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Learning to love Durian, as it shows antimicrobial properties | 06-05-2020 |
You either love it or you hate it, but according to a recent report in Food Navigator Asia, researchers in Malaysia have come up with a method to develop a packaging material, using the skin from Asia’s ‘king of fruits’, the Durian, which is both antimicrobial and biodegradable.
The team, from the International Islamic University in Malaysia (IIUM), were looking into the development of a biocomposite material (basically one which is made from two or more composites, one being naturally derived) as an alternative to current food packaging. They came up with something based on polylactic acid (PLA), epoxidized palm oil and Durian skin fibres.
While the research continues, it is already showing that addition of cinnamon essential oils(CEO), then treating the mixture with supercritical carbon dioxide,greatly improves the properties for food packaging.
The addition of the CEO to the Durian-based composite was found to be particularly important in the delivery of antimicrobial properties, says the report. Tests results with and without CEO showed vastly different effects on certain microbes, such as E.coli.The treated samples formed clear inhibition zones and prevented bacterial growth, said the researchers.
Only 55-65% of a Durian’s weight is flesh, so the remaining 35-45%, mostly skin and seed, is waste. If the skin fibres can be used to create a food friendly packaging material this would be a positive contribution to reduced environmental pollution, they claim.
Another major benefit of using Durian skin is its high rate of biodegradability. The research shows the material breaking down in a few months, rather than years for a traditional food plastics wrap. The addition of the supercritical CO² also helped to speed up this process.
In addition to food packaging the University team are looking at the potential of this biocomposite as a 3D printing material. The full scientific report: The effects of supercritical carbon dioxide on the degradation and antimicrobial properties of PLA biocomposite, can be found in the IIUM Engineering Journal.


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By Shaun Lim
While the sheer diversity of the Asia-Pacific region is creating many challenges for video service providers, the same factor is in turn helping foster creativity in addressing these challenges. “What we are seeing is the world of video becoming more heterogeneous as the need for profits in the streaming world is throwing up new solutions,” said Louis Boswell, CEO of the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA), in a discussion with APB+ on a rapidly evolving world of video characterised by diversification of services and business models.
He stated that the onus is very much on operators to find what works best for them.
“There is no one answer and every company needs to decide what is right for them, but increasingly, additional services are being packaged together with video — for instance, gaming or e-commerce.
“Meanwhile, business models are expanding from an over-reliance on only subscription to focus more on advertising and now in some cases, e-commerce revenue. TV shopping is being reinvented in the online world, and the lead is coming from China.”
APB+ spoke to Bowell after the successful conclusion of the Asia Video Summit (AVS) 2023 in June, which besides highlighting how diversity is the key to success in the Asia-Pacific region, also delved extensively into how monetisation can be driven by Connected TV (CTV) and free ad-supported streaming television (FAST), the latter of which offers streaming TV services supported by advertising, as opposed to paid subscriptions.
While acknowledging that FAST is already a “major business” in the US, Boswell is more cautious when assessing whether FAST can prevail in APAC.
“It would appear that the answer to that, at this stage, is different market by market,” he said. “The appeal is clear – you have a large number of free ad-supported linear channels for viewers so it is a good consumer proposition, and it is a good opportunity for content owners, if there is enough advertising and viewership to generate significant revenue.
“The conditions for success look as though they may be present in markets like Australia, South Korea and Japan, but currently it is premature to talk about FAST in most markets in South-east Asia.”
During AVS 2023, he also shared key findings from a recent AVIA commissioned research, where consumers felt that premium over-the-top (OTT) was of higher quality than mass streaming video environments (58% vs 36%), and commanded higher attention (49% vs 35%). Where product recall and brand recall for ads were concerned, those shown in a premium environment received 10% and 12% uplift respectively.
This, said Boswell, provides a unique and not sufficiently exploited opportunity for advertisers of all sorts to increase the efficiency of their campaigns. Many media planners and their advertising buyers however, fail to recognise that not all video environments are equally effective because consumers engage with video ads in different ways.
He elaborated, “In a nutshell, the levels of consumer engagement with premium video is higher and therefore advertising is more effective. If you are looking for a digital alternative to TV for your ad buy, then it seems obvious that the place to go is the digital alternative to TV that is being embraced by consumers – namely premium OTT services.
“All too often, TV is being replaced by social media and video sharing services in advertising buys. These are clearly legitimate and often effective advertising options, but we don’t believe, and the research supports this, that they are adequate replacements for TV.
“When it comes to the content environment, premium OTT basically is TV, just delivered by different technology.”
Another key theme of AVS 2023 was around the success of Asian content and storytellers, particularly those hailing from South Korea.
With Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, which refers to the global popularity of South Korea’s cultural economy exporting pop culture, entertainment, music, TV dramas and movies riding high, it is hard to look beyond this country for inspiration.
Netflix, encouraged by the global popularity of iconic titles such as Squid Game and The Glory, plans to invest US$2.5 billion in South Korea over the next four years to produce Korean TV series, movies and unscripted shows, doubling the amount the video streaming giant has invested in the market since 2016.
Ted Sarandos, Co-CEO, Netflix, declared, “We were able to make this decision because we have great confidence that the Korean creative industry will continue to tell great stories.”
While it would appear that South Korean creators have cracked the code on engaging storytelling that offers what consumers want, it has been the result of years of hard work, and others who wish to achieve similar success must be ready to forge their own path forward.
Boswell concluded, “What was clear is that the success in South Korea was not by chance. Instead, it is through years of planning, investment and co-ordination between industry and government.
“There is certainly the desire to emulate South Korea in many markets, and Thailand appears to be the one about which there is most optimism … but only time will tell whether they or anyone else has laid the foundations for success as rigorously as South Korea.”


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Australia joins a small list of countries that allow medical marijuana exports to other nations.
While U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is threatening a possible crackdown on state-approved marijuana, which helped shield residents and businesses that follow state laws from federal prosecution, Austrailian authorities have announced a very different course of action.
Today, the Australian government announced that it plans to allow medical marijuana exports.
“In an important step for the development of the medicinal cannabis sector and to secure long-term supplies for Australian patients, the Federal Government will permit the export of medicinal cannabis products,” Australian health minister Greg Hunt in a statement today.
Hunt felt that the move could provide a boost for the Australian manufacturers and the country’s economy.
“This decision will help both the domestic supply and Australian producers by strengthening the opportunities for domestic manufacturers,” Hunt said.
Hunt also said the government’s focus was on the patients in Australia.
“This change will not come at the expense of Australian patients,” Hunt said. “In fact, by helping the domestic manufacturers to expand, this, in turn, helps to ensure an ongoing supply of medicinal cannabis products here in Australia.”
The plan will have to be approved by Australia’s federal parliament before becoming official. But the Labor Party, who is considered to be the main opposition to marijuana reform in Australia, has already signaled that they support the plan.
Australia joins Canada, Uruguay, the Netherlands, and Israel as countries that have approved similar measures.
Recreational marijuana use is still outlawed in Australia.


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April 21, 2005 — The public can learn more about consumer policy-challenges of advocacy, deceptive advertising claims, consumer scams and the bankruptcy debate-at a symposium, sponsored by the University of Utah Department of Family and Consumer Studies. The event, held in honor of the retirement of Associate Professor John Burton from the department, is free and will be held Monday, April 25, from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., in rooms 220 and 320 of the Alfred Emery Building, 225 S. 1400 E.
Family and Consumer Studies Professor Robert Mayer notes that the symposium will “provide an excellent opportunity to learn about key issues in consumer policy from some of the nation’s leading scholars and advocates.”
The schedule for following lectures, which will be held in room 220 of the Alfred Emery Building, follows:
8 a.m.: Symposium opening.
8:15-8:20 a.m.: Welcome by Robert Mayer and John Burton
8:25-9:10 a.m.: The presentation of a paper, “Defining the Consumer Interest: Challenges for an Advocate,” by Stephen Brobeck, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America.
9:20-10 a.m.: The presentation of “Consumer Interest Revisited: Implications of Prospect Theory,” by Loren Geistfeld, professor of consumer science at Ohio State University.
10-10:15 a.m.: Coffee Break
10:15-11 a.m.: Ivan Preston, professor emeritus of journalism and mass communication at the University of Wisconsin, will present “Reflections on a Career in Communication Research as Used in Investigating Deceptiveness in Advertising Claims.”
The workshops will adjourn during the lunch hour.
Afternoon lectures will be held in room 320 of the Alfred Emery Building.
Noon-12:45 p.m.: Jeanne Hogarth, program manager at the Federal Reserve Board, will present “Consumer Protection: From Buyer Beware to What Part of ‘No’ Don’t you Understand? (and Points in Between).”
12:45-1:30 p.m.: “A Date with Dateline: A Psychologist Reports His Participant-Observer Experience with a TV Program on Consumer Scams,” will be presented by Monty Friedman, professor emeritus of psychology at Eastern Michigan University.
1:30-1:45 p.m.: Coffee Break
1:45-2:30 p.m.: Jean Lown, professor of family, consumer, and human development at Utah State University, will present “Where Is the Consumer Interest in the Bankruptcy Debate?”
2:30-3:15 p.m.: “When to Hold ‘Em; When to Fold ‘Em: Choosing Consumer Protection Battles,” will be presented by Michael Burton, associate professor of political science at Ohio University
3:15-3:30 p.m.: Symposium wrap-up.


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Two new Project Managers are joining the ranks of the interactive agency Biuro Podróży Reklamy. Katarzyna Dyrcz and Maciej Mazur will reinforce the agency in the area of cooperation with newly acquired clients. Katarzyna Dyrcz recently worked as Marketing & PR Manager at the interactive agency Eura7. Previously, she was an e-commerce specialist at Szkla.com SA and a brand manager of the brand Head (a Cool Sport). Simultaneously she works as a journalist for the magazine „Marketer+” and the portal Marketing przy Kawie (Marketing over coffee).
Maciej Mazur previously worked as Marketing & PR Manager at HUSSAR Gruppa SA and at the financial firm MORE Gruppa. He also worked as Account Manager at the agency Platinum Group. He also pursued his own start-up projects.
Both will be supporting the team of the agency Biuro Podróży Reklamy with the projects of newly acquired clients.
In 2014, we are strongly focused on new business actions, and hence we need to develop our team of project managers, who will handle projects of newly acquired clients. With that in mind, we welcomed two new members to our team
– said Robert Sosnowski, managing director at Biura Podróży Reklamy.
Agency’s newly acquired clients include: Panasonic, Esselte, Austria.info, Colliers, Edelman (Australia), Xerox, Cederoth, Asysta. Few additional projects for new clients are being finalized.
In November, Biuro Podróży Reklamy has won IAB Poland’s tender, concerning cooperation in the field of digital actions for 2014. The scope of cooperation includes: preparation of new IAB Poland’s website, creation and development of their blog for the interactive sector, handling all of IAB Poland’s websites and supporting the organization in their online marketing actions.


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SEMA 2013: Manny Galvan’s 1,000 horsepower 2013 Shelby GT500 Widebody
If there was a competition to see what Ford Mustang made the most horsepower at SEMA, Manny Galvan’s 2013 Shelby GT500 would easily come in first place by a significant margin. The stock supercharger has been removed from the 5.8L V8, and in its place a Kenne Bell 3.6L liquid-cooled twin-screw good for 906 horsepower and 889 lb-ft torque at the rear wheels. That’s well over 1,000 horsepower at the flywheel.
Galvan’s GT500 has plenty of other cool goodies as well, including a Shelby widebody kit, numerous carbon fiber body components from Seibon and a set of black HRE 590RS wheels to give it a sinister look. A roll cage has been installed in the interior, as well as a full suede headliner, piano black trim pieces and a full JL audio system to go along with the stock Recaro seats.
You can get a closer look at Galvan’s 1000 horsepower 2013 Shelby GT500 Widebody in our photo gallery below.
Photos © 2013 MustangsDaily.com
- SEMA 2010: Street Scene Equipment 2011 Mustang Convertible
- SEMA 2010: Hurst announces new Billet/Plus Shifter for the 2011 Mustang GT
- SEMA 2010: Mobsteel 2011 Mustang
- SEMA 2012: Carroll Shelby Tribute
- 2010 SEMA Ford Mustang Coverage
- Matching 1967 and 2012 Shelby GT500s to be raffled off for charity
- SEMA 2013: Larry Gareffa's home-built electric 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback
- SEMA 2012: Ring Brothers 2013 Ford Mustang Switchback
- SEMA 2012: 281 Motorsports Saleen Speedster
- SEMA 2014: Galpin Auto Sports 2015 Ford Mustang


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HONG KONG, Apr 16, 2023 – (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) – Hong Kong showcased its strengths in innovation and technology (I&T) at a series of innovation and tech fairs, including the first-ever InnoEX co-organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), held concurrently with the Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) and Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition).
The three tech fairs attracted over 66,000 buyers from some 160 countries and regions, including Mainland China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Korea, Taiwan, USA, Japan, India and Russia. The overwhelming response and lively exchange of ideas at the events highlighted Hong Kong’s rapid development into an international I&T hub, which connects the world with Mainland China and ASEAN.
The three exhibitions took place in hybrid format, offering access in-person and online via the HKTDC’s EXHIBITION+ platform, which enables exhibitors and buyers from around the world to continue conducting business online until 22 April. With the Click2Match smart business matching platform, the fairs have facilitated over 3,000 business meetings so far.
Sophia Chong, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director, said, “It is encouraging to see that the three tech fairs brought together nearly 3,000 exhibitors from 20 countries and regions to present a wide range of innovative solutions, cutting-edge technologies and electronic products, to create business opportunities across regions and industries and to explore the unlimited potential of innovation and technology cooperation.”
“Many exhibitors were pleased to receive orders on the spot and secure business partnerships. We are pleased to see the three tech fairs playing a major role in the innotech ecosystem of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), which attracts the participation of ASEAN and Asia markets, and those further afield in Europe and the Americas. The success of these events reflects Hong Kong’s determination to develop at full speed into an international centre for innovation and technology and reaffirms the status of the city as an international trade and exhibition centre,” she added.
InnoEX and the Hong Kong Electronics Fair were flagship events of the inaugural Business of Innovation & Technology Week (BITWeek), which also included the Digital Economy Summit, co-organised by the HKSAR Government and Cyberport. Together, the three BITWeek events recorded a total attendance of over 50,000 local and overseas visitors.
The three tech fairs of the HKTDC featured more than 100 innovative solutions to drive smart city development in Hong Kong presented by the Smart Hong Kong Pavilion, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics projects undertaken by 14 research laboratories in collaboration with world-renowned universities introduced by the InnoHK initiative under the Innovation and Technology Commission, the latest electronics and smart lighting solutions as well as a series of forums, panel discussions and seminars featuring distinguished experts to share their insights on the latest technological trends.
AI, smart city and metaverse dominating the conversation
More than 50 events were held during the fairs, including the InnoEX Forum, Under 30 – Tech Trends Symposium for the Next Generation, Asian Lighting Forum, and the “France in the Game – Sustainable Development for the Cities of Tomorrow” organised by So French So Innovative pavilion, and the “Collaborate & Build Data Ecology between Twin Cities” event organised by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) and Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization. Robust discussions on trending topics, such as AI, smart city and metaverse attracted a large number of industry participants.
Over 80% of I&T industry expects sales to grow in the next one to two years
The majority of the over 1,000 exhibitors and buyers, responding to independent surveys commissioned by the HKTDC at the fairs, held optimistic views on their upcoming business development and sales. They agreed that Hong Kong offers the advantage of connecting the world with the GBA and ASEAN.
According to the survey, 75% of respondents at InnoEX believe that overall sales will increase in the next six months to a year. A total of 86% of respondents expect their overall sales to increase in the next one to two years.
Respondents believe that the biggest advantage of Hong Kong’s innovation sector lies in the city’s highly skilled and multicultural talent pool (26%), creative technology solutions (25%) and its unique role as an intermediary between Mainland China and the world (21%).
In addition, with the support of policies, many companies are committed to expanding into ASEAN markets. 38% of local exhibitor respondents are trying or planning to expand into the ASEAN countries, while 31% of respondents plan to expand into the GBA and 89% of them were optimistic about opening up their businesses in the GBA market. 21% of respondents plan to expand into other non-GBA Chinese cities.
Furthermore, around 50% and some 30% of local exhibitor respondents, respectively, believe that policy support from the Hong Kong and mainland governments and/or assistance from other organisations in both places, the willingness to cooperate by mainland and international corporations as well as leveraging the complementary advantages of Hong Kong and other GBA cities are favourable for Hong Kong innovation companies to explore the GBA mainland cities market.
Among the respondents of the Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) and Hong Kong Lighting Fair (Spring Edition), 58% of the respondents believed that overall sales would increase in the next six months to one year. A total of 72% of respondents expect their overall sales to increase in the next one to two years. In terms of product trends, respondents at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) identified household appliances (21%), audio-visual products (21%) and electronic or electrical accessories (20%) as having the greatest growth potential in key sales markets this year.
As for the Hong Kong Lighting Fair, more than 51% of the respondents believe that LED type of lighting products have the greatest growth potential among the major sales markets, followed by commercial lighting (33%), outdoor & public lighting (27%) and residential lighting (20%).
Smart products demand drives engaging business negotiations at tech fairs
Shanghai Yuweia Technology Co., Ltd. promoted its virtual reality products at InnoEX. Mr Ryan Zhu, Chief Marketing Officer of the company, stated: “This fair was a huge success! Buyers from both domestic markets and abroad highly praised our products. In addition to meeting hundreds of potential clients, we received orders from Japan, Canada, the United States, Indonesia, Singapore and other places. We intend to take part in the fair again next year and bring our latest products to consumers worldwide.”
During the fairs, government officials from ASEAN countries, Mainland China and Hong Kong met with exhibitors from various countries and regions at the ASEAN Smart City Development Roundtable to exchange ideas. Mr Lim Chinn Hwa, Senior Director of GovTech of Singapore, said, “Hong Kong and Singapore can potentially collaborate on investing in technologies relevant to smart cities. Together, we can also work on aspects, like handling the different data collected, dealing with the differences in the two places’ governance approach, identifying talents who can serve the needs of both places and facilitating knowledge exchange. Sharing ideas and policies in these areas is highly beneficial.”
Hong Kong exhibitor Doss (H.K.) Limited promoted its Bluetooth speakers at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition). According to Ms Vivian Liang, Sales Manager of the company, “We aim to explore new markets and strengthen relationships with existing customers through the fair. Face-to-face interactions with customers during the fair helped us foster long-lasting relationships and generate more orders. This fair produced positive outcomes. We met with about 50 new buyers, mostly from Europe and the United States. We anticipate receiving orders totalling US$100,000.”
Robust global purchasing power through Hong Kong
The resumption of customs clearance between the mainland, Hong Kong and the world attracted buyers from all over the world to the fairs, with robust sales activity generated on-site and online . Mr Arvine Quizon, Head of Technology of Leading Edge based in Australia travelled to Hong Kong and sourced at the Electronics Fair. He highly appreciated the fair, saying “It’s a great place for horizon scanning, finding new trends and the focus for the industry. I’ve always loved the fair in Hong Kong. It’s the best in the world for sourcing new products. It’s great to be back since the pandemic and I’ll certainly be back more often.”
Exhibitor Ms Vivian Wu, General Manager of Zhongshan Obals Lighting & Electric Co., Ltd from Mainland China obtained a huge order at the fair. She said, “We are thrilled to have received an onsite order worth US$3 million for our LED commercial lighting products from a long-term customer from Australia on the first day of the fair. Buyer traffic has been heavy at the fair. We have established more than 300 new contacts with quality buyers from new markets, such as Africa, Asia and the Middle East. And about 30 new buyers came from large companies, which have their own brands.”
– InnoEX: https://www.hktdc.com/event/innoex/en
– Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition): https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkelectronicsfairse/en
– Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition): https://www.hktdc.com/event/hklightingfairse/en
– The HKTDC’s Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en
– Photo download link: https://bit.ly/3UBGlaG
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn.
Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)


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We aren't among the doctors invited to a Rose Garden event today to "join the President in pushing for health insurance reform this year and [who] have offered their help and support," as a White House press release put it. It's unfortunate only supporters of the president's plans will be there. Mr. Obama has missed an opportunity to learn more about the real issues facing patients and doctors and to formulate a plan that truly puts patients in control with doctors as trusted advisers.
The United States has the best health care in the world today, and thanks to the ever-expanding frontiers of science and medical innovation the brightest days are ahead. It is true that there are Americans who fall through the cracks of our medical system every day—and as a caring nation, we must do what we can to expand access to medical care to those who need it. But this can be accomplished without a costly and inefficient government overhaul of the entire system. One easy reform would be to enable individuals to buy policies offered in any state, not just where they live. This will enhance competition. But more government-run health insurance will only lead to disaster.
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Business Insider.com reports..
- 27% percent of potential first-time cannabis consumers said they’d try marijuana in place of beer, according to a survey from consulting firm A.T. Kearney.
- Some 54% of US and Canadian survey respondents said they’d try marijuana products when it becomes legal.
- Beermakers don’t seem to be worried.
A surprising number of potential first-time marijuana users would use the drug in place of an evening beer.
That’s according to consulting firm A.T. Kearney, which on Wednesday published a report looking at consumer attitudes around the increasingly mainstream cannabis industry.
Some 27% percent of the 2,000 survey respondents in Canada and the US said they’d try a marijuana product in place of beer — a potentially worrying sign for beverage makers.


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A 19-year-old waitress is being investigated by the Guardia Civil in Granada for allegedly using a customer's bankcard on a shopping jaunt.
The suspect, who works in an eatery in the metropolitan area, allegedly came across the bankcard of one of the customers and instead of informing the police or the bank involved, she popped it into her jubilant purse and set off to turn it into a puddle of plastic… reportedly.
According to the Guardia Civil, she used it three times in gasolineras and 13 times in a Chinese bazaar, taking care not to exceed 20 euros, which would have required the PIN. At this point the card coughed and fell into a coma, having maxed out the daily limit.
This was on the 10th of this month and then on the 13th the owner of the card reported its loss to the Guardia Civil. He also told the bank to block it but not before the suspect had allegedly spent 132 euros in various establishments.
For the police, it was simply the case of checking security footage on the CCTVs belonging to the gasonlineras and the bazaars to indentify the suspect.
She might not have to serve time if found guilty, but she probably won’t be serving tables, either.
(News: Metropolitan Area, Granada, Andalucia)


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APRIL LCT: The platforms can be a great tool for connecting but can also explode over posts that were not thought out.
In its efforts to go green, RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation acquires a fleet of the greenest luxury livery vehicle on the market.
ROCKVILLE, Md. -- RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation recently took delivery of several Royale Ford Fusion Hybrid L sedans, the greenest livery vehicles so far.
The Fusion Hybrid Ls are stretched six-inches by Royale Limousine Manufacturers of Haverhill, Mass., a Ford QVM coachbuilder. The combination of added legroom and mileage upwards of 40 mpg has made it a success among operators serving a green corporate clientele.
The Fusions join RMA's flex-fuel SUVs as the green component of its 95-vehicle fleet. RMA also owns a service station where recycling of tires and many vehicle fluids is common practice.
"We, as a company, have an obligation to not have an adverse impact on the environment while providing world class service to our clients," said RMA CEO Robert Alexander in a statement. The new Fusions get twice the average gas mileage of RMA's current fleet.
"Our plan is to take delivery of about 20 more of these vehicles this coming winter," Alexander says. As the time comes to turn over its fleet of Lincoln Town Cars, RMA's plan is to replace them with vehicles that add little or no pollution.
RMA clients already have accepted the new green vehicles. A large portion of RMA's service is providing travel to and from the three major airports serving Washington, D.C. Many corporations now have a travel mandate to ride with companies that have a plan to reduce carbon emissions.
RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation, founded in 1988, serves the nation's capital and the surrounding region as well as worldwide service in more than 500 cities.
Information: (800) 878-7743; www.rmalimo.com
Instead of seeing AI as a replacement for human endeavors, try to see it as an enhancement of them.
APRIL LCT: CTA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation succeeds by meeting the growing demand for group transportation.
The passenger pounded on windows after the driver pulled off the highway, locked the doors, and said they were going to a hotel.
The Bill Faeth-hosted event answered some burning questions for operators.
eNews Exclusive: Kevin Polite has joined forces with veteran operator Robert Alexander to provide Washington, D.C. area clients with #RMAperfect rides.
May Issue Preview: Get ready to learn about an exploding, untapped source of clients.
The NLA responds to the first judicial decision on the classification of drivers under federal law.
APRIL LCT: These vendors have got your back for operating securely and legally.
APRIL LCT Cover: The nation’s largest maker of wedding and historic streetcar-style buses has seen a surge in demand since 2015.
The comedian's chauffuer-driven SUV was side-swiped by another car in Los Angeles.
APRIL LCT: Chicago operator George Jacobs shared his deep motorcoach knowledge at LCT’s “Bus Marketing 101” webinar.
Uber has been dogged by reports of drivers accosting passengers, including lawsuits alleging sexual assaults.
APRIL LCT: Tammy Carlisle and Clarence Carr fell for each other and for providing creative luxury transportation service in Atlanta.
eNews Exclusive: The new president of the Colorado Limousine Association urges members to move beyond old ways.
The world's No. 1 online marketplace and trader for professional chauffeured and chartered vehicles, including all types of motorcoaches, buses, vans, stretch limousines, sedans, SUVs, exotics, and classics. New and used vehicles are available from sellers across the nation.
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Click on any state to see the latest industry news and events in that region.


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Google is to acquire business intelligence, data applications and embedded analytics provider Looker, in a deal valued at $2.6 billion in cash.
Santa Cruz, California-based Looker, which also has offices in San Francisco, New York, Boulder, Chicago, Dublin, Tokyo and London, provides a platform integrating data into the daily workflows of users. Looker already has Google parent company Alphabet as an investor, via its venture fund Capital G, and on completion of the acquisition will join the Google Cloud.
In a statement, Google said Looker will extend its business analytics offering by providing the ability to define business metrics in a consistent way across data sources. For users, it will offer a platform that delivers applications for business intelligence and use-case specific solutions such as sales analytics.
Thomas Kurian (pictured), CEO of Google Cloud, comments: 'The addition of Looker to Google Cloud will help us offer customers a more complete analytics solution - from ingesting data to visualizing results and integrating data and insights into their daily workflows. It will also help us deliver industry specific analytics solutions in our key verticals, whether that's supply chain analytics in retailing; media analytics in entertainment; or healthcare analytics at global scale. We're thrilled to bring more robust data management solutions to our customers and look forward to welcoming the Looker team to Google Cloud'.
Web sites: www.google.com and www.looker.com .
All articles 2006-20 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.


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Mac flaw could let hackers get data
Prominent Mac researcher Dino Dai Zovi disclosed the software flaw at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas, one of the world’s top forums for exchanging information on Internet threats.
About 4,000 security professionals are in attendance, including some who are really hackers. While experts ferret out software flaws to fix them and protect users, hackers use the same information to devise pranks or commit crimes.
It is not illegal to publish software that can be used to hack into computer systems, though it is against the law to use it to break into them.
Attacks on Apple computers are extremely rare, but security experts say that will change as Macs gain market share on PCs running Microsoft Corp’s Windows operating system. Security experts have identified at least three viruses infecting Macs over the past year.
The most sophisticated of them is spread via pirated versions of Apple’s iWorks software. It allows cybercriminals to take complete control of an infected Mac.
Another virus, OSXPuper a, is spread via infected websites that direct users to download what they say is a video player, but turns out to be malicious software. That software can subsequently download other types of viruses.
Dai Zovi, a security researcher and co-author of “The Mac Hacker’s Handbook,” said on Wednesday that once hackers start to put substantial resources into targeting Apple’s computers, they will be at least as vulnerable as Windows machines.
“There is no magic fairy dust protecting Macs,” he said in an interview.
The technique that Dai Zovi unveiled on Wednesday — dubbed “Machiavelli” — only works on machines that have already been victimized. It can take control of Apple’s Safari browser, stealing encrypted data from a user’s bank accounts.
An Apple spokeswoman could not be reached for comment.
Apple is the fourth-largest U.S. PC maker and continues to take market share. It held 9 percent of the U.S. market in the second quarter, according to Gartner.
“They are advancing. Our concern is that they are just not advancing as fast as they are gaining market share,” said Charlie Miller, co-author of “The Mac Hacker’s Handbook.”
They said the Mac’s operating system will be an easier nut to crack once hackers start to focus on it. That is because it has a lot more code in it than Windows, leaving room for more vulnerabilities and bugs that hackers can exploit.
While there is a limited supply of malicious software targeting Macs today, experts worry that the pendulum could quickly shift, leaving millions of Apple users unprotected.
“When the malware authors put out something that’s really sophisticated we are going to have a whole population that is really vulnerable,” said Joel Yonts, an expert in Mac security attending Black Hat.


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Response This Week will be on hiatus next week as the staff hosts Response Expo 2015 in San Diego. The weekly e-newsletter will return on Wednesday, April 29.
Alorica, a provider of customer management outsourcing solutions, announces it has completed its acquisition of several of West Corp.’s agent services businesses for approximately $275 million. The resulting $1.2 billion dollar Alorica is now one of the largest business process outsourcing providers in the U.S.
Leading customer engagement center Argo Marketing Group is a Bronze Winner of the 2015 MVP Quality Award, presented by CUSTOMER magazine, based on the company’s commitment to quality, excellence and high ethical standards.
TELEBrands, a marketer of As Seen On TV products, unveils a stand-alone warehouse in Jurupa Valley, Calif., filling approximately 400,000 square feet with items ranging from PedEgg Power to Hurricane Spin Mop. The expansion demonstrates the company’s dedication to West Coast operations in spite of the recent Los Angeles port slow-down.
DR industry veteran Eric Stracener joins Thill Inc. as director of new business development. As part of his new role, Stracener will be at booth 201 at Response Expo 2015 at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront from April 21-23.
Matti Kon, president and CEO of InfoTech, was interviewed recently on Newsmax TV's MidPoint regarding President Obama’s executive order targeting overseas cyber attackers with sanctions to stop foreign cyberattacks.
Kelly Bennett, president and COO of Kelly Direct Inc., earns a “Top 50 Woman in Business” honor from the Pacific Coast Business Times. The award recognizes top female executives in a tri-county area in Southern California. This is the second consecutive year Bennett has won this award.
WideOrbit, the ad management software firm and programmatic TV tech provider, announces the launch of WO Programmatic TV, a marketplace where buyers and sellers can trade local broadcast TV inventory programmatically. The announcement comes just days after Videa launched its own platform for programmatic TV and Clypd, another SSP in the space, raised nearly $20 million.
According to ZenithOptimedia, global ad spend will grow 4.4 percent to reach $544 billion in 2015, and will accelerate to 5.3-percent growth in 2016, boosted by the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio and the U.S. presidential election.
Initial reviews portray the Apple Watch as a game-changing gadget. The New York Times’ Farhad Manjoo said he “fell hard” for the device. “By notifying me of digital events as soon as they happened, and letting me act on them instantly, without having to fumble for my phone, the Watch became something like a natural extension of my body – a direct link, in a way that I’ve never felt before, from the digital world to my brain.”
Sinclair Broadcast Group and Visible World will work on a programmatic system to aggregate impressions across Sinclair's 161 stations. The platform, called Audience Network, will, for the first time, allow for agencies and advertisers to automatically target specific local broadcast audiences.
E-mail marketing services firm Emma acquires e-mail startup Boomerang, which offers a tool that allows customers to control when they send and receive e-mail messages by integrating an app into their e-mail inboxes.
Tapad, a cross-screen marketing technology provider, is the latest to offer marketers a way to measure the impact digital advertising has on in-store sales – a trend that was thrust into the spotlight late last year when Oracle acquired Datalogix.


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In Massachusetts, the cannabis brand Sip has shown a noteworthy upward trajectory in the Beverage category, progressively climbing the ranks from December 2023 to March 2024. Starting at the 26th position in December, Sip made a steady climb to the 18th spot by March 2024. This movement is particularly significant, considering the brand was not in the top 30 brands in previous months, indicating a strong performance improvement. While specific sales figures are reserved, it's important to note that March saw a remarkable increase in sales to 5474.0, suggesting a growing consumer preference for Sip's offerings in this competitive market.
The consistent month-over-month rank improvement in Massachusetts underscores Sip's growing market presence and consumer acceptance within the Beverage category. The absence from the top 30 rankings prior to December 2023 and the subsequent rise to the 18th position by March 2024 highlights a significant turnaround and potential market dynamics shift favoring Sip. This performance trend, coupled with the substantial sales jump in March, reflects both strategic positioning and effective market penetration by Sip. However, the broader implications of these movements across other states or categories remain an area ripe for further exploration, suggesting that Sip's strategy and consumer engagement could be yielding positive results beyond the surface-level data.


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PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt. Ltd. wants to capitalise on the popularity of its cheaper pocket-sized snacks as the cola-to-chips maker continues to expand its food portfolio in India.
To do so, it will focus on the Rs 5 and Rs 10 price points, said Ahmed El Sheikh, president of Pepsico India. Sales of such products generates nearly 70 percent of the business of the company’s foods unit.
That’s not all. El Sheikh also said the emergence of e-commerce has increased the need for companies to get the right mix of stock-keeping for the emerging channels. “While smaller packs sell better in most part of the country through general trade, typically through mom-and-pop stores, consumers prefer larger packs when they shop at hypermarkets or online.”
The company is aligning its product launches with the strategy. It recently introduced a range of baked snacks under the Twistkeen brand and is expanding its range of Tropicana juice range.
“Technology right now is important, and you need to think, 50 percent of your time, how consumers will buy in India in the next 5-10 years,” El Shiekh said. “Otherwise, someone will come and disturb the market and you will be left behind.”
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A total of 96 percent of Americans with annual incomes of $150,000 or more buy products and services online; 55 percent do so frequently, according to a Luxury Institute survey. Nearly all wealthy consumers (99 percent) use the Internet to research before they buy; two-thirds conduct online research frequently.
“The Internet is the channel the wealthy prefer when buying several categories of goods and services,” said Milton Pedraza, chief executive officer of the Luxury institute, New York City-based Luxury Institute, a ratings and research organization that specializes on high net worth consumers. “Sixty-nine percent make hotel and resort reservations mostly on the Internet. Ironically, the only remaining obstacle preventing wealthy consumers from purchasing a multitude of luxury products and services on the Internet appears to be the lack of customer-centricity of some luxury firms.”
Illustrative of how the Internet has grown in importance as a sales channel for luxury goods marketing, more than half of the wealthy (53 percent) prefer to make purchases of women’s apparel online; 43 percent prefer the Internet for buying men’s apparel, according to the survey.
Effective search engine marketing strategies produce the biggest payoff (Google and Yahoo! are the top sites visited by the wealthy). Nearly three-fourths of the wealthy say that finding companies through Internet search is an effective way to create a positive impression. Just 30 percent, however, found ads on a search engine site an effective marketing technique. Surprisingly, finding ads in media is the second most popular method of creating a positive impression and getting the wealthy to buy  10 percent of the wealthy say this is an effective method, 43 percent say it’s somewhat effective. Thirty-nine percent say free online newsletters are effective, while one-third respond positively to emails with special offers.
Once wealthy consumers arrive at a Web site, privacy and security are of chief importance, followed closely by ease of navigation. Forty percent find easy-to-navigate websites very effective at creating a positive impression and leading them to purchase; 37 percent cite ease of navigation as somewhat effective. Wealthy women are significantly more likely than men (46 percent to 35 percent) to find easy navigation very effective.
Useful content, and a liberal return policy, are highly important, as is the ability to track shipments. Companies should refrain from using pop-up or banner ads on-site as they are a turnoff for the wealthy, especially at the highest levels of income and net worth. What’s not important? Having a physical location, an attribute the wealthy rate 4.8 (1-10 scale).Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
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Huawei will set up its first wafer fab in Wuhan, China's Hubei province, with production expected to kick off in phases starting 2022, according to industry sources.
Huawei's Wuhan fab will be dedicated to producing optical communication chips and modules initially, said the sources, adding that the enterprise plays a key role in China's government-led semiconductor self-sufficiency campaign.
Huawei is among the China-based companies including BYD and WingTech Technology that are foraying into the IC manufacturing field to comply with the country's efforts to boost self-sufficiency in semiconductors, the sources indicated.
BYD and WingTech are both looking to deepen their presence in the automotive semiconductor sector, the sources noted. In the automotive IGBT segment, both BYD and WingTech have enhanced their manufacturing capability and are already competitive against Taiwan-based power semiconductor specialists in terms of manufacturing technology, the sources said.
BYD reportedly is mulling spinning off its subsidiary BYD Semiconductor, which will grow as a power semiconductor IDM specializing in automotive chips. BYD also plans to build a new 8-inch fab that will be dedicated to producing automotive IGBTs, and production at the new fab is slated to kick off in 2022, the sources noted.
WingTech stepped into the IC manufacturing field after completing its acquisition of a controlling stake in Nexperia, a logic and discrete semiconductor supplier that was spun off from NXP in 2017. Nexperia's offerings include diodes, bipolar transistors, ESD protection devices, MOSFETs, GaN FETs and analog & logic ICs, and have quickly boosted WingTech's IC manufacturing expertise, the sources said.
WingTech is constructing a new 12-inch wafer fab in Shanghai that will be dedicated to producing automotive semiconductors, the sources noted. A total of CNY12 billion (US$) will be invested in the establishment of WingTech's new fab designed for an annual output of about 400,000 wafers. The fab is also expected to open by 2022, according to the sources.
China will stand a chance of developing a homegrown electric vehicle (EV) industry supply chain in the future, and could be the world's EV production hub and also the biggest market, the sources believe.
China's top-3 IC foundries - Semiconductor Manufacturing International (SMIC), Huahong Group and CSMC Technologies - are already among the chipmakers supported financially by China's local governments. With government incentives, the three foundries continue to enhance their manufacturing capability and carry out their capacity expansion projects amid the US trade sanctions, the sources said.
SMIC has plans to build four new plants in China between 2021 and 2024. With support from the Shenzhen Municipal Government, SMIC plans to pour US$2.35 billion into the establishment of a new 28nm chip plant that will be ready for production by 2022, the sources indicated. The new Shenzhen fab will bring in an additional 40,000 12-inch wafers monthly.
The rise of China's foundry sector could pose a threat to Taiwan-based foundries, particularly small- and medium-size players such as Mosel Vitelic and Episil Technologies, the sources said.


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Jeff Daquila’s customers have snatched up the water supplies and freeze-dried foods on sale at his San Pedro surplus store, normally purchased in anticipation of the next big earthquake or a lengthy power outage.
But, in the last week, as tensions and rhetoric between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump escalated, Daquila’s customers have asked about gas masks and chemical suits.
“Nuclear war is bad, too,” said Daquila, the owner of The Surplus Guy on Sixth Street. “It’s good to be prepared.”
Daquila has more gas masks, military-style ready-to-eat meals and water storage canteens on order as some residents across Southern California prepare for the worst. Customers at surplus and survival stores have peppered store owners with questions about what to buy, including pills to take to prevent radiation poisoning and bomb shelters.
“People are just nervous,” Daquila said.
Gas masks and iodine pills
David Smith, the manager at Major Surplus & Survival on Alondra Boulevard just east of Figueroa Street east of Harbor Gateway, said his store — which, like Daquila’s, sells military tactical gear, MREs, camping gear and survival equipment — has had customers asking about gas masks and potassium iodine pills, which help block radioactive iodine from being absorbed by the thyroid gland.
Smith said he regularly sells earthquake kits to his core customers who stay prepared for disasters, but he has noticed more people coming in to buy them in the last week.
The business decided to take advantage. Online Thursday, gas masks and radiometers were put on sale.
“Flash sales are something we…
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Lition Technology, a blockchain infrastructure company, plans to carry out the token sale, which will reach $25 million according to its estimations. For an assistance, it has partnered with Coinsilium Group Limited, an accelerator that finances and manages the development of early-stage blockchain technology and other leading companies.
Lition is developing the only scalable public-private blockchain with deletable data features, made for commercial products, which will allow the blockchain applications to reach mass market adoption. For this, the company will use GDPR and other data privacy regulations. To be able to carry out this wonderful plan, Lition needs to prepare for the Token Generation Event (TGE). It has already rolled out a decentralized application (‘dApp’) for peer-to-peer energy trading, which is consumed by the customers from more than 10 cities and it is the first blockchain-powered decentralized app to be available for the market of more than 41 million households.
Lition Collaborates with SAP for its Project
Since the project is still in the process of development, Lition works closely with SAP, the market leader in enterprise application software, whose Chief Innovation Officer, Dr. Jürgen Müller also acquires the position of Lition’s Technology Advisor. Being in partnership with SAP is quite influential for Lition due to the fact that it has over 10,000 developers and more than 400,000 corporate clients globally.
What is already done for now is that Lition has started the first phase of token sale, targeting the institutional buyers by invitation. The project is supposed to reach $25 million and most of these funds will be reinvested in engineering R&D and testing, as well as building partnerships for the further real-world cases of usage.
Some of the authorities of partnership companies made comments about the project and its significance for the blockchain industry. As Eddy Travia, Chief Executive of Coinsilium mentions, collaborating with Lition’s technical team, whose members have had a great business experience for a long period of time, gives them the feeling of pride and delight. The fact, that both of the companies are working in the blockchain industry, will definitely bring the project to the successful accomplishment.


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Microsoft Expands California Privacy Laws Throughout the U.S.
On Monday (November 11), Microsoft announced that it would honor the core rights provided to Californian citizens. In a blog post on November 11th , Julie Brill, Microsoft’s chief privacy officer, said that the company will extend the main principles of the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) across the US just as it did with Europe’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) last year. The California law will come into effect January 1st, 2020.
The law states “Under CCPA, companies must be transparent about data collection and use, and provide people with the option to prevent their personal information from being sold,” it was passed in June of last year (2018) and this law is one of the strictest privacy laws in the world. Apple is usually known as the tech company that is leading the new charge of privacy but this time new companies are also taking charge. As many companies, especially tech companies are coming under fire for privacy by people and the government many companies are "voluntarily" making new policies to support user privacy.


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There could be a future where we eat incredible, sustainable, engineered foods — 3D-printed or lab-grown meals, chemically optimised to unleash the perfect combination of flavour and nutrients to fit our bodies and our tastes. Better tasting hot dogs with harmful fats removed! Healthier snacks with accurate expiration dates! Or, we can continue on our present path, and we will keep eating the same foods we always have, including foods that make us sick and obese. And if the United States would like a say in the future of food, the government and the people need to start paying attention to food scientists.
Take Karen Schaich, a Rutgers food science professor who studies the very nature of how food ages. Schaich observes how common foods like tortilla chips and peanut butter go rancid, and believes she’s found processes that cause food to spoil faster than we think. But she struggles to get this important research funded.
She’s not the only one — American food science itself is struggling, and for more reasons than funding alone. The US has food science programs, but some of the food scientists that I spoke with find it difficult to attract the funding needed to innovate and come up with novel solutions to food science and nutrition issues through basic research. Others left publicly-funded food science for greener pastures in private industry.
Not all American food science is suffering, E. Allen Foegeding, professor at the North Carolina State Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, told Gizmodo — he noted that the fields of sustainability, microbiology and food safety have seen lots of attention. Instead, what’s lagging is what some of the folks I spoke with called food innovation, or interdisciplinary research combining the fields of physics, chemistry and engineering to understand food down to its molecules to create solutions for the future. For example: Cows emit greenhouse gases, so let’s lab-grow a replacement beef. Consumers don’t want to eat trans fat, so let’s engineer a healthier alternative that has the same physical properties.
Right now, the alphabet soup of US federal agencies (NIH, NSF and USDA through NIFA) and private funding sources supporting food science research in the United States don’t have a shared stated goal or direction. And while many startups are trying to be innovative, private innovation prevents the spread of knowledge for other scientists to build on.
“The situation in the US is sad,” said Alejandro Marangoni, professor in food science at the University of Guelph in Canada.
Marangoni should know — his Canadian lab innovates with the structure of fats and oils, replacing unhealthy fats with oil and cellulose-based gels in products like hot dogs, or imaging milk fat using high-powered microscopes. Sure, the United States has scientists doing work like Marangoni’s, but it doesn’t seem to him and scientists like him that American food research has a central, forward-looking goal. “We need more of that type of conversation at the country level and decide where we need to be putting our money to help society move forward,” said Foegeding.
Today, food science funding is patched together. US federal funding — taxpayer money — goes mainly to nutritional, agricultural and food safety research, leaving a void for those interested in innovation. Scientists start looking for funding through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, said John Coupland, professor at Penn State and president of the Institute of Food Technologists, but “the hit rates for these grants are not good,” he added. NIFA grants typically go for several hundred thousand dollars a piece, enough to take on a few PhD students and pay for travel, but mostly relate to agriculture in some way, as opposed to, say, discovering all of the biological components of milk. Nutrition studies, meanwhile, might receive National Institute of Health grants, also for a few hundred thousand dollars.
“The NIH doesn’t consider pure food research in their domain unless you’re doing something clinical,” that is, the research must act as a cure to some disease, said Marangoni. “The NSF doesn’t want to see food research because that’s USDA stuff.” I contacted NIFA asking where someone interested in researching food after it’s already been picked from the soil, for reasons other than nutrition, might apply for public funding. The agency has not yet responded to the inquiry.
If you check out nutrition papers, you’ll typically find large-scale studies where scientists ask a lot of people to check what they remember eating off of a list. Few, though an increasing number of studies, break food down to its individual chemicals and observe how those molecules interact with our guts, or with the bacteria living inside them. Right now, what we know about food chemistry, individual molecules and how to harness them is limited and lagging. “What does an apple truly look like as it moves through you?” asked professor David Mills from the University of California, Davis’ Food Science and Technology department. “All the complex sugar structures aren’t known. Fibre is a terrible name,” since there are far more diverse molecules than the name alone implies. “By definition its name says that we don’t know what it is. That’s crazy!”
The NSF does offer grants for food scientists interested in starting a business: The Small Business Innovation Research’s (SBIR) Biological Technologies program gives $US225,000 ($294,742) in seed funding to researchers interested in creating a new food-based technology. Such grants have been used to fund mainly food safety or agricultural technology startups, said Ruth Shuman, SBIR program director, but there’s no reason that folks interested in using technology to find a new process to alter food and its chemistry can’t apply, she said: “If people started sending ideas for developing new foods, I would be happy to review those proposals.” One SBIR-funded program looks for a new way to extend the shelf life of food, while another looked to create a non-synthetic red food dye.
But most basic science doesn’t progress with a marketable product in mind. When scientists are trying to make a cookie that’s better than all cookies, that’s healthier on a molecular level, tastier and cheaper all at the same time, sometimes they want to do it for the better of all of us people and society, rather than personal gain. Of course, a scientist can enter a field with the eventual goal of making a ton of money on an end product, but for most basic research, there’s years of lab work shared with and reviewed by other scientists before a product hits the market. Still, industry is exactly where scientists head for funding help. Since NIFA funding alone just isn’t enough to generate what universities like to see, Coupland said, “you look around for other sources. It might be a straight out industry contract.” By doing research for the industry, researchers can use the extra money to buy shiny new equipment and keep their lab up-to-date.
The researchers I spoke to have considered or used money from companies like General Mills or Nabisco to buy new lab equipment like centrifuges and high-performance liquid chromatography systems for their university research. “That leaves you in a position where you can procure that funding but need to sneak it through,” said Irwin Adam Eydelnant, a biomedical engineer who has since started his own privately-funded company, the Future Food Studio. “You’ll hide what you’re actually researching inside a proposal for research you’re not really going after.”
Even those industry contacts don’t always make ends meet. Schaich’s food science lab at Rutgers University in New Jersey has long relied on industry arrangements to study the way that fats and oils change over time. Today, her lab is ageing, and not like a high-end sharp cheddar. Yellowing letters taped to the wall show dates from 30 years ago. The machinery looks straight out of a 1980s video arcade. Even a bag of potato chips labelled for research purposes only displays an outdated Lays’ logo.
As food scientists express their frustration procuring funds for basic research, this broken system is having a tangible impact on America’s international standing — it doesn’t seem to be keeping up. In 2016, American institutions published 85 articles out of 177 submitted to the fairly well-cited journal Food Chemistry, compared to China’s 430 published, 1754 submitted; Spain’s 148 published, 338 submitted; and Italy’s 125 published, 254 submitted, according to documents obtained by Gizmodo. A similar pattern pops up in a moderate-impact journal Food Research International: The United States published 26 out of 77 submitted articles, compared to China’s 33 out of 662, Brazil’s 73 out of 378 and Spain’s 43 out of 235. Statistical analyses weren’t provided.
“Of course, food scientists don’t just publish in food science journals,” said Coupland. “Many food scientists work on food as their primary job but are plugged into other fields… where they’re using the same techniques and the same language,” like genetics or alternative fuel sources. Still, the American scientists interviewed for this article almost all spoke jealously of Marangoni’s large lipid lab, or of Wageningen University, the Netherlands’ food science Mecca.
How did things get to be this way? When Schaich began as a food scientist over 40 years ago, the industry-university relationship felt like a partnership. She suspects a combination of many of the pitfalls of capitalism brought a sea change — for instance, large tobacco companies like Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds buying or merging with food companies in the 1980s, or Reagan-era trickle down economics. She noticed the General Foods research centre close in the 1990s, and thought the takeovers and changing economic policies encouraged these companies to focus on profit over innovation.
“I have former students working at Mondelez [once owned by Phillip Morris], and what was basic research that brought development of a lot of the low fat cookies, Cool Whip and a lot of things we take for granted are not being done at all,” she said. “They’re just monitoring existing product.” Now, lots of food companies rely on small entrepreneurs to innovate, and then buy up the new products, she said.
Eydelnant and others thought that the startup model could actually put America at the forefront of food innovation. Memphis Meats, for example, is a Bay Area startup trying to grow meat in a lab to prevent animal slaughter. Private funding allows a product to hit the shelves faster and allows the company to stay nimble said Uma Valeti, Memphis Meat’s CEO and cofounder. Taxpayer-funded research lays the groundwork, while private industry can provide new ideas. He thinks things are working better that way, too. “Currently, we feel that private funding is the best option for producing high-quality research that leads to better food for everyone,” he said to Gizmodo in an email.
But as previously noted, startups need to make money. Privately-funded research won’t necessarily better society or expand the general knowledge base, as companies patent their products or maintain industry recipe and formulation secrets like Coca Cola’s flavour or KFC’s spice combination.
Some researchers think America needs something akin to a food moonshot — a major reprioritisation of the country’s food science money to focus on actually understanding all of the chemicals in food, how we taste them and how they interact with our bodies. This could lead to food innovations that actually prevent disease. “When you consider the negative impact food can have on our health, how can this not be an national priority?” asked Mills. Why, he asked, do doctors prescribe Lipitor to lower bad cholesterol, when there’s the potential to simply personalise and alter our diets so cholesterol isn’t high in the first place?
And imagine if private companies shared their food science secrets with the world. We might have a true understanding about how our own bodies work and how to eat delicious, affordable, optimised food. Many companies are trying to do that, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping us from trashing our bodies or being spoon-fed politically and industry-motivated nutritional recommendations, taking on shady fad diets or stuffing ourselves with vitamins that don’t work.
Ultimately, we probably all need to change our mindset about food science. “There’s a sense that food should be natural and anything that makes food not natural, and physics and chemistry don’t sound natural, that’s a bad thing to do,” speculated Coupland. “Food technology” as I discuss here “won’t attract attention from big-name journals like Science, Nature or even The Journal of Food Science.” Coupland would at least like to find ways to get universities to value this type of forward-looking research more.
“And more money would be nice.”
The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans
It’s the most popular NBN speed in Australia for a reason. Here are the cheapest plans available.


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Many Dutch businesses are beginning to go Google, joining the 10 top universities in the Netherlands that announced their move to Google Apps for Education last month. These businesses have transitioned to Google Apps for Business because the intuitive applications in Google Apps facilitate seamless communication and help employees work better together. Some of these businesses have been recently sharing the advantages they’ve seen since going Google.
Ahold, the biggest food retailer in the Netherlands with supermarkets in Europe and the United States, has 55,000 employees using Google Apps for Business. Ahold made the decision to move to Google Apps for cost savings and to provide its workforce with a single web-based platform for communication and collaboration. Thanks to Google's mobile device management solutions, employees can access their information and work together from any location - on their work computer, home computer or mobile device.
De Rijke Group, a logistics service provider, chose Google Apps for its ability to improve online collaboration and communication. By using Google Talk and Google+ Hangouts, they’re able to share information faster with colleagues in international branches, rather than relying on email and in-person meetings.
Wegener Media, the largest Dutch publisher of local and regional media, recently switched 4,500 employees to Google Apps for Business. Their migration fits well with their transformation from traditional publisher to a media company that delivers digital content. In the news sector, minutes -- rather than hours -- can make a difference and Google Apps enable staff to access their e-mail and calendar, use Google Talk to consult colleagues and simultaneously work on the same document, regardless of time or place.
Beeld en Geluid, the Dutch Institute of Sound and Vision, transitioned to Google Apps for Business so their employees would be able to work together anywhere. Using Google Docs, everyone has easy access to the latest version of documents that they are working on within the projects that Beeld en Geluid is carrying out. By having employees create Google+ profiles, they were able to quickly and easily create a company-wide "Who's Who". As employees can add a description of their responsabilities, Google+ allows employees to easily find the people they need to get in touch with and to share valuable insights.
Deli XL, a total supplier for the food service market, found that many employees already worked with Google products such as Gmail and Google Docs, so they were able to transition employees quickly and seamlessly. Deli XL also found a higher level of self-reliance among employees using Google Apps thanks to Google’s online support resources, reducing calls to the Deli XL tech support by 25%.
We have a large variety of Dutch businesses adopting Google Apps every day. What unites them all is their desire to help employees work better together. As the pressure to remain competitive and forward-thinking increases, Google Apps is helping businesses across the Netherlands cut costs while providing employees with cutting edge technology.


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Celgene on Thursday announced that third-quarter net profit rose 14 percent to $424.2 million, buoyed by an 18-percent increase in sales of Revlimid to $970 million. Overall revenue for the three-month period climbed 14 percent to $1.4 billion, which was in line with analysts estimates.
Vidaza sales jumped 15 percent to $220 million, despite losing patients exclusivity in May 2011. In addition, sales of Abraxane fell 6 percent to $106 million, which the company said reflected a surge in US demand for the drug in 2011 due to shortages of paclitaxel. The drug, which was acquired as part of Celgene’s $2.9-billion purchase of Abraxis BioScience, is currently approved in the US for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer after failure of combination chemotherapy and recently garnered expanded approval for use as a first-line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer in select patients. Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Mara Goldstein said she expected peak annual Abraxane sales of between $750 million to $800 million with its currently approved uses, and possibly well over $1 billion if it proves effective in the other cancers Celgene is currently testing the drug for.
Looking ahead, the biopharmaceutical company raised its full-year earnings estimate to $4.85 to $4.90, from a previous estimate of $4.80 to $4.85 and narrowed its revenue view to $5.5 billion to $5.6 billion. However, Celgene lowered the higher end of its prior forecast for Revlimid sales by $50 million and now expects $3.75 billion to $3.8 billion. Sanford Bernstein analyst Geoffrey Porges commented that "overall, we are pleased to see the company continuing to deliver operating leverage and bottom-line beats with increases in earnings guidance."
Meanwhile, Celgene CEO Bob Hugin said the company’s roster of experimental drugs has the potential to drive future growth, noting that "positive results from late-stage studies for Abraxane, apremilast and pomalidomide create a solid path toward significant expansion of our portfolio." In particular, Hugin noted that "apremilast has the potential to transform Celgene," adding that the company expects to pursue FDA approval of the therapy for psoriatic arthritis in the first quarter of 2013 and in the second-half of that year for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Goldstein remarked that "that's the most bullish I've heard the company on apremilast." Further, she suggested that Wall Street is underestimating the potential of the company's experimental drugs to propel earnings growth as Revlimid matures and posts weaker sales gains.
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The Green Bay Packers and WWE Superstar Braun Strowman are working together to honor a victim of the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy.
Strauman learned one of the victims, 8-year-old Jackson Sparks, was a fan of his and the WWE star wanted to give back to those impacted by the tragedy that saw six people lose their lives and more than 60 injured.
Strowman — real name Adam Scherr — will wear special boots on the Jan. 13 SmackDown in Green Bay.
The custom boots will be auctioned and the proceeds will go to the Waukesha Christmas Parade Foundation.
Braun Strowman teamed up with the #Packers to create custom boots to honor a young fan who was a victim in the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy.
He'll wear the boots this Friday on @WWE #SmackDown in Green Bay & auction them off to benefit those affected.@Adamscherr99 pic.twitter.com/4GPbKA11O0
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 12, 2023


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Columbus, Ind.-based diesel engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. lowered its previously reported quarterly profit by $12 million, or 3.1%, after discovering legal fees that the company initially missed.
Indianapolis Business Journal reported that Cummins announced Wednesday (Feb. 20) that it actually finished its fourth quarter with a $369 million profit, or $1.95 per diluted share. The company reported Feb. 6 that it earned $381 million in the period ended Dec. 31.
Earnings before interest and taxes dropped by $20 million, to $532 million. Earnings for all of 2012 fell to $1.65 billion, or $8.67 per share, from $1.85 billion, or $9.55 per share, in 2011.
The company adjusted its earnings to reflect an increase to its legal reserves after a “recent adverse court ruling” for a contract dispute.
Engine builder Cummins Inc.’s fourth-quarter earnings sank 30% as the heavy-duty truck engine maker saw sales in most of its segments decline, led by its core engines business.
As reported by MarketWatch.com, the Columbus, Ind.-based company reported a profit of $381 million, or $2.02 a share, down from $548 million, or $2.86 a share, a year earlier. The year-earlier period included benefits of 17 cents a share from asset sales and 13 cents from flood insurance recoveries. Excluding those items, restructuring costs and other items, per-share earnings were down to $2 from $2.56.
Revenue dropped 13% to $4.3 billion while gross margins narrowed to 24.7% from 25.2%.
In the engine segment — the largest contributor to the top line — fourth-quarter sales slipped 18% to $2.51 billion. Components sales fell 14% and power generation sales sank 17%. Distribution sales were up 8.8%.
Sales for the full year were $17.3 billion, down 4% from 2011. Net income for the full year was $1.66 billion, or $8.74 per diluted share, down from $1.85 billion, or $9.55 per diluted share in 2011.
The company blamed the fourth-quarter revenue decline on weaker demand in truck, construction, and oil and gas markets in North America, as well as lower demand in international markets for power generation equipment and construction, truck and mining engines.
“After a strong start to the year, demand declined across most geographies and end markets in the second half of 2012 as the global economy slowed,” CEO Tom Linebarger said. “The work we have undertaken to reduce costs and lower inventory should benefit the company when the global economy improves, however there is uncertainty surrounding the timing and pace of improvement in end markets in 2013.”
The company said Wednesday (Feb. 6) it has cut its work force by about 650 employees, or 3%, while also eliminating about hourly 650 positions.
For the new year, the company forecast revenue to be flat to down 5%, compared with estimates of a 2% rise from analysts polled by Thomson Reuters.
Cummins recently unveiled cost-cutting measures as it said a weakening global economy was driving down demand for its engines. The company has described a particularly sharp contraction in the North American commercial truck market — where Cummins is the largest supplier of engines for heavy-duty trucks — saying trucking companies have been throttling back on their purchases because of uncertainty about freight volumes and the strength of the U.S. economy.
Cummins also continues to experience weaker-than-anticipated demand from manufacturers of construction machinery, trucks and power generation equipment in China.
Navistar RV, a subsidiary of Navistar International Corp., announced that it will now offer the Cummins ISX15 engine on certain recreational vehicle coaches. According to a press release, the new engine option is a result of an engine supply agreement signed recently between Navistar RV and distributor Cummins Crosspoint LLC.
“The ISX15 is one of the most popular heavy-duty engines in North America, and we are delighted to add it to our power portfolio,” said Bill Osborne, president, Navistar RV. “These big-bore engines will allow us to offer high-end diesel products with more horsepower, meaning we can introduce larger vehicles with unprecedented levels of luxury and performance.”
Highly adaptable to a wide variety of needs, the ISX15 is available for RV applications with 550 and 600 horsepower ratings and up to 1950 lb. ft. of torque. Its fuel system delivers maximum performance, regardless of engine RPMs, and multiple injection events improve fuel efficiency and enable a smoother, quieter ride. With a standard engine brake and impressive power, the ISX15 is a proven and compliant engine for RV usage.
The release of the first Navistar RV with the Cummins ISX15 engine is timed for dealer debut later this year.
“We had a limited amount of ISX engines that we used to build some previous Monaco coaches, and those were the best retail turns we’ve ever had in the field,” said Mike Snell, vice president sales, Navistar RV. “That reaction demonstrates a true sign of demand, and we expect our new ISX-powered vehicles to help us create a new level of high-end diesel units for the brand.”
Navistar International Corp. today (Dec. 17) announced it is shipping its first 300 International ProStar+ Class 8 on-highway tractors equipped with the Cummins ISX15, according to a press release.
“Reaching its ‘OK-to-Ship’ milestone on Dec. 14 – five days ahead of schedule – demonstrates the tremendous progress we’re making in delivering our first SCR-based Class 8 trucks to the marketplace,” said Troy Clarke, Navistar president and COO. “Working collaboratively and fully integrated with our Cummins colleagues, the team has beat an aggressive launch timeline while ensuring the highest levels of quality.”
The International ProStar+ with MaxxForce 13 and Cummins Emission Solutions SCR-based after-treatment system is on-track for initial pilot production in March 2013 with regular production to begin in April 2013.
The remaining lineup of heavy-duty truck models will transition to SCR-based clean engine technology in a phased launch throughout 2013 based on volume and customer demand.
Cummins Inc. announced that its board has authorized the company to repurchase up to $1 billion in shares of common stock.
According to a press release, the program was approved as the engine maker approaches completion of its current $1 billion share repurchase program approved by the board in February 2011.
“The announcement of this new repurchase program reinforces our commitment to returning value to shareholders and follows a 25% increase in the dividend announced in July,” said Cummins Chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger. “We continue to have confidence in the company’s future performance and our strong balance sheet allows us the flexibility to fund future growth and to continue to reward shareholders.”
Cummins Inc. is eager to bring a light-duty diesel engine to the U.S. market and is looking for an automaker that would commit to buy the engine to install in smaller pickups and SUVs – a key tow vehicle category.
But the Columbus, Ind.-based engine maker won’t say how soon the domestic light-duty diesel engine program could start up. “It could be soon — it could be later. We don’t know at this point. Nothing’s imminent,” said Jon Mills, a Cummins spokesman. “We’re continuing to talk to potential partners.”
The Indianapolis Star reported that Mills noted any decision on moving ahead on a light-duty diesel “would depend on what partner we got.”
Cummins’ search for a buyer for a light-duty diesel comes as it prepares to celebrate the 2 millionth mid-range diesel engine it’s produced for Dodge Ram pickups. Production of that mid-range engine began in 1988 (sized then at 5.9 liters) and the 2 millionth (now 6.7 liters) will roll off a Cummins’ production line in Columbus next month.
Cummins produces a small 2.8 liter diesel engine in China and Australia, but the lightest-duty diesel it makes for U.S. use is the one for Ram, said Mills.
To read the entire article click here.
Navistar International Corp. announced that the first heavy-duty highway rig equipped with a less-polluting Cummins Inc. engine came off the production line this week at Navistar’s plant in Mexico.
Chicago Crains Business reported that this is a milestone for Lisle-based Navistar, which was unable to produce a diesel engine that meets tighter emissions standards.
In a statement, the company said the teams at Navistar and Cummins have been “laser-focused” on a seamless implementation of the launch plan.
“This is a great accomplishment for Navistar and an important milestone as we bring our first SCR-based Class 8 trucks to the marketplace,” Navistar President and COO Troy Clarke said in a statement. “The entire launch team and hundreds of others working behind the scenes are committed to a high-quality launch, and this achievement is another proof point in our progress.”
In August, after a three-year struggle, Navistar abandoned its technology and said it would purchase engines from Columbus, Ind.-based Cummins. The failure led to the ousting of CEO Dan Ustian, who had led the failed engine development.
Navistar is recovering, said interim CEO and Executive Chairman Lewis Campbell. “We have the right plan and strategy in place to turn this company around in the next 12 to 18 months,” Campbell said recently during a session at the Baird Industrial Conference in Chicago.
The company said a smaller Navistar engine will enter initial pilot production in March with regular production beginning in April.
Layoff notices were delivered to some members of the professional staff at Columbus-based Cummins Inc. this week, affecting white-collar workers in the engine maker’s corporate headquarters for the first time since a move to trim the global workforce was announced five weeks ago.
“These things are literally happening department by department as the company works through projects and priorities,” Jon Mills, Cummins director of external communications, said Tuesday.
According to a report by The Republic, Mills said Cummins employees should know the full extent of the layoffs and who is affected by mid-December. He said there would not be external announcements each time a reduction is made.
Cummins announced Oct. 9 that it would trim 1,000 to 1,500 jobs by year’s end from its 47,000-member worldwide workforce to cope with weaker-than-expected sales and a slowdown in the world economy. The timing of that workforce announcement coincided with a revised sales forecast of $17 billion for the year, which is $1 billion lower than what was estimated in July.
Then on Oct. 17, the engine maker specified that about 150 workers — at least one-tenth of the total global workforce reduction — would be laid off from among its three southern Indiana plants, the Fuel Systems Plant in Columbus, the Columbus MidRange Engine Plant and the Seymour Engine plant. As part of that announcement, Cummins said it also expected 126 workers would be transferred to the MidRange Engine Plant.
Cummins currently has about 7,700 employees in southern Indiana.
Cummins Inc.’s third-quarter earnings fell 22% as the Columbus, Ind.-based engine maker reported that revenue declines in its international markets offset modest growth in North America.
Earlier this month, Cummins trimmed its sales and profit guidance and unveiled cost-cutting measures as it said a weakening global economy was driving down demand for the company’s engines. The company, which is a major supplier to the motorhome sector, said the slowdown is particularly acute in the North America commercial truck market where Cummins is the largest supplier of engines for heavy-duty trucks.
Cummins also reported deteriorating market conditions in China, the global mining industry and the international market for power-generating engines.
“Demand has dropped sharply over the last three months, reflecting a high degree of uncertainty among customers in most geographic markets,” Chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger said Wednesday (Oct. 31). “We have been responding to the conditions by delaying or canceling projects, flexing production at some of our manufacturing plants, reducing discretionary expenses, and reducing our workforce by 1,000 to 1,500 people by the end of this year.”
Cummins reported a profit of $352 million, or $1.86 a share, down from $452 million, or $2.35 a share, a year earlier. Excluding items such as tax adjustments, earnings were down at $1.78 from $2.20. Analysts recently projected $1.83.
Revenue decreased 11% to $4.1 billion, in line with the company’s recent downbeat forecast. Sales rose 2% in North America, but declined 21% in its international markets.
Gross margin eased to 25.3% from 25.7%.
In the engine segment — the largest contributor to the top line — sales dropped 14% to $2.5 billion.
Engine builder Cummins Inc. today (Oct. 24) announced that it is ranked No. 64 among the 500 largest public companies in the United States and No. 1 among industrial companies in Newsweek’s 2012 Green Rankings of businesses.
“This recognition by Newsweek demonstrates Cummins commitment to a key element of our corporate mission – demanding that everything we do leads to a cleaner, healthier, safer environment,” said John Wall, vice president and chief technical officer for Cummins. “Cummins is constantly looking for new and innovative ways to improve the environment and the communities where we live and work, while producing industry-leading products for our customers. Environmental stewardship is a real and important component of business leadership.”
The Newsweek methodology compares the actual environmental footprints, management (policies, programs, initiatives, controversies) and reporting practices of big companies. Newsweek teamed with leading environmental research providers, Trucost and Sustainalytics, to gather and analyze the data.
Navistar International Corp. today (Oct. 22) announced it has reached definitive, long-term supply agreements for heavy-duty diesel engines and emissions aftertreatment technologies with Cummins Inc.
According to a news release, Navistar will offer the Cummins ISX15 in its International ProStar, PayStar and 9900 models. In addition, Navistar will utilize the proven Cummins Emission Solutions aftertreatment system for the company’s proprietary heavy-duty big bore engines.
“This agreement represents a natural extension of the long-standing relationship between Navistar and Cummins and our history of collaboration in serving our mutual customers,” said Troy Clarke, Navistar president and COO. “With the addition of the Cummins ISX15 and the use of the proven Cummins aftertreatment system, we are on a clear path to providing customers with proven, reliable and fuel-efficient clean engine technology.”
Engineering teams from both Cummins and Navistar have been working in close collaboration over the past several months to integrate vehicle, engine, and emissions aftertreatment systems. With a formal, finalized agreement, the teams are now focused on a swift, well-executed and high-quality launch.
Navistar will begin its initial pilot builds of the International ProStar+ with the Cummins ISX15 in November 2012 with first customer shipments in December 2012. The International ProStar+ with MaxxForce 13 and the Cummins Emission Solutions SCR-based aftertreatment system will enter initial pilot production in March 2013 with regular production to begin in April 2013.
The remaining line-up of heavy-duty truck models will transition to SCR-based clean engine technology in a phased launch throughout 2013 based on volume and customer demand.
During the transition, Navistar will continue to build and ship EPA-compliant trucks in all vehicle classes using appropriate combinations of earned emissions credits and/or non-conformance penalties.
Columbus, Ind.-based Cummins Inc. continues to take steps to reach a target of cutting up to 1,500 jobs from its global work force by the end of the year.
The company confirmed to Inside INdiana Business that it will lay off at least 150 workers in southern Indiana. Another 126 workers will be transferred to an engine plant in Columbus.
Determinations about further cuts continue.
The layoffs are expected to impact the MidRange and Fuel Systems plants in Columbus or the engine operation in Seymour.
A union official was quoted earlier this week as saying his membership, which includes research, technology and support staff, would not be subject to job cuts.
Cummins responded at that point by saying determinations were still being made.
Cummins Inc. again lowered its guidance for the year and unveiled plans to cut up to 1,500 employees as the engine maker looks to cut costs in response to the weakening global economy.
MarketWatch reported that shares sank 5.6% to $86 after hours as the company also said third-quarter revenue is expected to miss Wall Street’s expectations. Through the close, the stock is off 4.8% over the past three months.
Cummins reduced its full-year revenue estimate by $1 billion, now projecting sales of $17 billion. It last cut its revenue projections in July. The company expects earnings before interest and taxes to be approximately 13.5% of sales for the year, compared to its prior view of 14.25% to 14.75%.
Cummins expects revenue of about $4.1 billion in the third quarter, below the $4.42 billion projected by analysts polled by Thomson Reuters.
Chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger said the company continued to see weak economic data in several regions increase uncertainty about the direction of the global economy.
“As a result of the heightened uncertainty, end customers are delaying capital expenditures in a number of markets, lowering demand for our products,” Linebarger said.
The company saw the most significant changes in North American heavy duty truck and international power generation markets, while demand in China weakened in most end markets. Cummins also lowered its forecast for global mining revenue.
Cummins unveiled several cost-cutting actions, including planned work week reductions, shutdowns at some manufacturing facilities and plans to reduce its workforce by 1,000 to 1,500 people by the end of the year.
In July, Cummins reported its second-quarter earnings fell 7.1% as revenue was hurt by currency fluctuations, though growth in North America offset weakness in international markets — especially China and Brazil.
It is scheduled to release its third-quarter results on Oct. 30.
Cummins Inc. announced today (Oct. 1) that it has received certification for its ISX15 engine from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), meeting both the EPA 2013 regulations and the new greenhouse gas and fuel-efficiency rules that will take effect in 2014. According to a press release, Cummins 2014 greenhouse gas certification is the first engine certificate issued by the EPA.
Cummins ISX15, the top-selling engine in the heavy-duty truck market, will deliver higher levels of fuel efficiency and reliability in 2013. Efficiency improvements to the base engine include optimized combustion and reduced parasitic load through high-efficiency water, fuel and lube pump systems, and the ISX15 will achieve up to 2 percent fuel economy improvement over today’s product. Cummins ISX15 for 2013 uses the same proven base engine with the XPI fuel system, VGT Turbocharger, Cummins Aftertreatment System with Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology, and fully integrated electronics.
“Cummins 2013 truck engines will deliver better fuel economy with no major hardware changes,” said Jeff Jones, Cummins Vice President – Sales and Market Communications. “This results in improved reliability due to stable architecture.
“The certification of the ISX15 demonstrates Cummins commitment to deliver products that exceed both environmental and customer requirements. We are confident that we’ll receive certification for our other on-highway engines well before the end of the year,” Jones continued.
Cummins’ entire lineup of on-highway engines for truck, bus, RV and specialty-vehicle markets will enter production on Jan. 2, 2013. All engines are expected to be certified a full year early to the 2014 greenhouse gas and fuel-efficiency rules.
Columbus, Ind.-based engine maker Cummins Inc. says it has instituted a global hiring freeze for at least the rest of this year with an uncertain impact on announced expansions of Indiana operations.
According to The Republic, Columbus, the move by the company comes after seeing a recent drop in sales in some of its markets in North America, China and Brazil. The company said that it was taking necessary steps to manage growth by reducing costs.
Cummins has seen substantial growth in recent years and says it has a record worldwide work force of 46,200 people. Cummins has some 7,800 Indiana workers, including its facility in Columbus that builds motorhome engines.
Company spokesman Jon Mills said he couldn’t discuss how the freeze would affect expansions of its Columbus offices or a $219 million project at its Seymour, Ind., factory.


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Welcome to the Cloud Wars Minute — your daily news and commentary show, hosted by Cloud Wars Founder Bob Evans. Each episode provides insights and perspectives around the “reimagination machine” that is the Cloud.
In this episode, Bob recaps his fireside chat with IBM Senior Vice President and Head of Cloud operations Howard Boville. Boville took to the main stage at last month’s Cloud Wars Expo to address the Hybrid Cloud phenomenon and how it has helped usher in the best tools available for industry-specific solutions.
If you missed this discussion in person last month, don’t worry: You can watch every session from Cloud Wars Expo with an on-demand pass, which is free to any registered attendee, as well as Cloud Wars and Acceleration Economy subscribers. The rollout of on-demand sessions from Cloud Wars Expo begins on July 20th, so be sure to sign up for access now.
00:01 — IBM SVP Howard Boville recently spoke with Cloud Wars founder Bob Evans on the Cloud Wars Expo main stage on the phenomenon known as the Hybrid Cloud. The Hybrid Cloud approach bridges traditional technology and the cloud. It’s expected to be how most companies model their operations in the near future.
00:42 — The company’s CEO Arvind Krishna has repeatedly insisted on using the term “Hybrid Cloud platform,” which is an intersection of Cloud and traditional business technology that helps businesses get the most out of cloud tech and the tools they’ve previously invested in.
01:33 — IBM has revitalized its mainframe business to be cloud-like in many ways so that customers don’t have to make a trade-off between cloud and mainframe services.
02:01 — Boville examined how Hybrid Cloud platforms boost developer productivity, security, speed, and flexibility, thanks to industry-specific solutions both through the cloud and outside of the cloud.
02:51 — IBM understands the answer to every question about technology isn’t necessarily cloud technology. A Hybrid Cloud model helps businesses address customer needs in the most optimal ways available.


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On June 2, the California Court of Appeal issued an Order to Show Cause, asking Apple to show the Court "why a peremptory writ should not issue as requested in the petition for writ of mandate and/or prohibition" that EFF filed on behalf of three online journalists. Apple's response is due July 5.
Apple is suing several unnamed individuals, called "Does," who allegedly leaked information about an upcoming product code-named "Asteroid." Apple has subpoenaed Nfox, the ISP for PowerPage publisher Jason O'Grady, demanding that the ISP turn over the communications and unpublished materials O'Grady obtained while he was gathering information for his articles about "Asteroid." Apple has also been granted permission to issue subpoenas directly to EFF clients PowerPage and AppleInsider for similar information.
EFF appealed the trial court decision which held that if a journalist publishes information a business deems to be a trade secret, this act destroys constitutional protection for the journalist's confidential sources and unpublished materials. No date has yet been set for oral argument.