMC, a specialty rescue and climbing hardgoods company, to carry forward a range of Omega Pacific’s top selling ISO forged carabiners.
Ferndale, WA. February 25th, 2020 – Seattle Manufacturing Corporation (SMC) announced today that it has purchased the tooling and machinery to produce Omega Pacific’s top selling carabiners – specifically the ISO forged D’s, Ovals, and select HMS models.
On January 20th of this year, Omega Pacific, one of the U.S.’s largest manufacturers of carabiners announced that it would be winding down operations after 37 years in business stating the pronouncement was based on economic factors and the owner’s decision to retire.
Along with the tooling and machinery, Omega Pacific is collaborating with SMC to transfer all the required intellectual capital, supply chain, and customer contact information. “I can’t overstate how cooperative the entire Omega Pacific team has been” says John Evans, SMC’s Sales and Marketing Director. “It’s obvious they are truly looking out for the needs of their customers and trying to make the transition as seamless as possible”.
Rob Nadeau, Omega Pacific’s CEO commented “SMC was the obvious choice to continue Omega Pacific’s legacy of reliable, quality carabiners. Our closing was going to leave a huge void in the recreational climbing, industrial, OEM, rescue and military markets. This agreement ensures those key products that have become vital components in so many applications, will be available for decades to come.”
Evans notes that “for many of Omega Pacific’s existing customers, SMC’s product line, which includes pulleys, edge protection, and steel carabiners, will be a great compliment to their product assortment.”
While the transfer is still in its early stages, SMC hopes to begin deliveries in early June. The Omega name will be removed from the carabiners and the line will become SMC’s new “Force” series. All technical specifications as well as the NSN numbers will remain the same. Models will include both the locking and non-locking styles and will be offered in the same popular color options.
SMC is one of America’s most trusted technical rescue brands. Founded in 1967 as Seattle Manufacturing Corporation, during the golden age of high-altitude mountaineering, SMC products have accompanied many of the Northwest’s finest climbers on historic ascents of peaks like K2 and Everest. Today SMC continues to produce Kobah ice axes and other mountaineering equipment, as well as being a leading supplier of technical rescue equipment for fire rescue and industrial safety. SMC is an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer, an independent, third party certification process that guarantees reliability and efficiency in manufacturing. All SMC products are made in the USA at their Ferndale Washington facility. Read more about SMC.
Sign up for our Alliance eNewsletter for updates and event announcements.
Follow Recreation Northwest
Todd Elsworth is one of the many “Mossy-haired lunatics roaming the dripping peninsulas”, described in “I’m Here for the Weather” by Tom Robbins. As executive director, he works to fulfill our mission to teach the health benefits of nature, promote outdoor recreation, and steward the places where we play.


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Motorola has announced that its G4 Apollo processor will beat the 1 GHz mark. Apple Computer, the sole PC maker using the chip, has not yet announced when it will upgrade from its current, fastest 500 MHz version. Most G4 chips, however, are sold for networking equipment and Motorola also announced a 1 GHz notebook chip scheduled for the first half of next year. According to Motorola, the G4 speed increase came from silicon on insulator (SOI) technology that improves electron movement.
To access the source article, click news.com.


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Washington, DC – The United States government has again imposed new sanctions on North Korea on November 21, 2017. This is done in an attempt to disarm the North's missile development project and its nuclear warheads
The new sanctions target a number of shipping, goods distribution and trade shipping firms operated by North Korean and Chinese business entities. Similarly, as quoted from CNN Money, Wednesday (22/11/2017).
"Given North Korea continues to threaten international peace and security, we are determined to continue to maximize economic pressure to isolate the country from their sources of trade abroad and cut their revenues," said US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
The latest sanctions target one individual, 13 companies and 20 vessels involved in trade transactions benefiting North Korea worth millions of dollars.
The US Treasury says most firms that are targeted by sanctions are those who operate in the transportation industry for the distribution of goods and commodities imported by North Korea.
North Korea is also known to implement illegal shipping practices, including the transfer of ships to ships, according to the US Treasury.
Chinese Business Firm Involvement
Some of the Chinese companies' names are also the target of imposing sanctions. Three Chinese trading companies are known to export goods worth about US $ 650 million to North Korea and import more than US $ 100 million.
The import-export products include notebook computers, coal, and iron.
Another Chinese company, Dandong Dongyuan Industrial, exported goods worth more than US $ 28 million to North Korea for several years.
The goods are in the form of motor vehicles, electric machines, and other products related to nuclear reactor development projects for North Korea.Dandong Dongyuan has also been associated with a front-company for North Korean organizations that develop weapons of mass destruction.


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Tag : Deals
Amazon has unveiled a new discount promo targeting gamer online shoppers. But, as noted by the online retailer, only those with an Amazon Prime subscription will be able to take advantage of the deal. Microsoft has unveiled the official line-up of games that are included in this week's Deals with Gold discount program. And, like in previous offerings, only gamers with Xbox Live Gold memberships will be able to take advantage of the discounted titles for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 consoles. Thanksgiving's Black Friday sale may already be over but discounts and deals for the gaming community are still pouring in. Just recently, major consumer electronics retailer Best Buy unveiled a new promo that will give away one free game to consumers if they buy two titles for the Xbox One or PlayS… Microsoft has unveiled the discounted games that are featured for this week's Deals with Gold program. The discounts being offered by the tech giant for its avid Xbox One and Xbox 360 gamers range from 15 to 75 percent. Best Buy is conducting another trade-in program that will let customers go home with a brand new Xbox One console for a very low price. All consumers have to do is bring in their old Xbox or PlayStation consoles to get a discount of up to $150.


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GREEN BAY -- One Green Bay company is banking on the Packers going all the way. Green and gold success could catapult their business.
The magic number is three. That's the number of Packers wins Promotional Designs needs in order for their t-shirt business to boom.
There is rarely a quiet moment at Promotional Designs in Green Bay. The embroidery and screen-printing business is constantly creating and it could be getting a whole lot busier.
"It gets very exciting around here," said Leo Liegeois, Promotional Designs.
A winning Packers scenario would also be a win for the business. The company is contracted with Nike to print Packers NFC Championship t-shirts and Packers Super Bowl Championship shirts.
"As Aaron Rodgers said, 'run the table,' they've got three more tables to run," said Liegeois.
The company has been here before, captured winning teams on a t-shirt.
"This one we printed for the 2010 Super Bowl -- this is one of the earlier ones from the '96 Super Bowl," Liegeois said.
Churning out the merchandise is no easy task.
"They would print approximately 1,800 shirts per hour, working around the clock," said Liegeois.
Every step is meticulously maintained.
"Once the shirts are printed, they needed to go through the drying process," said Liegeois.
Just like the team, they try to keep fans happy.
"When this type of printing happens, it's a great windfall for us. It keeps everybody busy and on their toes," said Liegeois.
And just like the fans they will be closely watching every step of this playoff run.
"I'm a Packers fan, every stretch of the imagination and as a business we hope so too they take it all the way and run that table," said Liegeois.
The company is on a winning streak of its own. Just this fall, it printed some of the Chicago Cubs World Series t-shirts.


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Is the short bet on the Yen over? Well, maybe not when it comes to trade vs. the Dollar. But as far as other weaker currencies, that's a different story. As it relates to the Euro, then indeed, the long bet on the EUR/JPY might be over. And here's the reason why.
Inflation might be coming back
That's a rather straightforward statement, but the Bank of Japan believes that inflation is inching higher. And while it's not as clear-cut a case a, let's say in the US, still there is a basis for it. When calculating Japan's inflation, excluding volatile prices such as food and energy, inflation gained 0.6%. Now, while that's still low, it's a move in the positive direction.
Moreover, a quick look at the inflation figures per segments and you can see most segments have experienced price increases. That is a mildly hawkish sign. It must be pointed out that the BOJ is about to change the way it measures core inflation. Going forward, the BOJ will publish core inflation figures, calculated both with and without energy prices. However, the BOJ will focus on core inflation excluding energy prices. Previously, by including them, it distorted the inflation figures into the downside. Continue reading "Are All Yen Bets Off?"


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Food Lion has named Meg Ham president, effective Nov. 1., succeeding Beth Newlands Campbell, who is leaving the company for personal and professional reasons.
Delhaize Group has appointed former Supervalu executive Kevin Holt as CEO for Delhaize America, effective July 7.
Moving ahead with its previously announced turnaround strategy, Supervalu said it has overhauled its executive leadership team.
Supervalu on Thursday announced that Pete Van Helden, EVP retail operations, will be leaving the company this spring. Taking his place will be Kevin Holt.


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The Super Bowl is almost upon us and Rihanna wants to get us game ready!
As the highlight of the football calendar, the Super Bowl is watched by millions, with the halftime show raking in the most viewers. This year’s headliner is the “Lift Me Up” singer.
In addition to being a superstar performer, Rihanna is also the founder of a very successful fashion and cosmetics brand. And so, to celebrate her first live performance in more than 5 years, RiRi is releasing a new Savage X Fenty collection to mark the big day!
The Savage X Fenty Game Day collection includes 17 items, ranging from jerseys to hoodies.
The hoodies, beanies, tube tops, and sweatpants feature the phrase “Property of Fenty” and “Authentic since 1988” which is the year that the Grammy winner was born. The caps, which come in different colors, bear the logo “LVII” to mark the 57th edition of the Super Bowl.
The coolest piece from the collection might just be the T-shirt that reads “Rihanna concert interrupted by a football game, weird but whatever.” The inside of the shirt features a photo of Rihanna wearing a football helmet.
The limited edition collection is available to shop online, with some items already being sold out.


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PrintPack India 2013 rolls out the red carpet
India is the third largest Asian market for printing equipment and consumables with some 200,000 printing presses installed nationwide. It employs 700,000 people directly and an estimated 450,000 people indirectly. Moreover, Indian printing industry’s growth has superseded India’s GDP growth by growing by almost 12.2% per annum for the last half-a-decade.
23 Feb 2013 | By Mihir Joshi
Since the last PrintPack India a couple of years back the Indian print industry has changed by leaps and bounds. PrintPack India 2013 has not remained immune to the shifts in the industry and the new and (hopefully) improved PrintPack promises to be a interesting show, with the who’s who of the Indian print industry and some global movers and shakers expected to make their presence felt at the six-day long at India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida, NCR Delhi between 23-28 February 2013.
The eleventh edition of the PrintPack India is perhaps one of the biggest in Asia, and the fourth largest in the world, according to Indian Printing and allied manufacturers Association (IPAMA), the organisers of the event. PrintPack India’s previous edition in 2011 attracted over 400 exhibitors from India and 16 overseas countries. These included Canada, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and USA. During the six day event, there were 40,000 business visitors and several foreign delegates.
Spread across more than 15,000 sq/m with more than 350 confirmed exhibitors till the time we went to print and a few more expected to join in before the show kickstarts on 23 February PrintPack India 2013 looks set to replicate 2011’s encouraging numbers if not surpass it.
For the first time since its inception PrintPack India moves out of New Delhi and the iconic Pragati Maidan. Many have feared that this shift of venue can backfire as the new venue has raised worries about accessibility and standard of facilities available at India Expo Centre and Mart, Talking to PrintWeek India about this shift C P Paul, general secretary of Indian Printing Packaging & Allied Machinery Manufacturer’s Association (IPAMA) defended the shift and said, “Facilities in Greater Noida are world-class and far better when compared to Pragati Maidan, which is almost an historical structure now.” He also brushed aside claims that the new venue’s location will deter visitors from attending the exposition, he added, “In our opinion, when you upload the face of PrintPack India, distance will not be a deterring factor for a serious visitor.” He further addressed the connectivity problem by highlighting the excellent connectivity and accommodation facilities at the new venue. “The India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida is spread over 58 acres and is India’s first fully integrated state of the art exhibition cum convention facility. Adjacent to the Centre, about 1,500 rooms are available, ranging from five star quality to budget category. Road connectivity to NCR Delhi is through eight lane expressway.”
Another new idea which had been added to the show, but subsequently scrapped was charging visitors an entry fee which was inclusive of a metro card and a free shuttle service from the metro station to the venue. There were two kind of passes available one-day pass which would have cost Rs 200 and a three-day pass was priced at Rs 500. The organiser believed that such an entry fee will act as a filter and help bring in genuine visitors.
The exposition will be accompanied by a comprehensive two-day NPES Print Business Outlook Conference 2013 which is intended to act as a forum for participants to learn first-hand about the opportunities and challenges in the global print market and to provide an opportunity to forge partnerships and alliances.
It will be held in association with PrintPack India 2013 and is co-sponsored by NPES and the Indian Printing Packaging & Allied Machinery Manufacturing Associations (IPAMA). It is also supported by the U.S. Commercial Service (USCS), the Indian Newspaper Society (INS), and the All Indian Master Printers Association (AIFMP). It will be held on 24–25 February, 2013 at the same venue. The theme for this year’s conference is “Mission Possible: How to Profit from New Technology”


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Thursday 01 November 2012
Whale wins 2 prestigious awards at the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ireland Marketing Excellence Awards ceremony Whale is delighted to announce their recent success at the CIM Marketing Excellence Awards held in Belfast’s iconic Titanic Exhibition Centre.
Friday 18 May 2012
With offices in four countries and customers all over the globe, Bangor firm Whale Engineering is proving the value of an export-driven strategy. Clare Weir from the Belfast Telegraph reports.


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Ricoh India has achieved revenue of Rs 442 crores, which is almost double of Rs 226 crores in Q1 last year. IT services helped Ricoh India raise the bar with over 237% growth in Q1. Revenue from IT services saw a huge upward plunge of Rs 320 crores from Rs 134 crores in Q1 last year.
The company forayed into IT services a few years ago and in 2014-15 it made about 65 per cent of its Rs 1,637.81 crore revenue from the information technology solutions business. Ricoh’s hardware business which includes printers, copiers, and cameras, contributes around 35 per cent of sales.
However, the three principal Business Domains of the company, namely Imaging, IT Services & Communication, perfectly synergized with each other to enable Ricoh to position itself as a one stop solution provider to meet every need of its customer in the Office domain.
As a result of this approach, the company is experiencing unprecedented growth in all its business domains. In spite of the rapid growth the company has been able to control its external bank borrowings by fulfilling a significant portion of its funds requirements through internal accruals. This was made possible by the strong internal controls, through which the company improved its inventory as well as debt collections. The strong focus provided by the company towards management of its inventory and receivables in the face of its huge business growth continues to strengthen its cash flows. The sharp depreciation of Indian currency in the recent times is unlikely to have any significant impact on the company’s financial performance, as confirmed by the company sources.
The growing IT Services business of the company, which contributes to about two-thirds of its total business, acts as a natural hedge against any forex loss due to currency depreciation. The company does not carry out any imports for this business line and therefore, remains insulated from the adverse impact of the Rupee depreciation to a large extent. The subsidiary of Japanese imaging and office automation major, Ricoh India is currently focusing on the vertical business approach and has recently introduced innovative solutions for banking and finance industry, manufacturing, healthcare, education and the retail sector


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Tuesday, January 19, 2016
OpenX Tops $140M In Revenues
Los Angeles-based online advertising technology provider OpenX said late Monday evening that the company has reached $140M in revenues, which it says is a record. The privately held company--which has not previously reported its revenue number publicly--said it doubled its revenue and tripled its profits in the last two years. OpenX, which is led by Tim Cadogan, said that it saw 40% organic, year-over-year growth and added over 250 publishers during the year. The company also says it has been growing in terms of employees; the company said it had 110 net new hires in 2015, a 31 percent increase in its headcount. Privately held OpenX has long been rumored to be seeking an IPO; the new revenue announcement might suggest the company is now also looking towards private equity or strategic acquirers, as it is quite unusual for private companies to announced their financials publicly.


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Firms offered chance for share of £60m semi-closed fish farm budget
Loch Long Salmon will hold supply chain event next week
Loch Long Salmon, which plans an 8,000-tonne floating semi-closed containment fish farm in Loch Linnhe, is taking early steps to maximise the economic benefits of its plans by organising a supply chain event in Oban next week.
The project at Lurignish, between Appin and Duror, is expected to require a total investment of over £60 million, representing an opportunity for local and regional businesses to get involved in consenting, construction and operational phases.
The event is being organised in partnership with the Lochaber Chamber of Commerce with businesses working within and outside the aquaculture sector invited. It will take place from 2pm – 5pm on Wednesday, 10 May in the WSB Conference Suite at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) at Dunbeg near Oban. Any business interested in attending should email Mark Shotter at firstname.lastname@example.org.
From the surface a semi-closed containment site looks like a conventional open net salmon farm, but underneath the water, the net is surrounded and protected by an impermeable PVC barrier, with water drawn up and circulated from deeper in the loch below the layer where sea lice are usually found.
The barrier removes the threat of sea lice and attacks by seals, meaning it won’t use sea lice treatments or acoustic seal scarers, some of which can harm dolphins or other cetaceans. The semi-closed cage also captures the salmon waste so that this can be brought ashore and used in green energy production or as a fertiliser ingredient.
Loch Long Salmon said hundreds of farming cycles using the technology in other countries had proven these facts, as well as showing no escapes.
Stewart Hawthorn, managing director of Loch Long Salmon, said: “The salmon farming industry is already a key part of the economy in rural communities across Scotland. This project and others we are planning will build on that, adding to the fantastic opportunities provided by aquaculture companies already operating across Argyll & Bute.
“The semi-closed containment technology we are proposing for our site at Lurignish on Loch Linnhe has been proven commercially in Norway, Canada and the Faroe Islands. While there are some elements that differ to existing systems in operation there are a lot of technical similarities, and we know businesses here have the right expertise and skills to help.
“I hope we see a range of businesses from the area so they can hear about our plans, and we can better understand the local supply chain, allowing us to maximise the economic benefits of this transformative technology for this region and the rest of Scotland.”
Frazer Coupland, chief executive of Lochaber Chamber of Commerce, said: “It’s encouraging to see this investment and technology advancements being at the forefront. I’m looking forward to attending this event and I urge businesses to come along and support this project moving forward.”


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In an audacious move to make a mark in the global digital economy, Nigeria has declared its commitment to the blossoming $1.7 trillion blockchain industry. The Nigerian government has developed a National Policy on Blockchain Technology and established a dedicated committee to steer its implementation, underscoring the country’s goal to become a significant player in the worldwide blockchain sphere.
The Genesis of a Blockchain Revolution
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami, launched the visionary policy at the Digital Economy Complex in Abuja, setting the stage for a blockchain-centric Nigeria. Pantami aims to foster and accelerate the country’s engagement with blockchain technology, pushing Nigeria towards a leading role in the global blockchain network.
Bringing the National Blockchain Strategy to Life
The creation of this National Blockchain Policy is a critical measure in achieving the government’s comprehensive plan on ICT and Digital Economy. Nigeria, unlike many other African nations, is willingly plunging into the era of disruptive technologies that the Fourth Industrial Revolution brings. These advancements include Blockchain Technology, AI, Robotics, and much more.
Blockchain Adoption: An Economic Gamechanger
According to Kashifu Abdullahi, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), blockchain technology promises vast economic growth.
Nigeria’s national accomplishments in tech innovation have solidified its standing as Africa’s leading tech hub. The new policy aims to further catalyze this growth by providing an environment that nurtures innovation, helping to mold a new generation of digital pioneers.
Towards a Digital Future: The Roadmap
Abdullahi stated that this blockchain initiative is a crucial step towards realizing a fully digital Nigeria, enabling citizens to acquire advanced technological skills and innovate within the blockchain sphere.
He added that blockchain technology could contribute an estimated $1.76 trillion to the global GDP by 2030, as per a PwC report. Nigeria, with effective policy implementation, could potentially claim up to $4 billion of this amount.
The launch concluded with the graduation of over 32,000 individuals trained in blockchain technology, signaling Nigeria’s commitment to fostering a technologically proficient populace. With this focused drive towards blockchain integration, Nigeria stands ready to seize the rich prospects available in the ever-expanding global blockchain market.


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The payments king is dead, long live the new king!
As 2023 draws to a close, we’re revisiting select Investor Essentials Daily articles from this year that stood out.
In a year characterized by economic concerns and geopolitical conflicts, many investors were still laser-focused on how interest rates and inflation affect the markets. Others, on the other hand, took advantage of pockets of substantial growth to identify potentially outperforming stocks despite fears of another U.S. recession.
One of the companies we featured as one of our stock picks is up more than 20% since we issued the article back in May.
Here is what we originally wrote for Global Payments (GPN).
Investor Essentials Daily:
Tuesday FA Alpha 50
Powered by Valens Research
Cash is not king anymore.
E-commerce is immensely growing, and has already started changing how we pay. The disruption has led to banks increasing their offerings and large tech conglomerates like Apple (AAPL) introducing alternative payment solutions such as Apple Pay.
The pandemic was the latest accelerator and helped us get far closer to the end goal of not using cash at all.
According to The World Bank, the percentage of adults having bank accounts surged from 68% in 2017 to 76% in 2022. Two-thirds of us now make or receive a digital payment.
This is not only happening in developed countries. The share of developing economies in worldwide digital payments grew from 35% in 2014 to 57% in 2021.
It is safe to say that digital payments are already the norm in many areas. Today, it is time to have serious discussions about what the payments industry will look like in the future.
The Fed has been looking into a possible U.S. Central Bank Digital Currency to help solidify digital payments as the only real option going forward.
We are talking about a truly cashless society, and there are some big beneficiaries of this transformation.
One company, in particular, has been at the helm of building the world’s digital payment infrastructure from the back end. That company is Global Payments (GPN).
It provides international payment technology and software solutions for cards, checks, and digital-based payments.
Global Payments thrived as digital payments increased their share of the whole payments market. Its Uniform return on assets (“ROA”) has been above 40% for the last six years.
We saw how it benefits from the transformation in payments, especially during the pandemic. The company’s ROA jumped from 56% in 2020 to above 70% in 2021 in just one year.
Take a look at it yourself…
It is clear that the world will continue its transition to a cashless society. That means constant investments in digital payment infrastructure.
Global Payments is on the receiving end of these investments, which helps it grow like crazy.
Yet, the market chooses to ignore the obvious. Global Payments’ stock is trading at a Uniform price-to-book ratio (“P/B”) of 7.1x and a Uniform price-to-earnings ratio (“P/E”) of 16.7x.
That P/B is the lowest since 2015, and the P/E is on the lower end of what the stock has been trading at.
The market fails to see the surge of digital payments and is the biggest beneficiary of this trend.
That is why Global Payments showed up on our screen. Its high returns, high growth, sustainability of those, and low valuation make it a great FA Alpha 50 name.
Throughout financial market history, many of the world’s most successful investors have been candid in their belief that Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) distort economic reality.
Warren Buffett, for example, once said investors should “concentrate on the world of companies, not arcane accounting mathematics.”
Investors who neglect the very real issues with as-reported accounting can find themselves caught up in investing with the crowd, blindly following hot “themes” without a thorough grasp of how to understand the businesses in question.
The only true way to focus on the “world of companies,” as Buffett suggests investors do, is to present a clear picture of how a business operates, something that can only be done by adjusting financial statements to reflect the arbitrary nature of certain accounting rules that leave much to discretion.
The world’s best investors understand the need to make these adjustments, which allows them to focus not on picking out the most popular companies but rather on looking for great names in sleepy areas that the market isn’t paying much attention to. From there, the goal is to then identify quality companies with significant growth potential at reasonable prices.
That’s exactly what we’ve set out to do with the FA Alpha, our monthly list of 50 companies that rank at the top for quality, high growth, and low valuations.
This list has outperformed the market by 300 basis points per year for over 20 years now, effectively doubling the performance of the market by focusing on the real fundamentals and valuations of companies with our proprietary Uniform Accounting framework.
See for yourself below.
To see the other 49 names on the list, click here.
Joel Litman & Rob Spivey
Chief Investment Strategist &
Director of Research
at Valens Research


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Oregon’s governor and U.S. senators joined Intel’s CEO and other senior leaders in Hillsboro to mark the grand opening of a $3 billion expansion of the D1X factory where Intel develops its most advanced microprocessors.
Bob Swan, who became the company’s chief executive in early 2019, will be replaced in mid-February by industry veteran Pat Gelsinger. Intel said Wednesday that the change in leadership is unrelated to its financial performance.
How strong are states' civil rights protections? What advances are Oregon farmers making around saving water? Also, we talk to a team from Intel and the Oregon Symphony who are collaborating on wearable music technology.
Intel, one of the world’s largest suppliers of semiconductors for decades, is shifting its focus from primarily making chips for personal computers to the growing parts of its business, including cloud-based and connected computing sectors.


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29th Annual Salary Survey: Experience pays
Our 2013 survey finds that the highest salaries in logistics and supply chain management will be earned by those sticking to time-honored values: education, hard work, and company loyalty.
By Patrick Burnson, Executive Editor
April 01, 2013
According to the findings of Logistics Management’s (LM) 29th Annual Salary Survey conducted by Peerless Media Research Group (PRG), median earnings and compensation are on an even keel. But if a sudden tidal surge occurs in 2013, it will not be one that lifts all boats. Indeed, our research team contends that the winners will be those who have kept faith with time-honored values: education, hard work, and company loyalty.
Our research team also finds that the demographic “sweet spot” for salary is still in the middle-age range of 45 years old all the way to 63 years old; however, we found that younger professionals on the fast track can eclipse their current salaries with added education. But for that happen, says our research team, they will have to strive for excellence when it comes to introducing decision analysis, IT tools, cross-functional and cross-organizational teaming, as well as finance—and do it for the same company for a while.
Austerity and diversity
Austerity measures and “doing more with less” continue to inform most companies’ tactical direction, but there’s little doubt that long-term strategic plans will be reliant on attracting a younger and more diverse workforce. According to Rosemary Coates, an educator and president of Blue Silk Consulting in Los Gatos, Calif., women will be playing a much larger role in this industry in the coming decade.
“The supply chain and logistics arena is a place where there are a lot of existing problems,” says Coates. “Women are problem-solvers. We have traditionally had to deal with family budgets and evaluating risk and reward in our family lives, so when it comes to bringing value to employers, we can draw from that discipline and experience.”
Amanda Tillman couldn’t agree more. She’s a young carrier specialist with Kaiser Logistics in Milton, Wisc., who says that the “glass ceiling” may soon be athing of the past.
“Trucking is a ‘boy’s world,’” says Tillman, “but once a woman can get her foot through the door, the sky is the limit. While I like working for a family-run business, in five or 10 years, I hope to move up to a higher management level.”
Tillman, who has degrees in marketing and public administration, believes that ongoing education is a must. “You never stop learning when you get into this business,” she says, “and I would recommend logistics management to any young woman seeking a balanced and rewarding career.”
Brenda Gautier, director of operations for MW Logistics, LLC, in North Dallas, Texas, feels Tillman is on the right track. As a “seasoned professional,” she says she helped lay the groundwork for women to enter the senior ranks in logistics and transportation.
“It’s too late for me,” says Gautier, “but I’m glad I was among those willing to ‘fight the fight’ and create opportunities for others. Loyalty is rewarded in this business, and you can create considerable change within the company if you work hard and keep your passion.”
About the Author
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83% of surveyed manufacturers either already have IoT implementations in place or plans to deploy within a year.
While the Port of Oakland agrees that Saturday gate operations might ease congestion, they have a few "concerns" of their own
The four international marine container terminals at the Port of Oakland have announced they are developing a program to operate their terminal gates on Saturdays to reduce weekday congestion at the port.
Private fleet managers are facing a remarkable set of challenges in today's demanding business environment.
The "from any place at any time" omni-channel fulfillment mindset is just one significant development that companies have had to adapt to in their quest to keep customers and business partners happy.
This is the first guaranteed weekly service direct to the U.S. from Singapore as part of the company’s initiative to enhance its LCL offerings serving Trans-pacific needs.


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Moderate consumption of coffee is associated with a decreased risk of depression and lower levels of Parkinson’s and dementia, according to new research.
A review of more than 200 studies have shown that drinking 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day also associated with many other advantages.
These include lower levels of heart disease, reduce the risk of certain cancers, diabetes, and liver disease.
The authors of the study write: “the Consumption of coffee has been associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease. Consumption had a consistent Association with lower risk of depression and cognitive disorders, especially Alzheimer’s disease”.
Coffee has also been associated with lower risk of several cancers:
• prostate cancer
• skin cancer
• liver cancer
The risk of type 2 diabetes, gallstones, and gout was lower in those who drank coffee. Obvious effect of coffee was particularly strong for diseases of the liver such as cirrhosis. Evidence of the consumption of decaffeinated coffee was not as strong.
Writing a linked comment, Professor Eliseo Guallar, an expert in the field of public health, said: “Should doctors recommend drinking coffee to prevent disease? Should people start drinking coffee for health reasons? The answer to both questions is no.
But if you already drink coffee, then how much should you drink?
Professor Gullar explained: “… the lowest risk of disease associated with drinking three to five cups of coffee a day. Higher consumption may reduce or reverse the potential benefits, and there is significant uncertainty both in individual studies and meta-analyses on the effects of higher levels of consumption. Thus, conclusions about the safety of coffee should be limited to moderate consumption”.


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Today’s high-profile debut of JD Logistics on the Hong Kong stock market highlights the essential role of logistics in e-commerce and the future of fashion, from mass market to luxury.
Both in China, where JD Logistics was founded as part of e-commerce giant JD.com, and in the West, customers expect retailers to provide fast, same or next-day delivery with no, or minimal, additional costs.
Competition between e-commerce platforms is heating up in China, in part boosted also by a state-led crackdown on monopolistic behaviour. The provision of top-notch delivery and customer services is becoming a prime differentiator, particularly for luxury brands that place high priority on efficient delivery across their choice of third-party platforms and channels.
With the creation of JD Logistics, an integrated supply chain provider founded in 2007, JD.com foresaw this kind of expectation from brands and took action ahead of competitors, says Chris Lo, associate professor of fashion retail and marketing at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. “JD and JD Logistics have emphasised their omnichannel solution for luxury,” he says. As an integrated supply chain provider, JD Logistics oversees a full value chain, from the digital storefront to warehouses and last-mile delivery. This enables a clear view of consumer demand and tight control over where products are stored and how they are delivered.
“For luxury brands especially, the competition is not about price, it’s about logistic services,” says Lo. “Logistic service quality will be the next battleground for all marketplaces in China going forward.”
Investors appear to agree. On the day of its IPO, this Friday, JD Logistics shares jumped as much as 18.3 per cent after it raised $3.2 billion. Shares were 3.5 per cent higher near closing. The company placed the price at 40.36 HKD per share, at the lowest end of its proposed range. The IPO is the second largest in the Hong Kong market this year, following short-video platform Kuaishou’s $5.3 billion IPO in February.
JD Logistics, which has been in the red since it was created, said in its prospectus that it expects fluctuations in profitability in the near to medium term as it focuses on business growth and market share expansion. The company plans to use the cash injection from the IPO to invest in areas such as sales forecasting, inventory planning and broadening the logistics network across China — capabilities that have given it an advantage over competitors, including Alibaba, which founded its own logistics platform, Cainiao, in 2013. “From the early stage, JD always had that edge over Alibaba both from a consumer perspective and from the logistics end, because they had full control [of logistics],” says Chengyi Lin, affiliate professor of strategy at Insead.


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SNDL Inc. SNDL released its financial and operational results Monday for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022, revealing record net revenue of CA$223.7 million ($173.3 million), compared to CA$9.2 million in the second quarter of 2021, representing a 2,344% increase.
Net loss was of CA$74.0 million for the second quarter of 2022, compared to a net loss of CA$52.3 million in the second quarter of 2021, a 41% increase.
Adjusted EBITDA loss of CA$25.9 million for the second quarter of 2022, including an adjusted EBITDA loss of CA$35.5 million from the investments segment, compared to adjusted EBITDA loss of CA$0.2 million in the second quarter of 2021.
Cantor Fitzgerald’s Pablo Zuanic kept ‘Neutral’ rating on SNDL stock, lowering the price target to $3.56 from $4.80.
Zuanic reduced the price target due to the lower market valuations.
Similarly to other marijuana businesses, provided with more than $1 billion cash inflows, Sundial is also using funds to build an “ecosystem.”
However, unlike Tilray TLRY that bought low multiple, EBITDA-positive and cash-generating consumer packaged goods companies, or Canopy Growth CGC, which opted to invest in U.S. nationality via stakes in U.S. multi-state operators and brands, “Sundial opted to branch out into four separate verticals that, on the surface, seem less synergistic and have resulted in an above average level of complexity (vs. the group), in our view,” Zuanic said.
Nevertheless, even though SNDL doesn’t have a lot of international optionality and is more focused on Canada, it’s credit portfolio could offer a path to the U.S. market, the analyst noted.
“A market re-rating of cannabis assets and/or the company finding ways to monetize the various pieces (or create value via earnings growth in each unit), could generate upside, but we remain Neutral and prefer to focus on more direct ways to play the industry,” Zuanic said.
“Our reduced estimates reflect more challenging dynamics across most cannabis industry segments,” the analyst concluded.
SNDL shares were trading 2.21% higher at $3.24 per share during Tuesday pre-market session.
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